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12 12/January

Twelve months. Twelve big ideas for a strong, resilient community.

In this issue

10

2015

Environment Commission

Household Challenge (page 7)

Water Woman! (page 6)

Lead the Wayby making real change

Coffee Cup Challenge (page 3)

Leadiing the Way in North Cowichan (page 8)

Introduction from the CVRD Environment Commission

This marks the CVRD Environment Commission’s sixteenth edition of our 12/12 Newsletter and the last one in our cur-rent series. Every month since October 2013 the Commis-sion has profiled people and groups who are taking action to protect, enhance and restore our natural environment. Along the way we have gained a greater understanding and appreciation for those who are taking the lead across our Region. We have been inspired and impressed by the level and range of expertise in our Region. Even more remark-able is that we could only profile a fraction of the good work happening out there!

The Environment Commission is looking forward to what 2015 holds. We are optimistic that the good work will con-

tinue but we also know there is much work ahead of us. In 2015 we expect to release an update to key sections of the CVRD State of the Environment Report.

Lastly, I must send a special thank you out to the visionaries and volunteers behind this newsletter, especially retiring commission member, Priscilla Brewer, and Communications Sub-committee Chair, Roger Hart. Your creativity, dedica-tion and leadership have been instrumental in the Commis-sion’s success!

Janna JorgensenVice-Chair, CVRD Environment Commission

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For the past three years, the CVRD has teamed up with the Cowichan Green Community to deliver workshops in in schools and community groups throughout the Region-al District. We have hosted well over 250 workshops and have learned a few things from the young voices in our communities.

Young people today have grown up with recycling and wa-ter conservation, and they understand the effects of air pol-lution and our impact on the environment. These concepts that have only become mainstream the past dozen years or so are part of their everyday reality and long past are the days where they need to be taught the importance of re-cycle programs, taking the bus vs driving, alternative fuel production and energy, how to save water and take care of the world around us.

They know about blue boxes, organics and where which container their juice boxes go into. Adults, they agree, are the ones who still need a little more work!

And so, a group of youth in grade seven have devised a plan to help spread the word and engage a few adults into

The Coffe Cup Challengegetting on board. They want to kick off in early Spring of 2015 by offering a challenge to the teachers at their school and inviting 3 other schools to join in and see which school is most effective at encouraging their teachers to change their ways over the rest of the school year.

The campaign is called the, “Coffee Cup Challenge” and came from a garbage count the students did last year to see what was being thrown out that was recyclable. And they couldn’t believe how many disposable coffee cups they found!! They have been counting coffee cups ever since and are excited for the New Year when they can finally come together to plan and launch their campaign and get their teachers, and probably a few parents into the spirit of out with the old disposables and into the new re-useables!!

Check out Cowichan Green Community’s Educational Out-reach web-page for updates early this Spring tracking their progress.

Michelle StaplesEnvironmental Educator

Photo credit: Michelle Staples

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Lead the Wayby making real change at the per-sonal and local government levels.

Be Energy Smartand conserve wherever possible.

Audit and Protectour Assets.

Revive Biodiversity

12 BIG ideasIf we carry on thinking for today and not thinking about to-morrow, we run the risk of losing some of our natural assets forever. This is why we put together our list of big ideas for making our region more sustainable. This list is made up of small, medium and large decisions we need to make and actions we need to take to build a strong, sustainable Co-

wichan. Here are our 12 big ideas on which to build a sus-tainability plan for the Cowichan region, and some examples of what our big ideas would look like ‘on the ground’. Some of these things you could do personally and some we could do together as a community and through local government.

1

Lead the Way by making real change at the personal and local government levels. We all have role to play in creating a sus-tainable Cowichan, including encouraging government to embed a sustainable fu-ture in every rule and regulation and sup-porting them to make real changes. You can help by joining a committee, volun-teering or donating toward environmental stewardship, and voicing your concerns and priorities.

2

We have to get smarter about how we generate and use energy in our region, in order to ensure that our demand does not outweigh our supply. We can do this by lowering thermostats, shutting off and unplugging electronics, switching to low energy street lights, using industrial and household waste to produce power, sup-porting geothermal, wind and solar proj-ects and developing a regional energy plan.

3

We need to figure out what we have so we know what to protect and how quickly we have to act. This means documenting and assessing things like sensitive areas, species at risk, wetlands, watercourses and air and water quality. It also means under-taking a connectivity analysis to ensure we protect and allow for species migrations.

