Karen Jones. PC Repository. First-hand York: Sep 20, 2005.Vol.24, Iss. 16; pg. 21

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Created by Australian design firm Buro North in partnership with the Victorian Eco-Invention Lab, it flaunts a super cool design, unlike the old school drab solar panels. With it’s organic, natural sloping structure, the pattern across the top looks like the veins of a leaf waiting to collect solar energy for photosynthesis.

The VEILs are designed for schoolyards where they have a practical benefit of shading tykes from the hot sun and are partially funded by the Australian government.

The base of the leaf shows which positions are most suitable for maximum energy consumptions at different times of the day and underneath the canopy, the LED feedback system shows whether the shades are getting enough sunlight. It blinks in green when the VEILS are happy eating enough sunlight, and blink Red when they need to be re-positioned. Moreover, they are lightweight so kids can relocate the VEILs.

Source

Special issue of Politique Africaine

"Governing the Sea"

Political Policies and Local Dynamics In the Management of Ocean as well as Coastal Resources and Spaces in Africa

Both the ability to govern and political realms more broadly are typically considered in terms of how territories are organized.Ê In this setting, and in particular where different types of sovereignty are being compared, how land is dealt with is most often what is looked at. What happens when the subject is the sea? The ocean, we know, is a locus where complex issues of power are played out; the sea, like the land, is structured by logics of sovereignty. Does governmentality where the sea is concerned have its own specificity or is it similar to what one encounters on land? This issue of Politique africaine proposes to analyze shifts in practice and political approach over time regarding the sea and adjoining coastal areas in Africa.Ê In so doing, it will consider multiple ways in which resources are used (or not), and the means deployed to do so, whether the goal is purely utilitarian or involves the protection of given spaces as heritage sites. The issue will focus, in particular, on "takes" and stakes brought to the table by new actors and the changes that these "takes" and stakes have wrought.Ê Political and social deals associated with such changes will be a subject of considerable attention as well.

The sea, in Africa, has emerged as a space of competition - competition for the resources it harbors. Off-shore zones, where such competition is rife, tend to come to the fore as particularly complex sites of conflict, for there is little in the way of national law on which opposing parties can rely to resolve disputes and because international law is only coming to grips with such matters in a very progressive manner. Exclusive economic enclaves associated with given countries are also loci where competition thrives, for there too there is much to be gained in taking possession of resources, be they mineral or renewable (eg. halieutic stocks). Coastal and maritime spaces are of great interest, economically, in terms of who controls them, how they are developed and, as a result of such development, how and to what extent their value increases.Ê This has resulted in an acceleration, at times spectacular, of population movements towards these spaces. Movements of this kind are, in turn, intimately linked to processes of urbanization.Ê As one might expect, they have a significant impact on the development of fishing and, on a broader scale, on the development of halieutic networks. They are also associated with an explosion in tourism-related (and, more generally, recreational) economic activity.

On an international level, the sea, today, is considered to be a public entity.Ê As a result, its governance is global. The impact on Africa of historical processes that led to this state of affairs requires close consideration.Ê The same is true of contemporary political stakes resulting from these processes. In this latter regard, particular attention needs be directed at the geopolitical dimensions of access to the continent's resources. One might fruitfully focus, here, on the political stakes of sustainable coastal and maritime resource management and on how shorelines and the ocean can be, or are being, re-thought as protected and/or heritage sites. An examination of these and related issues would shed useful light on emerging multilateral and national approaches to the Integrated coastal zone management.Ê In this setting, one might consider regulation processes and/or processes developed in order to incite the elaboration of new norms and foster innovative institutional and social arrangements.

