The Hidden Environmental Toll of Mining the World’s Sand

YaleEnvironment360
By far the largest mining endeavour globally is digging up sand, mainly for the concrete that goes into buildings. But this little-noticed and largely unregulated activity has serious costs — damaging rivers, wreaking havoc on coastal ecosystems, and even wiping away entire islands. Story here.

Sand mining in the Netherlands. Photo by GeraldM at Dutch Wikipedia
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Guess what folks? This already questionable practise is set to start up, big-time, here in my home province of Manitoba, too! And this one is for the even more disreputable purpose of FRACKING! You didn't know? Not surprising. Read on and weep. l.p.

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The Birdtail River meanders past a big gravel-mine in western Manitoba,
Canada. A PinP photo.

Surface water protection is well below global targets in over half of the world's countries, according to a new study. Story here. 

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Houses burn in the monster "Fort Mac" fire in Alberta, CA.
IMAGE CREDITS: TWITTER, INDIATODAY.

I was wilfully deluded until I began covering global warming, says David Wallace-Wells. But extreme heat could transform the planet by 2100. Story here.

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Photo by Laval U, Canada.

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Factory Farms Pollute the Environment and Poison Drinking Water

TRUTHOUT

The polar opposite of a factory farm.
A pig herder in Romania.
Photo by PetrS.

Hog waste can contain potentially dangerous pathogens, pharmaceuticals and chemicals. 
Story here.

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                                                   "In Hogs We Trust."  

A critique of Manitoba’s “runaway” hog industry.

By Larry Powell.

Part 1 - Antibiotic Overuse.

Part 11 - The price we pay for corporate pig$. 

Part 111 - From Malaysia to Manitoba - the global magnitude of livestock diseases.

Part 1V - The health and environmental costs of an expanded hog industry.

Part V - What’s behind Manitoba’s drive to expand? 

Buckle Up Folks - Getting to the East Side of Lake Winnipeg is Going to be a Lot More Dangerous by Road.

by Don Sullivan

Story here.

Jack Pine

I would encourage you all to take a few minutes out of your day today and email the Manitoba Minister of Sustainable Development at; minsdev@leg.gov.mb.ca and send a similar email that I have sent below. If necessary copy and paste the one that I sent below and add your name.

Dear Minister of Sustainable Development,

I am writing to address an urgent matter and seek clarification from you on this matter regarding File: 5991.00 - Canadian Premium Sand Inc. - Wanipigow Sand Extraction Project.

In its Environmental Act Proposal Submission, Canadian Premium Sand (The Company), indicates that they will, prior to receiving a Class 2 Licence for the entire project, undertake site clearing and infrastructure construction sometime in February/March 2019. ( EAP submission Part 1 Executive Summary)

The Company will need to receive works permits issued under the Crown Lands Act under Section 7(1)(c).

For the record I am strongly opposed to any such permit being issued to the Company for any such activity prior to an issuance of a Class 2 Licence under the Manitoba Environment Act.

We therefore seek clarification and a guarantee from you, as soon as possible, that no such permits will be issued by the government of Manitoba under any circumstance until the Company has obtained its Class 2 Licence under the Manitoba Environment Act.

Respectfully,