As you and I wrestle with the thousands of little ways that we can improve our pro-environment actions, it can be VERY frustrating when the powers-that-be seem to be using that power to be doing the exact opposite of what we’d like them to do. But who are these ‘powers’ – and how do I get me some!? 

“If I was King of the Forest…..” sang the Cowardly Lion on the road to Oz. Well, if I was King of this forested land called Canada, I know that I would take legislative steps on a myriad number of issues near and dear to me and my vision for a greener, healthier tomorrow. What kind of steps, you ask? Well, don’t mind if I do!

I’d take steps to reduce our carbon footprint and increase our caring footprint. I’d take steps to ensure that we have less oil pipelines siphoning the last of the dead dinosaur juice from our sacred grounds – and I’d sure as heck have more freshwater pipelines bringing aqua-vitae to the First Nations communities across the North who have to live without water all too frequently. I’d take steps to ensure that those most impacted, most vulnerable, to the growing pain of the climate emergency are given more voice in the decision-finding and decision-making, and that we, as a country, measure ourselves to a higher standard of living within the means of Nature.

But, truth be told, I really don’t know that much about politics, or the inner workings of the system. I’ve voted most of my life and have occasionally dabbled by assisting a friend with a campaign – but it has never gone beyond that. And it’s not as if I’m not an opinionated SOB who may be guilty of an over-fondness for the sound of his own voice. But despite my lived experiences as a white male of acceptable means, I remain intimidated and afraid to break through my barriers in pursuit of something that has always percolated in my mind.

Thankfully, some friends shared with me a link to the FLIP 2.0 summit – and it was like flipping a switch in my mind as I pivoted from “I can not” to “why the heck not”. I will be spending my Saturday learning from those in the know, those who’ve walked paths that I seek to explore. I will listen and I will learn from people of all backgrounds as they share their wisdom for summoning the courage to be king or queen of a forever-forested land.

I may never be a powers-that-be but, by the end of day Saturday, I’m pretty certain that I’ll understand that power and how best to work together with my friends and peers to affect positive change on a local, provincial and federal level. And that’s a pretty powerful way to spend the day.

The post FLIP the Script appeared first on A\J.

Whether you would classify yourself as a political person or not, there is no denying that political change is an essential piece of the puzzle for environmental change. If you’re interested in making positive environmental changes, it is critical to learn about and/or contribute to how politics can be used as an effective method of change. But no one has to do this alone. GreenPAC is a Canadian non-profit, non-partisan organization that focuses their efforts on enhancing environmental decision-making, building environmental leaders, and creating spaces for the public and for future environmental leaders to contribute to these causes. 

This year, GreenPAC is hosting their second annual FLIP Summit (Future Leaders in Politics) – on Saturday, January 22nd. The FLIP Summit is an all-day event that presents a diversity of speakers, presentations, networking opportunities, and participatory sessions with the theme of breaking barriers for environmental political change. This event is a great opportunity to learn about Canadian politics and its essential tie to environmental advocacy as well as hear from local politicians, interact with other like-minded people, ask questions, and learn how to get involved. 

“This year’s theme is breaking political barriers for environmental progress. We chose this theme because there are many barriers that still exist for environmental change-makers to enter or engage in politics, and we believe focusing on those barriers will make the conversations more fruitful and impactful.” -Coco Wang, GreenPAC’s 2022 Summit Director

The FLIP Summit is not only for those who know about politics or have an interest in running for office. This event is for everyone. It’s for citizens. It’s for youth whose voices need to be amplified and empowered. It’s for older folks who may not know how to break out of the red and blue dichotomy that has been entrenched in our minds (and that environmental change can happen in any party). It’s for people who love politics, want to get involved with and inspired by current politicians, and aspire to be an environmental leader. It’s also for people who don’t know what politics has to do with environmentalism but want to learn. The point here is that this event is for anyone of any age or experience-level, looking to get involved, network, or just simply learn how the system of politics can work to enhance and increase positive environmental change. 

“Every year, we encounter countless people who recognize that there is a disconnect between the kind of change they want in the world, and the progress that’s actually happening. Politics is the missing piece, especially environmental leadership in politics. It doesn’t matter what issue you care about, it doesn’t matter where or how you want to make a difference, politics is there. We may not like that, but we need to engage with politics so we know how to navigate it, how to shape it, and where necessary, how to change it completely.” -Brittany Stares, GreenPAC’s 2021 Summit Director

It is especially critical that youth feel invited to this event – and more broadly, to conversations about environmental politics – because the future of our world is the future of our youth. The next generation of decision makers need to be heard today and every day looking forward, especially when talking about long-term sustainability. We have a world of passionate youth who want to improve the world in whatever ways they can, and GreenPAC is an organization that is working to uplift those voices, and facilitate knowledge sharing, mentoring, and inspiration between current and future politicians.

“Research has shown that young people are the most engaging demographic in taking advocacy actions like signing petitions and raising awareness on issues, particularly climate change and other environmental issues. But the reality is that young people also have the lowest rate of voting in elections and have little political knowledge in general. To transform the energy and will for change, understanding and entering formal politics is crucial for our generation to push for the real changes we need.” -Coco Wang, GreenPAC’s 2022 Summit Director

Check out more details about the event, including the agenda and speakers, here: https://bit.ly/GPflip2022 

Registration is open until 1:00 PM (EST) on Friday, January 21st, so be sure to get your ticket now and be prepared to be empowered this weekend. Never underestimate the power of a speaker, a conversation, an idea – those things can spark movements, and this event is THE place for sparks to fly. We’ll see you there!

The post Breaking Barriers with GreenPAC appeared first on A\J.

Due to this strict lockdown, it is projected that the world’s CO2 emissions will drop 8% in 2020 (although at the time of this article, they are already projected to increase again). With this global pandemic being top of mind, there is another looming threat: climate change. In recent years, we have consistently seen record-breaking environmental disasters that have been made worse by the climate crisis. According to the UN, over 7,300 extreme weather events have been recorded since 2000. Simultaneously, nine of the ten warmest years on record occurred between 2005 and 2019, with the world’s five warmest years occurring from 2015 to 2019.

…this is our chance to get on top of climate change. The question is, how do we do that, and will we be able to rise to the challenge?

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Australia and California have experienced their worst wildfire seasons on record. Increasingly severe droughts in South America and Africa resulted in widespread famine this summer. Flooding in Europe and North America has continued consistently breaking the previous years’ records as storms continue getting bigger, more dangerous and more common around the world. Evidently, the short-term emissions decrease from the COVID-19 pandemic will not be enough to impact the very real threat the climate crisis poses. COVID-19 has been hailed as humanity’s chance to “click the reset button” to “build back better”, with the idea that this is our chance to get on top of climate change. The question is, how do we do that, and will we be able to rise to the challenge?

Man at a climate protest. Sign reads, “Now is not the time for business as usual. Climate action NOW”. // Source: Unsplash

Now is the time for governments to push ambitious climate policy when restarting economies

Although energy-related CO2 was expected to drop in 2020, what matters is what we do next. During the initial phases of the pandemic, government relief packages around the world have focused on sustaining livelihoods and providing immediate relief. Stimulus packages will now be focused on global economic recovery. From the last economic crash in 2008, many stimulus packages focused on propping up fossil fuel-based companies, and in 2010 global emissions saw the largest increase ever recorded.

To learn from our mistakes, and continue this trend of declining emissions, governments should consider three main policy strategies according to the International Energy Agency (IEA):  

1. Governments should ensure policy predictability and reassure investors of their energy and climate commitments. This will be crucial for industries to establish business plans focused on sustainability.
2. Governments should reduce administrative barriers to renewable energy projects by streamlining permits and other administrative tasks.
3. Renewables should be a key part of stimulus packages. Investments should prioritize industries that have high job creation and are building infrastructure that supports efficient, resilient energy systems that will lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. There should be a focus on the labor-intensive building sector, prioritizing renovation programs to increase energy efficiency and installation of renewable heat sources. In addition to labor intensive jobs, the government should focus on stimulating companies in the smart, digital, and resilient energy infrastructure industries.

Overall, short term policy actions should relate to ambitious medium- and long-term visions for emissions reductions.

There are additional measures that governments can take according to Dr. Fatih Birol, executive director with IEA. Incentives can be put in place to encourage consumers to upgrade large purchases to more energy efficient ones, such as cars and washing machines. With an increase in people working from home, emphasis can be put on upgrading electricity and internet infrastructure, basing these networks on clean, renewable power. Investment can be made in industries that will be vital in the clean energy transition such as batteries, hydrogen, and carbon capture to name a few. This can help scale up these technologies, so they become competitive in the current energy market. Governments can also bring in more private investment by providing clarity in the market. Investments may come in the form of carbon pricing, removing fossil fuel subsidies, and offering loans on renewable energy projects. These measures are crucial because governments drive more than 70% of global energy investments according to the IEA.

