Pic of the Past
BIRD’S EYE VIEW -- An aerial photo of Okotoks, taken in 1976, shows the new Rosemont subdivision in the foreground and the Okotoks Junior/Senior High School and its running track in the background. The newly built Percy Pegler School can also be seen in the top left corner. photo courtesy of the Town of Okotoks Museum and Archives |
Editorial-
Will fuel prices force changes?
How many of you drive to Sobeys, grab a litre of milk, then hop back in your car and pick-up a quart of oil at Canadian Tire?
One would expect few Okotoks shoppers park their car at Sobeys and walk across the parking lots to Canadian Tire.
On Tuesday morning the price for a barrel of oil burst to a record high of $122. As a result, it will likely mean gas prices in Okotoks will hit similar record highs.
Despite the price of gas increasing at a steady pace over the past few years it has not done much to change our lifestyle.
However, Goldman Sachs predicts oil prices could rise to $150 or even $200 within two years, meaning gas could surpass $1.50 per litre in that same time frame.
While many Albertans complain about rising fuel prices and the impact it has on one’s pocketbook, perhaps we should look at this as an opportunity to force change.
First, this is the perfect time to push for the completion of the regional transportation study and the construction of a commuter train from High River and Okotoks to Calgary’s southern most C-Train station. A commuter train is a certainty down the road, but that road should end sooner rather than later. Currently, there is a commuter bus, but still the majority of people commute to Calgary the old-fashioned way — driving — and driving alone.
Second, the provincial government should look at ways to promote carpooling. How many times have you been driving home on Macleod Trail and looked at the vehicles beside you? How often have you seen more than one person in that vehicle? Once? Twice? Never?
Third, are high gas prices really a bad thing? If they get high enough it may finally force industry to refocus its efforts and research and development dollars on improving technology on products such as hybrid cars. Not only to make the technology better, but make it more affordable so gas-guzzling Hummers are literally off the road.
Finally, instead of demanding tax cuts on gas or fuel subsidies Albertans need to take a closer look at our own driving habits and our own lifestyles. So far, the price of fuel has not forced any real change in lifestyle for most Albertans. Many still buy large pick-up trucks instead of a fuel efficient sedan and many still drive to the corner store for their lottery ticket instead of going for a walk. We are all a part of the problem and we all must be a part of the solution — one small step at a time.
Prediction: gas will be $1.29 for May long weekend. Walking anywhere?
Guest Column -
Hooray Turner Valley for guilt-free take-away
BY SHEELAGH MATTHEWS
CONTRIBUTOR
Hooray, hooray, the first of May! And with it guilt-free take away!
There’s hope that we’ll soon be served our take-out dinners in more environmentally friendly containers. At least there’s hope in the foothills of Alberta. In late April 2008, the Town of Turner Valley’s officials voted to ban polystyrene foam containers (often incorrectly referred to as Styrofoam) used for food service in the community.
The discovery of oil put Turner Valley on the map back in 1914. As Canada’s first community to ban foam containers in food service, Turner Valley is attracting attention again. There’s a lot at stake in setting a good example. After all, look at what the small Manitoba community of Leaf Rapids did for reducing the use of plastic shopping bags. Just one year after the town banned plastic shopping bags, reusable shopping bags sprouted up in all kinds of retailers and grocers across Canada.
As for take-away meals, they arrive at my home in a foam tub or tray, a dish made from aluminum foil, or a simple paper or foil wrap. While there are pros and cons to all of these materials, it’s the foam packaging that really gets my guilt-o-meter going.
Once they’ve made the trip home, the blush of convenience comes off the foam containers. They can’t be used to reheat foods on the stove or in the oven. They’ve been painted as posing health risks when foods are microwaved in them. They deplete world petroleum supplies for their production. They clog our landfills, litter our streets, and cause problems for wildlife when beads of foam debris are mistaken for food.
With oil at over $100 per barrel, surely it’s time to find new, non petroleum-based packaging solutions — the kind that fit our environmental expectations, the kind that preserve our natural resources for more essential needs than disposable food containers.
With any luck, this trend of banning foam packaging will expand to the manufacturing industry. Personally, I am tired of feeling guilty about the quantities of solid foam I am putting into the landfill just because I ate take-out or purchased a small appliance. Did you know it can take around 500 to 2,000 years for polystyrene foam to decompose?
For those so inclined, it’s not easy to find a home for the foam packaging we accumulate. Unfortunately, polystyrene recycling facilities are sorely lacking. Perhaps this is because it takes a lot of energy to recycle this material.
The way I see it, Turner Valley’s decision to ban foam packaging in food service could take a considerable bite out of the climate change cookie, especially if other Canadian communities follow suit. (San Francisco, Portland, and Berkeley, U.S.A. have already banned this stuff.) While there will, no doubt, be some pains in transition, I believe the upside of this new legislation will far outweigh any downsides. Banning the use of foam packaging for the preservation of ourselves and our planet — that’s in our best interest.
Letters to the Editor -
Parents should make the right child care choices
Dear Editor,
I read the article “Childcare crisis forcing families to move” and was appalled.
