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Recently, the Departure Bay Neighbourhood Association members met with Nanaimo Climate Action Hub board member Deanna Fourt to talk about climate action. The good news about climate action is that every tonne of greenhouse gas emissions avoided contributes to a positive future. Rapid emissions reduction stabilizes global temperature (IPCC, 2021) and decreases the occurrence of record-shattering events (Fischer et al.,2021). The deadliest extreme event for Nanaimo and British Columbia was the 2021 heat dome, characterized by numerous days of extreme heat and warm nights. Unfortunately, the temperature on the hottest days and the duration of extreme heat events will increase until we stabilize global warming.
What Can We Do As A Neighbourhood Association? MITIGATION Reduce Emissions – Every Kilogram Matters
ADAPTATION Prepare for Changing Climate Develop a Neighbourhood Extreme Event Emergency Plan Green-Up for Best of Both Reduce and Prepare for Changing Climate with these Actions
And of course, join Nanaimo Climate Action Hub!
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This post was contributed by NCAH Organizer Shelley Serebrin. Do you know of climate solutions happening in your neighbourhood? Here is a great example of one I have had a chance to be part of. Our community climate action team obtained a grant from the City of Nanaimo to run a project to bring together residents in the Old City and Rock City neighbourhoods respectively and engage them in the idea and process of home energy retrofits (windows, insulation, sealing, heat pumps etc). Fun, friendly gatherings of six residents each were invited to a to hear the stories, and experience low carbon energy systems (LCES) at the home of a neighbour who had done retrofits. A thermal imaging camera was a fun piece of tech we used to show residents where home energy leaks may occur. Everyone hovered around the camera, curious about what the images meant and how they might use it to understand the energy losses in their homes, enabling them to focus on the problems. Robust discussions resulted from the “show and tell” sessions as we enjoyed light refreshments. What did the participating residents get out of these gatherings? First, they saw that there were people in their neighbourhood who had taken action to reduce their home energy needs, eliminated fossil fuel use, increased the comfort of their home and saved money in the long run. They heard about how their neighbour navigated the process to obtain government grants or rebates. They learned about tips on the selection of LCES systems. They had myths debunked, such as, all heat pumps are noisy. They signed up for an Energy Advisor to visit their home with the thermal imaging camera, free of charge. Participants received a brochure describing the support they could obtain in their energy reduction journey, free of charge, through the Home Energy Navigators program. They shared their stories with each other and they had a good time! A year later, the participants were asked what their plans were and what effect the gatherings and information had on their actions to reduce home energy use and to lower (eliminate) their fossil fuel burning. This is a summary of their responses.
Interested in knowing more about this project? Would you like to follow-up with another gathering to discuss permaculture principles and how they can apply to your home environment or neighbourhood community? Drop me an email ([email protected]). Perhaps we can organize a workshop in the near future. I want to thank the City of Nanaimo for funding the Thermal Imaging Camera and Home Energy Retrofits (TICHER) project from the Community Environmental Sustainability Project Grant. Some interesting findings: We discovered a problem in a closet where, for the first time in the 8 years we have lived in this house, mildew appeared in a back corner. The thermal imaging camera clearly showed a cold area where the insulation must have come away from the wall. We had hired a company to blow cellulose insulation into the attic, but before they did that, we asked them to secure the vertical insulation batting around the closet. The two photos below illustrate the use of the thermal imaging camera and what was done to remedy the heat leak: April 2024