In spite of attempts to impose forms of global governance on the ocean and despite growing interest in its status as a worldwide heritage site, the planet's seas remain in many ways lawless (or, in any event, extra-legal) sites. It would prove of considerable interest to examine this state of affairs as regards Africa specifically. In-depth analysis of the following themes would be most useful to an understanding of the complex issues at stake: the entanglement of judicial/institutional means available - or not - to address emerging problems and disputes; state systems one can scarce look to for conflict resolution because they are falling apart; lack of funds and control mechanisms; developments to which the foregoing give rise, from international piracy to the traffic in illicit goods; the effects of such illegal activity. Submissions on these and related matters might focus on links between instances of piracy and specific conflicts (in the Niger Delta or the Horn of Africa, for example) or on forms of contraband (new maritime routes developed for the transshipment of cocaine via GuinŽe Bissau; means put in place to smuggle immigrants into Europe or the Gulf StatesŠ). How such trade/routes intersect with the power of given states should be explored as well. As regards the foregoing, it is worth underscoring the role played by increasingly common politics of privatization, as well as the worldwide boom in container traffic:Ê what, one might ask, are the consequences of these developments on the political economy of ports across the African continent?

Competition for halieutic resources takes place on a range of different levels, or scales, from the local to the international and many actors are involved (migrants, residents, locals, autochtonous ÊÊand allogenous peoples, small-time fishermen, industrial concerns, etc.). The nature of conflicts opposing international industrial fisheries and artisanal ones is well known.Ê Significantly less is known about processes, underway as we speak, whereby the maritime sphere is being "colonized" by groups of smalltime fisher(ie)s. This issue of the journal would be enriched by papers highlighting such dynamics of appropriation and the power relations that underlie these (among fishermen themselves and between fishermen and political and market-based institutions). Submissions would be welcome also on the political economy of agreements defining who has the right to fish where; papers on this topic would be all the more relevant as such agreements are in the process of being redefined in the context of new EU/ACP accords and in the face of international competition.Ê One could analyze public politics focusing on the elaboration of such agreements in the context of negotiations taking place with and among different types of international actors (formal negotiations among states or regional blocks; informal negotiations of a bilateral nature, or between states and private actors).Ê

The matter of coastal regions as heritage sites is emerging with increasing force across the continent. What manner of political dynamics might one argue are at play in this setting - in a wide range of demands being formulated, from the need (or the right) to create sanctuaries of various kinds (for the protection of animal species and habitats) to the valorization of sites in order to attract tourists? What impact do such dynamics have on redistributions of power at the national and at the local level? Redistributions of this kind are a result, in part, of projects seeking to enhance the recreational value of the sea and/or the coast; such projects give rise to spatial and social reconfigurations. Papers on these and related issues would be welcome. Such papers might consider a host of new parks now being created or planned on the continent and how these relate to the entrepreneurial spirit of emergent ecotourism concerns.

As the subject matters and ideas outlined above suggest, throughout this issue of the journal we will be querying: the nature of public policies aimed at controlling the maritime sphere; the increasing privatization of spaces and resources associated with the ocean; and the instrumentalization of related sites and issues by conservation NGOs. Our purpose in so doing shall be to analyze the political stakes represented by the maritime sphere today. We are aware that politics, in this as in other settings, are linked to given territories - in this instance the sea; at the same time, we recognize and wish to underline the fact that politics are also a matter of identit(ies) projected onto given objects - here again, onto the sea. With this in mind, we will grant pride of place to approaches highlighting social experiences of the maritime sphere - studies looking, for example, at how forms of mobility are constructed (eg. migration by way of the ocean; multi-local relationships between groups of fishermen). The dynamics of heritage-site development fall into this category of the lived experience as well. As a space characterized by "loose" forms of sovereignty, the sea is also the locus par excellence of mystic forces; we are keenly interested in papers addressing actions and subjectivities resulting from this state of affairs.

