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Pollution Probe Primers

Primer on Toxic Substances - New Release.

Toxics Primer.

Primer on Energy Systems in Canada.

Energy Literacy Initiative.

Primer on Automobile Fuel Efficiency and Emissions

The Canadian Automobile Association and Pollution Probe are pleased to publish the Primer on Automobile Fuel Efficiency and Emissions, a first-of-its-kind primer to help Canadians save fuel and reduce emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases.

The Primer on Automobile Fuel Efficiency and Emissions examines the factors that govern fuel efficiency, both from a vehicle design and driver operation perspective. It also provides Canadians with a clear overview of strategies they can adopt to reduce fuel consumption.

Download The Primer on Automobile Fuel Efficiency and Emissions

Version française

The Acid Rain Primer

Pollution Probe is pleased to publish this second edition of the Acid Rain Primer. The first edition was published in 2000. This edition contains a more in-depth description of the science of acid rain and the policy and regulatory history of this fascinating environmental and health issue.

Download The Acid Rain Primer (2.63MB)
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Version française (8MB)

A Guide to Climate Change for Small- to Medium-sized Enterprises

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Pollution Probe are pleased to publish A Guide to Climate Change for Small- to Medium-sized Enterprises.

We believe that a thoughtful approach by small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to dealing with climate change can result in economic benefits through cost savings and enhanced markets, while protecting against economic costs and damages to business that may result from climate instability and global warming.

SMEs can help in the fight against climate change, to the benefit of people and ecosystems around the globe, and they can pursue new business opportunities in the challenging times to come.

Download A Guide to Climate Change for Small- to Medium-Sized Enterprises (1.26MB)
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Version française (1.26MB)
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Primer on Volatile Organic Compounds

Pollution Probe is pleased to present this primer on Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) as an introduction to some of the toxic VOCs that we encounter in everyday life. As with other Pollution primers, The Primer on Volatile Organic Compounds has been designed as an educational resource for people who want to understand this source of pollution and then take action to protect themselves and their children. In addition, the primer has been designed for use as an introduction to controlling VOCs from small- and medium- sized businesses. There are many opportunities in this sector to reduce VOC emissions and hence the unnedessary exposure of employees and surrounding communities to these pollutants.

Download Primer on Volatile Organic Compounds (1.4MB)

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Child Health and the Environment - A Primer

Children's environmental health is a large and rapidly growing field. This Primer aims to provide a solid introduction to a vast and complex topic. It will enable the reader to understand the basis for concern about environmental impacts on children's health, and will make it easier to pursue further readings and research into this vitally important issue.

In tandem, an 8-page brochure has been created that provides practical and easy childproofing tips to protect our children.

Download Primer - English (2.6MB)
Version française (2.08MB)

Download Brochure "Playing it Safe: Childproofing for Environmental Health" (332K)
Version française: "Ne prenons pas de risque, protegeons la sante environnementale de nos enfants". (339KB)

Order a copy of Primer/Brochure (English and French)

Primer on Bioproducts

This primer on Bioproducts is an introduction to biology-based products and processes - technologies and processes that use plants, micro-organisms and their products as an alternative (or as a complement) to the fossil fuels and petrochemicals used in cars, factories and consumer goods.

Download english version of report (2.1MB)
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Version française (2.1MB)
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The Source Water Protection Primer

Much more needs to be done to protect the sources of our drinking water. Better source protection means preventing the kind of pollution that later must be removed or treated, and it means paying more attention to watershed management. Many Canadians are talking about Source Protection — and there is a wide consensus that it is the right thing to do and that it is time to make it happen. The Source Water Protection Primer has been created to inform public discussion on what source protection is and how we can make it happen.

Download Primer in PDF format (7.4MB)
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Download Brochure "Act for Clean Water: An Introduction to Source Water Protection" (1.12MB)
Version française: "Pour une eau saine: Petit guide de la protection des sources" (945KB)

Primer on Climate Change and Human Health

The Primer describes the potential effects that a warmer and more variable climate can have on our health. It discusses the climate change impacts that are expected to occur across Canada, as well as some of the actions being taken by various levels of government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to help Canadians adapt to a change climate. Helpful tips are given on what you can do to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and ways in which you can protect yourself from harmful effects.

Download Primer in PDF format (2.30MB)
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Version Française (1.9MB)
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Emissions Trading Primer

Pollution Probe is pleased to present this Primer on emissions trading. The objective of this primer is to give the public balanced and reasonably comprehensive information on a topic of current policy interest. The Primer contains sufficient detail to give the reader an idea of the concepts involved in emissions trading, as well as the basic principles and some of the details that govern actual trading systems.

Download Primer in PDF format (16.0MB)
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Primer on the Technologies of Renewable Energy

Pollution Probe is pleased to present this educational primer on renewable energy technologies. It has been developed to promote greater public understanding of the potential for shifting Canada's energy generation sources to cleaner and less greenhouse gas-intensive technologies.

Download Primer in PDF format (5.0MB)
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Download Primer in PDF format (5.0MB)
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Mercury in the Environment: A Primer

The purpose of Pollution Probe's Mercury Primer is to provide an overview of the presence and effects of mercury in the environment and its impacts on human health. The primer identifies where mercury is being used and released, the risks associated with exposure to mercury, and ways to help prevent mercury pollution. The primer also describes what governments, businesses and individuals are doing to eliminate the use of mercury and prevent its release to the environment.

Download Primer in PDF format (3.6MB)
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Drinking Water Primer

The current high level of public interest and concern about drinking water safety and quality makes this a timely publication. To foster improved understanding on the vital subject of ensuring clean and safe water, Pollution Probe is pleased to offer this Drinking Water Primer to the public.

Download Primer in PDF format (22MB)

Table of Contents - Chapter 1 (4.5MB)
Chapters 2 & 3 (5.1MB)
Chapters 4 & 5 (4.9MB)
Chapters 6 - 9 (8.0MB)

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The Smog Primer

The second in a series of Pollution Probe Primers, the Smog Primer has been developed to build public understanding of the sources of smog pollutants, their effects on human health, and the things we can do to reduce smog pollution and protect ourselves and our children from harm.

Download Primer in PDF format (1.9MB)
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Version française (3.2MB)
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