PLANET IN PERIL

ScienceDaily Source:: Tropical Trees. Author: Paul Hamilton. Trees in the tropics, especially important for the planet, face increasing threats.    More here.

CBC News A year after losing both legs and an arm, a Winnipeg mom has no idea why infection struck. More here. RELATED?  Could the Manitoba government’s return to a deregulated hog industry actually contribute to a world health crisIs?

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. A "crop-duster" in Manitoba. PinP photo. The Government of Quebec has imposed a ban on five pesticides that are commonly used in the agricultural sector – three neonicotinoid pesticides (neonics), atrazine and chlorpyrifos. More here.

--> Hog Watch Manitoba Sows in steel crates. (Winnipeg) - Hog Watch Manitoba has learned of a recent incident in which all of the 1500 pigs in one barn suffocated when the ventilation system failed. Most pigs raised in this province live in closed barns on slatted floors above pits containing their own urine and feces. This creates high levels of ammonia and sulfur dioxide. If the ventilation system in the barn fails the buildup of noxious gases in combination with lack of oxygen causes suffocation within a couple of hours. “This is simply one more example of the inhumane conditions that we are forcing these animals to live in” says Vicki Burns, Hog Watch Manitoba. “We have contacted Manitoba Pork to ask for information about this incident but have received no response to date. Without cooperation of industry we are not able to determine what caused this problem but it may be related to the deterioration of fire safety as the alarm system obviously failed.” Ho

World Resources Institute Lake Erie We are running up against the limits of our freshwater resources. We are mismanaging our water resources too, through waste and pollution.  Story here.

EcoWatch PinP photo. The yearly count of monarch butterflies overwintering in Mexico, released Monday, shows a decrease from last year's count and confirms the iconic orange and black butterfly is still very much at risk.  Story here.

THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Warmer, wetter summers could produce unexpected impacts, such as disease outbreaks and crop failures. More here.

Science Daily As the ice melts, the organic carbon found in permafrost is being released once again after ages of confinement in the soil. It is making its way into Arctic and subarctic lakes and ponds, and modifying their composition. More here. Arctic Lake. A US Fish & Wildlife photo.

Science Across Asia, rampant extraction of sand for construction is eroding coastlines and scouring waterways. More here.

The Guardian Scientists are alarmed by a rise in mass mortality events – when species die in their thousands. Is it all down to climate change? More here.

EcoWatch The North Atlantic right whale is already one of the most endangered whales, with fewer than 450 of the iconic marine mammals left on the planet. More here. A right whale with calf. Photo by NOAA.