Category Archives: Uncategorized

Debunking another CCPA anti-LNG article, this time in the Globe and Mail – now with Marc Lee response

Posted on July 3, 2019 by Blair

I have to admit something. Every time I read an article by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), I hope that it will present an evidence-based analysis consistent with the quality of the individuals who I know work there. Sadly, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Debunking more misinformation about the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion project. Some simple facts about bitumen, heavy oil, and Asian Markets.

Posted on June 23, 2019 by Blair

As someone interested in evidence-based decision-making there are few topics as frustrating to discuss as the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion (TMX) project. The reason for this is that the media landscape is so completely full of misinformation and bad information … Continue reading →

Posted in Pipelines, Trans Mountain, Uncategorized | 25 Comments

On the Energy Innumeracy of the supporters of Canada’s Green New Deal

Posted on May 7, 2019 by Blair

In the last week a group of Canadian activists have decided to mimic their American cousins by trying to advance a Canadian pact for a Green New Deal (GND Can hereafter). This is not the American Green New Deal you … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Climate Change Politics, Leap Manifesto, Uncategorized | 18 Comments

An Ecomodernist-based approach to fighting climate change while protecting our shared global ecosystem

Posted on April 17, 2019 by Blair

I am a pragmatic environmentalist and an Ecomodernist and in celebration of the fourth anniversary of An Ecomodernist Manifesto I have prepared this post to present an Ecomodernist-based approach to fighting climate change while simultaneously protecting our shared global ecosystem. … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Environmentalism and Ecomodernism, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

A primer on the BC refined fuel market, lower mainland gasoline prices and how they can be affected by a change in mix in the Trans Mountain Pipeline

Posted on April 14, 2019 by Blair

In the last couple weeks I have read a lot about gas prices and the threat by Jason Kenney to shut down the Trans Mountain pipeline. Since a lot of what I have read is incomplete and/or incorrect, I figure … Continue reading →

Posted in Pipelines, Trans Mountain, Uncategorized | 35 Comments

More bad epidemiology about BC LNG from the MDs at CAPE

Posted on April 4, 2019 by Blair

I have written a lot about the BC liquid natural gas (LNG) export industry. I have done so because my examination of the climate math says BC LNG will help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and will help in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Renewable Energy, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

On spherical cows, an idealized China and the futility of arguing with activists on BC LNG

Posted on March 27, 2019 by Blair

It seems like every week we get another announcement from the BC government about the BC LNG industry. While there are clearly issues with how our government is handling the financial end of the BC LNG industry (including taxation policy … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

How understanding Type I and Type II errors and p-values helps in assessing the conclusions of the Ramazzini Institute 13-week pilot study on Glyphosate

Posted on March 24, 2019 by Blair

As regular followers of this blog know, my graduate research involved developing systems to allow data collected by researchers to be evaluated for reliability and made available for subsequent re-use by other researchers. I carried out my research in an … Continue reading →

Posted in Chemistry and Toxicology, Risk, Risk Assessment Methodologies, Risk Communication, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Understanding the difference between a “hazard” and a “risk” or why scare stories about glyphosate and pesticides in your food shouldn’t frighten you

Posted on March 21, 2019 by Blair

I have written a lot at this blog about how chemical risks are communicated to the public and so I am often asked about news stories depicting the latest science scare story. Sometimes they are handled badly, like the CTV … Continue reading →

Posted in Risk, Risk Assessment Methodologies, Risk Communication, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Some thoughts from a Pragmatic Environmentalist for the Climate Strikers

Posted on March 16, 2019 by Blair

As a pragmatic environmentalist who has been working to advance environmental causes for the last 30+ years I would like to take a moment to provide some advice to the youth of today on your 2019 Climate Strike. First let … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments