Latest news with #UPEI
Hamilton Spectator
8 hours ago
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
P.E.I. precipitation no longer in the range considered acid rain
After an air-quality agreement Canada signed in the 1990s, P.E.I.'s precipitation no longer falls into the range of acid rain. A few decades ago, there were concerns about precipitation quality in the eastern half of North America, including Prince Edward Island, with severe acid rain recorded throughout the region. In 1991, the federal government signed the Canada-United States Air Quality Agreement , and many North American industries began to focus on creating products that were more sustainable for the environment. In a phone interview with The Guardian on July 4, UPEI biology professor Michael van den Heuvel explained the significance of the air quality agreement. 'While it was particularly about protecting the waters of the Great Lakes, that agreement was to reduce sulphur and nitrogen compounds,' he said. Acid rain may not be making the news anymore, but Prince Edward Island is still monitoring it. Acid rain is a phenomenon that includes any form of precipitation with acidic components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid, that falls to the ground from the atmosphere in wet or dry forms. To improve air and water quality, industrial factories began to separate the sulphur compound by what is known as a scrubber, said van den Heuvel. 'It turns into gypsum, the same stuff in some people's walls. They were able to obtain quite dramatic reductions of sulphur very quickly, which was the main form of acid rain,' he added. While acid rain still can occur occasionally, it is less severe than it used to be, said van den Heuvel. P.E.I. has never had major impacts from acid rain, van den Heuvel said. It all has to do with the geology, he added. Because P.E.I.'s groundwater contains fair amounts of calcium and magnesium, it has been able to resist the acidic changes within the soil, said van den Heuvel. Emily Vanlderstine, the province's air and water monitoring supervisor, said while acid rain can have effects on freshwater aquatic species, including fish, amphibians and invertebrates sensitive to changes in pH, the water in P.E.I. helps protect these species. 'P.E.I.'s naturally alkaline waters help buffer the effects of acid rain, reducing its impact on wildlife. The alkaline conditions help neutralize acidity, so species found in P.E.I. waters are generally less affected compared to areas with lower pH levels,' she said. Vanlderstine said acid rain could also include forms of snow, fog, hail, or even acidic dust. 'Acidity and alkalinity are measured using a potential of hydrogen scale for which 7.0 is neutral. The lower a substance's pH (less than 7), the more acidic it is. The higher a substance's pH (greater than 7), the more alkaline it is,' she said. Normal rain consists of a pH of 5.6 due to the dissolving of carbon dioxide, forming weak carbonic acid, Vanlderstine said. She added that acid rain usually has a pH ranging between 4.2 and 4.4. In P.E.I., precipitation samples are collected at the Southampton air monitoring station at the eastern P.E.I. forestry office. The monitoring station is equipped with a collection system that gathers and stores precipitation for measurement, Vanlderstine said. A bucket is used to collect rainfall and other forms of precipitation, allowing for an accurate assessment of the accumulated volume, she added. 'Each week, the collected precipitation is transferred to sample bottles and sent to the P.E.I. analytical lab for chemical analysis,' Vanlderstine said. The station also features an automated sensor that detects precipitation events. 'When precipitation begins, the sensor triggers the opening of a protective lid, allowing rainfall and other precipitation to enter the collection bucket. Once precipitation stops, the lid automatically closes to prevent contamination,' Vanlderstine said. The average pH in 2024 was 6.1, Vanlderstine said. At this level, the acidity is mild and unlikely to cause significant harm to the environment, she added. 'Once a week, precipitation samples are collected and tested for pH along with several other parameters,' she said. Since 1982, samples have been collected to store and monitor the atmosphere above P.E.I. 'The annual average pH value has increased from 4.8 in 2004 to 6.1 in 2022. The average pH for the last five years is 6.2,' she said. Acid rain results when sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) are emitted into the atmosphere and transported by wind and air currents, Vanlderstine said. 'The sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. These then mix with water and other materials before falling to the ground,' she said. The major sources of SO2 and NOX in the atmosphere are the burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity, vehicles and heavy equipment emissions, manufacturing, oil refineries and other industries. Yutaro Sasaki is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter, a position funded by the federal government. He can be reached at ysasaki@ and followed on X @PEyutarosasaki . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CBC
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Hundreds gather in downtown Charlottetown for 2025 Pride parade
