PLANET IN PERIL

National Public Radio (US) It was not a good year for people, weather and climate. The winter was strangely warm in many places and the summer ridiculously hot. As a large fraction of the country suffered through extreme or even extraordinary drought many folksnaturally wondered, "Is this climate change?"  Full story here. Sandy wrecks havoc in southern Ontario. (CBC photo) PLT: Below is a comment I prepared for a blog published by Andrew Revkin of, wait for this, the prestigious New York Times. While he may fall short of an outright "denier," he is what I am calling "a sower of seeds of doubt." In one of his latest posts,  Revkin opines that any suggestion that climate change is behind Hurricane Sandy is, in effect, too simplistic! 

New York Times No one is sure, but Toronto's massive banks and other skyscrapers may be making it the most deadly city in the world for our precious, migratory birds. Details here. Cape May Warbler. PLT photo

Common Dreams You may have never heard of Henry I. Miller, but right now he is attempting to determine the future of food in this country.  And he has enormous financial backing. Details here.

Manitoba Wildlands "...almost all the Alberta herds — most of which are in the same region as the oilsands — are very unlikely to survive." A July 28, 2011 Federal Court decision forced the Federal Minister of the Environment, Peter Kent to revisit his March 2011 decision to refuse emergency protections for woodland caribou in Alberta affected by oil sands development. The Canadian Government was given until September 1, 2011 to implement a draft recovery strategy for woodland caribou. 

International Fund for Animal Welfare The Canadian Senate, our Senate, has just released its report on the “management” of grey seal populations on Canada’s East Coast and recommends spending millions in taxpayer dollars on an “experiment” that is so incredibly flawed that, whatever the result, it will be entirely unreliable.  Details here. Photograph: Joe Cornish/NTPL

Government of Manitoba Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship advises charges have been laid against the City of Winnipeg under the Environment Act as a result of the city’s South End Water Pollution Control Centre releasing a large amount of partially treated sewage into the Red River over a prolonged period of time.  Details here.

New York Times: Hurricane Sandy, now battering the Bahamas, is expected to head up the East Coast over the weekend and possibly collide with a winter blast, producing what weather forecasters fear could be a historic and potentially devastating storm for a large swath of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic early next week. Details here. CARL JUSTE / TRIBUNE MEDIA / MCT Residents find higher ground as the water level continues to rise in Leogane, Haiti, Friday. Leogane has endured five consecutive days of rain due to the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. PLT: The deafening silence emanating from the US campaign trail about climate change can only be further evidence of the disconnect between politicians and power on the one hand, and reality and science on the other. How many "Frankenstorms" will we have to endure before they remove their heads from their a...., er I mean, the sand and start telling it like it is? Please also read: "IT'S GLOBAL WARMING, STUPID!"

Manitoba Co-Operator - Commodity News Service Canada A healthy canola field. PLT photo  Canadian canola exports during the 2012-13 crop year were expected to come in at a record-high level -- but smaller-than-anticipated production is now predicted to dim those prospects. Full story here. PLT: Crop production stories, chalk-full of numbers such as this one, are both important and interesting, I'm sure. But, as a consumer with an environmental conscience, I am frequently disappointed at the lack of context in such stories in the overall scheme of things. For example, in my own rural area, coffee-talk is rife with reports of a rare canola disease this year which, I am told, is a fungus spread by an insect which thrives in warm weather. That bug was apparently carried from the south where record heat and drought enabled it to thrive. I THINK the disease is called Aster Yellows (Phytoplasma) (l).  It was, this year, worse than it has ever been and shattered the hopes many fa

Puzzling, isn't it? Several scientists in Italy were recently tried, convicted and sentenced on criminal charges for failing to predict the unpredictable - a tragic and deadly earthquake there a few years ago. I didn't realize governments were all that interested in what scientists have to say, anyway. After all, leading climatologists the world over have been warning for decades that our planet is headed for a crisis due to human-caused climate change - a science that has accumulated years of painstaking data and meteorological records to back its findings. Nevertheless, such warnings have been systematically ignored by Presidents, Prime Ministers and governments everywhere. If it was possible to bring a class action against political leaders the world over (beginning with Canada's Stephen Harper) I'd be leading the charge. Think about it. A few hundred people died in the earthquake - a disaster, to be sure. But millions have died by now due to the catastrophi

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By George Monbiot, the Guardian How conservatism turned into an orgy of destruction. Details here. PLT: Sounds like Canadian-style corporatism is metastasizing!

