Greenspiration News & Events: back to the 70's

[Angela Bischoff - OCAA]



 

INTERNATIONAL

 

Back to the 70’s: International Energy Agency calls for "demand-side measures" to cut oil use

The IEA is concerned that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is keeping 20 million barrels per day out of circulation, almost 20% of global consumption, so they're recommending everything enviros have been saying since the 70's: less car use, more transit, work from home, lower speed limits, avoid flying, switch to efficient appliances, get off gas. Gee, if only they'd listened to us back then, there'd be no need for this war!

https://lloydalter.substack.com/p/its-that-70s-show-as-international

 

War in the Middle East is draining the global carbon budget faster than 84 countries combined

“Every refinery fire and tanker strike is a reminder that fossil‑fuelled geopolitics is incompatible with a livable planet. This war shows, yet again, that the fastest way to supercharge the climate crisis is to let fossil fuel interests dictate foreign policy.”

“This is not a war for security. It’s a war for the political economy of fossil fuels – and the people paying the price are Iranian civilians and working‑class communities around the world.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/21/middle-east-iran-conflict-environment-climate?CMP=share_btn_url

 

>From black rain to marine pollution, the war in Iran is an environmental disaster

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/19/down-to-earth-iran-us-israeli-war-environmental-destruction

 

Balcony solar bill gains momentum in the US

Such units could save households up to $400 a year. In Germany, more than a million households have plug-in solar — producing more power than a large nuclear reactor.

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/balcony-solar-bill-gains-momentum-illinois

 

Nuclear Power: The Real Effects 

14 min. video presentation by Gordon Edwards, Mar. '26

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptY4cLYHM_Q

 

California locks up killer motorists. We can too!

Fifteen years to life is the sort of profoundly life-altering sentence that might make even the most degenerate drunk drivers think twice

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/chris-selley-california-locks-up-killer-motorists-we-can-too

 

 

CANADA

 

Canada takes a big step toward troops in Iran war

Joint statement with NATO allies indicates direction. By Steve Staples, PeaceQuest.

https://www.peacequest.ca/p/canada-takes-a-big-step-toward-troops

 

At 90, David Suzuki says he has done everything he could to protect the Earth, but fears he has fallen short

The iconic Canadian environmentalist says it may be too late for humanity to stop the worst of climate change

Article and podcast: 

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday/david-suzuki-memoir-life-birthday-climate-change-9.7136044

 

Canada’s Richest 1% Nearly as Wealthy as Poorest 80%

Three recent reports provide the gory details about massive and growing wealth inequality in Canada

https://www.readthemaple.com/canadas-richest-1-nearly-as-wealthy-as-poorest-80/ 

 

Assessing Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) in Canada

Ten years after the prediction that SMRs will “live among the annals of great Canadian innovations,” and eight years after the industry's SMR Roadmap promised a bright future for SMRs, the evidence points otherwise. Report and webinar recording.

https://cedar-project.org/roadmap/

 

Canada should lead rescue of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty

https://pugwashgroup.ca/clnd/canada-should-lead-rescue-of-the-nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty/

 

Nechako - It Will Be a Big River Again

After seven decades of resistance, two BC Indigenous Nations reach a turning point in their historic legal fight to reclaim the Nechako River and the way of life it once sustained.

https://www.nfb.ca/film/nechako-it-will-be-a-big-river-again/

 

MP Elizabeth May speaks in the House against C-15, the Budget Implementation Act

https://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260225/-1/44447

 

Who is minding the water data centres will use? By Maude Barlow

https://canadians.org/analysis/who-is-minding-the-water-data-centres-will-use/

 

 

ONTARIO

 

It's time to convert some ethanol growing areas to solar, and make it easy for farmers to host – and benefit from – the power of the sun.

https://www.cleanairalliance.org/ethanol-solar/

 

Ontario’s nuclear push risks another costly policy failure

Nuclear power is neither nimble nor affordable and it’s about time the Ontario government stopped posturing otherwise.

https://policyoptions.irpp.org/2026/03/ontario-nuclear-energy-costs-risks-renewables/

 

Ontario's Electricity Future: High-Cost Nuclear or Lower Electricity Bills? 

