Greenspiration News -- energy, autism, hemp
Angela Bischoff
greenspi at web.ca
Tue Jan 27 09:45:02 EST 2009
Greenspiration News
"The job of the peacemaker is to stop war, to purify the world, to
get it saved from poverty and riches, to heal the sick, to comfort
the sad, to create joy and beauty wherever you go, to find God in
everything and everyone."
Muriel Lester
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Increased & Safer Cycling in London (UK)
London has aggressive targets for increasing the number and safety
of cyclists. It looks like this plan is working.
As reported in CenterLines, the e-newsletter of the National Center
for Bicycling & Walking, "...there has been a 91% increase in cycle
use on the capital's main roads since 2000, and a 33% reduction in
cycle casualties in roughly the same period." Wow!
More info here.
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Wind, water and sun beat other energy alternatives, study finds
The best ways to improve energy security, mitigate global warming and
reduce the number of deaths caused by air pollution are blowing in
the wind and rippling in the water, not growing on prairies or
glowing inside nuclear power plants, says Mark Z. Jacobson, a
professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford.
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2009/january7/power-010709.html
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Build transit — don't bail out cars
The new road forward might well be on rails.
by Albert Koehl, Jan. 20, Straightgoods
General Motors and Chrysler are facing some angry public criticism
after pleading for and receiving billions of dollars in taxpayer aid.
There's no need to be too hard on them. After all, auto corporations
produce and promote products, and lobby legislators for an easier
ride — that's their business. Our political leaders are the ones who
(are supposed to) make (intelligent) transportation policy — that's
supposed to be our (the public's) business.
Can we do better than perpetuating our grossly inefficient and
expensive car-centred system for getting around? This is a good time
to ask that question.
Full article: http://www.straightgoods.ca/2009/ViewFeature.cfm?Ref=39
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FREEDOM FROM DIRTY OIL: ONTARIO'S TAR SANDS DECISION
Enbridge announced in mid-January 2009 that it was shelving the
"Trailbreaker" project. Enbridge may decide to introduce the project
again at a later date.
This report, written before the "Trailbreaker" project was shelved,
highlights the environmental harm caused by the tar sands, and what
Ontario can do to make sure it isn't held hostage to tar sands oil.
> Environmental Defence
> http://goto.rabble.ca/t?ctl=163C6AE:
> 6A2512C072D42216AC90350C27010C2860A0614370F1CFFE&
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FROM TAR SANDS TO GREAT LAKES
In this 23 minute audio podcast, Maggie Hughes investigates the
growing concerns over the impact of the tar sands beyond Alberta's
borders. She investigates growing concerns over the transport through
pipelines of tar sands oil through Central Canada and United States,
and its potential impact on the largest source of fresh water in the
world.
http://www.rabble.ca/podcasts/shows/citizenshift/81-tar-sands-great-
lakes
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Green Jobs, Yes We Can
Tar Sands, No We Can’t
In the near future President Obama will make his first foreign visit
to Canada. One of the significant items of discussion will concern
energy and climate change.
Let’s make sure that President Obama doesn’t give Stephen Harper a
free pass on the Tar Sands.
In the build-up to President Obama’s visit individuals and groups in
Canada and the United States will be standing up and speaking out
against the Tar Sands and its many social, environmental and economic
costs.
Right now, Canadian mayors across the country are signing a letter to
President Obama urging the United States to confront Tar Sands dirty
oil and ensure that energy security and climate security go hand-in-
hand.
Take Action Now!
Ask your local mayor if they have signed the letter, and if they have
not, encourage them to sign on by emailing
joecressy at polarisinstitute.org. You can find the letter at http://
www.tarsandswatch.org/canadian-mayors-letter-obama
Thanks,
The Tar Sands Watch Team
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Tories aim to gut environmental rules, NDP says
The Canadian Press
January 22, 2009
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.
20090122.wPOLenvi0122/BNStory/politics/home
OTTAWA — The NDP says it has obtained a copy of proposed Conservative
legislation that would gut federal environmental regulations.
The New Democrats says the draft bill would kill environmental
assessments for any project on federal lands, or using federal
dollars – or any federal infrastructure project worth less than $10-
million.
It would also reportedly exempt any project from federal
environmental assessment at the request of a provincial government.
The NDP and environmental groups say the changes would undo major
parts of the Environmental Assessment Act, enacted by the Progressive
Conservative government of Brian Mulroney in 1992.
New Democrats say the government is using the economic crisis – and
the plan to speed up infrastructure projects – as a pretext for
weakening environmental oversight.
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OCEAN POWER FARMS ARE CATCHING THE WAVE IN EUROPE AND AUSTRALIA
Nov/08. Calgary Herald
Imagine that 15% of the world’s energy is just waiting to be
harnessed from the constant ebb and flow of the ocean. Engineers,
entrepreneurs, physicists, oceanographers and now eager investors are
getting behind some truly innovative technologies that are powering
homes, factories, universities and hospitals. More than 50 wave
technology companies around the globe are using almost 60 years’
experience with deep-sea oil platforms as they hurry to deploy wave
farms. There are currently more than half a dozen such farms
generating electricity in Europe and Australia. Another dozen much
larger wave farms will be operational within two years. Canada’s
Department of Energy has not spent a dime on ocean wave technologies,
yet has committed over a billion dollars to fund nuclear fusion and
space-based power, with no tangible results.
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Critics say Canada enabling India's military nuclear program
The Canadian Press, January 23
OTTAWA — The Conservative government has tarnished Canada's long-
standing stature as a non-proliferation advocate in its pursuit of
the rich commercial possibilities of nuclear trade, say critics.
Now it must ensure it doesn't compound the problem.
Having lost the main battle over allowing India back into the global
nuclear fraternity, peace activists hope Canada drives a hard bargain
on sales to the nuclear-armed state. <snip>
But activists argue that no matter what safeguards Canada puts in
place, civilian nuclear aid to India, by definition, frees up
domestic Indian capacity for its military program.
Full article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.
20090123.wcanind0123/BNStory/International/home
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Autism epidemic not caused by shifts in diagnoses; environmental
factors likely
Changes in doctors' diagnoses cannot explain the sevenfold increase
in autism since 1990, a new California study shows. Environmental
factors are probably to blame.
The scientists who authored the new study advocate a nationwide shift
in autism research to focus on potential factors in the environment
that babies and fetuses are exposed to, including pesticides, viruses
and chemicals in household products.
Full article: http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/autism-
and-environment
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Ontario Grows new Market from Industrial Hemp
Ontario will be home to the first North American commercial
bio-processing plant for industrial hemp.
Ontario's Stonehedge Bio-Resources Inc.
announced today it will receive a $2-million investment by a group of
investors from the United Kingdom. Starting in spring 2009,
Stonehedge expects
to build a new bio-refining facility in eastern Ontario that will
employ up to
27 people by 2011. The company expects to produce more than $17
million per
year in renewable hemp fibre, wood-like chips, and pellets, as well
as matting
and seed products. http://www.stonehedgebio.ca/
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Hemp refiner expected to provide new income for 200 farmers
Some of the products and co-products are aimed at the automotive,
energy, agriculture, construction material, and pulp and paper
markets. This fibre separation facility (decortication plant) is
expected to provide new farm income for about 200 farmers, putting
more than 12,000 acres into cultivation, said John Baker, president
and founder of Stonehedge. http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/
ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1400766
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