PLANET IN PERIL

Dear Larry, Democracy and the environment are the cornerstones of a prosperous future. But our federal government doesn’t see it that way. How many of us have watched, astonished and sick at heart, as Prime Minister Harper’s cabinet gutted our environmental laws, muzzled our scientists, and violated our free speech rights? Moments ago, ForestEthics Advocacy (FEA), represented by my friend Clay Ruby, launched a lawsuit in the Federal Court of Canada against the Harper Government.  Clay believes the Harper government overstepped its authority when it established rules that dictate who can speak at National Energy Board (NEB) hearings AND what exactly they can say. Your partnership and support in getting us this far has been incredible.  It takes courage to stand up to a powerful adversary.  Now we must all step up again.  The start-up fees for this lawsuit will cost $150,000. ForestEthics Advocacy is currently raising funds to cover these expenses and two generous donors have

This video is about an island in the ocean about 2000 km from any other coast line.Nobody lives there, only birds... and yet...you will not believe your eyes!  This film should be seen by the entire world, please don't throw  anything into the sea. Unbelievable, just look at the consequences!  Please watch here. Cormorants & barbed wire in Manitoba, CA.  PLT photo 

MotherJones A pair of widely-used fungicides are showing up prominently in bee pollen—and appear to be making bees significantly more likely to succumb to a fungal pathogen. Details here.

Manitoba to engage public to find ways of reducing emissions. Please read CBC story here. Please also read full Government of Manitoba press release.

UN Food & Agriculture Organization Tragedy of poisoned school children in India provides another reminder. Details here.

by Christine I’ve been blogging about climate change since my conversion from being a climate change avoider to a climate activist/fossil fuel abolitionist in the fall of 2009. As a climate change avoider, I…. full story here. PLT: I had the honour of meeting Christine Penner Polle at an "Occupy" event in Winnipeg in 2011. She is not only a sincere individual, dedicated to doing something tangible about the impending (& present) tragedy of a climate in crisis, (among other things, as a long-time member of the "Citizens Climate Lobby), she shows reasoned and remarkable restraint when writing about this highly-charged issue while too many others partake in emotional rants which generate more heat than light. Well-done Christine! Long live your excellent blog, "350 or Bust!"   Larry

Montreal Gazette With the announcement of Leona Aglukkaq as the new federal environment minister in last week’s cabinet shuffle, the prime minister’s office highlighted her Inuk heritage and connection to Canada’s Arctic region as among the assets she will bring to her new executive role. Full story here.

Dear Avaazers,  The Great Barrier Reef is at risk of being dredged to make way for a mega coal project. But if one key investor walks away, the deal would be sunk and the World Heritage Site protected. We can convince them to pull out, or get PM Rudd to stop the plan, but we have to act now --  sign this urgent petition to help save the Great Barrier Reef:  It would be hard to make this stuff up.  Australia’s legendarily irresponsible mining industry has a new plan:  while the planet faces catastrophic climate change, build the world’s largest coal mining complex, and then build a shipping lane to that port straight through the greatest ecological treasure we have - the Great Barrier Reef! This is a terrible idea with devastating consequences, and the investor group Aurizon that’s backing it know it. They’re getting cold feet, and  we might be able to push them over the edge, and kill the project.  One of the main potential funders has even donated to climate activism!  If one mi

Science News Researchers have warned of an "economic time-bomb" in the Arctic, following a ground-breaking analysis of the likely cost of methane emissions in the region. Details here.

National Farmers Union Two farmers have formally asked the Ontario government to carry out an environmental assessment of genetically modified (GM) alfalfa before the seed is sold in the province. Today, they launched an application under Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights, the first ever request relating to the issue of GM crops.

Huffington Post When you consider the way regulations are enforced against  tar sands companies in Canada compared to the 'States, it makes you wonder!  Details here. (Right) The tar sands at night. 24 hours a day, the tar sands eat into the most carbon-rich forect ecosystem on the planet. Storing almost twice as much carbon per hectare as tropical rainforests, the boreal forest is the planet's greatest terrestrial carbon storehouse. To the industry, these diverse and ecologically significant forests and wetlands are referred to as "overburden," the forest to be stripped & the wetlands dredged & replaced by mines & tailings ponds so vas they can be seen from outer space.  Photo credit - Huffington Post