soapbox

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . The other premiers, despite their posturing and preening about how green they are, understand that kind of hardball politics. And Stelmach is not alone when it comes to political troubles at home. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty wants to be seen as a leader on climate change. But he has a huge industrial economic base that's currently on its knees. Despite McGuinty's bravado on the issue, he is one of the only premiers who has not come out in support of California-style tailpipe-emission standards for automobiles. Why? Because just as Stelmach doesn't want to offend the oil barons, McGuinty doesn't want to tick off Ford, GM and Chrysler. Every politician wants to look like they're saving the planet. They just don't want to stick their own necks out while they do it. While the other premiers grope toward some kind of winning position on the issue, there was one guy yesterday who's clearly sitting in the cat-bird seat: B.C. Premi...

. . . . . . . . . . . . THAT IS THE QUESTION . . . . . "In a country as large as Canada, if we wait for unanimity we'll paralyze ourselves into inaction," Mr. Campbell said. "Premier Stelmach will follow the course that he thinks is best for his province. ... I believe the route we are taking will be positive, it will build our economy." Mr. Campbell insisted B.C.'s aggressive climate action plan is not rendered ineffective by Alberta's actions. "I believe you lead by example and others follow," he said. Mr. Stelmach warned that any attempt to hurry Alberta along in cutting greenhouse-gas emissions would be disastrous, not just for his province, but for the fragile Canadian economy. "Today the economy in Canada is dependent in large part on the economy of the province of Alberta. If we were to race everyone and immediately reduce greenhouse-gas emissions that would mean a total shutdown - a total shutdown - of the oil sands," he told ...

. . . . . . . . .IS . ..THE . . AUTO . . . INDUSTRY . .(MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .WHILE WE . .ARE VERY . .QUICK . . .TO CRITICIZE . . .ALBERTA . . .TAR . . .SANDS . . .FOR . . THEIR . . .DIRTY . . .OIL . . . EXTRACTION . . .PROCESS . . . THERE . . .RARELY . . . IS . . .CRITICISM . . .OF . .THE . . .AUTO . . MANUFACTURING . . .BUSINESS. . . ... . . .DON'T . . . THESE . . PEOPLE . . . .REALIZE . . . .THAT . . . .THE . . .ALMOST . . . . . . . . .TOTAL . . . . PRODUCTION . . . . OF . .OIL . . . FROM . . THE . .TAR . . SANDS . . . .IS . .USED . . TO . .FEED . .THE . . . .HUNGRY . . .AND . .GREEDY . . . . CARS . . .AND . .TRUCKS . . ON . .THE HIGHWAYS . . .OF . . THE . . .UNITED . . .STATES . . .AND . .CANADA. . . . . . . . . . . . . .ALBERTA . . .IS . . .RIGHTLY . . .CONDEMMED . . . FOR . . THE . . .SEEMINGLY . . . . .UNCONTROLABLE . . .EXPLOYTATION . . OF . .THE . . .ENVIRONMENT , . . . . . .BU...

. . . . . . . . .. . IN MY HUMBLE OPINION WHAT HAPPENS IN THE PRESENT ECONOMIES OF THE WORLD IS CRAZY . . . . .ESPECIALLY IN INTEREST RATE DEBACLE . . . .EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THE US GOV'T SETS THE INTEREST RATES FOR BORROWERS THROUGHTOUT THE US AND ITS EFFECTS ARE FELT AROUND THE WORLD. . . . . . .WHILE A REDUCTION IN INTEREST RATES "BOOSTS " (?)THE ECONOMY TEMPORARILY IT DESTROYS THE ENVIRONMENT . . . . . . .WHAT IT DOES IS . . . . .ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO BUY MORE GOODS . . . .CARS . . .HOUSES . . .FRIDGES . . NIC . .NACS . . .ETC . . . . . . . . . . . . . .THE STOCK MARKET GOES UP AND ALL THE BANKERS . . .AND SHAREHOLDERS . . ARE . . HAPPY . .FOR A . .LITTLE . .WHILE . . . . . .BUT . . . . .THIS . .KIND . .OF . .BLATANT . . CONSUMERISM . . . . .WILL . . .DESTROY . .THE PLANET. . . . . . . . . .CONSUMERISM . . . . .AND THE ENVIRONMENT DON'T MIX . . . . . . . .INSTEAD OF DECREASING THE INTEREST . . .RATE . . .IT SHOULD ...

. . . . . . . . . The Amazon is being cut down to feed the world's demand for soya [EPA]The rate of destruction of the Amazon rainforest has risen sharply over the last five months of 2007, the Brazilian government says. About 366sq miles of the Amazon, known as "the lungs of the world", was destroyed in December compared to just 94sq miles in August, according to satellite images taken of the area. Environment ministry officials said that preliminary figures could double as satellite images with higher resolution are analysed. "We've never before detected such a high deforestation rate at this time of year," said Gilberto Camara, the head of the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe), which provides the satellite imaging. Between August and December, 1,250sq miles of the world's largest rain forest were destroyed. Joao Paulo Capobianco, the ministry's executive secretary, said the figures were "extremely worrying". Conflicting clai...

