Comments on: Why We Don’t Think of Pollution as Much In Saskatchewan http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/ News, Insights, and Humour Mon, 08 Sep 2008 01:39:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Saskboy http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-118408 Saskboy Sun, 06 Apr 2008 17:49:10 +0000 http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-118408 I was through Glenavon just two weeks ago on the way to Winnipeg via Langbank. I was through Glenavon just two weeks ago on the way to Winnipeg via Langbank.

]]> By: Sarah http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-118312 Sarah Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:17:12 +0000 http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-118312 So, funny story. I'm from Glenavon (an "even-if-you're-from-Saskatchewan-you've-probably-never-heard-of-it" kind of village), and I moved to Waterloo, Ontario to attend university here three years ago. Well, after about a week of wondering why it was so hazy all of the time (and why the sun had an eerie orange glow to it), I finally asked someone. The look on their face was priceless! Explaining to a 20-year-old what smog is is not something they did on a regular basis, I'm guessing...hahaha...but you're totally right- any time there's smog, it's due to a specific, transient cause. (Oh that? It's from the forest fires up north. It's because so-and-so is burning their flax straw and the wind is from the east...) Great pics- I can't wait to be back home! So, funny story. I’m from Glenavon (an “even-if-you’re-from-Saskatchewan-you’ve-probably-never-heard-of-it” kind of village), and I moved to Waterloo, Ontario to attend university here three years ago. Well, after about a week of wondering why it was so hazy all of the time (and why the sun had an eerie orange glow to it), I finally asked someone. The look on their face was priceless! Explaining to a 20-year-old what smog is is not something they did on a regular basis, I’m guessing…hahaha…but you’re totally right- any time there’s smog, it’s due to a specific, transient cause. (Oh that? It’s from the forest fires up north. It’s because so-and-so is burning their flax straw and the wind is from the east…) Great pics- I can’t wait to be back home!

]]> By: Saskboy http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-118047 Saskboy Sat, 05 Apr 2008 23:51:26 +0000 http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-118047 You're right Tim, it's very complicated, and difficult for one person to change the system that is set up. We take many things for granted, and some things might not be possible to do as cheaply in the future, because we will begin to account for that smoke blowing "away" in the wind. You’re right Tim, it’s very complicated, and difficult for one person to change the system that is set up. We take many things for granted, and some things might not be possible to do as cheaply in the future, because we will begin to account for that smoke blowing “away” in the wind.

]]> By: Tim http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-117986 Tim Sat, 05 Apr 2008 20:57:11 +0000 http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-117986 These are valid points. A lot of the time at my job, we are out there with our Komatsu 155 dozers on the prairie, or in the bush. There are no people for miles. One of these machines might use up to 400 L of fuel in a day. In so much clean air, you can't even see the smoke past a certain distance from the stack. And I don't even work with the big equipment which of course uses even more fuel. Is society as a whole going to come up with a solution? If I quit my job, someone from Newfoudland will have it in a flash, so obviously that's not much of a solution. Biodiesel sounds like a great replacement, until you figure out how much corn one 155 Komatsu can burn in a day. You could feed whole villages from what it would take to run one dozer. And you still have to mix it with petroleum diesel, it isn't 100% renewable. The problem is our whole infrastructure. It goes all the way from vehicles, to equipment, to how we manufacture, to how we waste personally. We need to change, all right. These are valid points. A lot of the time at my job, we are out there with our Komatsu 155 dozers on the prairie, or in the bush. There are no people for miles. One of these machines might use up to 400 L of fuel in a day. In so much clean air, you can’t even see the smoke past a certain distance from the stack. And I don’t even work with the big equipment which of course uses even more fuel.
Is society as a whole going to come up with a solution? If I quit my job, someone from Newfoudland will have it in a flash, so obviously that’s not much of a solution.
Biodiesel sounds like a great replacement, until you figure out how much corn one 155 Komatsu can burn in a day. You could feed whole villages from what it would take to run one dozer. And you still have to mix it with petroleum diesel, it isn’t 100% renewable.
The problem is our whole infrastructure. It goes all the way from vehicles, to equipment, to how we manufacture, to how we waste personally. We need to change, all right.

]]> By: Gingembre http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-115771 Gingembre Thu, 03 Apr 2008 03:07:33 +0000 http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-115771 The Tom Sukanen story is tragic and fascinating. He was an amazing man. Thanks for the link and for the photos. I hope to visit Saskatchewan someday. The Tom Sukanen story is tragic and fascinating. He was an amazing man. Thanks for the link and for the photos.

I hope to visit Saskatchewan someday.

]]> By: jm elis http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-113810 jm elis Wed, 02 Apr 2008 05:09:53 +0000 http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-113810 Sorry about the typo, Saskboy. I grew up listening to storys from my grandfather and my mother about the Sukanen's. Romancing seems to be happing from all sides. Sorry about the typo, Saskboy. I grew up listening to storys from my grandfather and my mother about the Sukanen’s. Romancing seems to be happing from all sides.

]]> By: zoom http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-113663 zoom Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:13:33 +0000 http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-113663 I haven't been out there for awhile, but your photos reminded me of why I love Saskatchewan. I haven’t been out there for awhile, but your photos reminded me of why I love Saskatchewan.

]]> By: gf http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-113577 gf Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:03:50 +0000 http://www.abandonedstuff.com/2008/03/31/why-we-dont-think-of-pollution-as-much-in-saskatchewan/#comment-113577 Yeah, I'd have to agree with Sean. More densely populated regions in the richer countries tend to be pretty efficient about waste reduction. It often also leads to less pollution because more people means higher demand for products that cause pollution (gasoline, cars), making those products more expensive. I suppose there's also a higher human health and political impact in a densely populated polluted area than in a more sparsely populated area. Unfortunately some Saskatchewan people seem to revel in "inefficient ways". Just this weekend I heard comments about how I should burn my cardboard rather than waste gas driving to the recycling depot (I just finished moving), the city should just "find a pit and dump the garbage in" if they can't site a new landfill, and an unwanted desk could be simply dropped off the balcony and broken. (The desk was donated, not broken for entertainment.) Yeah, I’d have to agree with Sean. More densely populated regions in the richer countries tend to be pretty efficient about waste reduction. It often also leads to less pollution because more people means higher demand for products that cause pollution (gasoline, cars), making those products more expensive. I suppose there’s also a higher human health and political impact in a densely populated polluted area than in a more sparsely populated area. Unfortunately some Saskatchewan people seem to revel in “inefficient ways”. Just this weekend I heard comments about how I should burn my cardboard rather than waste gas driving to the recycling depot (I just finished moving), the city should just “find a pit and dump the garbage in” if they can’t site a new landfill, and an unwanted desk could be simply dropped off the balcony and broken. (The desk was donated, not broken for entertainment.)

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