Paper proposals should be sent by June 30 2008 to the coordinators of this issue of the journal:Ê Marie-Christine Cormier-Salem (cormier@mnhn.fr) and Tarik Dahou (tarik.dahou@ird.fr). First drafts of the completed papers are due by late December 2008 and will be discussed in a workshop organized to this effect in 2009, in preparation for publication soon thereafter.
Tarik DAHOU (socio-anthropologue)
IRD (UR 200) / EHESS (CEAf)
01 40 79 56 22 / 06 28 53 36 34
Adresse postale :
MNHN HNS
USM 102 case postale 26
57 rue Cuvier
75231 Paris cedex 5

 I ran across this project one time before and it just didn't set in. Think for a minute how many of those bottles you have seemlessly thrown away. They will never go away...they must accumulate somewhere. Buy a filter, drink water from a glass....you may not think your little change helps, but we all add up. Open your eyes for a minute and do your part.

To get a better grasp check out the whole project HERE and see what Chris Jordan can show you.

The Governor together with other provincial officers and villagers led the barricade last Wednesday in the mining site following its failure to reach an agreement with the provincial government on the payment of local taxes.

"Gov. Cuaresma by now has learned how foreign mining companies used treachery and false promises to be allowed in our mineral lands and communities. Evasion of taxes, violations of local laws, and ignoring local government authorities are just some of the violations of mining companies that we documented in the priority mining projects of the Arroyo government," added Bautista

Described to be the Cagayan Valley's first large-scale mining project, the Didipio gold-copper project of New Zealand-owned Oceana Gold is expected to begin its mining operation in 2009 and produce about 120,000 ounces of gold and 15,000 tonnes of concentrate in the first 10 years of operation.

"The provincial government and the people of Nueva Vizcaya may experience what happened to Bicolanos with the Lafayette Mining Project, the government flagship mining project, in Albay province. Lafayette operated in the area amidst strong opposition from the local communities and without social acceptability. Lafayette was able to get exemptions from local taxes in just three years of mining operation. Lafayette was able to extract minerals in the island at estimated worth of Php3.6 billion. In return, the Philippine government just got a measly 0.999% of this amount from the Australian-owned mining company. We think Gov. Cuaresma is witnessing the same kind of scheme with Oceana Gold", Bautista said.

"We asked Gov. Cuaresma to continue her battle for the people of Kasibu and against the mining plunder in her province. The issue of Ocean Gold mining is beyond the issue of taxation but more so, it is an issue of environmental protection, indigenous people's rights, human dignity, and national patrimony. She can join other provincial officials of Capiz, Marinduque, Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Mindoro Oriental and North Cotabato who went against the mining project of the national government and declare large-scale mining moratorium in their areas", cited Ester Perez De Tagle, Spokesperson of Defend Patrimony. Defend Patrimony is a multi sectoral alliance opposing mining liberalization policy and projects of the government.

Allan Barnacha, Spokesperson for the local alliance Save the Valley Serve the People Movement in Nueva Vizcaya, said that allowing large-scale mining in Didipio and in surrounding areas would result in ecological devastation since Nueva Vizcaya has established itself as the major producer of both tropical and temperate vegetables in Region 2 and currently derives revenues from vegetables and fruit orchads, especially from citrus fruits.

"We don't see how the mining projects by Oceana in Nueva Vizcaya can possibly translate to a better life for the people. It is only the mineral ores which the foreign mining firms will be extracting from the land and exporting to their own respective countries to be processed and sold back to developing countries. They will not be developing local downstream industries to process these ores and ensure that Filipinos will be benefiting directly from the mineral wealth of the province," added Barnacha

"Our experiences show that the only revenues that we will be getting from these foreign mining firms are from taxes which are subject to many exemptions under the current mining law--and a trickle of local jobs. These will all stop when the mine ceases to operate after a few years. In the end, our people will be left with toxic waste, devastated environment which can no longer be of use for long-term domestic agricultural production.

About The Author Stacy Andell is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more on San Francisco schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/California/San-Francisco/index.html

1. Pico del Teide?
2. Mauna Loa?
3. Mount Vesuvius?
4. Mount Rainier?
5. Taal?
6. Thera?

Volcanoes

A volcano is an opening in a planet's crust that allows ash, gases and molten rock to escape from below the surface.

