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The Great Wildfire Debate Lights Up Editorial Pages in Manitoba.

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by Larry Powell For simplicity, I'm putting the series of events discussed below, in chronological order. First, I wrote the letter, immediately below,   published in the Brandon Sun, Neepawa Press and Roblin Review in recent weeks. ===== Forest fire smoke (from as far away as BC) over southern Manitoba.  PinP  photo. Dear Editor,  It's time to wake up and smell the smoke! As wildfires rage around us on the Canadian prairies, forcing thousands of poor souls from their homes, we click our tongues and complain about sore eyes and reduced visibility on the roads. (Trust me, reduced visibility is the least of our worries.)   We apparently lack the brain power to listen to and actually  hear  what the world's scientific community has been warning us about for over a generation. If we do nothing to curb our insatiable appetite for fossil fuels, we can expect more and worse heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and a host of other extreme weather events whic

Climate Scientist Warns Sea Levels Are Rising Faster Than We Thought

climateprogrerss Limiting climate change to 2°C is not going to protect us from devastating sea level rise, a new report has found. Details here.

2015 on Track to Be Hottest Year Yet - Smashing All Previous Records.

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Common Dreams PinP photo. ...and 2016 may likely be even hotter, scientists warn. Story here.

Canadians Entitled to “Realistic” Canadian Energy Strategy

Climate Action Network Premiers have agreed to a Canadian Energy Strategy that fails to strongly steer the country toward the clean, renewable energy system needed to cut carbon pollution and protect the climate. Details here.

Canada Joins in Fishing Ban in the Arctic Due to Sea Warming

The New York Times WASHINGTON — The United States and four other nations that border the Arctic Ocean pledged on Thursday to prohibit commercial fishing in the international waters of the Arctic   until more scientific research could be done on how warming seas and melting ice are affecting fish stocks. Details here.

Large Pipeline Spill in Alberta 'Stark Reminder' of Dangers of Tar Sands

Common Dreams Rupture near Fort McMurray may be one of province's largest. Story here.

Widespread and Early Heatwaves Impact Northern Hemisphere, UN Weather Agency Warns

UN News Service. Many parts of Europe have been impacted by a severe and unusually early heatwave since 27 June, the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has said, warning of record-breaking temperatures and wildfires in North America and torrential downpours and widespread flooding in southern China. Story here.

Study: Global Warming Leads to Longer Flights, More Emissions

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Climate Central PinP photo Climate change is causing wind patterns to change over the Pacific Ocean, leading to longer commercial airline flight times and causing airplanes to burn more fuel and emit more greenhouse gases. Story here.

How Canada's Enviro-Minister Spent Her Day Not Attending a Climate Summit

NATIONAL OBSERVER What was so important that kept Leona Aglukkaq, an Inuk environment minister —the first ever to be appointed to a federal cabinet role — away from those talks? Story here. 

NestlƩ is About to Suck the Canadian Province of British Columbia Dry - For $2.25 Per Million Litres.

Sum of  + Us And the government is helping make it happen! Please help spread the word about this outrage!

It's Time to Wake Up and Smell the Smoke! (Letter)

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by Larry Powell It's time to wake up and smell the smoke! Forest fire smoke (from as far away as BC) over southern Manitoba.  PinP photo. As wildfires rage around us on the Canadian prairies, forcing thousands of poor souls from their homes, we click our tongues and complain about sore eyes and reduced visibility on the roads. (Trust me, reduced visibility is the least of our worries.)   We apparently lack the brain power to listen to and actually  hear  what the world's scientific community has been warning us about for over a generation. If we do nothing to curb our insatiable appetite for fossil fuels, we can expect more and worse heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and a host of other extreme weather events which are  decidedly not positive,  in our future .  Our relentless burning of gas, oil and coal, apparently without a thought for tomorrow, produces greenhouse gases which trap the sun's heat and cause the earth's average temperature to increase.