Mercury Poisoning in Grassy Narrows
The industrial poisoning of the Grassy Narrows and nearby Wabaseemoong First Nations communities in northern Ontario is a horrible saga that began over a century ago with the opening of the Dryden pulp and paper mill in 1913. Each chapter of the story reveals a provincial and federal government complicit in industrial pollution and neglectful of its consequences, thus amounting to a clear-cut case of environmental racism.
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Rising Voices: Navigating Protests and Police Response
In Canada, everyone has the freedom of peaceful assembly; it is described as "speech in action".¹ A person’s right to protest is legal and protected under ss. 2(b) and 2(c) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which guarantees freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly.¹ Yet we are seeing an increasing crackdown on protests in Canada and across the globe, causing a growing concern for all activists.²
Photo from Canva
Read moreNo climate justice without peace, No peace without liberation
World conflicts and the environmental crisis are inherently linked. The violence and humanitarian injustices that can be seen globally not only have many of the same root causes as climate change but contribute to it. There is a need for unification amongst climate action and calls for justice in global conflicts as environmental and humanitarian issues become increasingly intertwined.
Photo by Markus Spiske
Post 3: Why better power storage is the key to a greener grid in Ontario
Post 3 of 3
Previous posts in this series have looked at why Ontario’s power grid is becoming less green, through more use of natural gas to generate power. We also looked at the role renewable energy plays in helping the province build a carbon-neutral grid.
Post 2: The trends pushing more need for speed in meeting power demand changes in Ontario
Post 2 of 3
In the previous post, we looked at the trend for Ontario to use more natural gas to power electricity generation. In this post, we’ll look at some of the trends in the market, and the changing role of renewable energy in the province’s electrical grid.
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Backgrounder: fighting back against more fossil fuel power in Ontario
Part 1: What are the trends pushing more natural gas fired generation in Ontario?
Doug Ford’s government wants to expand gas-fired power generation in Ontario, at a time when much of the world is trying hard to wean itself off fossil fueled energy. Why?
We Need Each Other to End Fossil Fuels.
Featuring the words of the speakers at the Toronto area “March to End Fossil Fuels.”
Read moreInterview: Gateway Bikehub
For the Climate Justice Neighbourhood Mapping project.
We interviewed Ed from Gateway Bikehub, a community project in Thorncliffe Park. Gateway Bikehub started as a solid waste diversion program, but evolved into a social hub where residents can learn how to fix, ride, and maintain bikes. This helps them get around the area in a climate-friendly way.
Read moreOntario’s electricity is about to become a lot dirtier – what can we do to stop it?
We don’t have much time left to reduce our emissions and halt the climate crisis. Thankfully, Ontario’s power sector has had a head start. In 2019, 92% of the electricity that came out of our province’s sockets came from zero-carbon sources.
However, emissions from electricity have since been creeping up and are now threatening to grow dramatically if the Ford government pushes through its plans. (Photo by Siarhei Kuchuk from pexels.com)
Read moreInterview with York South-Weston Tenants' Union
Bruno is a member of the York South-Weston (YSW) Tenants’ Union, a group of tenants and tenant associations in York-South Weston which helps to protect tenant rights.
The tenants’ union includes the following neighbourhoods: Pelmo Park, Weston, Rustic, Maple Leaf, Amesbury, Keelesdale, Silverthorn, Clearview Heights, Upper Junction, Stockyards, Harwood, Rockcliffe-Smythe, Roselands, and Mount Dennis.
Bruno sat down with us to talk about what the YSW Tenants’ Union does and how its actions relate to climate justice work.