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Green LivinGSeptember 2013

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2things you can

do to Make a

difference

how small changes

make a big differenceVoted the greenest ceo in

canada, alain Lemaire discusses the hidden potential we

all have to impact our environment.

Featuring

Green businessshifting to sustainability with td’s Karen Clarke-Whistler

the Forest industrythe depth of an

overlooked industry

earth day canadabig or small, everybody

can create positive change

A sponsored feAture by MediAplAnet2 · September 2013

Educating yourself on sustainable transportation, smarter everyday purchasing, and increasing the eco-qualities of your home can not only save you money, but will make a huge difference to our environment in the long term.

challenges

Small changes make a big difference

Green LivinG 1st edition, september 2013

Publisher: michael GoldsmithBusiness Developer: miguel van den oever

Managing Director: Joshua nagelEditorial Manager: maggie ritchie

Lead Designer: Alana GiordanoDesigner: Laura shaw

Contributors: Jed Goldberg, Christopher rees, Joe rosengarten, Karen Clarke-Whistler, Alain Lemaire

Send all inquiries to editorial@mediaplanet.com

Distributed within: the toronto star, september 2013

this section was created by mediaplanet and did not involve toronto star or its

editorial departments.

mediaplanet’s business is to create new customers for our advertisers by providing readers with high-quality editorial content that motivates them to act.

It doesn’t matter how big or small the action, every single person can make a difference.Photo: td green streets, dylon McAMMond

For many Canadians (over 80 percent of our population lives in urban cen-tres), nature is an escape from the city on long week-

ends. This is easy to understand given our artificially lit, climate-controlled homes and offices, and the lack of green space in most cities.

Part of our planetSeeing ourselves as separate from the environment also provides many people, media included, with the opportunity to see hu-manity as an outside force de-termined to wreak havoc on our otherwise peaceful planet, like the mustachioed villains of chil-dren’s cartoons. Mother Nature is good and humanity is evil—end of story.

While this binary approach may seem justified by today’s pressing environmental ques-tions, the truth is rarely black and white. It’s more honest and pro-ductive to imagine ourselves as

part of the natural world, rath-er than merely as outsiders in-truding upon it. We can’t be separated from our planet—at least until rocket ships become more affordable.

Our choices affect us allAs American marine biologist Syl-via Earle once said, “We are all together in this single living eco-system called planet earth.”

By thinking of humanity as an integral part of local and global ecosystems, we can better under-stand our responsibility to cre-ate a healthier world for ourselves and future generations. When we hurt or help the environment, we also hurt or help ourselves.

The truth is: just as the small-est insect is a vital part of its food chain, all of our individual choices and actions add up to a larger cumulative impact. Our food consumption, housing ar-rangements, modes of transporta-tion and leisure activities have a direct impact on the environment and our communities—for better or for worse.

Jed Goldbergpresident, eArth dAy CAnAdA

Tools to make a differenceAt Earth Day Canada, we provide the tools Canadians need to take environmental action. These sim-ple actions can be integrated into your daily life to minimize the nega-tive impact and maximize the posi-tive influence your actions have on the Earth. Whether you are a child, teacher, youth, or parent—everyone has an important role to play.

This publication is a great place to start. Pieces on sustainable transpor-tation and food options will help you find new efficiencies in daily life that will keep you healthier. Readers will also be educated on the importance of supporting clean, renewable energy sources when possible. An update on sustainability in the forestry industry and a reminder of the power of “vot-ing with your dollars” will transform you from a consumer into a thought-ful “prosumer”, who carefully consid-ers a product’s life cycle and true value before making a purchase.

We are all in this together and that bright, sustainable future is ours for the making.

“Whether you are a child, teacher, youth, or parent—everyone has an important role to play. ”

Jed GoldberG

editorial@mediaplanet.com

Dream big and make the dream a realityAs Canadians we hesitate to “dream big.” Canada has a huge opportunity in the next 50 years to be at the forefront of using our forest and agricultural resources to be role-models for sustainable environmental practices and at the same time to be leaders in using these bio-resources for energy, biomaterials and biochemicals.

