Author Archives: Blair

What Chemistry lab safety (and mom’s rules) teach us about how to protect ourselves from the flu or viruses like the Coronavirus.

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Blair

As my readers know, I am trained as an academic chemist and spent a decade teaching in lab environments. Since I left the academic community, my work has included a lot of time doing occupational health and safety. This practical … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

On the IISD’s misleading calculations of Canadian fossil fuel subsidies

Posted on January 19, 2020 by Blair

There are few topics that raise the ire of activists more than the idea of subsidies for oil and gas companies. Listen to an activist talk and you will invariably hear a comment about oil and gas subsidies and how … Continue reading →

Posted in Pipelines, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Alberta’s Renewable Energy Conundrum in Charts and Numbers – Why Capacity Factors Matter

Posted on January 2, 2020 by Blair

Over the holidays I have read a lot of commentary on Alberta’s energy future. I keep seeing individuals demanding that Alberta concentrate on wind and solar for its energy future. The people making these statements are mostly activists and journalists, … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmentalism and Ecomodernism, Fossil Fuel Free Future, Renewable Energy, Uncategorized | 22 Comments

I debunk yet another misleading CAPE article about fracking and BC LNG

Posted on December 21, 2019 by Blair

As someone who specializes in evidence-based environmental decision-making, I am regularly disappointed by the dismal level of discourse in the environmental field. Organizations and individuals you would expect to provide useful insight end up doing exactly the opposite. No group … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Politics, Chemistry and Toxicology, LNG, Uncategorized | 10 Comments

BC’s Dormancy and Shutdown Regulation – Another example of BC making the right decisions in regulating our oil and gas industry

Posted on November 18, 2019 by Blair

I have written a lot about the BC natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry. I have pointed out how BC produces some of the lowest greenhouse gas LNG on the planet; how we regulate flaring and venting better … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Politics, LNG, Uncategorized | 9 Comments

The Extinction Rebellion are the homeopaths of the climate change community

Posted on October 14, 2019 by Blair

We have had another week of the Extinction Rebellion (XR) “raising awareness” by blocking roadways, gluing themselves to bridges and airplanes and generally behaving in a manner intended to get lots of publicity. Having watched and listened to XR leadership, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Taking a serious look at the unserious demands of the Extinction Rebellion

Posted on October 8, 2019 by Blair

As anyone who watches the news knows, the good folks at the Extinction Rebellion (XR) have been increasing the intensity of their protests in the last few weeks. An organization that started in the UK has now exported its message, … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Climate Change Politics, Uncategorized | 15 Comments

Why environmental professionals and policy specialists are often frustrated with the climate strikers

Posted on September 2, 2019 by Blair

What parent hasn’t experienced this situation? Due to circumstances outside your control you are going to be late for a family commitment. You got out of the house late, or an accident on the highway has you stuck in traffic. … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Politics, Climate Change, Climate Change Politics, Uncategorized | 32 Comments

Is shale gas a major driver of recent increase in global atmospheric methane? Not according to the most recent observational and satellite studies

Posted on August 19, 2019 by Blair

Ah, the scientific method. We all remember it from our school days. Observations are made. Observations lead scientists to develop hypotheses intended to explain the observed phenomenon. Those hypotheses are subsequently tested against experimental data. A hypothesis that is found … Continue reading →

Posted in LNG, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Why political demands we radically speed up decarbonization represent wishful thinking

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Blair

This blog post started as a potential Twitter thread that got out of hand. It grew out of recent demands by major political organizations that Canada increase its pace of decarbonization. First it was the Canadian pact for a Green … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Politics, Climate Change, Climate Change Politics, Leap Manifesto, Uncategorized | 8 Comments