October 27, 2014
New Worldwatch Institute analysis examines global economic trends and associated challenges Washington, D.C. — National progress is often measured almost exclusively by growth in the gross domestic product, or GDP. Yet as the global economy inches upward, actual social and environmental well-being lags. Alternative measures for gauging progress are needed to determine true
...October 15, 2014
The Union of Concerned Scientists’ Kendall Science Fellow and Scientist Roberto Mera discusses how today’s changing climate and recent record-setting wildfires this year in the Pacific Northwest is compelling scientists to search for ways to determine the cause behind the observed trends. The Pacific Northwest has experienced a statistically significant warming trend of 0.7°C (1.3°F) in an
...October 7, 2014
Hey Mr. Green, It seems hypocritical for the Sierra Club to voice concern about the environment while promoting air travel to distant destinations. How bad is plane travel? Would traveling by blimp help? Is it ethical? --Robert in Rochester, New York Commercial flights make up 9 percent of U.S. transportation-based fuel consumption. But given air travel's effects on the upper atmosphere, its
...October 2, 2014
Policy makers truly listen and care when businesses move past status-quo statements to show and tell how profit, sustainability and broad prosperity can be achieved simultaneously. Public policy is a critical strategy to transform the economy from the sometimes-damaging system it can be today. But if passionate, sustainably minded business leaders are not at the table, only the voices of legacy,
...September 29, 2014
The reality is that the market is changing. Climate responsibility aside, Sierra Club Canada Executive Director John Bennett asks, “is it really wise to stake Canada’s future on dirty, low quality tarry oil that is expensive to produce, expensive to process, expensive to transport and costly to refine?” The message Bennett had in his heart when he took part in The People's Climate March in New York on
...September 29, 2014
Ever heard of an insecticide called 'neonic'? Neonicotinoid insecticides are at the heart of a troubling trend: the decline of bee populations. After an analysis of over 800 research papers, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) concluded that these insecticides are killing bees in record numbers. Canadians care about bees and according to a recent poll, 92% of Ontario citizens
...August 21, 2014
Is our Canadian government justified in keeping certain policies under wraps? Sierra Club Canada Executive Director John Bennett claims it is not. "Governments feed us a lot of malarkey about why secrecy is essential, but 9 times out of 10, there’s no justifiable reason," says Bennett. Just last month, at an undisclosed location in Ottawa, 400 delegates from Pacific Rim countries
...August 21, 2014
Hey Mr. Green, An article I read recently claimed that wind farms increase ground warming and drying for miles around. Have you heard such claims before? Is there validated research confirming or denying them. And if the claims are accurate, then how does the impact compare with the impacts of burning coal and oil? —Glen, in Kokomo, Indiana Fox News online made such claims,
...August 20, 2014
The National Energy Board (NEB) is continuing its undemocratic approach to satisfying its most influential stakeholder: the oil industry. On July 11th, the NEB said it was going consider a request from Chevron and Imperial Oil to soften the rules for offshore drilling in the Arctic. Their decision might very well lead to an ecological disaster in the Canadian Arctic where Imperial Oil and Chevron want to
...August 15, 2014
Article By Laura Batcha, Executive Director and CEO of the Organic Trade Association (OTA) for the GreenMoney Journal. As more and more world attention focuses on threats from global warming and its impact on agriculture, organic production practices and principles are providing hope to an environmentally challenged planet. Studies continue to mount showing that organic farms are able to support
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