Jane Hampton, a childcare provider said that she has had two parents call her and ask her when a good time would be to have their next child so that Ms. Hampton would have an opening for them. I thought I would write in with a suggestion: have your next child when you are willing to sacrifice what is necessary to take care of them yourselves!
Don’t get me wrong, I am not speaking to those who are doing everything they can just to keep food on the table, something that is becoming increasingly difficult. I am directing my comments to those who are dropping their children off at daycare in shiny new SUVs and planning their next children around openings in the local day home.
I know a few women who run day homes, and they are excellent caregivers, but their care is no substitute for the care and attention of a loving parent. Children deserve parents who want to be with them. Don’t fool yourself by saying that you are trying to give your children the best, and that’s why you leave them with someone else for 10 hours a day, or by saying that day care workers can offer just as much to your children as you can. If that is what you believe, you underestimate your own importance as a mommy or daddy.
Children are shaped to a large degree by their experiences between birth and five years old. If you are willing to sacrifice that time with your children so that you can live in a prettier house or drive a fancier car, just don’t be surprised when you find it extremely difficult to connect to your now teenager, or when you end up in a nursing home the moment you need a little bit of TLC yourself. After all, the attention that you receive in an institution is just as good as the love and attention you get at home, right?
I can just see the angry letters pouring in, and that’s fine with me. But ask yourself this — if this makes you angry, is it because you truly believe that I am wrong, or is it because the truth hurts?
Alana Pomares
Okotoks
Outdoor rink developed at expense of ball diamonds
Dear Editor,
Had a chance to check out the new outdoor arena in Black Diamond recently — it is a great new addition and was much needed. However, did no one notice that it was built on the only baseball diamond in town? Not only in the Town of Black Diamond, but also in the Town of Turner Valley. The only other diamonds in these towns are at the Flare ‘n’ Derrick in Turner Valley and at the high school in Black Diamond, neither of these fields will accommodate Peewee or older baseball.
I know that the Town of Black Diamond was aware as they had to customize this field last year to accommodate the Peewee and Bantam teams. I have been informed that it will be at least three years before another field can be built. The Town of Turner Valley has let me know that they can cut the infield at the Flare ‘n’ Derrick to allow a proper sized infield, but not move the fences to the proper distance. The field at the high school cannot be made usable for these age groups, and we received many concerns about the closeness of residences and parking for the Mosquito age group last year.
I know it was not the intent of the Town, Seamans, or any other groups involved in the arena to sacrifice one sport to promote another. Why build a world class facility in one town and tear down the others? That is the final result of the building of this arena.
I will now have to find a way to have seven teams play a season and get in practices on one baseball diamond. I don’t know what the solution is going to be and hope that the other teams in our divisions will help to accommodate us, on the other hand I know where there is a nice soccer field we can put up a backstop on.
Ron Nobert Oilfields Sports Association
Local radiologist could have provided information
Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to the article, “Cancer survivor encourages women to be tested” from your Wednesday, March 5, 2008 issue of the Okotoks Western Wheel. In particular, the comments made by the naturopathic doctor stating, “There can be false positive (results) which lead to women being afraid, more tests, biopsies and other procedures that are unwarranted,” can be true, however there is no medical test for breast cancer that is 100 per cent accurate.
False-positives and negatives can occur with every type of examination from blood tests, to CT scans, to ultrasounds, regardless of a patient’s age. This does not mean that women should not consider a mammogram for breast cancer screening, or that a man should not have blood work to determine if he is a diabetic.
I work for the radiology clinic located right in Okotoks which performs screening mammograms, diagnostic mammograms and breast biopsies and we have detected cancer early in many women, allowing for proactive attention and treatment. Perhaps the radiologist at this clinic should have also been interviewed to complete this article and offer a specialist’s perspective on screening mammograms and associated risks or benefits.
Regan Domes
High River
Editor’s note: The story included comments from Tracy Hirtle, mobile screening program assistant from the Alberta Cancer Board.
|
|
Vote for the Best of the Foothills
It is that time of year again! It is your opportunity to vote for what you love most in the foothills. The annual Best of the Foothills reader’s choice awards feature has kicked off and every one is encouraged to vote for their favourites. You can vote on-line at www.westernwheel.com or drop off the entry form at the Wheel office. This is a great opportunity to recognize local businesses and attractions and make sure all the new residents know about all the amenities the foothills has to offer.
• • • • •
In this week’s edition you will notice The Wheel has begun making changes to the overall appearance of the paper. We will now be including more news other than Sports in the second section. This week there is a feature on Lifestyle on page 17 of the second section. It is our intent to spread the news content over the entire paper to make each page more appealing to the reader. You will also notice we have moved the Editorial pages to 12 and 13 so we can have more local content news further up in the paper. We want to make The Wheel a must read from Page 1 to the last page. Don’t be afraid to let us know how you think we are doing over the next several weeks as the transformation continues.
• • • • •
The Okotoks Dawgs start their season in less than a month. To get in the baseball mood check out the Henry Burris Celebrity Softball game at Seaman Stadium on Saturday. The event boasts a who’s who of CFL greats past and present including Damon Allen, George Reed and the Stampeder QB himself.
