Dear North Cowichan Mayor and Councillors:
We congratulate councillors who recently voted 4-3 to fast-track reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in new buildings starting next year.
Three councillors, and some vocal residents, sadly appear to believe in long-term use of fossil fracked-based gas for heating, cooking, hot water and more.
Thankfully, Mayor Rob Douglas and Councillors Justice, Istace and Toporowski argued our prescient climate-action plan, official community plan,and environmental bylaws make more environmental sense.
Facing climate-change realities locally must start sometime. Home and business owners will realize savings from electric heat pumps and other efficient appliances rather than using toxic gas fuel, which can still be used as a back-up.
Better still, why not mandate building-code use of solar panels to power electrical needs?
Carbon-buster Peter Nix cogently points to solar’s thrift.
For health and climate reasons, council must also use its smarts to ban installations of wood-heat devices in new builds – grandfathering wood use in existing buildings.
We urge council to continue decision leadership by following policies and local powers it possesses.
Those include passing a strong tree-protection bylaw; taking invasive-species action; upgrading noise, light and odour bylaws; prioritizing water protection; modernizing sewage treatment; demanding results-based economic development; using anti-sprawl designs toward affordable-housing demands; creatively tackling homelessness and drug addiction and more.
Yours in smart leadership,
Peter W. Rusland,
North Cowichan