Greenspiration News: cars, meat, feds, climate
Angela Bischoff
greenspi at web.ca
Wed May 27 11:28:23 EDT 2009
Greenspiration News
“No doubt, one day our children’s children will learn in school that
in the early part of the 21st century tens of thousands of people
died every year after taking unnecessary drugs … They will learn
that there were no effective laws to protect people from risky drugs
… When will we stop killing the innocent with blockbuster drugs?”
- Terence H. Young, MP (Conservative) for Oakville, Ontario:
www.drugsafety.com
(from Death by Prescription – A Father Takes on his Daughter’s Killer
– The Multi-Billion-Dollar Pharmaceutical Industry, Key Porter, 2009)
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Who Killed the Electric Car?
Sunday May 31 at 10 pm ET/PT on CBC Newsworld
Murder style investigaion into who was responsible for killing the
electric car when it was first introduced in the nineties.
http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/passionateeyeshowcase/2009/electriccar/
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How Much Space does it Take to Move 40 People?
Here’s a great demonstration of the amount of space required for
various modes of transportation.
The photos show: People in cars, people seated spaced as in cars,
standing, on bicycles, on bicycles in one lane, as pedestrians on the
sidewalk, and as seated on a bus.
http://www.livablestreets.com/projects/sustainable-west-palm-beach/
blog/2009/02/27/how-much-space-does-it-take-to-move-40-people/
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No Stopping the Gravy Train of Car Support?
The next time you hear a motorist complaining of being soaked,
mention the enormous sums in support that is handed to the industry
by all taxpayers – where everyone pays for the privileged choice of
the driver, directly and indirectly – and that includes paying with
lives in fighting the wars for cheap oil.
http://culturechange.org/cms/index.php?
option=com_content&task=view&id=431&Itemid=1
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Can vegetarians save the world?
A small town in Belgium has gone meat-free one day a week. A sign of
things to come, says one food historian
"Give up meat for one day [a week] initially, and decrease it from
there," he said. "In terms of immediacy of action and the feasibility
of bringing about reductions in a short period of time, it clearly is
the most attractive opportunity." This week the Belgian city of Ghent
met his demands by declaring Thursday a meat-free day. Restaurants,
canteens and schools will now opt to make vegetarianism the default
for one day a week, and promote meat-free meals on other days as well.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/may/16/ghent-belgium-
vegetarian-town-environment
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The sad saga of climate-change inaction
We're entering the home stretch of the marathon race toward a new
international climate-change agreement. Actually, it's a competition
in which runners mill about, saying, "No, you go ahead, you go
first," and many jog away from the finish line.
The end point is supposed to come in early December, at the annual
United Nations conference, this time in Copenhagen. The goal is to
reach agreement on greenhouse-gas emission cuts beyond those promised
in the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol, which expires at the end of
2012 and has been a bust.
http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/635227
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Women are waiting for the payoff
Women hold nearly half the jobs in many advanced economies. They are
more educated than men, work the same hours as men, apply for the
same jobs, try out for the same promotions.
But there is still a pro-male, anti-female gap in pay, promotions,
and the number of leadership positions. The gap might vary from
country to country, workplace to workplace, but nowhere has it been
vanquished.
http://www.leaderpost.com/Business/Women+waiting+payoff/1583233/
story.html
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Canadian Military Exports to Countries at War, 2003-2005
Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT)
http://coat.ncf.ca
Between 2003 and 2005, Canada exported more than $5.6 billion in
military exports to 73 countries. Of these 73 nations, 39 had troops
that were then engaged in major military conflicts, either at home or
abroad. This means that 53% of the countries to which Canada exported
military goods during those three years, were directly engaged in
wars, invasions and/or occupations.
However, much more significant is the fact that these 39 warring
nations receiving Canadian military hardware accounted for a full 90%
(i.e., $5.1 billion) of the total value of Canada's military exports
between 2003 and 2005.
