Worldwatch Mourns the Passing of Ray Anderson: Board Member, Champion of Sustainability, and Dear Friend

WorldWatch Institute Aug 11 '11

Washington, D.C.–The Worldwatch Institute is mourning the loss of Institute Board member and visionary business leader Ray Anderson, who died this week after a 20-month battle with cancer. Details here. 

Courtesy, the New York Times.

Climate of Denial - Can Science and the Truth Withstand the Merchants of Poison?

Rolling Stone Politics - by Al Gore

The first time I remember hearing the question "is it real?" was when I went as a young boy to see a traveling show. Details here.

The River Always Wins

Aug 8 The Dominion  Miles Howe

FREDERICTON—Over 1,500 people from across New Brunswick & beyond take to the streets to oppose fracking... Details here.

PLT: Gee I don't recall seeing any coverage of this in the mainstream media (MSM)! Surprise!

Help Convince Canada to do the Right Thing About Asbestos!

   
Dear Larry ,
We are asking you to show solidarity with asbestos victims in the Third World and support the campaign to demand the Canadian government ban asbestos mining and exports. Asbestos kills over 100,000 people every year, and Canada is a major player in the death-dealing industry.
In a change of tactics, we’re not targeting all Conservative Members of Parliament (MPs) - but just one. A number of other like-minded organizations are also ‘adopting’ a MP and focusing their efforts on convincing him/her what their party is doing is wrong, unethical and immoral.
In our case – we have chosen to focus our efforts on the Federal Environment Minister, the Hon. Peter Kent, MP for Thornhill, Ontario.
Peter is an intelligent guy and knows what his government is doing is wrong. We need to encourage him to support an end to Canada’s mining and export of asbestos. Peter and his government can prevent thousands of cases of cancer if they only do what’s right.
Here is what we’re asking you to do:

1. Send a letter to Peter Kent (peter.kent@parl.gc.ca). See “Key Messages” below.
2. Mail a copy of your letter to his office: House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 (no postage is required).
3. Twitter him also (@mppeterkent). His Twitter stream is here.
4. Post your thoughts on his Facebook Wall
5. Call his Ottawa office (613-992-0253) and ask to speak with him. Keep calling until he, or a representative from his office, returns your call.
6. If you live in the Toronto area, call and ask to schedule a meeting with him (905-886-9911). Don’t take no for an answer! You can also visit his constituency office: 7600 Yonge St., Thornhill, Ontario, L4J 1V9

Please keep us informed of your efforts – we’d really appreciate it!
Key Messages:

• According to the World Health Organization, more than 107,000 people die each year from asbestos-related disease.
• Asbestos is the "perfect carcinogen" as it acts as both a promoter and initiator of cancer.
• Exposure to asbestos has been linked to several diseases including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
• At the recent conference of the UN Rotterdam Convention in Geneva, the Harper government single-handedly prevented asbestos from being put on the Convention’s list of hazardous substances.
• Newly released documents show that back in 2006 the Canadian government rejected advice from Health Canada that asbestos be added to the UN list of hazardous substances.
• Billions of dollars will be spent over the next 20 years to remove asbestos from our Parliament Buildings because it's a cancer-causing substance.
• Canada mines and ships the majority of its asbestos to the Third World, particularly Asia. The world's leading experts predict that the sharp increase in asbestos use in Asia will see a surge of mortality and morbidity in the decades ahead.

Thank you for your consideration!
Sincerely,
John Bennett, Executive Director
Sierra Club Canada
jb@sierraclub.ca
Follow John Bennett on Twitter
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PLEASE ALSO READ: "Harper Disgraces us all Once Again."

Food Safety is Leaving Town - Please Sign Petition!

Food Safety First Aug 10'11

PLT photo  After decades of protecting consumers against dangerous products, federal food safety inspectors are being pulled out of meat plants that produce for local citizens in BC, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Details here.

An Enlightened U.S. Senator Warns us About the Ill-Conceived Keystyone XL Pipeline (Video)

Feds Fund Cargill for Waste Processing at High River

Manitoba Co-Operator

The federal government has announced a grant of $10 million to Cargill Meat Solutions for its plant at High River, Alberta. Details here.          PLT photo 

PLT: While one might welcome the fact that this money will go toward pollution control, it is one more indication that Canada has no plan whatsoever to embrace the "polluters pay" principle. Why should Canadian taxpayers be paying for what Cargill ought to be doing itself? What is even worse - Canada is poised to slash the number of food inspectors  in the name of Harper's holy crusade to hack and slash the deficit. I wonder if the situation described in my earlier blog post, "Cargill Meat Recall in the 'States," will now become even more common here?

Extreme Weather Threatens the World's Forests - United Nations

Improved forest management needed.
9 August 2011, Rome - Extreme weather events and natural disasters will pose an increasing threat to the world's forests…Details here.

PLT photo

The Secret Minds of Bees

By Kim Tingley - OnEarth - a Survival Guide for the Planet - Jul.29/11

These insects may experience emotions similar to our own. Details here.

Block the Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline

RAINFOREST Action Network  If TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline is approved, close to 1 million barrels of thick tar sands crude will flow each day at high pressure from Canada through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and all the way to Texas, threatening countless communities and over 2000 waterways, including America's largest under ground water source—the Ogallala Aquifer. Tell President Obama to block the Keystone XL oil pipeline. TAKE ACTION HERE.

The Mounting Cost of Doing Nothing

 by Larry Powell

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A tractor located in a market garden east of Lumsden, Saskatchewan, sits in water in the Qu'Appelle Valley town northwest of Regina on April 17, 2011. Water-logged Prairie farmers and ranchers are to receive $448 million to help deal with devastating flood damage, Thursday Aug 4, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Roy Antal