Volcanoes are generally found where tectonic plates converge or divrge. A mid-oceanic ridge, for example the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, has examples of volcanoes caused by "divergent tectonic plates" pulling apart; the Pacific Ring of Fire has examples of volcanoes caused by "convergent tectonic plates" coming together.

Author:MesserWoland via Wikimedia Commons.This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike license versions 2.5, 2.0, and 1.0

Cross-section through a stratovolcano:

1. Large magma chamber ◊ 2. Bedrock ◊ 3. Conduit (pipe) ◊ 4. Base ◊ 5. Sill ◊ 6. Branch pipe ◊ 7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano ◊ 8. Flank ◊ 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano ◊ 10. Throat ◊ 11. Parasitic cone ◊ 12. Lava flow ◊ 13. Vent ◊ 14. Crater ◊ 15. Ash cloud

Eruption Types

There are many different kinds of volcanic activity and eruptions: phreatic eruptions (steam-generated eruptions), explosive eruption of high-silica lava (e.g., rhyolite), effusive eruption of low-silica lava (e.g., basalt), pyroclastic flows, lahars (debris flow) and carbon dioxide emission. All of these activities can pose a hazard to humans. Earthquakes, hot springs, fumaroles, mud pots and geysers often accompany volcanic activity. (Source)

Image by USGS

The concentrations of different volcanic gases can vary considerably from one volcano to the next. Water vapor is typically the most abundant volcanic gas, followed by carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Other principal volcanic gases include hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen chloride, and hydrogen fluoride. A large number of minor and trace gases are also found in volcanic emissions, for example hydrogen, carbon monoxide, halocarbons, organic compounds, and volatile metal chlorides.

Large, explosive volcanic eruptions inject water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), hydrogen chloride (HCl), hydrogen fluoride (HF) and ash (pulverized rock and pumice) into the stratosphere to heights of 16–32 kilometres (10–20 mi) above the Earth's surface. (Source)

Decade Volcanoes

The Decade Volcanoes are 16 volcanoes identified by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI) as being worthy of particular study in light of their history of large, destructive eruptions and proximity to populated areas. The Decade Volcanoes project encourages studies and public-awareness activities at these volcanoes, with the aim of achieving a better understanding of the volcanoes and the dangers they present, and thus being able to reduce the severity of natural disasters. They are named Decade Volcanoes because the project was initiated as part of the United Nations sponsored International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. (Source)

The 16 current Decade Volcanoes

Avachinsky-Koryaksky, Kamchatka, Russia Colima, Jalisco and Colima, Mexico Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy Galeras, Nariño, Colombia Mauna Loa, Hawaii, USA Mount Merapi, Central Java, Indonesia Mount Nyiragongo, Democratic Republic of Congo Mount Rainier, Washington, USA

Sakurajima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan Santamaria/Santiaguito, Guatemala Santorini, Cyclades, Greece Taal Volcano, Luzon, Philippines Teide, Canary Islands, Spain Ulawun, New Britain, Papua New Guinea Mount Unzen, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan Vesuvius, Naples, Italy

Mount St. Helens shortly after the eruption of May 18, 1980

A large eruption at Mount Etna, photographed from the International Space Station

Mount Etna, Sicily . Last Eruption 2007. [Photo Credit: Josep Renalias, via Wikimedia commons]
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5

Koryaksky Volcano seen in the background. Last Eruption: 1957. GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version. See file detail.

Cleveland Volcano in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska photographed from the International Space Station.

Mount Nyiragongo volcano, Virunga Mountains, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [The main crater is 250 m deep, 2 km wide and sometimes contains a lava lake. Nyiragongo and nearby Nyamuragira are together responsible for 40% of Africa's historical volcanic eruptions. (Source: USGS) Last Eruption: 2008 (continuing)

The three summits of Mount Rainier: Liberty Cap, Columbia Crest, and Point Success [Last Eruption 1854]

The snow-capped summit of Pico del Teide in December 2004 - Active but dormant volcano, Tenerife, Canary Islands. Last eruption 1909. Photo: M. D. Hill. This work is licensed under the Creative CommonsAttribution 2.5 License.

