|
Published by the Kingston Greens
GREEN LIGHT KINGSTON #105 |
Issue #105
Monday, March 21, 2005 |
Printed in cyberspace on recycled electrons
To publicise future events, corrections and/or if you have comments, please email Green Light Kingston:
Tel: 384-8504. We welcome new submissions!
Quote of the Week:
Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
In This Issue:
1. Website of the Week
| New! Ecovillage at Ithaca |
|
A progressive and sustainable community just outside of Ithaca, NY, not far to the south of us. Their goal is to explore and model innovative approaches to ecological and social sustainability.
http://www.ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us/ |
Top |
2. Cartoon
3. Current Events
| New! Public Lecture - EMILY CONGER - President of the Algonquin to Adirondack C.A. |
|
Tuesday, March 29, 2005 8:00 PM
The Algonquin to Adirondack Conservation Association exists to achieve a healthy, connected natural habitat in the area between the two largest natural parks in eastern North America: Algonquin Park in Ontario and Adirondack State Park in New York. Due to favourable geography and climate the region between the two parks is at the junction of five overlapping biological regions. This makes the area one of the highest in Canada for biodiversity. Most of the land is privately owned. Conger will speak on the mission of the association to restore, enhance and maintain ecological connectivity, ecosystem function and native species, while respecting sustainable human land uses and landowners’ rights. Wilson Room, Kingston Frontenac Public Library 130 Johnson St., Kingson, ON Sponsored by: The Ontario Woodlot Association, Limestone Chapter Frontenac Stewardship Council Lennox and Addington Community Stewardship Council DONATIONS AT THE DOOR |
Top |
| New! Cataraqui Conservation Foundation - Workshop on Green Power |
|
Wednesday, March 23, 2005 4:30 PM
Panelists: Samit Sharma, Gaia Power; Stephen Lapp, Lapp Renewables and Dr. Vikram Varma, Fuel Cell Technologies Limited When: March 23, 2005 Where: Little Cataraqui Creek Outdoor Centre Interested in learning more about ways to safeguard yourself from unexpected power outages and to reduce your energy bill? Then join us and quiz 3 well-known local experts who will be discussing wind, solar and fuel cell technology applications that are being installed in a growing number of Kingston homes, institutions and commercial enterprises. Registration begins at 4:30 p.m. and the workshop at 5:00 p.m. The registration fee is $12.00 that can be paid at the door. For more information or to pre-register, contact Laura Dietrich at the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority: tel: 613 546 4228, ext. 221. Little Cataraqui Creek Outdoor Centre: How to get there Highway 401 to Division Street exit in Kingston - Division Street north for 2 km to the entrance to Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation area (large sign at the road with the name of the Conservation Area). Stay on the main entrance road and go past the gatehouse. First road to your right (large sign that says "Outdoor Centre") takes you to the parking lot and entrance to the Centre. |
Top |
| New! It’s the Crude, Dude: War, Big Oil, and the Fight for the Planet |
|
Monday, March 21, 2005 7:00 PM
Monday, March 21st , 7:30 p.m. [*At Symbol*] Memorial Hall, City Hall Linda McQuaig, author of It's the Crude, Dude: War, Big Oil and the Fight for the Planet, draws the links between the war in Iraq and the dependence of rich countries on the world’s dwindling supply of oil. Organized by Peace Kingston and Queen’s Against War in recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Racism. Free admission (donations gladly accepted). Wheelchair accessible. Information: 544-5652 or marijana [*At Symbol*] cogeco.ca |
Top |
| New! Critical Mass - Sustainability and Holistic Wellness Conference |
|
Friday, April 1, 2005 00:00
Location: Queen's University Campus, Kingston Ontario Web: http://myams.org/criticalmass Email: criticalmass [*At Symbol*] ams.queensu.ca Lead coordinator: Rowan Sentesy 613-545-1469 The purpose of the event is to bring together people of like minds to unite and grow stronger in the effort towards positive world change. The conference deals with issues and topics that will help raise awareness of the self, society and the world around us. Guests will gain insights and be provided with resources and information that will empower them to take action to help themselves, their communities and the Earth we live on- starting from the inside-out. Schedule: Friday April 1st - Biosciences complex auditorium room 1101 Opening Ceremonies 7:00 pm- Selected Speakers including: Paul Shore (GNN.tv) Paul will be Talking on 'guerrilla news' and alternative media and the roll of the Internet for true free press. "Guerrilla News Network is an independent news organization with headquarters in New York City and production facilities in Berkeley, California. Our mission is to expose people to important global issues through cross-platform guerrilla programming" (gnn.tv). Paul will be providing a brief introduction to his workshop on Saturday. Mike Nickerson (Ontario representative for the Green Party) An ecological philosopher with a long standing fascination with 'cultural evolution'. Mike will discuss his new book titled "Life, Money and Illusion". He describes it as follows: Life is biological perspective what makes species successful, money is financial perspective that makes society successful and the illusion is that life & money are diametrically opposed solutions to serious problems. Mike will be providing a preview for his Saturday workshop. Debbie Pearson (Artsci '05 - BAH English) Recent second place winner at prestigious public speaking contest at Queen's, Debbie will be speaking on the downfall of 'Western Civilization' and will discuss alternative economic models that could help lead us out of the current economic and environmental crisis we have manifested around us. 8:00 pm- Movie Screening: 'What the Bleep do we Know?!" (http://www.whatthebleep.com/) It is part documentary, part story, and part elaborate and inspiring visual effects and animations. The protagonist, Amanda, played by Marlee