Press Conference Tomorrow – Lichen Monitoring to be Announced!

To officially launch our new lichen monitoring study, the GNC will be holding a press conference that will be taking place tomorrow, January 18th, at the old Beasley Community Center (located within Beasley Park and accessible from the parking lot of the new Center off Wilson Street). Although we usually hold our press conferences in the AM, we have decided to hold this one from 3:30pm -4:15pm in order to accommodate the participating student eco-groups which will be joining us. The event will be open to all and all are welcome!

Tree Lichen Monitoring Press Conference

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

3:30pm – 4:15pm

27 Elgin Street South, Old Beasley Community Center

Located in Beasley Park off of Wilson Street

Reminder – First GNC Meeting of the year this THURSDAY

Always been interesting in getting further involved with the GNC? Here’s your chance! Our first meeting of the year will be this THURSDAY from 6:00- 7:30pm at the Hamilton District Labor Council (1130 Barton Street East, 2nd Floor). Here we will be discussing our actions over the past year along with ways we can improve and re-strategize for 2011. All are welcome to come and lend their thoughts and ideas.

GNC Community Meeting

Thursday January 20th, 2011

6:00pm- 7:30pm

Hamilton District Labour Council (1130 Barton St. E, Second Floor)

More Lichen Training Opportunities

If you missed the first round of our lichen testing workshops, fear not! This weekend we will be holding two additional training/information sessions. Come to find out not only what the study fully entails, but how you can get involved and use the technique to monitor your own area’s air quality. Please feel free to visit our website for further lichen information: http://www.goodneighbourcampaign.ca/lichen_hamilton

Saturday, January 22, 2011

1:00pm – 2:30pm

Kenilworth Public Library

Sunday, January 23, 2011

1:00pm- 2:30pm

Environment Hamilton

(22 Wilson Street, 2nd Floor)

What I love about new years is that it allows us to look back on the time past and reflect on what we’ve done, haven’t done, and would like to do. It provides us with the opportunity to evaluate ourselves and offers us the chance to start anew if we choose to do so. This year, let’s make the resolution to put the health and wellbeing of our families and community first. Starting with the air we breathe, let’s work together and with our industrial neighbours to make our air the best it can be for this year, and the decade to come. Our health is worth it, so let’s work to make change for the better!
For those of you who are new to the campaign, or for those who wish to look back, compiled below is a list of campaign highlights from 2010. Building off the past 12 months and looking towards the future of the campaign, we invite everyone to join us at our next GNC Brainstorming/Strategy Meeting where we will discuss our past actions, how we can re-work our strategy, and what steps we should take next.
GNC 2011 Brainstorming/Strategy MeetingThursday January 20th6:00pm-7:30pm 1130 Barton Street East (2nd Floor of the Hamilton District Labor Council)

January

January – Letter campaign continues from previous month. Outreach to community groups/organizations continues and encourages individuals to write letters to AMD describing their personal experiences and why they need the company to take stronger pollution measures.

Jan 21— GNC Volunteer Meeting held at 93 McAnulty Blvd

Jan 26/27— GNC holds Picture Contest Workshops at the Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club  and Eva Rothwell Centre entitled “My Present and Future Neighbourhood”

February

Feb 1-3— Hamilton and Toronto GNC Campaigns connect with Ohio Citizen Action in Cleveland, Ohio to brainstorm and discuss Good Neighbour Campaign partnership possibilities.

Feb 19 – Postcard campaign launches. Addressed to Juergen Schachler, CEO of AMD, the postcards call on the company to be a better neighbour by reducing their emissions of the cancer-causing benzo(a)pyrene (BaP).

Feb 23— GNC participates in the Ministry of Environment’s Air Standards/Reg 419 Consultation Group

March

March – Postcard outreach to various groups and organizations continues. Neighbourhood canvassing is also done in the Crown Point community.

March 20 – GNC receives full page coverage in Hamilton Spectator for its current efforts and mandate. Original article posted here, however available for viewing on our website blog.