Divestment in Fossil Fuel is Trending

Source: Shuttershock 

This push for sustainability as a priority in rebuilding the economy comes at a time when many large institutions are pulling their money out of fossil fuels. BlackRock, the world’s biggest financial investment firm, announced in January that it would be pulling investments from coal. The CEO of BlackRock, Larry Fink, said that “climate change has become a defining factor in companies’ long-term prospects.” BlackRock states that it will make sustainability one of its key investment factors and will offer investment portfolios that exclude fossil fuels. Fink also stated that “in the near future – and sooner than most anticipate – there will be a significant reallocation of capital” citing the transition of investments away from fossil fuels, towards sustainable alternatives. This came after a 2019 report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) found that BlackRock lost an estimated $90 billion over the past decade by ignoring the financial risk of investing in fossil fuels. BlackRock’s multi-billion-dollar investments in oil companies – such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, and BP – were among the reasons for the losses in the $6.5 trillion assets that they manage. Also, BlackRock was the biggest investor in the coal industry and one of the top three investors in big oil companies.

BlackRock joins a growing movement of divestment of fossil fuels. The approximated value of institutions who have committed to divest from fossil fuels is at $14.48 trillion worldwide, with 1248 institutions divesting. These institutions cover almost every aspect of society. There are huge banks, faith groups, countries, cities, non-for-profits, retirement funds, and the list is expected to grow continuously. This clearly shows a trend in society to stop funding fossil fuel projects, and COVID-19 has accelerated the clear need for divestment from fossil fuels.

How Governments are Faring in their Recovery Packages

Some governments are watching market trends and prioritizing sustainability in their recovery packages. On May 27th, the European Union unveiled their new economic recovery plan in response to COVID-19, which highlighted a €750 billion ($1.163 trillion CAD) economic stimulus package and featured a considerable investment in Green initiatives. EU representatives earmarked 30% of total expenditure for spending to effectively achieve climate-oriented goals outlined in both the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals. Green spending laid out in the stimulus package is comprised of five main elements including: building efficiency, clean technology investment, low-carbon vehicles, agriculture & land, and a category for miscellaneous investments to foster a ‘just transition’. Each of the five elements aim to create and maintain thousands of jobs while improving the carbon footprint of each nation and establishing a foundation for future green industries.

Compared to the intensive COVID-19 response plan of the EU, Canada has failed to establish a defined response plan or actively fund green industries. The Canadian government has reportedly spent $18.12 billion CAD in supporting the fossil fuel industry since the beginning of the pandemic in the form of supporting fossil fuel infrastructure, suspending requirements for environmental reporting, and tax relief for petroleum producers. This spending comes despite many banks and insurers pulling out of Canadian oil and tar sands projects, and BP oil forecasting that oil demand peaked last year. Additionally, the United Nations Environment Program has stated that current national government plans would lock the world into 120 times more emissions than what is needed to stay below 1.5 degrees Celsius global temperature increase, and that 85 percent of planned oil and gas development is in North America.

This fossil fuel spending is in contrast with $15 billion CAD in supporting sustainability projects. A total of $2.5 billion CAD has been provided to fund two separate energy related initiatives. $1.72 billion CAD was allocated to clean up retired oil and gas wells, maintaining some 5,200 jobs in Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and Alberta. Another $750 million CAD was allotted to launch the emissions reduction fund that aims to support workers and reduce emissions in Canada’s oil and gas sector. On November 19th, the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act was presented by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and outlines a system for which future Canadian governments must establish 5-year targets and reviews moving forward to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Despite the creation of this system requiring future governments to create emission targets and reviews, there are no binding rules or penalties for failure to meet targets.

Canada’s COVID-19 response creates a framework for a review system but fails to define a plan of action and set into motion specific goals and projects. The Net-Zero Emissions Act creates a framework for future governments but does not address current industry issues during the pandemic the way the EU COVID-19 response stimulus package does. Advocacy groups have criticized the Prime Minister’s new bill, claiming it is an empty plan that fails to spur immediate action or create penalties for missed targets. Comparatively, the EU’s stimulus package illustrated an organized and structured plan with specific goals moving beyond the pandemic. The recovery plan and stimulus package presented by the EU should serve as a model upon which Canada could immediately begin to construct a sustainable economic future.

This article is part of our March 2021 Western Student Editorial Series – a series that showcases the works of students in the Collaborative Specialization in Environment and Sustainability program. Read more articles from this series here!

The post “Now is the Time” appeared first on A\J.

Like many things, the truth usually lies somewhere down the middle. Yes, we have made progress this year, but we still have a long way to go. We must take the time to celebrate our wins but remain aware of the hills and mountains left to climb. 

As many of you know, the team at A\J have been writing a weekly column called WTF (the Week this Friday) where we take the time to reflect and report on the environmental stories from the week passed. As one of the most pivotal years of this century comes to a close, we think it is only fitting to highlight the environmental wins and losses of the year…WTF 2020!

1. Air pollution levels lowered from the coronavirus

Source: Pixabay

One silver lining from lockdowns this year was the eco benefit it seemed to have on the natural world. Less people moving around translated to less greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Guardian, back in March, at the height of China’s lockdown “NO2 levels were down by 38% from 2019 and levels of PM 2.5 were down by 34%”.

Unfortunately, as lockdowns eased up, people began moving around again and the highest polluting industries wasted no time in recovering. According to scientists from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, once lockdowns eased up again in spring/summer, NO2 levels in China quickly recovered.

According to scientists from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, emissions would have to drop by approximately 20-30% for 6 to 12 months to actually make a difference. However, global emissions this year likely only dropped by about 7% compared to 2019. 

One of the few good things that came out of the coronavirus pandemic was the realization that we could live in a much less mobile world. During lockdown, we witnessed massive reductions of global CO2 and other GHG emissions which contribute to climate change (even if this was just temporarily). Experts and citizens alike encouraged decisions makers that this is the time to rebuild in a more sustainable way. Unfortunately, unless governments get serious about rebuilding into a more green recovery, it looks like we are just going to go back to our old ways.

2. New Delhi drops down to second place in the most polluted city in the world

Source: Pixabay 

This year, Lahore, Pakistan was named the most polluted city in the world with a particulate matter (PM) rating of 423with an AQI (air quality index) of 301. In previous years, New Delhi was ranked the most polluted city. This year, they dropped down to second place with a PM rating of 229.

For reference, the US Environmental Protection Agency has previously stated air that is “satisfactory” falls under an AQI of 50. 

Years of smog, dust from construction, and crop burning have all likely contributed to such high PM and AQI levels. Air quality in Lahore worsens from October to February when farmers are most likely to burn their crops, which contributes to the overall smog problem. To protect themselves from the pollution, Lahore’s residents are advised to wear a mask, run air purifiers and close windows in their homes, and avoid outdoor exercise. 

3. The Amazon forest fires

Source: Pixabay 

Back in August, 2020 was on course to be the worst year in over a decade for deforestation in the Amazon. Illegal tree loss was accelerating. In May, after facing immense global pressure, Brazil’s President, Jair Bolsonaro, had sent in the army to fight illegal logging – this plan was dubbed ‘Operation Green Brazil 2’. Although this was likely all just for show (deforestation has accelerated ever since Bolsonaro took office in 2019, growing by 209%). 

One area of the forest that had fared worse than the others in tree loss was Rondônia, an area that has seen growing deforestation since the mid-80’s. Rondônia is almost the same size as the UK has been burned and cut down to make way for crops and logging businesses. In the summer, NBC Forensics focused on Rondônia as the military was sent in – meant to track the ‘successes’ and accomplishments of Bolsonaro’s mission.

Bolsonaro falsely claimed the mission a success. However, the figures supplied by the government’s own space research agency demonstrated deforestation rates in May of 2020 and higher than in May 2019. In fact, the government’s own data showed that deforestation is increasing every single month since the previous year for 13 months in a row. 

What is happening in Rondônia is a reflection of what is happening throughout the Amazon. Eventually, the Amazon will reach a tipping point, where the tree loss will result in a rainforest that cannot produce enough rain to sustain itself. 

4. Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement 

Source: Pixabay

This year, the United States officially withdrew from the Paris climate agreement. 

It was first announced back in 2017 that Donald Trump would back out of the Paris agreement. However, the Paris agreement requires nations to wait a minimum of three years before giving notice to leave (partly to prevent future presidents from withdrawing from the deal in the name of short term interests). This is why the US did not formally leave until the end of 2020. 

The Paris agreement was established in 2015 in order to collectively battle the threat of climate change and keep the global temperature rise below 2C above pre-industrial measures. 

The United States is ranked the second top polluting country, accounting for over 15% of global emissions. Pulling out of the agreement poorly reflects the values of American in regards to climate change.

However, this news isn’t all bad. Joe Biden, new president elect recently announced that his administration will rejoin the Paris agreement once he takes office. Phew! 

5. Canada’s proposal to ban single use plastics and a new Net zero plan 

Source: Pixabay 

My favorite story of the year! 

This year, Ottawa announced single-use plastic straws and plastic shopping bans are among the six items that the federal government plans to ban in 2021. The six items include: stir sticks, six-pack rings, plastic cutlery and plastic food take-out containers. This decision is part of a broader initiative to divert plastics from landfills and classify them as a “toxic substance”. 