Matlin, finds herself in a fantastic Alice in Wonderland experience when her daily, uninspired life literally begins to unravel, revealing the uncertain world of the quantum field hidden behind what we consider to be our normal, waking reality. ----------------------- Saturday April 2nd 9:00 am- 5:00 pm Location: Ellis Hall Workshops & information/trade fair on topics such as: Tantric Yoga, Meditation, Thai Chi, Genetically Modified foods, Organic Farming & Seed Saving, Alternative health care and much more. The information & trade fair will include local businesses, activist groups and others who are working in relevant industries and who are in tune with the vision and purpose of this event. Saturday evening- Social & Celebration Location TBA. ------------------------ Sunday afternoon- UNITY Yoga Session In affiliation with Lululemon (http://www.lululemon.com) & The Queen's Yoga Club Outdoors (weather permitting) indoor otherwise. Location(s) TBA. |
Top |
| New! Independent Voice Annual General Meeting |
|
Monday, March 28, 2005 7:00 PM
Our AGM will be held on Monday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m. at the Gallery Café. All are welcome, and refreshments will be served. We are looking for new board members at this time. If you are interested or would like to nominate someone for one of these positions, please call our office by February 28, and we can provide you with more information. Self-nominations and nominations from the floor at the AGM itself are welcome. We are particularly interested in potential members with experience in publishing, business, and fundraising. You may reach us at 531-3222. http://www.picpress.com |
Top |
| New! Judging The Corporation - Recent Trends In Corporate Crime Control |
|
Wednesday, March 30, 2005 7:00 PM
LIVING LAW LECTURE SERIES: What should be done to address the immense social, economic and personal harms caused by corporate crime? Why do corporations often ignore occupational health and safety laws and environmental laws causing avoidable injuries, illnesses and deaths? Why have laws on corporate fraud been virtually non-existent, and why are they as often ignored as enforced? Moderated by CBC Radio’s Paul Kennedy, and featuring leading corporate crime scholars, this discussion will examine recent trends in the control of corporate crime in Canada, the US and the UK, raising questions about struggles for law reform and the possibilities of holding corporations to account. Speakers: Professor Steve Tombs, School of Social Science, Liverpool John Moores University (UK), Professor Frank Pearce, Department of Sociology, Queen’s, Professor Laureen Snider, Department of Sociology, Queen’s Location: Room 14, Lower level, Dunning Hall, 99 University Avenue, Queen’s Sponsored by the Law Commission of Canada, the Department of Sociology, Queen’s University, Students for Corporate Social Responsibility, and the Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University. This event is free of charge and open to all members of the public. For further information, telephone (613) 946-8980. |
Top |
| New! OPIRG-Kingston Annual General Meeting |
|
Thursday, March 31, 2005 7:00 PM
Thursday March 31, 7:00PM At the Grad Club, corner of Barrie and Union Sts. All are welcome. The Annual Report and the Faculty Activism Award will be presented. Come on out and meet the new board of directors and join us for refreshments. |
Top |
| New! Headaches? Migraines? |
|
Monday, April 4, 2005 7:00 PM
Headaches? Migraines? A Health Pursuits Reading Study Group Discussion with medical study opportunity, Apr.4, 7 PM, Isabel Turner Library, Rm.A. Contact 389-7179. Diane Dawber Health Pursuits facilitator R.R.3 Bath, ON K0H 1G0 613-389-7179 |
Top |
4. Coming Events
| New! International Joint Commission Luncheon - Herb Gray Speaker |
|
Wednesday, April 20, 2005 00:00
Hosting the Right Honourable Herb Gray, Chair of the Canadian Section of the International Joint Commission. Learn about the smallest organization that holds the greatest amount of sovereignty ever ceded by two countries over its water boundaries. Sponsored by KEDCO. $35 plus GST for Chamber of Commerce members, $40 plus GST for non-members. To register call 548-4453 or go to http://www.kingstonchamber.on.ca |
Top |
| New! Lichen Workshop (Eastern Ontario Biodiversity Museum) |
|
Saturday, April 9, 2005 9:30 AM
Presented by the Canadian Biodiversity Institute in partnership with the Eastern Ontario Biodiversity Museum Lunch provided for all participants. Workshops will be held in the Ottawa area (call organizers for more details). The workshops are designed for amateur naturalists as well as professional biologists, ecologists, educators, and park interpreters (adults and youth over 12). Resource materials will be provided as part of the workshop. Because of space considerations and availability of suitable microscopes, registration is limited to 10 participants per workshop, but we need a minimum of five registrants to make the workshop viable. Please reserve early to avoid cancellations of workshops. Registrations will be accepted up to one week before the workshop date. All workshops are $150. Members of the EOBM are entitled to a 20 % discount. Non-member participants who register for more than one workshop will get a 20 % discount on additional workshops. Partial refunds are available under certain circumstances. Lichen Workshop (Eastern Ontario Biodiversity Museum) April 9th & 10th, Sat & Sun, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Teacher: Dr. Irwin (Ernie) Brodo, author of "Lichens of North America" and "Lichens of the Ottawa Region". Illustrated lectures will introduce the morphological features and ecology of lichens that are important for identification. Local field work will emphasize lichen habitats and collecting techniques followed by laboratory work (microscope for each participant provided) devoted to understanding lichen terminology, interpreting characters and learning to use identification keys. Participants will receive "Lichens of the Ottawa Region". Field Identification of Birds Workshop May 14-15, Sat. 