4We need to immediately start restoring and protecting valuable habitat and eco-systems. We can do this by getting rid of invasive species, allowing only low impact or restorative development (where no critical habitat is destroyed), acquiring or protecting ecologically significant tracts of land, building birdhouses to support native species, working with and support-ing stewardship groups and working with forestry operators to better manage oper-ations in concert with community values and ecology practices.

Eat Localbecause food security matters.5

We have some of the best agricultural land anywhere! Let’s maximize this po-tential and establish food security for our region. We can do this by supporting small-scale agriculture, and our regional agriculture plan as well as developing creative support tools and mechanisms to assist local agriculture production.

Get Up to Speedon the new green economy.

6

We need to quickly change how we do business in our region by promoting green business development (agro-forestry, al-ternative energy, eco-tourism), consuming less and applying full cost accounting to determine the true costs of products and services.

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Don’t Hogthe water so there is enough for all, and replenish our groundwater.

7

Get Real about climate change and the impact it will have on our region.

8

Some of the ways we can do this are: by planning for the uncertainty ahead; pro-tecting infrastructure and communities from increased winter rains, summer drought and violent winds; and devel-oping a comprehensive drought plan for the region.

Be Carbon Neutral9We can achieve carbon neutrality by do-ing things like ensuring our homes are as efficient as possible (and lowering our costs) increasing the efficiency of our own personal and community transportation systems (light rail, bike lanes, more buses), making recreation carbon free, and refor-esting our communities and watersheds to capture carbon and create jobs.

Grow Up Not Outby putting people, jobs, and transportation closer together.

10

We need to lower our development foot-print and live in denser, more compact communities. This means doing things like enforcing urban containment boundar-ies (no more ‘sprawl’), developing creative ways to get added natural values within this boundary (like ecosystem pockets, trees for shade and birds, rain gardens, etc.), and adopting a green building code.

Clear the Airto reduce carbon emissions.

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We need to immediately reduce our lo-cal carbon emissions by doing things like planting carbon fixing vegetation, upgrading wood burning stoves, reduc-ing our reliance on fossil fuels, passing air quality bylaws, and monitoring and enforcing our air quality.

Get Seriousabout zero waste.

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We need to rethink how we handle our sewage, garbage, and other waste to make use of unused resources and minimize their impact on the environment. We can also do this by saying no to plastic, avoid-ing excessive packaging and exploring ‘cradle to cradle’ opportunities.

We need to make sure there is enough wa-ter for everyone and everything, including other species and ecosystems. We can do this by measuring and pricing water ac-cordingly to ensure conservation, locating industry and development away from the aquifer’s sensitive areas, using drought re-sistant landscaping, using low flush toilets, and encouraging ‘green infrastructure’ development that takes the natural water cycle and rain water into consideration.

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As you squish your boots across the soggy landscapes of the Cowichan Valley this month it may be hard to remem-ber that last summer was among the driest on record. The Cowichan Watershed changes so much from season to season, it’s amazing how well life adapts. For example, as I am writing this the small side-channel in the upper Co-wichan where I helped Joe Saysell rescue fish from drying waters last summer is now buried under a gushing torrent and flooding has replaced drought in the lower Lower Co-wichan where Cowichan Tribes’ fisheries crews were mon-itoring dangerously low water that risked salmon survival. The lakeside restoration sites planted by Gerald Thom and the wonderful Cowichan Lake and Stream Stewards no lon-ger need watering. Fields that were cracked and dry are now wet and mucky, and all of the helpful, caring children that I visited at summer camps have traded their sandals for gumboots (I know they are still helpful and caring though!).

One thing that shouldn’t change with the seasons is our commitment to saving water. We can’t afford to let that be a fair-weather fashion! Why? First, because it takes energy and other resources to pump water to our taps, so saving water saves energy. Secondly, because for the majority of us who use groundwater, even though the surface is sog-gy, our aquifers are likely still recharging from dry times, so water saved now can help next summer, or years from now. And thirdly, because discharging “used” water into sewers and septic fields has year-round impacts, including financial costs and pollution.

Bad habits are hard to break, so let’s keep the good habits rolling! The Cowichan Water Conservation Challenge is en-couraging citizens and local governments across the region to save our water for its most precious uses - like bringing the salmon home, growing food, keeping water safe and clean, and supporting our local economy. Keep it up Co-wichan! Learn more at cowichanwaterchallenge.ca.

