–Conservatives continue to be the leading cause of global warming.

–Crazy to think that we are having this much effect on the climate. Crazy to think that we, as a society, still have not done anything to fix the problem.

–It strikes me that politics at the municipal level in the US is rather different than at the federal level. Good move by the mayors.

–More about the Liberal’s “green” flat-tax scheme.

–Duncan Cameron sets the record straight. The market cannot help us here, we must take the polluters and emitters on as a society.

The most obvious problem with the Green Shift proposed by Stéphane Dion is that the Liberal party plan will not reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly, if at all. The hidden assumption is that if the new carbon tax works, it will reduce the revenues available to the federal government (i.e. for needed investments in green energy). The biggest shortcoming is that the Liberal Green Shift relies on market pricing to fix a massive market failure that threatens the extinction of the planet.

–It is about time the BBC ran a headline like this. Of-course, this is not an indepth analysis by the BBC, it is a report on Oxfam. Food prices do not have to rise that much to force millions into poverty — or worse. For Lula to claim that it only increases food prices 3% is insulting and narrow-minded. There may be a way to produce fuel from algae, but that technology is not the answer to our problems right now as it will be years before we can use it. We must have a plan for implementing currently available technology to reduce emissions and it must be done in a planned and regulated way for it to actually reduce emissions significantly.

–The oil companies and others that ran an extremely well funded campaign to try to convince people that there is no such thing as climate change for their own profit margin should be treated as criminals.

–Great news for all those that care about the wheat farmer. Independent farmers need the Wheat Board if they are going to survive in the face of the monopolies of the Agro-Corps.

–When the price of something is balanced in the markets by, on one hand, the price of an unrelated fuel and, on the other hand, safety concerns, then we should be very skeptical of its long-term prospects as an area of State investment. We should not look at it at all in my opinion as only the poorest places seem to produce it and only the richest places (with lots of subsidies) seem to be able to keep the reactors going. Long-term investment strategies must focus primarily on “renewables” and efficiency of hybrid central/de-centralized energy production.

–A look at Monsanto.

–It is even more regressive than I thought it would be. How can they possibly pretend that this is not just a give-a-way to the most wealthy Canadians?

“Puts you in control of the amount of tax you pay” — what kind of statement is that? So, if I buy lots of “green” consumer products, I don’t have to pay taxes, or if I have money to invest in “green” solutions” I don’t have to pay income taxes? Where’s the connection between income tax and consumption? Doesn’t putting more money in the pockets of the most wealthy result in increased consumption of goods (green or not)? What kind of solution is that to the global climate crisis?

“A Green Tax Shift will provide a Carbon Tax Holiday by allowing income taxes and payroll taxes to be reduced, income supplements to low income Canadians to be increased, student loans to be cut in half…” — Exactly how will student loans be cut in half if the tax is revenue neutral? It is a move away from progressive taxation and towards a flat-tax on income — and all of it is revenue neutral which means poorer Canadians pay more. Poorer Canadians also end up paying more of their income on regular consumer goods because business will pass down the consumption tax onto the consumer. There is no solution here and it puts an unnecessary economic burden people who have not contributed to the crisis.

“Ms. May said the Green Party’s costing exercise shows how different types of families in Canada will be affected by a carbon tax. For instance, an urban, upper-middle-class family in Ontario would pay 1.2 per cent less income toward taxes while a low-income, rural senior would save 9.2 per cent every year.” –This is on income, but they will be spending more on gas, electricity, and every major commodity. Taken together, they are flat or even regressive tax figures. The Fraser Institute will be pleased.

It is the same criticism I have of the Liberal Party’s “green-tax the poor” plan — only more so. Makes me so mad that the “green” brand has been taken over by this group of neo-liberal opportunists.

–Complete and utter outrage. Just in case you forgot what to feel. We continue to deal with an economic system that cannot deal with the realities of the material world. If we allow these multinationals to pollute our environment so they can dig for profits then we truly have not learned from the massive environmental crisis that we are dealing with right now. It makes no sense; we must be mad.

–Yep, it is all about the environment — unless it costs oil companies profit.

–Environmentalists need some educating around economics and the realities of class. Workers and community environmental activists must work together against those that treat human life and the environment as “externalities”.

–Oh, the hypocrisy.

–Neo-liberals love flat taxes and tolls. They will use any excuse to implement them and their favorite reason now is the environment. There is nothing different about the solutions to the environmental question that requires a shift from progressive taxation to regressive user-fees and flat-taxes. We must not let these economic reforms pass because we want green solutions. The rich have benefited from the economy treating the environment as an externality, they should be paying for the consequences.

–Right. Sure. That will fix it. If there is more, it will be cheaper. Simple. Easy. Stupid.

–There is no question that the people of the world are being affected by the use of land for bio-fuel production. Castro is correct yet again.