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. & Sun 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Teachers: Monty Brigham, one of Canada's foremost experts on audio recording and identification of bird sounds. Stew Hamill, wildlife biologist, currently a coordinator with the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas and involved in many other birding projects. This workshop, at the peak time for spring migration, will focus on field identification of birds using both sound and visual clues. Participants will learn to recognize and learn the significance of various bird calls and songs from the master, Monty Brigham, with help from his many recordings of bird sounds. Both Monty and Stew will focus on visual clues to bird identification and to interpret bird behaviour. For those wishing to progress quickly in birding skills, this is a not-to-be-missed opportunity. Bryology (Mosses and Liverworts) Workshop May 28th & 29th, Sat. & Sun, 9:30 a.m. -4:30 p.m. Teacher: Linda Ley, specialist formerly with the Botany Division (Bryology Section) Canadian Museum of Nature. Participants in this workshop will be introduced to moss and liverwort terminology and the use of keys for identification to the more common families and genera of our local mosses. A short field trip component will show students were to look for mosses, how to collect them, and clues for recognizing our common species in the field. Odonata (Damselflies & Dragonflies) Workshop June 4th & 5th Sat & Sun, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Teacher: Raymond Hutchinson, author of "Manuel d'identification des libellules du Québec" and experienced teacher. The emphasis will be on identifying both the adult and immature Damselflies and Dragonflies. One day will be devoted to the immatures and the other to the adults. Local field work will emphasize habitats, collecting and rearing techniques followed by laboratory work devoted to understanding the necessary terminology, interpreting characters and learning to use identification keys. Flowering Plants Workshop June 11th & 12th Sat & Sun, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Teacher: Albert Dugal, retired botany collections specialist and current active consultant in botanical matters to the Canadian Museum of Nature. This workshop will focus on the major plant families in this part of Ontario including Rosaceae, Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Compositae, etc. Albert will lead a field trip to collect specimens for identification and we shall make use of the EOBM Herbarium. Participants will receive several handouts showing features employed in identifying plants and interpreting botanical terminology. Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths) Workshop June 18th, Sat., 9:30 a.m. - midnight. Teacher: Dr. Don Lafontaine, Research Scientist, Agriculture & Agri-Foods Canada, co-author of Butterflies of Canada and leading authority on Noctuid Moths. Don will begin this long-day workshop by illustrating important features, both morphological and behavioural, distinguishing our common families of butterflies and moths. Participants will learn the appropriate terminology to make use of identification keys and will get practice with the use of museum specimens. We shall break for supper (provided) and further discussion before heading up at dusk (approximately 9:30 p.m.) to a local garden near the Rideau River where we will set up a mercury vapour lamp and sheet for studying the moths that come to lights at night. Weather permitting, we may stay as late as midnight to sample the fantastic nightlife and to learn how to recognize the major groups by their behavioural traits. Entomology Workshop (Insects) June 25th & 26th, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Teacher: Dr. Henri Goulet, Research Scientist, Agriculture & Agri-Foods Canada, leading authority on Sawflies, Tiger Beetles, and digital photography of insects. This workshop will introduce participants to the major orders and families of eastern Ontario insects through illustrated lectures, and the terminology to understand and use keys for their identification. Henri will take participants into the field to sample the dazzling abundance and variety of local insect life virtually under one's nose. He will also demonstrate his successful techniques for insect photography. Laboratory time will be devoted to working with both museum and newly caught specimens. Each participant will receive a copy of "Insects of Algonquin Provincial Park", a beautifully illustrated publication. To register, please contact workshop coordinator, Fenja Brodo, at 723-2054, fbrodo [*At Symbol*] sympatico.ca, or Heather Hamilton, at 258-3415 or 826-2190, admin [*At Symbol*] eobm.ca Registrations can be done over the phone with payment by VISA. |
Top |
| New! First Annual Meeting - Land Conservancy for Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington |
|
Wednesday, April 27, 2005 6:30 PM
Wednesday, April 27th at 6:30p.m. in the Wilson Room, Kingston Public Library, 130 Johnson Street. Celebrating the Land Conservancy's first accomplishments and talking together about the future. Well-known local naturalist Dale Kristensen, Queen's University, will be guest speaker. His topic: the importance of preserving wilderness. Everyone is welcome to attend the Annual Meeting, but please remember that only people who have been members 30 days before the meeting can vote or run for the Board. Please make sure that we have received your membership application and cheque by Monday, March 28, 2005. If you would like to know more about being a Board member, please contact Vicki Schmolka, President (549-1707; schmolka [*At Symbol*] kingston.net). |
Top |
| New! Something Just For Fun -- The Blue Skies Spring Boogie |
|
Saturday, April 16, 2005 7:30 PM
Everyone is welcome to join us at this upcoming dance. It will be great fun and I'm sure will help bring in the spring!!! Blue Skies is a music festival that has been happening every summer for 32 years on the private land of Oscar Graf , now the festival is raising funds to buy the land so we can continue having fun there forever!!! This is a very "danceable band". THE BLUE SKIES SPRING BOOGIE with "TWISTER" featuring KEITH GLASS WHERE: THE ITALO CANADIAN CLUB, KINGSTON (west off Montreal St., just north of the 401) WHEN : SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2005 (doors open at 7:30 pm. Band at 8:30 pm) RAFFLES AND SILENT AUCTION - BRING YOUR WALLETS - FREE LATE NIGHT NIBBLES TICKETS: $20 ADVANCE $25 DOOR. AVAILABLE AT TARA,RENAISSANCE MUSIC, BRIAN'S RECORD OPTION, SHADOWFAX IN PERTH |
