Nobel Peace laureates call on Harper to stop tar sands expansion
Eight Nobel Peace Laureates today sent a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper calling on him to ensure that Canada moves towards a clean energy future—and halts the expansion of the tar sands. In their letter, the Laureates—which include Archbishop Desmond Tutu (South Africa), Jody Williams (USA), President Ramos Horta...
Global CO2 emissions reach all-time high, rising more than five per cent in 2010 to close out past 20 years
By Andrew Burger Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reached an all-time high in 2010, rising 45 per cent in the past 20 years. Rising rapidly between 1990 and 2010, global atmospheric CO2 levels totaled 33 billion metric tons last year, according to a report published by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and PBL Netherlands […]
MORTGAGE TRENDS: Where are Canadian interest rates heading?
By: Rob McLister, editor of Canadian Mortgage Trends One could wax on about how grim the United States (US) economy is, but Mark Carney put it succinctly: “The (U.S.) housing market remains a mess, the consumer is weak, and government actions can be expected to reduce growth…The U.S. economy is close to stall speed…” That […]
Hundreds assemble on Parliament Hill Monday to say 'No to Tar Sands'
Hundreds of people from across North America have gathered this morning on Parliament Hill for a rally followed by a mass civil disobedience sit-in. Participants are delivering a resounding message to Harper: “We want to build a green energy future that respects Indigenous rights and prioritizes the health of our environment and communities.” Participants are […]
First radioactive rice found in Japan
Reuters, JAPAN Japan found the first case of rice with radioactive materials far exceeding a government-set level for a preliminary test of pre-harvested crop, requiring thorough inspection of the rice to be harvested from the region, the farm ministry said recently. The ministry said radioactive cesium of 500 becquerels per kg was found in a […]
Whistler announces carbon neutrality two years ahead of goal
Two years ahead of its goal, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has achieved carbon neutrality. Offsetters, leading carbon management solutions provider, has partnered with RMOW to offset their 2010 corporate footprint. As one of the first British Columbia municipalities to adopt a Carbon Neutral Operations plan (September 2009), the RMOW has measured emissions associated […]
Coral Reefs likely to disappear by the end of the century
By Helen Roddis, ARKive Coral reefs will be gone by the end of the century, according to a top UN Scientist. This would give coral reefs the dubious accolade of being the first entire ecosystem to have been destroyed by human activity. In the recently published book Our Dying Planet, Professor Peter Sale writes that […]
The hunt for the killer asteroid goes on
Observations from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission indicate the family of asteroids some believed was responsible for the demise of the dinosaurs is not likely the culprit, keeping open the case on one of Earth’s greatest mysteries. While scientists are confident a large asteroid crashed into Earth approximately 65 million years ago, leading […]
UBCM weighs in on controversial 'Smart Meters'
Serious disagreement continues between the BC electric utility companies and thousands of private homeowners who refuse the forced installation of Wireless Smart Meters on their homes without consent. Customers want the Utilities to listen to their valid concerns before pressing ahead with this program.Questions of conflict...
Why Conservatives are worried about a growing rich-poor gap
It’s a strange world. Senior economist Armine Yalnizyan was commissioned by the National Post to make a case about income inequality for their opinion page, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has written. The piece ran under the headline A problem for everyone. The overtitle (a quick summary of the story written by the editors) […]
