[All] Fwd: Bio-Energy, LRT & Worldshapers

[Robert Milligan]

Hi All,

As no direct reply was received back from Lulu on this and because she  
already made public most of her
contribution to this -- and to help you better interpret why I was  
"disappointed" -- I am sharing it with GREN.

Robert



Begin forwarded message:

> From: Robert Milligan <mill at continuum.org>
> Date: January 7, 2010 1:55:22 PM GMT-05:00
> To: Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>
> Subject: Bio-Energy, LRT & Worldshapers
>
>
> Hi Lulu, (As there is useful information to other GREN members, may  
> I share our exchange with them?)
>
> Thank you for the information about problems with diesel. I have  
> been a long time critic of its use for all the reasons you point  
> out. The website from BC that I referenced was not cited to support  
> diesel LRT but to indicate that other LRT advocates see the need for  
> cooperation from CN & CP on track sharing to bring down the capital  
> costs of LRT. As for the means of propulsion, I have an innovative  
> ace up my sleeve which I will be describing soon.
>
> As to the idea of producing bio-fuel from farm animal faeces,  
> specifically we are at least talking about the production of methane  
> -- just like Chinese villagers do below their kitchen from their own  
> poop and food waste. Farm plant waste on the can be added to this
> anaerobic "composting" process which creates the methane. OR,  
> appropriate plant waste -- if also sufficient in quantity -- can be  
> part of a separate fermentation process that produces ethanol (or  
> methanol) such as is used in corn fermentation. Both can be  
> combusted to produce electicity -- either in a combustion engine or  
> a steam engine -- with CO2 waste gas that could be bio-sequestered  
> in underground solar greenhouses (and possibly accelerate plant  
> growth thereby).
>
> The previous Dean of Agriculture at UofG (Craig Pearson) and I had  
> long discussions about the energy-self-sustaining farm which also  
> produced electricity for the grid from animal waste. If he had been  
> given a 2nd term -- although extremely well-liked on all the UoG  
> agricultural campuses, he made the mistake of making known that he  
> planned to also (besides environment) emphasize the connections  
> between agriculture & health (my idea re: the connection emphasis).  
> I guess Monsanto & some other multi-national players felt threatened.
>
> About 3 years ago I attended an OMAFRA conference at Queens Park.  
> During a question period, I asked one of 3 guest speakers from  
> Europe, what was the electrical potential from farm waste based on  
> their European experience. He said the we could probably supply all  
> of Canada's electricity needs and then some!
>
> So you are on the right track. We just have to persuade the Region &/ 
> or our local hydro companies to be a little more creatively  
> entrepreneurial!
>
> Best wishes,
> Robert
>
>
> On 7-Jan-10, at 11:42 AM, Louisette Lanteigne wrote:
>
>> Hi Robert.
>>
>> Diesel is VERY DANGEROUS and extremely harmful for the environment  
>> for the soot and cancers generated.
>>
>> View the following studies for details
>>
>>  http://www.catf.us/projects/diesel/dieselhealth/county.php?c=16077&site=0
>>
>> http://www.stopthesoot.org/dieselhealthconcerns.htm
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/24/climatechange.fossilfuels
>>
>> It is also more costly. Not only does it increase health care  
>> costs, it's more costly to ship.  http://www.ulpower.com/ul260i-qa-diesel.htm
>>
>> Now check out what is happening in Japan where biofuel is being  
>> reclaimed to run their public transit systems.
>>
>> http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/026409.html
>>
>> http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/029569.html
>>
>> I contacted the GRT about this and here is the response I recieved.
>> _____________________________________________________________
>>
>> Hi Louisette
>>
>> Thank you for the suggestion that you have provided to GRT.
>> At this time Grand River Transit has no plans for using used  
>> cooking oil,
>> or Biodiesel in our Fleet.
>> We have evaluated this initiative a few times over the years and have
>> concluded that there would be no benefit at this time.
>> We do not have any of the infrastructure in place to process the oil.
