My New Bicycle and Climate Change

I’ve discovered a solution to finding an enjoyable form of exercise that also decreases my carbon footprint. I bought an electric bicycle. We have a great store in Owen Sound called Bikeface, and after Patti introduced to me to this lovely transporter, I returned to purchase it a few days later. It has surpassed my expectations, and makes riding the 12 km between my farm in Annan to my office in Owen Sound a pleasure. I secretly feel like Superwoman when I initiate the electric boost. So cool.

The ride is a downhill thrill going to work in the morning, but those same hills are looming giants on the way home that dissuaded me from riding my non-electric bike to work in the past. At the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is walk a bike up a long hill, feeling deflated, humiliated, and exhausted. A one way ride is obviously not an option.

Hence the purchase.

The exercise, cool air on my face, changing pastoral scenery, quiet hum of the tires, is invigorating. Once I am home I recharge my metal steed using solar and wind power, as we live off the grid. It makes me happy to know that I am generating my own transportation power. I feel so very fortunate to be able to execute these choices, and know they are not available to all.

A few years ago I thought deeply about climate change to figure out all the big and little things I might do to responsibly decrease my carbon footprint. The article below summarizes some of those discoveries.

The Big Perspective: Earth’s Beginning and End in Fire

Our sun, from which we derive most of our planetary heat, light and energy, has existed for five billion years, and like many of us, is now considered to be in middle age. Without the sun there would be no plant or animal life on earth. It is predicted that the sun will burn up its hydrogen fuel and expand to an enormous size as it becomes a red giant in another five billion years or so, potentially swallowing up Mercury, Venus and Earth in the process. We are overnight guests on this ephemeral planet. How will we use our allotted energy and time? How will we care for and respect this living jewel that is our temporary home?

Climate Change: Its Causes and Solutions

Greenhouse gases absorb and trap infra-red radiation from the sun in the lower part of the earth’s atmosphere, preventing heat from escaping into outer space and resulting in an accelerated warming of the earth. Greenhouse gases include naturally-occurring water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and manmade halogenated fluorocarbons, perfluorinated carbons and hydrofluorocarbons.[i] The most predominant greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide, accounting for half of all human-generated global warming. Methane, released from landfills, wetlands and bogs, livestock, coal mining and gas pipeline leaks, traps heat 20-30 times more efficiently than carbon dioxide, and may become the most harmful greenhouse gas in coming years.

Human activity has increased production of greenhouse gases by about 30 percent[ii] since the industrial revolution began in the early 1800s, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) for energy and transportation; as well as deforestation (when trees are cut down less carbon dioxide is absorbed); irrigation; animal grazing (which results in increased methane production); and cement manufacturing. In the U.S., transportation alone accounts for more than a quarter of U.S. energy consumption and a third of its greenhouse gas production while electricity is responsible for 40 percent of emissions.[iii]

Fact: The climate is changing more dramatically now than at any time in the last 10,000 years when agriculture and human settlement began,[iv] demonstrating that our collective actions exceed the ability of the earth to adjust, regulate and compensate.

If we do not act quickly and aggressively in reducing emissions, there will be a tripling of carbon dioxide emissions by the end of this century.

Just as individuals facing a life-threatening illness often rise to the challenge and adopt a completely different lifestyle, climate change provides us with an opportunity to change the way we use energy and to participate in a renewable and sustainable energy revolution.

Health Effects of Climate Change

The climatic and planetary changes caused by global warming and their effects on human health are summarized in the following table:

