John Simmons was probably an elm tree in a past life. It would explain why he feels a deep connection to the American elm that stands in the centre of the Public Gardens. Or all of the trees in Halifax, for that matter. Simmons is Halifax’s urban forester. This means he’s responsible for protecting the […]
environment
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SCIENCE MATTERS: Reconciling energy and Indigenous rights
In 2007, Canada was one of four countries to vote against the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (with New Zealand, the United States and Australia). With its single-minded focus on making Canada an “energy superpower,” albeit only with fossil fuels, the Harper government feared the declaration’s concept of “free, prior and informed” […]
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SCIENCE MATTERS: Fake grassroots campaigns deserve uprooting
AstroTurf looks and feels like grass—in an all-too-perfect way. But it’s not grass. Now the well-known artificial turf’s brand name has taken on a new meaning, referring to purported “grassroots” efforts that are actually funded and supported by industry and political entities. Some people, organizations and campaigns around everything from forestry to fossil fuels look […]
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SCIENCE MATTERS: Assessing seafood retailers’ progress helps consumers and industry
A warm summer day, a cold drink and fish on the grill. It doesn’t get much better. But how do you know if your fish is sustainable? It can be a challenge—especially considering SeaChoice found just 11 percent of seafood available in Canada in 2016 was rated as a “best choice.” Many retailers have sustainable […]
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Offshore anarchy
Just two months after being granted approval to commence deepwater exploratory drilling, the BP Canada oil platform sitting 300 kilometres offshore sprung a leak last Friday. Quickly, 136,000 litres of toxic “drilling mud” spewed into the ocean from a pipe 30 metres below sea level. For the time being, both the leak and the drilling […]
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SCIENCE MATTERS: Caribou science denial cripples conservation efforts
To its credit, the Forest Products Association of Canada recognizes climate change is a serious threat to forests and habitat, and has vowed the sector it represents “is doing its part to fight climate change through work in our forests, at our mills and through the products we make.” But it appears the association has […]
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SCIENCE MATTERS: Energy efficiency and technology squeeze the carbon bubble
The carbon bubble will burst with or without government action, according to a new study. That will hurt people who invest in fossil fuels. As energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies improve and prices drop, global demand for fossil fuels will decline, “stranding” new fossil fuel ventures—likely before 2035, according to the study in Nature […]
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SCIENCE MATTERS: Carbon pricing is an important tool to tackle climate change
One of the world’s best-known climate scientists is discouraged that almost 40 years of study and warnings haven’t convinced humanity to adequately address the climate crisis. But James Hansen understands why we’ve stalled. “As long as fossil fuels seem to be the cheapest energy to the public, they’ll keep using them,” Hansen recently told Bob […]
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Coast 25: 30 of the most important things we’ve written
“Adam’s fall” Matthieu Aikins’ award-winning feature on suicides from the Macdonald Bridge is a heartbreaking read even now, a decade after its publication. A year after Aikins’ story was printed, the bridge commission finally decided to install safety barriers along the old bridge to prevent future deaths. Seals of approval One of the most-read stories […]
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No consent, no pipeline
The year I was born, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were 356 parts per million. The safe upper limit was 350 ppm. Since then, globally, we have increased that concentration to 410 ppm. This is a climate changed. When I heard about Justin Trudeau’s decision to buy out the Trans Mountain pipeline from Kinder Morgan, I […]
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SCIENCE MATTERS: Don’t water down marine protection
Will Canada finally inspire a wave of celebration on World Oceans Day, June 8? Prime minister Justin Trudeau promised to lead G7 nations on global marine protection during Canada’s presidency this year, a welcome change after decades of inaction left just one percent of our oceans formally safeguarded. The government is charging ahead to meet […]
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SCIENCE MATTERS: Climate change drives disease-spreading arthropods into new territory
According to an African proverb (and the Dalai Lama), “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito.” The saying implies that even when we feel insignificant and powerless, we can create a buzz. But mosquitoes and other tiny critters can literally have a huge […]