Of Parrots and Parables. The Silent Majority Must Speak Out.

by John Fefchak - Virden, MB

Family members were excited when a large box arrived at their house. A relative in the tropics had told them to expect a gift in the mail.

A week passed. The phone rang. It was the relative. "How did you like the gift that I sent"?

“We really enjoyed it,” replied a family member. "It was delicious!”

"WHAT?" exclaimed an angry voice. “You ate the parrot? That was a very expensive bird. It could speak both official languages! It wasn't meant to be eaten!”

"Too Bad" replied the family member. “It should have spoken up and said something.”

Like the parrot, have we humans waited too long to speak up, too?

Lake Ontario's Troubled Waters

Syracuse Post-Standard

Oswego, NY -- Lake Ontario is the most stressed of the five Great Lakes, a new study that maps environmental threats to the lakes shows. Details here.

Pasture News of the Week

Grass Notes Awakening

Graham Powell Photography

The Harper government is putting more than 2 million acres of community pastures up for sale in western Canada, including Manitoba. These pastures represent one of the largest reserves of remaining native prairie in North America and home to a significant number of endangered species. 

Prairie crocus - PLT photo

The fact that public hearings are being held into this decision, has been hailed as good news by some observers. Please click here, read on, then come back and tell PLT's "comment section" what you think!

Another Troubling Climate Assessment

Living on Earth

The third National Climate Assessment of the US government finds humans unquestionably responsible for recent climate disruption...Full story (& podcast) here.

The shrinking Columbia Icefields of 

the Canadian Rockies. PLT photo

Supreme Court Rejects Appeals on CWB Rulings

The Manitoba Co-Operator

Top court's decision won't affect plans for class-action: Details here.

Wheat Board supporters demonstrate at 

"Occupy Winnipeg" Oct. 2011. PLT photo.

As Australia Burns, Attitudes are Changing. But Is It Too Late?

Tim Flannery - The Guardian

Photo credit - the Hooza

Raging wildfires are forcing many to rethink their stance on climate change. But there's little time left to reduce emissions.  Details here.

Oil Sands Development Polluting Alberta Lakes: Study

Globe & Mail
Oil-sands development is polluting nearby remote Alberta lakes with rising levels of a toxic carcinogen, refuting long-standing claims that waterway pollution in the region is largely naturally occurring, a study has found. Details here.