An aerial photo of Vesuvius. last Eruption 1944 [Author: Pastorius? Via Wikimedia Commons. ] This file is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License

Taal Volcano seen from across Taal Lake on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Last Eruption: 1977.

Satellite image of Thera, November 21, 2000. The Minoan caldera is at the lower part of the image and formed in the Minoan eruption 1630 and 1600 BCE. The whole caldera is formed of three overlapping calderas.

The Minoan eruption of Thera, also referred to as the Thera eruption or Santorini eruption, was a major catastrophic volcanic eruption (VEI = 6, DRE = 60 km3) which is estimated to have occurred in the mid second millennium BCE. The eruption was one of the largest volcanic events on Earth in recorded history. The eruption destroyed most of the island of Thera, including the Minoan settlement at Akrotiri as well as communities and agricultural areas on nearby islands and on the coast of Crete. The eruption contributed to the collapse of the Minoan culture.

The eruption caused significant climatic changes in the eastern Mediterranean region, Aegean Sea and much of the Northern Hemisphere. There is also evidence that the eruption caused failure of crops in China, inspired certain Greek myths, contributed to turmoil in Egypt, and influenced many of the biblical Exodus stories. It has been theorized that the Minoan eruption and the destruction of the city at Akrotiri provided the basis for or otherwise inspired Plato's story of Atlantis. (Source)

Volcanic craters on Santorini. This file is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License [ photo: Rolfsteinar, via Wikimedia Commons]

(h/t Richard Dawkins)

Richard Dawkins gave a talk at the "New Scientist & Greenpeace Science debates" where he examines what is "natural."  In it, he explains the "natural" thing for the human species to do is wreck the planet.  It is "natural" for us, as one species in nature, to maximize our short-term prospects, to be greedy.  This selfishness combined with our unprecedented success now puts us at odds with some of the ecosystems on which we depend.  These ecosystems are straining under the pressure we have inflicted either intentionally or unintentionally in pursuit of our immediate needs.

Dawkins believes the human species is uniquely poised to meet this challenge between short-term greed and continuing prosperity.  The giant brain which has been such a boon to our immediate success as a species can be applied to issues surrounding our long-term survival.  As Dawkins states, this is anything but a natural prospect.  In fact, it means setting aside short-term impulses in exchange for long-term goals.  Dawkins believes we have the capacity for such action and I agree.  The only question is if we have the collective will to carry it out.  The simple answer is: we'd better, but reality will be the ultimate judge.

Some freshly washed toys catching some rays on the "solar-powered dryer" :)

You can see more Wordless Wednesdays at WW HQ and 5 Minutes for Mom, enjoy!

• san francisco:
  • gavin newsom's plan for recycling
  • bart
  • dense construction after the 1906 earthquake*
• portland
  • the bike box
  • fresh, more comprehensive bike friendly list
  • max light rail linked to the portland streetcar
  • the charter of the new urbanism**
• seattle
  • bike master plan (pdf)
  • central link rail** (light rail master plan.pdf)

  *�i hope the same philosophy is pursued in the reconstruction of new orleans.

  **whereas living locally has become trendy in the past few years, new urbanists have worked to promote sustainable, pedestrian-friendly development. the charter of the new urbanism, the central document of this movement, champions portland's development.

  ***the university link has been approved for construction to travel east from the westlake center to broadway-note the closing of jack in the box and vivace on broadway near cal andersen park-and north to the university district near husky stadium. construction is to begin at the end of this year, 2008, and finish in 2016.

environmental foresight in portland is particularly impressive given that it is the smallest. ranked by metro population*:metro population-city population-urban density (person/sq mi)

1. los angeles (12,875,587-3,849,378-8,205)
2. san francisco (7,264,887-764,976-15,834)
3. seattle (3,919,624-582,174-6,901)
4. portland (2,337,565-568,380-4,200)

*i include los angeles here but not above to emphasize the loss of that city permanently to the hegemony of car culture.

i would like to conclude with a rumination highlighted on portland gentrification lifted from a comment on bikeportland on the american situation that has brought upon this stubborn system that creates so much hatred for the.