–For those that heard the crap that passes as news on CBC radio this morning on the food crisis and how we should question the use of organics, I give you the actual Agricultural Report. In addition, searching Leftnews will give you a slew of reports, studies, and political economic analyses from the UN that show that genetically modified, monoculture crops, and the “Green Revolution” powered by cheap oil and fertilizer are the real culprits of the food crisis. The data is in for the academic community and those that engage in economic analysis, it is about time that the CBC news department starts listening to the facts instead of Agro Industry lobbyists.

“Obama’s speech translate into a formula of hunger for the nation (Cuba), the remittances like alms and the visits to Cuba as propaganda for consumerism and the unsustainable lifestyle that he sustains.”

–The large energy-intensive firms (like Google) are looking to cheaper ways to produce energy. The problem is that with private capital investing in these development projects the goal is not going to be the greenest energy solutions, but will be the cheapest energy solutions. We are seeing the results of profit driven energy solutions with global warming. This is not a way to ensure proper growth in sustainable energy production.

Environmental groups from across the province are marking Canadian National Mining Week by joining forces in calling for an immediate ban on uranium exploration and mining in New Brunswick.

TONIGHT IN FREDERICTON!

Uranium Mining in New Brunswick?
A Public Information Session
7:00 PM, Wednesday, May 14
McCain Auditorium, Margaret Norrie McCain Hall, St. Thomas University

Did you that thousands of uranium claims have been staked, many in areas surrounding Fredericton?

Public information session featuring speakers on landowner rights and the N.B. Mining Act, the hazards of uranium mining to the environment and human health, and community opposition.

Organized by the Fredericton Chapter of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick

For more info, call Tracy at: 458-8747, forest@conservationcouncil.ca

–There’s a novel idea. It won’t work in the long run but might give some support to alternative models for food production.

–This is a timely article given that even the head of the development bank says that “greed” is behind food price increases. What, greed? I thought greed was good in capitalism. I am so confused.

Women in regions with the highest incidence rate of all types of cancer do not have the highest smoking, obesity or alcohol consumption rates. So what’s missing in the equation? We know little about the extent to which environmental hazards – industrial emissions, pesticide use, etc. - contribute to disease. The Conservation Council of N.B. has called for the provincial Wellness Action Plan to address potential environmental factors.

Rates per 100,000 population, women, N.B., 1998-2003
Overall rate of cancer, highest: Saint John/St. Stephen, 383 /100,000 (lowest: Bathurst/Caraquet, 319).
Breast cancer, highest: Fredericton/Woodstock, 108 (lowest: Campbellton/Belledune, 87).
Brain, highest: Moncton/Richiboucto, 7 (lowest: Campbellton/Belledune, 3).
Leukemia, highest: Moncton/Richibucto, 9 (lowest: Miramichi/Doaktown, 4).
Lymphoid, highest: Moncton/Richibucto, 24 (lowest: Madawaska/Edmundston, 20).
Colorectal, highest: Moncton/Richibucto, 48 (lowest: Campbellton/Belledune, 36).
Squamous (skin), highest: Saint John/St. Stephen, 34 (lowest: Bathurst/Caraquet, 11).
Basal (skin), highest: Saint John/St.Stephen, 115 (lowest: Madawaska/Edmundston, 54).
Lung, highest: Saint John/St. Stephen, 59 (lowest: Madawaska/Edmundston, 41).
Pancreas, highest: Miramichi/Doaktown, 14 (lowest: Fredericton/Woodstock, 8).

Highest smoking, obesity and alcohol consumption rates, women:
Alcohol consumption: highest rate, Bathurst/Caraquet, 36% (Saint John/St. Stephen: 24%, Moncton/Richibucto: 31%; Fredericton/Woodstock, 28%).
Obesity: highest rate, Miramichi/Doaktown, 28% (Saint John/St. Stephen: 24%, Moncton/Richibucto: 22%; Fredericton/Woodstock, 24%).
Smoking: highest rate, Madawaska/Edmundston, 23% (Saint John/St. Stephen: 21%, Moncton/Richibucto: 20%; Fredericton/Woodstock, 20%)

- From Age-standardized incidence rates per 100,000 population, women, N.B., 1998-2003 and Selected Cancer Risk Factors 2005, compiled by Conservation Council of N.B. with data from N.B. Department of Health & Statistics Canada. For more on cancers and environmental factors, see Health Watch at www.conservationcouncil.ca/Health-Watch/

–Chavez said it, Ian Angus explains what he meant.

–The manipulation of research by those that have a political agenda. The Tories continue to have a lot to answer for in their desperate attempts to undermine the Kyoto climate agreement by funding junk science. The horrible thing is that this is becoming a trend in the world of right-wing governments, thinktanks, and capitalist ideologues.

–Some rather sound resolutions for activists fighting for a just solution to the climate crisis.

–It is the system that is causing all these problems.

–Too bad that Mother Earth relies on the people to fight for change.