Category: Environment


Off Voght Street in Merritt and  next to the Merritt Desert Inn is an electric car recharging station. I talked to a man recharging his car and he said his car a Tesia model S has a 500 kilometer range. He had come from Vancouver and took on 130 kilometers worth of free power from the charging station.

The man said that he spends 6 dollars a month on power for his 100 thousand dollar luxury electic car. There three models below it  with less range and according to him it takes more than over night to fully charge his car with the 110 service at home.

The car drove off with no noise and a happy driver on his way to Kamloops.

The charging station is  in the  same parking lot that the farmers market occupy starting May 18th.

A report in the Merritt Herald here said that  more stations are coming.

An update:
Another Tesia driver charging up here on 4/15/13 said his range is more like 300 KMs because of going up hill and he agreed that the return trip should have better results as that would be downhill . Merritt is 2000 feet above sea level that the coast drivers come from.

Today in History:  April 9, 1867

Alaska is purchased from the Russians by a vote of one.

Calfs and lambs

A trip out highway 5A saw many spring calf’s and new born lambs along the road and in the ranches fields  that are intersected by the highway.

Once asked a local rancher Gloria Capp what the difference between a spring calf and a winter calf she replied ” one is born later”.

Nicola Ranch, Quilchena ,Cattle Company and  others along the lower road to Kamloops are quite pleasant to view from a car  as  it takes its way along the ” 70 percent load restriction ” road . These restrictions concern transports and commercial trucks and have made the route free of them at this time ,preferring 5  the divided highway with out load restrictions.

Today in History: April 2,1912

The ill fated RMS Titanic begins sea trials.

Williamson Sapsuckers

On Thursday the 21st of March the Nicola Naturalists will be presenting on the Williamson Sapsuker. The presentation is at the Nicola Valley Instute of Technology, at 7 PM . Membership or donations requested. They say that the:

Williamson’s Sapsucker has always been considered one of those rather rare and enigmatic birds.  With differences in the male and female plumage that are unique among all woodpeckers, it is nowhere truly abundant, and is Endangered in Canada.  The Merritt area is one of the strongholds of this species, but this local population was virtually unknown just 10 years ago, with many aspects of its biology only recently discovered.  Biologist Les Gyug of Okanagan Wildlife Consulting has been studying Williamson’s Sapsucker since 1996.  He is an engaging speaker and excellent photographer. Join Les for an informative and entertaining account of this little known species.

The presentation is in the lecture theater and no food or drink is allowed. Parking is free and the machine waved after school hours.

NVIT is at 4155 Belshaw St Merritt BC V1K 1R1

Today in History: March 14.1964

Jack Ruby is found guilty of assassinating JFK’s assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald.

Smart dryer

This morning the Google home page is showing a caricature of a smart appliance and a calculator that says don’t panic. As the appliance spits out data. Also the hydro authority has sent out a monthly edition of their newsletter introducing the new online account and its advantages to the consumer. The ability to compare to neighbours and similar homes is one that may be appealing to those who don’t like machines that do too much.

Below is a transcript of the newsletter:

As part of the recent upgrades on bchydro.com, you’ll notice your account online is now called MyHydro. With MyHydro, you’re still able to manage your account online as you did before, but you’ll also have access to new features that give you a closer look at your electricity use. Watch the video to learn how MyHydro helps you save energy, time and money.

Take a closer look at your electricity use

By taking a deeper look at your electricity use, you can find ways to save energy and money. With MyHydro, see how your electricity use affects your bill by:

  • Viewing your electricity use down to the hour and right up until yesterday to see when you’re using the most electricity.
  • Comparing your electricity use to factors such as average outside temperature, similar homes nearby and last year’s consumption.
  • Projecting your electricity use and estimated cost for the current billing period based on your consumption patterns.
  • Putting Power Smart tips into action and signing up for automatic email alerts to check back in and stay on track with your conservation goals.

Detailed consumption data gives you the right information at the right time, and helps you identify where you can save energy to keep your bill as low as possible (watch how the Greens track their electricity use to save on their electricity costs). While many of our customers can now view and track their daily electricity use, you may be among those customers who won’t have access until later this year. Make sure to log in to MyHydro regularly to see if your account is activated.

Manage your account online to save time

A growing number of BC Hydro customers regularly use bchydro.com to manage their account online. When you log in to MyHydro, you can view your bill and payment history, select a payment method, and even start, stop or move your service. When you log in to MyHydro, you’ll find these account functions in the account services toolbox.

Log in or create a MyHydro Profile

If you’ve always managed your account online, your BC Hydro Profile is now your MyHydro Profile. Never managed your account online? Create a MyHydro Profile and link your account to get started.

It appears in the material that yours and others in similar homes power consumption will be public , and the system certainly lends itself to eventual two rate system to take advantage of off-peak usage and since there is little competion  in the monopoly, that could mean that the lower rate could be the same as now and the peak rate move up in cost. Unless this efficiency brings all hydro down.

Opinion: this is really different and appealing to techies however our time is worth something and the prudent will control this and not let it dominate their time.

Today in History: March 11,2006

Chile gets its first female president, Michelle Bachelet.

5000 meters

A motorman from Beaver Drilling gave us a conversation last week. He said he is working on a Double Drilling Rig , in the Rocky Mountain Foothills. For natural gas, his state of the art rig is usually involved in oil exploration. The motorman sowed me a key chain model bit and talked about whip-stocking a method of pulling back in a hole and stopping rotation of the String and hydrological turning the bit and controls a horizontally inclined take off. This makes for a managed drilling platform into a field.

