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Subject: Climate change and Halifax
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2019 17:36:30 +0000
From: David <dwebster@glinx.com>
Reply-To: David <dwebster@glinx.com>
To: Voice of the People <letters@herald.ca>
CC: Mayor Mike Savage <Mayor@halifax.ca>, David Webster
<dwebster@glinx.com>
Dear Editor/Mayor:
The good news of the day is that Halifax council intends to get
serious about climate change (Chron. Hrld., Jan.30, 2019, p. A7). I am
not current with conditions or programs in urban Halifax so some
suggestions regarding possible approaches to consider may be after the
fact. Most of my comments do not apply to the rural areas which I think
are part of Halifax regional. Possible ways to combat are as follows.
1) Non industrial sewage could be fermented anaerobically in a closed
system so that the resultant methane could be used to generate heat for
electricity production. Some dairy farmers generate a good profit by
processing cow manure in this way. Any power produced by means other
than burning fossil fuels decreases the flow of new CO2 into the
atmosphere-earth system. And by using a closed system the methane, bound
to be released anyway, will not contribute to the greenhouse effect.
2) Yard waste and other organics, were at one time composted indoors and
the final product smelled bad indicating anaerobic fermentation which
would result in release of methane. Composting also does not enable
energy production. The wet component of this waste stream could be used
for methane production in a closed system and the dry could be used for
production of electricity and biochar (Google 'The Local Carbon Network'
for details). In common with charcoal, the elemental carbon of biochar
can not be metabolized so represents carbon that is permanently removed
from the carbon cycle; unless it somehow ends up in a fire. It or finely
ground charcoal, when incorporated into the soil profile (see terra
preta), increases the water and nutrient holding capacity of soil and
consequently increases productivity. So it not only ties up carbon but
improves soil.
3) Halifax is already doing a good job with respect to trees but putting
all wires underground when streets are being repaved would perhaps make
larger or more trees possible, the ideal city being a forest with
streets and buildings, because trees decrease the need for space heat
in winter and for cooling in summer.
For maximum cooling by transpiration, an ample supply of water to
the potential rooting area is required and this implies ample area of
infiltration; frequently absent in typical urban layouts. Use of porous
pavement on sidewalks and eventually on streets would increase the
cooling efficiency of trees and decrease the need for future increases
in storm flow capacity.
4) Transportation is a major consumer of fossil fuels so conversely it
represents a potential for major decreases in release of new CO2. The
first logical steps would involve an efficient public transit system
using electric vehicles run by batteries in conjunction with free
parking for private motor vehicles on the outskirts. With city traffic
limited to delivery, emergency and public transit vehicles congestion
should be relatively low so traffic could move smoothly. Much energy is
lost when a moving vehicle has to stop. With suitably designed electric
vehicles, it should be possible to divert much of the kinetic energy of
motion back into the battery by using a generator as the first brake
followed, in emergencies only, by a mechanical brake. For a transit
system to work to good effect there should be many small transit
vehicles instead of a smaller number of large vehicles.
5) Germany has a climate which is not well suited for solar power but by
offering a good carrot, guaranteed 8% income for 20 years on funds
invested in solar panel installations, they became a world leader in
solar power capture. As one happy homeowner observed "I am being paid to
live in my house." By offering some similar incentives, in both urban
and rural areas, Halifax could capture much power and perhaps displace
the like of power generated by coal.
Yours truly, David H. Webster, Kentville
902-678-7824
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-------- Forwarded Message --------
<table class="moz-email-headers-table" cellspacing="0"
cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">Subject:
</th>
<td>Climate change and Halifax</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">Date: </th>
<td>Wed, 30 Jan 2019 17:36:30 +0000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">From: </th>
<td>David <dwebster@glinx.com></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">Reply-To:
</th>
<td>David <dwebster@glinx.com></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">To: </th>
<td>Voice of the People <letters@herald.ca></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">CC: </th>
<td>Mayor Mike Savage <Mayor@halifax.ca>, David
Webster <dwebster@glinx.com></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<br>
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</style>Dear Editor/Mayor:
<div> The good news of the day is that Halifax council intends
to get serious about climate change (Chron. Hrld., Jan.30, 2019,
p. A7). I am not current with conditions or programs in urban
Halifax so some suggestions regarding possible approaches to
consider may be after the fact. Most of my comments do not
apply to the rural areas which I think are part of Halifax
regional. Possible ways to combat are as follows.</div>
<div>1) Non industrial sewage could be fermented anaerobically in
a closed system so that the resultant methane could be used to
generate heat for electricity production. Some dairy farmers
generate a good profit by processing cow manure in this way. Any
power produced by means other than burning fossil fuels
decreases the flow of new CO2 into the atmosphere-earth system.
And by using a closed system the methane, bound to be released
anyway, will not contribute to the greenhouse effect.</div>
<div>2) Yard waste and other organics, were at one time composted
indoors and the final product smelled bad indicating anaerobic
fermentation which would result in release of methane.
Composting also does not enable energy production. The wet
component of this waste stream could be used for methane
production in a closed system and the dry could be used for
production of electricity and biochar (Google 'The Local Carbon
Network' for details). In common with charcoal, the elemental
carbon of biochar can not be metabolized so represents carbon
that is permanently removed from the carbon cycle; unless it
somehow ends up in a fire. It or finely ground charcoal, when
incorporated into the soil profile (see terra preta), increases
the water and nutrient holding capacity of soil and consequently
increases productivity. So it not only ties up carbon but
improves soil.</div>
<div>3) Halifax is already doing a good job with respect to trees
but putting all wires underground when streets are being repaved
would perhaps make larger or more trees possible, the ideal city
being a forest with streets and buildings, because trees
decrease the need for space heat in winter and for cooling in
summer. </div>
<div> For maximum cooling by transpiration, an ample supply of
water to the potential rooting area is required and this implies
ample area of infiltration; frequently absent in typical urban
layouts. Use of porous pavement on sidewalks and eventually on
streets would increase the cooling efficiency of trees and
decrease the need for future increases in storm flow capacity.</div>
<div>4) Transportation is a major consumer of fossil fuels so
conversely it represents a potential for major decreases in
release of new CO2. The first logical steps would involve an
efficient public transit system using electric vehicles run by
batteries in conjunction with free parking for private motor
vehicles on the outskirts. With city traffic limited to
delivery, emergency and public transit vehicles congestion
should be relatively low so traffic could move smoothly. Much
energy is lost when a moving vehicle has to stop. With suitably
designed electric vehicles, it should be possible to divert much
of the kinetic energy of motion back into the battery by using a
generator as the first brake followed, in emergencies only, by a
mechanical brake. For a transit system to work to good effect
there should be many small transit vehicles instead of a smaller
number of large vehicles. </div>
<div>5) Germany has a climate which is not well suited for solar
power but by offering a good carrot, guaranteed 8% income for 20
years on funds invested in solar panel installations, they
became a world leader in solar power capture. As one happy
homeowner observed "I am being paid to live in my house." By
offering some similar incentives, in both urban and rural areas,
Halifax could capture much power and perhaps displace the like
of power generated by coal. </div>
<div>Yours truly, David H. Webster, Kentville</div>
<div>902-678-7824</div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
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