Canada’s forests are already amongst the best-managed for-ests in the world. It is time for us to dream big! The ball is in motion as recently all the major federal de-partments met at Carleton Univer-sity at the Assistant Deputy Min-

Christopher rees ViCe-Chair ontario, Canbio

editorial@mediaplanet.com

ister level to scope out a Canadian bioeconomy pathway.

British Columbia is the heart of the wood-pellet industry—pel-lets that are shipped to Europe to enable them meet sustainability goals for electricity and high-tech heating systems. Canada is already a super-power in pellet produc-tion and export. Ontario has been slower off the mark but soon we will see the opening of the Atiko-kan electricity-generating plant—a plant being converted from coal to wood pellets. This plant will be a state-of-the-art showcase in North America.

Ontario is also home to Canada’s largest ethanol producing plant in the country and numerous other biofuel projects are in the pipeline.

Ontario’s Green Energy policy has had some bumps along the way and has focussed entirely on elec-tricity generation to the exclusion of heat. Now is the time to move to “Green Energy 2” encompassing all of the possibilities of promoting and facilitating the bioeconomy.

Best environmental solutionsWhile the debate will continue on the best balance to preserving nat-ural forest resources and using those resources in the bioeconomy, Canada has a responsible forest in-dustry that is committed to follow-ing the best environmental solu-tions and at the same time to innov-ate in the use of renewable forest re-sources to create jobs and wealth for all Canadians.

The County of Prescott-Russell just east of Ottawa provides a good example. The County owns the Larose forest which is the second largest man-made forests in Ontario. It has committed to building a $10 million EcoLarose ecology centre to educate students and adults on best practices for forest sustainability. At the same time it will continue to use the resources of the forest for eco-nomic development by sponsoring an Entrepreneurial Academy and an incubator for the development of new biotechnology enterprises.

We can’t be afraid to dream big and go after those dreams!

EnGAGInG yOuTh In GrEEn

PrACTICES EnSurES A

BETTEr fuTurE

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filmmaker and writer Emily hunter is a prime

example of youth activism

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EDITOR’S PICK

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Powering CanadaMost people are not aware of just how much energy the forest indus-try produces. A lot of mills use bio-mass to generate the energy that they need for their process, and the industry as a whole is 60 per-cent energy self-sufficient. Some mills create so much energy that they are net exporters of electricity to the grid.

“Over the years we’ve been add-ing more and more steam turbines to the mills,” explained Lansberg-en. “Now, the industry generates the equivalent of 3 nuclear react-ors, that’s enough to power the city of Vancouver.”

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2SuStAiNAbLe fOreSt MANAgeMeNtthe Canadian forest industry does a lot more than just produce pulp, paper, and lumber. In fact, it’s responsible for producing a large amount of the consumer products that Canadians use on a day-to-day basis.

As a sector that has truly em-braced sustain-able develop-ment and green innovations, the industry is be-

coming well known for its lucrative economic opportunities and en-vironmental innovations. it’s fair to say that these are exciting times for the forest industry.

blazing a trail “Canada is now a world leader in sustainable forest management,” said Paul Lansbergen, Vice-Presi-dent, regulations and Partnerships, and Corporate Secretary at forest Products Association of Canada.

“in 2010, we signed an unpreced-ented agreement with Canadian environmental groups to help pro-tect the Canadian boreal forest. We’ve become very good at using forest resources, and now, of what we pull out, over 95 percent is used for some practical purpose. 30 years ago this wasn’t the case.”

technological developments the increased efficiency of the for-est industry has led to innovations in the way that wood fibers are util-ized. instead of simply being used for building materials, papers and cardboard packaging, fibers are now used in the development of banda-ges, tV screens, fabrics, food addi-tives, and even in pharmaceutical pills, where they can be used to help our body absorb drugs more slowly or make the medicine less harsh on our digestive system.

