The Editor,
Re: “PoMo will study mass-timber vs. concrete” (tricitynews.com, Mar. 18)
The Port Moody council’s decision to study the role of building materials in meeting the city’s emissions goals for 2030 is a step in the right direction. We must applaud councillor Steve Milani’s efforts in encouraging the city to act.
People forget that climate change will be more serious and deadlier than the pandemic. There will be no visible virus, and no quick vaccine, for the damage inflicted by floods, wildfires, displaced migrants, and crop and water shortages.
Making steel and cement requires burning fossil fuels to generate heat around 2,000 degrees Celsius. Globally, this process produces more carbon emissions than passenger cars! On the other hand, timber buildings will reduce emissions, and contribute to green local jobs, and a circular economy. Note that timber will progressively become cheaper than cement as carbon tax ramps up annually until 2030.
Instead of fighting the global momentum on climate change policies and actions, the Cement Association of Canada should lobby the government for incentives, subsidies, and tax breaks to innovate and produce zero-emission cement.
We need corporate ingenuity, as well as political will and vision to save the planet. Canada is already one of the top three per capita polluters in the world. It is time we cleaned our act — step by step.
Sanjeev Arya, Coquitlam
