BC NDP MLAs Brittny Anderson and Katrine Conroy say people in the Kootenays will be safer during emergencies, with provincial funding that will better equip local governments to reduce the risk of disasters. “People in the Kootenays know that climate change is not a theory – it’s real, and it’s impacting our homes and communities […]

A major initiative in the U.K. has confirmed what many studies have found: spending time in nature is good for you! The government-supported project helped more than 8,000 people in England connect with nature through outdoor walks, community gardening, tree planting and wild swimming. According to the Guardian, “The results showed that after taking part […]

Paradigm shift needed to address climate change, biodiversity loss Much of the focus in trying to address climate breakdown is rightly on reducing emissions from burning gas, oil and coal. But an equally critical part of the equation is halting and reversing rampant destruction of the natural world. Whether or not you believe our planet […]

Experiment: take human brain, add consciousness, stir “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” — Pierre Teilhard de Chardin This column is a far stretch from my columns on history or culture, I admit. Be forewarned, I’m playing with ideas, not establishing facts, about consciousness […]

Would you believe me if I told you that the positioning of a stop sign at an intersection has nothing to do with where you must stop? Yes, the sign tells you that you must stop, but the markings on the roadway, or lack of them, tell you where the stop has to take place. […]

Last week I had the honour to cut the ribbon at the opening of The Confluence Castlegar. It is so exciting that this Passive House certified, Mass Timber building, which will operate with 85% reduced emissions is now open for events, office space, and welcoming visitors from around the world!! Thank you to Tammy Verigin-Burk who made […]

This summer, five climate activists in the U.K. were sentenced to four and five years in jail for taking part in nonviolent actions. Their sentences are considerably longer than those recently handed down to people convicted of participating in violent racism-fuelled riots in the U.K., which were on average two years, with some escaping jail […]

By Conor O’Kane, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Bournemouth University Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes, Backdoor Bailouts and the Death of Freedom is the latest book from the English economic and political journalist – and rising progressive star – Grace Blakeley. The 30-year-old describes her book as a critique of modern capitalism from a Marxist perspective, which […]

Two years ago I wrote about my experience that a significant part of the safety problem in a school zone was caused by teachers and parents themselves. Their driving behaviour as they showed up to work or dropped off their children sometimes left a lot to be desired. Did they not realize that they were […]

The tree fruit industry is an iconic part of the economy in the southern Interior of BC, particularly in the Okanagan Valley.  Bowls of sweet black cherries, juicy fresh peaches and bright red apples have always brought visitors and a good way of life to the region.  But it has never been easy for the […]