Click below for a table listing the values of Canada's military
exports to countries engaged in war between 2003 and 2005. This table
links to the categories of military equipment that Canada provided to
these 39 warring countries.
http://coat.ncf.ca/ARMX/cansec/exports/Table1.htm
The web version of this report contains additional links and
references: http://coat.ncf.ca/ARMX/cansec/exports/WarExports.htm
This COAT report was produced in support of the campaign to oppose
Canada's largest military trade show, CANSEC, which is coming to
Ottawa, May 27-28. Learn more here: http://coat.ncf.ca/ARMX/cansec/
CANSEC_campaign.htm
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Opportunity Knocks
Now accepting letters of interest (or phone calls) from a few good
people who would like the opportunity to live and work in an off-grid
home. Our place, in Craik, SK. is straw bale wrapped, equipped with
solar electricity, low tech solar hot water, wood stove for when it
gets chilly (hopefully we’re done with that til fall), has nice soil
and an organic garden, inhabited by myself, and a lovely cat (who
thankfully hasn’t yet discovered the nesting robin in front of the
house.)
Read more here: http://boilingfrog.ca/?p=127
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From Canada to Copenhagen:
Pedal for the Planet
A new climate treaty will be negotiated during international climate
talks in Copenhagen, Denmark, December 7-18, 2009. Canada now stands
out as one of the last major industrialized countries opposed to
targets for deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and one of
the biggest blockers of climate change negotiations.
Take action on climate change
Pedal for the Planet is our chance for individuals, organizations and
communities to join together, to ensure that Canada does its fair
share to tackle the climate crisis. Starting on July 3, people across
the country will join rides and walks leaving the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts. Using bikes, trains and other modes of green
transport, we will demonstrate our personal commitment to change, and
relay our expectations for a Copenhagen climate treaty on to Ottawa.
Get involved!
Volunteers are needed every step of the way. We need:
• cyclists and walkers to join rides and walks
• tour leaders who have experience with long-distance cycling trips
• people to drive our hybrid electric support vehicles
• help finding organic farms and campgrounds where people can stay
• donations to ensure that this is a successful event across the country
For more information, visit http://www.kyotoplus.ca/pedal. Contact
someone in your region to find out how you can participate:
• British Columbia: Sean Magee, sean.s.magee at gmail.com and Ian Bruce,
David Suzuki Foundation, ibruce at davidsuzuki.org, (604) 732-4228 ext.
274, (604) 306-5095 (cell)
• Alberta: Jeh Custer and Lindsay Telfer, Sierra Club Prairie
Chapter, Edmonton, jeh at sierraclub.ca and lindsay at sierraclub.ca, (780)
439-1160
• Saskatchewan: Lisa Faye, Oxfam Canada, Saskatoon, lisaf at oxfam.ca,
(306) 242-4097
• Manitoba: Kelly Whelan-Enns, Manitoba Wildlands,
kelly at manitobawildlands.org, (204) 947-3400
• Ontario: Mike Buckthought, Sierra Club Canada, mikeb at sierraclub.ca,
(613) 241-4611 x235
• Québec: Arthur Sandborn, QuébecKyoto, arthur.sandborn2 at gmail.com,
(415) 235-5955
• New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island: Wanda Baxter,
Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, wbaxter at hotmail.com, (902) 634-8895,
(902) 553-0304 (cell)
• Newfoundland and Labrador: Bill Hynd, Oxfam Canada, St. John's,
billh at oxfam.ca, (709) 753-2202
• Ottawa Events: Mike Buckthought, Sierra Club Canada,
mikeb at sierraclub.ca, (613) 241-4611 x235
About KYOTOplus
Pedal for the Planet is a KYOTOplus initiative. KYOTOplus is a
national, non-partisan, petition-centered campaign for urgent federal
government action on climate change. There are over fifty partner
organizations, including: Climate Action Network Canada, Sierra Club
Canada, Sierra Youth Coalition, Oxfam Canada, the Canadian Youth
Climate Coalition, Greenpeace Canada, KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical
Justice Initiatives and the David Suzuki Foundation. To sign the
online petition, visit http://www.kyotoplus.ca/.
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PeakBusters
The forecast is for warm weather (and smog), which makes this a great
time to announce our 3rd annual PeakBusters contest. Take action to
reduce your electricity usage this summer and you could win one of
two dozen gift certificates for Mountain Equipment Co-op gear,
Lululemon clothing, Future Shop electronics and appliances or
Chapters-Indigo books and music. Challenge your friends to take
action too and you’ll receive even more chances to win! Enter now at
www.PeakBusters.ca.