Top |
| Workshops: Environmental Sustainability On Campus |
|
The SURP 853: Environmental Services class from the School of Urban and Regional Planning is nisting a series of workshops on the environmental sustainability of university campuses, with some discussion of efforts at Queen's University. Workshop topics include:
1. Best practices of Green Campus Planning from across North America 2. Opportunities and barriers to developing a Green Plan 3. Best available technologies to promote sustainable campuses 4. Environmental outreach, education and student initiatives It is hoped that these discussions will spark dialogue and generate ideas between students, professors and administrators. The workshops will be held on April 5, 2005 from 10am to 3pm (lunch provided), in the Policy Studies Building Room 202. They are open to all interested and RSVPs are recommended (to help ensure adequate seating) but they are not mandatory. View the poster here. For more info and to RSVP please contact Teresa Pisani, SURP 853 - Class Representative Email: , 4tp1 [*At Symbol*] qlink.queensu.ca |
Top |
| Dr. David Schindler to speak at 2005 Great Lakes Conference |
|
Thursday, June 9, 2005 00:00
Dr. David Schindler to speak on Thursday evening, June 9, 2005! Dr. Schindler is described by some as the 'world's greatest living freshwater ecologist.' As a Professor of Ecology at the University of Alberta, he specializes in land-water interactions. He has studied the effects of climate warming, alien fish stocks, airborne contaminants and other human impacts on freshwaters of northern and western Canada as founder and former director of the Experimental Lakes Project of the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which conducted interdisciplinary research on the effects of eutrophication, acid rain, radioactive elements and climate change on boreal ecosystems. His work has been widely used in formulating ecologically sound management policy in Canada, the United States and in Europe. Dr. Schindler has received numerous national and international research awards, including Canada's highest scientific honor, the NSERC Gerhard Herzberg Gold Medal for Science and Engineering in 2001. Joint the IJC at its 2005 Biennial Meeting in Kingston, Ontario to hear keynote speaker Dr. David Schindler on Thursday, June 9. |
Top |
| 2005 Great Lakes Conference and Biennial Meeting on Great Lakes Water Quality |
|
Thursday, June 9, 2005 00:00
Queen's University - Kingston, Ontario June 9-11, 2005 "Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that your children and grandchildren are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty." Daniel H. Burnham, architect and city planner Join the IJC for the 2005 Great Lakes Conference and Biennial Meeting to be held June 9-11, 2005 at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. The three-day meeting will focus on the current science and issues regarding the health of the Great Lakes and include breakout sessions and specific in-depth discussions a wide range of topics fundamental to the review of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and its future. The current Agreement was signed in 1978 and was amended in 1987. It has not been updated or changed in more than 17 years. During this time, technology and our scientific knowledge and understanding has grown immensely. New threats to the well being of the Great Lakes ecosystem are becoming better defined. We need to keep pace with what we know and review the Agreement with an eye toward stimulating profound improvements for the Great Lakes. The Biennial Meeting will be a hub for public participation in the review of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Come learn and share your views on the renewal and protection of the Great Lakes and on reinvigorating binational efforts that the Agreement can foster. Kingston is the location of the historic 1985 IJC Biennial Meeting, which lead to many of the changes that were incorporated into the 1987 protocol to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Exactly 20 years later we are at a similar place in time, and the input and involvement from the public is more crucial now than ever. AGENDA Thursday, June 9: Great Lakes Conference This one-day, fee-based scientific conference will present current research being conducted on the Great Lakes with respect to the major themes and purpose of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the chemical, physical, biological and ecosystem integrity of the Great Lakes. There will also be a special workshop held on Annex 2 of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. This is not to be missed. Everyone interested and involved in the Remedial Action Plan and Lakewide Management Plan process should attend. Friday and Saturday, June 10-11: 2005 Biennial Meeting and public discussion of the review of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. All activities on Friday and Saturday are free and open to the public. The IJC is committed to ensuring that Great Lakes citizens and organizations can participate and be heard. The Biennial Meeting will be two full days dedicated to discussion of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement through plenary presentations, breakout discussions on specific topics and public testimony. Join the IJC to hear keynote speakers Dr. David Schindler on Thursday, June 9 and Dr. David Suzuki on Friday, June 10. |
Top |
5. Elsewhere Events
| Windfall Ecology Festival |
|
For the second year in a row, Green Party of Canada organizations in York Region will be signing up members, accepting donations, and selling Goods for Greens at the increasingly popular Windfall Ecology Festival in Newmarket. The festival, to take place June 11 and 12 (Saturday and Sunday), draws thousands of environmentally conscious voters from all over the GTA, most of whom are highly sympathetic to the Green Party and its Key Values.
