To the Editor, The Fridays For the Future youth strike last Friday was inspiring. Around the world, millions of youth and their supporters marched and demanded real climate action from the adults. By ‘real action’ I assume the youth mean action that avoids the forecasted global catastrophe and delivers the Paris Accord goal...

Tackling climate change means purging privilege from politics Our national political arena often seems dominated by unproductive partisan potshots and misplaced accountability, with corporate interests prioritized over people’s. Behind the noisy partisan sniping, a quiet majority — 70 to 75 per cent of Canadians — is largely disengaged from politics, according to McAllister Opinion Research. […]

Greta Thunberg’s speech to the  UN was transcribed.  Here is the full text.  For the full effect, though, listen to her speech at this link:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYqtXR8iPlE In response to the question, “What’s your message to world leaders today?” Thunberg responded as follows: Greta Thunberg:   “My message is...

Current and anticipatory grief The reality of the continuing extinction of many so species is profoundly upsetting.  Readers may wonder why old people should care.  For example, I’ll be dead in a few years myself;  it will be up to others to live their lives diminished by the loss of caribou and many other creatures, many...

There’s a new online source for people seeking easy-to-understand information on climate change specific to communities throughout the Columbia Basin and Boundary regions. The Columbia Basin Climate Source website—basinclimatesource.ca— was initiated by Columbia Basin Trust and developed by Selkirk College’s Applied Research...

The polar bear has become the poster child for climate change impacts in the Arctic. Sea ice, which the bears depend on for hunting, is melting at an ever-expanding rate. For other species, climate impacts are not as direct. The 2019 State of Canada’s Birds report found aerial insectivores like swifts, swallows and nightjars...

The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary has hired a new Senior Energy Specialist. Freya Phillips hails from Rossland via the United Kingdom and Australia and arrived at the RDKB Trail office on August 12. In a scant few weeks, she has established relationships with other local government energy specialists in the Central...

Young people have been speaking out for their rights. Many are wise beyond their years. Without the blinkers of ideology, workaday priorities and ingrained values, they can see clearly what’s happening. They’ve had to step up for their own futures because too few of their elders are willing to accept that rampant consumerism...

UPDATE:  Canada's Chief Electoral Officer, Stephane Perrault, issued a public statement today, clarifying that environmental groups can say "whatever they want" during the election period, subject to the usual rules. There had been a rash of reports and opinion pieces, including this one, and a fine piece in The Beaverton, ...

August 12, 2019 Dear Minister Heyman, On behalf of the City of Rossland’s council, I am writing to you to express our support for dissolving the Jumbo Glacier Resort Municipality. The recent Court of Appeals ruling stating that no significant progress has been made on the development has given the Province a golden opportunity...