Spring Heat Wave In Australia Breaks Records Across The Country

CLIMATEPROGRESS

Australia’s summer doesn’t start until December, but the country is still baking in a record-breaking spring heat wave. Story here.

Bye Bye Bees? Not If We Can Help It!

Pesticide giant Bayer wants to introduce ANOTHER bee-killing pesticide into Canada. We have just one week to convince Health Canada to stand up for the bees. Tell them not to approve this new pesticide! Add your voice Larry -- Pesticide giant Bayer wants our government to approve ANOTHER new bee-killing pesticide -- and we have just one week to convince Health Canada to stand up for the bees.  If approved, this new pesticide will likely wreak further havoc on our bees, which are already dying in record numbers. Last winter, almost 30 percent of Canada's bee colonies were devastated, and strikingly, we lost over half of our bee colonies in Ontario alone. Judging by Bayer's deadly track record, this new pesticide could speed up the complete decimation of the local bee population, which would have catastrophic effects on Canada's food supplies.  The final decision lies in Health Canada's hands, and we have until November 1 to make our voice heard. If we want Health Canada to stand up to Bayer, it needs to hear from us now. Tell Health Canada to reject Bayer’s proposal for a new pesticide. Submit a public comment before November 1.

Confirmed: California Aquifers Contaminated With Billions Of Gallons of Fracking Wastewater

DESMOGBLOG.COM

The California State Water Resources Board has confirmed that at least nine sites were dumping wastewater contaminated with fracking fluids and other pollutants into aquifers protected by state law and the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Story here.

Fertilizer Warning: Don’t Pay $12-An-Acre For ‘Foo-Foo Dust’

Manitoba Co-Operator

Buyer beware, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency no longer tests fertilizers for efficacy and quality. Story here.

UN Agencies Launch New Joint Initiative Targeting Elimination of Global Food Waste

UN News Centre 

Larry Powell P in P photo.

The world wastes enough food to feed an estimated two billion people, the United Nations said today. Story here.

U.S. Tribes To Canada: Please Don’t Allow Tar Sands Pipeline To Pollute Our Waters

CLIMATEPROGRESS

The leaders of several Pacific Northwest Native American tribes are asking Canadian regulators not to approve a huge expansion of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain tar sands pipeline, saying approval would result in a huge increase of oil tankers coming through tribal waters every day, increasing the risk of a devastating spill. Story here. 

There’s a Surprisingly Strong Link Between Climate Change and Violence

The Washington Post
Earlier this year, when a study came out suggesting global warming will increase the rates of violent crimes in the United States -- producing "an additional 22,ooo murders, 180,000 cases of rape," and many other crime increases by the year 2099 -- it drew widespread criticism. Story here.

Harper Named World's 'Worst Climate Villain' After Damning Report

Huffington Post

Canada does well at many things. Earlier this year, Canadian cities were listed among the world's top places to live. The country ranks high with the best when it comes to wealth and it's been praised for emerging from the financial crisis in decent shape. But there's one category in which Canada ranks dead last among industrialized nations: its efforts to combat climate change. Story here.

Foreign Scientists Call on Stephen Harper to Restore Science Funding, Freedom.

CBC News

Open letter warns about effects of Canadian science policy on international collaboration. Story here.

Does CETA Offer Any Real Value to Canadian Farmers?

Manitoba Co-Operator.

Trade agreements may offer negative outcomes for Canadians. Story here.

Related: "Free Trade: Path to Prosperity - or Back Road to Corporatism?" 

These Two World Leaders Are Laughing While the Planet Burns Up

New Republic

Meet earth's worst climate villains; Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Story here.