Climate and Planetary Change	Health Effects
*Direct Effects*
Rise in global temperatures	Increased deaths from heatstroke, heart attacks, respiratory distress, particularly in the elderly. In the summer of 2004, heat waves in Portugal, Romania and southern Europe sent temperatures up to 40°C.
Increase in extreme temperature occurrences – both hot and cold	Deaths, injuries, psychological distress, burden placed on public health systems
Increased frequency of other extreme weather events such as hurricanes, flooding, drought, ice storms, forest fires.	Deaths, drownings, injuries, psychological distress, loss of home and community, re-location, increased insect and rodent-borne diseases, financial burden and distress. Deaths and physical injuries linked primarily with power outages, carbon monoxide poisoning, hypothermia, house fires and car accidents. Respiratory illness due to haze from uncontrolled burning of forests. Deaths from flooding and mudslides, caused by storms.
*Indirect Effects*
Increase in air pollution, smog and ground level ozone, prevalence of spores, pollen and moulds. When temperatures rise above 32°C more ozone is formed at ground level. Ozone increases the sensitivity of people with asthma to allergens and can spur the development of asthma in children.[v]	Increased asthma and allergies as well as other respiratory disorders and deaths. In Canada, at least 16,000 people die prematurely each year because of harmful levels of air pollution,[vi] with at least 1000 in Toronto alone.[vii]
Regional positive or negative changes in agricultural productivity with longer growing seasons in some areas, such as Canada; decreased food production in tropical and subtropical countries; increased drought or flooding in others; increased pests or plant diseases	Changes in availability of food; starvation and dehydration in some areas. Increased violence in the search for food and water. Malnutrition and impairment of children’s growth and development. Increased infant mortality.
Increase or change in range and activity of mosquitoes, parasites, viruses, ticks, disease-causing insects	Increase or change in distribution of malaria, Lyme disease, dengue fever, Leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis, schistosomiasis, West Nile Virus, flu epidemics etc.[viii] [ix] with more deaths in poor populations that lack health prevention and containment strategies.
Change in types and frequency of infectious organisms found in water and food	Changed or increased incidence of diarrhea and other infectious diseases such as cholera, E.coli infections. In Walkerton, Ontario, drought followed by heavy rain in May 2000 swept cattle manure into town wells, contributing to a severe outbreak of E. coli 0157 that caused 7 deaths and sickened 2300.[x] [xi]
Sea level rise (45-88 cm by 2100) with flooding of coastal and island populations, such as Bangladesh, the islands of Vanuatu and the Maldives, and the Nile delta in Egypt. Annual flooding currently affects 46 million people, and by 2100 is expected to affect 92 million people.	Deaths, drownings, population displacement, psychological stress. Over half the world’s population lives within 60 km of the sea, and a rising sea level will increase prevalence of malaria and cholera; disrupt economies and food production; cause mass migrations of people and stress public health resources. Immigration to countries like Canada will increase.
Changes in economy, infrastructure, supply of resources, food and water	Social and economic stress, political and civil strife, psychological distress
Melting permafrost and ice flows in the Arctic, leading to a change in food supply for the Inuit.	Reduced capacity of the Inuit to live off the land, malnutrition.
Depletion of the ozone layer caused by greenhouse gases, resulting in increased exposure to solar ultra-violet radiation.	Causes immune deficiency with increased susceptibility to infection and risk of cancer. Health effects include sunburn, premature skin aging, skin cancer, malignant melanoma, cataracts, retinal damage to the eye.
Changes in fish populations because of rising temperatures and sea levels.	Potential loss of protein sources for fish-consuming populations.

Excess Planetary Yang is Exhausting the Yin

The human-driven excess heat, activity and energy consumption causing global warming is exhausting the yin, the feminine principle, burning it up. In a woman, this would lead to symptoms of adrenal burnout, hyper or hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome, organ exhaustion, frequent infections, auto-immune disease, anxiety, palpitations, insomnia, dryness of the skin, increased thirst, irregular periods and in a menopausal woman, hot flashes and vaginal dryness.

On the planet yin deficiency/yang excess results in weather extremes, drought, shortage of water, depletion of the forests, mineral deficiencies, species extinction, the formation of deserts, and collapse.

The treatment is the same for us and for Gaia – a period of rest and renewal, decreased energy consumption, decreased activity, and time to nourish the yin, our inner lives and soul, and the feminine principle. It is not enough for us to devise sources of renewable energy – what is imbalanced is our whole pace of life and our excess energy consumption.

