By Jeanette Ageson and Rachel Forbes. Originally posted on December 6, 2012 at West Coast Environmental Law.
Archives: Blog entry
Mourning the Slow Death of Nuclear Power
1:24 a.m.: “Under intense heat, the core began to break down. Fuel assemblies fragmented, control rod channels warped, steam built up furiously and, finally, steam tubes burst. Tons of steam and water shot into the reactor, causing a tremendous steam explosion. Steam pressure blew the 1000-ton steel- and cement-filled biologic […]
A COP18 Wrap-up: The Doha Gateway to a Warmer World
The UNFCCC COP18 climate change conference has been hailed, by some, as a success. The ‘Doha Gateway’ was celebrated in particular for its success at ensuring a second term of the Kyoto Protocol. After the negotiations went more than twenty-four hours overtime, the president of the conference quickly gaveled through […]
The Boreal Food Forest
The boreal forest is essential to the survival of life on earth. It is often referred to as “the lungs of the planet” because of the critical role it plays in air purification and carbon capture. But did you know that the boreal forest is also crucial to local and […]
Exercises in Urban Imagination
Enthused members of the A\J team went to a panel discussion hosted by the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery last week. Featured on stage were Justin Langlois, artist and co-founder of Broken City Lab, Scott Sorli, architect and co-founder of Toronto’s convenience window gallery and Steven Logan, urban researcher and member of the […]
Lifecycle Analysis Answers the Christmas Tree Debate: Real or Fake?
It’s a simple concept that is rarely utilized in Canada today: incorporating lifecycle analysis (LCA) into planning and design. Evaluating the full impacts of a project or product throughout construction, operational use and eventual decommissioning/disposal would go a long way to promoting sustainable development in Canada. Unfortunately, many planning decisions […]
Cleaning up the Niagara River
The Niagara River has come a long way since the 1980s. One would still be advised not to drink the water, swim in some of the public beaches or eat the fish you reel in, but the latest report on the remediation plan reveals a river recovering from decades of […]
New Poll: Opposition to Northern Gateway Pipeline Increasing
A poll released yesterday shows that British Columbians are overwhelmingly against the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline with 60 per cent saying they are opposed to the project, an increase of eight per cent since April.
Community-Owned Energy
Solar panels, wind turbines and hydroelectric dams are not cheap. Countries can afford them, but national ownership does not tend to foster local pride. Individuals, organizations or corporations can purchase smaller systems, but they need a bunch of money up front. Communities, on the other hand, may be just […]
Shopping for a Lighter Foodprint
This spring, in a personal challenge to eat local and reduce my carbon footprint, I planted my first vegetable garden. I spent $50 on seeds and planted all my favourite vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, peas, radishes, carrots, beets, onions and spinach. I was quite excited, but since growing these vegetables […]
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