This ban is one of elements of a broader plan on their list to reach zero plastic waste by 2030. The government will consult on it’s plans this December because they are sure to experience pushback from industry groups and the Albertan government which have already voiced concerns – especially about the toxic classification on plastics. Alberta is worried that this federal plan will undermine the provinces’ petrochemical sector and its goal of becoming a plastics-recycling hub. Instead, Alberta states that Ottawa should focus on creating a circular economy whereby plastics from manufacturing go through recycling. 

Environment and Climate Change Minister, Jonathan Wilkinson, pressed on that the ban is necessary because of the significant harm plastics are causing to Canada’s wildlife and coastlines. A daunting statistic was mentioned: In Canada, only 9% of the plastic that is thrown out is recycled. The government also plans to set recycled-content requirements on products and packaging and will further consult with all provinces and territories to set up these targets. Additionally, earlier this year the federal government released a draft state-of-the-science assessment on plastic pollution – effectively arming Ottawa with the scientific basis to regulate plastics. Basically, the assessment discussed the dangers of macro and microplastics causing harm to the environment and on wildlife. 

Members of Greenpeace have criticized the ban, saying that this is simply not enough of a response for the severity of the global plastics problem. I would have to disagree; I think this is a great first step.

Moreover, other governments have tried to implement a ban on single use plastics in some form or another in the past (read about Laredo’s plastic bag ban), and have lost because big oil won’t go down without a fight and is eager send their reps into the courtroom or lean on old legislation to prevent a plastic ban from going through. With these past failures in mind, I would rather take small victories over a huge loss. 

6. Coral reefs: The Great Barrier Reef moved to critical conservation outlook  

Source: Pixabay

According to the International Union for Conservation for Nature (IUCN), the health of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the world’s most extensive and once spectacular coral reef ecosystem, is in a critical state and deteriorating as climate change warms up the waters in which it lies. The Reef has lost more than half its coral in the past three decades. Coral-bleaching in 2016, 2017 and now 2020 has further damaged its health and affected its animal, bird and marine population.  

Coral bleaching occurs when hotter water temperatures destroy the algae which corals feed on, causing them to turn completely stark white. Because of mass bleaching events, the IUCN moved the reef’s status to critical and deteriorating on its watchlist. Some activities which threaten it, like fishing and coastal development, can be tackled by the management authorities. 

“Other pressures cannot be addressed at the site level, such as climate change, which is recognized as the greatest threat,” the IUCN explained. Although efforts to safeguard the reef are rising, the process has been slow under a long-term sustainability plan through 2050. HSBC and the Queensland government said back in October that they would buy “Reef Credits”, a tradable unit that quantifies and values the work undertaken to improve water quality flowing onto the reef. 

According to Optimist Daily, “Buying one credit is the equivalent of removing one kilogram of nitrogen from the water, or preventing 538 kilograms of sediment from entering the ocean.”

Cool!

7. The rise of jobs in the sustainability sector (Netflix, Microsoft… did big hirings this year) 

Source: Pixabay

As a sustainability grad, one of the most promising changes (stories) of the year was witnessing the rise of jobs in the sustainability sector. Companies that would have never before considered hiring a team “to make them more green” now have huge departments all focussed on reducing company emissions and leaving behind a better legacy. To name just a few examples, this year Netflix, Microsoft and Tesla have all been making major hiring moves in sustainability. 

According to ECO Canada, “In the next 3 – 5 years, 84% of sustainability consulting firms expect to hire, creating about 400 new positions. A further 3,800 new jobs will be added to this number as 46% of other sustainability employers increase their staff…The top employers of sustainability professionals are governments (employing 27% of sustainability professionals), research institutions and not-for-profits (24%), large companies in manufacturing, oil & gas, mining, forestry and utilities (10%) and businesses in retail, finance and insurance (10%).”

Good news for sustainability! 

8. The Earthshot Prize 

Source: Flood Control Asia 

Move over Nobel Peace Prize, the Nobel Prize for environmentalism is coming through!

Back in October, Sir David Attenborough joined forces with Prince William to launch “The Earthshot Prize”. According to BBC, this is the biggest environmental prize to date. They are searching for 50 solutions to the world’s biggest environmental problems, allocating five one million-pound prizes (valuing at $1,704,300 CAD each) to be awarded over the next decade. 

Prince William believes this prize could be the positivity that the environmentalism movement is missing, “The Earthshot prize is really about harnessing that optimism and that urgency to find some of the world’s solutions to some of the greatest environmental problems,” he told the BBC.

According to the Earthshot website, the prize was inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s Moonshot, “which united millions of people around an organising goal to put man on the moon and catalysed the development of new technology in the 1960s.” Attenborough believes it’s this same spirit that can guide the next generation of thinkers and dreamers to solve some of earth’s problems.

The announcement came just after Sir David Attenborough released his latest documentary, “A Life on Our Planet”. 

I am looking forward to seeing where this goes.

9. Tree’s ability to socialize and “speak” to each other. 

Source: Unsplash

This December, the New York Times shared that forests are social and communicate with one another through dense fungi networks in the soil below the canopy.

More specifically, “trees and fungi form partnerships known as mycorrhizas: Threadlike fungi envelop and fuse with tree roots, helping them extract water and nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen in exchange for some of the carbon-rich sugars the trees make through photosynthesis.”

Suzanne Simard, a professor of forest ecology at the University of British Columbia, has been studying these relationships in the wild, coastal forests of North America. Through her research, Sinard discovered that these fungal threads link EVERY tree together in the forest- even ones of different species!

These linkages allow vital molecules including carbon, water, and other nutrients to pass through the network circuits. Wait, it gets better. Simard also stated that chemical signals are also passed through this network, allowing trees to signal to others nearby when there is danger.

“If a tree is on the brink of death, it sometimes bequeaths a substantial share of its carbon to its neighbors.”

Is anyone cutting onions in here?

10. Doug Ford’s conservation authority changes

Source: NationalPost

In December, the Ontario government passed its new budget bill. One major change to this bill was the new constraints on the conservation authorities in the province to regulate development and “introduced new channels through which developers can obtain permits.”

According to the Globe and Mail, there are 36 conservation authorities in Ontario (with most of them in the southern end) all tasked with protecting the various watersheds that make up the province. This might include operating dams, defending against flooding or erosion, regulating development on wetlands, protecting water sources, and managing natural parks. Ultimately, conservation authorities are nature’s defender against poor land use policies. 

Unfortunately, their ability to defend will be threatened with the upcoming changes as a result of the new bill. And this isn’t the first time the government has tried to sidestep these authorities. Past budget cuts and using ministerial zoning orders (MZO) has allowed the government to circumvent the rules and bypass conservation authorities. 

Schedule 6 of the new bill will only add to this momentum. Changes include:

• The conservation authorities must now issue a permit once an MZO has been issued
• Developers can more easily appeal a conservation authorities decision

The decisions ultimately allow developers to take the path of least resistance if they want to build on a naturally significant area, while making it harder for conservation authorities to fight back and stand up for what they are meant to do.

11. Buzzworthy – Honeybee venom shown to kill cancer cells

Source: Unsplash

Now here is some news to buzz about, scientists in Australia have found that Honeybee venom has been linked to killing some aggressive breast cancer cells. This exciting news shows signs of hope for treatment of breast cancer – which is the leading cancer in women across the globe, representing 25% of all cancers in women.

Melittin – the compound within the venom were used to destroy two cancer types: triple-negative and HER2-enriched. Bee venom has been discussed to have anti-cancer properties before but there is still a long way to go from watching cancer cells be destroyed in petri dishes to being applied in medicinal practice.

It does provide us with hope and has proven to be yet another prime example of how nature is really the best doctor we have. Dr. Ciara Duffy a 25-year-old PhD researcher led the study and found the venom killed the cancer cells within an hour! We hope to see more development with this great news, and hopefully it increases acceptance towards incorporating more holistic approaches to cancer and medicinal treatments. Now that is buzzworthy.

12. Stay away poachers: rare white giraffe is now being tracked 

Source: Unsplash

Being the only white giraffe left is causing a stir up around the world to protect the remarkable creature, the extremely rare giraffe now has a tracker attached to it in order to trace its whereabouts hourly – this allows rangers in Kenya to monitor the giraffe and keep it out of danger from poachers. The device was planted on one of the horns on the animal on November 8th.. 

The white colour of the giraffe is from the absence of pigmentation in its skin – also called leucism, which is a rare genetic condition that can affect a variety of animals. Due to its rarity – the  animal is in a critical position to stay alive as the rest of its family has been killed off by poachers and making this one especially lucrative in the poaching and wildlife trafficking underground market.

The conservation status of the species as a whole is vulnerable, with over 68,000 giraffes in the world. Two white giraffes of the same family were killed in march and there was discussion that there was one found in Tanzania in 2015. With the tracking device, this hopes to protect the vulnerable giraffe and keep it out of harm’s way.

13. Shell Canada going carbon neutral

Source: Unsplash

Shell will become the first gas retailer in Canada to offer a program that offsets emissions from customer fuel purchases with an optional buy-in at the pump. The Drive Carbon Neutral program will be available to 1,400 stations Canada wide. The program allows customers to offset their carbon emissions from fossil fuels for two cents a litre. Shell states that many of their carbon conscious customers were demanding them to do more. They also stated that many individuals cannot afford to buy an electric car but still want to offset their carbon footprint – this will allow this to happen. This is a model that was taken from a program in Europe, which saw positive feedback and adoption levels with nearly 20 percent of people in the Netherlands using it.