March 31— GNC Volunteer Meeting held on Beach Blvd

April

April—Earth Day Month – Presentations, booths and displays held at a variety of events, schools, and organizations throughout the city.

May

May 8 – GNC featured on “The Forum: A Marketplace for Stories and Ideas”

May 13/16/17 – GNC holds Community Pre-Meetings on the Beach Strip, Downtown, and in the Crown Point Community. Meetings were designed inform residents about the upcoming MOE meeting, brainstorm questions for the MOE presenters, and ensure residents are confident and comfortable with the issues at hand.

May 20 – Ministry of Environment (after preassure from GNC) agrees to hold a Community Open House to educate the public on the proposed alternative standards. At the Open House, the GNC prompted the MOE to conduct a presentation to better explain the issues. Event coverage included: Hamilton Spectator, CHCH, 820 Talk Radio

May 21—Additional coverage of the meeting provided by the Hamilton Spectator

May 25— Education on the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) begins. Residents were encouraged to make comments on the Alteration of Standard Approval 010-9925 – s. 35(1) and the Proposed Director’s Order 010-9926

May 28 – GNC featured on “Fix Our World” Online Show

June

June 4 – The GNC’s application for an extension to the comment period was approved making the deadlines for comments on the 010-9925 and 010-9925 – s.35(1) due June 20^th, 2010.

June 8 — GNC Community Meeting held at 93 McAnulty Blvd

June 28 — White Flag Sewing Workshop held

June 29 – Community BBQ + Movie Night held to launch White Flags Initiative at the East Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club. Event coverage included: Hamilton Spectator

July

July 7 – White Flag Campaign officially launches

July 12 – ArcelorMittal-Dofasco releases and delivers its first neighbourhood flyer entitled “neighbourhood update”

July 20 – White Flag Sewing Workshop held

July 27 – MOE approves AMD’s Alternative Standard application, officially giving the company an additional 5 years to try to comply with the original standard (Reg 419).

August

Aug 12— Hamilton Mountain News does story on AMD’s failure to meet the Regulation 419 and their newly approved Alternative Standard.

Aug 13— White Flag initiative receives National Coverage on CBC News

Aug 17 – Juergen Schachler, CEO of ArcelorMittal-Dofasco, finally agrees (after 4 months) to a meeting with residents to discuss neighbourhood concerns. The meeting was scheduled for Aug 23^rd, 2010.

Aug 19 – ArcelorMittal-Dofasco calls to cancel the community meeting for Aug 23^rd, 2010, because a resident sought the right to appeal the Comprehensive Certificate granted to Dofasco. This certificate would allow the company to combine 100 seperate air emissions approvals into one document and expand production (without having first met MOE emission standards). Filing for this appeal was not an official GNC action.

Aug 20 – Campaign receives media attention on both the company’s refusal to meet and the reasons for the leave to appeal. Coverage included: Hamilton Spectator, 900 CHML, 820 Talk Radio

September

Sept 8— Community Meeting at 1130 Barton Street East to discuss next steps for white flag campaign

Sept 14 – White Flag Collection begins

Sept 18 – Flags analyzed by Dr. Joe Minor

Sep 21— Press Conference held to announce the results of the White Flag initiative. Coverage was had by: Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, CHML Radio, and great CHCH coverage (at both 6pm and 11pm)

Sept 20 – ArcelorMittal-Dofasco releases 2^nd “neighbourhood update” flyer

Sept 22—ArcelorMittal-Dofasco holds first Community Update Meeting

Sept 23-25—GNC connects and officialises position with Global Action on ArcelorMittal at meeting in Brussels, Belgium.

October

Oct 6— White Flag education and outreach initiatives begin

Oct 14— GNC Community Meeting at 93 McAnulty Blvd

Oct 18 – Clean Air Hamilton launches Neighbourhood Mobile Air Testing Program (in partnership with ArcelorMittal-Dofasco and Green Venture). The GNC began encouraging neighbours to nominate their area for testing. Coverage: Hamilton Spectator

Oct 29— Soot Friday – White Flag Halloween Block Party to showcase white flags

November

Nov 2—Carl Slater, Ministry of Environment Technical Supprt Manager, West Central Region, offers to test flags in MOE laboratories. Flags dropped off on this date.

