Approaching Local Governments:
Be positive. Nasty letters are a dime and dozen and will most
likely result in you losing potential allies within the government;
Be relevant. Do some research and discover which vehicles in the
city could use biodiesel and be clear about the research, studies
and experience of other municipalities. Direct your letter to
the transport committee and copy the mayor or other relevant officials;
Refer to Kyoto, smog, air pollution and the associated costs.
Remind gently that using biodiesel costs nothing and results in
marketed environmental improvements;
Invite addressees to information sessions and offer to provide
more information directly to the relevant officials, personnel
or committee.
An example:
An open letter to the Mayor and Councilors of the City of Ottawa:
The City of Ottawa’s continues to demonstrate its environmental
consciousness by providing and expanding a meaningful public transit
system and equipping its bylaw officers with fuel efficient Diesel
powered vehicles. On the occasion of car free day, we, the undersigned
citizens of Ottawa believe it is time to take this commitment
one step further. By substituting regular petroleum diesel with
biodiesel, the city of Ottawa can promote and support a renewable,
environmentally friendly fuel which can be produced here in Canada.
Biodiesel is a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from
domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum
but can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create
a biodiesel blend. All biodiesel can be used in all diesel engines
with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable,
nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.
Biodiesel is made from renewable resources including farmed crops
such as soy and canola and its use creates new opportunities for
Canadian farmers while simultaneously decreasing our dependence
on foreign petroleum suppliers.
Biodiesel is registered as a fuel with the Canadian Environmental
Protection Agency and meets clean diesel standards established
by Environment Canada. The use of biodiesel results in lower emissions
compared to petroleum diesel because it is made from processed
vegetable oil. It is less toxic than table salt, biodegrades as
fast as sugar and has been shown to increase diesel engine life
while dramatically reducing emissions. This is evident through
the virtual absence of the smoke commonly associated with petroleum
Diesel fuelled vehicles and buses. The Province of Ontario has
noted Biodiesel’s environmental impact and provided tax
breaks which reduce the cost per litre by 2.9 cents.
The City of Toronto announced this month that it will use biodiesel
in 170 of its transit buses. In addition to the two retail pumps
in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), the City of Toronto is taking
concrete steps to make biodiesel increasingly available for citizens.
We hereby submit that the City of Ottawa do the same for its
citizens. It would be a chance to show leadership in the use of
clean, nontoxic, locally produced renewable fuels here in the
nation’s capital.
The day has come for this city and its citizens to consider running
their vehicles on environmentally friendly fuel. We invite you
to consult www.biodieselsolutions.ca where you find additional
resources about biodiesel and its uses.
