PLANET IN PERIL

Greenpeace Canada Earlier this week on World Oceans Day we were greeted with some wonderful and exciting news : Shell announced it was giving up all its offshore exploration permits in the Canadian Arctic! Story here. RELATED:   "Shell Relinquishes Canadian Arctic Drilling Rights"

EcoWatch Monsanto marketed its potent weed killer glyphosate —the active ingredient in  Roundup —and the corn and soybeans genetically engineered to withstand it, by claiming it would replace other, more toxic weed killers such as atrazine. But, it didn’t happen. Story here.

Alberta's Premier, Rachel Notley, has responded to my proposal to replace all buildings destroyed in the Fort McMurray wildfire with the most energy-efficient ones possible (see letter, below). While her answer to my specific suggestion seems to be a polite "no," she outlines other steps her province is taking to achieve a carbon-free future. Larry  For the background to this story, click here.

Nation of Change A clearcut in BC. Wikimedia Commons. The Norwegian Parliament has pledged to be deforestation-free. They are the first country in history to ban deforestation. Story here .

the guardian Scientists hope large-scale maps will offer new insight into effects of warming and pollution as previous studies have almost always been done up close in the water.  Story here.

NATIONAL OBSERVER One of the planet’s largest oil companies has just walked away from a large swath of oil and gas reserves in the Canadian Arctic. But it says it hasn't given up altogether on the prospects of drilling for the fossil fuels in the pristine waters of the North. Story here. RELATED: " Shell’s Retreat From Canadian Arctic Creates Space for Arctic Protection"