B.C. Citizens for Green Energy
www.greenenergybc.ca
March 11, 2008
VANCOUVER, MARCH 11, 2008 — Just as protesters were getting ready for today’s public rally at the B.C. Power Summit, an advocacy group called B.C. Citizens for Green Energy announced its public debut. BCCGE said it plans to counteract the negativism that has dominated public discussion of B.C.’s energy future.
“Overheated rhetoric has obscured a two-fold issue,” said BCCGE spokesperson Bruce Sanderson. “We need clean electricity for the sake of our planet and we need more electricity for our growing population. We can’t let a scare campaign cause us to shirk our duty to future generations.”
B.C. has tremendous potential for clean electricity, said Sanderson. “Other countries have proven green energy works within strict environmental standards. We can follow their example and realize our potential. We can even surpass them and provide the world with an enviable example of sustainable living. What a wonderful legacy this would be for future generations.”
But our potential is threatened by irresponsible allegations. “We realized this after some of us decided to look into it ourselves,” Sanderson said. “There are some real whoppers masquerading as facts. People are saying 500 rivers are being given away, this is environmental desecration, Americans will take over our resources and rates will shoot way up. But the more we investigated, the more we came to see the advantages of green energy, and of green energy supplied by independent producers.”
Public discussion, however, has been largely one-sided. “There seems to be a well-organized, well-funded campaign against green energy. They’ve had a near-monopoly on the subject. But B.C. Citizens for Green Energy now offers another point of view.”
The BCCGE Web site at www.greenenergybc.ca offers a “myth-busting” resource — a Web page that debunks the most common allegations about green energy in B.C. The Web page is called Straight Answers to Reactionary Myths.
Another page on the BCCGE Web site challenges the credibility of COPE 378, possibly the biggest sponsor of the anti-green campaign. The Web page is called COPE 378 Gets It Wrong, Wrong, Wrong.
The Web site also features information about the BCCGE perspective, different types of green energy, our province’s potential and the example of other countries. The Web site will be updated regularly with news of interest to anyone following B.C.’s energy issues.
Myths about green energy spread to North Shore February 28, 2009
Anti-run-of-river road show coming to Campbell River and Courtenay January 29, 2009
Anti-run-of-river rent-a-mob coming to Sechelt January 28, 2009
Anti-run-of-river road show pulls into Powell River January 27, 2009
Anti-IPP campaign challenged to divulge amount and sources of spending November 27, 2008
BC Hydro forecasts underestimate our electricity needs November 24, 2008
Anti-run-of-river road show rolls through the northwest October 16, 2008
Faux environmental group gives Pemberton speech October 16, 2008
Two-day training conference prepares anti-IPP activists for major offensive October 3, 2008
Academic report destroys basis of anti-IPP campaign October 1, 2008
Veteran journalist’s anti-IPP involvement raises concerns July 14, 2008
Big money backs the campaign against clean electricity June 19, 2008
Is BC Hydro turning away from clean energy? June 16, 2008
Anti-run-of-river re-runs coming to the Kootenays June 11, 2008
B.C. Citizens for Green Energy congratulates Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association
for annual show
June 6, 2008
Run-of-river hydro project short-listed for Canadian Environment Award May 22, 2008
Anti-IPP myths, misinformation and great big whoppers April 25, 2008
The anti-IPP campaign: Creative hyperbole, inflationary hyperbole, relentless hyperbole and lack of attribution April 16, 2008
Opposition to run of river ideological, not environmental March 25, 2008
Newly formed citizens’ group supports independently produced clean electricity March 11, 2008