The Daily Climate Penn State climate scientist Michael Mann sues National Review, Competitive Enterprise Institute for 'maliciously' attacking his personal reputation. Details here. PLT: At left is Michael Mann's now-famous "hockey stick graph" which has drawn the anger, vitriol and even threats from many climate cranks. Mann and other scientists constructed the graph to show global patterns of annual surface temperature. Despite evidence that the graph is an accurate portrayal, the cranks continue to spew their hatred at this distinguished man.

Xerces Society Across North America, monarch butterflies are leaving their summer breeding grounds and making their epic journey to spend the winter in Mexico or along California's coast. Unfortunately, all is not well in the monarch world. Details here.

ClimateWire: PLT photo Pollution from agricultural production degrades coastal salt marshes more quickly than previously thought, according to a study published in the journal Nature. Details here.

NEW YORK, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Pollution from factories and mines is putting the health of 125 million people at risk worldwide and is as dangerous in the developing world as malaria or tuberculosis, according to a… Full story here. PLT photo For a Canadian perspective, please read about a US-based corporation which was given permission a couple o f years ago, to actually i ncrease industrial e missions at its Manitoba wood pro ducts plant.

National Round Table on the Environment (NRTE) Manitoba Geothermal Energy Alliance. Framing the Future: Embracing the Low-Carbon Economy outlines the potential economic opportunity for Canada as the world transitions to a low-carbon economy. Details here. PLT: This is the last report from the NRTE, which the Harperites have killed. Heaven forbid they should retain an advisory to give them such "radical" advice! Make no mistake, this government represents industry, the top 1%, period. Not you. Not me.

Environment Canada WINNIPEG, Man.– October 22, 2012 – An Environment Canada investigation led to the recent sentencing of Jayson Daeninck and his company, Saltwater Connection, on 18 charges under… full story here.

PLT : Is the heavy hand of Corporatism about to descend on farmers who simply want to produce a decent, clean product? Could be! Just read on...... Global National GUELPH, Ont. – There’s a new genetically modified crop on the horizon that some say is jeopardizing the entire Canadian organic farming industry. Details here. PLT photo

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette California to vote Nov. 6, but effects could be far-reaching. Details here. Photo credit: Greenpeace

(Reuters) - Leaders of a tiny, native village off Canada's remote northwest coast on Friday defended their decision to dump 120 tons of iron dust into the ocean as a legal experiment to revive salmon stocks, but Canada said it was investigating a possible breach of environmental law. Full story here.

India Ink Technology which Indian farmers are buying to kill pests, does not come cheap. Details here.

North Shore Outlook Hundreds of litres of industrial oil containing toxic PCBs spilled into a West Vancouver waterway Sunday, polluting a salmon creek and duck pond…. full story here.

Huffinigton Post According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the globe recorded its warmest September on record, tying with 2005 for the title. Full story here.

Letter to the Editor: As I read "The province wants public thoughts on environmental plan" in the Free Press, I can’t help, but think that Lake Winnipeg is already green, far too green, in fact. This is a man-made situation. Lake Winnipeg is not polluting itself. We, the people are the cause for allowing the abuse and pollution to these waters. It is apparent that respect and gratitude is not a requirement in to-day’s society and how to take care of water that sustains all life.  We are not alone. There are neighbouring provinces and the United States that also make their contributions of pollution. An action often referred to, as ‘out of sight, out of mind’. I am skeptical of yet another plan for "Think Saving Lake Winnipeg", and here’s why. On June 2, of 2011, Premier Selinger presented his Plan to Save Lake Winnipeg. In that plan there was to be an International Summit that would bring together the stakeholders and levels of government t

Climate Ark Listening to the US Presidential election, you wouldn't know Earth faces ecological emergencies including abrupt climate change and ecosystem collapse in water, forests, and food. Details here. PLT photo

ScienceDaily (Oct. 12, 2012) — Exposure to ambient air pollution from traffic during infancy is associated with lung function deficits in children up to eight years of age… Details here.