Shell also announced their plan to reforest British Columbia in a partnership with Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation. They aim to plant 840,000 native trees in effort to resort much of what was lost in the 2017 wildfires. They plan to do this over a two-year planting period, with the cost being unreleased. Meanwhile Environmental Defence is arguing that this is “pure greenwashing”, as it directs the cost onto the consumer rather than the giant who is profiting from the world using fossil fuels.

14. A galaxy of microfibers in California – literally

Source: Unsplash 

Invisible but plentiful is a good way to describe the unfortunate situation of the plastic microfiber problem. A whooping 13.3 quadrillion (yes, quadrillion) plastic fibers are found in California alone – that is more than 130,000 times more fibers as there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy. In 2019, an estimated 4,000 metric tons were released into California’s natural environment. With these fibers ending up in our water systems, a study found that 73% of fish caught at mid-ocean depth in the Atlantic had microplastics in their stomachs. 

The fibers are under 5mm in length and most often come from washing materials in our laundry. Mostly from synthetic fibers that make up our clothing, they go from our washing machines all the way to our water streams. Just one load alone can pass out more than 700,000 fibers alone. The amount of microfibers shed also depends on the material, wash temperature, detergent, etc. 

15. Hottest Temperatures EVER recorded 

Source: Unsplash

We hit a record again! There is no surprise of temperatures reaching soaring highs with the rising records of fossil fuels emissions, every year seems to hit a new heat record. But Death Valley held the flaming torch of the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth, sitting at 54.4C (130F).

Death Valley is a desert valley in the Mojave Desert that lies 86 meters below sea level. It is one of the hottest places on Earth but these soaring temperatures this high have never been accurately recorded before. There were extreme heat advisories, urging people to not walk in the desert past 10AM. 

It serves as the hottest air temperature ever recorded, this begs the question of what is to come in the future. It is so hot, that the sweat evaporates so fast off your skin that you actually don’t feel wet. Talk about a hot – n – not sweaty?

16. Zero carbon flights by 2035? 

Source: Unsplash

By 2020, we may have already expected flying cars – while our expectations may have been sold short, we do have something as exciting in the talks. Transportation giant Airbus has revealed their plans for the first commercial emission-free flight by 2035. Airbus has three ZEROe concepts in store, all to use hydrogen to power the planes.

In order to truly make this a feasible carbon-free option, it relies on finding large quantities of renewable or low-emitting sources of hydrogen. As this process currently relies mostly on methane and fossil fuels – it is not exactly a low-carbon option but more innovative solutions to hopefully come in future announcements.

One of the concept designs could carry up to 200 passengers for more than 2,000 miles. This is a milestone waiting to happen in the aviation industry and would mark a remarkable moment in history – with hopes that all travel and transportation can one day be emission free.

17. Google now has a carbon footprint of zero.

Source: Shutterstock

The tech giant has set the bar again. Although already being carbon neutral since 2007, Google now has offset their entire carbon footprint to ever exist. While many in the technology industry are right behind Google – such as Microsoft and Apple. Microsoft has released a statement to become “carbon negative” by 2030, and Apple is announcing to be carbon neutral for their business and the supply chain for their products by 2030. 

Google is also moving into using carbon-free energy by 2030 by using renewable energy such as solar and wind to power their operations. They also plan to increase their use of battery storage. Artificial intelligence will also come into play by allowing AI to forecast the demand of electricity. This shift would create over 12,000 jobs in the span of five years. Not only will it be good for the environment to turn away from oil and gas but it will also contribute to the economy, as they vowed to no longer create AI for oil and gas exploration. Nice one Google!

18. Thailand will shut national parks regularly to protect nature 

Source: Unsplash 

Footsteps are not the only things left on the beach. Many tourists flock to Thailand to enjoy their sandy beaches, crystal clear water, and a beautiful culture. Being a travel and tourism hotspot for many years, this has left a lasting impact on the natural environment. 

However, thanks to COVID-19, the closure of parks has allowed nature to recover by seeing the return of whales and turtles. This is a lesson that speaks volumes as the Natural Resources & Environment authorities now want to close the national parks yearly for two to four months to ensure the ecosystem and wildlife health remains stable and is not overexerted. 

Thailand has more than a 100 national parks and attracts between 10 – 20 million visitors, with this year expecting to drop below 7 million visitors. While tourism is one of the main economic pillars for Thailand’s economy, amounting to one-fifth to their gross domestic product, it could not keep up with the unsustainable degradation the heavy tourism brought. In order to sustain future tourism and a healthy ecosystem, Thailand conservation authorities saw first hand through the pandemic how with time, nature can begin to restore itself.

19. We can see penguin colonies from space

Source: Unsplash

Want the good news or the bad news first? We’ll start with the good. Emperor penguins are very difficult to study due to their extremely remote nature, making them often inaccessible with Arctic temperature conditions dropping below -50 degrees celsius. But good news, a new study using satellite mapping tech reveals that there are 20% more emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica than was previously thought. The scientists from British Arctic Survey (BAS) explain that they used images from European Commission’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite mission to locate birds. They were able to find 11 new emperor penguin colonies, three of which were previously identified, but not confirmed. These findings take the global census to 61 colonies around the continent. 

BAS scientists have been searching for new colonies for the past 10 years using land-based research methods. Dr. Peter Fretwell, a BAS geographer, says that satellite images have enabled scientists to discover colonies that would have been extremely difficult to find otherwise.  

Now here comes the bad news as promised, the colonies are so few and far between that this discovery takes the overall population count up by 5-10% to just over half a million penguins in total. Emperor penguins are known to be vulnerable to loss of sea ice (their breeding habitat). Given current climate change projections, this habitat is likely to further decline. Most of the new colonies are on the edge of the breeding ground meaning that they are likely to be lost as the climate warms. 

20. Water is now trading on wall street

Source: Unsplash

Water, a necessity to all life on our planet, is now being traded on Wall street. We should have seen this one coming, another natural resource commodified and brought onto Wall street. CME Group – the company in charge of managing the contracts states that water will be traded on Wall Street due to the fear of rising scarcity in the future. As with other traded commodities like oil and gold, the price will fluctuate due to supply and demand.

According to the Nasdaq Velez California Water Index, the price of water has doubled in the last year, and the market price of it is at 1.1 billion dollars. On December 7th the trading price started at $486.53 per acre-foot equating to 1,233 cubic meters.

Water contracts are a first of their kind, incubated by the heat and wildfires in California, this change hopes to protect the resource for California’s consumers to indicate the scarcity and the value it holds. Over 2 billion people live amongst water scarcity around the world…This foreshadows the grim future of millions of people getting displaced by this factor. Not only will water limit industries, but it will trickle down to limited supply for human consumption too.

—

Well 2020 being crazy and turbulent are just a few words we can agree on describing this year in a nutshell (basically this year was one big WTF, right?) With the ever so dynamic natural world and constantly shifting state of politics, it can often make it hard to keep up with what is going on in the ‘green’ world. That is why our team has had the pleasure of picking our top six weekly environmental stories in our weekly column, The WTF (The Weekly This Friday). 

We hope to have even more environmental wins for 2021 for us to document every Friday – yes we are extending the series into the next year (woo!) We are hoping to hear less about the pandemic and leave it in the rearview mirror of 2020, and make more strides and reach even more environmental triumphs. We hope you had the pleasure coming along this ride with us of reading these stories as much as we had writing them.

The post WTF 2020 appeared first on A\J.

While voting is important in placing environmentally conscious political leaders in office, we need to have reliable candidates to vote for in the first place. If your options are between a candidate who approved a pipeline expansion and a candidate who left the Paris climate agreement, one could feel at a loss for a viable choice.

We need solid, environmentally sound options to vote for.

But just like encouraging youth to vote, this side of the coin poses its own challenges. I was recently on a call with a former MP who mentioned that one of the greatest challenges in solving the environmental problems of our time will be ensuring representatives in the House of Parliament are environmentally literate. During her time as MP, she relied heavily on a team of environmental scientists and researchers to ensure that she understood the issues pertaining to the environment as clearly as possible. This is reasonable. An MP cannot be an expert on every topic they are expected to speak and vote on- they are human too! Moreover, many of the individuals who enter politics have backgrounds and degrees in political science or law, and not necessarily environmental sciences.

Fostering environmentally literate MP’s (and their teams!) leads the way to greener, science-based policies and legislation. GreenPAC understands this and have made it their mission to help elect environmentally educated leaders. As mentioned in my previous article, GreenPAC is a non-partisan organization which offers a Parliamentary Internship Program to youth between the ages of 18 to 30. The program places young environmentalists in the offices of host MP’s with proven track records as being environmental champions. For nine months, the interns learn about the inner workings of the federal government through an environmental lens.

This September of 2020, GreenPAC took on four new interns. The interns are positioned with MP’s from different political parties Canada-wide. With diverse backgrounds from agriculture to biology to engineering, the interns are assigned specific projects relating to the environment, as well as assisting their MP’s and the offices in which they work become more environmentally adept.

