PLANET IN PERIL

Department of Natural Resources - Apr. 18'11 Nova Scotians are being asked to help slow the spread of a lethal bat disease, called white-nose syndrome.      Details here. Little Brown Bat (courtesy PlanetSave)

For over 40 years, Earth Day has served as a call to action, mobilizing individuals and organizations around the world to address these challenges. This year Nourishing the Planet highlights agriculture—often blamed as a driver of environmental problems—as an emerging solution. Details here.

International Rivers - Apr 21 '11 Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia have now agreed that the decision on the Xayaburi Dam be deferred and elevated to the Ministerial level. The decision brings a much needed, if temporary, reprieve to the mighty Mekong River. Details here. Please also read: Dam Construction Is Set to Destroy the 'Mother of all Rivers' 

By: Staff Writer Wpg Free Press Apr 21 - '11 The Manitoba government rolled out its new electric vehicle policy today to get more clean energy cars on the road. Energy and Mines Minister Dave Chomiak said the province will also sign another memorandum of understanding with Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada to use the province as a testing ground for its i-MiEV electric vehicle. Mitsubishi has already signed a deal to develop electric-powered buses with New Flyer. Koji Soga, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada said his company was delighted to be working with the province. The company is bringing two of its i-MiEVs to the province for testing. The province is also creating an advisory committee on how electric transporation can be safely and economically introduced to the province. Chomiak said electric vehicles will never be mass-produced in Manitoba, but that the province can be involved in the developing the techology for reliable electric transporation.

*by Sam Burcher - Agroecology Offers Real Solutions to World Hunger After Decades of GM Hype The Via Campesina (the Peasants’ way) is emerging as a potentially powerful international movement mobilizing resistance against the GM Corporations, which have consolidated their agro-chemical companies into just five major global players; Monsanto, Bayer, BASF, Syngenta and Dupont. A recent report by the Friends of the Earth (FOE) 1 has highlighted the struggle between the two forces for control of the seeds. On one side are the 1.5 million members of the Via Campesina, who are demanding food sovereignty or the right to grow healthy food from local, time-honoured seeds.  On the opposing side are the mega Corporations, which have gained so much power through patents on GM seeds.