Climate change could be worse than predicted Greater Sudbury residents were told Wednesday night by Brian Mitchell, an energy expert from Edmonton.
Mitchell is director of Eco-Efficiency Services and recently served as manager of Edmonton's CORE Strategy, a municipal greenhouse gas reduction initiative. He spoke to about 40 residents at the Howard Johnson on Brady St. as part of an Efficient Sudbury workshop, organized by EarthCare Sudbury.
Participants learned there is good and bad news with respect to climate change.
“Recent events in the news, the devastating storms hitting BC, the above normal temperatures currently in the western provinces after above normal temperatures here in the east and the severe storms smashing Europe recently, killing over 50 people, have been linked to climate change,” said Mitchell.
“Climate change is caused by the build-up of three gases, carbon dioxide which most people know about, but also by methane and nitrous oxide. The role of last two are not widely known,” said Mitchell.
“Levels of methane have more than doubled historically because they are emitted by an increasing number of landfills. The troubling aspect is that methane is 210 times more potent than CO2, carbon dioxide, as a greenhouse gas. Another source of methane are areas in the arctic with permafrost. As it melts, and indications are that this is happening in Canada and Russia, a vast amount of methane will be released further compounding climate change,” said Mitchell.
Another greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide, is 1200 times more potent than carbon dioxide in causing climate change said Mitchell.
“Concentrations of nitrous oxide have risen steadily over the last 80 years because a main source is from our modern chemical nitrogen based agriculture systems. What I have been reading lately in the scientific literature is that we may have a window of only 10-15 years to reduce these major greenhouse gases, after that it may be too late,” he said.
The next United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, expected to raise further warnings about climate change, will be released in February said Mitchell.
“This new report will further document and consolidate the findings of hundreds of climate change scientists around the world,” he said.
Then there is the good news.
“There is a lot of room for individuals to help address this problem of climate change,” he said.
Participants were shown a number of ways they can not only reduce their energy usage but also save on the household budget.
If all Greater Sudbury homes changed a 100 watt standard light bulb, which lasts 1500 hours on average for an equivalent 23 watt compact fluorescent bulb, lasting 10,000 hours, that one choice saves individuals $77 over the lifetime of the bulb and collectively cuts 26,145 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from Greater Sudbury said Mitchell.
Simple air sealing and caulking of a house can substantial cut energy and safeguard the viability of attic and the structure of walls by preventing the build-up of moisture.
Residents were also advised to carefully consider the real price of purchasing new appliances.
“There are two prices to appliances, the cheaper purchase price and the ongoing cost to power that computer, washer, dryer or fridge. Buy Energy Star rated appliances that guarantee the appliance is manufactured to the best energy standards in its class because that will save you money over time and cut your energy consumption.”
For more information on the City of Greater Sudbury's energy efficiency programs contact EarthCare Sudbury at 671-2489, ext. 4690 or 4398.
