4 - Wednesday, July 12, 1989 - North Shore News Bos HUNTER © strictly personal ¢ ECOLOGY HOUSE is a turn-of-the-century brownstone near Toronto’s university area, quite charming, standing on the edge of what appears to be an abandoned lot. Actually, the lot is a ‘weed garden’’ designed to display a small eco-system of normally wild and unwanted outlaw species of plants. The house itself has been coa- verted so that it uses soiar power, and is a model of what an en- vironmentally sound home should be. When it was acquired by Pollu- tion Probe several years ago. there was talk about the ecology move- ment having ‘‘come of age." Pollution Probe claims to be the oldest environmental advocacy organization in the country. In fact, it is the same age — 20 years — as Vancouver’s SPEC. Grown up or not, last week Pollution Probe had a collective nervous breakdown. Long-time staffers walked out. Colin Isaacs, the outspoken execi- tive director who had steered the venerable environmental group for seven years, decided to quit his $36,000-a-year job over the con- troversy that had erupted around his decision to use Poilution Pro- be’s name to endorse the giant Loblaws food chain's ‘‘Green”’ tine of products, which include diapers described as being biodegradable. Technically correct, critics snapped — if 300 years is your idea of a decent biodegrading period. Pollution Probe’s credibility took a pasting from that one. Then boneless top sirloin steaks Edgemont Viilage 3230 Connaught Cres. North Vancouver 987-7917 came the most degrading blow of all — and from an unexpected quarter. Greenpeace called a press con- ference at its new national head- quarters, just a few blocks away from Ecology House, to announce that independent tests had shown the ‘Green’ fertilizer being sold by Loblaws in fact contained “potentially harmful chemicals.’ On the fertilizer bag are the words: DEVELOPED AND EN- DORSED BY POLLUTION PROBE. Whump! Pale and visibly shaken, Isaacs, his resignation ac- cepted, walked down the front steps of Ecology House onc last time to face the media and try to fend off the Greenpeace attack. He had had the fertilizer tested, he declared, and found absolutely no traces of anything Greenpeace was talking about. The cco-duel bogged down with the two environmenial groups ‘waving copies of their reports from testing laboratories in front of the cameras — different labs, as it turned out. There is something tragically de- ja vu about environmental organizations flinging nasty press releases at each other, but in this case, there is a new twist. Without stretching things too much, one could say an element of class struggle has been added to the mix. This is the subtext to the conflict Upper Lonsdale 3030 Lonsdale Avenue North Vancouver 987-6644 between Greenpeace and Pollution Probe. Pollution Probe is unionized, you see. By CUPE itself. Greenpeace isn’t. SEEDY ia % P ollution Probe Should figure out its priorities. If providing job security and union benefits is its main function, as opposed to preserving the environment, it might as well start selling its own products, and make millions, like Loblaws. ’’ The difference is that Ecology House is dusty, with cardboard boxloads of old fiies piled up in the landings. Mellow, sleepy vibes. tt is comfortably positioned next door to a lovely Britist-style pub. Over at Greenpeace, the office is buzzing with energy. It is hard to figure out what all the activity is ABOUT, but it is undeniably a more highly energized operation. Scrious-faced young ecopersons stalk about, sweating because their anti-CFC campaign manager won't allow air conditioners. anada No. 1 grade . early potatoes ¢ OU kg. 44¢ 9S 5 Ibs. ie ss 17th & Lonsdale 1632 Lonsdale Avenue North Vancouver 987-6911 There are places for unions in the infrastructure of society. But aot in ecology groups. The proper time to worry about unionizing the environmental movement is the day after the planet has been saved. Be. ween now and then there is absolutely no room for featherbedding or us- ing precious donated mcney to cover overtime on stat holidays because an oil spill has occurred. What's an eco-unicn going to do, anyway — walk off the job, leaving the ozone layer to rot? Pollution Probe should figure out its priorities. If providing job security and union benefits is its main function, as opposed to preserving the environment, it might as well start selling its own products, and make millions, like Loblaws. The food chain sold $5 million worth of Green products in two weeks, Loblaws president Dave Nichol says. lt seenis a bit luxuricus and rather oldstyic New Leftist for Pollution Probe to be paying its receptionists and maintenance staff the same as it pays its top spokefolks. Colin {saacs got to the point where he just couldn't put up with the slug-like pace of his unionized staff, some of them using old Trotskyite arguments about “‘pro- cess’ to avoid geiting on with any- thing. Never mind worrying about withdrawing its endorsement of Loblaws’ products, Pollution Pro- be should be decertifying itself. For openers, Funding is, of course, the mast vital question of all. And the means by which environmental groups fund themselves is always controversial. {-reenpeace, for in- stance, uses ar :-smy of door-to- door canvassers, who have replac- ed Fuller Brush and encyclopedia salesmen and Jehovah's Witnesses as the most ubiquitous evening nuisance. Pollution Probe is going to have to rethink a lot of things @ Fresh ® whol Coho salmon | 2-4 Ibs. Lynn Valley 1199 Lynn Valley Road North Vancouver 987-7221 New buses to pollute less THE FIRST of 50 new buses designed with special high-tech en- vironmental protection controls will be operating in the Vancouver region within a week. The Classics, costing about $186,000 cach, are equipped with advanced, fully electronic exhaust emission controls. “This is just one of several Strategics being used to help pro- tect the environment in the Lower Mainland,”’ said Rita Johnston, minister responsible. Two of the buses were on display at a ceremony during which Johnston presented West Vancouver Mayor Don Lanskail, chairman of the Vancouver Regional Transit Commission, with an oversized bus key. The new buses are built by Greyhound Canada Inc. at the Greyhound plant ia St. Eustache, Quebec. Special features of the ‘Classic buses’’ include: * advanced, fully electronic ex- haust emission controls © computer controlled engines and transmissions * Detroit Diesel 6V 92. tur- bo-charged engines to improve hill climbing capabilities © brake retarders that will decrease overall wear and tear on the brakes ewide-access doorways to facilitate rapid passenger boarding *a_ redesigned driver compart- ment, providing a more comforta- ble seat, and a solid, darkened partition behind the driver. Col- or-coded controls keep the driver in touch with bus functions at a that have been modified and strengthened to allow for installation of wheelchair lifts at a later date The 50 Classics, arriving be- tween now and August 1989, are part of BC Transit’s plan to up- date the diere! bus fleet in the Vancouver region. a 8 Park Royal 1020 South Park Royal West Vancouver $26-2215