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Mr. Floatie's new gig: CO2 Man!


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#1 Holden West

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Posted 13 April 2007 - 07:46 PM

POSTED ON 13/04/07

'Mr. Floatie' takes on a different type of gas


SID TAFLER

Special to The Globe and Mail

VICTORIA -- In an age of icons and images, the person arguably most responsible for bringing a $1.2-billion sewage treatment program to Victoria would dress up as feces.

But "Mr. Floatie," a cheerful figure who popped up at public events, is unlikely to float away, even though the man behind the costume has taken on a new role.

Wearing a red cape and a yellow mask, CO2 Man, as he now calls himself, is using a similar form of street theatre, laced with reverse psychology, to take on the issue of global warming.

James Skwarok, 36, is a substitute teacher when he's dressed in street clothes. But as he zips around Government Street, he hands out coupons. The slips of paper encourage people to produce more carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas created by burning fossil fuels and believed to be a major contributor to global warming.

"I'm Stephen Harper's gas master," he tells a startled German tourist, waving a cardboard cutout of the Prime Minister. "I don't want to hear any more about the 'Coyote Protocol.' Let's build some more CO2s."

With a smile on his face and a red gasoline can in hand, he suddenly announces: "There's an SUV in trouble, I gotta go!" and rushes across the street.

Most people laugh at or pose for a picture with CO2 Man, but the satirical twist of his message is lost on one teenage boy, who tosses a coupon in the garbage, and shouts "Yeah, destroy the Earth!"

As Mr. Floatie, Mr. Skwarok showed up at more than 100 events in the past three years, including the arrival of a busload of cruise ship tourists, to spread the message that Victoria is dumping its untreated sewage into the ocean.

The politicians will take the credit -- or blame -- for the sewage treatment solution currently in the works. But the consensus among the environmentalists who worked on the scientific evidence is that Mr. Floatie gave the issue a public persona and helped put it on the political agenda.

"People didn't want to talk about it, but he opened the door and allowed us to have the conversation," said Christianne Wilhelmson, clean air and water program co-ordinator for the environmental group Georgia Strait Alliance.

Global warming seems like a much tougher challenge than treating sewage -- but not if you live in Victoria. The murky debate over sewage has been aerating in this city for more than a generation, and it still seems far from resolved, even though the B.C. government, citing environmental damage to seabed sites, ordered the capital region to produce a plan and a schedule for treatment by June 30 of this year.

Besides the hefty price tag and property tax increases, Victorians don't want treatment plants in their backyards. And many still echo the sentiments of former regional medical health officer Dr. Shaun Peck, who maintained in a recent opinion article that the current practice of piping sewage offshore to be diluted by the ocean is "highly effective environmentally and economically."

The sewage campaign was limited to Victoria -- though Mr. Floatie's antics were noticed in Ottawa, which committed to sharing the cost of treatment, and in Washington State, where residents don't appreciate the image of raw sewage pumped into waters that flow by their shores.

On the global warming issue, CO2 Man is looking to extend his influence across the country by deputizing CO2ies, or assistants, who can join the "molecular movement" by starting their own group and downloading large CO2 letters from his website to create campaign logos.

The CO2ies are encouraged to show up at public events, especially where global warming issues are being discussed. The prime target is the Harper government, criticized by activists for not taking a stronger position on capping greenhouse-gas emissions. "Support Harper's Hot Air Act," says a sign waved by one of CO2 Man's assistants in Victoria.Stepping up for change

CO2 Man and his CO2 sidekicks will join two parades along Government Street in Victoria on Saturday, which are part of several hundred events planned across North America for Step It Up, a day of action on climate change.

On the Web: stepitup2007.ca,

stepitup2007.org, or co2ies.ca
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-City of Victoria website, 2009

#2 josephelopod

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Posted 10 May 2007 - 06:31 PM

I've been in a couple of parades now with my kids as co2ies and it's been a pretty positive experience. a few people got outraged and were under the impression that we actually were pro ghg's. he's currently trying to colonzie Ottawa.

