How IoT Devices Can Be Used to Collect Environmental Data

For over 25 years now, Michael McPhie has held key leadership roles in various organizations in the natural resources sector in British Columbia, Canada, and other parts of the world. A founding partner at Falkirk Environmental Consultants, Ltd., Michael McPhie is also the former Chair of the Board of Governors of the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).

Four Diploma students belonging to BCIT’s Computer Systems Technology have learned that the Internet of Things (IoT) can be used to collect environmental data. In their study, IoT sensors can transfer data using a network without the need for human-to-computer or human-to-human intervention.

During the study, the students placed a total of eight IoT devices in their homes to collect and monitor environmental data. IoT devices collected data on humidity, temperature, volumes of CO2, and volatility of organic compounds in the atmosphere. The data were compiled and transmitted to a dashboard every 15 minutes to allow the students to conduct their analyses.

When they compared their analyses, the students found out that one of the IoT devices measured the Total Volatile Organic Compound (TVOC) at a level that is 400 times over the safe limits. The IoT device that measured this data was placed on an area where there is an abundance of molds, in one of the student’s window sills. When the window sill was cleaned with bleach, the IoT device recorded safe levels of TVOC.

The Role of Minerals in Medical Advances

Michael McPhie has an extensive background in energy policy and the management of extractive mining operations within British Columbia and across Canada. As an environmental consultant, Michael McPhie advises partners about the best way to approach mining projects in terms of regulatory and sustainability practices.

Mining is a crucial activity in most developed nations not only to supply industry with necessary materials for production and advancement but also to support the medical sector in various ways.
Copper is an increasingly important metal in the creation of medical equipment due to its antimicrobial properties. It is the only solid metal registered as an antimicrobial touch surface with the Environmental Protection Agency.

Silver is another critical metal for medical applications. It also has antimicrobial properties and it’s used to create bacteriostatic bandages and in many life-saving procedures. The use of gold is also widespread in the technology industry but it's especially important in the medical field. Devices such as CAT scans and pacemakers rely on gold parts to function and it’s used in the treatments of some illnesses.

Maintaining and supporting a thriving mineral extraction industry is crucial to preserve the continuous advancement of these and many other medical applications.

Mining Reform Law in British Columbia

Michael McPhie has worked in the mining industry on the side of advocating for environmental policy that would include the input of indigenous people, some who are most affected by mining activities. Michael McPhie is a co-founder of Falkirk Environmental Consultants, Ltd., a venture that focuses on mining and mineral exploration with an emphasis on permitting and regulatory affairs.

Those in the industry have more support in the way of legislation in protecting the environment while allowing for mining and exploration in Canada. In May 2019, Canadian lawmakers established the BC Mining Reform Law, which more closely regulates mining activities in the area.

The law takes into account all of the stakeholders involved with the industry. In fact, the law establishes a protocol for getting permission (through United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous People clause) from indigenous people, and more importantly, it requires that environmental assessments are completed upon request of indigenous people.

The law establishes setting up an independent compliance and enforcement unit whose sole purpose is to protect the environment. This group would be charged with fining (cumulative) repeat offenders and would be responsible for making public all mining environmental data and all written decisions for approvals and denials of mining activities and also allowing for citizen suit for environmental violations.

The law also makes provisions for making polluters responsible for activities. The law uses the “polluter pays” principle and requires that mining companies have insurance for unplanned events and provide for clean-up and reclamation. When there is an accident, the law provides for an independent claims process to settle disputes over third-party compensation for pollution events.

Mining Sector Has Critical Role in BC’s 2040 Zero-Emissions Target

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Business executive Michael McPhie serves as the vice president of sustainability and external affairs at Talisker Resources Ltd. in Vancouver, Canada. A qualified environmental professional, Michael McPhie is particularly interested in environmental issues.

About two-thirds of British Columbians believe that the mineral exploration and mining industries have critical roles to play in the attainment of the 2040 zero-emissions target. A survey conducted by Research Co. found that although British Columbians have different opinions on resource development, they believe that a sustainable future is achievable through minerals that are useful for climate solutions.

The 2040 zero-emissions target started last year after approval of the program by the British Columbia legislature. The program requires that by 2040, all light cars and trucks sold in British Columbia must be zero-emission vehicles.

Also in the survey, two-thirds of respondents who prioritize economic growth said that mineral exploration and mining industries are key to the zero-emissions target since these industries provide the raw materials needed in transitioning to low-carbon technologies. A majority of those who prioritize environmental protection also recognize the critical role of these industries in achieving the zero-emissions target.

Factors in Investing in Canadian Commodities

British Columbia resident Michael McPhie has spent most of his career in Canada’s exploration and mining industry. Michael McPhie has been involved in several projects related to mining the country’s vast mineral resources. The Canadian commodities market is rife with opportunities for investors to benefit.

As a country, Canada has the world’s second-largest land mass and what is considered the seventh-largest economy. The country’s energy exports are comprised mostly of energy commodities (oil, natural gas, gold, maple syrup, and coal). In terms of minerals, the country ranks No. 5 in mining (potash, gold, diamonds, nickel, and titanium, among others).

Novices to the commodities market can invest in a few ways. Of course, with enough research, prospective investors can directly purchase stock in the number of mining and extracting companies in the country. Investors to the market can also place their money in exchange traded funds (ETFs) and American depositary receipts (ADRs). Both types of funds include a broad range of stocks and bonds over an industry.

Each has its own benefits, in addition to providing investors with a breadth of stock and bond picks, with ETFs being able to track both the economy and individual companies, and ADRs allowing the purchase of individual companies without requiring a foreign exchange. Popular ETFs include Canada Energy Income, MSCI Index Fund, and IQ Canada Small Cap, among others. ADR funds include Bank of Montreal, Canada Natural Resource, Ltd., and Brookfield Properties, Inc.