Water is necessary for humans, but where does that water come from? The world’s rivers have been degraded by humans so drastically that the water security of approximately 5 billion people and the survival of thousands of aquatic species are at risk. Rivers are home to ~0.5% of our freshwater […]
Water
In Memory of David Schindler
On March 4th, 2021, Canada lost one of its most influential environmental scientists, David Schindler. Schindler was a champion of freshwater science, and a leading environmental advocate and conservationist. His research focused on freshwater ecosystems and water contaminants from industry development. Schindler achieved many accomplishments in his 50+ year career. […]
In Review
The Ptarmigan’s Dilemma: An Exploration into How Life Organizes and Supports Itself, John and Mary Theberge. If I were asked by a visitor from outer space for the best information on the history and ecology of life on Earth, I’d offer this book. Deservedly short-listed for the 2010 Writers’ Trust […]
REGROWTH
Most of us do things every day that are not entirely in favour of the natural environment, whether it’s buying a to-go coffee in a plastic cup, taking an extra long shower after a hard day, or choosing not to buy local produce when it’s the more expensive option. Virtually […]
Avoiding Water Wars
“Many of the wars this century were about oil, but those of the next century will be over water.” –Ismail Serageldin, (1995) – “The only problem with this scenario is a lack of evidence.” –Aaron Wolf Back in 2018, two A\J journalists wrote a story on Cape Town, South Africa. […]
KEEPING OUR LAKES GREAT
In Southern Ontario, we have something uniquely special. No, I am not talking about the kind of ‘specialness’ (or self-absorption, take your pick) that the rest of the country likes to tease us about. I am talking about the Great Lakes. One of the largest freshwater resources on the planet, […]
Strong and Plastic-Free
Plastic Free July Series (Volume 1 of 5) Yearly, Canadians produce 3.3.million tonnes of plastic waste while 2.8 million tonnes (the weight of 24 CN towers) of it ends up in the landfill, according to statistics from Oceana Canada. Approximately only 9% of this waste is recycled. Environment and Climate […]
Two Million Too Many
I’ve always been intrigued by the ocean. I see it as the perfect combination of beauty and destruction, with unique aquatic life and the potential to cause deadly tsunamis. My fascination lies in the fact that the ocean’s majesty and mystery is not as easily accessible to be explored as […]
Isolation Reflections
For the first time in approximately 7, maybe 8 weeks, I finally left my house this past weekend.
Les Larmes D’Une Nation
Background Information A disturbing mix of flood hazards are present in the capital city of Ghana, Accra. The city has annual floods that result in a disturbing loss of lives and livelihoods. These perennial floods come with the onset of the rainy season in June each year and can be […]