Archive for Ecology & sustainability

Toronto Hydro is exploring the possibility of putting windmills in Lake Ontario, about 2 km off the shores of the east end of our city.  The first step is to install a wind measuring device in the Lake. Moving forward on this proposal marks the first real step in turning around our energy future. But Hydro will need permission to proceed, and a small but vocal group is fighting even the current effort to measure the wind speeds.

Come to the community meeting to learn more about the proposal and voice your opinions:

Monday, 2008 November 24, 6:30pm
Sir Wilfred Laurier Collegiate Institute
145 Guildwood Parkway, Scarborough (Bus 116 from Kennedy station)
More information about the proposal

If you can’t come to the meeting, write a letter to the Ministry of Natural Resources, more information and a sample letter can be viewed on the website above.

This is the first step towards generating clean, renewable and local energy, so take the time to educate yourself about the proposal and help make sure that the measuring does not get blocked. This is the kind of action we need in order to cut our dependancy on oil and deal with the threat of climate change.

Franz Hartmann of the Toronto Environmental Alliance

It should be of concern to anyone concerned about climate change that the new federal Environment Minister, Jim Prentice, just got the seal of approval from the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

Wednesday, 2008 Oct 22, 6 pm – 8 pm
Bain Co-op Community Centre
100 Bain Ave
Free! Refreshments served.

Learn about what you can do at home and in your community to prevent stormwater pollution of our urban rivers. Also, find out about Riverdale’s buried creeks; they may be in your basement! Learn about de-icing salt and its threats to rivers, plants and trees.     Read more »

Everyone makes assumptions or accepts assumptions others have made.

A scientist never believes that she is right. She does her best to prove herself wrong, and then, in the absence of such proof, behaves as if she might in fact be right.

A politician never believes that she is wrong. She does her best to associate with people who agree with her, and in the absence of any agreement, behaves as if she might be in fact be a wee bit wrong.     Read more »

Here’s my friend Anthony Perl, together with his co-author Richard Gilbert, talking about the need to quickly adapt transportation as oil runs low.  Sorry about the over-the-top background music.