Monthly Archives: March 2009

03.28.09
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The insightful tale of two hours

Ian McCallum

Ian McCallum


Talk about lights out.
It appears the powers to be at city hall were totally unaware of Earth Hour, to be observed this evening, until T-J reporter Kyle Rea contacted the mayor’s office on Monday of this week.
After that phone call, the city scrambled into action and registered Tuesday for the world-wide event.
The observance “slipped under the radar,” admitted Mayor Cliff Barwick to our erstwhile reporter.
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03.28.09
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Is the recession heralding a return to Henry Ford’s model?

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THE early part of the 20th century was not an easy time for the Ford Motor Company. Economic downturns were frequent and deep. Shortages of raw materials on the back of the first world war stalled assembly lines. And the motor industry’s supplier network was too small to keep pace with demand, making it hard to ensure that all of a car’s parts were ready for assembly at the right time.
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03.25.09
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A Train That Is Leaving the Station

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Auto workers in Detroit should be learning how to build and service electric cars powered by hydrogen or new battery technology. Laid off construction workers should be learning how to install solar panels or how to insulate buildings to save energy. Unemployed bankers could be learning about counting carbon emissions and about how to reduce those greenhouse gases and use credits to help others do likewise. These are all skills that will be in great demand as the economy recovers, not just for a few more years of pollution-based prosperity, but for generations of sustainable growth to come.
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03.23.09
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Why “green jobs” may not save the economy or the environment.

Just because “green” and “jobs” are both in demand doesn’t mean that policies focused on creating “green jobs” make sense.
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03.22.09
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Turn landfill trash into ethanol

Official IGPC plant opening in Aylmer, December, 2008

Official IGPC plant opening in Aylmer, December, 2008

Posted by Ian:
With an ethanol plant now up and running in our own backyard, this proposal should prove intriguing for St. Thomas and Elgin. Moreso in light of increasing complaints about the current municipal waste contractor. BFI.

Ethanol demand is growing rapidly. At the same time, entire countries are running out of landfill space. So why not take care of two issues at once and turn all that excess trash into ethanol?
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03.21.09
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We can’t seem to keep our own face clean

Ian McCallum

Ian McCallum


Call it a spring awakening, but as the sun and warming temperatures greeted us this past week, the disappearing mountains of snow uncovered the detritus remaining from what felt like an interminably long winter.
The transition from March to April is far from the most picturesque time of year, what with grotty grey banks of frozen debris slowly surrendering to the solar rays, in the process uncovering an unsightly, if not interesting, array of garbage/items in the melting mess. Continue reading →

03.19.09
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Rural communities get support to improve water services

Provincial government invests in Elgin and Middlesex municipalities
ST. THOMAS – Residents of six Elgin-Middlesex-London municipalities will be getting some help from the Ontario government to improve the management of the community’s drinking water system.
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03.18.09
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Port Stanley Terminal Rail March newsletter

railtalk-mar-2009

03.14.09
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Here’s your $750, now go away

Ian McCallum

Ian McCallum


Mayor Cliff Barwick admits 15 homeowners on Montgomery Road have been through “absolute hell,” and yet council and city staff continue to deny these ratepayers adequate compensation for damage sustained in January, 2008 due to heavy rainfall which overloaded the sewer system.
To haggle over whether a 50-millimetre deluge, combined with melting snow on Jan. 8-9 last year, qualifies as a true disaster is an insult to these residents.
Take a look at the damage done to their homes, and this is not the first time they have suffered this fate, and then talk to them about the meaning of disaster.
In fact the problem is so persistent, some residents can no longer obtain flood insurance.
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