Back to the pulp meets energy idea

Great to get back to the news reading…

This one goes well with my other post on Canada’s pulp and paper situation. Way to go Norway:)

Norwegian paper manufacturer Norske Skog announces it will, in cooperation with forest owners cooperatives, establish a joint venture to develop and produce next-generation wood-based biofuels. A prototype facility for biodiesel will be built at its Follum mill in Hønefoss. The single plant will produce between 4 and 6 per cent of Norway’s total diesel fuel consumption.

Start moving Canada.  Don’t get left in the dust….

A return to knitting?

Ah, back in Finland. I’ve got a hot tea, Norah Jones and sweats – perfect time to just relax and get back to the blog.

For those that want to hear about how I passed the holidays etc. here’s a quick recap before getting into the “knitting” subject (if you don’t care to hear about the personal stuff, then just skip these bullets;)

• Lyon, France was AMAZING!- partied in all my favourite places, drank my favourite “Desperados” (tequila beer), I spoke French better than I did two years ago (no idea how but even dreamed in French!) and saw all of my fabulous French friends. It was a trip I’ll never forget. Thanks to all you Frenchies and hope to see you again soon!
• Savonlinna, Finland for Christmas was like being with family (no offense family members… missed you all of course). Wonderful food – about 7 different types of salmon.. mmmmm… and very traditional, saunas almost everyday (even whipped with the vasta) and just so relaxing.
• In Helsinki now and hanging out with some friends for the New Year.
• 

Ok, so about knitting… (I got home-made wool socks for Christmas, extremely impressed!)

There were a couple odd things that I wanted to do while in Finland for these two years:

1. learn how to knit
2. pick mushrooms

A little strange I know, but there was something simplistic and endearing about these activities which seemed to have been left in a bygone era. Before I came here I learned all about the Finnish culture from my best friend. Here was one of our first conversations in France….

• Don’t you make your own juice? (as in pick your own berries and make concentrate for the rest of the year)
• Don’t you go into the forest to pick mushrooms?
• Don’t you know how to knit? Even guys your age knit their own winter hats!

I soon learned upon my arrival that it was true. Almost all Finns do these activities. All Finnish children learn about these important “how to’s” in school. Biology class – pick mushrooms. Elementary – learn how to knit, sew, use tools, cook etc. I know that Canada (at least Ontario) used to have some classes like this (“home ec & shop” was it?) but they left with the budget cuts of the 90’s.

So, I was determined this holiday season to pick up the needles. I was a little embarrassed however that it took me about an hour to learn two stitches and make a 5cm square red block. (My grandma would be ashamed – or perhaps happy that at least I tried).

My profile picture on Facebook right now is the one below and I’ve actually gotten a lot of comments about the whole knitting thing. Turns out, there’s a Microtrend (new book I bought today) about how teens (ahem, young adults lets say) are turning to knitting (one of the main reasons I bought the book

Here are some interesting points from the book:

• 20 million people in America are knitting their own sweaters
• fastest growing group are teens and twenty somethings
• Many sites, books dedicated to this new niche market:
  • VogueKnitting
  • Stitch ‘n Bitch: The Knitter’s Handbook (NY Bestseller’s) & Stitch’ n Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker
  • even TechnoGeek has something on it (thanks Simon!)

So, there we have it. At a time when people are connected 24/7, living jet-set lives in this heavily globalized world – we also see the return to simplicity and, dare I say, subsistence.

Seriously, I think the Finns and our grandparents had something right. Grow your own veggies (or just buy local), make your own juice and make some of your own clothes. Not only is this good for the environment and society (brings us that little bit closer to nature), it’s relaxing in a world full of stress. And sometimes that feeling of “I did it myself” is all the satisfaction we need – even if it comes in a 5cm red knit square.

On another note, let me know what you think of the new interface. Wanted something with easier font. 

Hyvää Joulua ja Feliz Navidad y Joyeux Noël et Merry Christmas:)

Ok, so I’m on a language kick right now. Just did four months of Finnish which, proud to say but I can actually speak/understand some now, learned some Spanish in the last few weeks with a girl from the Canary Islands and I’ll be going to France tomorrow for a quick trip to see old friends. I’m hoping to get into a mandarin class next year too, so… more in Finland than just learning about environmental management I guess:)

Well, nothing intellectual to say on this post but I won’t have internet for a bit so wanted to just wish everyone a Merry Christmas and give you a little recap on Jane’s life:

Finished the first term about a week and a half ago and have to say that the Finns definitely know how to party! My god, there have been pikkujoulus (little xmas parties) about every second day! (The picture below was taken from one of them…) I’m exhausted and it’s the holidays! So yes, I’m off to France tomorrow and I’ll be coming back to Finland to spend xmas with a good friend and just relax for the holidays. Take some saunas, read, eat and party. Everything I love:)

For those of you in Thunder Bay, have a great time at the Ishkinakker Shaker (massive party on 23rd with everyone you need to see) and I’ll miss family dearly.