>> There are a number of companies that are in this industry. The  
>> largest is
>> Rothsay, a division of Maple Leaf.
>> They have contracts with a large number of restaurants and processing
>> plants to purchase this oil. They also have a refinery in Montreal.
>> If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
>>
>> Randy Steckly
>> Manager, Transit Fleet
>> Grand River Transit
>> 250 Strasburg Rd
>> Kitchener ON N2E 3M6
>> (519) 585-7597 ext 7205
>> (519  585-7640  fax
>> __________________________________________________________
>>
>> So in response, I contacted the folks at Rothsay's research centre  
>> in Guelph regarding the concept. I'll let you know if they get back  
>> to me. It's certainly a concept worth persuing, especially when you  
>> consider the fact that Waterloo Region is the second largest food  
>> belt in Ontario.
>>
>> According to this PDF presentation by GRCA's Peter Emerson, in 2005  
>> we had 290,000 head of cattle in the Grand River Watershed,  
>> producing waste materials equal to the population of 5 million  
>> people. 500,000 pigs added waste equal to 1.8 million and 8.8  
>> million chickens added enough waste for 800,000 people. That's alot  
>> of stuff to deal with. If we were to impliment bio fuel recovery,  
>> think of the amazing benefits it would have for the Grand River and  
>> our local fuel needs. It's a gold mine waiting to be tapped into.  
>> If I had the money to invest in a proposal of reclaiming energy  
>> from this I'd be jumping at the chance. Totally renewable and it  
>> provides a localized closed looped system of food and fuel  
>> production. It's awesome.
>>
>> On another note regarding public transit, I came across a report  
>> titled, "An Assessment on the Impact of Harmonized Sales Tax on  
>> Municipal Public Transit Services" produced by London Transit on  
>> behalf of the Ontario Transit Association. It's posted online here  
>> at: http://www.octa.on.ca/downloads/submissions/Impact_of_HST_on_Municipal_Transit_Services_Amended_Final.pdf
>>
>> I wasn't sure if you've seen it but since the tax came into effect  
>> so quickly I thought it would be a handy document to pass along. We  
>> have to factor in those costs with the equation.
>>
>> Have a good one!
>>
>> Louisette Lanteigne
>>
>>
>>
>> --- On Thu, 1/7/10, Robert Milligan <mill at continuum.org> wrote:
>>
>> From: Robert Milligan <mill at continuum.org>
>> Subject: LRT+ and Fwd: "Social Entrepreneurs are WORLDSHAPERS" &  
>> "Virtual Reality Software"
>> You might find of some interest -- esp. re: the new concept of  
>> social entrepreneurship (& social innovation) -- the contents of  
>> the below forwarded email that I sent to some very leading-edge  
>> UofW academics who have expressed an interest in any uniquely  
>> relevant creative ideas -- of my own &/or others -- that I might  
>> wish to share. Notice especially the neat ideas in my PS below, not  
>> only for the LRT but also the UofW Kit campus (Technology Research  
>> Park+), and (further blue skying) a possible RIM Kitchener location!
>>
>> Please notice the end of my PS where I state, "WE NEED MORE  
>> CLOUT" (with CN & CP so that this project can save millions &  
>> millions of $ on a more cost-effective design) !
>> And other LRT project proposers in Canada are advocating for the  
>> same thing! (See
>> "Diesel powered TramTrain, track-sharing with mainline railways" at http://railforthevalley.wordpress.com/2009/05/31/the-light-rail-committees-position-fro-valley-rail/ 
>>  )
>>
>> Best wishes,
>> Robert
>>
>> PS:
>>
>> "Single track operation is used in almost every LRT operation in  
>> Europe, providing cheaper service ... . Single track operation of a  
>> Vancouver to Chilliwack TramTrain will have double track portions  
>> at strategic placed to allow trains to pass each other, ... .
>> "http://railforthevalley.wordpress.com/2009/05/31/the-light-rail-committees-position-fro-valley-rail/
>>
>> The essence of my potentially very cost-effective RTI-LRT "Plan A+"  
>> Report/Article includes:
>> 1. Use of single-track with double-track by-passing at stations &  
>> at-speed crossovers (rail corridor only) between  stations (like CN  
>> & CP do) -- the exception being double track (approx.) between Erb  
>> & Allen -- all made possible by computer/communication control  