Drought could force nuke-plant shutdowns By MITCH WEISS, Associated Press Writer 25 minutes ago LAKE NORMAN, N.C. - Nuclear reactors across the Southeast could be forced to throttle back or temporarily shut down later this year because drought is drying up the rivers and lakes that supply power plants with the awesome amounts of cooling water they need to operate. i Utility officials say such shutdowns probably wouldn't result in blackouts. But they could lead to shockingly higher electric bills for millions of Southerners, because the region's utilities may be forced to buy expensive replacement power from other energy companies. Already, there has been one brief, drought-related shutdown, at a reactor in Alabama over the summer. "Water is the nuclear industry's Achilles' heel," said Jim Warren, executive director of N.C. Waste Awareness and Reduction Network, an environmental group critical of nuclear power. "You need a lot of water to operate nuclear p...

China is facing its worst-ever power shortage as winter weather puts pressure on dwindling coal supplies. Officials say reserves are down to emergency levels with only enough coal to power the entire country for another eight days. According to state media the shortage amounts to nearly 70 gigawatts, equivalent to about the entire generating capacity of the United Kingdom. Across China 13 provinces including the southern industrial and export hub of Guangdong, have already begun rationing supplies, tiggering brown-outs across large areas. China's energy infrastructure is struggling to keep up Coal provides 78 per cent of China's energy needs, and the country is the world's biggest producer and consumer of coal. . . . . . . . . .. .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .IN MY OPINION THE SOLUTION FOR CHINA AND FOR CANADA FOR THAT MATTER WOULD BE TO REDUCE DEMAND AND NOT INCREASE SUPPLY . . . . .ITS NOT THAT HARD IF YOU DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND LEARN MORE ABOUT ELECTRICITY.

. . .THE ABOVE GRAPH REPRESENTS THE ONTARIO ELECTRIC ENERGY DEMAND ON AN UNUSUALLY COLD WINTER DAY IN THIS PROVINCE IN CANADA .

. . . .The damage doesn't stop with the canals. For example, U.S. Geological Survey scientists say the sucking out of the ground of so much oil and gas likely caused the land in many places to sink by half an inch a year. In oil's heyday 30 years ago, Louisiana's coastal wells pumped 360 million barrels a year, an eighth of what Saudi Arabia ships to the market today. Oil wells also discharged about a billion gallons daily of brine, thick with naturally occurring subsurface chemicals like chlorides, calcium and magnesium, as well as acids used in drilling. "It was poured into the marshes," said Virginia Burkett, a longtime researcher of the Louisiana wetlands and the chief scientist for climate change at USGS. It contaminated soils and killed plants and animals, she said, before brine dumping was finally regulated in coastal marshes in 1985. . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. Still, when politicians in Washington or Louisiana talk about Katrina gu...

. . . . .The cost-benefit study looks at whether using biofuels reduces greenhouse gas emissions, improves security of supply and creates jobs and delivers an unenthusiastic opinion on all three counts. "What the cost-benefit analysis shows is that there are better ways to achieve greenhouse gas savings and security of supply enhancements than to produce biofuels," says the report. "The costs of EU biofuels outweigh the benefits," the researchers state. . .. ... . ..... . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .A LEAKED REPORT ON THE PROS AND CONS OF BIOFUELS IS NOT ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT USING ETHANOL FROM BIOMASS AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR GAS OR DIESEL .

Globe and Mail Update January 16, 2008 at 12:06 PM EST The Harper government has refused to provide financial aid to the auto industry, including funding to support a $300-million plan to reopen a shuttered engine plant in Windsor, Ont. . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . THE AUTO INDUSTRY IS NO LONGER SUSTAINABLE . . .IN . .MY OPINION . . . . . . .WITH . . .OVER . . .800,000,000 . . . . .MOTOR . . .VEHICLES . . .IN . . THE . . WORLD . . . .THE . .MARKET . . .FOR . . CARS . . .HAS . . REACHED . . .AN . . . .OVER . . SATURATION . . . .POINT . . .THIS .. PLANET . . .CAN . . NO . .LONGER . .SUPPORT . . .AN . .INDUSTRY . . .THAT . . . .DESTROYS . . . .THE . . ENVIRONMENT . .AND . . EVERY . .LIVING . . .THING. . ..ON . . . THE . . .EARTH. . . . .THE . . DECISION . . .BY . . .THE . . .HARPER . . .GOVERNMENT . . . TO . . .DENY . . .FINANCIAL . .. .AID . . (AKA:WELFARE) . . TO. . . THE . . .AUTO . . SECTOR . . IS . . .THE RIGHT . . DECISION .

