PLANET IN PERIL

The value of planting trees was questioned at a public meeting in Rossburn, MB on Feb.21st. Perhaps up to a hundred people were there, including several students from local schools. The meeting was called to examine how climate change might affect agriculture. Two speakers at the meeting actually challenged the role of tree-planting as a way to absorb harmful greenhouse gasses. Curt Hull of Climate Change Connection , one of the meeting's guest speaker, said trees may absorb such gasses during their life-cycle, (through a process known as "sequestration) but actually put it back into the air when they die and decay. *(See his more detailed explanation, and another view from the PFRA below .) Another speaker, Leloni Scott of Manitoba Agriculture and Rural Initiatives, agreed. Ms. Scott claimed tree-planting is over-rated as a way to "sequester" gasses. Unconventional Wisdom? Those statements clearly came as a surprise to several people in attendance,including one of t

Some time ago, I sent a a story I had written and researched about the role of Manitoba's livestock sector in the production of greenhouse gases, to the Premier and the Ministers of Agriculture and Conservation (Environment) for their comment. Please see my original message and story, below, then the government's response after that. I am presenting them here without comment. WHAT DO YOU THINK? Why not scroll down and send me feedback via email? THANKS! Larry __________________________________ Dear Premier Doer and Ministers Wowchuk & Struthers; I would very much appreciate it if you could get back to me with your observations on the article below. Thanks so much for your attention. Respectfully, Larry Powell LIVESTOCK CASTS ITS LONG SHADOW OVER MANITOBA'S GREENHOUSE GAS LEVELS - by Larry Powell . Roblin MB Oct. 30th '07 Figures from Environment Canada show that farming is playing an increasing role in Manitoba's levels of greenhouse gases. In 1990, agricultur

The Failed Strawboard Plant at Elie MB. A tiny fraction of the massive straw piles at the plant.  now rotting and surely rat-infested. PinP photos. (Published in the Manitoba CoOperator - Jan. '08) Dear Editor, Regarding your recent story about the demise of the strawboard plant at Elie; my heart sinks every time I drive by that site. It is a testament to the failure of so many things that society ought to be supporting; not relegating to the garbage dump. Instead of being dismantled and sold to the highest bidder, the plant could still be up and running, diverting waste straw into a valuable building product. Rather than being gutted, it could still be providing a market for farmers to sell what is an otherwise useless, not to mention dangerous product. Instead, we can look forward to a future where irresponsible farmers continue to burn their stubble with impunity. In the process, people unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place, including kids with as