By taking part in busting peak electricity demand, you will also walk
away with a lower electricity bill when Ontario moves to “time of
use” pricing. Under “time of use” pricing, the price of electricity
during peak periods will be more than double its off-peak price.
Hot weather drives a big surge in electricity use in Ontario and that
means the province often ends up firing up polluting coal plants on
some of our worst air quality days. But by installing a peaksaver
device on your air conditioner or taking other energy saving actions,
you can help reduce the need to use dirty coal.
So check out the great prizes, great energy saving ideas and
challenge your friends at www.PeakBusters.ca. When we reduce energy
use, we all win!
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Countdown to Copenhagen is Isuma’s six-month internet campaign to
promote the importance of Inuit knowledge and human rights in the
global discussion of Climate Change. Monthly webcasts on IsumaTV from
May to November will culminate in Live From the Floe Edge, ten days
of daily internet streaming hosted by Zacharias Kunuk live from his
arctic wilderness hunting camp during the UN Climate Change
Conference in Copenhagen, December 7-17.
The series will launch with a live webcast on Friday May 29,
featuring Siila Watt-Cloutier, Inuit climate activist and 2007 Nobel
Peace Prize nominee, speaking on Inuit, Human Rights and Climate
Change live from Iqaluit, Nunavut to a worldwide audience.. The
program leads off at 7:45 pm EST with the World Premiere of Tungijuq,
Isuma’s new 6-minute video starring Inuit jazz and throat-singing
sensation, Tanya Tagaq. At 8 pm Siila Watt-Cloutier delivers the 9th
annual LaFontaine-Baldwin Lecture, introduced by John Ralston Saul,
The Right Honorable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada,
Isuma’s Zacharias Kunuk and The Honourable Ann Meekitjuk Hanson,
Commissioner of Nunavut.
Screenings organized so far for Friday, May 29 include:
MONTRÉAL Ewola Cinéma
7:45 pm - 10 pm EST Eastern Time
3981 Blvd Saint Laurent Suite #900
contact Nanauq Kusugak
514-629-1524
nanauq at isuma.tv
TORONTO Hart House (U of T)
7:45pm- 10pm EST
7 Hart House Circle (Debates Room)
Contact Pieter Basedow
Students Against Climate Change
pbasedow at yahoo.ca
IGLOOLIK Isuma building
7:45-10pm EST
www.isuma.ca
Contact Carol Kunnuk
ph. 867 934 8809
carol at isuma.ca
WINNIPEG Urban Shaman Gallery
6:45pm-9pm CST
203-290 McDermot Avenue
contact Amanda Smart
204.942.2674
communications at urbanshaman.org
CALGARY Arusha Centre Society (old YMCA)
5:45 - 8 pm MST Mountain Time
223 12 avenue SW
403.270.3200
www.arusha.org
contact Sharon Stevens
infoactive.arusha at gmail.com
VANCOUVER Vancity Theatre
4:45 pm - 7 pm PST Pacific Time
Vancouver International Film Centre
1181 Seymour St
contact Zoe Quinn
zoe at viff.org
tomcharity at gmail.com
Vancouver Peak Oil Group and Vital Knowledge 2.2
4:45 pm - 7 pm PST
Studio 302 - 1067 Granville Street
Contact: Brennan Wauters, 604-727-4694
brennanwauters at gmail.com
Or get your own group together to watch the launch! Maybe in a
screening room/small cinema or just at somebody's house with a good
internet connection- anybody interested in climate justice, native
issues/culture, or else fans of Isuma's films (Atanarjuat, Journals
of Knud Rasmussen, Before Tomorrow-) Invite your friends, make it a
creative happening/salon- we need some grassroots (cross-continental)
energy to start going viral-!
IsumaTV pioneers a low-cost model for internet distribution of
Indigenous media for community organizing on issues of global
importance. Throughout 2009 Countdown to Copenhagen Live Webcasts
will be downloaded to a growing network of digital
screening rooms from Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal to as far as
Tromso, Norway and Alice Springs, Australia. IsumaTV has the goal by
December 2009 of a network of1000 local-to-global screening groups
around the world watching Live From the Floe Edge
through digital download-to-projection.
Watch us at: http://www.isuma.tv/hi/en/isumatv-live-feed/icc-may-29th
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