I wanted to check in to see how they were coming along, and to gain a better sense of what the future MP’s of Canada might look like! Here are a few of their stories…

Zhenglin Liu | Interning with MP Taylor Bachrach | NDP | Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

With a background in engineering and economics, Zhenglin Liu joined GreenPAC to gain experience in public service and federal politics with a future goal of a master’s degree, and then perhaps go to law school (wow, I know!).

“I came into the internship hoping to get sort of the vibe as to what environmental politics was like,” he laughed, “I think this internship has definitely been helpful in that. I was not hugely knowledgeable about the details of Parliamentary politics before starting this internship. For example, I didn’t know about the distinction between the work that is done in the House, versus Parliamentary committees, versus MP’s just informally talking to each other.”

Liu has been focussing specifically on issues relevant to his MP’s portfolio (infrastructure and transport), including green recovery policy, high-speed rail, aviation, and the incorporation of climate considerations into infrastructure funding.

Liu has also been researching historical policy with his MP’s office. “I was researching historical approaches to rural telephone connection in the mid-century as an analogy and potential source of best practices and recommendations. That was really interesting because it was something I had never done before; looking into policy that was decades old and trying to draw analogies for the modern day.”

“One thing that has really jumped out to me is how hard leadership (specifically in the political arena) is without knowledge or resources from civil society.” -Zhenglin Liu

“One thing that has really jumped out to me is how hard leadership (specifically in the political arena) is without knowledge or resources from civil society,” says Liu. “For me, working in an opposition party that currently has a small caucus, it can feel like even MP’s with strong environmental convictions (of which Taylor Bachrach is a great example), don’t really have the time, the staff, or the capacity to develop the technical or grassroots expertise stakeholders can provide on specific issues.”

“The experiences I have found most interesting and exciting have been hearing ministers answer questions posed from a progressive environmental perspective, whether that’s in question period or in committee,” he continued, “Through the office, I have had the opportunity to hear from really interesting stakeholders like the Canadian Federation of Municipalities and the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC).”

While his educational background has been in electricity systems, he is now learning about transport infrastructure from the perspective of planning, understanding the broader social benefits, and how politics and engineering intersect.

For the remainder of his internship, Liu hopes to learn more about which stakeholders play large roles in influencing policy. “Whether it’s industry leaders in clean tech, civil society, or experts within the civil service – who has the strongest impact?”

Jessie Mayes | Interning with MP Eric Duncan | Conservative | Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON

“All of this [was] really new to me,” says Jessie Mayes, speaking of her political experience prior to starting the GreenPAC internship. Coming from a background in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Mayes knew that she would face a learning curve when it came to navigating the ins and outs of everyday politics. But in the office of MP Eric Duncan, she also had a unique opportunity to work on projects that utilized her passion for agriculture.

“My office has been really great. They wanted to carve out specific environmental projects for me to work on while I’m in the office so they can use my skills, which is wonderful,” says Mayes. During her internship, she has also been conducting research on the impact of the carbon tax on farmers and the ways that farmers can be supported to adopt more sustainable practices.

“I have a much greater appreciation for what can be done at the local level and how big of an impact that can have.” – Jessie Mayes

Before peering behind the curtain of politics, Mayes was often frustrated with the slow speed at which our political system operates.  “From the outside, I have been judgemental and perhaps too much so,” she says. “When I was doing more grassroots and local work, I thought, ‘wow, why isn’t this happening?’ Now that I have more experience here, I realize that it isn’t easy on this level either. I have a much greater appreciation for what can be done at the local level and how big of an impact that can have as well.”

In the meantime, Mayes says she is “interested in gaining more experience with policy analysis and how to develop strong policies while also being critical of them.”

Clément Badra | Interning with MP Jenica Atwin | Green Party | Fredericton, NB

GreenPAC intern, Clément Badra, feels he can make the most difference in the world by working in and around politics in the broad sense of the term. “The one sphere where I feel like we are lacking the willingness to take on [environmental issues] is the political sphere,” he says.

“Most of the people that are working in the offices [were] political science students or people with a background in administration. Which is extremely necessary because of the complex structure you are working in…but the more time I spend listening to what is happening, the more it seems the programs are not structured to properly help people working on the ground. There might be a disconnect there.”

“[An MP] cannot be an expert on everything, so you need your team to be experts for you and guide you through this.” – Clément Badra

Badra believes that without diverse backgrounds in the House or on an MP’s staff, “you might miss nuances on specific issues and can’t do the best work possible as an MP because your staff wasn’t able to bring the nuances to the bill… [An MP] cannot be an expert on everything, so you need your team to be experts for you and guide you through this. But diversity should not only be in regards to professional backgrounds represented, but should also include socioeconomic backgrounds as well as racial diversity.”

Badra hopes to learn more about committee work and the various kinds of procedures you can use to push for ideas and projects within the House of Commons. More specifically, “I would like to learn how the committee work translates to the debate in the House and pushing motions and amendments to a bill, the negotiations that happen around a bill when it is put in the House, and how you work to try and get the most out of it.”

In terms of impactful moments during his internship? “I have had some very interesting meetings…you get to understand the partisanship and the non-partisanship sides because some people in other parties do not share the idea of the party themselves,” says Badra. He says that another impactful moment is seeing the positive influence he and his team made on someone they were trying to help, “those are great moments”.

Joshua Swift | Interning with MP Catherine McKenna | Liberal | Ottawa Centre, ON

GreenPAC intern, Joshua Swift, found GreenPAC’s training prior to his internship helpful in preparing him for what was ahead. When asked what kind of training GreenPAC provided prior to the internship, Swift stated, “We had training with the House clerks. We learned how to do research that would probably be required in the office. We also learned about how the different branches of government work… We spoke with many speakers, some of whom having worked on the Hill before, some who had worked around it. We also began working on a GreenPAC related project before actually starting in our offices.”

“I have also gotten the chance to work on some local environmental projects,” says Swift. He has learned about environmental challenges specific to Ottawa including tree planting projects, and phasing out single use plastics, as well as working with local groups and smaller environmental initiatives within the community. “I have also done a lot of following and reporting on meetings for my MP,” says Swift, “I have been following [The Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development] at the federal level, as well as the city of Ottawa and the local sides environmental committees.”

“Climate change is a global issue, and I don’t think there is any better actor situated to be at the forefront and coordinate that approach than the federal government. They have the tools and capacity to make this happen.” – Joshua Swift

While he has a background in environmental policy, the GreenPAC internship is providing him with the skills to put his education to use in the real world. “This experience has strengthened my view that the climate crisis is so big, and in order to meaningfully combat it, we need a multifaceted approach,” says Swift. “Climate change is a global issue, and I don’t think there is any better actor situated to be at the forefront and coordinate that approach than the federal government. They have the tools and capacity to make this happen. This experience so far has just kind of fortified that view.”

When asked what surprised him during his internship so far, he stated, “I knew MP’s and ministers were probably busy, but I didn’t realize the extent to which their schedules are jam-packed! From my experience, everyone here is working extremely hard.”

“I would like to better understand the Parliamentary process,” says Swift, “The federal government is multifaceted, with so many departments, ministries, and checks and balances. The more well-versed I can become in those inner workings, the better prepared I will be to utilize that system to implement some of the many changes we need, especially around the environment…I am just trying to absorb all I can.”

—

Now that I have peeked behind the curtain myself into the work and workings of the GreenPAC interns, I’d say the future is in good hands.

The post A Peek Behind the Curtain appeared first on A\J.

SOURCE: CNN

Nearly a week and a half has gone by since the US election, and Trump has yet to concede to President elect, Joe Biden. However, that hasn’t stopped Biden from making plans and getting busy.

According to CNN, he has already planned a handful of executive actions (many relating to climate change) for when he takes office January 20^th. These include:

• “Require limits on methane pollution for oil and gas operations.
• Use the federal government procurement system to work towards 100% clean energy and zero-emissions vehicles.
• Ensure US government buildings and facilities are more efficient and climate ready.
• Implement the already-existing Clean Air Act, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by developing new fuel economy standards to ensure all new sales for light- and medium-duty vehicles will be electrified, and annual improvements for heavy duty vehicles.
• Double down on liquid fuels like advanced biofuels and make agriculture a key part of the solution to the climate crisis.
• Reduce emissions and cut consumer costs through new standards for appliance and building efficiency.
• Require federal permit decisions to consider effects of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change and ensure every federal infrastructure investment reduces climate pollution.
• Require public companies to disclose climate risks and greenhouse gas emissions in their operations and supply chains.
• Protect biodiversity, slow extinction rates and conserve 30% of America’s lands and waters by 2030.
• Permanently protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, establish national parks and monuments, ban new oil and gas permits on public lands and waters, modify royalties to account for climate costs and create programs to enhance reforestation and develop renewable energy on federal lands and waters to double offshore wind by 2030.”

These actions are all part of Biden’s climate plan which outlines a goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. I hope they follow through with all this.

Female empowerment!

