Our energy, our future

Dear editor:
Thank you for the opportunity to express my views on the tough choices that are needed for Ontario’s future power supply.
Possibly, our present collective thought flow is too ill-defined. We cannot tell if it’s wrong or if it makes sense. For example, when meeting Canada’s other premiers, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty suggested that “Canada needs a national strategy with all of us . . . working together” to tackle the problems facing education.
He said Canada needs to enhance its productivity by committing to educational funding and development of a better skilled workforce.
Premier Klein suggested Alberta has coal to spare. If it’s only education and learning that is plaguing Canadians, then perhaps our Ontarian elected officials need to begin by defining common sense goals—to set an example for our children to learn by and not be confused by faulty logic.
For example, it takes $150 worth of energy to convert one ton of recycled glass bottles to $10 worth of ground glass or pulverized glass aggregate. At what price does it not make sense to do this anymore?
When energy costs double, will we feel good about being “green” doing recycles at even $300 a ton, or should we be a bit concerned where the $300 in energy is coming from and is that really being responsible?
What are our children learning from this?
Similar costly consequences result from other recyclables, except possibly aluminum.
Speaking of a national strategy for all of Canada, I recall just last week the Premier Klein of Alberta suggesting using low-cost coal. Somehow, Ontario seems to be going the Kyoto accord alone to help save the world. Now with only 10 years of proven natural gas reserves left and more than 500 years of cheap coal available, how does a teacher explain to his students we need to close down coal-fired plants and run them on gas.
Kyoto fails to address the real danger that comes from car engines, which are the main concern in heavily-populated areas. Compare downtown Toronto’s air to that in Atikokan or Estevan, Sask. for example.
Ontario has signed contracts for 1,300 megawatts of pricey wind power. While this is, indeed, a positive thing for the world, it will hardly matter when the 850 new coal-fired plants in China, India, and the United States start up.
Meanwhile, we in Ontario will be closing our coal plants and pushing the price of electrical power for our industries out of reach. How do you explain the logic of that?
There are smarter ways to save the world and Ontario should not be the one to suffer most.
Who said that warmer winters would be bad for Canadians? The conservation ideas and tips from the Ontario Power Authority are great. One suggestion was to “use hot water wisely,” and saving $150 a year by simply fixing leaky taps and using low-flow shower heads.
I wonder how much warm water it takes to rinse out those glass and tin containers we recycle for a negative return?
The recent higher price of natural gas and electric is working, though. By causing closures to industries such as paper mills, the Ontario government has conserved power for us all!
Another plan for Ontario is to install “smart meters,” which will enable many to time shift their high consumption demands to off peak times. Those of us who heat with electric power are wondering what to do with our thermostats that turn the power down at night to conserve energy!
For us to capitalize on the new “powerWise” savings, we will need to increase the heat at night to help offset the substantially increased cost during the day.
My idea is for us to do what the rest of Canada—and the most of the world—is doing. We heard it before that, “As with education, Canada needs a national strategy with all of us . . . working together” to tackle the problems facing Ontario. Well, if we can do this for education, we can do it for energy.
How about spending our money and building a few clean coal plants, which do not take the cost and regulation of nuclear plants until someone invents perpetual motion! By using clean coal, we’ll have 500 years to do that!
Another thing to consider, let’s teach our students by a demonstration of common sense, too! We need to stop the political and environmental rhetoric. I feel that all of us Ontarians, living in one of the richest countries of the world, need to deeply ponder what is happening to us.
For example, let’s consider Premier Klein’s advice.
Sincerely,
Bill Morrison, Sr.
Fort Frances, Ont.