Nov 8 – Lichen Air Pollution Study is unofficially launched. Outreach to high schools and community groups begin.

Nov 16— GNC Community Meeting at the East Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club

Nov 25/27 — Community Tree Lichen Workshops held at Kenilworth Public Library.

December

December 2— 1^st Annual Community + Company Holiday Mixer is held.  An RSVP was received the morning of the event indicating that the company would not be in attendance.

December 8— ArcelorMittal-Dofasco holds the first Community Liason Committee Meeting (a requirement of their Alternative Standard approval).

December 10 — GNC volunteers festively deliver the 2000+ postcards and letters to the company during business hours and request to speak with CEO of AMD Juergen Schachler. Unwilling to come down, the postcards were received by Mr. Graham Browne, Vice President of Human Resources and General Administration. Coverage: Hamilton Spectator, Citizens At City Hall (CATCH), CHML Radio/Website

ArcelorMittal-Dofasco Presentation at HIEA CAP
Hamilton Industrial Environmental Association is a local non-profit association representing of a variety of private sector industries. Their mandate is to better the local environment and to connect with community members and associations. One of the ways they do this is through their Community Advisory Panel (HIEA CAP). The panel meets 7-8 times per year and is composed of community members and local industry representatives. The meetings are open to all members of the public and no formal long-term commitments need to be made by attending one. This month, ArcelorMittal-Dofasco will be making a presentation which might be of interest to many of you. Please attend if you’re interested.
Thursday January 13, 2011
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
At the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Main Office, 1330 Burlington Street East
Presentation by HIEA member company ArcelorMittal Dofasco – Update from their Community Liaison Committee including information on the Alternative Standards Process, upgrades to the Coke Plant Water Treatment Plant and Boat Slip Remediation.

The meetings are open to all citizens who are interested in attending.
To assist us in planning our meetings we ask that you please let us know by email info@hiea.org at least 2 days ahead if you plan on attending.

At the last GNC community meeting,the postcards were a topic of discussion. As you all remember, earlier this year the campaign collected more than 2000 postcards and letters from concerned community members urging the company to take stronger measures to reduce their emissions of cancer causing chemicals such benzo(a)pyrene (BaP). Our goal was to hand them over to the company and discuss them in an organized meeting between both parties. We submited our initial meeting request in mid May of this year. It’s now December… making it 7 months since our official request. Although the company is undoubtedly busy, 7 months seems unjustified. At this point they have refused to let us come to them and they have refused to come to us to discuss our mutual concerns. Communication, as we know, is a two-way street.

Given its the holiday season and a time for giving and sharing, it was decided at the community meeting that a postcard drop-off should take place. The goal of this was to ensure that the company received and heard the voices of the 2000+ community members concerned with their current and proposed emissions, Thus, on Friday December 10th, a handful of volunteers took the bags of postcards and letters over to the company and requested to speak to Mr. Juergen Schachler. Mr. Schachler is the CEO of AMD and the person to whom the letters and postcards were addressed. We also dressed as Santa Claus and his elves. Why? We thought it would help convey the festive spirit and of course draw some media attention to the postcards (which it did, see below).

Despite Mr. Schachler and his staff receiving an email heads up that we were coming down, and despite him being in the building at the time, he did not come down to receive the postcards and greet the group of residents. In his place was Graham Browne, VP Human Resources.

Where do we stand from here?

At this point the postcards and letters have been presented and the GNC has made another formal meeting request (in person to Mr. Browne). From the beginning the goal of the GNC has been to open the lines of communication between the company and the community – and we reminded the company of that at the dropoff. Come the new year we will continue to encourage the company to keep this communication open and continue to try to work with them to help ensure the health and well being of the neighbourhood. In January we will hold another community meeting to discuss where we want to go from here. All are welcome!

