Ice Storm '98 will always be remembered by the millions of people across Ontario and Quebec who weathered the storm. This was one of the biggest and costliest natural disasters ever to hit Canada. A blanket of ice, due to six days of freezing rain, covered everything including hydro wires, towers and poles.

LPB Poles Inc. surpassed the normal role of a company producing wood utility poles. The Masson-Angers, Quebec company recognized the value of looking at the complete life-cycle of its products. As a result, it explored new uses for wood utility poles that have completed their service life.

In British Columbia, 5,000 to 6,000 retired poles are removed each year from the Lower Mainland. With environmental responsibility high on the corporate agenda, utility companies are weighing the relative costs and benefits of recycling - and carefully considering their choice of replacement poles. This article examines how an upstart company, B.C. Wood Recycling Ltd., is helping BC Tel and B.C. Hydro save thousands of dollars in landfill discharge fees while building their image as environmentally responsible corporate citizens.

As the current environmental movement continues to grow and expand into new areas of awareness concerning the health of our planet and its inhabitants, we are faced with daily additions to the enormous database already compiled by government, science, industry, associations and individuals. To date, coupled with the careful interpretation and use of the information contained in this database, Canadians have made tremendous progress towards ensuring the sustainability of our environment. Unfortunately, not all of the information in our "environmental database" is collected, analyzed or reviewed in the same manner...