For details, go to http://www.windfallcentre.ca/default/index.php?section=Festival&page=FestHome |
Top |
6. Community Action
7. Worth Reading
| New! Senate Votes to Open Alaska Wildlife Refuge to Drilling |
|
Wednesday, March 16, 2005 5:00 PM
Disgusting. Instead of weaning America from its fossil fuel dependency by investing in green energy, mass transit, and encouraging smaller, more fuel efficient cars, the Bush Administration continues to insist on disrupting the Alaska Wildlife Refuge to get at the oil that supposedly lies beneath it. And they've won another battle in the Republican dominated senate. Apparently, endangered polar bears and caribou aren't worth the cost of angry SUV owners. Friends of Bush stand to make a lot of money. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40670-2005Mar16.html |
Top |
| New! I am polluted |
|
Monday, March 7, 2005 12:00 PM
By MARK STEVENSON Saturday, March 5, 2005 Updated at 12:41 PM EST From Saturday's Globe and Mail BOSTON — My nose is clamped and I'm trying not to choke on a tube a scientist at Harvard University has stuffed in my mouth. I am blowing into a clear plastic bag, which is sealed and later studied for what it contains. Sure, everyone suffers occasionally from a little bad breath. But what they found in mine was enough to keep my wife away for a week. Besides my breath, researchers at Harvard's School of Public Health examined my blood, hair, urine, toenails and bones. It's all in the name of the emerging science of body burden, a concept referring to the amount of chemicals that accumulate in the human body. As it turns out, I am polluted. Everyone is to some degree. But as the list of toxic chemicals identified in people continues to grow, scientists are trying to figure out what the implications are for human health. "It is alarming," Professor John Spengler says. "This is not meant to be settling information. I think if more people wake up to this fact, the better we are going to be . . . and the more demanding we're going to be of our governments and our industries." An estimated 35,000 chemicals are in commercial use in Canada and more than twice as many in the United States. The national American government registers an average of 2,000 newly synthesized chemicals each year. Cosmetics have at least 5,000 chemicals; more than 3,200 are added to food. As many as 1,010 chemicals are used in the production of 11,700 consumer products, and about 500 chemicals are used as active ingredients in pesticides, according to Environmental Protection Agency data cited by the Environmental Working Group, based in Washington, D.C. Many chemicals end up in the environment, even thousands of kilometres from industry. Despite being banned years ago, PCBs are still found in Arctic wildlife. Biologists are also finding rising levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), flame retardants used in foam, textiles and plastics, as well as chlorinated paraffins, chemicals used in paints, sealants and rubber-processing. Scotchgard, which is part of a family of chemicals used to make clothes, carpets and furniture stain-resistant, has been found in polar bears in Alaska and bald eagles around the Great Lakes. If chemicals are showing up in wildlife and the environment, it's no surprise that many are being discovered in people. "Pretty much from the minute you wake up to the moment you go to bed, you're exposed to hundreds and hundreds of chemicals," says Jane Houlihan, vice-president of research for the Environmental Working Group. ". . . In most cases, they're in minuscule quantities. But that fact is it's hundreds [of chemicals] and they're adding up." What's disturbing, Prof. Spengler says, is how the majority of the chemicals have been approved for use without any research being done on their potential impact on human health, except mainly for those that end up in drugs or food. What's more, little is known about what our chemical body burden truly is. "So measurements like we're doing on you, and myself, and our research subjects are really part of a new frontier because it's really trying to understand . . . what effects these might have on disruption of human function," Prof. Spengler says. No extensive study has considered the chemical body burden of Canadians, although separate studies have reported the presence of individual compounds -- for example, research documenting a dramatic rise of PBDEs in breast milk. More wide-ranging studies have been done in the United States. In one, researchers found at an average of 91 "industrial compounds, pollutants and chemicals" in the blood and urine of nine volunteers and a total of 167 chemicals in the group. According to the research, conducted by Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York with the Environmental Working Group, "76 cause cancer in humans or animals, 94 are toxic to the brain or nervous system, and 79 cause birth defects or abnormal development." None of the people tested worked with chemicals or lived near an industrial facility. "I expected to find many different chemicals," Ms. Houlihan says. "But to actually see the numbers roll out that show that one person has 100 chemicals in their blood at one time. It's pretty powerful." The most comprehensive research on body burden to date was conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and released in 2003. As part of the $6.5-million (U.S.) report, the agency tested the blood and urine of 2,500 volunteers for 116 compounds, including PCBs, pesticides, dioxins, furans and metals. It found many of the contaminants in at least half of the people they tested. As well, researchers