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Every Second Strait of Georgia Thursday & Online ‘24/7’ at islandtides.com Uniting The Salish Sea ~ From Coast To Coast to Coast Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement Nº 40020421 Volume 21 Number 12 June 18-July 1, 2009 $1 at Selected Retailers Tide tables 2 Earth hiring 2 Letters 4 Saturna 6 Grade 8 9 Bulletin board 11 Talking about the ocean The Institute of Ocean Sciences (IOS) has joined with the communities of the Saanich Peninsula for Ocean Discovery Days, by offering a series of free science talks and demonstrations at its North Saanich location on June 22 and 23. For the two days, the public is invited to hear a host of experts talk about their special interests—from tsunamis, to sponge reefs, to underwater observatories, to climate change. The two-day event will be a showcase for the multidisciplinary research centre on West Saanich Road, which boasts extensive resources and world-leading scientists employing cutting-edge technology in search of a better Photo: Ayla McKean understanding of the ocean. On Monday at 10am, William Environmental planning student Nadia Nowak (right) is going on a cycle journey to Ottawa this summer with Crawford presents a talk on the effects of her sister Martina to raise awareness and gather comments about the climate crisis from youngsters they the Pacific Ocean on BC’s marine meet. They will present their findings to the federal government as it gets ready to participate in the United resources. He is followed at 11am by Sophie Johannessen speaking on Nations Climate Conference in Copenhagen this December. See also letter to editor and ‘What’s On?’, climate change in the Strait of Georgia. pages 4 and 5. At noon, Richard Dewey explains the VENUS Underwater Ocean Observatory. At 1pm, Svein Vagle talks Salt Spring Shirley community meeting gives thumbs down about how Canada’s Arctic is changing due to climate change. His presentation to huge wilderness development ~ Maurita Prato is followed by Michael Riedel speaking microhydro study about gas hydrates, a potential source of On Thursday, May 28, about 50 Shirley The proposed developments would energy in the deep marine sediments. residents and concerned citizens filled the accommodate 1,200 people at full capacity On Tuesday, Denis D’Amours kicks released Shirley Hall to ask questions and comment on giving them easy access to the Juan de Fuca off the day with his talk on hydrography Ever wondered how much power could be generated two controversial development applications trail. In comparison, the West Coast trail sees as the basis for all marine activities. This from the hundreds of small seasonal creeks that rush proposed for the area. Ender Ilkay of Marine about 5,000 visitors per year. The proposed is followed by a presentation on down Salt Spring Island’s hillsides each winter? A new Holdings Ltd has applied to the CRD to developments could bring a fifth of this number tsunamis, complete with practical study just released by the Earth Festival Society, as part construct an RV park, resort lodge and multiple to the Juan de Fuca trail on a single day. Twelve preparation tips at 10am. At 11am of the implementation of the Salt Spring Island cabin development adjacent to the world hundred people is also more than the combined Audrey Dallimore presents Wild Community Energy Strategy, attempts to answer that renowned Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. population of the surrounding communities of Storms, Rising Seas and Earthquakes: question. The meeting was the third of four Advisory Shirley, Jordan River and Port Renfrew. Global Change in the Pacific. At noon, Ten Salt Spring property owners interested in Planning Commission meetings held in At the Shirley Hall there were few voices that communities in the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area. Rob Hare offers a talk on seabed and installing microhydro systems volunteered for DEVELOPMENT, please turn to page 9 water column mapping. His talk is preliminary site assessments. The project team also followed at 1pm with Kim Conway’s reviewed other known potential sites, existing rainfall Commentary by Patrick Brown Sponge Reefs on the BC Continental and surface water data and mapping, environmental Shelf: A Seafloor Jurassic Park. Fianlly and regulatory implications, and the economic viability Crossing the Fraser—the unstoppable at 2pm, the day finishes with Vaughn of installations. Barrie talking about mapping the The availability of net metering in BC provides the Canadian seafloor. opportunity for communities to meet part of their Port Mann monster In addition to these presentations, power supply through micro-scale distributed The new Port Mann bridge was intended to be the public has very little (because it’s there will be two demonstrations offered generation. On Salt Spring, the majority of homes use a public-private partnership, a ‘P3’—one of ‘commercially confidential’). Naturally that oft- every two hours throughout the two at least some electricity for space heating. Electricity those magic deals where the private sector is touted government transparency goes out of days. The first is a 30-minute consumption is much greater during the winter supposed to assume the risk while the public the window. So there’s a lot of the story we are exploration with Craig Lessels of how months, making microhydro a good match. gets the benefits. not privy to. But much can be pieced together if sea floor information is gathered, Although the lack of measured data made it difficult However, now it seems the provincial you know which rock to look under. complete with actual equipment. The to draw any hard conclusions regarding the total taxpayer is stuck with all the costs and most of Transportation Nightmare second is a talk and tour about how microhydro potential, the study concluded that there the risks for a bridge which is much bigger and The Lower Mainland’s configuration as a port charts are made, with Dave Jackson. may be over 70 sites suitable for net metering, more expensive than originally planned. This city on the estuary of a very big river, which There will also be information conservatively capable of producing enough electricity incredible switcharound has happened because funnels out from between mountains, has led to booths on the Marine Protected Areas of to supply about 47 average Salt Spring homes. The the government has made piecemeal fix-it a transportation nightmare. To beat city the west coast, on Project VENUS, the total number of developable sites is likely under 300. decisions in response to a series of dynamic housing prices, suburban homes have underwater laboratory, and on chart- Regulatory requirements are greater for changes, without once raising its eyes from the proliferated further and further up the Fraser’s making and sea floor mapping tools. In microhydro than for other renewable energy systems drawing board. huge delta, destroying farmland, creating urban One of the characteristics of all P3s is that OCEAN, please turn to page 11 MICROHYDRO, please turn to page 2 the private partner has all the information and BRIDGE, please turn to page 10 is available at these SERIOUS COFFEE locations — look for the ‘Island Tides’ yellow boxes or racks inside! Sidney—Beacon Avenue Mill Bay—Island Highway @ Frayne Rd Parksville—Heritage Centre Mall Nanaimo—Across from the Hospital South Duncan—Sun Valley Mall Courtenay—Southgate Centre, Cliffe Ave Nanaimo—Hammond Bay Rd Duncan—Cowichan Commons Mall Port Alberni—Shoppers Drugmart Plaza, 10th Ave Nanaimo—South Parkway Plaza good reading, great coffee — it’s time to get SERIOUS! Campbell River—Island Highway near Larwood Rd Page 2, ISLAND TIDES, June 18, 2009 You’re Brilliant & The Earth Is Hiring ~ Paul Hawken The Commencement Address to the Class of 2009, University of Portland, May 3, 2009 hen I was invited to give this speech, I was asked if I Clarkson, Josiah Wedgwood — and their goal was ridiculous on could give a simple short talk that was ‘direct, naked, the face of it: at that time three out of four people in the world Wtaut, honest, passionate, lean, shivering, startling, and were enslaved. Enslaving each other was what human beings graceful.’ No pressure there. had done for ages. And the abolitionist movement was greeted GULF ISLANDS WATER TREATMENT SOLUTIONS Let’s begin with the startling part. Class of 2009: you are with incredulity. Conservative spokesmen ridiculed the Well Water • Rain Water • Surface Water going to have to figure out what it means to be a human being on abolitionists as liberals, progressives, do-gooders, meddlers, and • Whole-house Treatment earth at a time when every living system is declining, and the rate activists. They were told they would ruin the economy and drive of decline is accelerating. Kind of a mind-boggling situation... but England into poverty. But for the first time in history a group of • Self-cleaning Sediment Filters not one peer-reviewed paper published in the last thirty years people organized themselves to help people they would never • Media Filters can refute that statement. Basically, civilization needs a new know, from whom they would never receive direct or indirect • Ultraviolet Systems operating system, you are the programmers, and we need it benefit. And today tens of millions of people do this every day. It within a few decades. is called the world of non-profits, civil society, schools, social REMOVE: This planet came with a set of instructions, but we seem to entrepreneurship, non-governmental organizations, and Iron / Odour / Bacteria / have misplaced them. Important rules like don’t poison the companies who place social and environmental justice at the top Hardness / Arsenic water, soil, or air, don’t let the earth get overcrowded, and don’t of their strategic goals.

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