SOURCE: Science Daily

For centuries, we had always believed that when early humans went out to find food, the males hunted while the women gathered. According to Science Daily this week, we were wrong.

An archaeological study conducted by the University of California found a 9,000-year-old hunter burial site in Peru which contained tools for hunting and animal processing. According to researchers, individuals were often buried with items that accompanied them in life, suggesting this grave was for a hunter. The team’s osteologist later determined the hunter was female.

To rule out this being a fluke, researchers studied other late Pleistocene and early Holocene burials in North and South America. Based on their findings, they concluded it is highly likely that females participated in big game hunting.

Lead researcher, Randy Haas, said “We believe that these findings are particularly timely in light of contemporary conversations surrounding gendered labor practices and inequality…Labor practices among recent hunter-gatherer societies are highly gendered, which might lead some to believe that sexist inequalities in things like pay or rank are somehow ‘natural.’ But it’s now clear that sexual division of labor was fundamentally different — likely more equitable — in our species’ deep hunter-gatherer past.”

The research team is hoping to better understand when this shift in the sexual divisions of labour in human societies occurred, and how this changed the course of human history.  

Shell Canada is the first gas retailer in Canada to join the fight against Climate Change: program Drive Carbon Neutral

Gas station in Surrey, B.C // Source: CBC News

Shell will become the first gas retailer in Canada to offer a program that offsets emissions from customer fuel purchases with an optional buy-in at the pump. Replicating a program in Europe, Shell signals its intention to help meet global goals to slow climate change as outlined in the Paris Accord. The carbon offset program is part of a broader move by Shell to reach net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.

According to Shell Canada President Michael Crothers, this target is being driven by customers and investors. It’s a mandate shared by a handful of energy companies in Canada, including Enbridge Inc., Suncor Energy Inc., and Cenovus Energy Inc. Crothers acknowledged the shirt toward net-zero among oil and gas companies isn’t just about meeting environmental goals, but also about signaling to the public that a sector which plays a huge role in driving climate change is doing their part. It is imperative that oil and gas companies to listen to society, to customers and to investors so they can be part of the solution. Crothers explains that the new program relies on consumers making the choice to pay extra for gas to offset their driving. The buy-in is 2 extra cents per lite at the pump after an initial free rollout period. The cash will be invested in a range of conservation programs around the world from Australia, to Asia and Europe. Shell first implemented a carbon-offset program in the Netherlands. Around 20% of customers pot to buy into that program, but the uptake in Canada is yet to be determined.

Shell’s net-zero emissions goals apply to direct and indirect emissions that come from its own facilities and production, as well as the energy it purchases. Shell wants to reduce the end-use emissions from the products it sells – by far the largest share of emissions connected to the company.

“This introductory offer will be available every time a customer uses Shell EasyPayTM with their fuel transaction from November 12, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Beyond December 31, 2020, Shell will continue to offer customers the ability to opt into the Drive Carbon Neutral program by contributing two cents per liter.”

Romania’s 65-million-year-old fish species: the race to save it from extinction

Source: BBC News

On a tiny stretch of the fast-flowing Valsan river in Romania lives one of the rarest fish in Europe, and quite possibly the world. The 65-million-year-old Asprete was first discovered by a biology student in 1956, and for decades it has teetered on the brink of extinction. The Asprete is a small nocturnal fish that hides under rocks in shallow waters. The current population of Asprete is around 10-15 specimens, which are thought to exist on a 1km (0.6 mile) stretch of the shallow, rocky Valsan. This compares with around 200 specimens in the early 2000s.

Scientists have thought the fish extinct, however, they have been encouraged by a recent discovery in the river. A field biologist, Andrei Togor, was studying Asprete subspecies when he discovered a dozen or so under a rock. The Asprete is a so-called “living fossil”, which means it has survived for millions of years largely unchanged. But a mere six decades of human activity has severely impacted its habitat and population. One of the major impacts on this species and the surrounding ecosystem has been a series of hydroelectric built on the mountainous river network under Romania’s communist regime in the late 1960s. “The communist plan didn’t care about this endemic species” says Togor. He goes on to explain that “[saving] this species would be an inspiration that not all is lost.” To read more about the action plan to save the Asprete click here.

Buddha wants climate action now!

Source: Pixabay

There is no surprise that Buddha would have been an environmentalist, it is even more evident as Dalai Lama has stated in his new book that “Buddha would be green” as he urges world leaders to take action against climate change.

Dalai Lama is Tibet’s highest spiritual leader yet describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk. As a Nobel peace prize recipient he worries that “global warming may reach such a level that rivers will dry” in an interview with Channel 4.

He is supportive of large scale tree planting operations as well reducing meat consumption worldwide to combat the climate change. He also stated “The big nations should pay more attention to ecology. I hope you see those big nations who spent a lot of money for weapons or war turn their resources to the preservation of the climate.” in his interview, and he is not wrong there.

With his own personal contribution coming from education and showcasing compassion, he also is now using zoom to connect with the world, due to the restrictions on travel and distancing from the pandemic to spread his teachings and now concerns for climate change. Now let’s hope that world leaders hear him out and move into a greener transition for our future – if buddha would do it, we should too!

Electric snowmobiles – say no more.

Source: ABB

Not just cars are moving into the realm of electric mobility – our toys are too. Tiaga motors, the producers of electric powersports and ABB, the e-mobility leader partnered together to create a sustainable electric off-road snowmobile.

With the predictions of snowmobile growth rising over 6% between 2020 – 2026 an electric fleet would be promising to implement sooner than later. Snowmobiles emit dirty pollution in pristine areas, as they are one of the vehicles that do not need a catalytic converter, the converter is an emission control device that is a part of the exhaust system in combustion engines. With no catalytic converters – it amplifies the amount of emissions produced by the snowmobiles.

By one snowmobile becoming electric is the same as electrifying over 40 cars. This partnership will move the recreational off-road vehicles into the future of sustainable mobility, with the availability of the electric snowmobiles starting this winter and more will follow towards next fall.

There is a ‘Mission to Zero’ initiative that ABB is focusing on, it encourages carbon reduction and creating solutions to a cleaner future. This provides hope in other off-road vehicles such as ATVs and watercrafts to pursue the electric route as well in the near future.

The post The WTF: The Week This Friday Vol. 24 appeared first on A\J.

So, what happened? Here is what we know so far…

On April 9, 2020, WE drafted a proposal for a youth entrepreneurship program which was sent to Youth Minister Bardish Chagger and Small Business Minister Mary Ng. While similar to the CSSG program, WE stated this proposal sent in early April was unrelated.

Just over a week goes by and Rachel Wernick, a senior Employment and Social Development Canada official, reaches out to WE on April 19 regarding a new proposal which would become the CSSG program. Wernick stated she was unaware of the original proposal sent a week and a half prior, and that the idea to reach out to WE about running the CSSG program originally came from someone in finance.

Chagger later told the House of Commons finance committee on July 16^th that neither Prime Minister Trudeau or Bill Morneau, former finance minister, had suggested to partner with WE for the delivery of this program prior to introducing it to cabinet. Instead, according to BNN Bloomberg, Chagger noted Public Service had their hands full with the coronavirus and the recommendation (made in writing by Wernick), was that WE Charity would have the capacity and network to handle the program. She stated in her testimony, “I was given a recommendation by the public service…I accepted the recommendation and brought it forward to cabinet.”

Earlier this September, new documents were released which allegedly proved Minister Chagger may in fact have been a dominant driver for WE Charities involvement with the program, and not Public Service as she had stated. According to the National Post, although originally claiming to have not discussed the program with anyone from WE Charity prior to presenting it to cabinet, Minister Chagger had been in contact with WE co-founder Craig Kielburger as early as April 17^th to discuss a suggestion made by Chagger of a summer service opportunity. Justin Trudeau would announce the program five days later on April 22^nd.  

Youth Minister Bardish Chagger// SOURCE: CBC

It is hard to know what actually happened, and I am starting to develop a headache trying to figure it out. So, at this point you might be asking, why do we care about who came up with the program?

WE Charity was set to be paid $43 million by the federal government to administer the program (they received $30 million before the program was cancelled). It did not take long after the announcement of the program for family ties between Trudeau, Morneau and WE Charity to be exposed. With both the Morneau and Trudeau family directly profiting off WE in the past, this just didn’t sit right with people.

Shortly after, the agreement was dissolved and WE Charity announced they would pay back the funds they had been given thus far. This whole ordeal seemed to be quite a hit for WE. According to CBC, WE Charity confessed fundraising since the scandal has been fairly difficult. Between the pandemic’s financial strain on the company and the failure of the student grant program, on September 9^th the WE Charity announced the closing of their Canadian operations.

Any trace of the program’s existence isn’t easy to find these days. The online portal where students were able to access CSSG, called “I Want to Help”, has been dismantled on all web platforms. If you go to the main page you will find nothing, but “The Government is currently considering options for the Canada Student Service Grant. As such, applications for service opportunities and students are not currently being processed or accepted.”

Wait a second. What about the 35,000 students who applied to the program and were left without a volunteer placement? I have questions!

Surely, one would like to assume the money allocated for the program would go back to students in some form or another. According to the Huffington Post, many students are asking for the grant to be dissolved into the Canada Emergency Student Benefit or through tuition relief. 