It should be a great day for the family. The event includes an autograph session, homerun derby and the softball game. Action starts at noon.
George Reed will be there for there is something for those rowdy Rider fans as well.
• • • • •
On Saturday John Paul II Collegiate in Okotoks will be hosting a garage sale and all of the proceeds will be donated to the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. The event will be held rain or shine at the school from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come on out and support a good cause and maybe find a little treasure to boot.
• • • • •
The Okotoks Sports Day Parade will be held on Saturday June 21 and then that evening the Okotoks Oilers Jr A Oilers hockey club will host “A New York Night Out” at The Foothills Centennial Centre. For tickets to this fabulous night out go to Sobeys or the Atco Gas building. This event sold out fast last year so get your plans made and order your tickets soon.
• • • • •
Hey, if the parade is June 21 that means The Rotary Soap Box Derby will be happening on June 14. Come on dad, help your son or daughter build a cart and enter this fun day event for the entire family.
Alberta tar sands key to oil’s future
 |
Last week Hamish McRae, one of the world’s best economic journalists, declared in The Independent that “Hardly anyone a year ago successfully predicted the rise in the oil price to $120 a barrel — in fact I have not found a single forecast of that.”
Regular readers of this column may recall that I predicted oil at over $100 a barrel in April, 2006, and well north of that price in another column in July, 2007.
I am the most modest of men, but I reckon this gives me the right to offer some further forecasts. So, I predict that the price of oil will soon fall — a bit. So far, the economies of the “Brics” (Brazil, Russia, India and China) are still growing strongly, but the old industrialized economies are definitely heading into a recession, and they still consume most of the oil.
This recession has not actually been caused by the high oil price; the sub-prime mortgage scam is to blame for that. But the recession is likely to drive the demand for oil down far enough to bring the price back down to $100 before long, or even to $85-90. Then in 2009-2010, as the “old rich” economies recover, it will go back up, probably to the $130-$150 range.
The price will rise because demand will recover much faster than supply can grow, if indeed it grows at all. An allegedly giant new oil field has been found off the coast of Brazil, but even if it lives up to the advertising it is five to 10 years away from large-scale production.
The world’s largest oil producer, Saudi Arabia, admits that there is now not enough spare capacity among the OPEC (Organization of Petroleum-Exporting Countries) producers to make any difference. Russia, the biggest non-OPEC producer, will probably see production fall this year.
And practically everybody else is already pumping flat-out.
So once the recession ends, the price of oil will probably stay well above $100 for most of the time in 2010-2015. But it won’t hit $200 because there will be a steep rise in the supply of non-conventional oil from tar sands, oil shales, and other sources of heavy oil.
Even if the moment of “peak oil” is upon us, that would not mean the end of oil; it just means the end of sweet, light crude. The Alberta tar sands are profitable if the price of oil stays over $40 a barrel; at $60, the far larger Venezuelan tar sands are a viable economic proposition; at $80, even the oil shales of the western U.S. are promising.
If the supply goes up, the price goes down. There may be little remaining possibility for increasing the supply of conventional oil, but that is not the case with unconventional oil, of which there is a massive potential supply. At a high environmental cost, of course: on average, the equivalent of two barrels of oil must be burnt to liberate three barrels of oil from the Alberta tar sands.
In a world with a stable climate, ample unconventional oil supplies would bring the oil price down below $100 again, but that’s not the way it’s likely to play out. By 2015, global tolerance for any process that involves high emissions of greenhouse gases is likely to be very low.
Indeed, there is likely to be a good deal of pressure to cut back on the consumption even of conventional oil.
Five years ago, global warming was a distant worry in most of the world, and in North America, where the denial industry had its headquarters, it was widely disbelieved. Now it is a high-priority concern in Europe, in the United States (at every level below the White House, where change is coming shortly), and in China, and a rapidly growing worry everywhere else.
Go seven years down the road, and throw in a few dozen more climate-related catastrophes like Hurricane Katrina or the killer heat-wave in Europe in the summer of 2003. What will popular support for burning fossil fuels be in 2015? Not very high, one suspects.
Cutting back on the use of oil — and coal, and gas — will not be a rapid or smooth process, because the potential substitutes are either technologically immature or too expensive. But rising demand and the passage of time will change that, and gradually the use of fossil fuels will fall. Most serious people everywhere now know that it must, if civilization is to survive.
Several billion people live in countries that are now growing very fast economically, so demand will probably keep the price for conventional oil near the $100 level well into the 2020s, but the political pressure to shut down extra-high-emission unconventional oil production may become irresistible. (That’s why Alberta’s tar sands producers now want to replace natural gas with nuclear power as the energy source for freeing the oil from the sand.)
In the still longer run — the 2030s and beyond — the demand for oil will probably fall even further, and with it the price. How do we know that? Because if it hasn’t fallen due to a deliberate switch away from fossil fuels, then global warming will gain such momentum that entire countries are falling into chaos instead. There is more than one way to cut demand.
|
