PLANET IN PERIL

*by Sam Burcher - Agroecology Offers Real Solutions to World Hunger After Decades of GM Hype The Via Campesina (the Peasants’ way) is emerging as a potentially powerful international movement mobilizing resistance against the GM Corporations, which have consolidated their agro-chemical companies into just five major global players; Monsanto, Bayer, BASF, Syngenta and Dupont. A recent report by the Friends of the Earth (FOE) 1 has highlighted the struggle between the two forces for control of the seeds. On one side are the 1.5 million members of the Via Campesina, who are demanding food sovereignty or the right to grow healthy food from local, time-honoured seeds.  On the opposing side are the mega Corporations, which have gained so much power through patents on GM seeds.

Eric Swanson at Apr 15, 2011 DOGWOOD Initiative Enbridge CEO Patrick Daniel has been getting a lot of attention lately while pushing his view that his Northern Gateway oil supertanker proposal for B.C.’s coast presents a profound choice. We couldn’t agree more. Details here.

by Larry Powell - In its latest flood bulletin, the Government of Manitoba has announced it has closed a key access road between Winnipeg and North Dakota, PTH 75, (l.) "as a result of rising floodwater."                                The flooding is already covering a larger area of the province than ever before. And flood levels in the Red River Valley are expected to top leves in 2009, the 2nd worst flood in the province in 150 yrs.        There have been hundreds of rural road closures, states of emergency and evacuations of both residences and personal care homes.                            Two deaths have been attributed to the flooding.                                            Ice jams on the Assiniboine River west of Winnipeg yesterday caused the water to rise almost 2 meters (6ft). The jams have now moved out, sending water downstream. And that is expected to raise water levels of 30 cm (1 ft) going into Winnipeg.   The Town of Melita (in the southwest

ScienceDaily (Apr. 15, 2011) — Drug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (r.), a bacteria linked to a wide range of human diseases, are present in meat and poultry from U.S. grocery stores at unexpectedly high rates... Details here.

deepakhomebase on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free Since the making of this video, the USDA has, to its everlasting shame, approved both GE alfalfa and GE sugarbeets. Canada threatens to do the same! l.p.

Centre for Biological Diversity Apr 12'11 It’s been a year since BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig blew up in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 people and unleashing the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. Details here.

AlterNet / By Aviva Imhof - Apr 15 '11 A series of dams proposed along the Mekong River threaten 41 fish species with extinction and puts the livelihoods of nearly half a million people at risk. Details here.

In its latest flood bulletin, the Government of Manitoba states, "While the upper level of the forecast range has been reduced slightly, it still remains somewhat above 2,009 levels for all points on the Red River. 2009 was the second-largest flood in the past 150 years." While cooler-than-normal temperatures will blunt the severity of the flooding, it will also make it last longer than it otherwise would, the Government adds. A swollen stream spills into Boggy Creek, just above Lake of the Prairies (on the Assiniboine River system) in western Manitoba. PUBLISHER'S COMMENT: It's only mid-April. Yet,  already two people have died and hundreds more have been displaced in flood-related incidents. Scores of roads have been washed out and many homes and businesses are isolated by the floodwaters. Ranchers report conditions hazardous for their livestock. At least three personal care homes have been evacuated. At least one boil-water advisory has been ordered. The

PANNA - Apr 14 '11 In the last four months, 1.2 million people around the world have raised their voices on behalf of honey bees – urging officials to take decisive, precautionary action by suspending a suspect class of pesticides (neonicotinoids) known to undermine honey bee immunity . Details here.

Dear Editor,   We put aside this day each year to officially recognize and appreciate our Planet and to honour the sacred elements of Air, Water, Earth and Fire. Some estimate that North Americans alone need five planets, the size of our earth , to sustain their continued and present rate of green house gas emissions. This is very sad and alarming news. Our governments have an important role to play in solving this problem. Unfortunately,however,it is governments that have allowed and encouraged activities that increase emissions and brought us to a place of crisis.   Our governments are supposed to be accountable for their actions, to regulate and make decisions that protect public interest, the environment. Human health and survival depends on a healthy environment. Yet, today's governments are unduly influenced and controlled in too many ways by industry and corporations with their promises of investments,development,technological solutions and globalized trade. I have yet to s