Public perceptions Making biomass the intuitive solution ’ve been to a enough biomass confer-ences to have a basic understanding of one of the industry’s largest hurdle: public opinion. A speaker at the recent BioCleantech Forum explained the chal-lenge of public opinion well. Most technologies relating to biomass are rel-atively new, he said, and as with all new technolo-gies they must be tested, and often fail. But in this industry, when technolo-gies fail, they fail spectacu-larly in the public spotlight. I’ve been in the media business long enough to understand that the news cycle is a constantly hungry beast that responds to public demands. The public wants a solution to climate change, but they don’t want to pay for it, and they don’t want to be misled. It’s big news when any of the above happens because of a biomass technology. That makes it understandable when industry players prefer to keep a low profile. Yet we should be doing the exact opposite. To get our spot on stage we need to feed the beast. Share your story with the media. Yes, share with us at Canadian Biomass , but also with your local newspaper and national news sources. Worst-case scenario, you write a few emails and make a few calls that are ignored by busy reporters. Best-case scenario, story by story the public gains an understanding of what biomass companies can do, and are doing, to help offset carbon emissions and build a greener Earth. There are many people on your side who are ready to help. The associations in the biomass industry all want to see your company succeed. This industry is too new for players not to be engaged. BIOMASS CANADIAN Volume 16 No. 6 Editor -Andrew Snook (905) 713-4301 [email protected] Editor -Maria Church (416) 510-5143 [email protected] Contributors -Gordon Murray, Taylor Fredericks, Dan Shell, Mahmood Ebadian, Ryan Jacobson, Fahimeh Yazdan-panah, Shahab Sokhansanj. Editorial Director/Group Publisher -Scott Jamieson (519) 429-3966 ext 244 [email protected] Market Production Manager Josée Crevier Ph: (514) 425-0025 Fax: (514) 425-0068 [email protected] National Sales Manager Ross Anderson Ph: (519) 429-5188 Fax: (519) 429-3094 [email protected] Quebec Sales Josée Crevier Ph: (514) 425-0025 Fax: (514) 425-0068 [email protected] Western Sales Manager Tim Shaddick [email protected] Ph: (604) 264-1158 Fax: (604) 264-1367 Media Designer -Brooke Shaw Circulation Manager Carol Nixon – [email protected] 450-458-0461 Canadian Biomass is published six times a year: February, April, June, August, October, and December. Published and printed by Annex Business Media. Publication Mail Agreement # 40065710 Printed in Canada ISSN 2290-3097 Subscription Rates: Canada -1 Yr $49.50; 2 Yr $87.50; 3 Yr $118.50 Single Copy -$9.00 (Canadian prices do not include applicable taxes) USA – 1 Yr $60 US; Foreign – 1 Yr $77 US CIRCULATION Tel: (416) 442-5600 ext 3552 Fax: (416) 510-5170 [email protected] 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Occasionally, Canadian Biomass magazine will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above. No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’ s written permission ©2016 Annex Business Media, All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions. All advertising is subject to the publisher’ s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of the publication. FEBRUARY 2016 www.canadianbiomassmagazine.ca I The forest industry, too, is tuned into climate change. Natural Resources Canada’s 2016 State of Canada’s Forests annual report, released in September, is themed around climate change. (cfs.nrcan. gc.ca/stateoftheforests.) “Using wood-based bio-fuels for heat and power can be a cost-competitive, economically sustainable and reliable alternative to non-renewable energy sources,” the report states. The authors spotlight Whitesand First Nation, an off-grid community 250 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Ont., where a plan is in place to build a pellet man-ufacturing plant and a heat and power biomass facility. Another interesting note in the report speaks to public perception of woody biomass: “Given the current and projected impacts of climate change on Canada’s forests, it may seem counterintu-itive to think that forests can also be part of the climate change solution. However, the carbon-storing capacity of forests, together with the ability of wood products to replace fossil-fuel-intensive products, can contribute to keeping CO 2 out of the atmosphere.” While government has an important role to play in setting policy direction to grow Canada’s bioeconomy, the role of bio-mass companies must include educating the public about that “counterintuitive” solution. Story by story, companies can perhaps change the public’s mindset to make biomass an intuitive solution. Maria Church, Editor 4 Canadian BIOMASS
Canadian Biomass November December 2016: Page 4