discovered elevated levels of lead in the blood of children and the ubiquitous presence of phthalates, chemicals widely used in plastics that are linked to cancer and reproductive problems in studies on rats. Meanwhile, they also discovered that chemicals such as DDT and PCBs, which are banned or restricted, appear to be going down. "Just because they can [detect it] doesn't mean it's at a dangerous level or a level that causes health effects. It mostly reflects the fact that we've improved our ability to measure," says Jim Pirkle, deputy director of science for the CDC, referring to new technology that allows scientists to identify compounds in amounts that would have gone unnoticed a decade earlier. Dr. Pirkle notes that most of the chemicals being found are in infinitesimally small amounts of parts per million and parts per billion, equivalent to a grain of rice in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. "There are going to be small levels of many things in people. That's because they're dispersed in low levels all over the environment. What you really have to do is stop and look at them one by one and go through them and say, 'Is that a level that's likely to cause disease? Is that a level that's so trivially small, we have good instruments that can measure it, but it's so small it's not of any concern?' You have to do that one chemical at a time." All this brings us back to Harvard and my own results. After bombarding my knee for half an hour with a small amount of radiation, the technician in the bone lab gives me the news: My skeleton is contaminated with lead. Lead is an acute toxin. It's poisonous at higher levels. But even at low concentrations, research has linked it to an increased risk of hypertension, kidney disease, impaired neurological development in children, even cataracts. The good news is my lead levels place me well within the average range for someone my age with no appreciable health risk, says Howard Hu, a professor of occupational and health medicine at Harvard's School of Public Health. Others are less fortunate. Dr. Hu has measured lead amounts five to 10 times higher in many women, posing potential harm to their unborn babies. "There's so many different exposure routes that just living and breathing can provide exposures today," he says. "Lead is in many different consumer products. It was in gasoline. . . . It was in food cans, pipes and solder. . . . It was in toys and plastics." In another lab across the street, scientists have clipped a lock of my hair and are analyzing it. It will tell them how much mercury my body contains. Although it occurs naturally in the environment, mercury is also a byproduct of coal-fired power plants and waste incinerators. When it enters the water and reacts with bacteria, it is transformed into methyl mercury and it accumulates in fish, and people when they eat it. It's a neurotoxin and the human fetus is particularly vulnerable. At low doses, it can cause subtle changes to the developing brain; at larger doses, it can cause blindness and other birth defects. At high levels, it can kill nerve cells, causing blurred vision, lack of co-ordination and slurred speech. Fortunately, my mercury level is .411 parts per million, about half the EPA guideline of 1 ppm. Next came my blood results. As it turns out, my blood contains PCBs and pesticides, including DDT, an insecticide banned in North America decades ago. But for many people my age, my results are considered well within the low-to-average range. Unfortunately, as Russ Hauser of Harvard's School of Public Health points out, his research is finding that men exposed to similar doses have problems with semen quality, which is associated with infertility. "PCBs and DDT were banned decades ago, but they're still present in the environment," Dr. Hauser says. "You're exposed primarily through intake of food because they accumulate as we move up the food chain. . . . So consuming fish, dairy products, meats, that's primarily how you're exposed." Although the Harvard scientists were looking for arsenic, a highly poisonous metal, in my toenails, they found virtually none. Prof. Spengler wasn't surprised, saying it's something they typically find in people who drink water from a well and mine comes from a lake. But he was amazed by something in my breath, the content of which is an indicator of relatively recent exposure to chemicals in the air. It wasn't the list of solvents, such as benzene, that are often associated with vehicle exhaust. It was MTBE, a fuel additive that is not supposed to be widely used in Canada (less than 2 per cent of gas in this country contains it, according to Environment Canada). Prof. Spengler speculates I breathed in MTBE on the way to Harvard in a taxi. In total, the scientists found 76 chemicals in my body, including PCBs, pesticides, solvents and metals. Even though my body contains extremely small amounts of them, I can't help but ask Prof. Spengler whether I should be worried. "I would say you're not very toxic compared to people we've measured all over the world, even compared to me," he says. He points out that his own DDT levels place him in the top fifth of Americans. I'm in the bottom fifth. "On the one hand, you might say, 'Well, I'm normal. I might be a little high on one thing and low on another.' But that's not the way we should look at it." Prof. Spengler says the issue is not whether one has an average amount of chemicals in his body. Rather, it's why the average person is carrying around so many chemicals in the first place. There has been little scientific inquiry into the net effect of being exposed to many