Canuck Forests Reduce Emissions by 62 Per Cent
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 01. 4.08
The Vancouver Sun reports on the state of the pulp and paper sector in British Columbia, Canada. The Report by the big guys at PriceWaterhouse Coopers says that greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing have been reduced by 62 per cent since 1990. That also means that pulp and paper companies have reduced their emissions by 10 times beyond the 6 percent reduction laid out in the Kyoto Protocol.
In the Sun article, Valerie Langer of the environmental NGO, ForestEthics, says that, “the Canadian forest industry has committed to a life cycle analysis in conjunction with the World Wildlife Fund.” Manufacturing is only one part of the life cycle of pulp and paper products as carbon is released through logging and methane is released when paper is buried in landfills.
This article comes not long after the announcement that the Canadian forest products industry was aiming for carbon neutrality by 2015 via a partnership with WWF. What an exciting prospect that the pulp and paper sector is going to start doing life cycle analysis. This could lead to great strides in energy reduction for that industry and it also sets a great example for forestry in the rest of the country. We’ll keep you informed as they release actual documents and results. Via:: The Vancouver Sun. Image credit: Tony Hisgett.
While control of greenhouse gases is vitally important it would be nice if they would also stop clear-cutting mountainsides: a practice that not only destroys the aesthetics of the mountain but contributes to the destruction of streams and the fouling of water supplies.
Why do you guys talk about Canada so damn much??? SCREW CANADA!!!
The reason BC is clear cutting so much of the forests is not just because of lower costs, but to stop the spread of disease. BC is having a big problem with a certain beetle which kills entire forests and leaves them to dry out and become fire hazards as well as continue to spread the beetle. Since the beetle mostly affects older trees, logging companies clear-cut land to prevent the beetles from spreading to the surrounding areas, and if they catch it in time, the wood is not wasted and can be sold. The downside is the massive slopes that become unprotected from older trees, but if they burn the slash after and plant new trees, it would be the same as if a natural forest fire came through. In this case clear-cutting makes sense, in most others it does not.