Nicole Brayiannis, National Deputy Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students, told Alternatives Journal that so far, this has not been the case.

“Students have not been receiving consistent and clear support about what would be coming from the government to support financially throughout this pandemic, and students are still eagerly waiting.” -Nicole Brayiannis

“I think at the closure of the program, it was tried to be said that only $500 million was allocated which was not consistent with what was originally said to be $912 million,” said Brayiannis. “Students have not been receiving consistent and clear support about what would be coming from the government to support financially throughout this pandemic, and students are still eagerly waiting.” Brayiannis says, to her knowledge, the 35,000 students who applied to the program have still not been given any kind of placement or alternative funding.

I spoke with Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth to try and understand what was going on. “In response to Covid-19, we came out with a $9 billion dollar plan for students and youth,” Chagger told me, “So the Canada Student Service Grant was part of that bigger picture.” Included in the $9 billion dollar plan was placing moratoriums on Canada student loan repayments and increasing job opportunities.

Chagger continued, “We had students wanting to not put a pause on their future and wanting to gain work experience, so we increased the number of Canada student summer jobs opportunities from 70,000 to 80,000. We had students that were saying, yes, it is great to work in the not for profit sector, but we also want to work in other sectors including for small businesses. So, the government responded by saying 100% of wages will be covered for all sectors that provide a youth a meaningful employment opportunity…. If you actually look at the $9 billion dollar program, the Canada student service grant was just a very small portion of that. And those other programs we put out, have actually been better used than we additionally thought, and we were able to help more Canadians than we had originally estimated.” Chagger noted the government is still currently looking at options for a replacement for the CSSG program but stated that everything remains on the table.

The “I Want to Help” platform had 35,000 applicants // SOURCE: Doyle

At the end of the day, the breakdown of the CSSG program is about a loss of support for youth who needed help during a challenging time.

“I would say across the board it’s been a disappointing amount of support students have received throughout the pandemic,” said Brayiannis. “The Canadian Student Service Grant from the start did not seem like a good program to go for because it was setting students up for precarious working situations.” The program would have paid students 33% below minimum wage.  

“What is really interesting about the students that applied,” Brayiannis continued, “was that I believe around 64% were visible minorities…So that is really telling about the individuals who were trying to access these resources… and these are students who now again have been left with no further support. There hasn’t been anything on where this $912 million will be going after this failed program, and students are desperate and in need which is shown through 35,000 students applying to what was shown to already be a problematic program to begin with.”

I asked Minister Chagger what she believes a 64% visible minority application rate tells us, “I think what that demonstrates is the importance of collecting data and asking questions… and then governments can know who they are responding to and how to respond,” she told me.

Brayiannis also mentioned in our conversation that the CSSG was not inclusive to all students since it did not include international students and students over 30.  When looking at international students for example, she said, “It’s unjustifiable because international students are contributors to our economy, yet that is usually the argument that is used, that they only come here to study and are not engaged in the same way domestic students are…But when we look at the realities and the facts, last year international students cross Canada contributed over $24 billion dollars to the economy.” Brayiannis said students over 30 are also often overlooked and not always included in these kinds of support programs.

Brayiannis attributes this to a lack of consultation with students and disregard for viewing students as experts in their own field. “There has been less and less investment into post secondary education, so unfortunately this isn’t a new trend that just started existing during the pandemic, it’s reemphasizing the lack of regard that has been given to supporting students,” she says.

“It’s very unprecedented and challenging times for everyone across the country and around the world since the global pandemic. So, we are all in it for the first time, all of us together.” -Bardish Chagger

I believe the CSSG program had good intentions. I also believe the people behind the program wanted to help students during a difficult time. And I understand making decisions that will affect millions during a pandemic, at superspeed with no former playbook to follow, is not easy for governments. As Minister Chagger said, “The pace at which we are having to respond is very different for the government, governments have never had to respond at this pace. But somehow by working together, we have been able to bring up programs rather quickly.”

But now it is time to clean up the messy situation – that negatively impacted the present and future for 35,000 young Canadians – that the CSSG program left behind.  

“It’s very unprecedented and challenging times for everyone across the country and around the world since the global pandemic. So, we are all in it for the first time, all of us together,” said Chagger.

While comforting to hear the Minister remind that we’re all sharing this discomfort, it does sounds like there are still a lot more questions than answers, let alone actual support for students, all 35,000 of us.

The post How WE Hurt Me appeared first on A\J.

SOURCE: Flickr, By Nikita Hengbok

According to the Independent, while we have studied the impacts of air pollution on human health in great depth, we haven’t really done the same with flora and fauna. Why is that? Surely, they breathe in the same air we do.

Researchers from India’s National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore are trying to change this. Studying wild Asian honeybees, they have been trying to understand how air pollution affects the species health and overall productivity. Pollinating over 687 species of plants in just the state of Karnataka, a decline in Asian honeybees could jeopardize the nation’s agricultural and economic outputs.

The study concluded that Asian honeybees living in parts of Bangalore with elevated pollution levels demonstrated higher concentrations of particulate matter in their bodies. Particulate matter such as lead, tungsten and arsenic, can make its way into an animal’s bloodstream and lungs, having devastating effects on the health of the animal. According to researchers, “Bees from more polluted areas also showed significant differences in heart rhythmicity, blood cell count, and the expression of genes coding for stress, immunity, and metabolism.” These honeybees moved slower, lived shorter lives, and ultimately visited less flowers than bees living in areas with better air quality.

The scariest part is, it’s not just the bees. Scientists repeated this experiment with a species of fruit fly and found similar results. Is this not scaring anyone? Because it should.  

From Turquoise Blue to Black Lagoons in Mauritius: Oil Spill Disaster

Source: Al Jazeera

While all oil spills have harmful impacts on aquatic and nearby avian and human life, the Mauritius oil spill can be more detrimental that one would have expected due to its location- near to environmentally protected marine ecosystems. Over 1000 tonnes of heavy oil and diesel have blackened the once turquoise blue waters of Mauritius near the coastal village of Mahébourg. Their government declared the spill a national emergency two weeks after a ship ran aground on July 25th. High waves, winds and water currents have been helping move the oil in the direction of the vital marine ecosystems.

This spill threatens the nearby protected lagoons and coral reefs, as well as, the shoreline and mangroves within this area of the Indian Ocean. According to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, the Mauritian ecosystem is teeming with biodiversity as 1,700 species exists. This includes 17 kinds or marine mammals, 2 species of turtles and 800 types of fish. The coral reefs in the lagoons will eventually be bleached due to the toxic hydrocarbons from the oil. Dr. Corina Ciocan, senior lecturer in marine biology at the University of Brighton stated that few areas rich in marine biodiversity still exist globally and the oil spill will impact almost everything as the oil on the surface will create a mousse-like layer beneath the surface and heavy residues on the bed.

Thousands of Mauritians volunteered to make natural “boom” barriers with readily available and low-cost material such as nets stuffed with dried sugar cane leaves to protect the coastline. Despite oil spills becoming a regular occurrence it is still unacceptable as the environment, the economies that rely upon them, food security and the health of species and humans are the ones being severely affected.

A sustainable solution to creating Nylon

Source: EcoTextile News

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have developed a sustainable method of making one of the most valuable industrial chemicals in the world – adipic acid – which is a key component of nylon. Nylon is a versatile fabric used to make clothing, furniture and often used as a substitute for low-strength metals. Over two million tonnes of nylon are produced globally each year, with a market value of around 10 billion dollars. Production of adipic acid relies heavily on fossil fuels and produces large amounts of nitrous oxide – a greenhouse gas three times more potent than carbon dioxide!

Now onto the sustainable method. The scientists altered the genetic code of the commonly known E.coli bacteria in the lab. Directly quoting the study, “The modified cells were grown in liquid solutions containing a naturally occurring chemical, called guaiacol, which is the main component of a compound that gives plants their shape”. After a 24-hour incubation period the modified bacteria turned the guaiacol into adipic acid without producing any nitrous oxide. The scientists explain that the environmentally friendly approach can be used to create adipic acid on an industrial scale.

Dr. Stephen Wallace, Principle Investigator of the study, suggested the microbes could solve other problems we’re facing. He explains that “We are all familiar with the use of microbes to ferment food and beer — now we can ferment materials and medicines. The possibilities of this approach to create a sustainable future are staggering.” Read more about the study here.

Sustainable investment fund surpassed $1 trillion

Source: WeConserve.ca

According to data compiled by Morningstar, assets under management in funds that abide by ESG principles have surpassed $1 trillion for the first time in history. Governments around the world have been stepping up their support for sustainable projects and green infrastructure in recent years with regulation and fiscal spending. This support has intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic as governments are committed to a green recovery.

Net inflows of $71.1 billion between April and June this year have been largely due to sustainable investments in the wake of the pandemic. Other contributing factors include asset managers ‘greening’ their more traditional funds into sustainable funds over April-June, and the continued growth in the number of products making up the sustainable fund universe acting as a catalyst for ESG investments. Additionally, it was reported that the CEO of BlackRock, the world’s largest money manager with more than $7 trillion in assets under management, said that there has been a surge of interest among clients looking to invest in renewable energy and ‘green’ initiatives.

