This week:

• Joanna Dafoe, a spokesperson for the Sierra Youth Coalition, speaks with correspondent Naomi Jehlicka about the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, an initiative targeting climate neutrality for North American Universities. Some Canadidan Universities have signed on to this initiative, and others – including the University of Toronto – are currently deciding whether they, too, should be involved with the agreement.
• Green Life correspondent Peter Stock browses the supermarket isles with Tegen Renner, a student at the University of Waterloo, while discussing her thesis project about organic labeling, consumer choices, and what it means to be “organic”.

The headlines in brief:

• British Colombia has joined California in a court challenge against the US Environmental Protection Agency over the dismissal of vehicle emission standards.
• The City of Toronto will be charging consumers five cents for every plastic bag used in grocery purchases; it will also be banning biodegradable bags.
• The province of Alberta is planning to clear cut large sections of forest outside of Banff park to combat the pine beetle epidemic.
• New studies released by a coalition of international researchers have revealed that global nature conservation standards as drastically inadequate.
• Approximately one third of China’s Yellow River has been declared as too polluted for industrial, agricultural, or domestic use.
• Global warming is predicted to cause a malaria epidemic in Australia and Pacific Islands.
• New studies show oceans are becoming increasingly acidic at a rate much faster than expected.

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This week:

Commuters have had something to smile about at the pumps in recent weeks, with gas prices slashed to nearly half of their pre-crash levels, but what does this mean for Canada’s alternative energy producers?

• We speak with Andreas Marouhos, Director of the University of Toronto’s Blue Sky Solar Racing team, about the coming fortunes of alternative energy in light of economic troubles, home uses of solar, and recent technological advances.
• Andreas recommends websites to help find companies that will install solar, government renewable energy grants, and alternative ways to cut your energy bills:
• Canadian Solar Industry Association
• ecoAction (Government of Canada)
• Office of Energy Efficiency (Department of Natural Resources)
• Andrew Nikiforuk, Calgary journalist and author of the new book Tar Sands, speaks with host Jordan Poppenk about the opportunities for debate about the project as well as the impact of crashing oil prices on the dirty side of energy production.

The headlines in brief:

• Environmental groups are calling for investment in sustainable energy technologies to stimulate economic growth.
• British Colombia fish farmers are seeking approval for massive expansions to offshore farms despite worries that current farms damage the local ecology.
• Ontario’s environment minister attended an international summit on climate change in California and has committed the province to the Western Climate Initiative.
• The Quebec town of Hampstead has banned woodstoves over pollution concerns.
• Three popular pesticides have been restricted in the US west coasts to protect populations of salmon.
• A new study shows that forests in the American west have been devastated by bark beetles.

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This week:

• Theological correspondent, Simon Watson, speaks with Rabbi Daniel Fink concerning Jewish perspectives on the environmental crisis.
• Bruce Rosensweet speaks with host Jordan Poppenk about how his group, Artscape, is reshaping a decommissioned TTC repair yard into an eco-paradise. Click here for details on the grand opening in Toronto this coming Thursday, November 20th.

The headlines in brief:

• Canada has abdicated its position as the leader of the UN Water Monitoring Program after thirty years.
• Himalayan glaciers may disappear by 2035 as a result of global warming.
• The Ontario Highway Transport Board has ruled that a popular ride sharing website is operating illegally by offering carpooling services for a fee.
• Concern for the safety of North American spruce trees has grown over the discovery of an invasive species that is now invading healthy spruce trees.
• A new feasibility study shows that the great lakes may have to be partitioned from the Missisipi River due to invasive species.
• Japan has emitted its highets levels of carbon dioxide this year.
• Experts warn that crashing world oil prices will have far reaching effects on the Canadian economy, and may have negative impacts on “green” innovation.
• Canada’s resource companies are turning to much more environmentally costly sources for resource extraction.
• Newly introduced tiny solar cells are portable and have the potential to be painted onto surfaces.
• Greenpeace is actively blocking palm oil ships from reaching Indonesia.
• Ontario now contains the two largest wind farm projects in Canada with the completion of the 200 megawatt Melanthon Ecopower Centre.
  

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This week:

• We run our very important fall fundraising drive. On the podcast version of the show, we present our national and international headlines with a rebroadcast lecture by Rex Wyler, co-founder of GreenPeace international. However, if you listen to the program regularly, please consider making a donation to help keep our community-funded resource on air, since CIUT depends on listener support both to run our facilities and to gauge interest in its programming. You can help by contributing any amount as low as $25 via this link.
• TGM team members Chris Berube, Daryn Caister, Katherine Brown, Simon Watson, Letitia Henville and Kevin Farmer join host Jordan Poppenk to discuss the program and why it’s worth supporting. We are also joined by Riversides spokesperson JP Warren.

You can download the show here (right click, save as…), or listen in the player ** Note: player will close if you surf away from the page**

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