Archive for Ecology & sustainability

I’ve been relentlessly negative about the Harper Conservative government.  So I feel a responsibility, when they get something right, to offer some praise.  Today, the Harper government announced $80 million in funding for de-mining Afghanistan.      Read more »

In yet another indication that climate scientists got it wrong and the problem is worse than anticipated, National Geographic reports on a study from yesterday’s journal Nature Geoscience, that the tropics are visibly expanding faster than anticipated.  So it’s not just near the poles that things are worse than expected.

Over the past 25 years, the tropics have expanded by as much as 300 miles (500 kilometers) north and south—evidence of climate change in action, a new study says.

This not only means that rain-drenched regions near the Equator are growing, experts say, but also that global warming may be pushing deserts poleward in places such as the American Southwest, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, South America, and the Mediterranean.

Donna Dillman has moved her hunger strike for a moratorium on uranium mining to Queen’s Park.  Her rally this morning got a significant group of supporters out in the cold at Queen’s Park.  It felt good to be there.  The press was there taking pictures and talking to people.  It feels like something powerful is in the works.  Donna was gracious and informed and sensible even though she’s starting to feel weak and she’s always cold.  Our MPP, Peter Tabuns, was out there in support, as well as a lot of faces from Toronto-Danforth including our candidate Sharon Howarth and Green Party of Ontario staff Jeff Brownridge and Jessica Fracassi.  The Green Party of Ontario issued a press release in support of Donna, and the Green Party of Canada has been behind her all along. Peter scheduled an interview with Donna following the rally and has promised his support for further media opportunities.  Thanks Peter.  And thanks Donna, for your courage.

The good news, reported in this blog before, is that the Green Party is rising in the polls, even beating out the NDP nationally in popularity in some polls.

The bad news is that rising popularity and entrance into the main fray of politics means that we’re subjected to the same sort of nastiness the big boys used to reserve for each other.

The good news is that Prime Minister Harper’s policies, for a while thought to be substantive on climate change by much of the population, are now being recognized for what they are: fraudulent greenwash that actually reverses what little progress we’ve made.

The bad news is that Prime Minister Harper skewered any meaningful action on climate change at the recent Commonwealth talks in Uganda and managed to ram through a toothless policy guaranteed to allow climate change to roll on unchecked.

The good news is that on the heels of this development, one of his few allies in the commonwealth and indeed in the world, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, was turfed out in a general election where climate change was a major issue.

The bad news is that on the heels of all the bad publicity surrounding his irresponsible actions, Prime Minister Harper has attacked Elizabeth May for her searing denunciation.

The good news is that apparently Elizabeth May is the authority that Harper feels needs attacking.  We’re not such an inconsequential party after all.

The other good news is that what Elizabeth actually wrote about Mr. Harper is reasonable and sound.

Donna Dillman is moving her hunger strike to Queen’s Park.  Please join her in her call for a moratorium on uranium mining.

Rally for a moratorium on uranium mining
Tuesday, 2007 November 27, 10:30 am
Princess Margaret Hospital
(University Avenue, just south of Queen’s Park, at Orde St.)

Donna Dillman is a Green Party member who is active in the Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium (CCAMU)

She has been on a hunger strike since October 8, asking Premier McGuinty for a moratorium on uranium mining.  The mining company has now evicted her from their gates.  Because her quarrel is with Premier McGuinty anyway, she’s moving to Queen’s Park.  She’s asking people to rally with her at Princess Margaret hospital, and to march the short distance to Queen’s Park at 11 am tomorrow.

Donna is still walking so she will join us for the march.  She has also been asking people to put up homemade signs that say “Bring Grandma Home”.  She would like to spend Christmas with her grandchildren, but won’t give up until she gets her moratorium.

Her mind is clear as a bell.  She accepts juices.  I’m planning on bringing some warm cider.  Please join me.