CNRL Enters the Political Debate
“This is not about sending a message or a shot across the bow.”—Murray Edwards, billionaire oil tycoon Are you kidding me? Murray Edwards’ message couldn’t have been clearer if he’d…
energy
Gordon Campbell making history
First published in December, 2009 History is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies and misfortunes of mankind.– Edward Gibbon, English historian of Rome (1737 – 1794)…
MIT Encourages Solar Energy to Power the Future
Solar roof Now that climate change has reached the point that it is happening regardless if we stop all human produced carbon output we desperately need to change how we…
Let’s Give Green Energy $5.3 Trillion This Year
What fraction of a decade would it take to completely get off fossil fuels and create a post-carbon energy/transportation infrastructure if the clean, green energy sector were publicly subsidized at…
Community-Owned Green Businesses Seeing Great Growth
Community-Owned sustainable energy companies aren’t new, but they are successful! One of the reasons Germany’s push to a sustainable energy grid has worked is that local community own and operate…
BC’s Carbon Emissions on the Rise
It was a good story while it lasted. Over the past few years, the BC government and many in the policy community have spun a tale about the remarkable success…
New Solar Cell Technology, Perovskite, Shows Promise
Solar power is getting cheaper every year and that trend seems to never end. Now there’s a new (and maybe even cheaper) technology for solar energy generation. The reason this…
Fearmongering or Hopemongering? It’s Your Call Alberta
“I think it has deteriorated into groundless name-calling, and it’s certainly not the strategy that I would take.”—Rachel Notley reflecting on comments made by Jim Prentice and Brian Jean To…
Greenhouse gas emissions
It seems Canada is about to end a long tradition of coordinating greenhouse gas reduction targets with the United States. With much of the densely populated east coast at risk…
Vancouver Aims to be Powered by 100% Renewable Energy
Vancouver has a new goal: be powered by only renewable energy. This announcement was made the same week that an oil spill hit the city’s shores. Indeed, the city is…
Disaster Tourism at the English Bay Oil Spill
By Emily Griffiths In the wake of the oil spill a few days ago, I set out this morning with my partner to see the aftermath first hand. I really…
Faster Than Oil, Clean Energy on the Rise
Economists are really bad at predictions, but their views carry sway over large amounts of capital. Their most recent inaccuracies have been in the energy sector. Clean, renewable, energy is…
Canada Can be Fossil Fuel Free
Canada has an international reputation as being a dullard when it comes to the environment. That’s not shocking given that the present “conservative” government has sabotaged international climate meetings, has…
Jim Prentice’s Budget: The Not-So-Subtle Language of Money
“There is no fortress so strong that money cannot take it.” — Cicero On Mar 24, 2015 Jim Prentice sent Albertans a message of such heartless cynicism that only the…
Costa Rica Only Powered by Renewables
Costa Rica has been 100% powered by renewable energy for the first quarter of the year and this may continue. This is fantastic for the central american country as it…
The Interview We Wish We Had With Premier Prentice on Budget 2015
“I believe we show who we are, and how much we care, by what we do.”—Stephen Harper, Canada’s prime minister In his March 24 “State of the Province Address” Mr…
Homelessness in Canada’s North
Over at the blog of Northern Public Affairs, I’ve written a post titled “Ten Things to Know About Homelessness in Canada’s North.” Topics covered in the post include the high…
In France New Buildings Need Green Roofs
Green roofs or solar panels are now required on all new commercial buildings in the country of France. This is great because now buildings can have either a zero energy…
Laurie Blakeman Takes a Symbolic Step…in the Wrong Direction
Crikey! On Friday Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman announced that she’ll be running as a candidate for the Liberals, the Alberta Party and the Greens in the upcoming election… …and on…
Thinking Through the Fall-Out of Lower Oil Prices
Canada’s economic and fiscal debates in recent months have been dominated by the possible impacts of the sudden fall in oil prices since last autumn on growth, employment, and fiscal…