FFWD Weekly
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| NEWS Minority of drivers creating majority of pollution Cars are well-known greenhouse gas contributors, but some vehicles are worse than others. In some cases, about 10 per cent of drivers are responsible for 50 to 60 per cent of the release of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and other particles -only because their cars need a tune-up. To inform people about the pollution problem, the non-profit organization Clean Air Strategic Alliance toured Alberta with ROVER (Roadside Optical Vehicle Emissions Reporter), a high-tech van constructed to measure pollutants. "The reason is to raise people's awareness to tune up their cars," says Mike Kelly, CASA's executive director. "That drastically reduces the emission." In addition to pleasing Mother Nature, well-maintained cars would also save money. A tuned car uses less gas and therefore brings down the cost, adds Kelly. The van was placed in 20 different places in Calgary this month where it examined over 10,000 cars. According to the preliminary results, eight per cent of the vehicle released high levels of carbon monoxide - more than three-per-cent carbon monoxide - into the air, while 12 per cent were at one to three per cent, and the majority were below one per cent. Normal tail pipes emit around 0.5-per-cent carbon monoxide. The gas is known for causing respiratory problems and may also worsen poor heart conditions. Thanks to Calgary's fairly breezy climate, however, the pollution level here is "relatively good." The ROVER is on a visit from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. The $20,000-project is funded from various government agencies and private organizations. Skateboard facility closer to reality Calgary Parks & Recreation and the Fellowship of Calgary Skateboarders (FCS) have formulated a design for Calgary's first skateboard and in-line skating facility based on input and feedback gathered at a recent public workshop. Plans for the facility, which include beginner and advanced training areas as well as viewing stands, were presented at a public meeting Wednesday, October 28. The facility is scheduled to be competed in the spring of 1999 and will be a key component of the future Millennium Park to be developed adjacent to Mewata Stadium in downtown Calgary. Having a place of their own will mean a lot for the city's active boarders and skaters. "It's going to be an opportunity for them to develop their sport," says Joe Pavelka, assistant to director at Calgary Parks & Recreation. "It's going to be a focal point for skateboarding." The skateboard park design will be incorporated into the overall plan for the Millennium Park project, which will also go through a review process later this year. The $2.5 to $3-million price tag will be covered through fund-raising by the Calgary Celebration 2000 association. High number of Calgarians spoil Senate ballot While most Calgarians made their feelings known in the recent municipal election by marking an X on the various ballots, others indicated their opinion through another method. Almost 20 per cent of the ballots for the senator-in-waiting "election" were rejected, according to Calgary's returning officer. Barb Clifford says more than 43,000 ballots out of 240,000 were set aside - some were incorrectly marked, a few were torn, and others had comments written on them. She confirms that the number of rejected ballots was clearly above average. In comparison, only 1,417 ballots out of 252,000 were rejected in the mayoral election - less than one per cent. Penalty assessed in Swan Hills case The operator of the Swan Hills waste treatment facility was assessed a total penalty of $625,000 in Provincial Court on October 22 for three violations of the Alberta Environment Protection and Enhancement Act. In 1996, Chem-Security Limited released polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and furans from the facility and failed to notify Alberta Environmental Protection within the required time. After an investigation, the government agency imposed an enforcement order to monitor Chem-Security. The court will soon hold a creative hearing to determine how much of the assessment will be a fine and how much will be other sentencing alternatives. Special dates for November November brings more than snow shovels and Christmas shopping. The month is designated to causes such as CPR, diabetes, family violence prevention and osteoporosis, and has several special dates to take note of. November 1 is All Saints Day, followed by Remembrance Day on November 11, World Diabetes Day on November 14, International Day for Tolerance on November 16, National Child Day on November 20, and World Television Day on November 21. Some of the designated weeks include: Adoption Week, November 15 -22; National Addictions Awareness Week, and National Marfan Awareness Week, November 15 - 21; and White Ribbon Week, November 27 - December 6. |