Global warming crusader has a solution
by Mark Toljagic
José Etcheverry is talking about a revolution and it has nothing to do with politics in his native Chile.
As the climate change research and policy analyst for the David Suzuki Foundation, José is adamant that the only way the globe can grapple with mounting greenhouse gases is to fundamentally change the way we live.
“Changing behaviour is more profound,” he says, pointing to a small sticker on his computer that reminds the user to turn it off when not in use. It’s a simple message, but one that flies in the face of the complex technological solutions.
“If we perfect the fuel-cell car that emits only water, we’ll make it okay for everyone to drive everywhere – but is that the answer? We’ll have to pave over everything – using oil – to accommodate all these vehicles and we’ll be no further ahead.”
Instead of chasing grand technological dreams, reasons José, the world would be better off producing energy locally rather than expending energy carrying it over long distances. Ten per cent of electricity, for example, is lost in transmission lines.
“The real solutions, the desirable ones, bring environmental, social, economic and health benefits to local communities,” he notes.
How to do that?
José helped lobby for a new public policy that will pay homeowners to generate electricity and sell it back to Ontario’s electrical grid for a fixed rate of 11 cents per kilowatt-hour, or 42 cents if the owner has invested in solar equipment.
No other jurisdiction in North America has crafted such a striking policy that allows anyone to invest in sustainable energy equipment at home, such as a small wind generator or solar collectors.
“If you’re a farmer, you will have a new crop: Wind,” he says. Already, retailers such as Canadian Tire have begun marketing wind and solar electricity systems for installation at home.
José credits his natural curiosity for fueling his passion for the environment. He left Chile in 1989 to escape a dictatorship and came to Canada, thinking it was a francophone country.
“Landing in Toronto, I soon realized I made a mistake,” he recalls with a grin.
Anxious to learn English, he enrolled in the General Arts and Science program at Centennial College, a catch-all program that gave him English instruction and an introduction to some science and math.
Centennial opened his eyes to the sciences. José went on to pursue a degree in geography and environmental studies at York University and followed it up with a master’s at the University of Toronto.
His thesis involved evaluating an ambitious solar electrification project in rural Mexico, where he witnessed how simple technology can transform communities. His study earned him a job with the United Nations’ Global Environment Facility and, eventually, a post with the David Suzuki Foundation in Toronto.
He attributes his success, in part, to his Centennial experience, which demystified math and science for him and made the subjects less intimidating. Today he shepherds a vital public policy that will help change the world in a revolutionary way.
“I have the best job in the country.”
José Etcheverry is shown in the rooftop garden of his office building in downtown Toronto. The “green roof” reduces air conditioning use and helps cleanse the air.
Links:
General Arts and Science programs
http://www.centennialcollege.ca/future/gas.jsp
English for Academic Purposes
http://www.centennialcollege.ca/future/eap.jsp
English as a Second Language (ESL)
http://www.centennialcollege.ca/future/eslft.jsp |
