Your Earth

In recent months we've witnessed a dramatic shift in Canada's military commitment in Afghanistan. After a half-a-century as the world's peacekeepers, we have suddenly been thrust into the role of peacemaker. The difference is subtle and deadly. audio link

30 years after it began construction on its newest nuclear power plant, Ontario, Canada's largest province, has recently announced an investment of $ 35 billion in new nuclear construction. audio link

Podcasting, on a weekly basis, is a commitment. I was really beginning to wonder if it was worth all the work. I then I saw the movie “Children of Men.” While the movie doesn’t explain why woman can’t have babies anymore, it reminded me of something Rosalie Bertell said to me 18 years ago. And then I realized the power of words… To read more, please go to the Your Earth Website. audio link

Our entire culture is based on the buy now pay later idea. Why put off having anything that you want or desire when you don’t have to pay a cent until 2008? As a result, we live in a constant state of indebtedness. Nowhere is that more evident than in how we treat our environment. To read more, please go to the Your Earth Website. audio link

When we talk about creating a safe environment for our children, the things that immediately come to mind are clean air, safe drinking water, and chemical-free places to grow, learn and play. But as the terrible shootings at Dawson College, Platte Canyon High School and the Amish schoolhouse so tragically demonstrated earlier this fall, we must learn to re-define what it means to create a truly safe environment for our children. To read more, please go to the Your Earth Website. audio link

With Ontario’s municipal elections only a week away, garbage has once again become a burning issue – literally. According to survey conducted by Decima Research, 91 percent of Greater Toronto Area (GTA) residents favour garbage incineration. To read more, please go to the Your Earth Website. audio link

There is a direct connection between Canada’s CANDU nuclear reactors and Korea’s nuclear weapons test. In North Korea’s case, the plutonium (and the nuclear technology needed to build the bomb) came from Pakistan. Pakistan in turn got its plutonium and nuclear know-how from Canada. To read more, please go to the Your Earth Website. audio link

After almost two decades of terrorizing its neighbours, perhaps it’s time somebody pointed out that Canada’s largest city, Toronto, might want to start looking for a better solution to its garbage problem. To read more, please go to the Your Earth Website. audio link

The fact that my father’s birthday, September 23rd, fell on the autumn equinox this year is a bittersweet coincidence that is not lost on me. His death this summer is a reminder that to everything there is a season. To read more, please go to the Your Earth Website. audio link

Last week, GM announced that the Camaro, its newly redesigned muscle car, will hit the streets in 2009, just about the time that experts predict that global oil production will start to decline. Since the Camaro isn’t designed to meet everyone’s driving needs, GM is currently aggressively marketing the H2, the smaller and more user-friendly cousin of the monster H1 Hummer, as an alternative to the family van. To read more, please go to the Your Earth Website audio link

With all this talk about energy conservation, we decided to see if we could further reduce our electricity bill. Given all the improvements we’d already made, the question became, “Can we do better?� To read more, please go to the Your Earth Website audio link

The summer of 2006 saw the beginning of a new movie phenomenon – the environmental epic. Topping the list is Al Gore’s much touted An Inconvenient Truth, a film about the global warming crisis. I have to admit, I had high hopes for this movie. To read more, please go to the Your Earth Website audio link

As energy costs continue to escalate, energy efficiency is becoming increasingly important. While we all want to spend less on home utilities, most of us don't know where to begin. The answer is clear. In the average home, heating and cooling costs account for at least 60% of your energy bill. An estimated 25% of all heat loss literally flies out the window. To read more, please go to the Your Earth Website audio link

The internal, infernal, combustion engine, and the family car that it powers, has impacted our lives more than any other single invention. It’s ubiquitous. It’s also destroying the planet. It’s high time we made a stand and said, “I won’t drive a car that isn’t as smart, or as environmentally aware, or as creative as I am.� To read more, please go to the Your Earth Website audio link

This week marks the 10th anniversary of GM’s innovative electric car, the EV1. Sadly, there will be no victory parades. In 2003, GM ordered all of the popular cars recalled and destroyed. To read more, please go to the Your Earth Website audio link