Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Around 22 million children could soon starve without urgent aid, UNICEF warns (+ video)

UN News Centre

Millions of children are on the brink of starvation in the worst humanitarian crisis in decades, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned. Story here.

4 tactics used by Monsanto to undermine potential link between glyphosate and cancer

Nation of Change
The revelations from the unsealed Monsanto emails underscore the vital need for independent science and transparency. Story here.

Ground sprayer in Manitoba. PinP photo.

Trumping Canada’s Environment

A/J Alternatives Journal by Bob Paehlke
The election of Donald Trump is unlike any change in American history. It will transform America’s role in world politics. It is my view that Canadians should not pretend otherwise (however polite our government might choose to be in the diplomatic realm). Story here.


Air pollutants from Texas used to be found in the Canadian Arctic. Will history now repeat itself?

Monday, March 27, 2017

Bad News for Bees. Really Bad.



Wild bees are going extinct, and yet the pesticide industry is lobbying hard to stop Canada banning one of the most widely used bee-killing pesticides in the world.
Will you chip in CA$1 to help save the bees?
Dear Larry,
Beekeepers have warned us for years about entire bee colonies dying off and disappearing.
Now researchers are telling us more than 700 wild bee species in North America are headed toward extinction -- that's more than half of the bee species tested.
Canada has announced plans to ban imidacloprid, one of the most widely used bee-killing pesticides in the world, but the pesticide industry is lobbying hard to stop the ban being introduced.
With so many bee species headed to extinction we’re redoubling our efforts to convince Canada to ban this bee-killer without delay.
If we raise enough money we’ll buy full page “Save the Bees” ads in the Ottawa Hill Times -- the paper that politicians read -- to make sure they know why banning bee-killing pesticide is essential. Will you chip in CA$1 today?

More than 700 North American bee species are headed for extinction. (Video)

Weather extremes: Humans likely influence giant airstreams

Potsdam Institute for
Climate Impact Research
The increase of devastating weather extremes in summer is likely linked to human-made climate change, mounting evidence shows. Details here.

The "Stampede Grounds" in Calgary - 2013. Photo by RAF-YYC

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Europe poised for total ban on bee-harming pesticides

theguardian


















Bumble bees forage on chives in Manitoba, CA. PinP photo.
Exclusive: Draft regulations seen by the Guardian reveal the European commission wants to prohibit the insecticides that cause ‘acute risks to bees.’ Details here.