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Canadian study finds a pesticide-free way to combat mosquitos and West Nile

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO Researchers at the University of Waterloo may have discovered a new, pesticide-free way to limit mosquito populations in some area and reduce the spread of the West Nile virus. Story here. A more detailed version of this study can be found here.

Toxic legacy of Giant Mine found in snowshoe hares

TheNarwhal Researchers find arsenic levels in animals living near mine 20 to 50 times greater than those living away from it. More here.

African Swine Fever could be in Germany in 4 years

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PIG PROGRESS A research team has concluded that the viral disease - often considered the most deadly of all hog infections - spreads west at a speed of around 200 km per year. More here. The ear of an infected hog. ASF causes a condition called petechia - red or purple splotches due to bleeding into the skin. Photo credit - USDA RELATED: "In Hogs We Trust" - Part 3 - The consequences of animal diseases, worldwide.

Diversion tactics: how big pharma is muddying the waters on animal antibiotics

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The Guardian Antibiotic use on farms is a major cause of human drug resistance. Yet slick social media campaigns – funded by the multi-billion-dollar industry – are confusing and complicating the issue. Story here. A Canstock Photo image.

Hog Watch Manitoba Exposes the Heavy Hand of Government. (An audio podcast interview)

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  Alon Olamel Onebird, host of the program "Rogue Primate" on CKUW - University of Winnipeg Radio - interviews Ruth Pryzner of Hog Watch Manitoba, about the tactics being used by our provincial government in order to secure the financial success of big hog corporations.

Greenpeace Film (on ocean pollution) to be shown at special Winnipeg Screening

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Larry, Never has our blue planet been more under threat.  And never before have we had a better sense of what's at stake. Come watch the latest film that will captivate and motivate you to join a global movement working to save our oceans. Greenpeace Canada is sponsoring a special Winnipeg screening of BLUE  — the critically-acclaimed and award-winning documentary film which takes you deep into our planet’s threatened oceans and seas.  This one-night-only screening is an on-demand event.  It only takes place if 50 tickets are sold. Reserve your spot now  — and portion of ticket sales will go towards supporting Greenpeace's vital work to protect our oceans and the planet.  WHAT: Special screening of BLUE — an award-winning documentary film WHEN: Monday 25th June, 7pm WHERE: Cineplex Odeon McGillivray Cinemas ( 2190 McGillivray Blvd, Winnipeg, MB, R3Y 1S6 ) HOW: Tickets are $14.50 and you can order yours here

Environmentalists accuse B.C. government of fudging the numbers to log some of the world's biggest trees

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NATIONAL  OBSERVER Environmentalists have accused the B.C. government of lying about the amount of majestic, centuries-old trees left standing in the province. Story here. An 800 year-old Douglas-fir near  Port Alberni,  BC Photo by  Gillian (EverySpoon)

This is Giant Mine

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TheNarwhal  Giant Mine - 2008. Photo by  WinterCity296  WinterforceMedia This gold mine was once so dangerous that it killed a toddler who ate snow two kilometres away. Canada’s second-largest environmental liability is inside Yellowknife city limits — and intrinsically tied to the city’s history and future. The federal government has now inherited the billion-dollar cleanup effort that could span a century. More here.

Climate change is wiping out the baobab, Africa’s ‘tree of life’

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Ameenah Gurib-Fakim  - the Guardian The trees are a scientific wonder, once capable of living for thousands of years, but now becoming endangered species. Story here. Boab trees. photo by ChatDaniels

Three trillion tonnes of ice lost from Antarctica since 1992

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Nature Research Press Antarctic ice. Photo by Greenpeace The Antarctic Ice Sheet lost about 3 trillion tonnes of ice between 1992 and 2017. This figure corresponds to a mean sea-level rise of about 8 millimetres. While it could take a thousand years for a total "meltdown," all of Antarctica’s ice sheets, contain enough water to raise global sea level by 58 metres. So they're a key indicator of climate change and driver of sea-level rise. See video, below. RELATED: Antarctic ice melting faster than thought, studies show.

Firestorm: How Wildfire Will Shape Our Future - a new book by Edward Struzik

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The Science Writers and Communicators of Canada is pleased to announce the winners of this year's book awards for books published in 2017.   The winner in the general audience category  is  Firestorm: How Wildfire Will Shape Our Future by Edward Struzik . A summary. For two months in the spring of 2016, the world watched as wildfire ravaged the Canadian town of Fort McMurray. Firefighters named the fire “the Beast.” It acted like a mythical animal, alive with destructive energy, and they hoped never to see anything like it again. Yet it’s not a stretch to imagine we will all soon live in a world in which fires like the Beast are commonplace. A glance at international headlines shows a remarkable increase in higher temperatures, stronger winds, and drier lands– a trifecta for igniting wildfires like we’ve rarely seen before. This change is particularly noticeable in the northern forests of the United States and Canada. These forests require fire to maintain healthy