Thank You!

Water Woman, and the Cowichan Watershed Board

p.s. Read more about what happened this summer here.

p.p.s. Take a look at my photo albums here to see all the wonderful people who shared their water saving ideas and commitments with me this summer.

Watery New Year Greetings Cowichan!

- From Water Woman

Photo credit: Gord Iverson

Photo credit: Gord Iverson

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Lets celebrate a recent energy saving success, the North Cowichan Household Energy Challenge from Sept. to Oct. 2014 was a bona fide success for the participants, and the environment. And it needed surprisingly little to organize.

It took five weeks, five families, and a bunch of good ideas worth trying. The really good news most of it was free. To save electricity the families turned off unused lights, unplugged seldom used appliances, turned down water heaters, reduced their thermostats, and washed dishes and clothes only with a full load. One family put in a shower timer. One installed a clothesline to avoid using the dryer. Another competed with neighbours to be last to use their furnace in the fall. And every kilowatt hour they saved put a dime in their pockets and less pollution in the atmosphere.

Our families were given some inexpensive help (<$500 each), so they could learn and earn even more. They got:

1. An energy monitor (about $250) so they could track exact power usage moment by moment

2. A home energy assessment (about $150) for an EnerGuide Rating, and to point out savings areas

3. A PowerSmart home energy kit with power sav-ing light bulbs, draft stopping weather stripping, water saving showerheads and more.

They discovered that adjusting their lifestyle to save ener-gy did not require a lot of time or expense and recovered costs quickly. One family cut their BC Hydro monthly usage in half.

The Challenge used available, accessible, appropriate tech-nologies. All that’s required is to start where you are, use what you’ve got, learn where you can, and try some new things. Google any of the above for ideas on-line.

To get started your daily and hourly electricity consump-tion is viewable for free from BC Hydro www.bchydro.com/BCHCustomerPortal/createProfile.html as can be seen here. And for a cash incentive consider applying for an ECAP grant or HERO rebate (before Mar. 31, 2015 www.bchydro.com/homerebates).

I am looking forward to Cowichan Valley Household Chal-lenge again next year....and meanwhile there is so much to try!

Reed EarlyNorth Cowichan’s Climate Change Action Committee

How Do I participate in the ChallengE?

FIVE households will be selected from the “Household Challenge entries.(entry forms available online @ www.northcowichan.ca).

WHAT DO PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE? free home energy audit! energy monitor! mentoring on carbon reduction & tracking! media exposure on the news & Internet ! chance to WIN the grand prize - 6 months of local produce home delivered!

Enter the Household Challenge!!communityforclimate

When is the Challenge?

Entry deadline Wednesday September 10th!

Contest runs five weeks from September 21st to October 26th, 2014.

WhY Participate?

It’s a chance to act on climate change. You could save energy and money, &.....also have fun & discover a new energy saving, “carbon busting” lifestyle.

Entry forms and more Information available @ www.northcowichan.ca

communityforclimate

North Cowichan’s

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MNC became carbon neutral in its operations this year due to the Kitchen Pitch in program and Council’s decision to dedicate 91% of Echo Heights as parkland. MNC has com-mitted to reducing water consumption (a challenge by the Watershed Board) and recently put on the Household Challenge, designed to bring awareness to issues around climate and energy. The Cowichan Valley Citizen helped lead the way with the Household Challenge by giving us so much coverage.

MNC staff have developed plans to save energy in munici-pal buildings, thereby saving citizens money.

The greatest contribution to GHG emissions in North Co-wichan is private homes and vehicles (approx 80%). The Of-ficial Community Plan sets out Urban Containment Bound-aries which encourage development in our 3 core areas, creating more density and ultimately more walkable com-munities so that we can reduce the average travel trip of our residents.

We are also very proud of the Tax Exemption Revitalization by-law which encourages qualifying green business and development in designated areas by giving them a break on taxes to encourage these types of businesses and resi-dential development in our urban cores. The goal is to make our communities less reliant on vehicles.

The process has come full circle, as the Climate Change Ad-visory Committee is now being called the Environmental Committee as once again, North Cowichan strives to lead the way on protecting our children and grandchildren’s future.

