All posts by Common Sense Canadian

How one Black Press paper covers David Black’s refinery proposal in Kitimat

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Read this article by Charlie Smith in the Georgia Straight about the coverage given to David Black’s refinery proposal by the Terrace Standard, a Black newspaper. Excerpt: “Here’s how the editorial ended—and make no mistake, the endings of editorials are often what’s most important because that’s what’s left in the reader’s mind.

“‘Significant economic benefit derived from the pipeline could sway popular opinion, especially [for] people living through hard times in northern B.C., but probably not enough to tip the scales.

“‘Black and Enbridge will have a tough time convincing residents in southern cities that the potential of thousands of jobs in the northern oil sector is worth the risk of a pipeline leak or a tanker running aground on B.C.’s coast.’

“In other words, Enbridge and Black would create thousands of jobs and significant economic benefits, but it’s those southerners who just don’t get it.” (August 25, 2012)

Read more: http://www.straight.com/article-764151/vancouver/how-one-black-press-paper-covers-david-blacks-refinery-proposal-kitimat

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First Nation says Alberta oilsands plan will ‘annihilate’ its lands and future

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Read this article from Canadian Press, published by The Tyee. Excerpt: “Your plan, your land, your future? This is not our plan, it’s the governments plan to annihilate our lands and our future.” – Chief Allan Adam (August 24, 2012)

Read more: http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Aboriginal-Affairs/2012/08/24/First-Nation-says-Alberta-oilsands-plan-will-annihilate/

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Feds walk away from environmental assessments on almost 500 projects in B.C.

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Read this article by Larry Pynn in the Vancouver Sun. Excerpt: “Stephen Harper’s Conservative government has washed its hands of environmental assessments of nearly 500 projects in B.C. as a result of a revised Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

“The 492 wide-ranging projects include gravel extraction on the lower Fraser River, run-of-river hydro projects and wind farms, bridge construction as well as demolition of the old Port Mann Bridge, shellfish aquaculture operations, hazardous-waste facilities and liquid-waste disposal.

“Ottawa is also walking away from conducting assessments on various agricultural and municipal drainage works, log-handling facilities, small-craft harbour and marina development and expansion, the sinking of ex-warships as artificial reefs, the disposal of dredged material, and a 73-hectare mixed-use development on Tsawwassen First Nation lands.” (August 22, 2012)

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Feds+walk+away+from+environmental+assessments+almost+projects/7125419/story.html

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Ride the Pipe: Michelle Staples

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Read this blog posting by Michelle Staples at Ride the Pipe, a project to engage with and photograph the people most affected by the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline and to capture the landscapes and seascape that will be altered by construction or destroyed by an accidental oil spill. (August 24, 2012)

Read more: http://ridethepipe.ca/blog/michelle-staples/

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Advocates seek action on hydro projects

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Read this article by Larry Pynn in the Vancouver Sun. Excerpt: “Environmental charity Ecojustice went to B.C. Supreme Court to seek a judicial review of the province’s failure to conduct a formal environmental assessment on the Holmes hydro power project near McBride.

“The legal action, taken on behalf of the David Suzuki Foundation and Watershed Watch Salmon Society, argues that 10 linked hydro plants will together generate 85 megawatts of electricity.

“But because no individual plant would generate more than 50 megawatts – the threshold for triggering an environmental assessment – none were ordered.” (August 23, 2012)

Read more: href=http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Advocates+seek+action+hydro+projects/7132161/story.html

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Climate change deniers are almost extinct

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Read this article by David Suzuki in the Georgia Straight. Excerpt: “As evidence builds, deniers are starting to change their tune. They once said global warming isn’t happening, and some claimed the world is actually cooling. Now, heat records are being broken worldwide—this past decade was the hottest on record. Many scientists say the situation is even more severe than first thought, with temperatures and impacts increasing faster than predicted.

“Faced with the evidence, many deniers have started to admit that global warming is real, but argue that humans have little or nothing to do with it. (Richard) Muller’s study was just one of many to demolish that theory.” (August 21, 2012)

Read more: http://www.straight.com/article-760936/vancouver/david-suzuki-climate-change-deniers-are-almost-extinct

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Scientific study proves energy efficient bulbs can harm human skin cells

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Read this article by Holly Martin in examiner.com about UV emissions by compact flouresent light bulbs. Excerpt: “The SCENHIR report had concluded that the use of an extra glass ‘envelope’ around the curled CFL, making it look like a more traditional bulb, should nullify the risks of UV exposure in most cases.” (July 19, 2012)

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/article/scientific-study-proves-energy-efficient-bulbs-can-harm-human-skin-cells

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MLAs aren’t facing the truth: B.C. forests are tapped out

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Read this op-ed by Anthony Britneff and Ben Parfitt in The Province.
Excerpt: “To entice the owner of the destroyed Burns Lake mill to rebuild, the commit-tee chose to go down the same tired road that gave rise to the timber supply crisis: push the boundaries of what can be harvested to the extreme. This was essentially the approach applied in the East Coast cod fishery, and we all know how that worked out.” (August 20, 2012)

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/MLAs+aren+facing+truth+forests+tapped/7115424/story.html

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