For those in Ottawa, enjoy the snow and skating on the canal. (Well.. actually, not sure if it’s frozen yet)

As for everyone else, wherever you are…. all the best for the new year.

Cheers,

Jane

Q&A from last post – Canada & Kyoto

On my last post about Canada’s stance on Kyoto and Climate Change, Jay made some pretty good points. So instead of just writing back in the comments section, thought I’d post them here.

There are two contentious issues here. The first one is freeloading. If “good” nations take measures to save the environment, then everybody benefits, good and bad alike. That means that the “bad” nations get a free ride. Canadian industry (the folks who will actually foot the bill) rightly thinks that this is unfair. China getting on board is a good start, but India has to get on too. There are a billion of them after all…

The second issue is the balance sheet, and the economic viability of implementing environmental measures. Although the global balance sheet is as you say; e.g. production has environmental consequences which cost everybody, this equation does not appear the same on the balance sheets of any one individual, corporation, or government department. Until that happens, nobody has a measurable incentive to change.

It would be an interesting exercise to come up with a scheme that solves both problems. i.e. a great B-school project.

Cheers, Jay

Good excuses but still excuses.

Kyoto and the freeloading problem:

True, India should get on board with China and the other developing countries but there are a few things to consider:

1. what exactly is the “free ride?” That they can keep on polluting? That’ll work in the short term but will undoubtedly cause bigger problems (and costs) in the long run. Hence, we’re not necessarily “footing the bill” -the countries that don’t move are creating their own bill to pay later on (i.e. health costs, contaminated water supplies etc.) By stalling, Canada isn’t helping anyone – especially not helping our own economy.

2. Canada’s stance is essentially, everyone has to agree or nothing will happen. What about the companies that are going above and beyond what’s asked? (Good info on what businesses are doing here) Are they “footing the bill” for the others? Is it hurting their economies/profits? Au contraire, for the most part, they’re boosting innovation, finding alternative local fuels (improve energy sufficiency), and getting a lot leaner and flexible organizations.

Nevertheless, it is true that if you move alone with Kyoto, setting hard to reach goals with penalties, you’re bound to get hurt. I was sad to research the effects that it’s had on Europe. (Going green isn’t always a starry-eyed experience) But did we really think that trying to undo the wrongs of yesterday wouldn’t have an economic cost? Of course it will! But so too are there costs for not moving!Let’s not forget that this is also still the beginning of the change. Let’s see who has stronger economies (and less health problems, and happier people) 20 years from now. My guess is that their innovation and improved consumption patterns will have beneficial impacts, economically, environmentally and socially.

3. Part of reaching Kyoto involves Flexible Mechanisms and an interesting one in this case is the the Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM). If Canada got serious about Kyoto, we’d have more incentive to invest in India, China and other developing countries (anything is better than our complacent investments in the US! Canada usually has a one-track mindset when doing foreign investments- and I’m sure it’s hurting now with the slumping US economy). By using the CDMs we’d be helping those countries become more sustainable and help our own economy innovate and expand.

Balance Sheet Issue

Companies and other organizations: there’s a lot to say about being eco-efficient.

• Less waste = less money spent on trips to landfill
• less energy used= less spent on energy bill
• etc. etc. etc.

There’s also a lot to say about stakeholder dialogue. If you’re indirectly hurting/killing innocent people with your by-products, expect civil society to be at your company doors.

As for the other issues, the government has a lot of work to do. They’re paying for our health care and they’re in charge of the policy making. Again, they have to smarten up.

Oh Canada… you’re embarrassing us

Well, embarrassing me anyways (can’t speak for everyone on this!)

I’m not really a political person but have to say that I’m disappointed with our gov’t right now in Bali at the UN Climate Change Conference.

The Conservative government’s message is unclear and, well, pathetic.

Baird (Canada’s environment minister) on Wednesday:

“All major emitters must be on board,” John Baird said during a speech in Toronto. “We will not tackle this problem of global warming and climate change unless we get everyone on board, everyone with an oar in the water and everyone rowing together.”

