Gobble Gobble

Just got back from Alberta after spending the last few days with family, giving thanks and eating some delicious turkey. My niece Sarah is one and a half years and now walking & talking. Absolutely adorable. Last time I saw her - she could only sleep & cry. She's even eating adult food. Not just cheese & crackers but turkey, stuffing and potatoes. You name it - the kid will eat it. I also got to stay 2 nights in Banff. What a place it is. We took a gondola to the top of Sulfer Mountain. I gotta say, the Rocky mountains sure put things into perspective. A perspective that's tough to describe in a blog post but unfolds when you breath the mountain air and gaze at the wonder. My world does not seem so complicated in comparison. > Check it out some of my photos.

Anyhoo, it's good to be back in the big smoke feeling warmer and seeing the fall colours. Here are some random thoughts on the headlines as I plug back to the interwebs.

Ontario FIT Domestic Content Requirements (Source: Renewable Energy World)

While the first draft of the FIT rules specifically mentioned that projects that applied for a FIT contract would need to meet a minimum of Ontario-made equipment, no details about the domestic content rules were known until September 24th, providing both the manufacturers and developers with little time to plan for them.

FIT stands for Feed-In-Tariff and a key element of Ontario's Green Energy Act. In order to receive the FIT incentive, anywhere from 25-60% of the equipment must be Ontario made. Not bad news for the industrial sector of a recovering economy, in theory. To mandate renewable energy developers to source a percentage of their materials within Ontario. There's some great detail in the report from Jon Worren of Renewable Energy World and he offers this opinion on the rule:

While the political and economic motivation for attaching domestic content requirements to the FIT rules are obvious and understandable, there are concerns about the long-term implications that they may have on Ontario’s marketplace.

Fundamentally, I also believe that the domestic content rules might hinder necessary innovation in Ontario’s marketplace in the medium to long-term. In particular, there is a lot of innovation taking place in the solar industry, with new products that straddle the various domestic content categories entering the marketplace. A failure by the OPA to recognize the probable impact that rapid innovation will have on green energy products could resign Ontario to being a marketplace for less innovative products.

I agree with Jon and liken the policy to the CRTC regulation on Canadian content. There's an inherent risk of being mediocre (without competition) in manufacturing various renewable components. It's one thing to listen to the same weak song on the radio knowing why they keep playing it. It's another to have a windmill explode because of shoddy parts.

I've shared my thoughts on the Green Energy Act before and will continue to scoff at the developments as long as the McGuilty government is running the show. After all, it's our tax dollar. Speaking of scoffing at the Ontario government, have you heard the one about the Priest, the Premier and his deputy? Apparently it goes something like this...


Scathing audit paints picture of rogue Ontario provincial agency (Source: Ottawa Citizen)

 For Premier Dalton McGuinty, the eHealth spending controversy represents the biggest and most damaging scandal his government has faced since sweeping to power in 2003..

Shocking is hardly the word to use to describe the behavior of the Ontario government as it's borderline criminal if you consider what the eHealth scandal is uncovering.  Just another day at Queen's Park I guess. According to the report, his right-hand man George Smitherman got the ball rolling with the evil-doers @ eHealth and is rumored to have one foot out the door looking to become the next mayor of Toronto. No thanks George. Toronto already hada nobody in Mel.

(Unrelated but noteworthy)


Top US Green Companies (Source: Newsweek)

1.     Hewlett-Packard →  "Strong programs to reduce GHG emissions....
2.     Dell → "Ranks 4th among the top U.S....
3.     Johnson & Johnson → "Its commitment to climate change is...
4.     Intel → "Largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy...
5.     IBM → "Has had formal environmental policies since...
6.     State Street → "In an industry slow to acknowledge...
7.     Nike → "Leads its industry in environmental management...
8.     Bristol-Myers Squibb → "Announced goal to reduce direct and...
9.     Applied Materials → "Semiconductor manufacturer designs its products to...
10.   Starbucks → "Announced commitment in 2008 to source...

Data is collected by Trucost, a leading international environmental data firm, specializes in quantitative performance measurement and management. The Environmental Impact Score in the rankings is based on its global database. www.trucost.com

Interesting that 5 of the top 10 are technology companies being proactive as they make products (and a carbon footprint) for the information age. It's a good read for a blogger dependent on a computer, the internet and the environment.

That's it for today. Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving !

Environmentally Friendly Products: Bamboo Yarn and Bamboo Needles

I love how my interests outside of environmentalism can lead me to interesting new environmentally-friendly products. What are these amazing products? Bamboo yarn and bamboo knitting needles!

Source: themissiah (Creative Commons License)

Taking up the art of knitting has been no easy task...I have been combing downtown Toronto for the perfect wool and the perfect needles. It was in one of the first stores I stepped in that I encountered bamboo yarn beyond a simple hank. I found it beside well-organized cubbies of skeins; a scarf made out of bamboo yarn in three differen colors. As I stroked the garment I was absolutely shocked to discover that it was smooth and cool to the touch, nothing at all like the stereotypically itchy woolen garments. You know...the ones grandmothers would knit with good intentions and grandkids begrudgingly put on, all the while complaining about a possible rash? This was nothing like it...this was actually rather luxurious in comparison.

I wondered if this bamboo yarn would be an inexpensive (but very comfortable) alternative to the $10 hanks that I was recommended to use with my chosen pattern. At present I am not sure however my research has come up with the following facts quoted from About.com:

• Bamboo is a renewable resource. Bamboo can be harvested without killing the plant, and it only takes a few months before the plant is ready to be harvested again. That makes it an environmentally friendly choice.
• Bamboo yarn, when not mixed with unnatural fibers, is biodegradable.
• Bamboo yarn is often dyed with more natural dyes that are safer for the environment.
• Bamboo fabric is naturally antibacterial.
• Bamboo also has ultra-violet protective properties.
• Fabric knitted with bamboo is quite breathable and cool and has great drape.
• Bamboo has a good luster, similar to mercerized cotton.
• Bamboo is strong, flexible, and can be softer than silk when spun into yarn.

Make sure to read the article for more information on bamboo yarn.

When it comes to bamboo needles however, although they share many benefits as bamboo yarn they are also great for the following:

• Warm feeling, does not hurt your hands like metal needles
• Oils from your hands naturally lubricate wooden needles
• Inexpensive in comparison to regular wooden or metal needles
• Strong and durable, although tip sharpness may vary and it is possible that some needles will require sanding if used frequently
  
• Tends to avoid splitting yarn (bamboo needles are likely best for bamboo yarn, which splits depending on the cohesiveness of yarn)

So if you're like me and you're a bit crafty, bamboo yarn and its needle counterpart may be your best bet for your next knitting/crocheting project.