Posts

World 'Not On Track' To Prevent Warming - UN Climate Official

Image
Huffington Post Appealing directly to the world's voters to pressure their politicians into taking tougher action against the buildup of greenhouse gases, a top climate official with  the United Nations says, international leaders are failing to fight global warming. Details here. A brooding skyline in Manitoba, CA. PLT photo.

Help Coming for the Greater sage-grouse

Image
Larry, It took nearly two years of legal wrangling, but it looks like the federal government is finally prepared to introduce emergency protections for Canada’s endangered Greater sage-grouse. The announcement, made this morning, is a welcome breath of fresh air to a case that’s been mired in secrecy, delays and procedural roadblocks. In fact, our efforts may well have helped set another important legal precedent. To our knowledge, this is the first time Ottawa has explicitly stated its intention to introduce emergency protections for an endangered species. Thank you. None of this would have been possible without you.  Thanks to your support, we were able to bring forward a series of legal challenges that have forced the federal government to act. But as I told CBC’s  The National  (10 p.m. local), we know all too well that the devil will be in the details and that our work is far from done.  We’re still waiting to learn  when  the emergency order will be implemented and 

Dangers Pesticides Pose To Workers Force Farmers To Look For Alternatives

Image
Fox News Latino California's $2.3 billion strawberry industry edging toward non-chemical alternatives to pesticides.  Details here. Organic strawberries in Manitoba. PLT photo

Wilderness Committee: Tanco Mine Disaster Risk in Manitoba, Canada

Manitoba Wilderness Committee According to an engineering report filed with the Manitoba government on August 30,  an underground mine is on the verge of collapse under Bernic Lake in eastern Manitoba.   Details here.

Food Waste Harms Climate, Water, Land and Biodiversity – New FAO Report (Story & Video)

Image
Food and Agriculture Organization - United Nations Discarded cucumbers. PLT photo Rome - The waste of a staggering 1.3 billion tonnes of food per year is not only causing major economic losses but also wreaking significant harm on the natural resources that humanity relies upon to feed itself, says a new FAO report. Full story here.

Environmentalist Can't Believe Government Response To His Campaign to Condemn Arsenic Releases Into a Creek Near His Home in Virden, Manitoba

Below is the response from the Government of Manitoba to a complaint by John Fefchak that arsenic was being released into the water supply of his hometown, Virden, Manitoba.  (Please read)  Keep Arsenic out of the Water at Virden, Manitoba, Canada! An Open Letter to Manitoba's Minister of Conservation (Environment) ==== Dear Mr. Fefchak: September 13, 2013 Thank you for your e-mail of August 15, 2013, to the Honourable Gord Mackintosh, Minister of Conservation and Water Stewardship regarding the discharge of arsenic from the Town of Virden Water Treatment Plant. I have been asked to respond to your letter on his behalf. It is not accurate that the practice of discharging minute amounts of arsenic constitutes a violation of provincial legislation. It is permitted by the Town of Virden ' s Environment Act licence. Your assertion that arsenic is a pollutant is incorrect in this context, as the discharge of arsenic does not affect the natural, physical, chemi

Small Islands Make Big Statement on Climate Change

The Vancouver Sun Tiny Pacific nations have been battered by floods, cyclones and rising seas. Details here.

G20 Agreement to Reduce Greenhouse Gases Vital to Tackle Climate Change – United Nations

Image
UN - New York The United Nations environment agency today welcomed an agreement signed by world leaders at the recent Group of 20 (G20) Summit to reduce the emission of potent greenhouse gases, adding this is a vital contribution in efforts to combat climate change. Details  here.

Canadian PM Offers Obama Carbon Reductions for Keystone Approval

Inside Climate News Prime Minister Stephen Harper has sent a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama formally proposing "joint action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the oil and gas sector," Full story here.

Contamination Cases Renew Fears Over Globalized Food Supply

Image
ALJAZEERA AMERICA A recent spate of contamination outbreaks highlights safety challenges of transnational food distribution. Details here. Organic veggies, grown and eaten safely in Manitoba, Canada. PLT photo.

Global warming? No, Actually We're Cooling, Claim Some Scientists

The Telegraph A cold Arctic summer has led to a record increase in the ice cap, leading experts to predict a period of global cooling. Full story here. Please also read: "Is Global Warming Really Slowing Down?"