Bolivia’s Mother Earth Law will radically change the country’s approach to industry. The law gives legal rights to nature, “specifically the rights to life and regeneration, biodiversity, water, clean air, balance, and restoration,” and will require the government to “assess the ecological impact of all economic activity, to carry out ecological audits of all private and state companies; to regulate and reduce greenhouse gas emissions; to develop policies of food and renewable energy sovereignty; to research and invest resources in energy efficiency, ecological practices, and organic agriculture; and to require all companies and individuals to be accountable for environmental contamination with a duty to restore damaged environments.” Read article in Yes Magazine.
Centre for Civic Governance
The Centre for Civic Governance works to support community leadership meeting today’s social and environmental challenges: climate change, Canada’s increasing equity gap, and shifting social trends. At the Centre for Civic Governance, our goal is to strengthen Canadian communities through sharing best practices, providing tools for locally elected leaders, and progressive policy analysis. We strive to provide knowledge and information to make real and positive social change.
Ontario’s water quality improving since pesticide ban
Two years ago Ontario put into place a province-wide cosmetic pesticide ban, and since then concentration levels of 2,4-D, one of the most common pesticides on the market, have dropped by as much as 97% in tested streams. Read more at the CBC.
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Education
EDUCATION RESOURCES
Poll: Money motivates Canadians to be green
Two recent studies have highlighted what motivates Canadians to be green. A Ledger survey by Cascade Tissue suggested that while Canadians are willing to act green through recycling and reusable bags, but they’re not willing to pay extra money for things such as organic produce. An Angus Reid study conducted by Bosch Home Appliances found that Canadians’ top reason for home retrofits were shrinking energy bills. Read the full story in The Globe and Mail.
Bill McKibbin’s powerful speech to young climate leaders
Here’s the transcript of Bill’s fiery speech at Power Shift 2011, the 10,000 person climate conference and training in Washington, DC. Watch it here.
Canada’s first “near urban” national park sparks hot debate in GTA
The creation of a “near urban” national park in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) has sparked a hot debate between the region’s Conservative and Liberal MPs. The park, which is intended to enhance the accessibility of wilderness to urban residents, may result in the loss of prime farmland. Both MPs accuse each other of “flip-flopping” on the issue and “misleading the public” about their intentions with the park. Read the full story in the Toronto Star.
CCPA study on transportation and communities
Transportation Transformation lays out a 30 year plan for transportation in BC and shows how the movement of goods, services and people can transform the way we live, creating jobs and a better quality of life while greatly reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and the impact of climate change. Read CCPA report here.
Are municipalities are too focused on risk?
Mark Lakeman of Portland’s City Repair seems to think so. He explains that when examining a new project most city staff, consider liability first, rather than the merits of the project. Cities are more focused on risk aversion than innovation and it is holding back creativity and community building. Read more in the Tyee.