Environment

Economist Magazine Looks at Green

- Adam Clare 2 Comments

coverThere has been a lot of investment in the field of energy production in the past couple years with a huge increase in the renewable energy sector. The Economist magazine wonders why this is. They openly state that this trend is good for society, but not so good for money.

My copy of the magazine arrived in the mail, and I noticed that the main article is not available on their site, thus no direct link. You may have to take my word that the Economist is unsurprisingly skeptical of renewable energy, apparently British economists are afraid of change. The Economist does provide a different angle than what I’m used to when thinking of renewable energy – the profit motive.

Save the Environment While Helping the Poor

- Alison 1 Comment

Van Jones, 38, wants to know: Why aren’t environmentalists and social justice activists already working together? He insists this is possible when building an environmentally sustainable economy and healthy environment for all.

Jones is working with politicians, business leaders, educators and community activists to develop such cooperation in Oakland, Calif., where he founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in 1996 to tackle criminal justice issues.

“We are working with community colleges and labor unions and prison re-entry organizations to create a green job corps, where urban youths and workers will be taught to install solar panels, do organic gardening or retrofit buildings so they don’t leak energy.”

Jones believes that the safest communities have the best education and jobs for young people, and is “calling on environmentalists and human rights activists to join in a national drive to save the environment and improve the lives of the working poor”.

2006 A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium

- Cam Proctor 2 Comments

“Why did the chicken cross the road? Because global warming shifted the climate and the only suitable habitat for chickens is up North.”

“We spent all this money developing tools to identify conservation areas, learning how to manage these areas and trying to acquire enough of them to have some sembelance of an ecosystem, and it was all for naught because of climate change.”

“How do you conserve a species, lets take a bird that eats caterpillars as an example, when climate change causes caterpillars to lay their eggs early and by the time the young birds hatch all the caterpillars are now butterflies?

These are just some of the questions I heard at the 2006 A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium. This year’s theme was – Creating a Climate for Change – refering to the actions that conservationists are taking in order to meet the challenges of climate change. A lot of really good discussion happened at this conference . Tough questions were asked and the people on the floor stood up to answer them. Canada might not have a government that is working against climate change, but it has at least one dedicated group doing it.

Ship it Good!

- Cam Proctor

Aside from the invasive species catching a free ride every now and again, the transport industry causes a huge volume of carbon dioxide emmissions annualy. A Maryland-based non-profit, Carbonfund.org, came up with a neat way of offsetting these emissions by launching a Carbonfree Shipping program, which allows retailers to reduce some of the carbon footprint created by shipping packages to customers. Four companies — BetterWorld.com, Evogear.com, 3R Living and alonova.com — have joined the program.

Canadians Want to be Taxed

- Adam Clare 2 Comments

The idea of the carbon tax is gaining momentum here in Canada, which is great to see. Unfortunately the federal government is so out of touch with reality that it doesn’t realize that Canadians want to protect the planet. The environment minister, Rona Ambrose, is continually receiving criticism from all Canadians.

Canadians are vocalizing their concerns that Prime Minister Stephen Harper is embarrassing Canada.

Now here’s the purely good news:

“Most Canadians — including a majority of Albertans — believe the federal government should levy a tax on carbon-based energy sources, according to a new poll.

Surprisingly, the country’s top oil, gas and coal producing regions — Alberta, British Columbia and Atlantic Canada — showed the most support for a carbon tax.”

Yes, this may have to do with a lack of outdoor hockey rinks starting to trouble people.

I’m not even going to attempt to hide the fact that I despise Harper.

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