BY WGO STAFF
Increasingly intense storm events and shifting weather patterns are making it difficult to ignore what many have known for decades – that the global climate is changing as a result of human activities. But there is some good news. Swift and well-planned actions have the potential to mitigate continued climate change, and to safeguard the planet for future generations.
One piece of the climate change puzzle that needs attention is energy generation. What does this mean in a local context? In Nova Scotia, we use energy to generate electricity, to heat our homes, and to power transportation. There is a need in the province of Nova Scotia to increase deployment of renewable energy solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
An idea that has emerged in the local context is that farming energy crops like willow or perennial grasses could provide fuel for home heating, community energy schemes, or possibly provide biomass where fossil fuel or forest biomass is currently being used. These thoughts inspired Elizabeth Jessome, a researcher at Dalhousie University’s School for Resource and Environmental Studies, to embark on a social engagement project on the subject.
Jessome, who grew up in Millville on Boularderie Island and lives in Westmount, is passionate about environmental protection and sustainability, forest ecosystems, and very interested in renewable energy development. She is looking for people to interview on the subjects of land use and the potential for energy crop farming and renewable energy generation in Cape Breton and northern Nova Scotia. Input from local landowners and farmers is needed to inform future renewable energy solutions.
“I am eager to talk to the owners, caretakers, and managers of land in Cape Breton and northern Nova Scotia to get a sense of their views on agricultural biomass and how that might or might not fit with the way land is currently being cultivated and cared for,” says Jessome, a graduate of Cape Breton University, Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Biology.
“The farming of energy crops on inactive or marginal agricultural land in Nova Scotia is a topic that has come up a few times in recent years,” she continues, “and I believe it is a topic worth exploring with the people who care for and make a living from the land every day”.
If you have questions about the study, or are interested in being interviewed, please contact Elizabeth Jessome at elizabeth.jessome@dal.ca to learn more.
