Posts

Indonesia Forest Fires: The Death Toll Mounts

TheGuardian Nineteen people have died and half a million have fallen ill in two months as haze from thousands of fires chokes south-east Asia. Details here.

Time For a Green Makeover For 24 Sussex?

National Observer Momentum is building for an audacious plan to turn the prime minister’s official residence in Ottawa into a national showcase for super-energy-efficient housing, and a powerful symbol of Canada’s promise to make a difference on global climate change. Story here.

Vultures Nearing Extinction in Africa

The Guardian Carnivorous birds, which help stem spread of disease by eating carcasses that would otherwise rot, targeted by poachers. Story here.

Syria May Be the First Climate-Change Conflict, but It Won’t Be the Last (Story & Video)

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 The Nation While our political establishment dithers, the Pentagon recognizes that climate change is an immediate threat to national security.   Story here.

Teen Pregnancy and Sexual Violence Soars in Nicaragua

Plan Canada Early pregnancy is one of 6 barriers commonly keeping girls from school . In Nicaragua , where the rates of teen pregnancy are the highest in Latin America, the issue is spiraling out of control. Story here.

Climate Change Could Make The Persian Gulf So Hot People Can’t Spend More Than A Few Hours Outside

Think Progress This summer, a heat wave sent temperatures near the Persian Gulf skyrocketing, with outdoor temperatures reaching as high as 120°F throughout parts of Iraq and Iran. And while those temperatures might seem extreme, a new study published in Nature Climate Change suggests that scorching temperatures could become increasingly common in the region by the end of the century, if climate change is left unchecked. Story here.

Local Food Systems in Manitoba on the Minds of Young, Small Farmers

Manitoba Co-Operator Many farmers are embracing small-scale, sustainable agriculture and are focusing on selling their food directly to families throughout the province by developing community food networks. Story here. Details here.

Climate Change a Major Health Threat to Children, Doctors Warn

CBC News Climate change poses a rising global public health and safety threat, and children are particularly vulnerable, the American Academy of Pediatrics says in a new policy statement. Story here.

The Toxic Contamination of Manitoba First Nations Communities

briarpatch According to the Treasury Board of Canada's "Contaminated Sites Inventory," of the 77 “high priority” contaminated sites in Manitoba, 70 are situated in First Nations communities. Story here.

Exxon Sowed Doubt About Climate Science for Decades by Stressing Uncertainty

inside climate news Collaborating with the Bush-Cheney White House, Exxon turned ordinary scientific uncertainties into weapons of mass confusion. Story here.

Mexico Braces for Hurricane Patricia: 'Strongest Storm Ever Measured'

Common Dreams 'An extremely dangerous, potentially catastrophic hurricane,' warns the National Hurricane Center. Story here.

Capitalist Production vs. The Earth

Briarpatch Magazine While environmentalists may not often approach the issue of the environment from the point of view of labour, they have made sincere efforts to link their concern with the issue of labour generally. STORY HERE.

12-Star Conservatives Who Will No Longer Be With Us

PRESS PROGRESS After a long decade in power, the Stephen Harper years are now history. Here are 12 other Conservative stars who will no longer twinkle following Monday night's vote. Story here.

'Never Seen Anything Like This Before' as 2015 Set to Be Hottest Year on Record

Common Dreams With many eyes turning to UN talks in Paris, Earth continues to exhibit symptoms of a planet on fire. Story here.

TPP Deal Opens Canadian Dairy Market More Than First Reported

Manitoba Co-Operator Milk protein isolates will enter tariff free, making it even more difficult for Canada to dispose of surplus skim milk. Story here.

In Hawaii, Concern Rises About Use of Farm Pesticides

INTER PRESS SERVICE “Ever since we moved here, we all have sore throats and we cough all the time,” says a 40-  Details here.

Europe's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Fall to Record Low

theguardian Member states report a 23% drop since 1990, but the pace is slowing and several countries have missed renewable and energy efficiency targets.  Story here.

High Stakes – Cleaning Up After Harper

Common Dreams Canadians couldn’t have been much clearer on Monday when they hit the polls in numbers that haven’t been seen for decades… Story here.

Campaigners Bid Harper Adieu While Vowing to Hold Liberals Accountable

Common Dreams Yes, Trudeau's sweeping win was a repudiation of "negative, divisive politics" in favor of "a positive vision that brings Canadians together"—but the new prime minister still has much to prove. Details here.

Manitoba Clamps More Restrictions on Moose Hunting as Populations Continue to Decline.

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Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship advises that effective immediately, moose hunting is closed to all hunters in Game Hunting Areas (GHAs) 29 and 29A, in the Turtle Mountain area.  This conservation closure is in addition to previous closures in and around west-central and eastern Manitoba.  PinP   photo.

Lynton Crosby Abandons Harper

THINKPOL The Australian dirty tricks strategist brought in last month to salvage Stephen Harper’s re-election campaign has abandoned the Conservatives, according to the spin doctor’s partner. Story here.

Fracking Studies Overwhelmingly Indicate Threats to Public Health

inside climate news A comprehensive new look at a wide range of research concludes that fracking inevitably pollutes water and air and harms people. Story here.

American Farmland Titan Eyes Canada

Alberta Farmer "Farmers National" manages two million acres in the U.S. Details here.