>> systems (this is part of what is called by MTO at least, Smart  
>> Transportation Technology);
>> 2. Stage 1:  hi-speed/hi-capacity rail corridor from a Northfield  
>> Dr. station to Ainslie Terminal with an interconnected (proving)  
>> intensification road corridor along King St from 'Caroline & Allen'  
>> to (just west of King & CN tracks, between imaginary extensions of  
>> Charles & Joseph (new Hub location);
>> 3. Stage 2: If the intensification proving along King St. shows  
>> initial indications of success, then intensification could proceed  
>> along Hespler Rd. (from  401[unused CP track -- from Eagle & active  
>> CP track then east to 401 --  extended 1 km to Hespler Rd.] to  
>> active CP line), along Ottawa & Charles, & possibly (mostly) along  
>> King St. (!! )starting briefly at Caroline & Erb, along Bridgeport  
>> to King, then north to WLU or even to Conestoga Mall (made possible  
>> by the Stage 1 proven viability of 1 track & 2 car lanes -- 2  
>> tracks in this section would be virtually impossible!).
>> 4. A multi-modal hub (with CN track walkover) operating on both  
>> sides of CN track (some buses, taxi, drop-off and pedestrian access  
>> also on Waterloo side) between the imaginary extensions of Charles  
>> & Joseph -- with a possible "blocked CN track" north platform  
>> exception-connection for the LRT coming along King from Waterloo.
>> 5. A very expensive King/Victoria tunnel/station is avoided & land  
>> bought for the Hub (King, Victoria, Duke and CN tracks) in the  
>> current design becomes available for a UofW Kitchener Technology  
>> Research Park (along with junky industrial buildings -- but  
>> transformed by green renovation -- on the north side of the  
>> tracks). Also the former Domtar industrial building (now Ont Seed)  
>> by the hellipad and even the former Granite Club could be more  
>> conveniently made part of the future UofW Kit campus by virtue of  
>> the rail walkover. And now we are getting closer to the former  
>> Uniroyal Tire industrial building (partially used by Air Boss  
>> rubber products whose smelly toxic(?) air discharges are  
>> undermining potential new intensification developments in a wide  
>> area-- including the site of the UofW Rx & medical buildings!! My  
>> blue sky idea is that RIM -- so that it can expand to Kitchener  
>> (and generously help solve the air quality problem while increasing  
>> Kitchener industrial employment,  i.e. "solve" this serious  
>> industrial polluter by win-win-win acquisition) -- could buy out  
>> that building & green renovate (& de-brown) it -- with the help of  
>> students from a new UofW School of Architecture satellite Kit   
>> campus (located in that building) &  working with students from the  
>> main campus who are studying (bio)remediation.
>> 6. Assumes -- with the assistance of our 4 Conservative MPs, our 2  
>> Liberal MPPs
>> (esp. the well-placed John Milloy), and GO-Transit -- that we can  
>> get needed cooperation from CN & CP so that we can exclusively use  
>> &/or share their 'infrequently-used'/'not-used'
>> track &/or rail corridors so that we can save millions & millions  
>> of tax $ -- thus helping to calm the few-but-noisy "taxpayer" LRT  
>> naysayers. So far cooperation has only been explored by staff  
>> directly with the railways -- WE NEED MORE CLOUT to get their  
>> greater cooperation!
>>
>> Notice the potential redundancy in the track system design so that  
>> if one LRT corridor is blocked, the the other could be (more  
>> slowly) temporarily used.
>>
>> Best wishes,
>> Robert
>>
>>
>> Begin forwarded message:
>>> From: Robert Milligan <mill at continuum.org>
>>> Date: January 6, 2010 5:39:12 PM GMT-05:00
>>> Subject: "Social Entrepreneurs are WORLDSHAPERS" & "Virtual  
>>> Reality Software"
>>>
>>> Firstly, as I begin finalizing my enhanced (i.e. more cost- 
>>> effective) Regional "Rapid Transit Initiative" project proposal, I  
>>> thought that I would explore "weaving in" the concept of Social  
>>> Innovation. I came across this website, http://worldshapers.net/default.aspx 
>>>  , (deals with social entrepreneurship) which all 4 of you might  
>>> find very relevant in various ways. Of course the greatest degree  
>>> of connection would be with SIG.
>>>
>>> Here are 2 paragraphs from the website:
