Environment electricity

            How to Solve Ontarios" Electricity Crisis.
             August 14, 2003 was a shocking day for Ontarians when the lights went out all over Ontario. The blackout came at a time when electricity use in Ontario was at its peak. The blackout exposed the vulnerability of Ontario's electrical system and deflated the confidence of consumers. .
             To date the province's strategy has been to simply boost supply by importing coal-fired electricity from the U.S. in order to deal with the ever-increasing demand of electricity and extend the life of coal and nuclear powered plants in Ontario. The result is that Ontarians are paying out a lot of money to keep their electrical system running and it's failing them.
             According to a report from The David Suzuki Foundation energy conservation and efficiency measures are the cheapest and fastest ways to solve Ontario's electricity crisis in order to prevent future blackouts. In his report he outlines how Ontario can cut its total demand for electric power by 20% by 2010, close the province's coal plants, improve the reliability of the electricity system and save taxpayers money.
             Ontario should adopt the methods used by California to put conservation and efficiency measures in place when it experienced rolling blackouts. Millions of Californians participated in a wide range of conservation programs that covered all sectors of the economy. Households and businesses were given an incentive of receiving special rebates if they cut their monthly electricity use by 20%. Government buildings were urged to reduce their energy consumption, older buildings were weatherized and new buildings were constructed to higher standards. This method worked very well in California.
             Instead of following the California method Ontario is trying to confront a serious electricity crisis by increasing supply, combined with a freeze on consumer electricity rates. This has only resulted in more smog and greenhouse gases from coal-fired plants, a less reliable electrical system and millions of taxpayers money wasted on subsidies to private power companies.