TAKEN AS a matter of simple logic, the notion of infinitely continued expansion of material demands on a single biosphere is nuts.
TAKEN AS a matter of simple logic, the notion of infinitely continued expansion of material demands on a single biosphere is nuts.
TECHNICALLY, only plants can be weeds. But plenty of other organisms are similarly vigorous, adaptive to circumstances and resilient in the face of discouragement. They, or rather we, are metaphorical weeds. Weeds in the plant world thrive in adversity. Unwanted, maligned and attacked with murderous intent, they nonetheless survive and […]
In Verona, that most picturesque and fabled town, we ate horse. It was a cultural challenge, not a culinary one. The pastissada de caval was superb. As our waiter explained, horsemeat may have had its origins in tough times, but today it has everything to do with taste, not necessity. […]
It’s December 6, and we are on the island of Kos in Greece. The stores are closed for the celebration of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, but the sun is out and the cafes are doing a brisk trade. A band approaches and then a procession bearing the […]
The Mingan Archipelago National Park lies on a lonely stretch of coast in the northeast corner of North America. Nearly five centuries have passed since Jacques Cartier first laid anchor nearby, when the Atlantic coast teemed with wildlife. The landscape remains unmarred by the signatures of modern life, though the […]
Our planet is supported on the wings of bees, butterflies, skippers (flies that hover over flowers) and hummingbirds. These pollinators are threatened primarily by habitat loss, land degradation and both urban and agricultural pesticide use. Any time a natural area is converted to a subdivision, or a sterile lawn is […]
There’s a void the size of the boreal forest between the Canada we want to have, and the Canada our government has envisioned for us. As Canadians, our values of kindness, honesty, respect and integrity lie at the core of how we see ourselves. We take pride in our place […]
The newest wind turbines can fly. Lifted off the ground like a kite, they are designed to solve the problem of accessing greater wind speeds at higher altitudes.
Submarines: the mother of all invention. Or at least, a very specific kind of invention. In October, American defence contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. announced that it had made a nuclear fusion breakthrough.
On a media tour this week of the proposed park on Toronto’s eastern boundary, federal NDP environment critic Megan Leslie (Halifax) told reporters she will advise her caucus to oppose government Bill C-40 despite the personal difficulty she feels in opposing the park. “I’m in a parallel universe where I […]