User:Kkg123/sandbox

Final Changes: - Moved pollution causes into a separate table in order to better organize the information. - The 'pollution' area now contains only the various types of pollution and not the specific causes (these are mentioned later). - Added more content. - Oil Sands was changed to Athabasca Oil Sands for more clarity. - Fixed grammar and spelling. - Updated the list of references.

The original article which I modified and improved on is located here.

Wikipedia Article: Final Draft

=Environmental issues in Canada=

There are a number of growing environmental issues in Canada that continue to affect Canada's abundant source of natural forests, natural resources and surrounding oceans. These are pollution (air and water), climate change, and conservation.

Pollution
Water and Air Pollution are large problems in Canada and can be attributed to a number of causes: fuel burning, acid rain, contamination (ground water and arsenic) and the Athabasca Oil Sands in Alberta.

Air Pollution
Air pollution has become a large environmental issue in Canada due to the Athabasca Oil Sands and fuel emissions. The impacts of air pollution can affect respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Symptoms can range from minor breathing problems to lung and heart conditions. Researchers have estimated that nearly 1/3 of Canadians are at risk from air pollution if they live close to highways or areas of high traffic. In 2012, the government of Canada developed the New Air Quality Management System (AQMS) in order to improve the quality of health for Canadians.

Water Pollution
Water pollution in Canada is an issue that is largely a result of contamination (groundwater and arsenic) and acid rain. Water pollution negatively impacts the quality of water resulting in damage to agriculture, livestock production, industrial and municipal activity and most importantly, human health.

Climate change
Climate change in Canada is an eminent issue that is largely emphasized because of the quantity of greenhouses being emitted. The Earth's climate has been changing dramatically and researchers are investigating the possibility that Canada's forests could be impacted greatly by changing natural cycles. Canada's forests play a large role in maintaining the global carbon balance.

Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol was set-up to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the long term. Canada, on December 13, 2011, chose to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol. Canada's decision to pull out of the Kyoto protocol has caused significant controversy.

Conservation
The Rainforest Action Network and indigenous groups have campaigned to protect the Boreal forest of Canada from logging and mining. In July 2008 the Ontario government announced plans to protect some of the area from all industrial activity.

Logging
Logging of old growth forest is continuing in Canada. The Ancient Forest Alliance is an environmental group in British Columbia, Canada, that is dedicated to stopping logging in endangered old growth forests, and ensuring the sustainable logging of second growth forests.

The forests of Clayoquot Sound are still being logged. There are ongoing protests over the logging and in 1993 it was the site of the largest act of peaceful civil disobedience in Canada.

Chemicals
The Aamjiwnaang First Nation community has expressed concern regarding its proximity to chemical plants in the area, as birth rates of their people have been documented by the American journal Environmental Health Perspectives as deviating from the normal ratio of close to 50% boys, 50% girls. The ratio as found between 1999 and 2003 by the journal was roughly 33% boys, and 67% girls. The First Nation is concerned that this abnormal trend is due to adverse effects of maternal and fetal exposure to the effluent and emissions of the nearby chemical plants. This is the first community in the world to have a birth rate of two girls to every boy.

Wild Life
Canada excels in maintaining biodiversity and existing wild life ecosystems through the conservation of its forests. However, Canada's excess logging (mentioned above) can have an impact on the habitats of existing wild life.

Recent Statistics

 * Canada ranked 15/17 industrialized countries on environmental performance by the Conference Board of Canada.


 * Canada ranked 9th out of 186 countries in per capita greenhouse gas emission.


 * Canada’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2012 were 699 megatonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide compared to 591 megatonnes in 1990.

Specific issues

 * Cleanup of the Colomac Mine
 * Acid mine drainage from the Northland Pyrite Mine