Symposium Postscript
Dixon Thompson
Faculty of Environmental Design
University of Calgary
The ACC's Symposium on Water, Energy and Waste Management in Alpine Shelters (Oct. 27-28 1991) has left me with an optimism which I want to share with the other participants and with new readers.
We were able to bring together six sets of actors in what proved to be a cooperative and productive interchange. Many wore more than one hat and almost all were backcountry users. The participants included (i) ACC hut designers and operators, (ii) commercial facility designers and operators, (iii) Parks Canada regulators, facility designers and operators, (iv) commercial equipment designers and suppliers, (v) provincial regulators, and (vi) members of the public and academics.
One of the first conclusions reached after the conference was that it would be very useful to find mechanisms to keep the groups in touch and to try to continue the process of exchange of ideas and information on the problems we all face from our different, or not so different, perspectives.
In the past couple of years in Canada there has been a movement away from confrontation on some environmental issues and toward genuine efforts to work out solutions. I think the start of that cooperative, non-confrontational approach starts with the understanding that there are few people left who really believe in the rape and pillage approach to resource and environment management and many environmentalists will not be dogmatic about keeping everyone from doing anything. There are not round tables on economy and environment for all 13 senior levels of government and many have been formed at the municipal level. The New Directions group in Ontario brings together CEO's from large corporations and executive members of environmental groups to try to reach consensus on how to solve environmental problems. And they're getting things done! In B.C. the forest workers unions and the environmental groups are getting together under the banner "Peace in the Woods", having decided that confrontation is not going to solve the problems they face. Industry is still back in the 1950's: if it moves shoot it. If it doesn't, chop it down.
Without setting cooperative approaches explicitly on the agenda, I think we've achieved some level of success which we should continue to work at. Therefore,the first result of the conference is this newsletter which we see as one of many ways to continue the cooperative process.
I would see seven other conclusions which are grounds for optimism or which require further work.
(1) The old ways have to go. Sentimental values and arguments that we've always done it this way just will not hold up. We can adapt the strategies of backward looking industry: fight any change until there is no alternative. Or we can get on with the task to reducing our impacts to the minimum before regulators force us to or force us out.
(2) There is a rich menu of practical options many of which are proven, at least in mountainous areas, if not under conditions as harsh as those we face in Canada.
(3) We have to help to publicize the successes and availability of proven, cost-effective technologies.
(4) One season systems (summer) do not pose nearly the difficulty that 2 to 4 season systems pose. Facilities that shut down for that part of the year when freezing conditions cause problems do not always provide good information for those who are faced with the problems of running systems in which liquids will freeze solid unless heated.
(5) We have to work with regulators, get approval in principle of performance criteria for alpine water, energy and waste systems. Then we have to do the detailed work necessary to develop the performance criteria themselves.
(6) At a detailed level, the question of the disinfection requirements for water systems in remote areas has to be examined. If chlorination is just "extra insurance" for operators and regulators in the case of an unusual event, then we should also be examining the other environmental costs of the energy and the chemicals and their adverse environmental effects. We should also examine the effectiveness of chlorination in very cold water if the concern is viruses and giardia.
(7) If the systems are going to work in ACC huts they have to be idiot-proof.
There are several realistic opportunities for the ACC to continue work based on the results of the symposium. The following is not a list of what will take place, it is a list of options worth careful consideration. There has been discussion of turning the Wheeler Hut into a thoughtfully planned example of what can be done with environmentally friendly systems. This approach has the blessing of Parks Canada, at least in principle. It is also the only hut which is easily accessed by vehicle all year round.
Three waste system demonstration or research projects have been discussed by the Huts Committee as a result of the symposium: the installation of a large composting unit to be assisted with both active and passive solar systems, research on composting and weight reduction through drying, and research on reducing fly out costs with drying and weight and volume reduction.
Until we get our personal fusion reactors, which will eliminate the need for food, water, waste treatment and energy, we're going to have to develop and use a much more sophisticated approach when we go for a walk in the mountains.
Urine Separation
The following is an extract from a letter written to the Canadian Parks Service.
...An analysis of the information derived from the symposium held in the fall is leading us to the conclusion that the current systems in place, that allow for the collection of all waste into a single barrel, represent a technological approach that has been "Grandfathered" into acceptance rather than the utilization of a system that has some scientific basis.
As such, our energies at this time are being directed by the assumption that urine can be treated separately from faecal matter. At the symposium it became clear from the panel discussion that if urine is separated at source (guaranteeing no contamination with solid waste) then on-site reduction methods represent little or no health hazard to the user. Further to this the environmental impact becomes more of a social and aesthetic issue rather than a health concern. The reduction of urine would be achieved by evaporative methods or on-site disposal.
However in order to effect this we face the following problems: The design of outhouses that incorporate separate urinals and the practicality of whether it is possible (or worthwhile) to design an effective urinal for women? This raises the question of trade-off between on-site storage and the use of helicopters to remove the urine. We believe that the former might represent the most friendly environmental alternative. The effective elimination of the need to fly-out urine could mean a 50% reduction in helicopter time for removing barrels.
Although the above does not represent an overall panacea due to each location being site specific, it is something that we feel would allow a more scientific approach to the treatment of waste and, that at certain huts this, would be a most appropriate activity.
We believe that consideration of the above is necessary when making long term plans for the removal of waste from the hut system within the Park.
We look forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Mike Mortimer
Vice President, Facilities
The Alpine Club of Canada
END NOTE:
OVER THE BARREL
by Mike Mortimer
V.P. Facilities
The Alpine Club of Canada
Its been a while since the symposium and it is now time to take the next step in the long road to seeking a resolution towards the ongoing problems of waste management in alpine areas. As many of you know, the Alpine Club hosted the first symposium on energy and waste management in alpine areas in the fall of 1991. Although the event was a major success in that it made an attempt to analyse the problems associated, we only scratched the surface of the problem. As such, there appears to be much to do.
This newsletter will represent an opportunity to continue an ongoing dialogue that will hopefully cover all aspects of waste management in remote alpine settings.
To this end, the Alpine Club is prepared to produce this newsletter with the intention that this become a forum for this topic. The club will issue this newsletter to all participants of the symposium as well as all hut operators in western Canada and anyone who had expressed an interest in the symposium.
For the initial period, we intend to issue the newsletter for free. We can't guarantee that we will be able to continue doing this as we can only rely so much on volunteer participation. The main intent is to get the ball (or the barrel) rolling.
Circulate this letter among your friends, photocopy it, discuss the issues, or what ever. If you feel it has no value at least leave it in an outhouse.
The Alpine Club of Canada, P.O. Box 2040, Canmore, AB TOL OMO.
Ph. (403) 678-3200 Fax (403) 678-3224