Polar bears chat about the causes of global warming.

An entry in the Friends of the Earth green film competition.

Check out the link above to vote for your favourite.

2 worth reading

A couple of good reads from thestar.com today.

The first story is on how "Green" fuels are potentially worse for global warming.
snip
"Using biodiesel derived from rapeseed would produce between 1 and 1.7 times more greenhouse gas than using conventional diesel, the study estimated."
end snip

The second story is a good opinion piece by Kathleen O'Hara about our provincial leaders lack of leadership on green issues - Leaders fumble green ball

snip
"...we can't allow our energy future to be hijacked by profit-driven corporations the way the Internet was. "The great promise of the Net ... has been compromised, at every step of the way, by commercial interests determined to gain a foothold over the medium."

Yes, the world is getting off to a rocky start when it comes to "saving civilization." Here in Ontario, it doesn't look like any person or party is going to lead us out of the increasingly hot wilderness – no matter what the election outcome. That is a disgrace when so much is at stake."
end snip

The meeting was...

I found the meeting to review the pesticide bylaw quite educational.

I was very impressed with the dedication of staff, council and the mayor to sit through 4 hours of delegates and then have a fairly vigorous debate afterward. These people work very hard and I am sure that by the end of it most people just wanted to go home - I know I certainly did.

There were a few odd and tense moments - apparently this is not a black and white issue. Over the next few months I am sure there will be lots of posturing and positioning and consultation. Will be interesting to watch from the sidelines.

I am looking forward to the Post's take on it Friday's paper.

Oh and welcome to all the new readers.

TAL - Ira Glass on storytelling.

One of my favourite podcasts is This American Life from WBEZ National Public Radio in Chicago. It is an insightful often thought provoking weekly radio show hosted by Ira Glass.

If you have ever listened to it you will know how habit forming the show can become. The video below has Ira sharing some of his secrets on storytelling.

The last lecture.

The video below is making the internet buzz. Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch will be dead from terminal pancreatic cancer in the next month or so.

His last lecture is inspiring, heartfelt and courageous.

Leading up to my first time as a delegate.

I am starting to get nervous and jittery about my appearance and presentation at city hall this Tuesday evening. Here is a Burlington Post article on the meeting with the CDC committee quoting Kurt Koster the chair of the Pesticide Action Burlington committee.

There are 12 delegates on the agenda for Tuesday's review of the staff report on pesticide use in Burlington. The revised agenda was released on Friday. The email that informed us of the revised report and agenda included this paragraph.

"Please be advised that a Revised Agenda and staff report have been issued for the September 25th "Special" Community Development Committee meeting to deal with the cosmetic use of pesticides in the City of Burlington as a result of a staff direction was approved at the September 17th regular meeting of Community Development Committee. Committee will not entertain delegations on the original report."

I do not know what "Committee will not entertain delegations on the original report." means, but I am sure this will make things more entertaining.

And just for the record the staff report was revised to remove this recommendation - "That staff proceed with a proposed by-law to restrict the cosmetic use of pesticides within the city of Burlington."

You can see the full agenda and matter for consideration here.

Hey let's keep poisoning ourselves!

Not feeling overly positive that the city of Burlington will even consider a pesticide bylaw even after the meeting on Tuesday, September 25. I am not sure what the reluctance is.

According to a poll from the Canadian Cancer Society 60% of residents support a ban, 20% are on the fence and 20% oppose a ban outright.

Apparently 2 councilors will not move on this issue. No matter how much evidence is presented to them they will not vote for a pesticide bylaw.

Of course reports like this one from the EPA (an agency with a poor track record at best) where the EPA announces that "...2,4-D poses no risk to human health" don't really help.

Great.

Baby democracy

Ah - if it were only this simple - no debates, no lies, no promises.

Ontario election blah

I never really trust surveys but I thought this one was a little interesting.

Thestar.com is running a survey on their election page asking readers "What Ontario election issue is most important to you?"

Here are the current results.

Taxes 27%
Health care 21%
Cash for cities 16%
Schools funding 14%
Environment 12%
Fighting poverty 7%


What saddens me about the results of this random, non-scientific poll is where the environment issue ranks. I thought it would be higher given the recent rhetoric around the world.

The top 2 issues are really about preservation of the self and I certainly appeciate being overburdened by taxes and underserviced by our health care industry but frankly if we do not get our environmental issues under control taxes and health care will be the least of our worries.

Or am I being too pessimistic and gloomy?

Changing seasons: time to bulk up

I love the summer, the hot weather, the sunny long days, the camping, canoeing and cottaging. But I also love the fall. And over the last few nights and those early morning commutes, I have noticed that beautiful fall crispness is in the air.

For us this usually means the beginning of the cooking, baking, roasting, red wine drinking and bread making season. It also means a chance to try out some truly decadent recipes from the autumn issue of the LCBO's Food and Drink mag (not on their site yet but available in the stores).



I love this magazine - every shot, as you can see on the left, is perfectly taken to make readers drool and the recipes are fairly good although sometimes a little on the piggish side.

Now if we could just afford to have a wood burning fireplace installed we would be one happy cocooned family.