Canada Election: How Stephen Harper’s Fossil Fuel Gamble May Have Backfired

theguardian The Conservative prime minister pledged to make the country an ‘energy superpower’, but with the election ahead and many Alberta residents struggling to make ends meet, a promise has become a liability for Harper. Story here.

Canada's Liberals Knew Their Campaign Co-Chair Worked for Pipeline Company

Vice News Canada's Liberal party knew Dan Gagnier was working as co-chair of the Liberal campaign while he worked as a consultant for major pipeline company TransCanada. Story here.

The US Government Says Billions of Animals Died From the BP Gulf Disaster

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VICE NEWS One of the lucky ones. A turtle rescued  from the Gulf and nursed back to health. Photo credit-New England Aquarium.  Tens of thousands of dead birds. More than 170,000 turtles. A billion newly hatched fish — and maybe as many as 8 billion oysters.That's the federal government's estimated toll on wildlife from the undersea blowout..... Story here.

The Lightest Metal Ever is 99.9% Air

treehugger The material will soon be used by Boeing in airplanes and rockets to cut down on their weight, create more room within the fuselage and increase fuel efficiency. Story here.

Invasion of the Ladybugs

MyToba If you live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, you may have noticed ladybugs lately.  A lot of ladybugs.  It turns out our unseasonably warm weather is to blame. Ladybugs hibernate, and the warmer weather fooled them into thinking it was spring. Story here. RELATED:  " Climate Change Will Have Big Effects On Spring And Winter "

Public Services Under Attack Through TTIP and CETA

bilaterals.org Public services in the European Union (EU) are under threat from international trade negotiations that endanger governments’ ability to regulate and citizens’ rights to access basic services like water, health, and energy, for the sake of corporate profits. Story here. 

Former Liberal Campaign Co-Chair Was Being Paid by TransCanada

iPolitics Former Liberal campaign co-chair Daniel Gagnier has been working for months for TransCanada Corp., helping it with its controversial Energy East pipeline, while at the same time working as an key advisor to Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. Details here.

Climate Change Will Have Big Effects On Spring And Winter

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ClimateProgress A robin shivers in a Canadian "false spring." PinP photo. Climate change will shorten winters by about three weeks by the beginning of next century, according to a new study. Story here. RELATED: "Invasion of the Ladybugs."

Bad Water: 'Third World' Conditions on First Nations in Canada

CBC News Two-thirds of First Nations have been under at least 1 water advisory between 2004 and 2014. Story here.

'Out of Control' Inequality: Global One Percent Owns Half of World's Wealth

Common Dreams The Credit Suisse report shows worldwide inequality growing even faster than experts had predicted. Story here.

Global Parents Unite to Protect Children from Climate Catastrophe

Common Dreams 'Out of love for our grandchildren, it’s our responsibility to work towards a more harmonious world for both present and future generations.’ Story here.

Power Still Out in Eastern Manitoba After Thanksgiving Windstorm

CBC News Manitoba Hydro crews wait for first light to fly into communities left without power Sunday. Details here.

Freed Canadian Journalist Slams Stephen Harper for 'Abandoning' Him in Egyptian Prison

CommonDreams Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy says he'll continue to advocate for press freedoms and the rights of other detained journalists. Story here. RELATED: "Pick up the Phone, Steve. Demand Freedom for Mohamed Fahmy!"

Austria and Italy Fully Ban GM Crops With EU Opt-Out

AgroNews Austrian Health Minister Sabine Oberhauser and a number of Italian Ministries have confirmed that both countries are officially requesting an opt-out from growing the eight varieties of  GM maize permitted or set to be permitted at the EU level, thus there will now be a full ban on GM crops in both countries under new EU regulations. Story here.

Pesticides Found in 12.5% of Indian Food Samples

Agro News Identifying a major health hazard, the government has found residues of pesticides in a significant proportion of vegetables, fruits, milk and other food items collected from various retail and wholesale outlets across the country. Story here.

'Capitalism is Mother Earth's Cancer': World People's Summit Issues 12 Demands

Common Dreams The establishment of an independent climate tribunal to hold wealthy nations accountable emerged as a central goal of conference in Bolivia. Story here.

Lake Winnipeg a Lost Cause Thanks to Zebra Mussels, Expert Warns

CBC News Zebra mussel infestation 'beyond the point now of being able to do anything,' says scientist Eva Pip.  Story here.

Manitoba Hail, Reseed Damage Claims Above Average

Manitoba Co-Operator CNS Canada – – Farmers have seen more weather-related hardships this year than normal, made evident by an above-average amount of hail and reseed damage claims. Story here.

Why the TPP Will Not Work For Workers

The Nation The signatories of the Trans-Pacific Partnership just announced that they have inked the final agreement, ending years of secret negotiations and back-room corporate deal-making. And still, the full text, which will set trade rules for roughly 40 percent of global commerce in a dozen Pacific Rim countries, remains a secret, even as the accord hurtles toward Congress for an accelerated vote.   Story here. RELATED:   " Free Trade: Path to Prosperity - or Back Road to Corporatism?"

Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne Visits IISD-ELA

International Institute for Sustainable Development IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) was pleased to welcome Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne and her partner Jane Rounthwaite for a visit on August 30, 2015. Story here.