Interview with TREA - Thames Region Ecological Association

Question 1: Environmental Responsibility
The City of London has established a set of climate commitments through its Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP). However, a recent audit identified challenges related to implementation, measuring progress, and accountability. If elected, what actions would you take to ensure these commitments translate into measurable outcomes and meaningful progress?

Below are ways in which I will support the implementation of  each area of the Climate Emergency Action Plan and  how I will ensure that it is measured and that accountability exists.

Engaging, Inspiring and Learning from People - Ensure there is continued public education at events, schools and public libraries. Run workshops throughout the city on specific topics with resources to help implement initiatives. Run incentive programs (rain barrels, rain garden plants, keeping enviro depot fees low) .

Taking Action Now (Household Actions) - I will continue encouraging energy reduction, and make it easier for the homeowner to recycle items like batteries and lights by increasing drop off locations to include local schools, libraries, and grocery stores. Work with auto shops to allow for drop off of hazardous liquids (oil, coolant, etc.) work with hardware and paint centers to have paint recycling drop off. Keep enviro depot fees low and have free days for materials not picked up by city waste management to help eliminate illegal dumping. 

Transforming Buildings and Development - I will work with city planning and the engineering department to allow for easy modification to smart roof solutions (capturing rain water to use for non-drinking uses such as toilets, and watering gardens, as well as capturing water to let out during non peak times to help prevent flooding and overwhelming the sewage system). Encourage developers to implement green construction (include rain barrels, or other water recycling, use materials that are recyclable, made of recycled material and have long life (metal roofs, smart decking and fencing solutions, solar panel installation as an option on new builds, (new solar glass windows) light fixtures with replaceable LEDs, permeable driveway options, tree planting/landscaping) . Planting smart around buildings with deciduous trees to reduce heat entering into buildings in the summer (lower AC use) and increase heat in the winter. Utilize better rain water management through environmentally conscious water gardens. 

Transforming Transportation and Mobility-Make a better public transit system with central pickup areas that go to popular public events/destinations to reduce the number of drivers and parking required, free public transit for children under 19. Pullout for the bus to leave the main road for loading and unloading of passengers (reduce traffic congestion) larger bus shelters. Add electric bicycle rentals throughout the city, downtown, public libraries, shopping malls/plazas to help people get around town without the need of a car/bus. Increase the number of bike lanes and make safer bike lanes on all major roads in the city.

Transforming Consumption and Waste as Part of the Circular Economy - I will continue the compost program and expand it (perhaps a separate container for pet waste and explore option to create bio-fuel (similar to how farmers use cow manure to make energy)) encourage more buy nothing Facebook groups, or charitable donation groups for reusable items, offer repair workshops at libraries and community centers and take items like bikes, scooters, and other sporting goods at more locations like libraries, fire stations, and community centers for repair and redistribution. 

Implementing Natural and Engineered Climate Solutions and Carbon Capture -Continue planting more trees - ensuring the right kind of tree is planted in the right space so it doesn't need to be cut down or die. Allow residents to remove trees from private property provided they replace the tree either in their yard or on public property (city planted tree in designated green space (fee will apply)), Encourage cover crops for farming through education and incentives. Capturing rain water (farms for irrigation, residential for watering plants) Implement a by-law - No more watering the grass. We have cool season lawns, they go dormant in the heat of summer, that is ok, save the water for trees and plants. Implement filters on street gutters to capture waste so it doesn't enter into our waterways. I will implement street vacuums to collect fallen leaves to prevent them from ending up in our waterways, and have the leaves dropped off to be composed.

Adapting and Making London More Resilient/ Advancing Knowledge, Research and Innovation - attend energy conferences and bring back new initiatives to the city. Be progressive by working with the university and college to create leading initiatives as well as other innovative thinkers.  

