Green Revolution in English Village
September 12, 2016

In Ashton Hayes, a village of about 1000 people near Liverpool, England, hundreds of residents have banded together to cut greenhouse emissions—they use clotheslines instead of dryers, take fewer flights, install solar panels and glaze windows to better insulate their homes.  The effort, which reached its 10th anniversary this year, has led to a 24 percent cut in emissions.

But what makes Ashton Hayes unusual is its approach: Residents have done it themselves, without prodding from government.  One of their secrets is that the people of Ashton Hayes feel in charge—they have declined participation by politicians, saying party politics would only divide them along ideological lines.  Another is that they have made light of the situation, holding wine-and-cheese meetings in the biggest houses, and community cafes in a solar-powered pavilion.

As the effects of a warming planet are becoming ever clearer, Ashton Hayes is a case study for the next phase of battling climate change: getting people to change their habits.
See more at http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-uk-village-leading-a-green-revolution/vp-AAiN8k3.

 “Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights and You” Presentation by Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner, Dr. Diane Saxe at Hamilton City Hall September 27, 2016  by Mary Ann Blair


In light of November 8, 2016 being the last day for the public to submit comments for the revision of Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights, local environmental advocacy groups Environment Hamilton and Hamilton Blue Dot, co-sponsored a talk by Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner, Dr. Dianne Saxe at Hamilton’s City Hall at 7pm on Tuesday September 27th. Approximately 50 people attended including Environment Hamilton’s Executive Director Lynda Lukasik, Volunteer Blue Dot presenter Fiona Parascandalo, Councillor Matthew Green and Green Party Canada 2015 candidates for Hamilton Centre and Hamilton Mountain, Ute Schmid-Jones and Raheem Aman. Dr. Saxe gave a brief overview of the history of environmental rights in Ontario-we’ve come a long way- explained what her office does and how its website is a powerful tool for activists providing research and help with navigation for sending feedback to the right government channels.

With 40 years experience as an environmental lawyer previous to her appointment as Environmental Commissioner, last December, she has seen how the law has changed and how we have moved beyond a “Government knows best” culture. The environmental and human health catastrophes such as Love Canal, the use of Agent Orange for clearing brush on Ontario highways and acid rain have eroded that trust and the law has changed. For example, in the 1950’s companies could dump toxic waste directly in rivers, in the 1970’s it went to landfill, now there are strict provisions for the handling of toxic waste. Still, as Hamilton Blue Dot presenter Fiona Parascandalo noted in her introductory presentation, Ontarians have a right to notification about pollution, but no enforceable provisions for protection. To quote Dr. Saxe, the Environmental Commissioner is a “Watch Dog, not a Police Dog”. Still, she explained that the government needs public support for “social legitimacy” to implement its decisions and public input has actually influenced 37 percent of government decisions.

Dr. Saxe explained that as citizens we have a right to notification of government proposals for projects affecting the environment, the right to comment and the right to appeal any government decision. Her website is “a tool box” for making our comments more effective in content. Her office publishes three annual reports per year on environmental conservation: green house gas emissions, and environmental protection, and in process. Her website offers under drop down menu “Your Rights/Comment on Government Proposals” access to the registry where citizens can make their comments for the reform of the Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights using reference #012-8002.

Since taking office in December, Dr. Saxe is “more frightened” by the rapidity of climate change now and underlined the need to “get ready for what is coming”. Submitting our ideas for the reform of the Environmental Bill of Rights is one way that we can push for greater government accountability to respond to the climate crisis.