Solutions to Global Warming:

The average Canadian contributes more than 5 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions to global warming each year, which between all of us comprises more than a quarter of Canada’s total emissions. Almost 50% of this comes from automobile use; 29% from space heating and air conditioning; 11% from water heating; 7.5 % from appliances and 2.5 % from lighting.[i]

What can we do? Make a few of the changes below each month, and check them off as you go:

Around Your Home:[ii] [iii]

Support the use of wind, solar and geothermal power to replace power generated by fossil fuels.
If you are building a new home in a northern climate, consider an earth berm around the north side of your home for insulation, and large windows or a greenhouse on the south side for passive solar heat. Place windows in advantageous spots to reduce the need for indoor lighting.
Consider living in a smaller dwelling to save electricity and to conserve materials.
Insulate your walls, ceilings, floors, basements, doors and water pipes
Install a storm door with a screen to prevent energy loss and improve ventilation.
Replace old windows with argon filled, double or triple glazed windows to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by at least 2.4 tons per year.
Use quilted blinds over your windows in the winter to conserve heat.
To control heat gain in the summer, install awnings on upper storey windows.
Install a high efficiency furnace to save up to 40 percent on heating costs.
Plant shade deciduous trees and paint your house a light colour if you live in a warm climate, or a dark color if you live in a cold climate. Low-growing evergreen shrubs planted near basement walls will help to keep warmth in and winter winds out.
Use caulking and weather stripping to plug air leaks around doors and windows
Request a home energy audit from your utility company to find out where your home is poorly insulated or is not energy efficient, and begin with the least expensive changes that have the greatest benefit.

Home Appliances:

Turn down the temperature on your refrigerator; it accounts for 11-20 percent of home electricity use. Use a thermometer to set your refrigerator to 37°F and your freezer to 3°F. Replace an old refrigerator with a new energy efficient model, which uses 50 percent less energy.
Cool your food before placing it into the fridge.
Chest freezers are more energy efficient than upright models. Do not place your freezer close to a heat source, such as a furnace, radiator or dryer.
Use cool or warm water for washing clothes, rather than hot water. A front loading washing machine can cut hot water use by 60-70 percent compared to a top loading machine.
Retire your clothes dryer and install a clothesline outside and/or in the basement.
Use less hot water by installing low-flow shower heads
Wrap your water heater in an insulating jacket. Turn down the temperature on your water heater to 120°F (50°C) or invest in a solar water heater.
Wash dishes by hand and let them air dry, or dry them manually.
Use fewer electrical appliances like electric carving knives, mixers, and hairdryers.
Turn your computers, VCRs, DVD players, televisions and radios off when not in use.
Choose energy efficient appliances – in Canada and the U.S., look for the Energy Star label.

Lighting:

Buy energy efficient LED lights and replace other bulbs.
Turn your lights out when not in use; use indoor lighting as little as possible and choose bulbs with lower wattage.
Use wreaths and bows for outdoor Christmas decorations, rather than lights, unless they are solar powered.

Home Heating:

Do not overheat your house. In the winter set your thermostat at 68°F in the daytime, and 55°F at night, using warm blankets, a hot water bottle or a duvet to warm the bed. In the summer, keep it at 78°F.
If you work away from home, get a timed thermostat that will automatically turn off the heat when you leave the house, and turn it on shortly before you return.
Clean or replace air filters as needed, as more energy is required to draw air through dirty filters. An air conditioner set a 25°C provides the most comfort for the least cost.
Try to get by with ceiling fans and well placed fans rather than air conditioning.

Transportation:

Walk, bike, carpool or using public transit more often. This is the most important thing you can do to reduce greenhouse gases.
Live without a car. If you do buy a car, choose a smaller car that is fuel efficient, a hybrid or electric car.
Have your car serviced every 5000 miles or so to get better mileage and keep your brakes properly adjusted to maintain fuel efficiency.
Use good quality multi-grade oil to reduce engine friction and increase fuel efficiency.
Drive less in the city, as this uses twice as much fuel as hi-way driving.
Use properly filled radial tires to improve fuel economy by at least 4 percent.
If your car has an air conditioner, be sure to have its coolant recovered and recycled when you have your car serviced.
Investigate the possibility of using biodiesel fuel, made from recycled vegetable oils or soy oil whenever it is available in your area.
Fly as seldom as possible, or not at all.

