If plans were prosperity, Nova Scotians would all be driving Benzes and smoking hundred-dollar bills. We’re adrift in a sea of plans, but if some of them don’t turn into action soon this seaside province may sink into the bay. The provincial government’s first annual report on its Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act, made […]
Environment
Posted inNews + Opinion
Poop scoop
Last column I wrote about HRM’s plan to sell our toxic crap to farmers, call it fertilizer and grow our food in it. The sludge from our harbour is a massive cocktail of mostly unidentified chemicals that pose deadly risks to farm animals and humans and huge financial risks to farmers. I’ve heard better ideas, […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Bio-not-so-solids
Last week, after years of pressure from environmental and health groups, Health Canada took a step toward banning bisphenol A, which has been poisoning us for decades in bottles and cans. That’s the latest example of 20/20 hindsight. Here’s the newest example of negative-20 foresight: sludge (excuse me, “biosolids”) from Halifax Harbour being dumped on […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Green Revisions
The debut of Green Halifax, the latest edition in The Coast’s stable of City Guides, happened around town on April 3. A directory of local businesses and organizations that are trying, in ways small and large, to make a difference to the environment, the guide offers lists of local organizations, restaurants, grocery stores, alternative energy […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
FSC Certified Woodlots & Sawmills
The Forest Stewardship Council is an internationally recognized body that ensures commercially used forests are managed sustainably and responsibly. There are a number of FSC certified woodlots in the Halifax area, and sawmills that use them. Look here for more information: fsccanada.org. Austin Parsons 9041 St. MargaretÂ’s Bay Road233-3431Parsons Lumber operates a small sawmill, where […]
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Nearby Provincial Parks, Beaches and Camping
This is a list of nearby Provincial Parks, beaches, and camping. Crystal Crescent Beach Provincial Park Cape Sambro. Rte 349 Dollar Lake Provincial Park About 20 kilometres east of the Halifax International Airport on Route 212. Laurie Provincial Park Campground At Grand Lake on Route 2. The park is 10 km north of Highway 102, […]
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Cafes offering fair trade coffee
These local cafes offer fair trade organic coffee. Check them out. Cabin Coffee 1554 Hollis Street 422-8130 Local produce for the salads, sandwiches and soups, and Fair Trade coffee. Coastal Cafe 2731 Robie Street This award-winning breakfast joint serves exclusively 100 percent Fair Trade Certified & Organic coffee. Coburg Coffee House 6085 Coburg Road 429-2326 […]
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Nova Scotia’s Pesticides bylaw
Nova Scotia’s Pesticides bylawIn 2003 it was first instituted in the HRM, the pesticide bylaw that restricted the use of pesticides and herbicides on residential and municipal properties in our fair city, unless written permission is granted. It was quite a forward thinking motion at the time, and as many have discovered, there are plenty […]
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Halifax Harbour Non-solutions
Halifax’s new $300-million sewer system could be obsolete before opens. That’s because federal environment minister John Baird has promised “in short order” new rules about what we can dump into the harbour. Those rules present two major challenges for our almost-ready sewage plants. The first is that the planned “primary advanced” level of treatment for […]
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change—one cup at a time
Our need for coffee is a huge burden on the environment. Setting aside the energy expended to get the beans to us here in Atlantic Canada, there’s also the issue of all those disposable cups. With a Timmy’s on every corner, it’s easy to point the finger at the popular coffee shop chain, especially as […]
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Nova Scotia Wineries
Here are three wineries going above and beyond in their efforts to be ecological:L’Ă‚cadie VineyardsGaspereau Valley, RR#1 Wolfville, NS (902) 644-2415Certified by national organic association OC/PRO, which also certifies Just Us! Coffee, is LÂ’Acadie. The winery is operated by Bruce Ewert who also heats his operations using a geo-thermal source. Look for LÂ’Acadie wine in […]
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The eco-local question
The question is simple, and it’s one of culture, heritage and health, both of the environment and of ourselves: How badly do we want to save our local agricultural producers? Enough to demand our local grocery outlets stock food produced by Nova Scotian farmers? Enough to make a conscious decision to change our buying and […]
