Energy in Society: Myth of Utopia

The Noor I Concentrated Solar Power plant, shown on Thursday, is the first phase of a large solar thermal power plant that is intended to supply more than a million Moroccans with electricity.

by Richard Norris The world is embarking on a monumental energy transition with the aim of decarbonizing the global energy infrastructure. While essential, we must not underestimate the scale and difficulty of this transition. Currently 85% of global energy supply comes from fossil fuels. In addition to replacing this existing energy supply with greener, cleaner… Continue reading Energy in Society: Myth of Utopia

Our Christmas tree: musings on mortality

by Erlene Woollard One might well wonder why I would bother taking such a photograph during this pandemic when our craving for beauty and positive distraction is so great. However, as I walked towards our still beautiful live Christmas tree waiting in our back alley to be picked up and sent off to its next… Continue reading Our Christmas tree: musings on mortality

Linking the pandemic recovery to remedying the loss of global biodiversity

by Stan Hirst Back in September 2020 most of us were most likely a little preoccupied with incessant hand-washing, face-mask adjustment, standing in line for dwindling supplies of beer and toilet paper, and general hand-wringing over news of the cancelled Grey Cup. All reasonable excuses for having missed the column in the national press which… Continue reading Linking the pandemic recovery to remedying the loss of global biodiversity

A Brighter Future using Etuaptmunk “Two-Eyed Seeing”

by Paul Strome Disputes between indigenous and non-indigenous interests over renewable resources and user conflicts have regrettably been part of the Canadian national fabric for centuries. The ongoing dispute between Mi’kmaq and non-Indigenous lobster fishers in southwest Nova Scotia is yet another page in an ongoing saga. The historical and treaty-based facts underlying the Mi’kmaq… Continue reading A Brighter Future using Etuaptmunk “Two-Eyed Seeing”

Lobsters, Legacies and Legalities in the 21st Century

by Bob Worcester The 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas with its “doctrine of discovery” declared “non-Christian” lands were fair game for European explorers. By this doctrine Canada was deemed “terra nullius” or “empty land” which when claimed for the Crown gave sovereigns the legal right to occupy, govern, defend and exploit that land. In the long sad history… Continue reading Lobsters, Legacies and Legalities in the 21st Century

Slow growth: the way to a better future

by Stan Hirst Have just watched the excellent film Metamorphosis. In its prologue the film seeks to bear witness to a moment of profound change – the loss of one world, and the birth of another. The film exposes us to scenes of forest fires consuming communities, species vanishing, and entire ecosystems collapsing. It is… Continue reading Slow growth: the way to a better future

A tale of a trillion trees

by Stan Hirst A fine alliterative title, but it presents a problem in visioning. Just what does a trillion trees actually look like? What size area would, or could they cover? The story starts with Kenyan Wangari Maathai (1940-2011) who, while serving in the National Council of Women in 1976, introduced the idea of community-based… Continue reading A tale of a trillion trees

How do we galvanize climate action in Vancouver?

Creating a renewed sense of place, block by block by Erlene Woollard and Patricia Plackett “Lord, make me pure, but not yet!” No doubt when St. Augustine uttered this prayer in about 380 AD he was not thinking about being pure in the sense of his ‘carbon footprint’. If you will allow us to belabour… Continue reading How do we galvanize climate action in Vancouver?