Reduce, Re-use, Recycle:

Reduce the waste you generate by buying minimally packaged goods, choosing reusable products rather than disposable ones, and recycle whenever possible.
Help to establish recycling and composting programs in your town
Reduce the weekly garbage you set out for pick-up by 50 percent.
Call or write manufacturers who use plastic containers to switch to glass, which can be recycled. Request that packaging be made from paper and corn rather than styrofoam or plastic.
Donate old clothing, furniture, appliances, books etc. to stores, charities, libraries, churches or individuals who can resell them or use them for parts.
Buy food (grains, nuts, beans), detergent, shampoo, toilet paper etc. in bulk to save on packaging.
If you need to buy something new, choose good quality that will last to keep the energy used in manufacturing new goods to a minimum. Maintain and repair your possessions so they last as long as possible.
Do not buy disposable products – whether it be diapers, cameras, paper plates, plastic cutlery.
Rent, borrow or share items that you will not use often – these might include things as diverse as a lawn mower, rototiller, breadmaker, chainsaw, videocamera or a canoe.

Cooking and Eating:

Keep lids on pots when cooking or boiling water to reduce energy use. When boiling water, use a kettle for greater efficiency, and boil only the amount you need.
Use a toaster oven rather than a conventional oven when possible for heating smaller quantities of food. Make sure there is good air circulation around it.
Eat more raw food, less cooked food to save on electricity and preserve enzymes.
Buy locally grown seasonal fruits, vegetables and food whenever possible to reduce the energy and emissions needed for transportation and refrigeration.
Become a vegetarian so that fewer acres are needed globally to pasture livestock or feed them grain, and consequently fewer trees will be cut and forests will be saved.

I’ve done many of the things on the above list, but can do much more. Let me know if you’ve found other ways to decrease your own contributions to climate change.

References:

[i] Why take the challenge? Government of Canada. www.climatechange.gc.ca/onetonne/english/why.asp accessed Dec. 28, 2004.

[ii] Twenty things you can do to conserve energy. www.powerscorecard.org/reduce_energy.cfm

[iii] Global warming and the third world. www.cru.uea.ac.uk/tiempo/floor2/educ/diy/home accessed Dec. 19, 2004.

[i] Kerry M, Kelk G, Etkin D, Burton I, Kalhok S. Glazed over: Canada copes with the ice storm of 1998. Environment 1999; 41(1): 5-11, 28-32.

[iii] Milliken M. Canada leads pollution laggards:Emissions up, not down to Kyoto levels. Toronto Star 2004; Dec 17:A18.

[iv] Milliken M. Canada leads pollution laggards:Emissions up, not down to Kyoto levels. Toronto Star 2004; Dec 17:A18.

[v] Koren HS, Bromberg PA. Respiratory responses of asthmatics to ozone. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 1995; 107: 236-238.

[vi] Government of Canada, Finding of significant contribution and rulemaking of certain states in the ozone transport assessment group for purposes of reducing regional transport of ozone: Proposed rule. A submission to the office of air and radiation docket and information centre. Washington, D.C. US Environmental Protection Agency, 1998.

[vii] Pengelly D, Campbell M, Ennis S, Ursitti F, Li-Muller A. Air pollution burden of illness. Toronto: Toronto Public Health, 2000.

[viii] Patz JA, Epstein PR, Burke TA, Balbus JM. Global climate change and emerging infectious diseases. JAMA 1996;275:217-23.

[ix] Rogers DJ, Packer MJ. Vector-borne diseases, models and global change. Lancet 1993;342:1282-84.

[x] Auld H. The historical significance of rainfall in the Walkerton area during May 2000. testimony at Walkerton Inquiry, Jan 15, 2001, in Meteorological Service of Canada – Ontario Region Report.

[xi] Mossman M. Utilities chief to testify on E. coli disaster. www.freep.com/news/nw/water18_20001218.

[ii] Epstein PR, ed. Extreme weather events: the health and economic consequences of the 1997/98 El Nino and La Nina. Harvard, MA: Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School; 1999.[i] Kerry M, Kelk G, Etkin D, Burton I, Kalhok S. Glazed over: Canada copes with the ice storm of 1998. Environment 1999; 41(1): 5-11, 28-32.