Science matters

Another day, another pipeline spill

Jul 272012

One litre of spilled oil can contaminate a million litres of groundwater.

by David Suzuki

A recent pipeline leak sent 475,000 litres of oil into Alberta's Red Deer River. It could have been worse; nothing was being pumped at the time. The company, Plains Midstream, claims the light sour crude may smell bad but poses no risk to humans!

It happened as crews were cleaning a larger spill from last year at another of the company's pipelines. That one dumped 4.5 million litres of oil into the surrounding forest and wetlands. The recent Red Deer River spill was also the site of a leak in 2008. Industry figures show that more than 3.4 million litres of fossil fuels have been accidentally released from pipelines every year in Alberta since 2006. One litre of spilled oil can contaminate a million litres of groundwater.

Asbestos

Jul 232012

Science matters

Quebec and Canada keep deadly industry alive.

Mesothelioma is a nasty cancer that affects the lining around a person's lungs. It can also damage membranes around the abdomen, heart, and testicles. The prognosis for those who have it is poor. It causes close to 90,000 preventable deaths a year. More than 90 percent of cases are attributed to asbestos exposure.

Asbestos is made up of tiny fibres that can be inhaled, penetrating the lungs. Because they are mineral-based, they can't be broken down by the body's natural defences, so they cause inflammation. The fibres also remain in the lining around the lungs, and over time — often 20 to 30 years or more — may cause mesothelioma or other diseases.

One in six dump wells leaks

Jul 102012

Science matters

Dumping waste into the ground is a shaky solution.

What can we do with wastes from our industrial pursuits — from fossil fuel extraction, agriculture, chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing? We've been spewing lots of it into the air, but that isn't a good plan. Carbon dioxide, ozone, mercury, and other emissions harm human health and contribute to global warming and holes in the ozone layer. We've dumped it into the oceans. But that compromises marine life that billions of people rely on for food.

Feds and Ontario vs wildlife

Jun 202012

Science matters

Endangered species face one-two government punch.

by David Suzuki

Canada's environmental laws are under attack by both the federal and Ontario governments. In Ottawa, the government introduced Bill C-38 to implement far-reaching measures announced in its budget. Ontario's government introduced a similar omnibus bill with profound implications for the environment.

Feds and Ontario vs wildlife

Jun 192012

Science matters

Endangered species face one-two government punch.

by David Suzuki

The 420-page Bill C-38 will gut a raft of federal laws passed over the years to ensure that our air, water, and most vulnerable wildlife populations are protected. Casualties include the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, Fisheries Act, Species at Risk Act, National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, and the Kyoto Implementation Act.

Germany shows that renewable is doable

Jun 132012

Science matters

Solar power passes midday milestone.

by David Suzuki

Germany recently reached a renewable energy milestone. On Saturday, May 26, the country met half its midday energy needs with solar power. On the preceding workday Friday, it met a third with solar. According to German renewable energy expert Norbert Allnoch, during those midday periods, the country's solar plants produced 22 gigawatts of electricity, as much as 20 nuclear power stations running at full capacity.

Granted, those were sunny days, but Germany gets about 20 percent of its overall annual electricity from renewable sources, including solar, wind, water, and thermal. A Reuters article reports that "Germany has nearly as much installed solar power generation capacity as the rest of the world combined and gets about four percent of its overall annual electricity needs from the sun alone. It aims to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 1990 levels by 2020."

Mother Nature doesn’t quit

Jun 062012

Science matters

Monsanto's poison now so common that weeds are resistant.

by Jim Hightower

Rather than find ways to cooperate with the natural world, America's agribusiness giants reach for the next quick fix in a futile effort to overpower nature. Their attitude is that if brute force isn't working, they're probably not using enough of it.

Monsanto, for example, has banked a fortune by selling a corn seed that it genetically manipulated to produce corn plants that won't die when sprayed with the Roundup toxic weedkiller. Not coincidentally, Monsanto also happens to manufacture Roundup. It profits from the seed and from the huge jump in Roundup sales that the seed generates. Slick.

Something vital is stirring in Quebec

Jun 052012

Science matters

Protests shine spotlight on skewed priorities.

by David Suzuki

When I heard about the student protests in Montreal, I swallowed the line that Quebec's pampered youth pay lower fees than those in other parts of Canada but aren't aware that education costs money. And then I went to Quebec. There, I heard a different story.

After weeks of demonstrations, clearly something more profound is going on. The protesters are forcing us to confront a crucial question: What is government for? Governing is about priorities. Students can't help but notice they aren't high on the list.

Governments all across Canada have no qualms about investing vast amounts of money to exploit "natural resources", yet they all but ignore the most precious, our children. Young people will take charge long after current leaders are gone, and they'll also be stuck with the ecological, social, and economic costs of the decisions we make today.

Sonar-guided bug catchers

May 222012

Science matters

Time to go to bat for our furry flying friends.

by David Suzuki

Bats are fascinating creatures, and they're more important than many people realize. A bat can eat more than 1,000 insects in an hour — up to 6,000 a night. Some bats consume bugs that attack agricultural crops and some feast on pests like gnats and mosquitoes. The 25 million free-tailed bats in Bracken Cave, Texas, eat more than 200 tonnes of insects every summer night!

Some bats are also pollinators. Without the services of the Mexican long-tongued bat, the agave plant, from which we get tequila, might not survive. So, right off the bat (sorry), if you like tequila but not mosquito bites, you should view bats as your friends.

There's more. Because of their role in insect control, pollination, and seed dispersal, bats are a key part of the interconnected web of life that makes growing food possible. Even their nitrogen-rich poop makes good fertilizer. Bats do so much for us. Maybe it's time we returned the favour — especially considering the dire threats many bat populations face.

Black out, speak out

May 142012

Science matters

Websites to speak out for the environment and democracy on June 4.

by David Suzuki

Canada would be a different place without our 80,000 registered charities dedicated to everything from health to economic policy to the environment. We'd be much poorer without the two-million employees and millions of volunteers who devote their time to causes that strengthen our nation.

Recent efforts by the federal government and its backers in media and industry front groups like Ethical Oil to demonize and silence legitimate organizations ignore the important role charities play in Canada. That's why environmental and other organizations are joining with Canadians from all walks of life for Black Out Speak Out or silenceonparle.ca en français, launched on May 7 with ads in the Globe and Mail, La Presse, and Ottawa's Hill Times and culminating in a website blackout June 4.

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