Kate MarshCouncilor, North Cowichan

NORTH COWICHAN, LEADING THE WAYThe Municipality of North Cowichan (DMNC) is well posi-tioned to highlight for this month’s Lead the Way issue. Go-ing as far back as the mid 1970’s, we started water conser-vation by metering in our greatest population base at the south end. The entire District’s water is now metered. In 1992, we won a BC Hydro Award for completing installation of energy efficient lighting. We’ve led the way on sewage treatment, with secondary treatment in Chemainus and Crofton since 1998 and the south end JUB has tertiary treat-ment in the summer months and secondary treatment the rest of the year. (since 2000)

In 2005 the first roundabouts were built at Henry and Che-mainus Road, and Beverly Street.

These reduce GHG emissions as there is very little idling involved compared to the previous traffic back up which often lined up to the schools for traffic waiting to turn up Lakes Road. Traffic speeds are down, accidents are few, and if they happen they are not very serious. As a bonus, not putting in traffic signals saves money, both in construction and maintenance.

MNC was a leader with rebates for low flush toilets before the province required them and had one of the first recy-cling programs in the Cowichan Valley.

Environmental programs in the schools taught by summer students have been happening for about 14 years, teaching things such as recycling, composting, water conservation and this past year, invasive species.

Along the way the Environment Committee morphed into the Climate Change Advisory Committee, spending several years working with staff, a consultant and the community on a Climate Action and Energy Plan (CAEP) which was ad-opted by Council in early 2013. To date it has won two pres-tigious awards.

Committee and staff have been working on the implemen-tation framework, which was passed in October 2014.

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I was passing under the Spencer Road Interchange as I drove home from Langford last Thursday, listening to the CBC radio program, All Points West. It was raining lightly and I was fiddling with the windshield wiper dial. Jo-Ann Roberts was interviewing Deb Harford, the Executive Direc-tor of the Adaptation to Climate Change Team at Simon Fra-ser University. They were chatting about the flooding that was happening in Courtenay and the collapse of the seawall in Delta, and I was barely paying attention. It sounded like pretty standard stuff: the obvious impacts of a changing cli-mate and the factors that can make those impacts lesser or greater.

As someone keenly interested in addressing environmen-tal issues, I continued listening, albeit distractedly. Melting, precipitation and heavy storm surges were said to be on the rise, no big surprises there, just a depressing confirmation of what is to come. As I achieved my desired wiper speed, Deb mentioned that Canada was lagging in its action on mitigating impacts to climate change, specifically in the as-sessment of vulnerability and risk. She added that we need-ed to be looking at ecosystem-based approaches.

My interest was suddenly piqued. I turned up the volume and was listening intently as some cars merged behind me from the lane to my right. The term “ecosystem-based” is quite familiar to me. It’s the basis of a project that we, the Shawnigan Basin Society, with the help of Herb Hammond of the Silva Forest Foundation, have been working on for the past two years. Our Ecosystem-based Conservation Plan for the Shawnigan Watershed is a comprehensive as-sessment of the character and condition of the Shawnigan Watershed. We have taken the steps to determine and map the ecological and hydrological features of the watershed, showing areas of sensitivity that should be conserved or restored and indicating areas of lesser sensitivity where development could take place. The assessment (funded by the Real Estate Foundation, the SBS and many more) is the ecological baseline for all future planning within the watershed.

As I approached Goldstream, wipers at the lowest interval, headlights reflecting in my rearview mirror, the interview came to an end and I broke into a smile. A collective vision is never as clear as we want it to be, and in the face of apa-thy, we need to connect with people on a familiar level. We already have the tools for adaptation, and the pace is ours to set. So let’s crank it up and continue to lead the way!

Georgia CollinsNDP Candidate, Cowichan-Malahat-Langford

Stay InformedUpcoming meetings

CVRD Environment Commission meetings: The next scheduled meeting is February 26. However, please check the CVRD website as the meeting schedule may change.

Board Room, 175 Ingram Street, Duncan

Duncan Environment Committee meetings: Please check the City of Duncan website as the meeting schedule may change.

Committee Room, City Hall, 200 Craig Street, Duncan

North Cowichan Climate Action Committee: Thursday, February 26, 2:30 - 4:30 pm

Municipal Hall, 7030 Trans-Canada Highway

DRIVING CHANGE

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Editorial Team:

Roger Hart

Peter Nix

Keith Lawrence

Kate Marsh

Jennifer Rowell

Lynn Wilson

Newsletter Design: Cowichan Green Community

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