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November
30, 2004
BIOCAP
and Pollution Probe team up to raise awareness of bioproducts
Primer briefs Canadians on renewable energy, chemicals and materials
(Toronto, ON) — BIOCAP
Canada Foundation, a multi-stakeholder university research network, and
Pollution Probe released a new Primer on
Bioproducts today, in parallel with the BioNorth 2004 event being held in
Ottawa.
The Primer on Bioproducts was designed to provide Canadians with an
introduction to biology-based industrial products and processes — those that
use plants, micro-organisms and their products as an alternative, or a
complement, to fossil fuels and petrochemicals. BIOCAP Canada Foundation and
Pollution Probe have produced this booklet to make readers aware of
bioproducts, and to help them participate in a public dialogue on the
potential risks and benefits of using these products, for example, as
bioplastics or as an alternative to fossil fuels.
“Canada has an
unparalleled capacity for the development of bioproducts,” said David
Pollock, Executive Director of the BIOCAP Canada Foundation, “Our country is
home to seven per cent of the Earth’s land mass,10 per cent of its forests
and we boast over 68 million hectares of agricultural land in production. We have a responsibility to research how our ‘Green
Advantage’ can be developed into a viable and renewable source of energy,
chemicals and materials.”
“Bioproducts are
generating considerable interest in Canada because they represent an
opportunity for industry and communities to become less dependent on
non-renewable fossil fuels, which come with related environmental problems,”
said Pollution Probe’s Executive Director Ken Ogilvie.
The Primer on Bioproducts is available electronically at www.biocap.ca
and www.pollutionprobe.org/Publications/Primers.htm.
BIOCAP Canada
Foundation — a national, not-for-profit research foundation — is building
partnerships with industry, government, NGOs and university researchers to
ensure an optimal contribution is made to our national research effort focused
on the sustainable use of the biosphere to manage greenhouse gases and provide
a source of energy, chemicals and materials. For more information, attend Capturing
Canada’s Green Advantage: Biosphere solutions for climate change and the
economy, the BIOCAP Canada Foundation 1st National Conference, Feb. 2–3,
2005 in Ottawa, Ontario.
Pollution Probe is a
35-year old Canadian non-profit environmental organization dedicated to
achieving positive and tangible environmental change. Active programmes
include Clean Air, Clean Water, Climate Change, Mercury in the Environment,
Clean Energy and Progressive Environmental Policy Development.
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For more information:
David Pollock, Executive Director, BIOCAP Canada
(613) 542-0025 x22
Ken Ogilvie, Executive
Director, Pollution Probe
(416) 926-1907 x231
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