The Seattle Times A Washington State University researcher says genetically-modified crops have led to an increase in herbicide use, contrary to claims by proponents of the crops. Details here. PLT photo

Winnipeg Free Press SASKATOON - Researchers say a changing climate in Saskatchewan will mean more tornadoes and more rain, but also milder winters. Details here. A twister 36 kilometres east of Regina.  (Submitted by Kathy Rosenkranz)

Planetsave The Canadian fossil fuel giant Transcanada is encountering increased resistance from the “Tar Sands Blockade” in eastern Texas. Details here. PLT: Given the bullying tactics of this stinking company, is it any wonder resistance is increasing? Surely the power of The Corporation over the people is now absolute. That a Canadian-based corporation is involved, in this case, makes this Canadian nauseous. If I get the chance, I will throw up on its CEO. 

The Globe and Mail PLT photo Millions of Canadians have been fed a bunch of B.S. by those whose responsibility it is to prevent, contain and explain such public health disasters. Full story here.

San Francisco Chronicle Pesticides pervade the environment, from the air we breathe to the food we eat, and they are making children sicker than they were a generation ago, a new report warns. Details here. Please also read: "Field of Nightmares" exploring the dark side of Roundup.   Crop-duster in western Manitoba, CA. PLT photo  

 DARA - a Madrid-based humanitrian group. The Human Toll of Inaction Could Exceed 100 Million Deaths Between Now and 2030 Alone! •Climate change and the carbon economy as estimated here are responsible for 5 million deaths each year today and cause illness in tens of million people globally comparable to the third leading cause of preventable death with a similar societal impact as tobacco use (see: Health Impact Climate/Carbon) • The carbon economy claims the largest share of this impact, in particular due to toxic air pollution, at over 4.5 million deaths a year today  • Climate change is estimated to be responsible for 400,000 deaths each year, particularly due to hunger and communicable diseases in the lowest-income countries 

Consumer Reports magazine: November 2012. Our findings show a real need for federal standards for this toxin. Full story here.

Common Dreams.  Photo credit: Quicksilver Dwindling fish size and stock may lead to food insecurity. Details here.

by Jim Harding Industrial-agricultural contaminants and Regina’s poorly treated sewage are degrading the Qu’Appelle Valley lake chain. This is a microcosm of a much larger… Full story here. Please also read, Lake Winnipeg Predicament a Human Creation, (a letter to the editor by John Fefchak).

by Jim Harding In 1972 the book Limits to Growth was published. This year, forty years later, the book The End of Growth came out. Full story here.

by Danny Dimwit ROBLIN, MB:  Wow! Sure has been windy lately, huh? We had two big trees blow down right beside our own house near Roblin late one night back in July. The top 8 or 10 feet of 6 others were ripped off and came crashing down at the same time. I even had a heart attack after cleaning up the mess in my yard. (Needed open-heart surgery - bypasses, the whole 9 yards!) (Later, I talked to a lady who had a bit of a heart attack, too, while cleaning up a campground near Portage, further to the east. She said a big wind kind of like a tornado had passed through!) The storm at our place (I think they called it a plow wind), damaged our sun porch, buckled our garage door and damaged our car. Cost a couple of thou to fix. As bad as it was, other poor souls in our neck of the woods also suffered damage from the wind which could have been even worse. We saw trees down everywhere, including some on top of houses and trailers in Roblin. Did you? Word is,

