Tritium Hot Zone Expands

By SUSAN SMALLHEER - Rutland Herald - Vermont

VERNON — The Department of Health said late Monday there appears to be "a very large...

A Green Budget for Canada?

thegreenpages - Canada

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Posted: 07 Feb 2010 07:01 AM PST

Ottawa - In light of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's invitation for input on the upcoming federal budget, the Green Budget Coalition (GBC) is today highlighting its three priority budget recommendations, whose adoption could stimulate over 8,000 new jobs in renewable energy, ensure clean sources of drinking water for millions of Canadians, and help Canada meet its commitment under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to establish national and regional systems of protected areas.

"These are prime opportunities for Canada to shine on the world stage during the International Year of Biodiversity and in the lead-up to the G8 and G20 Summits," said Barry Turner, Chair of the Green Budget Coalition and Director of Government Relations, Ducks Unlimited Canada.

The Green Budget Coalition comprises 21 of Canada's leading environmental and conservation organizations and has been active since 1999. Its detailed budget recommendations are contained in Recommendations for Budget 2010: Investing in a Prosperous Green Future.

Members of the coalition met with MPs from all political parties and with senior government officials to discuss these recommendations. "We received a positive reception from all of the MPs and officials with whom we met and are optimistic that our recommendations will receive serious consideration as the final budget deliberations take place," said Mr. Turner.

The Green Budget Coalition's 3 priority recommendations for the 2010 federal budget are:

1. Protecting Ecosystems and Biodiversity: In the face of dangerous climate change, and with Canada due to report this year on its progress under the UN Convention on Biodiversity, fund a national ecosystem based adaptation strategy to improve Canada's biodiversity protection on lands and oceans.
2. Investing in Canada's Freshwater Future: Deliver Canada's promised federal water strategy, building upon recent federal actions, by investing in water and wastewater infrastructure, the cleanup of contaminated sediment, and protecting freshwater ecosystems in the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Basin.
3. Re-investing in Renewable Energy: Create at least 8,000 jobs by renewing Canada's incentives for renewable power, establishing green energy bonds and mapping Canada's geothermal potential.

Climate change is a threat to the future of humanity, as Prime Minister Harper has acknowledged. The GBC's recommendations on biodiversity and water highlight some of the key measures required for Canada to prepare for, and adapt to, the impacts of climate change. Strong actions are also required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including investing in clean energy sources, in order to protect future generations and avoid the much greater costs of inaction.

In light of the Copenhagen meetings in December, the GBC is now recommending that the budget allocate new funding, additional to current Overseas Development Assistance commitments, to cover Canada's fair share of the US$30 billion committed in Copenhagen, from 2010 to 2012, in "new and additional resources" to assist developing countries in mitigating and adapting to climate change.

Stress, Depression Take Toll on Farmers

Winnipeg Free Press - By: Laura Rance - Manitoba Co-Operator 6/02/2010

Workshops to focus on growing problem...

Canola swaths in October.
l.p. photo

Los Angeles May Get Mandatory Rainwater Harvesting Law

Does this mean LA is becoming water wise?
feb 5 2010 - treehugger

Coca-Cola Puts on Green Guise for the Winter Olympics

February 5, 2010 by Stephanie Rogers - ecosalon

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games are going...

Ottawa Squanders Energy Economy

Winnipeg Free Press - By: Frances Russell - 3/02/2010

Courtesy of Beautiful Destruction.
More and better carbon capture...

Manitoba's Conservation Minister Responds to my Story on Swan Valley Air Emissions

While composing my story, "Standing the Precautionary Principle on its Head; the Manitoba Government celebrated '09 by allowing industrial pollutants to be released in the Swan Valley,"Gov't. of MB photo

I invited three Manitoba cabinet ministers to give their input.

Just over a month later, I got a response from one of them, Bill Blaikie.

Please read my email and his, below.
Larry

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From: Larry Powell [mailto:earthkeeperfarm@yahoo.ca]
Sent: Thursday, December 31, 2009 12:22 PM
To: Conservation, Minister; Agriculture, Minister; Finance, Minister

Subject: News Story On LP's Pollution Controls

Dear Honourable Ministers,


I'd like to congratulate you all on your recent appointments to new portfolios!

I am a journalist based near Roblin who writes regularly on issues touching on your areas of ministerial responsibility. (I write for my blog - see link below - occasionally for weekly newspapers in my region and magazines such as Briarpatch and Sasquatch.)

As you may know, I've written extensively in past about Louisiana Pacific's logging operations in my general part of the province (and, of course yours, Stan and Rosanne).

This time, I'm compiling another article about LP's closure of its pollution control devices at Minitonas.

If I may, I'd like to direct a couple of questions to each, or all of you, the answers to which I'd like to incorporate into the story.
• Given the protracted time it is taking for the CEC to make its recommendations, are you still comfortable that, rather than requiring the RTOs to remain in service in the interim, you have allowed them to stay offline? This is obviously permitting more industrial pollutants to escape into the air of the Swan Valley than would otherwise have been the case, is it not? (After all, it will soon be one full year that you will have allowed this to happen.)
• Regardless of what the CEC's recommendations will be, or when it makes them, are you prepared to seriously consider placing the RTOs back in service immediately?
• Would you consider looking into the option of LP using a bioreactor as a future means of controlling emissions, as has been suggested by one of the independent experts hired by Concerned Citizens of the Valley?
If you have any questions about me, please feel free to ask!

I hope to hear back from you at your earliest opportunity.

Best regards and complements of the season!
Larry Powell
See our planet through a fresh lens,
Visit: "Paths Less Travelled. Stories rarely told by mainstream media."
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February 3, 2010

Larry Powell
earthkeeperfarm@yahoo.ca

Dear Mr. Powell:

Thank you for your email of December 31, 2009 in which you sought information related to the review of Louisiana-Pacific’s proposal to alter air emissions control equipment for the Swan Valley Oriented Strand Board plant.

As you are aware, the Clean Environment Commission (CEC) is currently reviewing this matter. My Department will await the recommendations of the CEC before making any permanent decisions regarding air emissions control equipment.

Again, thank you for providing your comments on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

“signed by”

Bill Blaikie
Minister

cc: Honourable Rosann Wowchuk
Honourable Stan Struthers
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Editor's note: Normally, I wouldn't consider such a "non-response" response from an elected official even worthy of mention. But I thought it important to place this government on record that it is aware of the action it has taken and is consciously sticking to it, regardless of the consequences down the road.
Will there be consequences in terms of health outcomes later on? Time will tell.
Mr. Balikie's response is not unlike one you might expect from any other government of any other political stripe. His inference clearly is; it would somehow be impossible, illegal or unethical for him to do anything pending the CEC's recommendations. Given that the CEC is strictly an advisory body, that inference is clearly just an excuse for sticking to what many people still believe to be a wrong-headed decision. l.p.