Is Fear a Useful Tool in Communicating Climate Change Issues?

Lk. Manitoba - 2011 - PLT photo.

Listen to this excellent debate on CBC Radio's, The Current, here.

Canadians Turn Up The Heat Against The Northern Gateway Tar Sands Pipeline

Climate Progress

Residents of Kitimat, B.C. — the last stop of the proposed pipeline’s route —voted no to the pipeline’s construction…Full story here.

Rex Does it Again!

In the wake of the latest, earth-shattering reports from the IPCC about the grave implications of climate change and the need for drastic and immediate, remedial action to prevent further disaster, (see 2 recent blogposts, below) Rex Murphy chooses the passing of Canada's previous Finance Minister as the topic for today's "Cross-Country Checkup" on CBC Radio. As if that topic, as sad, tragic and newsworthy as it was, had not been exhaustively covered already. 

As many of us will know by now, Rex gets paid to speak to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), to tell them what they want to hear.

Rex Murphy caricature courtesy 

of By the Bay Art Studio

If Rex's climate-denying bias is the reason behind this blatant oversight, perhaps it is time for him to step down and make way for someone more objective and capable of better news judgement. 

PLT

Climate Panel Stunner: Avoiding Climate Catastrophe Is Super Cheap — But Only If We Act Now

Climate Progress

Sunset over Manitoba. PLT photo.

The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has just issued its third of four planned reports. This one is on “mitigation” — “human intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases.” Details here.

A Prayer for Earth Day

Logging our dwindling forests. PLT photo.

Forgive us, oh Lord, for the profound harm we mortals are inflicting on Thy sacred creation, Mother Earth. Our reckless burning of fossil fuels is contributing to catastrophic climate change which, as we speak, is attacking many parts of Thy planet, upon which Thou hast so graciously permitted us to dwell. 

Bestow upon us all, oh Lord, the eco-wisdom we will need to radically change our behaviour, so that we no longer threaten just our own kind, but the lowly wild creatures with which we also share the humble home you have so graciously provided for us all. Help us to avert and lessen the dangers we have so thoughtlessly created,  which now threaten the very safety, security and survival of future human generations - our children and our grandchildren. 

Forgive us, oh Lord, for we know not what we do. 

In Jesus name. Amen.

PLT

Get involved with Earth Day, (April 22nd) here!

Greener Consumers Part of the Big Plan For Manitoba Hydro

Winnipeg Free Press

Utility set to ratchet up domestic conservation. Details here.

PLT photo

Q Essay: We Need Another Dose of Inconvenient Truth

Check out Jian's message here. 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr: Canada Used to Be Our Moral Paradigm

COMMONSENSECANADIAN

“I wished [Americans] were more like Canadians…until you elected Stephen Harper,” quipped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a recent Vancouver event. Full story here.

Council of Canadians.

The Council of Canadians is applauding the transfer of the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) to the International Institute of Sustainable Development but continues to decry the Harper government’s abdication of its responsibility for fresh water protection. Details here.

Health Professionals Worldwide Demand Urgent Climate Action Following IPCC Report

EcoWatch

TRANSFORMING GREEN

Health and medical organizations from around the world are calling on governments to respond to the major health risks described in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s recent Second Working Group reporting, ‘Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation,’ which was released on Monday. Details here.

Sharp rise in FAO Food Price Index

Food & Agriculture Organization

Weather and Black Sea tensions push prices to ten-month highs. Details here.

Blight, spawned by torrential rain, destroyed 
this & many other "backyard" 
tomato crops in western Canada 
a few years ago. PLT photo.