#3 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 10 May 2007 - 06:50 PM

Speaking of CO2, you can go to Canadian Tire and get one of these contraptions, it keeps mosquitos at bay for 1.5 acres by releasing warmed CO2 to emulate human breathing to attract the critter, then it kills them. Some would thing that's not very enviro-friendly.

Simulates mammal breathing through release of warmed carbon dioxide (CO2) as an attractant.


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#4 TheVisionary

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Posted 13 July 2007 - 12:03 AM

POSTED ON 13/04/07

'Mr. Floatie' takes on a different type of gas


SID TAFLER

Special to The Globe and Mail

VICTORIA -- In an age of icons and images, the person arguably most responsible for bringing a $1.2-billion sewage treatment program to Victoria would dress up as feces.

But "Mr. Floatie," a cheerful figure who popped up at public events, is unlikely to float away, even though the man behind the costume has taken on a new role.

Wearing a red cape and a yellow mask, CO2 Man, as he now calls himself, is using a similar form of street theatre, laced with reverse psychology, to take on the issue of global warming.

James Skwarok, 36, is a substitute teacher when he's dressed in street clothes. But as he zips around Government Street, he hands out coupons. The slips of paper encourage people to produce more carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas created by burning fossil fuels and believed to be a major contributor to global warming.

"I'm Stephen Harper's gas master," he tells a startled German tourist, waving a cardboard cutout of the Prime Minister. "I don't want to hear any more about the 'Coyote Protocol.' Let's build some more CO2s."

With a smile on his face and a red gasoline can in hand, he suddenly announces: "There's an SUV in trouble, I gotta go!" and rushes across the street.

Most people laugh at or pose for a picture with CO2 Man, but the satirical twist of his message is lost on one teenage boy, who tosses a coupon in the garbage, and shouts "Yeah, destroy the Earth!"

As Mr. Floatie, Mr. Skwarok showed up at more than 100 events in the past three years, including the arrival of a busload of cruise ship tourists, to spread the message that Victoria is dumping its untreated sewage into the ocean.

The politicians will take the credit -- or blame -- for the sewage treatment solution currently in the works. But the consensus among the environmentalists who worked on the scientific evidence is that Mr. Floatie gave the issue a public persona and helped put it on the political agenda.

"People didn't want to talk about it, but he opened the door and allowed us to have the conversation," said Christianne Wilhelmson, clean air and water program co-ordinator for the environmental group Georgia Strait Alliance.

Global warming seems like a much tougher challenge than treating sewage -- but not if you live in Victoria. The murky debate over sewage has been aerating in this city for more than a generation, and it still seems far from resolved, even though the B.C. government, citing environmental damage to seabed sites, ordered the capital region to produce a plan and a schedule for treatment by June 30 of this year.

Besides the hefty price tag and property tax increases, Victorians don't want treatment plants in their backyards. And many still echo the sentiments of former regional medical health officer Dr. Shaun Peck, who maintained in a recent opinion article that the current practice of piping sewage offshore to be diluted by the ocean is "highly effective environmentally and economically."

The sewage campaign was limited to Victoria -- though Mr. Floatie's antics were noticed in Ottawa, which committed to sharing the cost of treatment, and in Washington State, where residents don't appreciate the image of raw sewage pumped into waters that flow by their shores.

On the global warming issue, CO2 Man is looking to extend his influence across the country by deputizing CO2ies, or assistants, who can join the "molecular movement" by starting their own group and downloading large CO2 letters from his website to create campaign logos.

The CO2ies are encouraged to show up at public events, especially where global warming issues are being discussed. The prime target is the Harper government, criticized by activists for not taking a stronger position on capping greenhouse-gas emissions. "Support Harper's Hot Air Act," says a sign waved by one of CO2 Man's assistants in Victoria.Stepping up for change

CO2 Man and his CO2 sidekicks will join two parades along Government Street in Victoria on Saturday, which are part of several hundred events planned across North America for Step It Up, a day of action on climate change.

