California rejects green label for BC’s private “run of river”
Construction of a private power project on the Ashlu River (Photo: Range Life) Read this January 21st story by Megan Hooker in on the California Energy Commission’s rejection of BC’s…
Common Sense Canadian
California facing 500-year drought, running out of drinking water
Folsom Lake, California (Associated Press) Read this Jan. 30 story from the Huffington Post on the 500-year drought facing California today. California is dry as a bone, and the effects…
Melting sea ice a help and hindrance to Arctic drilling
Read this story by Bobby Magill of Climate Central on the double-edged sword that melting sea ice poses for tapping into the massive estimated reserves of oil and gas in…
Regulator buried report on TransCanada pipeline explosion
A 2014 gas pipeline explosion near Winnipeg, Maniotoba Read this February 4 story from CBC.ca on a 2011 report of a TransCanada gas pipeline explosion in northern Alberta which the…
Morton: Marine Harvest lists on NYSE as Harper govt plans salmon farm expansion
In a blog posting today, independent salmon biologist Alexandra Morton calls attention to the recent listing of Norway-based Marine Harvest – the world’s largest salmon farming company – on the…
Cortes community forestry offers alternative to industrial logging
In a historic announcement last October, the BC government granted the Klahoose First Nation and the Cortes Island Community Forest Co-Op a Community Forest tenure on 3,700 acres of so-called…
Environmental hearing process not working for public
The 3-member panel reviewing Site C Dam has complained about the volume of documents from BC Hydro Read this Jan. 27 letter to the editor in the Vancouver Sun by…
BC’s private run-of-river power projects a ‘horror show’, documents reveal
A map of private power projects – proposed, under construction and in operation around BC (ippwatch.info) Read this Jan. 29 Province story on the appalling government mismanagement of private river…
Alberta families abandon homes over bitumen fumes
Fumes from these bitumen storage tanks are allegedly driving Alberta families from their homes. Read this Jan. 26th Vancouver Observer story by Mychaylo Prystupa on the extreme effects of bitumen…
Manitoba government floats northern oil, LNG port for Churchill
The port of Churchill (John Woods) Read this Jan. 18 story from The Winnipeg Free Press on a new government report envisioning the transformation of the northern port of Churchill,…
Vertical farms see rapid growth around the globe
Read this Jan. 16 story from the New Scientist on the growth of vertical farming around the world. URBAN warehouses, derelict buildings and high-rises are the last places you’d expect…
Site C review panel changes mind, asks for ALC’s input on farmland
The Peace River Valley is home to some of BC’s best farmland (Damien Gillis) Read this Jan. 23 Globe and Mail story by Mark Hume on the Joint Review Panel…
Geoscientist’s report undermines BC Government’s LNG figures
photo: Tina Lovgreen / BCIT Commons Read this Jan. 22 story from The Globe and Mail’s Mark Hume on a new report from esteemed geoscientist David Hughes which suggests the…
Clark’s transit referendum going off the rails
Read this Jan. 22 Vancouver Sun editorial by Don Cayo on the folly that is BC Premier Christy Clark’s proposed provincial referendum on funding public transit going forward. You would…
Canada taken to court over approval of GMO farmed salmon
Comparison between fast-growing Aquabounty farmed salmon and regular farmed salmon (Aquabounty) Read this Jan 20 story from sustainablepulse.com on a legal challenge led by law firm Ecojustice and several Canadian…
Wikileaks exposes weak environmental provisions of TPP trade deal
Leaders of the Trans-Pacific Partnership meet in 2011 Read this Jan. 15 story from The Huffington Post’s Kate Sheppard on the release of a secret draft chapter on the environmental…
Harper Government quietly mulls BC salmon farm expansion
An open-net pen salmon farm in BC’s Broughton Archipelago (Damien Gillis) Read this Jan. 15 Vancouver Sun story by Peter O’Neil on a series of new fish farm applications for…
Audio: Why Site C Dam is a bad deal for taxpayers, environment
The Common Sense Canadian’s Damien Gillis discusses the economic and environmental drawbacks of the $10 Billion proposed Site C Dam on Vancouver Co-op Radio – January 8, 2014. Public hearings…
Toronto sushi shop is first Ocean Wise 100% sustainable restaurant
Some of Just Sushi’s Ocean Wise creations (photo: Just Sushi) Read this Jan. 10 Toronto Star story by Michele Henry on the world’s first restaurant to be 100% certified by…
Associated Press investigation confirms fracking water issues in 4 states
Well water from Dimock, PA – like this jug taken in 2012 – prompted a controversial EPA study (EcoWatch.com) Read this Jan. 5 story from AP and USA Today, which…