The event in the news:

Hamilton Spectator - http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/300896–arcelormittal-dofasco-accused-of-being-scrooge-to-its-neighbours-on-air-emission-talks

Citizens at City Hall (CATCH) – http://www.hamiltoncatch.org/view_article.php?id=859

* A Note About the Spec Article:

The open community meeting which they are referring to did have GNC members in attendance. In their opinion the meeting was constructed with the intent of showcasing their community contributions. Community members did not see it as a place for in-depth discussion of the issues nor did they feel comfortable communicating their concerns.

The CLC (Community Liasion Committee) is currently closed to the general public. Membership was not advertised and every seat around the table was selected. Although Lynda Lukasik, the Executive Director of Environment Hamilton, holds a seat, it is not her responsibility to relay all community concerns to the company. Community members, especially informed and active ones (such as many GNC members) should be sitting around the table.

Don’t forget to get your party shoes out for this Thursday’s Community + Company Holiday Mixer! After making several attempts to meet the company on their terms and at their location, we figured a holiday mixer would be a good chance to invite them to come to us. With only GNC members and company individuals invited, we aim to set the stage for some relaxed and casual conversation about the issues that affect our shared community.

If have you have not done so already, please send a quick RSVP to this email (kstiel@environmenthamilton.org). Hope to see everyone out! Guests are welcome and dress is casual. This will be a media-free event.

THIS THURSDAY – December 2nd, 2010

6:00pm -7:00pm

1130 Barton Street East- Second Floor

(Across from the Centre Mall at our old Environment Hamilton office)

Formal invitation attached

Tree Lichen Workshops Update

Thanks to those who joined us this past Thursday and Saturday for our tree lichen workshops! It was great to see some new faces as well as some friendly old ones. If you didn’t get a chance to make it out to either session, don’t worry! We’ll be holding additional sessions in early January to help ensure that everyone who wishes to participate has the opportunity to do so.

Further, if you know of any groups who might be interested in participating, please let us know! This month the campaign has connected with several groups (including high school classes and eco groups) to gather volunteers and provide individuals with the chance to participate in this study.

Why get involved you ask? Here are some quick incentives:

• Actively participate in a project aimed at community betterment
• Become informed about the status of the community’s air quality
• Learn to identify local trees native to Canada
• Understand the role of lichen and be able to identify two types
• Create statistical data utilizing simple mathematical equations
• Assume a leadership role within the campaign
• Have fun!

Also, if you or any high school students you know require community service hours, we would be happy to sign off on them.

Don’t forget to get your party shoes out for this Thursday’s Community + Company Holiday Mixer! After making several attempts to meet the company on their terms and at their location, we figured a holiday mixer would be a good chance to invite them to come to us. With only GNC members and company individuals invited, we aim to set the stage for some relaxed and casual conversation about the issues that affect our shared community.

If have you have not done so already, please send a quick RSVP to this email (kstiel@environmenthamilton.org). Hope to see everyone out! Guests are welcome and dress is casual. This will be a media-free event.

THIS THURSDAY – December 2nd, 2010

6:00pm -7:00pm

1130 Barton Street East- Second Floor

(Across from the Centre Mall at our old Environment Hamilton office)

Formal invitation attached

Tree Lichen Workshops Update

Thanks to those who joined us this past Thursday and Saturday for our tree lichen workshops! It was great to see some new faces as well as some friendly old ones. If you didn’t get a chance to make it out to either session, don’t worry! We’ll be holding additional sessions in early January to help ensure that everyone who wishes to participate has the opportunity to do so.

Further, if you know of any groups who might be interested in participating, please let us know! This month the campaign has connected with several groups (including high school classes and eco groups) to gather volunteers and provide individuals with the chance to participate in this study.

Why get involved you ask? Here are some quick incentives:

• Actively participate in a project aimed at community betterment
• Become informed about the status of the community’s air quality
• Learn to identify local trees native to Canada
• Understand the role of lichen and be able to identify two types
• Create statistical data utilizing simple mathematical equations
• Assume a leadership role within the campaign
• Have fun!

Also, if you or any high school students you know require community service hours, we would be happy to sign off on them.