“there’s also lots of opportun-ities to utilize bio-plastics,” said Lansbergen “Coca Cola are devel-oping a bottle made from plant products—it’ll be 100 percent bio-plastic—and ford is working with

a big forest company to produce a bio-plastic composite for their cup holders. We’re just starting to scratch the surface in terms of what’s possible.”

top choice for constructionAs well as having more of an aes-thetic appeal than other construc-tion materials, wood requires much less energy to process than con-crete and steel giving it a signifi-cantly smaller carbon footprint. but, Canadian building codes state that buildings with a wood struc-ture can only be built to a max-imum of 4 storeys, although this is under review and may soon be amended.

“We could very easily, with stan-dard approaches, build much tall-er buildings with wood. in bC, there’s a 10 storey building be-ing developed that’s using large timber and cross laminated tim-ber, and there’s even bigger ones around the world,” said Lans-bergen. “Wood is renewable, and in Canada we’re mandated to 100 percent regeneration.”

joe rosengarten

editorial@mediaplanet.com

Paul lansbergen, CaeVP, Regulations & PaRtneRshiPs, CoRPoRate seCRetaRy, foRest PRoduCts assoCiation of Canada

“We’re just starting to scratch the surface in terms of what’s possible.”

toP Wood building systems typically cost less to install than other mainstream structural materials. Photo: forest Products association of canada bottom left University of british Columbia’s earth sciences building is a true hybrid new-build incorporating various types of research supported engineered wood product construction materials such as laminated strand lumber, Cross laminated timber and glulam. Photo: Kenneth Koo, neWBuilds, nserc strategic research netWorK bottom right Wood can be used in many types of buildings, from single-family homes to multi-story condominiums and offices. Photo: forest Products association of canada

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EDITORIAL GENREINDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

I’ve seen an absolute transformation within the business com-munity over the past five years. Sustainability has moved from being a ‘good thing to do’ to become an ever increasing driver of innovation and competitive advantage. It goes way beyond brand and reputation. Companies are defining what their material sustainability issues are, homing in on what really matters to their business, and developing the business case. It’s driving greater collaboration within supply chains, among industry peers, and with not-for-profit partners.

I would say that companies of all sizes have become aware of the importance of adopting socially responsible practices. Ten years ago, we started hearing talk of sustainable development in the busi-ness world. It was a new concept. Today, it’s a standard. Consumers ex-pect businesses to be sensitive to the environment. Today, it’s a very real risk not having sustainable development practices. Pressure to be a good corporate citizen with specific measures comes from all cor-ners: customers, suppliers, investors, and internally. Requests from employees to implement environmentally responsible practices are more frequent than before. It’s a fast and positive change of mentality.

Well it’s pretty simple. At the end of the day, the consumer is king. Companies produce what consumers are willing to buy. More and more we see consumers asking questions, reading labels, and de-manding sustainably produced products at reasonable prices. The more we push, the more choice we’ll have—and that demand will push down prices.

It’s easy to be overwhelmed—the issues seem so large. But the fact is that many of our biggest environmental successes will result from small actions taken on a large scale. It really makes a difference to use less energy, water and create less waste—multiply that by mil-lions or even tens of millions and you have impact.

We’ve talked about consumer buying power, so I’m going to pick up on the ‘influence’ part of the question. We need to use our in-fluence when we choose our governments and we need to keep them accountable. Strong environmental policy and progressive regula-tion is the foundation for a more sustainable economy. I’ve had a lot of arguments about the need to choose jobs or the environment. That’s short sighted. But global markets are evolving very quickly—and part of the competition is continually raising the environmental bar.  In a resource-based country like ours, a strong environment goes hand in hand with a strong economy.

The first basic step is to be informed about the products we buy: where the materials come from, the working conditions of employees, the company’s environmental and social practices, and so on. People rarely ask the question because the information is hard to find or un-available. Companies should divulge and publish these details, accord-ing to existing standards and methods. I’m thinking of a life-cycle an-alysis, for example. With the results, you can compare similar prod-ucts or ones that are made with different materials but serve the same purpose. This would stop the spread of disinformation. A product can appear green without really being responsible, and products that have a bad reputation can sometimes be a good choice environmentally.

