Washington Post

A striking new study – but one that is bound to prove controversial – has provided a calculation of both the health benefits and the reductions in planetary greenhouse gases that might be achieved if the world shifted away from meat-based diets. More here.

'There Was Just no Snow': Climate Change Puts Iditarod Future in Doubt

theguardian

After record high winter temperatures reduced parts of the course to a bone-jarring, sled-wrecking obstacle course, is the great mushing race on its way out? More here.

Year of the Animal. (Viideo)

Year of the Animal from National Observer on Vimeo.

Global Warming’s Terrifying New Chemistry

The Nation By Bill McKibben

Fracking rig. By Battenbrook Wickimeda Commons.

Our leaders thought fracking would save our climate. They were wrong. Very wrong. More here.

Christy Clark Taps Ex-Fraser Institute Director to Create BC's Climate Change Plan

PressProgress

Premier Clark

First the good news:

After spending months ignoring the recommendations put forward by British Columbia's Climate Leadership team, Premier Christy Clark has finally found someone to take charge of this very important file.  

Bad news? His experience includes serving as a director at the Fraser Institute, a right-wing think tank whose experts question the science of climate change. Story here.

Is Modern Agriculture Threatening Traditional First Nations Food and Medicine? (Story & Video)

by Larry Powell  

(A PinP exclusive.)

First Nations researchers in Manitoba sound a warning note.

Deformed berries in the study area. 

Standing Medicine People Project photo.

                                                                                  

They call it “The Standing Medicine People Project.”  

Researchers from three reserves in south-central Manitoba, Long Plain, Swan Lake and Rolling River, have teamed up with the charity, “Food Matters Manitoba,” (FMM) to conduct the project. 

They collected samples of six wild plants which grow there – pin cherry, saskatoon, nannyberry, raspberry, grape and the medicinal herb, wiike (or sweet flag). Indigenous gatherers throughout North America have harvested them traditionally as both food and medicine, for centuries. The team submitted the samples to “ALS Laboratory Group,” a certified lab in Winnipeg. There, they were analyzed for 103 different pesticides and heavy metals. 

The lab detected several in either the roots, the soil, or both. However, most of the readings were well below levels of concern. In other words, the risk of getting sick from environmental contamination is low. And, if certain precautions are taken, the berries and herbs are still considered safe to eat.

Still, concerns linger.