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BC's Zero Carbon Step CodeA new provincial Zero Carbon Step Code law came into effect on May 1st, 2023 allowing local governments to limit the greenhouse gas emissions of new buildings. We are thrilled that Victoria and Saanich councils have already voted to require new buildings to meet the most stringent emission limits within the next 6 to 18 months (depending on the building type), and we want Nanaimo to follow suit. We need to make it clear to the mayor and council that residents want them to get gas out of new buildings as soon as possible. It makes no sense to set up new buildings to burn gas while we are racing to get existing gas furnaces converted to electric heat pumps in order to meet the city's goal of cutting local emissions in half by 2030. For more information, check out the following links or the meeting agenda document: Governance and Priorities Committee ResultIn the lead-up to the Governance and Priorities Committee meeting on July 26th, the mayor and council received over 60 personalized messages from residents, urging them to adopt the zero carbon step code (ZCSC) as quickly as possible (in addition to over 50 messages back in June). The Nanaimo News Bulletin published our opinion piece about the ZCSC on the day of the meeting. At the meeting (video recording and documents will be posted here), 23 people attended wearing badges in support of the initiative, and five brave residents made speeches. These speeches were incredibly eloquent and demonstrated a high level of knowledge and passion. A FortisBC representative spoke as well, with themes of wanting to have a seat at the decision-making table; being on board with the ultimate goal of net-zero emissions but wanting the transition to go more slowly; and side-stepping questions about exactly how much captured methane is actually available within BC. Council heard from BC Hydro representatives, who explained that because electrification is happening more quickly than they expected, they've initiated a call for new electricity generation projects two years ahead of their earlier plan, so that new projects (likely solar and wind) can be up and running by 2028 when they now expect additional power will be needed. A rep from the Canadian Homebuilders Association spoke in opposition to the proposed timeline, arguing that we should just go with the provincially mandated timeline of requiring the zero carbon level starting in 2030. Three people in the local construction industry presented - one was opposed and two were in favour of the proposed 2024 timeline. Mark Bernhardt, of Bernhardt Contracting noted that most of the homes they currently build would already meet the zero carbon level of the new step code. In the end, Mayor Leonard Krog and Councillors Janice Perrino, Paul Manly, Tyler Brown, Hilary Eastmure, and Ben Geselbracht all voted in favour of the proposed timeline to adopt the highest level of the zero carbon step code as of July 1, 2024. Councillors Ian Thorpe, Sheryl Armstrong, and Erin Hemmens were not present at the meeting. That vote was for the Governance and Priorities Committee to recommend to council that they direct staff to prepare the bylaw amendments for this policy change. One more vote is still required at the next council meeting on August 28th in order to go ahead with that direction to staff. We are hopeful that there is strong enough support on council for this to move through the remaining procedural steps, but we will keep you posted if more public pressure is needed. Council Vote UpcomingThere was a council meeting August 28th in which the council voted on whether or not to accept the Zero Carbon Step Code. Here is a copy of the letter we sent the Mayor and Council. https://www.nanaimoclimateaction.org/zero-carbon-step-code-letter.html The council voted 5-4 in favour of accepting the accelerated zero carbon step code which will take effect in July 2024. Although we are disappointed that two of the yes votes from the GPC meeting changed to no votes this time, we are thrilled that the motion passed. https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/nanaimo-bans-natural-gas-as-primary-heat-in-new-homes-as-of-july-2024-7479488? While the vote was successful, residents who are unhappy about the decision are making their opinions known through letters to the editor and messages to city councillors. Councillors need our support and encouragement for their brave decision, and politicians everywhere need to see that there is plenty of public support for moves like this. If you could write letters to the editor in favour, post positive comments to Facebook, the News Bulletin’s Beefs and Bouquets, and/or email your thanks to mayor&council ([email protected]), that would be terrific. If you need more information on the benefits of the Zero Carbon Step Code, you can find it on our website, nanaimoclimateaction.org. 4 Readings at CouncilAfter passing the motion to accept the accelerated dates for ZCSC, the bylaw has been written and has passed four readings at council. The mayor and councilor would be encouraged to pass more motions in favour of good climate policy if we continued to send letters, emails and notes of congratulations at making this bylaw a reality.
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AuthorDover Bay Eco Club: Bonnie Huynh, Ulricke Bucksteg-Neuhoff, Mikaela Sumile, Tian Liang Archives
November 2024
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