You do not have the right to a healthy environment…
There, I said it. Neither Nova Scotia nor Canada at
large has ever formally recognized your right to clean air, clean water, clean
soil, or any...
Our appreciation for the natural world is limited by
our understanding thereof.
That’s been my mantra for the better part of a decade
now and research has since vindicated me, demonstrating that an individual’s
concern for local...
You should know that, while writing this, I’m very
freezing.
I had too much faith in public buildings and their
ability to combat the coldest couple days of the year. My legs and shoulders
are signaling their...
How, then, to reconcile the uncomfortable realities of
modern mining with those of climate change, environmental integrity and the
rights of Canadians to health and natural beauty? It’s a messy maze at best,
but Jamie Kneen of MiningWatch Canada, a...
In the space of a few years around 2010 something
wonderful happened, permanently altering our electrical landscape and bringing
a sustainable future within the grasp of even us humble Maritimers.
I’m talking about solar power, the...
I knew it was coming… the sudden darkness and interior
silence which marks the loss of power.
I filled my bath tub and several containers with
drinking water, gathered firewood and prepared a store of canned...
My favourite tree is probably the American beech, not
because it’s the tallest or longest lived member of Maritime ecology, but
because it’s beautiful, and comes with a compelling history.
At one time, the majority of...
I first became aware of climate change in
2004 when, in my teen years, comedian Rick Mercer jumped on my television to
promote the One Tonne Challenge, an imperfect attempt by our federal government
to place the burden of decarbonization...
Let me start by saying that planting trees, by the
millions or billions as promised by various world leaders, is an excellent
idea. These miraculous plants have the power not only to stabilize soil, purify
water, shelter biodiversity, improve public...
There’s a lot to be said about Bill 213, the so-called
Sustainable Development Goals Act which represents our province’s impressive
though imperfect contribution to national efforts on climate change, passed in
late October.
The purpose of the...