When you ask someone about their environmental actions, they will probably tell you they recycle. A simple step that Canadians should take is to demand products made with recycled materials. It isn’t viable from an economic, environmental, or social perspective to always use virgin raw materials. Imagine the state of our forests if all fibre-based products were made with virgin materials? The recycling industry creates jobs, decreases pressure on natural resources, and brings economic benefits to each region. The percentage of recycled content in a product should be shown on its label.

Too often, consumers underestimate their power. A Quebec publication on fair trade came with the telling title “Acheter, c’est voter” (Buying is voting). With our collective buying power, we can make a difference. We can give preference to brands, products, and compan-ies whose values reflect our own. Together, these small individual ac-tions can have a major collective impact. In fact, many non-govern-mental organizations play this role by informing consumers about their choices. Many companies have had to change their practices in response to pressure from consumers and NGOs.

The power of youth

Emily Hunter is an environmental activist of a new generation.

Born into the environmental move-ment, her father was the first presi-dent of Greenpeace, the late Robert Hunter. Her mother, Bobbi Hunt-er, was the first woman to save a whale by blocking a harpoonist at sea. As the daughter of environ-mental legends, Emily has cam-paigned over a decade on a var-iety of environmental issues but with a focus on defining her own generation’s eco-revolution.

A tool for changeAttempting to tell the story of the next wave of eco-activists, media has become her tool for change. Emi-

ly has directed four TV-documentar-ies on MTV Canada on the issues that impact youth, including the tar sands and the UN climate summits. In 2011, she published her first book The Next Eco-Warriors, an insider’s look at Gen-eration Y’s response to our environ-mental crises In recent years, she has become a sought-after speaker, including a recent talk on TEDx and featured in Revolution, newly released documentary by Rob Stewart.

No stranger to action, she has battled on the high seas of Antarc-tica to save whales with Sea Shep-herd; coordinated a national day of action on climate change across Canada for 350.org; and joined pro-tests in the Borneo rainforest try-ing to end deforestation from the palm oil industry.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS2005 - 2009

■■ Antarctica CampaignsCrew onboard Sea Shepherd for anti-whaling campaigns vol-unteered on three Sea Shep-herd campaigns in the Antarc-tic to save whales against illegal whaling activities.

2009 -2011■■ Directed

“IMPACT” on MTV News Canada■■ TV-Documentaries

Directed four TV-documentary on MTV series “IMPACT” on issues that impact youth. Documen-

taries included the Alberta tar sands, the 2010 UN climate sum-mit in Mexico and the Toronto G20 protests.

2010■■ 350.org Campaign

10/10/10 Global Day of Ac-tion: Coordinated 350.org cam-paign against climate change across Canada, in every province and territory.

2011■■ Book publication

The Next Eco-Warriors (Conari Press): First booked published about the next wave of eco-war-riors of Generation Y. released in

the US, Canada and translated in-to a German edition.

■■ Borneo campaign DerorestACTION: Joined cam-paign in Borneo, Indonesia to document the destructive practi-ces of the palm oil industry.

2013■■ TEDx Talk

TEDx Presenter: Gave first TEDx speech about “Activism 2.0” on the next wave of eco-warriors. Video went viral with 20,000 views on Youtube.

editorial@mediaplanet.com

Karen Clarke-WhistlerChief Environment Officer, TD Bank Group

Alain LemaireExecutive Chairman of the Board, Cascades Inc.

1When looking at

corporate Canada, what are the major sustainability gains

that you have seen over the past

few years?

How can the average Canadian

influence the sustainability initiatives of

corporate Canada?

2

What easy eco-friendly

changes can the average Canadian

make in their day-to-day life?

3

How can consumers vote

with their dollars to influence change?

4

Emily in Fort Chip, Alberta.PHOTO: VANESSA LARKEY

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