[All] GREN News and Info

Wed Jul 13 11:22:43 EDT 2011

Hi folks

AVAAZ and Highland Quarry
In the attachment is a photo of Norah and hubby as they help deliver the Avaaz petition with 110,000 signatures asking to stop the Highland Quarry. Amazing results, and to think the issue was only posted up for 4 days! Signatures are still coming in thought and right now and as of 10:45 on July 13 the numbers are up to 121,400 and counting.

The July 11th deadline has passed for the public comments regarding the quarry application but public comments on the EBR registry can still be made up until July 29th in regards to the application to discharge substances into the environment. To have a say visit here: 

http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MTEzNzUy&statusId=MTcwNDA3&language=en

In local news: 

The Region has a press release regarding their 2011 Water Supply Master Plan Update. The consultant secured to assist the region is Stantec ( in my personal view this
is a blatent conflict of interest since they stand the most to gain from a pipeline/infrastructure scenerio instead of focusing on conservation) This plan intends to focus on three topics:

1) Development of additional groundwater resources
2) Aquifer Storage and recovery to augment water supply until 2035
3) A Great Lakes based water supply after 2035.

Note: conservation is not on the list. I would encourage GREN members to write letters to the editor and the Region and raise the red flag on this issue ASAP. Conservation should be #1 on the list in order to secure better economic and environmental resilliance for the long term. Reducing the need of water is far better an objective to pursue rather than investment in mega projects but it will take public support to make that shift happen. I fear the province is using our water woes to create jobs and investment proposals but like the Highland Quarry, the scope of their reviews lack regard to the bigger economic/ecological picture. To view the Region's press release visit here: 

http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/aboutTheEnvironment/resources/WMPP-WATER_SUPPLY_MASTER_PLAN_NOTICE_OF_COMMENCEMENT.pdf

City of Waterloo Official Plan Open House
Here is the time and place:

City Hall Atrium
Waterloo City Centre
100 Regina Street South
Wednesday July 20, 2011
1:00 – 3:00 p.m., and
5:00 – 8:00 p.m

To view the 2nd draft of the official plan (latest version) visit here:
http://www.waterloo.ca/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=1685

Kudos to the City of Kitchener for the Largest Solar Roof!
The City of Kitchener hosted a ceremony today to celebrate the installation of a 68,000 square foot solar roof on the Kitchener Operations Facility, a major achievement in the City’s plan to become more environmentally sustainable. 

The 500 kilowatt installation will allow the city to generate electricity directly from the sun and contribute to the region’s electricity grid. This will create enough energy to power 50 homes
http://cityofkitchener.icreate.kitchener.ca/en/newslist/index.aspx

City of Kitchener pitching in to reduce greenhouse gasses. 
 The City of Kitchener has joined Sustainable Waterloo’s Regional Carbon Initiative (RCI) as an Observing Organization, which will serve to enhance its existing efforts to reduce greenhouse gases through lowering carbon emissions.

By becoming an Observing Organization, the city has taken the first step towards becoming a partner that pledges to reduce greenhouse gases by a specific percentage over 10 years.
http://cityofkitchener.icreate.kitchener.ca/en/newslist/index.aspx

Don't forget this weekend: Square2Square
Go car free from 11am toi3pm with a bevy of fun activities along the closed King Street from Waterloo Square to Kitchener Square. For details visit here:
http://cityofkitchener.icreate.kitchener.ca/en/newslist/index.aspx

Have a good one everybody!

Lulu :0)

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