Author: Cam Proctor

Kyoto of Conservation

- Cam Proctor

Internalizing all environment costs into financial terms and developing markets akin to Kyoto is not the preffered solution for many people; but for business its the preffered if not only acceptable option. All future trends point towards this practice increasing. The next major sector after Kyoto is conservation and biodiversity.

Biodiversity conservation markets are still at the conceptual stage and International Finance Corp. officials met industry leaders in Brazil this week to brainstorm on how to make the leap from direct project financing to market-driven incentives.

Home Depot Wood

- Cam Proctor 1 Comment

For years environmentalists have blasted the Home Depot’s wood buying practices, especially after numerous fiascos involving clear cut wood labelled “Green.” But with a $380,000 over two years grant to the Forest Stewardship Council to develop a global forestry registry, Home Depot hopes to help it and other companies ensure they purchase wood that is harvested in a responsible manner.

Green Hospitals

- Cam Proctor

A new trend emerging in the category of Green Buildings are hospitals with an eye to reducing their environmental impact. So called “Green Hospitals” are keen to lower energy bills, reduce waste and achieve healthier indoor air; and its having an impact on worker productivity and patient recovery rates.

Hospitals are energy intensive insitutions that generate enormous amounts of waste in order to achieve sanitary conditions and ensure the safety of their patients from infection and disease. In a twist of irony, many of the protection systems cause respiratory problems in other patients. By choosing low VOC cleaning products the safe recovery of both sets of patients are expediated. Simple design changes such as ‘Daylighting” are having an impact as well.

No one can deny hospitals have a bottom line. In fact, these changes Green Hospitals are adopting are helping achieve that bottom line. “Hospitals are the heart and soul of the community and we need to be open for business no matter what,” says Kai Abelkis, environmental coordinator for Boulder Community Hospital in Boulder, Colorado. “If the hospitals in New Orleans had solar panels, at least they could have kept the respirators going. If hospitals upgraded to more efficient lighting, we could save a considerable sum, enhance emergency preparedness and improve air quality.”

For a ranking of the top 10 US Green Hospitals click here.

Tasty New Lobster

- Cam Proctor

A new crustacean discovered in South Pacific waters 7,540 feet deep, 900 miles south of Easter Island resembles a lobster covered with what looks like silky, blond fur, researchers said Tuesday. The animal is white and just shy of 6 inches long — about the size of a salad plate. It has as a “surprising characteristic,” its blind and the animal’s pincers are covered with sinuous, hair-like strands, possibly the animals sensory organ.

Scientists said the animal, which they named Kiwa hirsuta, was so distinct from other species that they created a new family and genus for it. The family was named Kiwaida, from Kiwa, the goddess of crustaceans in Polynesian mythology. The researchers said that while legions of new ocean species are discovered each year, it is quite rare to find one that merits a new family.

The diving expedition was organized by Robert Vrijenhoek of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California.

CN Tower Climb

- Cam Proctor

On Saturday, April 29, 2006, the WWF is sponsoring the annual Toronto CN Tower Climb to raise money to fight global warming. Having personally climbed the CN Tower before, I can say the experience alone is worth it, and raising money for a good cause is just icing on the cake. For more information just click here.

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