Shale gas production has had a dramatic effect on supplies and the industry suffering is setting its hopes on conversions from high carbon use such as coal and oil to clean natural gas. according to the Horn River News in gas suffering Alberta, June 19th 2012, this may take years, and there are concerns it may not be timely for Alberta if major players go elsewhere.

Editors note: There has been a free fall in gas prices since 2009 do to high production,

Today in History: February 25,1919

Oregon puts a penny tax on gasoline becoming the first US state to levy gasoline.

Today in History: February 26th,1993

The world trade center is attacked killing 6 people in an explosion

Consumer knowledge

We talked to a young man this week who was driving a 16 passenger Van. When asked why not an electric or hybrid he said he researched it and the cost of the battery replacement was prohibitive. We said 5 years and the battery at 2 figures would need to be replaced.

When we talked to a person driving a pick-up that was electric with a 1.6 liter charging motor the fellow said 12 years , the former fellow admitted that 5 years was low-end when asked to comment on that. When asked if there was a residual value to used batteries he was not able to comment.

A charging station is in Merritt and has yet to be seen being used other then by official electric vehicles , the announcement of Tim Hortons and free retail outlets is not a subject on the minds of people here today.

Today in history: February, 20 1942

Phil Esposito Canadian hockey star is born.

Gas prices

The shell station at the top of the hill on Voght street is showing a gasoline price of a dollar and 21.9 cents a liter that s up 10 cents from a week ago down town. An employee from the neighbouring Petro Canada in an interview said she was walking over to check the price of the competitor. implying  that was her directed job.

The summer driving season usually sees a spike in retail gas prices. These increases are a little early for the May trough September demand period.

Today in history: February 18,1229

The Holy Roman empire signs a ten-year truce putting the 6th crusade on hold.

TGIF

Merit of Merritt

Its good that it is friday….

There was a remembrance for the shooting victims of  an eastern university some years ago. Billed as “National day of remembrance and action on Violence against women. Dec 6th 2012.

Numbers of students had parts and Guest speaker Sharon McIvor presented.

The demeanor served to solemnize the relationship of women in society and how violence may affect them.Sharon is a lawyer and a professor at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology.

Today in history: December 7,2007

An oil spill in South Korea when a crane and a large tanker the Hebei  Spirit tangle.

Imature bald eagle

Yesterday morning I saw a dead eagle in the back of a pick up. It looked frozen but imagistic even in its fallen spread eagle position. By the time I got up to the conservation office to inquire the owner of the truck had already surrendered the bird. A confirmed source said there was no crime suspected or breach of any regulation. “it starved to death” ,” this time of the year is hard on them” on examination “muscle had been consumed”.

There is a right to sustenance and ceremonial use for eagles by first nations.And its been about 7 years since non FN have been able to get permits to harvest. A confirmed source says about its remains “it will probably go to a local first nations person.”

Editors note: Solders fighting in winter with little food have been autopsied and found to have had shrunken organs consumed to keep all warm blooded creatures at body temperature.

Today in History: November 29,1963

The Warren Commission is begun to investigate the assassination of JFK.

Rain

English: Map of Kelly Barnes Dam, Toccoa Colle...

English: Map of Kelly Barnes Dam, Toccoa College and Toccoa City (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There is serious rain here to-day. That is serious to us. In the 1960s we had less than 10 inches a year. Semi desert. In recent years we have 12 . Still we are part of the Great Eastern Desert Basin, it includes south central BC and eastern Washington State.

Two nights ago we had strong winds always a sign that coastal weather is on its way up. The local police station is under going roof repairs with new sheeting being applied over fading colored metal sheathing.

Editors note:We have no idea the feeling and sence of the east coast after Sandy. But have confidence in the citizens and  applaud the decision of the marathon to run and help at the same time.

We feel that unless a piece of plywood is neglected and blows off the police station we are in little danger from the elements.  ( thats on the balance of probabilities )

Today in History: November 6, 1977

The Kelly Barnes Dam above Toccoa Bible College in Toccoa Georgia  fails killing nearly 40 people.

Pipeline application

There was an information public meeting last night at the Civic Center here. Kinder Morgan was displaying the wares of its pipeline Company Trans Mountain Pipeline Company. The operation is in a process to get permits from the NEP The National Energy Board, that’s the regulator that recommends to The Federal Cabinet on energy matters. The open house was about its activities to twin its 61 year old line from Edmonton to Burnaby. An upgrade its dock facility as well.

The purpose of the evening was for discussions and they say that all statements will be in consideration for its final application for permits.

 Editors Note:

Trans Mountain has operated out of Merritt one pumping station with no  significant trouble in the 60 years of its delivering oil to the  major population center of the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

A timeline was in the publication material showing where they are now and when construction would start. A full year of discussion remains before the application is submitted and then 2 years of scrutiny with it being in the hands of the regulators.

A pair of consultants also had meetings with city officials and the board of Community Futures Development a high risk lender for economic development and an arms length facilitator of the Federal Government.

The company also delivers refined gasoline products to central BC. PP

Today in history: October 31 1997

A British person au pair Louise Woodward is sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of second degree murder the day before by a Massachusetts jury.

Water that is microwaved

The public library is having an open experiment. There are three plants on the counter and they are all treated the same except one is being watered with water that was microwaved. The plants are in their fourth week of the experiment today and they seem about the same all green and lively. The study is a double controlled and blind and is   to prove a thesis that microwaved water hurts plants.

The Study runs for 2 months.

You can view the experiment  at 1691 Garcia Street on the counter to the right as you come in the door.

Editors:  humorous note: if you talk to the plants talk to them all not just one.

Today in history: October 30, 1941

The United States approves a billion dollars of lend lease aid to Canada and Britain.