Dear Editor:
As someone who grew up in Summerland and hopes to retire there in the near future, I share recent opinions on protecting our environment.
There have been a number of letters recently on the pipeline issue however it seems that people are neglecting a more serious concern which is coal.
Coal is B.C.’s number one export and generates approximately 25 per cent of world greenhouse gas emissions, compared with 0 .1 per cent for the oil sands.
B.C. is expanding its coal ports and happily accepts coal shipments from neighbouring American states whose environmental laws prohibit them from shipping coal.
I have been to Elkford and Sparwood and seen what the mines look like and they are no better than the oil sands.
Concerned about tanker traffic at the coast? Stop shipping coal.
There is also a new jet fuel terminal and pipeline being built for the Vancouver airport which is going to add to tanker traffic on the coast.
People are very emotional about the Trans Mountain issue as it gets all the headlines. However there are plenty of other areas that we should also be concerned about..
Brian Betz
Calgary