. . . . . . . . . . .CONDOLENCES . .TO . .THE . . .STUDENTS . . .AND ... FAMILIES . . .OF . . . . .THE . .EIGHT . . .PEOPLE . . .KILLED . . .IN . .A . .HIGHWAY . . COLLISION . . .NEAR . .BATHURST,NEW BRUNSWICK,CANADA . .THIS PAST WEEK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .THIS . .IS . .ONLY . .ONE . .OF . .THE . . . .EVIL . ..CONSEQUENCES . . .OF . .OWNING/BUYING . . OR . .DRIVING . .A . .CAR . . . . .THE . . .EFFECTS . ..OF . . A . . .MOTOR VEHICLE . . . . .CAN . .BE . .SEEN . . FAR . .AND . .WIDE . . .IN . .OUR PLANET . . . . .TRULY . .SAD. . . . . . . . .in the above photo students place memorial wreaths through the basketball hoop . . . . .. . . . . . . . (seven young basketball players and one teacher died in a highway collision)

. . . . . ..YOU'D . . . BE . . . .CONFUSED . . . . BY. . .THE . .TYPE . . . OF . .WEATHER . . . WE'VE. . .BEEN . . .GETTING.. AROUND . .HERE .. .THIS . .WINTER . . . . . . . . . .FOR.. . . .EXAMPLE . . .WE . . .HAD . .SOME . . .REAL . . . WINTRY . .SNOW . . . .STORMS . . .OVER . .A . .WEEK . . .AGO . . . .THEN . .ALL OF A ..SUDDEN . . . .MILD . .BALMY . . . TEMPERATURES . . .AS HIGH . .AS 59 . .DEGREES . .(F) . . . . AND FOR A . PERIOD . .OF . . ABOUT . .ONE ..WEEK . . .IT . .DID . .NOT . .GO . . BELOW . .FREEZING . . 32(F) . . .THIS . . .MORNING . . . I .. .WALKED . . .BY . . .SOME . .TREES . . (LILAC . .I . .THINK) . . . .AND . .THERE . . WERE . .GREEN . . .BUDS . . . GROWING. . . AND . .THEY ..WILL . .CONTINUE . . GROWING . .UNTIL . . .FREEZING . . RETURNS . . SO . .FAR . .IT . .HASN'T . .RETURNED . . .STAY . . .TUNED .

Enlarge Image Nuclear blow to UK climate policy The UK government have made much of their green credentials boasting that they lead the world in tackling climate change. So what do they do? Give the green light to a new generation of nuclear power stations that will cost billions, eventually deliver only tiny cuts in carbon emissions and leave future generations with a legacy of nuclear waste to clean up.

. . . . . . . BIG . .BOX . . .STORES . . .= ..URBAN-SPRAWL=MORE TRAFFIC CONGESTION= MORE DEPENDENCE . . .ON ..AUTOMOBILES . . . MORE . . .DESTRUCTION .. .OF . .GREENSPACES . . . FOR . .THOUSANDS . . OF PARKING . . SPACES . . ..OVER . . . DESOLATE . . .PAVEMENT . . .OR . . .CONCRETE . . . MORE . . .SMOG . . . .MORE . . . .CONSUMERISM . . . . . . .MORE . . .DESTRUCTION . . .OF . . . .OF . . LOCAL . . . BUSINESS . . . . .OVER . . 80 . . .PERCENT . .OF . . .GOODS SOLD . . .AT . . .BOX . .STORES . . .COME . . .FROM . . .CHINA . . . .WHERE . . . .MORE . . .POLLUTION . . .IS . .CREATED . . .WHILE. MANUFACTURING . . .THESE . . GOODS . . . .USING . . .DIRTY . . . COAL ... .GENERATED . . . .POWER. . . . . ALSO .. .MORE . . . .EXPENSIVE . . .COSTS . . .IN TRANSPORTING . . . GOODS. . . ..FROM . .HALFWAY . . .AROUND . .THE WORLD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DO . . .WE . . . .STILL . . .WANT . . .OR . . .NEED. . . .ANOTHER . . .BIG . .BOX . . .STORE .? ? .I . ...