>>> "Social entrepreneurs are change agents that improve society by  
>>> developing effective and equitable new models often less  
>>> hierarchical yet more cooperative and complex than existing ones.  
>>> Researchers and practitioners have defined social entrepreneurship  
>>> in various ways but a common denominator is a venture that adds  
>>> value to a community mission through innovative, risk-taking,  
>>> business-like practices. Social entrepreneurs combine innovation  
>>> with fulfillment of community needs and their work overlaps with  
>>> social justice and environmental preservation movements.
>>>
>>> To give a bit more clarity, there may be two kinds of social  
>>> entrepreneurs. "Social innovators" come up with new and more  
>>> effective ways (systemically, organizationally, etc.) of dealing  
>>> with and hopefully mitigating social problems. "Social  
>>> enterprisers" use the tools and forms of business to provide  
>>> needed goods and services that help the community at large as well  
>>> as their clients. They also help themselves by generating earned  
>>> income. "Social enterprises" may be non-profit or for-profit  
>>> entities (Some prefer the use the alternative nomenclature "for- 
>>> benefit" organizations.)  "
>>>
>>> Secondly, the National Post (I need to follow the dis-thinking of  
>>> important others) recently had this article, http://www.financialpost.com/small-business/business-solutions/story.html?id=2403108&p=2 
>>>  , about the rapidly developing role of new Virtual Reality  
>>> software in collaborative/educational/business processes at a  
>>> distance. They cited an English prof at George Brown College, "who  
>>> has researched virtual reality since 2002". (He looks really  
>>> interesting,  christopher.robinsimpson.googlepages.com/ 
>>> ClippingsAndResume.pdf    [note his resume on pages 16 & 17 and  
>>> his apparent interest in semiotics], and might make an excellent  
>>> Co-Director of a UofW/'Conestoga College' joint SIG venture in a  
>>> renovated factory building on the Park St. side of the developing  
>>> UoW Kitchener campus [UofW's VP Administrative wants to expand to  
>>> Park St. & I've explored this type of idea with Joe Mancini, Co- 
>>> Director of The Working Centre which offers UoW, Conestoga College  
>>> and other courses]).
>>>
>>> Best wishes,
>>> Robert,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> PS: From the "Theme" of the above Social Entrepreneur website
>>>
>>> "This website is dedicated to the proposition that through  
>>> cooperative, couragageous effort the Earth can be saved for our  
>>> descendents. Social evolution usually takes long periods of time.  
>>> We don't have that kind of time. If we pursue our present course  
>>> (we being Western society and western influenced societies) we  
>>> will exhaust the carrying capacity of this planet within this  
>>> century. Leadership that will reform our organizations,  
>>> institutions, and our economic system is needed to replace this  
>>> disastrous scenario with one highlighted by sustainable and  
>>> equitable growth.
>>>
>>> The modality that can achieve this is social entrepreneurship.  
>>> That is, using the power of capital and technology to promote a   
>>> humanistic rather than a corporatist ethic. But even before  
>>> we`look at applying the power of social entrepreneurship we need  
>>> to do something simpler.
>>>
>>> We need to talk with one another. Turn off the TV's, DVD's, home  
>>> theatres, ball games, computer games, CD's, et al and just talk.  
>>> We need to taslk about how we can help, and support, and  
>>> cooperate, and solve our problems together instead of just  
>>> ignoring them until it is too late.
>>>
>>> Then we must realize this great fact. Anyone and everyone can be a  
>>> social entrepreneur! ... "
>>>
>>>
>>> The creator of the website, Mark Pomerantz -- whom I just spoke to  
>>> on the phone -- is completing his PhD at  Seattle University. His  
>>> thesis both incorporates many of the ideas in this website and has  
>>> been informed by his experience with this evolving website. I told  
>>> him about many of the very innovative ventures associated with the  
>>> UofW. He expressed a strong interest in Global Universal values as  
>>> I described the possibilities to him.
>>>
>>>
>>

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