Today we explore the world of Junk Science. Though to get there we might have to do a little “Data Dredging” and “Preception Manipulation”.

Trent University professor Stephen Bocking reviewed four junk science expose books in his recent Alternatives Journal article “Skewing Science: Four new books expose how government and industry manipulate science to fit their needs.” Bocking defines “Data dredging” as “Conducting a study, then shuffling the numbers until desired results appear”.

Sound outrageous? It shouldn’t. In his two-part interview with Bocking Peter Stock discovers that these are all too common tactics employed by climate crisis deniers, profit driven corporations, and their on-the-take junk scientists.

Booklist

Diagnosis: Mercury: Money, Politics and Poison, Jane M. Hightower, Washington, DC: Island Press, 2008, 326 pages.

The Secret History of the War on Cancer, Devra Davis, New York: Basic Books, 2007, 560 pages.

Bending Science: How Special Interests Corrupt Public Health Research, Thomas O. McGarity and Wendy E. Wagner, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2008, 400 pages.

Doubt is Their Product: How Industry’s Assault on Science Threatens Your Health, David Michaels, New York: Oxford University Press, 2008, 384 pages.

Zero Waste Simcoe is an environmental group, working to bring the benefits of Zero Waste to Simcoe County. With more than 200 members from across the County, Zero Waste Simcoe is dedicated to making Simcoe County a Zero Waste jurisdiction. Gord McKay, Chair of ZWS speaks about his organization.

Reporter Peter Stock speaks with Terris Lutter of Foodforethought.net about a New York Times Op Ed about the controversial changes to the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulations regarding biofuels.

Dylan Jervis speaks with Alex Wood, Senior Director for Policy and Markets at Sustainable Prosperity, to clarify much bandied terms such as “carbon tax” and “Cap and Trade”

On January 31st 2010 Toronto was the first city in North America to put into practice a Green roof bylaw along with a new grant incentive program. The term ‘green roof’ seems to be gaining currency. Professional living roof systems designer Kelven Goodridge gives first-time TGM correspondent Donna Valkis a novice introduction of the technologies for greening our own homes and city, and asks us to consider the broader cultural
ramifications of the changing Canadian policies around living architecture.

To find out how to eat locally during the cold winter months, environmental law and policy correspondent Naomi Jehlicka takes a break from talking politics to speak with Dan Donovan – a founding member of Ontario’s Own, a company that aims to deliver innovative, great tasting Ontario food products all year round. To learn more about this exciting organization, as well as discover where to find find their locally sourced goodies, visit them at ontariofoodcompany.com.

Award-winning director/producer Donna Zuckerbrot of Reel Time Images talks about her latest documentary, My Nuclear Neighbour, which follows two Alberta women traveling to Kincardine, Ontario to discover what it means to have a nuclear plan in their backyard. The documentary airs Thursday, February 11 at 8 pm on CBC’s The Nature of Things with David Suzuki.