chemicals at the same time, the so-called "toxic soup effect." Complicating the toxicology is the counterintuitive concept of hormesis, a phenomenon in which a small dose of an otherwise toxic substance can be helpful. Studies on plants and animals have documented it in alcohol, antibiotics, hydrocarbons and pesticides. Nevertheless, Prof. Spengler and many other scientists believe that exposure to a range of chemicals in the environment may be behind a host of emerging health problems in addition to those already well documented. "We're concerned about the growing rates of cancer in our society, the growing rates of autism," he says. "In most developed countries, asthma has grown substantially over the past 20 years, particularly in children" As for myself, Prof. Spengler says there's very little I can do to reduce the contamination that is already in my body. Aside from eating different types of fish to lower my mercury level, the PCBs and pesticides are there for the long haul while the solvents will continue to show up in my breath as long as I'm exposed to cars and trucks, which are kind of difficult to avoid. Prof. Spengler says the solution is targeting chemicals we don't want in our bodies in the first place. He points to PBDEs, which has been referred to as the "PCBs of the 21st century." Research commissioned by The Globe and Mail and CTV News found that many everyday foods consumed by Canadians -- such as salmon, ground beef, cheese and butter -- are laced with PBDEs. In Sweden, the flame retardants were banned after rising levels were noticed in the breast milk of women. "They said to the industry, 'We don't want them in our plastics. We don't what them in our materials' -- and they started to see the levels come down," Prof. Spengler says. "Now, you see the similar data out of North American women. . . . The levels are already 50 times higher in our populations and nobody is saying, 'Ban that product.' . . . So I think this really has to do with how we've come to judge what is beneficial to the population," he says. "[But] at what point do we invoke some precaution?" Mark Stevenson is an independent producer and a regular contributor to the Discovery Channel's Daily Planet. A version of this feature has aired on the show. MARK'S BODY Test results show low levels of 76 chemicals. Metals in blood* metal Normal levels (ppb): Mark's levels (ppb): Lead <100 19.13 Manganese 4.2-16.5 969 Cadmium <5 0.06 Mercury in hair EPA reference level: 1.0 ppm Mark's level: 0.411 ppm Arsenic in toenails Normal level: below 0.2 ppm Mark's level: 0.032 ppm Solvents in breath (nanogram/litre) solvent Mark MTBE 6.22** Hexane 2.71 Benzene 4.23 Toluene 4.05 Xylene 1.38 Pinene 4.30 Limonene 108.42*** Pesticides in blood Mark has 0.879 ppb of DDT (low to average) PCBs in blood Mark has 0.82 ppb (low to average) Lead content in bone Mark has 4.67 ppm (average) *Lead, cadmium and mercury are not considered "natural" elements in the body. Manganese, on the other hand, is an essential element at very trace amounts. **MTBE, a fuel additive to improve emissions, could have been inhaled in the United States where it is much more common than in Canada. ***The high limonene level could be attributed to orange juice or air freshener. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050305.wxtoxic05/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/?pageRequested=all |
Top |
| New! Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey March 17th Byelection Results (Unofficial) |
|
Candidate, Party, Percent, Votes
1. John Tory, Progressive Conservative, 56.3, 15610 2. Bob Duncanson, Liberal, 16.7, 4625 3. Lynda McDougall, NDP, 14.0, 3881 4. Frank de Jong, Green Party, 10.0, 2767 5. Paul Micelli, Family coalition, 1.7, 479 6. Bill Cook, Independent, 0.6, 163 7. Philip Bender, Ontario Libertarian, 0.5, 135 8. John C. Turmel, Independent, 0.3, 85 For more details, please visit http://www.electionsontario.on.ca/en/home_en.shtml |
Top |
8. Community Notices
| New! Pesticides Reduction Kingston (PRK) - Council Status |
|
Excerpted from latest PRK minutes
It was agreed that this mayor is clearly not interested in the pesticide issue or any other environmental issue. Councillor Beth Pater was contacted and indicated that the interim CAO has also indicated that there are no staff resources available for the pesticide issue. Evidently we need to get this issue back onto the agenda at City Hall. It was also explained to us that Council has changed the way that the public interacts with City Council. We can no longer make presentations to Council on request. Delegations can present to a series of Standing Committees that have spheres of responsibility. Action Item: Find out which committee is responsible for Environmental issues. Result: Councillor Pater was contacted by Nabil and indicated that the Environment division reports to the Planning and Services Committee, Councillor Foster serves on that committee. It was also proposed that we have two courses of action: i) we can attempt to try and change council`s mind vis a vis the prioritization of the fate of the pesticide reduction committee`s public consultations or ii) we can try to bypass consultations and persuade the city to go straight to a bylaw. There was much support at the meeting for option (ii). For more info, please contact Nabil nabil [*At Symbol*] prkingston.org |
Top |
| Nominations: Cataraqui Conservation Foundation Award |
|
Do you know anyone who has been doing environmental work, above and beyond the call of duty or as a volunteer, or an advocate for the Environment? Would you like to nominate them for the "Conversation Award"?
