Stuff From Other Environmental Groups (October)

FROM PREVENT CANCER NOW

Climate Emergency: Although referencing a past election, Prof Mark Jaccard’s recent article talks of the urgency of science-based honesty!

FROM ECOJUSTICE

1. Post Federal Election 2021: Read about this here!

2. Goodbye, Thermal Coal: Take action by sending a letter to Minister Wilkinson and key cabinet members! 

FROM CBCNEWS “WHAT ON EARTH?” - 

Find old issues here!

  1. Tree Equality: Wealthier neighbourhoods in Montreal have more trees, which provide benefits such as cooler, cleaner air, a CBC News analysis shows. (consistent with studies in other cities world-wide.) This report takes a closer look at why that is and what can be done to improve tree equality!  AND… In recent years, there have been initiatives to plant billions — even trillions — of trees to fight climate change. But, it turns out that many mass tree-planting campaigns don’t workand some may even lead to deforestation.

  2. Potty-Trained Bovine: We’ve all heard that animal agriculture accounts for a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, partly due to the waste the animals produce. Scientists in Germany have come up with a new solution: they’ve successfully potty-trained cows!

FROM DAVID SUZUKI FOUNDATION

  1. Climate-Altering Negligence: For the full article, go here!

  2. Scales Toward Justice: Help tip it! 

FROM INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (IISD)

  1. Do More With Less: 1/3 of all food produced is wasted! See where we can go from here to become more sustainable.

  2. Supply Chains: How sustainability standards can help us achieve goals as we work together!

  3. Nature’s Wealth: To build back better from COVID-19, GDP measurements need to be replaced by nature’s assets!

  4. Transitions: Ideas on combining climate adaptation and mitigation to slash emissions and improve resilience! 

FROM WEST COAST CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK  (WE-CAN)

SENS is one of over 200 members.  The network is holding a public launch, Tuesday, October 5, 7 pm, with speakers, musicians and poets, including Guy Dauncey, an initiator of this new network. You can Live-stream on YouTube. To register, click here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/launch-of-the-west-coast-climate-action-network-tickets-178236328657       You can also watch on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/WEClimateAction/ 

Some interesting items that have come in this week from WE-CAN: 

  1. Friday October 1, 11am Municipal Fossil Fuel Divestment Webinar
    From Climate Caucus: With the latest IPCC climate report and the devastating impacts across Canada, there is need to better understand fossil fuel divestment and impact investing. Speakers include Peter Urbanc (Municipal Finance Authority of BC), Anthony Tia and Tim Leung (City of Vancouver) and George Benson (Vancouver Economic Commission). How can municipalities engage with their banks and other financial systems to decarbonize, and to standardizing ESG disclosure? Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/climate-caucus-municipal-fossil-fuel-divestment-tickets-167125808793  

  2. Monday October 4, 7-7:45pm Introduction to Drawdown
    From BC Drawdown: An introduction to the basic concepts of Drawdown, a solution-based approach to climate action. Peer reviewed international research shows that it is possible to actually “draw down" our greenhouse gases. These solutions to our climate crisis exist right now - we just need to implement them on an individual, community, national, and global level. Repeats on Nov 7 and Dec. 6. Register here: 

    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/introduction-to-drawdown-climate-solutions-tickets-172938091487 

  3. Thursday, October 28: Zero Waste Conference: A Future Without Waste 
    Design a resilient, carbon neutral and circular future.  http://www.zwc.ca/Pages/index.aspx 

  4. ‘Dramatically more powerful’: world’s first battery-electric freight train unveiled
    From the Guardian: The new train, known as the FLXdrive battery-electric locomotive, underwent successful trials in California earlier this year where it was found to have cut fuel consumption by 11%, which meant reducing the amount of diesel used by 6,200 gallons. Wabtec said that the next iteration of the locomotive, to be rolled out within two years, will be able to cut the consumption of diesel, the fossil fuel traditionally used in freight rail, by nearly a third. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/16/battery-electric-freight-train-wabtec-rail-transport-emissions

  5. The definitive CO2/CH4 (Methane) comparison post
    From Real Climate: There is a new push to reduce CH4 emissions as a possible quick ‘win-win’ for climate and air quality. This is an attempt to put mish-mash of half-remembered, inappropriate or out-of-date comparisons in context and provide a hopefully comprehensive guide to how, when, and why to properly compare the two greenhouse gases.  https://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2021/09/the-definitive-co2-ch4-comparison-post/