By the Numbers: International Earth Day – Canadian consumption facts

Ottawa – April 21, 2013 – More than 6 million Canadians join 500 million people in over 180 countries to celebrate Earth Day on April 22^nd.

Every year the average Canadian throws out 23 kg of household hazardous waste (HHW), such as paint, solvents, batteries, fertilizers, pesticides, etc.

Canadians throw away 1.7 disposable diapers every year. Canada consumes 65,000 tons of pulp, 8,800 tons of plastic and 9,800 tons of packaging material according to Environment Canada.

Canada ranks fourth highest in terms of per capita consumption of electricity, approximately 17,000 kWh per year according to statistics from World Bank Organization. The good thing is that most of the electricity comes from non-emitting sources, particularly by exploiting the hydroelectric potential. Only 18.1 percent comes from fossil fuels; whereas the US gets half of its power from emitting sources and China around 80 percent.

According to Environment Canada the average daily water use dropped from 342 litres per person in 1991 to 274 litres per person in 2009. Canada’s per capita water consumption is almost double the amount used in France.

It takes water to make everything! Twenty gallons of water to make a beer, 37 for a cup of coffee, 480 for a bike, and 39,000 gallons to make a car. (Earth Day Canada)

Canada’s greenhouse gas emission reached 690 mega tonnes in 2010, a 17 percent increase since 1990. From 1985 to 2009 the total emission of harmful air contaminants, produced from industrial processes and burning fossil fuels, were on a downward trend. Sulphur oxides decreased 60 percent, carbon monoxide decreased 43 percent, and nitrogen oxides decreased 18 percent.

According to World Bank statistics, Canada has 607 vehicles for every 1,000 people. Although behind the Netherlands Antilles (1214 vehicles per 1,000 people), and the US (820), Canada’s use of automobiles is still big enough to be a significant source of greenhouse gas emission.

According to Environment Canada, from 2002 to 2008, municipal solid waste disposal increased slightly from 769 kilograms to 777 kilograms per capita. By weight, organic materials accounted for the largest proportion of waste diversion (29%); followed by cardboard and boxboard (17%), and newsprint (13%).

A single spam message produces the equivalent of 0.3 grams of carbon dioxide. 62 trillion spam emails are sent each year!

Source: World Bank Organization, Environment Canada – Human Activity and the Environment 2012