Thursday, October 3, 2013

Court Rules Alberta Improperly Excluded Pembina Institute From Oilsands Regulatory Process

Pembina Institute

EDMONTON — Alberta’s Court of Queen’s Bench has quashed a government decision not to allow the Pembina Institute and the Fort McMurray Environmental Association to participate in the regulatory review of a proposed oilsands project. Full story here.

Monday, September 30, 2013

A Mine, a Movement And a Town Divided

The Tyee

In Mexico, local resistance to Canadian mining companies is growing as the industry booms. Full story here.

Related: CONFLICT DOGS CANADIAN MINING ABROAD

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Save the Bees! Let Home Hardware and Lowe's Know You Won't Take it Anymore!

Larry,
Home Depot and Lowe’s still haven’t committed to stop selling the pesticides that are killing the bees -- and now it’s time to up the pressure.
A new report by our allies at Friends of the Earth reveals that more than half of the “bee-friendly” home garden plants sold at stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s actually contain bee-killing pesticides called neonics -- with no warning to consumers!
Nearly 125,000 of us have asked Home Depot and Lowe’s to stop selling pre-poisoned plants and bee-killing pesticides. But so far, neither company has responded. Now, we need to up the buzz to protect the bees.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    PLT photo

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Keystone XL's Ugly Toll on America's Endangered Species

Huffington Post

Much of the debate over the Keystone XL pipeline has rightly been focused on the staggering damage it'll do to our climate. Details here.

Western Prairie Fringed Orchid. 
Photo Credit - US Fish & Wildlife


Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Beyond the Birds and the Bees

The Xerces Society

Effects of "neonic" insecticides on agriculturally important beneficial insects. Details here.

Unidentified pollinator. PLT photo. 

Apple Turnover - How This "Supercool" Tech Giant Plays Fast & Loose With the Environment

George Monbiot

Apple offers 21st Century technology – with 19th Century ethics. Full story here.

Writer Knocks Manitoba Government for "Disgusting" Response to Arsenic Issue

Dear Editor:

Complacency about water safety thrives in Manitoba.

What are we putting into our water ?
PLT photo
We are putting toxic waste (poison) into our water. Toxic = dangerous, immediate or long term effects. In the absence of scientific research, no one should simply claim those products are safe and acceptable, then allow them to be discarded into a water source.

There is absolutely no legitimate government interest
fulfilled, by allowing arsenic, lead and other contaminants 
into a water source. Yet, that is exactly what is happening!
The town of Virden, Manitoba, for instance, has been issued 
a  licence by the province  to dump arsenic taken from the 
water treatment plant, into a surface water source, which
downstream, enters into the Assiniboine River.

The questions then that need to be answered are:
Why does government, the province of Manitoba 
condone and permit such a disdainful action?

Why are the long-term health risks from chronic exposure
to arsenic being ignored? Why are we being valued
as subjects, used in an experimental laboratory?

Why is this human impact allowed?

Why are people being complacent and not speaking
out on this travesty and mockery to our personal health 
and the health of water, the life blood of all living creatures.?

This is a shameful and disgusting act against humans
and our most precious resource. It's time that the
public retaliated; put aside its complacency, and 
started voicing  its opposition to the province. 

The government's lack of moral and humane principles 
must be challenged.  Arsenic is a deadly poison and warrants 
extreme respect, not defensive political bafflegab.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Wake Up! Make Agriculture Truly Sustainable - UNCTAD

United Nations Conference on Trade & Development


The world needs "a rapid and significant shift from conventional, monoculture-based and high external-input-dependent industrial production towards mosaics of sustainable, regenerative production systems." Full story here.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Climate Change: IPCC Cites Global Temperature Rise Over Last Century

The Guardian

More than half a trillion tonnes of carbon have been burned since the industrial revolution, according to an IPCC report. Full story here.

PLT: What doesn't get burned, gets spilled!

A Beloved Canadian Chocolate Bar Disappears From the Market. By Ian Austen

The New York Times The rush to buy Canadian products that was set off by President Trump’s  trade war  shows little sign of abating. But sho...