Measuring, Monitoring and Providing Feedback- This is a wonderful opportunity for summer students jobs for students 18-26 to promote/research/and record information on environmental initiatives to ensure compliance. Students will attend public events and run workshops to educate the public, they will research new initiatives under academic supervision with support from city staff, they will attend properties in an inspection capacity to ensure compliance on programs, permits to cut trees and other initiatives (implemented by builders or residents)

Question 2: Sustainable Growth
The City of London is experiencing significant growth and an increasing demand for housing. How should the City balance the need for new housing and infrastructure with the protection of natural areas, agricultural lands, London's biodiversity, and long-term environmental sustainability?

I believe that forest and water ways including large ponds should be protected from development.  Development projects need to work around these features and add public pathways and access trails where possible without destroying ESA for public enjoyment. I believe that we should not be developing any new housing along the river where the land is untouched and should restore natural land embankments where possible. I believe in smart developments. My vision is to eliminate sprawling super shopping centers (Wonderland and Southdale) and envision better land use by: creating underground parking, with parks, multi-use water features (fountain, splash pad and skating rink), nice outdoor patios, storefronts that line the park area and apartments or multi story townhouses above (which include 20% affordable/subsidized housing). I believe that we need to stop giving more agricultural land to developers until what is currently available is filled in with housing (and if possible the shopping centers are converted into the housing vision mentioned above) We also need to promote developers to fill in the brownfields, abandoned factories, and vacant buildings throughout our city before any new rezoning of agricultural land is permitted.

Question 3: Circular Economy and Waste Reduction
London has made good progress in recycling and waste diversion. Achieving long-term sustainability requires moving beyond recycling toward an approach involving refuse, reuse, and repair. What actions should the City take to support a more circular economy?

As previously mentioned we need more areas to recycle items that are not able to go into regular recycling bins. (Lightbulbs, batteries, oil, paint, etc) We need to make these available at grocery stores, libraries, schools, paint suppliers, car repair centers, fire stations. We need to support more reusing and gifting of items that can have a second life. More buy nothing websites, more repair workshops, more drop off centers for sporting items, coats and other items that are reusable. We need to continue to expand our recycling and composting programs. 

Question 4: Air Pollution
Given the City of London's environmental commitments and considering the severe PM2.5 air pollution London has experienced due to wildfires in Northern Ontario, what do you see as the most effective clean air solutions for London residents?

The best clean air solution at the present time that council can implement is to create relief centers for those who do not have access to air conditioning (this would include the unhoused) to get out of the heat into a space with cool filtered air. Council can implement a by-law that all rental units must have air conditioning units that are in working order to help residents take shelter from the air pollution and heat. Regulations can be put into place to keep those working in the elements to be provided with PPE or stay at home orders. We can also set limits on air pollution like prohibiting open air burning, odour emitted from factories as well as using zoning to limit the proximity of housing from factories.

As a further aside; We have to acknowledge that while we have no control over wildfires and wind patterns there are local actions that we can take to reduce our chances of local wildfires. To address this climate change matter locally, we can implement by-laws to conserve water by not watering grass and watering trees and plants (this reduces the risk of fires locally)  We must add more trees to our cityscape that will continuously improve the air quality, and help reduce the temperature. In extreme droughts, we can request residents to water street trees and fire departments can practice and test equipment in local parks and water the trees at that time as well as dispatching city water trucks to water street trees. We also need to plant more drought tolerant plants. 

Question 5: Open-Air Burning
Smoke from forest fires and wood burning generally causes PM2.5 air pollution, which is highly carcinogenic and can be hazardous for persons with lung and heart disease. Currently, London allows open-air burning (backyard fires), which causes neighbourhood air pollution and remains a source of neighbour disputes. Would you support an open-air burning ban in London?

I would suggest more severe restrictions than a full ban, so that families and friends can enjoy outdoor time together.  
- only permitted on long weekends from May-Oct between 4pm -10pm (provided that we don't have extreme drought conditions, or poor air index). 

- A ban on burning of leaves, treated lumber, or other materials 

- No use of accelerants

- I would encourage people to move to propane or natural gas fire tables/pits.