Government of Manitoba News Release. Hot, dry conditions and high winds are driving grass and brush fires in several areas including fires near the communities of St. Malo, Richer, Milner Ridge and Vita. For latest conditions, check here. Firefighters battle a raging brush fire that is threatening  homes in Winnipeg.   WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)                   FIRE UPDATE New Travel Restrictions Introduced The Office of the Fire Commissioner, Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship, and the Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization continue to support municipalities and fire departments with fires in southeast Manitoba. Hot, dry conditions and high winds are driving grass and brush fires in several areas including fires near the communities of St. Malo, Richer, Milner Ridge and Vita.  Non-essential personnel are asked to avoid these areas as conditions are changing quickly. Municipal and provincial staff are also working with the municipalities of Grahamdale and St. Lau

By Brian Bienkowski The Daily Climate As harvest season gets underway, farmers find drought-stressed crops are susceptible to toxins and contaminants, further reducing yields. Details here. By Charles Abbott WASHINGTON

                                         Planetsave A new report by the Sustainable Fisheries Group (SFG) has confirmed the suspicions held by many researchers that the thousands of fisheries that there isn’t much data on, that’s nearly 80 percent of the world’s fisheries, are in steep decline but could potentially recover to a degree if they are properly managed. Full story here. Photo credit:  Ecology Action Centre.

By Andrew Nikiforuk, Today, TheTyee.ca An insider ties poor weld inspections to rising rate of ruptures. Part two of a Tyee investigation. Full story here.

Reuters Beehives, Fort Whyte Centre, Winnipeg MB. Photos by PinP. If it were a novel, people would criticize the plot for being too       far-fetched – thriving colonies disappear overnight without leaving a trace, the bodies of the victims are never found.   Full story here.    

Minister declares week of Dec. 22-29 "Organic Week" in Manitoba.  Chemical-free veggies, fresh from a MB garden. PLT photo Manitoba's Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, Ron Kostyshyn, (l.) enjoyed a 4-course, gourmet organic meal with organic producers and retailers at an intimate Winnipeg restaurant last evening. Fusion Grill is long known for its support of fresh, local and organic food.  Mr. Kostyshyn promised the guests his government would attempt to "raise the profile" of organic agriculture in the province. He then signed a declaration, proclaiming Sept. 22-29th as "Organic Week in Manitoba." (The week just passed was National Organic Week.) I was there, too, representing PLT and enjoying delicious dishes, ranging from roast heirloom squash to pumpkin crème brulee. Please also read: "Manitoba Proclaims Organic Week," here. After the feast,  I took the opportunity to "corner" the Min

Vancouver Sun Health Canada said Thursday it will take action if its review of a new study that found Canadian-grown genetically modified corn is linked to…. Full story here. PLT photo Please also read: France Says No to Genetically Modified Crops, No to Fracking  

Vancouver Sun VANCOUVER - A coalition of conservation groups is suing the federal environment minister to try and force Ottawa to protect endangered and threatened species along the proposed route of the Northern Gateway pipeline. Full story here. Southern mountain caribou (l.) one of the "at-risk" species. Photo from Nature Conservancy of Canada. Photograph by: Canada-World

Winnipeg Free Press A coalition of health and environmental groups is hoping the Manitoba government will impose strict regulations and ultimately full-out bans regarding the use of cosmetic pesticides.... Details here. Photo credit: Cosmetic Pesticide Ban Manitoba

The Sydney Morning Herald AS ARCTIC sea ice hits a record low, focus is turning to climate ''tipping points'' - a threshold that, once crossed, cannot be reversed and will create fundamental changes to other areas. Full story here.

Common Dreams Naomi Klein: 'This is why radical movements are mercilessly mocked. They can win.' Full story here.

Common Dreams staff  France will maintain its ban on genetically modified crops [GMOs] and will ban fracking, politicians announced during an environmental conference held in Paris Friday and Saturday. Details here. PLT photo Please also read: Health Canada Reviewing Results of French Research