Collapse of the Canadian Ice Shelf

Source: Canada Ice Service

Canada’s largest fully intact ice shelf, Milne Ice Shelf on Ellesmere Island in northern Nunavut, was reduced by 43% over July 30^th and 31^st before collapsing into the ocean. The large sheet of ice then drifted into the Arctic Sea breaking down into two large chunks. Click here to read a twitter post about the event and to see some video footage. The piece that broke off was larger than the size of Manhattan, around 80 square kilometers. According to the Canadian Ice Service, above-normal air temperatures, offshore winds and open water in front of the shelf are all contributing factors to the event. There is a potential for further destabilization due to the pre-existing cracks and breaks. Further chunks could crack off in the coming days or weeks.

CNN reported some disheartening news. The last known epishelf (a body of freshwater trapped by an ice shelf that floats on the top of ocean water) could be gone because of the icebreak. When the Milne Ice Shelf collapsed, it potentially sent once-contained fresh water into the salty Arctic Ocean. Researchers are unsure about the extent of the damage. More news will follow. Additionally, ice Shelves like this can help limit global sea levels from rising by acting like dams, slowing down the flow of melting ice into oceans. Temperatures across the Arctic continue to rise, and arctic heatwaves continuously impact the region. Look out for more news regarding the Canadian arctic and loss of significant ice features.

Bad Hair Day? Blame the Shower!

Source: BBC

In news that will really make you say WTF this week, President Trump has declared showers in the states aren’t powerful enough. I wish I was joking. This comes after the president made comments last week about his problems with their water flow while touring a Whirlpool manufacturing plant. Here he said “You turn on the shower — if you’re like me, you can’t wash your beautiful hair properly. You waste 20 minutes longer. ‘Please, come out.’ The water — it drips, right?”.

I mean, I’m sure we all appreciate a hot shower but really? Current legislation limits the maximum overall flow rate of showerheads to 2.5 gallons per minute. Trump wants to change it so that each individual showerhead can be up to the same 2.5 gallons per minute. I repeat – this is not a joke. Energy Department spokeswoman Shaylyn Hynes said, “President Trump promised the American people that he would reduce onerous federal regulations on the American consumer, and this proposed rulemaking on showerheads does just that”. I’m sure showerhead regulations are exactly what the American consumers wanted changed.

To really nail home how much of a farce this change in legislation is – environmental advocates have been calling for a decrease in the maximum flowrate allowed. In the U.S the Environmental Protection Agency give out the Watersense label to showerheads with rates under 2.0 gallons per minute. By just a 0.5 decrease in flow rate it is estimated that each indivudal can save 2,900 gallons of water a year. To put this into context, it is recommended we drink half a gallon of water a day – meaning 2900 gallons could hydrate a person for 5800 days.

If there’s anything to take away from Trump’s comments, it should be the question of whether you know your showerhead’s flowrate – if it’s at 2.5 gallons per minute, maybe consider a new, reduced one.

The post The WTF: The Week This Friday Vol.12 appeared first on A\J.

At the height of the Vietnam war, Ernie Regher authored a story for Alternatives Journal about the harmful effects war and militarism. In Regher’s words, militarism is “the extension of military influence over national and international affairs.” He explained a country will often divert resources which would have otherwise gone to social needs, towards the military.

During periods of war, Regher highlighted some of the negative consequences on the physical environment, as well as social wellbeing of the communities. Nuclear warfare for example, has shown to have detrimental psychological effects on communities that last for generations. After Hiroshima, “communities disintegrated. Social services collapsed. Thousands of children became orphans.” Regher also talked about ecological warfare, modifying the weather and climate as a tactical weapon. This kind of warfare can cripple agricultural production and local economies.

Half a century later, and today things are not much different- in fact, in my opinion, they are worse. Technological advancement gave birth to modernised, chemical weapons which have widespread impacts on ecological webs, and communities around the world continue to suffer from political unrest. Social norms break down, people and animals are displaced, and lives are lost.

In Syria, the environmental toll of a decade long war is just beginning to materialize. Abandoned oil refineries scatter the landscape, exposing communities to chemical residues which leak into their drinking water. In Iraq, multiple studies suggest increased cancer rates in civilians was a direct result of the US and UK bombings during the Gulf War. The stories go on.

While warfare as a way of solving international conflicts may never change, why do we choose to accept the environmental and social degradation that seems to always come with it?

Have we become desensitized to these kinds of stories from years of horrific images of war infiltrating our news and social media feeds? Or do we just not care because it isn’t happening here? While groups exist to try and help solve these problems through community support or cleanup, they act as band aid solutions to a problem we choose to accept.

Marie Jacobsson, a special rapporteur to the UN’s International Law Commission, says that while most states have environmental regulations which govern the rules of war engagement and cleanup, “A far greater (and possibly achievable) impact would be to reduce the vast standing armies the world maintains in a time of relative global tranquility.”

Something to think about. Actually, let’s do something about it now.

The post Why Haven’t We Solved This Yet? Militarism and The Environment appeared first on A\J.

Eliminating tax on forested lands would certainly make it easier for more municipalities to strive for a percentage of forest cover that represents a lower risk.”

Over recent decades, forests have been cut down at alarming rates to create space for housing and agricultural lands. While necessary to accommodate our rapidly growing world population, a balance must be kept between forest coverage and human development, particularly in the context of climate change. Now more than ever, we are in need of new and savvy tactics to assure reforestation.

Eliminating tax on forested lands would certainly make it easier for more municipalities to strive for a percentage of forest cover that represents a lower risk.”

It is well known that trees perform many of the ecological services we have come to depend on including absorbing carbon dioxide from the air, where it stays put for many years; providing essential habitat for countless species; reducing the threat of floods; preventing soil erosion; and providing a livelihood for humans. [1]. Canadians are aware of these benefits and are always encourages to plant more trees – should we have incentives in place for this?

In a 2018 report, the South Nation Conservation Authority [2] recommends to improve local forest cover in the municipalities within its jurisdiction. One of the proposed policies involved encouraging municipalities to consider a 0% tax rate on all forested lands. This would serve as an economic incentive that encourages residents to plant more trees, thereby helping to maintain or create forested lands. It is beneficial for municipalities to encourage any increase in forest coverage within their jurisdiction as Environment and Climate Change Canada recommends that a minimum of 30% forest coverage be maintained. This, however, represents a high risk approach that may not support a high species richness, and that sustains aquatic systems that are only marginally healthy. A low risk approach is one where 50% forest coverage is present [3]. Eliminating tax on forested lands would certainly make it easier for more municipalities to strive for a percentage of forest cover that represents a lower risk.

The reality is that many people require financial incentives to be able to take action against climate change as some of the solutions we are currently aware of require time, money, and effort. This is true when it comes to planting trees, especially a whole future forest, as they can be expensive and often require some level of specialized knowledge for this to be done correctly. Where exactly should the trees be planted on a property to offer the most benefit? Which species should be planted? Are the trees I planted 2 years ago still healthy? These are aspects of tree planting that most people might not have thought about until they were actually standing shovel in hand, ready to break ground. These are things, however, that a forestry technician has been trained to consider. 

I believe that every tree is important”

Many conservation agencies employ forestry technicians as forests are an important part of any watershed management. Such technicians can visit a property, assess it to determine which trees should go where, and come back periodically after planting to ensure the health of the trees. Such a service complementing a 0% tax rate on forested lands would be most beneficial if implemented at the municipality level. Municipalities could manage the financial aspect of a program while a conservation agency could be employed to help ensure its proper application. Recently, many political figures have made promises to plant millions or billions of trees here and there. Instead of planting these trees haphazardly all over Canada, why not tap into a network of partnerships between conservation agencies and municipalities so that it can be done strategically and can be monitored more closely afterwards. 

Of course, a 0% tax rate on forested lands would need to come with a substitute for the revenue shortfall experienced by the municipalities adopting it. After all, property taxes make up the bulk of their respective budget. It has been proposed that if needed, the loss in revenue could be offset by similarly increasing the taxation rate on cleared lands [4]. This could have the effect of not only encouraging reforestation but also providing an incentive against deforestation. More ambitiously, it can be argued that some of the money collected through a program such as the federal carbon tax could be rechanneled to municipalities adopting the new tax rate. This way, those who make real efforts to be environmentally conscious could receive tax relief both through a system such as the federal carbon tax in the form of tax credits, and through a 0% tax rate on forested lands program in the form of reduced property taxes. Hopefully, this level of financial incentive might incite greener behaviour by the population.

Considering the fact that more and more cities are incorporating sustainability and climate change into their action plans and strategies, it would not be that far off to implement a program of this nature. If even one hundred hectares of trees could be planted, or if a few landowners could reconsider clearing their forests, I would consider such a program successful. Some might say that this would equate to a drop of water in the ocean, but I believe that every tree is important. If, while implementing this, we could encourage more people to see how much more valuable trees are to us when they remain in the ground, who knows what kind of ripple effect this could have on climate change awareness.

The post Uprooting Taxes by Planting Trees appeared first on A\J.