Social Sharing Hundreds of Island residents gathered on the streets of Charlottetown Saturday to take part in and watch the 2025 Pride parade. Brenda Roach, who was born and raised on P.E.I., said Pride celebrations have come a long way since she first came out in the 1990s. "It wasn't well received, and we fought a lot for the kids coming in today," she said. "It's changed an awful lot, a lot more people are out celebrating, it's not as closed off as it was, and we have all ages celebrating now." Roach said the Pride parade has grown exponentially in size. She said the first one she attended lasted five minutes, compared to 30 minutes for today's one. A group of UPEI engineering students had a float in the parade, but had to put their skills to good use when strong winds necessitated troubleshooting. "We pretty well had to rebuild [the float], so I was pretty well in the truck bed and just having to put knots together for like an hour, and I was really stressed because I didn't want it to break," said Ethan Drake. "But we went through the whole parade with no issues, so I was really happy about that." Heather Doran marched in the parade as part of a group from the Confederation Court Mall. She said she has been attending the Pride parade since 1991. Doran said she has a nibling — which is a gender-neutral term for a niece or nephew — and godchild who is trans and non-binary. "It's personal for me, and it's just so exciting to see the community come out and support the queer community," said Doran. Doran said there was amazing energy, with many people yelling "Happy Pride!" and dancing. "It's sometimes hard for people who have to fight for their rights all the time," she said. "It's nice to have everyone come together and have a chance to celebrate once a year."
CBC
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
P.E.I. couple buys 100-year-old piano that's a part of history, including their own
A century-old piano that spent decades at the University of Prince Edward Island now has a deserving new home with a family who also has a history with the instrument. The 1925 Steinway and Sons model O baby grand piano had a long tenure in UPEI's music department, where countless students practised and performed on it over the years. That's why Rory O'Donnell could hardly believe his luck when he noticed in the spring that it was going up for bid through the university's procurement system. Luckier still, UPEI called to say his was the winning bid on the piano, which now sits in the living room of his Stratford home. "I would compare it to … winning the lottery. It was like, 'Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, we got a Steinway,'" O'Donnell recalled. "The first thing I did when I got off the phone with them was call my wife and let her know, and we were both ecstatic. The first thing she said was, 'We're getting rid of the dining room table.'" O'Donnell and his wife, Hannah, had good reason to rearrange some furniture to accommodate the Steinway. The music program at UPEI is where the two met. They've made music together ever since, along with two daughters — five-year-old Aoife and Maeve, 2. Rory and Hannah both still perform and teach music to their daughters and students, so the chance to own the piano that was so formative in their own education was too good to pass up. "It was kind of like a friend for generations of music students, some of whom are no longer with us, and the knowledge that they would've played this piano too is really special," Hannah said. "It feels like more than just an instrument. It really feels like a living thing." 'It's priceless to us' Founded in 1853, Steinway and Sons are world-renowned for producing high-quality pianos — and they typically don't come cheap. Prices can range from tens of thousands of dollars up to several hundred thousand for rare models. Rory said he put in a bid he could live with for UPEI's baby grand. In the end, though, using it to foster the family's love of music right in their own living room is something he can't put a price on. "The fact that we can make this a part of our family and something that we can pass down to our daughters and something they can pass down," he said. "It's more than just an instrument, it's priceless to us." Most mornings, Hannah and Rory can hear Aoife in the living room, coaxing Ode to Joy or Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star from the ivories. Other times, her parents help her play Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan. While the five-year-old may not yet realize that she's making music on a piece of history, she does understand one thing — the piano was worth sacrificing the dining room table for. "I like playing on pianos," Aoife said.
CBC
17-07-2025
- Science
- CBC
Researchers at UPEI-based climate centre want to have more coastal conversations with you
UPEI is hosting free public education sessions on climate change on Prince Edward Island. The series digs into the challenges and solutions shaping the changing coastline. What can you expect? CBC's Louise Martin asked Catherine Kennedy, from the UPEI School of Climate Change and Adaption in St. Peter's Bay.
CBC
14-07-2025
- Science
- CBC
Potato-virus robot being honed for a 2nd summer, to do a job fewer humans are applying for on P.E.I.
A robot that's being designed to check potato plants for viruses is back for a second summer, and its creators at UPEI say the new version is faster and even works at night. The AgriScout can replace humans who walk through the fields looking for disease, who have been hard to hire in recent years. CBC's Nancy Russell takes us to a potato field to find out more.
