August 2023

Hello friends! Summer seems to flying by and I hope you've all had time to spend some time outdoors with loved ones. It was great seeing many of you last month at Westwood Lake. It was a beautiful day and so wonderful to cool off in or on the water.

With the devastating fires many of our fellow British Columbians are experiencing and the fact that last month was the hottest July globally on record, it is evident that the impact of climate change is upon us—no longer some future phenomenon we are trying to prevent. Our work as an organization locally has never been more important. I am proud of all the work we are doing that is highlighted in this month's newsletter. Thank you for your continued support and dedication as climate activists!

Bye for now!

-Heather

September 23rd Potluck Social!

Even (especially!) activists need to take time from work to socialize and celebrate the hard work they do every day. We are planning a potluck gathering for September 23rd. Please RSVP to NanaimoClimateAction@gmail.com to let us know if you can make it. Details to follow, including a sign-up sheet to make sure we don't just have desserts (although Larry says that wouldn't be the worst thing :-)).

NCAH meets with Federal & Provincial Green Party Leaders

Recently, NCAH has received meeting requests from not one, but two, Green Party politicians who want to learn more about our climate action work and the impact we're having here in Nanaimo and region. Laurie Friskie provides a recap.

You know you have done good work when Sonia Furstenau, Leader of the BC Green Party and MLA for Cowichan Valley, reaches out for a meeting! On a beautiful Sunday morning, several members of NCAH met with Ms. Furstenau at Affirmation Coffee for a friendly conversation about some of our projects including One Million Heat Pumps In Three Years and the Zero Carbon Step Code Campaign. We chatted about our frustration caused by the lack of a sense of urgency with respect to the climate crisis, mechanisms to get more cars off the road and improve bicycle lanes, building resilience in neighbourhoods, and inspiring people with a vision of a healthier planet. Several NCAH members took the opportunity to share their concerns with Ms. Furstenau. Solving the world’s challenges over a cup of coffee has never been better!

Imagine our surprise when were were offered an opportunity to meet with Jonathan Pedneault, Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada, during his visit to Nanaimo earlier this month. The Vault Café was an excellent backdrop for a conversation about NCAH activities, the state of the climate crisis, including West coast vulnerabilities, and life in Ottawa, especially their recent bout of smoky skies.

We welcome any and all political leaders who are willing to chat with members of NCAH about the worsening climate crisis!

Zero Carbon Step Code (ZCSC) in Nanaimo—more action needed

While we have made significant strides toward making the Zero Carbon Step Code a reality in Nanaimo, as Heather communicated directly to you over the weekend, our work is not done. We are extremely proud of the work we have done as an organization to this point. And while our efforts resulted in a 6-0 Council vote in favor of ZCSC on July 26th, we believe it will be important to demonstrate our continued strong support for the ZCSC to counteract pressure from the fossil fuel industry (namely Fortis BC). Please consider signing up to speak at the meeting, or attending in person to show support. In order to speak (in person or via videoconference), you must apply by 11 am on Friday, August 25th. The meeting starts at 7 pm on August 28th and will take place at Shaw Auditorium at 80 Commercial Street in Nanaimo.

A B.C. gas report sparks claims of misinformation

According to a recent Times Colonist article, a government-industry reported gauging the potential future role for renewable gas in B.C was edited to remove sections stating electric heat pumps have an advantage over burning gas.

The article further states that one jettisoned section praises the efficiency of electric heat pumps, stating they are “six to eight times more efficient than heating with gas” — a figure close to what's reported by BC Hydro and the International Energy Agency. Another section struck from the report says the City of Vancouver’s plan to phase out natural gas should be extended across the province.

Other statements appear to have been altered to paint a more neutral picture of future gas demand. The report initially warned that beyond 2030, changes to industrial and building sectors "may lead to shrinking pipeline gas sales...". It was later modified to say those industry trends "may change the volume of energy delivered in the gas system."

Upcoming Event: Preparing your family & neighbourhood for extreme weather events and other natural disasters

The B.C. Greens Nanaimo and Nanaimo-North Cowichan Riding Association have asked us to share to their upcoming Information session on Emergency Preparedness. The event will take place at 7:45 on 19 September 19th 2023, at the Beban Park Social Centre.

There will be a number of speakers with expertise in what is required for us to prepare our families, neighbourhoods and communities to survive extreme weather events & other types of natural disasters. It is also our goal that this event will encourage members of our communities to act collaboratively with friends, neighbours and community groups to be better prepared for future emergencies.

Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP to nan@greenparty.bc.ca as early as you can to assure your seat. Updates, with further details about the evening’s program, will be posted to the organizations' Facebook pages (Nanaimo or Nanaimo-North Cowichan Riding Association) as we get closer to the event.

Did You Know...

One of the benefits of a heat pump, of course, is that it not only provides heat in the cold months but cooling in the hot ones! But there may be a few things you don't know about how to most efficiently run your heat pump during this hot period. Here are the top 3 tips experts agree upon:

1. Use COOL not AUTO mode

2. Keep a constant temperature (between 24-26C), rather than turning the system and off

3. Consider a higher fan speed; heat pumps operate more efficiently at higher speeds

Please Support Us!

We have an account with the Regional Recycling South Return-It Depot at 839 Victoria Road in Nanaimo. You can donate the money from returnable items by asking the clerk to credit the Nanaimo Climate Action Hub account. Thanks in advance for your support. It makes a huge difference!

This newsletter is a publication of the Nanaimo Climate Action Hub. For more information, please click below:

We respectfully acknowledge that we live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw, Stz'uminus and Snaw-Naw-As First Nations.