watermatters

April 2009

• BC’s Watershed Election on May 12: Action Steps to Protect Our Water

  Saturday, April 25th, 2009

  The future of BC’s water resources will be determined on provincial election day, May 12 2009.
  This is BC’s Watershed Election.

  Vote for a candidate who will fight to keep our water resources publicly owned.
  This is the single most important step you can take
  It will determine the future of our water.

  Watch these short, informative videos:
  BC Rivers at Risk
  BC’s Watershed Election: May 12, 2009
  Taking Back BC

  Get informed at these important sites:
  SaveOurRivers.ca
  Tenthousandvoices.org
  Ippwatch.info – Google Earth map of private power licenses around BC

  Tell your community loud and clear that British Columbians like you want to keep our water and power generating resources publicly owned and environmentally sound.
  Here are some points to use:

  1. Our rivers belong to all British Columbians, not the private companies who have bought power licenses
  on more than 500  rivers and streams in BC.
  2. The public system that we have enjoyed for decades has provided us with ample low-cost, clean power.
  There is no power shortage.
  3. Fish-bearing rivers must be protected, not diverted though tunnels.
  4. BC Hydro has put billions of dollars into the public treasury. Why give these profits to private
  corporations?
  5. Turning our power system over to private companies means no public input, and higher rates for us all.
  This is unacceptable.

  Write to your MLA and the editor of your local paper.
  Find your MLA here.

  Say NO to bottling BC’s ground water for profit and export.
  Support a Moratorium on For-Profit Ground Water Exploitation in BC.
  More info here or on Facebook.

  Posted in News & Initiatives, The Future of Water

• Plastics: Which Numbers are OK?

  Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

  We are surrounded with plastic and even the most diligent purist cannot entirely avoid it. However, here are some tips to make safer choices and steer clear of the worst of it.

  Polycarbonate, a #7 Plastic, Leaches BPA

  Bisphenol-A, or BPA, leaches from polycarbonate, one of the #7 plastics. It’s an endocrine disruptor that numerous studies have linked to cancer, infertility, obesity and early puberty. BPA is a synthetic form of estrogen and is linked to breast cancer.

  Some plastic dishware, reusable water bottles and baby bottles are made from polycarbonate. BPA also is used to line the inside of food and beverage cans from which it can leach into the contents. Heating foods in polycarbonate plastic increases the amount of BPA that leaches into food.

  PVC, #3 Plastic, Raises Health and Environmental Concerns

  Plastic containers made with the #3 plastic, polyvinyl chloride or PVC, raise health and environmental concerns. PVC contains phthalates, which are softeners that make the plastic bend. Some plastic food wraps may contain PVC and/or phthalates.

  Phthalates can negatively influence hormonal development. The production and burning of PVC plastic releases dioxin, a known carcinogen, into the atmosphere.

  Safer Plastics

  #1 PETE or PET (polyethylene terephthalate)
  –used for single-serve beverage bottles, cooking oil and peanut butter jars. Do not re-use #1 plastics.
  #2 HDPE (high-density polyethylene)
  –used for most milk jugs.
  #4 LDPE (low-density polyethylene)
  –used for food storage bags, some plastic wraps and some squeeze bottles.
  #5 PP (polypropylene)
  –used in opaque, hard containers, including some baby bottles, dishware, drinking straws, yogurt containers, water filter housing.

  Avoid These

  #3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
  –used in commercial plastic wraps and salad dressing bottles.
  #6 PS (polystyrene)
  –used in styrofoam containers.
  #7 ‘Other’ (a catch-all category for any plastic other than #1-6)
  – most #7’s are polycarbonate, which contain BPA, and is used for some water bottles, baby bottles, and to line metal food and beverage containers.

  Changes You Can Make

  • Replace plastic water bottles with stainless steel or glass.
  • Replace plastic serving utensils with wooden ones.
  • Replace plastic storage containers with Pyrex glass containers.
  • Replace juices bottled in plastic with high quality frozen concentrates packaged in paper.
  • Replace plastic cutting boards with a bamboo cutting board.
  • Replace plastic lunch boxes with a stainless steel lunchbox.

  Posted in Water and Health

• Vancouver Approves Bottled Water Ban in Civic Facilities

  Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

  Vancouver City Council voted today in favour of a recommendation to ban bottled water on city properties.  The City of Vancouver is joining the ranks of numerous other North American cities that are discontinuing the use of bottled water.

  The City is taking a leadership role in promoting sustainability through the use of tap water and by adopting Metro Vancouver’s tap water declaration which aims at ‘decreasing and eventually eliminating bottled water’.

  The initiative will start with providing tap water options for city staff and delegations. Longer term plans will incorporate improved access to municipal drinking water in new designs for civic facilites. This will include better public access to drinking water through the introduction of more drinking water fountains.

  Posted in News & Initiatives, Vancouver Water

• Paddlers Flotilla for BC Rivers, Saturday April 25

  Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

  Calling all paddlers on Saturday, April 25 2009, 3:00pm – 6:00pm.

  Let’s suit up, dust off our whitewater or sea kayaks, floating
  bathtubs, rafts, rowboats or canoes and come on out of hibernation to
  show our support to keep Our Rivers Wild and Our Power Public.

  The goal is simple: Have some fun and make some noise about the
  future of our Rivers and our Public Power System in BC as we lead up
  to the May 12 Election. We also want to make some noise about the
  recent erosion of our cherished Navigable Water Protection Act.

  The plan is to float and paddle around Vancouver harbor near Kits
  Point with the Save our Rivers banners on display to raise awareness
  and direct people to the excellent commentary and documentary films
  available on the site.

  Location: North end of Kitsilano Beach, Vancouver

  Contact: Adam Sealy, 778-908-4482

  Facebook page (facebook account required):
  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=63583053757

  Posted in News & Initiatives, The Future of Water

• watermatters CEO featured in Vancity Annual Report

  Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

  watermatters has received outstanding support from Vancity Credit Union and its staff.

  Much to our delight, watermatters’ CEO, Mary Johnston, is featured on page 6 of Vancity’s 2008 Annual Report which has just been released.

  Thank you Vancity!

  Posted in News & Initiatives, Water Treatment Guide

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