The Cataraqui Conservation Foundation is asking for nominations for their annual Conservation Award. This award is given in recognition of understanding and protection of the Cataraqui Conservation Region Authority watershed, (from Napanee to Brockville) through education, conservation, or advocacy. Those receiving the award must have volunteered and demonstrated a commitment in advancing conservation and ecological values. Anyone knowing a deserving person or group please look on the CRCA website for the nomination form or phone the CRCA at 546-4228, ext. 221. Nominations are due by April 15, 2004. From 1995 to 2002 this prestigious award was known as the Ecology Award. The first recipient of the Ecology Award was the late Helen Henrikson, whose advocacy and field work was a significant contribution to the protection of the valley lands in the Little Cataraqui Creek valley which flows through the heart of Kingston. Past winners of the award include: Ian Wilson, The Society for Conservation Biology, Larry York, Mrs. Jamieson’s grade 2 class at Storrington P.S., Michele Steenbakkers, Stephen Pitt, Anne Robertson, and Tom Huff. The award will be presented at the Outdoor Centre in the Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area on May 31, 2005. Cataraqui Conservation Foundation 1641 Perth Rd., P.O. Box 160 Glenburnie, ON, K0H 1S0 Phone: 613-546-4228 Fax: 613-547-6474 |
Top |
| Corporate Threat to Farmers |
|
The government is considering new legislation restricting the free use and exchange of seeds. This would make it illegal for farmers to save their own seeds! At this point, with the exception of some strains owned by Monsanto and others, seeds are considered "publicly owned" (i.e. not patented or privately owned). The National Farmers Union is collecting signatures on a petition to stop this insane development and to work towards a system of permanent publicly owned seeds.
Check out the website: http://www.seedsectorreview.com, come in to the OPIRG office and sign a petition, or contact Eric, a local organic farmer for more info: ericwilliams17 [*At Symbol*] hotmail.com |
Top |
| Volunteer - Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG)-Kingston |
|
Opportunities to join our Board of Directors
OPIRG is looking for new members of our board of directors for the coming year, starting at the end of March. The positions are open to everyone (you don't have to be a student; in fact, we encourage community members to join.) Please call, drop by the office, or email for an information package and application form. 533-3189 51 Bader Lane opirgkin [*At Symbol*] web.net |
Top |
| Join the Kingston Greens |
|
Free newsletter, articles, talks etc.
Get involved in community actions (for example: Lobbying Council for a Ban
on the Cosmetic use of Pesticides, Fighting Urban Development on
Conservation Land, Survey on Green Issues that affect Kingstonians, Election
Canvassing etc.). Green momentum is building in Kingston. Come out and help us bring a sustainable future to Kingston! Membership to Kingston Greens is free but we encourage membership to the Green Party of Ontario $20 and the Green Party of Canada ($10). Memberships taken out now run until Dec. 31st 2004. Remember: You can get up to 75% of your donation to the Kingston Greens back at tax time! The current government will help you subsidize the greening of their own non-Green policies! Give generously and you'll receive a generous dividend in return: a 75% tax credit and more progressive government. Please send your cheque made to: KINGSTON GREENS (please specify Provincial or Federal membership on your cheque. Unfortunately, separate cheques are required for each.) - P.O. Box 1691, Kingston ON, K7L 5J6 Please note: Only cheques for $30 or more will qualify for a tax credit. More info: 384-8504 or info1 [*At Symbol*] kingstongreens.ca |
Top |
9. Wanted!
| Your Input! Send Us Your Tips and Advice on Being Green |
|
We want to add a new section to the Kingston Greens website: A Practical Guide to Being Green. It's easy to talk the talk, which as a political organization, we do a lot of! But not as easy to walk the walk. So, if you have easy-to-achieve tips and advice on how to live a more environmentally conscious life please send them in. Hopefully in the next few weeks we will have a new website section that will help all Green supporters incorporate our values into their daily lives.
Please email thoughts and suggestions to webmaster [*At Symbol*] kingstongreens.ca. |
Top |
10. Local Organic Produce
| Kingston Organic Foodlink |
|
The Kingston Organic Foodlink is a one-stop resource for finding local, environmentally friendly, family-farmed food. It is organized by The Sleepless Goat Cafe and Workers' Co-op. The online brochure includes an easy-to-use map of the Kingston area clearly identifying where the food suppliers are located.
Many thanks to Aztext Electronic Publishing in Tamworth, the Foodlink's graphic designers, for making the brochure available to the Kingston Greens. They run their operation entirely from clean, green, renewable solar power ensuring minimal environmental impact (for more information: 613-379-3066). To view the online brochure click here (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing .pdf files). |
Top |