40 min. video presentation by Jack Gibbons, Ontario Clean Air Alliance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pUCav7u9qM

 

Watchdog says transparency crackdown will make Ontario more secret and less secure

https://globalnews.ca/news/11740683/ipc-analysis-ontario-foi-changes/

 

 

TORONTO

 

NoJetsTO - petition

https://win.newmode.net/nojetsto/saveourwaterfrontnojetsattheislandairport

 

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EVENTS

 

Nationwide Youth Town Hall with Avi Lewis

Mon. March 23, 8 p.m. ET

Are you a youth member of the NDP who’s curious about what Avi Lewis actually has planned for the future of our party? Want to weigh in on how youth voices can be heard and included in the party? Still undecided about who to rank as your #1 choice for leader? Join Avi and Solomon Yi-Kieran (they/them) for a Nationwide Youth Town Hall. This is a rare opportunity for youth members to ask substantive questions to Avi before polls close – and to share their own vision for how we transform the party into a bold, winning force for democratic socialism. Key topics will include:

- The intersection of the climate and jobs crises, 

- The NDP’s vision for higher education, and 

- Rebuilding our party and winning back young voters from the right.

https://act.lewisforleader.ca/youth-town-hall 

 

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Opiods - exploring how policy, care and community can transform lives amidst a drug toxicity crisis

Tues. March 24, 7 p.m. ET

Online or in-person at Isabel Bader Theatre, U of Toronto

At The Walrus Talks Opioids, medical experts, frontline workers, policymakers, and individuals with lived experience with opioid use disorder will share evidence-based strategies for tackling the crisis, highlight proven policy solutions, and outline what we can do to end the crisis.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-walrus-talks-opioids-tickets-1982207037609  

 

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E-Bikes: Why we love them. Why we hate them (sometimes). And why we need updated laws about them.

Tues. March 24, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Fix Coffee and Bikes, 80 Gladstone Ave, Toronto

E-bikes are transforming urban transportation. They offer clean, affordable and efficient travel, allowing people of all ages and abilities to go further and faster, while helping to fight climate change. But they are also controversial. Some people see them as obtrusive and dangerous to pedestrians and other road users. Join Community Bikeway and Fix Coffee + Bikes for a discussion about the future of e-bikes.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-future-of-e-bikes-community-bikeways-fix-tickets-1985008763647  

 

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Unlonely Cities: How to Produce and Prevent Loneliness

Tues. Mar. 24, 11 a.m. ET

Cities are often described as engines of opportunity, density, and connection – yet they are also where loneliness concentrates and becomes most visible. This session explores the paradox of proximity: how urban systems, planning logics, and everyday design decisions can unintentionally produce loneliness, while those very same systems hold the potential to prevent it. Drawing on the book The Paradox of Proximity – Preventing Urban Loneliness, the webinar reframes loneliness as a spatial and societal challenge rather than an individual failure. Through examples from Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the Nordics, the session shows how cities can move from being part of the problem to becoming part of the cure – by designing social infrastructure, everyday encounters, and environments that actively invite belonging. Guest: Ann-Britt Andersen, Chief Communications Officer at BLOXHUB, a Nordic innovation hub for sustainable urban development based in Copenhagen, Denmark. 

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QVb8sw5SRXCTSjZUZQEWgw#/registration  

 

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Getting to yes on wind and transmission

Wed. March 25, noon ET

Most Canadians support clean electricity like wind and transmission, yet projects are contested on the ground. What keeps people stuck, and what actually helps communities get to “yes”? Drawing on national survey and focus group research, this webinar explores what shapes public acceptance of large-scale wind and transmission projects in Canada. We move beyond dismissive explanations like “NIMBYism” and look instead at what the evidence shows really matters when decisions become real.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Z1ZMHXEHSEi9oH_A6KO3bw#/registration  

 

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Fiduciary Duty in a Climate-Risk Economy: A Legal Briefing

Wed. March 25, 3 p.m. ET

A significant new lawsuit has been filed against Cushman & Wakefield raising important questions about how employers manage climate-related financial risk in retirement plans. The newly filed case tests how long-standing fiduciary standards apply in an era of increasing market exposure to climate risk. The lawsuit alleges that the employer violated its fiduciary responsibility under long-standing federal law by failing to prudently manage employees’ retirement savings. While the company has certainly acknowledged the growing physical and financial risks associated with climate change in its own operations and real estate portfolio, it failed to apply a comparable level of prudence in overseeing employees’ retirement savings. Join the briefing to find out what this means and why it matters. This session will unpack the legal theory, the broader implications and how you can support and take action in your own retirement fund.

https://stand-earth.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9ZEQEoPvS4qAmMsKAazmCg#/registration  

 

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Film Social: Norma Rae 

Wed. March 25, 6:45 p.m. ET

Eyesore Cinema, 1176 Bloor St W, Toronto

The Leo Panitch School for Socialist Education is very pleased to present Norma Rae (1979) as the next film in the FilmSocial series of socialist film screenings. Set in a small-town Southern textile mill, the film follows Norma Rae (Sally Field), a courageous worker and single mother, who becomes politically active in her workplace after meeting Reuben Warshowsky (Ron Liebman), a charismatic New York labor organizer who arrives in town to confront crushing employment conditions at the factory and help workers form their own union. After her father dies suddenly on the mill floor, Norma is thrown deeper into the struggle, risking her job, relationships, and community standing to confront the bosses and organise her often-reluctant coworkers.