On the Web: stepitup2007.ca,

stepitup2007.org, or co2ies.ca


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Mr. Floatie is a 7 feet tall log of solid ****! How can he go from a solid into a gas like CO2? Refresh me on grade 9 chemistry. Wouldn't CO2 Man be an invisible mascot? An invisible mascot doesn't seem very effective, as mascots must be seen to do their jobs at attracting attention. :shock: :shock:

#5 Holden West

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Posted 18 July 2009 - 09:28 PM

Mr. Floatie has competition:

Rampaging toilet terrorizes children



"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#6 Phil McAvity

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Posted 18 July 2009 - 09:48 PM

It's pretty sad when a guy dressed up as a turd does a better job of convincing the public that we need sewage treatment over every scientific study ever commissioned on the subject. It's even sadder when that person is a substitute teacher-filling young impressionable minds with misinformation. :rolleyes:
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#7 sebberry

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Posted 18 July 2009 - 10:25 PM

Mr. Floatie is a 7 feet tall log of solid ****! How can he go from a solid into a gas like CO2?


Sublimation.. or something like that.

:P

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#8 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 28 April 2012 - 12:19 PM


A giant bronze sculpture of dog feces on display in Wroclaw, Poland has been erected to remind residents to pick up their dogs' feces. Gross or inspiring?

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#9 Old Esquimalt

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Posted 06 May 2017 - 08:05 AM

The only "floaties" we have from our present system are 7mm or smaller.  Everything else is screened out.

 

That's the diameter of a pencil eraser.

 

 
VIDEO: Victoria’s mascot, Mr. Floatie, officially relieved of duties

Shovels are in the ground for the $765-million sewage treatment plant.

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James Skwarok is flushed with excitement.

After more than a decade of doning the poop-shaped costume which has become known as Mr. Floatie, Skwarok is getting set to retire.

“I’m just grateful to be a part of a large movement of people who have been pushing really hard for treatment. We came from behind but we’ve made a difference,” Skwarok said, adding while he’s become attached to the costume, his wife is excited to see it go as it has lived in the couple’s closet for the past 13 years.

“It’s been a long road and I’m just happy to let go of it … I’ve made my mark on this town. It’s time for me to be relieved of my duties.”

 

 

Skwarok was originally part of a group called People Opposed to Outfall Pollution, who were looking to capture the public’s attention about Victoria’s practice of releasing sewage into the strait of Juan de Fuca.

Skwarok had recently seen an episode of South Park, which featured Mr. Hanky, the Christmas poo, when the idea came to him — How do you ignore a dancing, walking, talking piece of poop?

Running with the idea, he had a friend build the 13-pound costume — and Mr. Floatie was born. Since then, the mascot has become a popular advocate on both sides of the border and calling on Victoria to properly treat sewage that’s pumped into the ocean.

The practice sparked outrage in neighbouring communities. For the past decade, residents and advocates mainly from Seattle have threatened to boycott Victoria until the region steps up and begins to treat the sewage.

In 2012, the federal government passed a law requiring cities such as Victoria to provide secondary sewage treatment by 2020. Countless debates and consultations later, shovels now are in the ground to build the region’s $765-million wastewater treatment plant at McLoughlin Point.

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps, who is also the chair of the Core Area Liquid Waste Management committee, said Mr. Floatie helped raised awareness of the issue.

“When we can bring joy and fun to the problems we’re trying to solve, it makes solving them a little bit better,” she said. “I’m confident before December 2020, we will have an operational tertiary treatment plant in the region. There’s no turning back now.”

On Friday, Mr. Floatie, Helps and Tourism Victoria CEO and president Paul Nursey travelled to Seattle for Mr. Floatie’s retirement party hosted by Canadian Consul General James Hill.

 



#10 todd

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Posted 06 May 2017 - 10:15 AM

Bit early to even talk about retiring far from over yet. You know what I think.


Edited by todd, 06 May 2017 - 10:15 AM.


#11 North Shore

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Posted 06 May 2017 - 12:44 PM

Ironic conversion, considering that I'd heard that the 'new and improved' sewage treatment plant will produce *more* CO2 than the past method of treatment did...


Say, what's that mountain goat doing up here in the mist?

#12 Mike K.

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Posted 07 May 2017 - 12:54 PM

I think that's the point, he is now against the sewage treatment project.

I knew we'd eventually see eye to eye.
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