Their main concern is that fast emerging countries like China and India aren’t required to do the same. But, at the conference, China has surprised everyone by deciding to get on board while Canada, US and Japan are jumping ship? Great strategy Canada.

Another main concern – economic growth is just as valuable as the environment and we shouldn’t eclipse one for the other. Hmmm… I’ve never really understood this position. The two are inextricably linked and if you think otherwise, you’ve been reading too many economics textbooks.

PRODUCTION of goods = CONSUMPTION of natural resources

CONSUMPTION of goods = PRODUCTION of waste (environmental degradation)

Every aspect of this ‘equation’ has a dollar figure attached, so if the government really wants to look at the “economics” of moving forward with climate change policies then they should at least take a full-costing approach.

Wonder why China is now on board? (Well, time will tell what they actually do…) The World Bank just came out with a report entitled : Cost of Pollution in China: Economic Estimates of Physical Damages

Interesting finds…

the study finds that the health costs of air and water pollution in China amount to about 4.3 percent of its GDP. By adding the non-health impacts of pollution, which are estimated to be about 1.5 percent of GDP, the total cost of air and water pollution in China is about 5.8 percent of GDP.

I agree, we shouldn’t really sign something that we know we’ll never commit to in the end. But what effort are they really putting in? They keep on pouring money into non-renewable sources and then wonder why our emissions went up. Even economists don’t like subsidies (The Economist’s environment and technology correspondent has a great book on this). And to that extent, even oil and gas companies are starting to change their tune about climate change. Most notably, BP :

The following year (1998), BP announced a target for 2010: that greenhouse gas emissions from our own operations would be 10 per cent lower than emissions in 1990 – a tougher target than those set for many industrialised countries by the Kyoto summit in 1997. BP achieved its target at the end of 2001, 9 years ahead of schedule.

I think those countries that push for change will be the ones with the stronger economy in the end. It’s a classic business strategy. Strive for more, achieve more.

Canada, by trying to protect the precious economy, you’re actually hurting it. Smarten up.

Canadian Pulp and Paper industry: a problem is just an opportunity in disguise

Fabulous read in the ROB magazine. Yakabuski’s article “It Ain’t Pretty” on the state of the Canadian pulp and paper industry is bang on.

I’m a pulp and paper girl (born and raised in Thunder Bay and my dad’s in the industry). I know all too well about the problems facing the industry. I even did a paper on it last year for one of my classes, and interestingly enough,Yakabuski and I came up with the same conclusion: the industry’s failure isn’t so much a market-based (even with our extraordinarily high dollar), it’s not even a demand-based failure (paper consumption is up, but not newsprint- our main product) -IT’S VISION FAILURE.

I didn’t just like the article because it talked so much about Finland’s strength in the industry (although, have to say that it was really cool when Jyväskylä was mentioned!). I liked it because the pulp and paper industry is vital to the Canadian economy and we don’t at all give it enough respect for what it represents. People tend to forget that forest products are still our biggest net export and give more jobs than any other resource or manufactured good, including oil, gas and autos – and it represents approx 70% of our country’s total positive trade balance.

Lots of good points covered in the 6 page article:

• Canada dominates the industry in terms of natural resources, market proximity, educated workforce
• YET, Canada fails to see the prospects of “what could be” of the industry
• Finland is leading the way in every aspect of the game
  • R&D, education, technology, (it’s the hub of p&p)
• Canada and Finland’s market situation is actually quite similar
  • what we complain about here (i.e. high dollar etc.) is really the same for them
• the difference lies in our complacency, lack of R&D and lack of vision.
• forest industry has a lot of potential
  • bioenergy (a topic that is quite fascinating and I can actually have talks with my dad about black liquor and combined heat and power etc. now! – I’ve said before, I’m quite the nerd)
  • new inventions for paper (i.e. paper with RFID tags in them, nanotech paper etc.)

As for another part, that was just briefly touched on in the article: Finland is also the world leader in producing bioenergy and biomass combustion technologies. Actually, 20% of their primary energy is derived from wood fuels. Their goal is to constantly increase that number too to be more energy self-sufficient.

So it’s not just about the p&p companies – government needs to open their eyes too. I think they’re blinded by oil and gas and they forgot that our country was blessed with a lot more “renewable” types of energy. I’m not calling for an all-out harvesting party either. Trees are renewable though and there are proper ways to clear-cut. Also, there’s a lot of waste involved in the forest industry that can be put to good use – i.e. producing energy and heat with scraps.

Hopefully the people at the top (both government officials and corporate executives) get shaken up by his article and change their tune. A problem is just an opportunity in disguise…there is hope for our industry.