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/panitchschool/2104533  

 

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After the Holocaust: The Global Impact and Cultural Significance of the Nazi Genocide of the Jews from 1945 to the Present

Wed., Mar. 25, 2 - 3:30 pm ET 

The aftermath of the Holocaust has been long and wide-reaching. It has impacted every area of political and cultural life in many countries since 1945. Join Sarah Cushman, Laura Jockusch, Devin Pendas, and Geffen Rosenthal for a conversation about how the history of the aftermath shapes Holocaust research and education.

https://brandeis.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__IR0FwdaRTah9OE1U9t7zA#/registration  

 

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Join the Climate Crisis Public Inquiry

Are you ready to focus on real, actionable solutions?

Five consecutive Wednesdays starting March 25, 4 p.m. ET

Register today for an exclusive, in-depth Public Inquiry where we will critically evaluate current proposals for reducing global warming. Our goal? To identify and prioritize the most promising strategies to restore our planet to its pre-industrial climate.

https://projectsavetheworld.substack.com/p/today-join-the-climate-crisis-public

 

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Radiation and Health

Wed. March 25, 2 p.m. ET

Our distinguished panel of international speakers will share insights into the generational impacts of radioactivity and the current state of environmental safety. We are at an alarming "full circle" moment with the TMI site, and many others, at the center of a massive energy debate. With plans to restart Three Mile Island for Big Tech moving forward, the question remains: have we truly accounted for the long-term health legacy of 1979? Join us 47 years later to look at the data the industry overlooks.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Z3rZHy-yS_SehVkAOkc4YQ#/registration

 

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World Women Summit

March 25 - 29

The World Women Summit 2026 – Women Rising for Peace celebrates and strengthens this movement. It is a gathering of women who are transforming the conditions that allow violence to persist and creating the foundations for a more compassionate and resilient world.

https://worldwomensummit.net/

 

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Rally to Defend Our Land and Water 

Thur. March 26, noon - 1 p.m. ET

Queens Park Lawn (University and College), Toronto

Join GASP (Grandmothers Act to Save the Planet) to tell Doug Ford that our land and water are not resources to destroy, but legacies to protect.

https://www.gasp4change.org/   

 

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The Vow from Hiroshima

Thur. March 26, 4 - 6 p.m. ET

Trinity College, U of T, Gerald Larkin Building, Rm 200

A moving documentary that reveals the horrors of the atomic bombings in Japan through the lens of a survivor. 

Co-hosted by Science for Peace U of T, The Centre for Ethics, Trinity One Program

https://www.scienceforpeace.org/events-1/the-vow-from-hiroshima-film-screening-1  

 

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Downtown Toronto Seedy Saturday 

Sat. Mar 28,10 am - 2 pm ET

Scadding Court Community Centre, Dundas and Bathurst

For more than 20 years, Scadding Court's Seedy Saturday has been helping people in and around downtown to plant seeds that lead to flourishing gardens. Join us to:

* Connect with community organizations who are passionate about sustainability

* Buy environmentally conscious products in our vendors market

* Participate in free gardening workshops

* Pick up some free seeds at our seed exchange

* Engage in activities for kids...and for kids at heart

Soak up the community vibes. Get inspired to dig in and get your hands dirty for spring planting. Meet other gardeners who love seeds and plants. Admission is free with donations in support of Scadding Court's urban agriculture programs welcomed.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/downtown-toronto-seedy-saturday-at-scadding-court-community-centre-tickets-1980218718493  

 

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Remember Three Mile Island 

Partial nuclear meltdown, March 28 , 1979 in Pennsylvania 

Remember its sickening radiation, spontaneous evacuations and coverup. This industrial nuclear accident warned the US and world of the radioactive consequences from expanding nuclear energy. Significant radioactive waste remains to this day in these reactors in the middle of the Susquehanna River.

https://www.tmia.com/node/118

 

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ON Province-wide protests to Fight Ford

Sat. March 28 

It's happening on March 28 all across Ontario. A province-wide show of force against Doug Ford and the conservatives. All across Ontario, people will stand together against corruption and breakdown of Ontario. From small towns to bustling cities. More and More cities are being added. Find out more on Fighting Ford (Protest Ford) Facebook group. If you’ve been frustrated with healthcare, schools, or the cost of living — this is your chance to be heard. Find your city. Show up.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10163681303353346&set=pcb.2179991885872658

 

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More Toronto events 

https://showuptoronto.ca/

 

For the best Canadian climate and energy news, visit and subscribe to the Energy Mix newsletter

http://theenergymix.com/ 

 

Democracy Now Daily Show - global peace, justice and enviro news

https://www.democracynow.org/ 

 

Tooker Tapes Archive Project - Youtube Playlist

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3IwhNn-WrINTQz2fBNayDoBWLW0y59le 

 

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Submissions, subscribes, unsubscribes, and comments: mailto:angela at cleanairalliance.org 

 

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