. . . . . . . . . . . .'Bad news' John Sauven, Greenpeace executive director, described Thursday's announcement as "bad news". He said: "Nuclear power can only deliver a four per cent cut in emissions some time after 2025, and that's too little too late at too high a price. "We need energy efficiency, cleaner use of fossil fuels, renewables and state of the art decentralised power stations like those in Scandinavia. That's the way to defeat climate change and ensure energy security." . . . . . . . . . . ..THE ABOVE STATEMENTS WERE MADE AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT BRITAIN WOULD GO AHEAD WITH CONSTRUCTION OF MORE NUCLEAR REACTORS . . . . .I AM INCLINED TO AGREE WITH THE GREENPEACE OPINION

The Italian military has helped clear mountains of uncollected rubbish from the streets of Naples. Romano Prodi, the prime minister, said that the move on Monday would help solve the southern port city's waste-disposal problem "once and for all". Rubbish has not been collected since December 21 due to the dumps being full. The army started bulldozing piles of rubbish in Caserta, near Naples before dawn, concentrating in areas around schools initially. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IN . . .NAPLES . .ITALY . . .THEY . .CALL . . OUT . .THE . . . ARMY . . .TO . .. .CLEAR . . . THE . .TRASH . . . .IN . .TORONTO . . .CANADA . . . . THE . . .FORMER . .MAYOR . . . CALLED . . OUT . . THE . . ARMY . . .TO . . . .CLEAR. . . .THE. . . .SNOW . . .AFTER . . A . . .BIG . . .SNOW . . STORM . . .IN . . ..WINTER . . .1999.

. . . . .THE SIGHT OF A PILE OF GARBAGE ROTTING IN THE STREETS OF NAPLES ITALY IS NOT VERY PRETTY . . . .. I HOPE THEY FIND AN EFFECTIVE AND CREATIVE WAY TO DISPOSE OF IT . . . . . ..MEANWHILE HERE IN TORONTO,CANADA . . . .WE HAVE OUR OWN PROBLEMS WITH GARBAGE . . . . .BUT FOR THE MOST PART ITS OUT OF SIGHT AND OUT OF MIND FOR MOST PEOPLE.

Alaska oil drilling plan attacked Environmental groups say walruses are among the marine life that will be affected [EPA] Environmental groups have expressed outrage over a decision by the US government to open a huge area off Alaska's northwest coast for oil drilling. The groups say the industrial activity will harm polar bears, walruses and other marine life in the region, ...

Electricity Demand 19,941 MW Projected Peak 21,800 MW Today's Projected Peak Predicted at 8:00 p.m. EDT Winter Record Peak (Dec 20, 2004): 24,979 MW Summer Record Peak (Aug 1, 2006): 27,005 MW Average Daily Peak (June to Aug. 2007): 20,431 MW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IN REAL TIME THE ABOVE READING REPRESENTS THE DEMAND ON THE POWER SYSTEM IN A TYPICAL WINTER DAY IN ONTARIO . . . . . BECAUSE OF THE COLD WEATHER . .THE PAST FEW DAYS THERE IS A HIGH CONSUMPTION OF ELECTRICITY . . .MAINLY DUE TO THE USE OF THE ENERGY GUZZLING ELECTRIC HEATERS .. . . . . .SO THE MORAL OF THE STORY .. .IS . . .GET RID . .OF THE ELECTRIC HEATERS . . . .AND PUT ON SOME EXTRA SWEATERS AND JACKETS . . .AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT WARM SPELL OF WEATHER.

. . . . . . . . the nuclear industry's dirty little secret is shown in the above photo . . . . .all over the world in hundreds . . . . .. .. of . . locations . . .wherever . . there is . . ..a nuclear . . reactor . .. . workers . . . . .store .. . .radioactive . .waste . . .. . in "temporary" . . places . . . until . . an . . .acceptable(safety) . . . .place . . .can be found for permanent . .storage. . . . .admittedly . . .most . . .(but not all) . . .of the above . .containers . . .contain . . .low . . energy . . .spent . . . nuclear waste. . . . .but . .in . .my . .opinion . . .this . .is not . .a satisfactory . .solution . . . . .in france . . .which has the a very large nuclear industry . . . .an . .attempt ..was . .made .to bury . .the . .radioactive . . . . waste . . . in . . .large caverns . . .500 . .to . .1000 meters . . deep .. . . this . . attempt failed . . .due to riots by the grape growers in which . . . . many people we...

. . . . . . . .. .ONCE AGAIN A VISCIOUS CYCLE HAS STARTED . . . . . IN THE OIL BUSINESS . . . . THE PRICE OF A BARREL OF OIL HAS GONE PAST . . .$100.00 . . . . .ONCE . .MORE .. .WE . ..HAVE CREATED INSTANT BILLIONAIRES . . . .IN THE OIL PATCH . . . . . .THEY(OIL COMPANIES) WILL TAKE . . . THEIR . . . .ENORMOUS . .PROFITS . . . .LIVE . . .VERY LUXURIOUS LIVES . . .BUYING .. .AND THEN RE-INVESTING IN MORE DRILLING IN THE OCEANS AND LAND ALL OVER THE WORLD . . . . .AND DESTROYING THE ECOLOGY OF THE EARTH . . . .IN THE PROCESS.