I would argue that people drive so much because they are compelled to do so: the entire

urban environment was constructed to make it the main form of transportation, plus�

public transportation in this country was purposefuly made inefficient and shitty in�

order to boost the number of cars and the profit of those who make it....I believe this

idea of personal choice and freedom, when applied to such scenarios, simply reflect�

certain MYTHS spread out in this country - the myths of democracy and the idea of�

freedom, which, in practice is no more than freedom of consumption - which is no�

freedom at all since the choices are actually put out by the powers to be.

many chinese counter western claims to impartiality by insisting that we are censored by money. every politician is this rich. do be effectual financial privilege

TOKYO (AP) - The world's top industrialized countries should develop environmentally friendly workplaces and help workers move to nonpolluting industries, their labor ministers said Tuesday.

The ministers from the Group of Eight industrialized nations set environmental protection as a top priority after meeting with international trade union and business groups in Niigata on Japan's northwestern coast.

"Sustainable society is based on the three independent and mutually reinforcing pillars of economic development, social development and environmental protection," the ministers said in a joint statement

The countries - the United States, Russia, Canada, France, Japan, Germany, Britain and Italy - also pledged to address income disparities, strengthen labor markets and create conditions for economic growth.

Other than saying they wanted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the G-8 ministers really didn't give us many ideas to work with.

What we could do at my work place: encourage employees to take the train or bus; recycle paper from the copier and printers, recycle bottles and cans in the break room, use more energy efficient lighting...

What I am doing: driving my economical car to work 1.75 miles from my home, learning to bicycle so I can ride to work some days, no longer using disposable dishes, cups, and flatware, and considering - just considering at this point - walking to the grocery store

Wow, I'm glad they had that summit in Tokyo to help us all figure it out!

British Columbia Ombudsman

Kim Carter

Dear Kim,

I would like to bring to your attention what we believe is a fundamental unfairness in the Environmental Application process for the South Fraser Perimeter Road.

The E.A. for the S.F.P.R has been conducted with misleading and erroneous information thereby preventing the public and working groups from identifying and commenting on the actual environmental impacts.

The public was given 60 days to read, review, and respond to 3,500 pages of documentation, much of which was false or misleading and the open houses were held in the first two weeks.

People didn’t get much of a chance to review the application documents before bringing their questions to the “experts’ that, for the most part, only directed people back to review the application documents on the website for answers.

The information on the e-PIC webpage is not only difficult to find and navigate, but is incorrect, contradictory, confusing and misleading. In fact several documents that the public were referred to were never posted. Despite many of these discrepancies being pointed out, much of the errata did not get posted on the website as we were told.

We have brought this matter up with the E.A.O. and Environment Minister Penner and have not received a response from either of them. Minister Falcon responded that this is a matter for the Environmental Assessment Office to deal with, but did not comment on the false and misleading statements that have come from his ministry and reports.

The Environmental Assessment Process listed on the E.A.O. webpage states that…

"The assessment process is also needed to ensure that the issues and concerns of the public, First Nations, interested stakeholders and government agencies are considered.

"In general, the environmental assessment includes four main elements:

1. opportunities for all interested parties, including First Nations and neighbouring jurisdictions, to identify issues and provide input;
2. technical studies of the relevant environmental, social, economic, heritage and health effects of the proposed project;
3. identification of ways to prevent or minimize undesirable effects and enhance desirable effects; and
4. consideration of the input of all interested parties in compiling the assessment findings and making recommendations about project acceptability."

As a fundamental part of that process is the need for the public, First Nations, interested stakeholders, neighbouring jurisdictions and Government Agencies to be commenting on accurate information in the Certificates text and maps or the whole process is in question.

As B.C.s ‘Independent voice for fairness’, we are asking that you investigate this issue for the citizens of British Columbia.

Please review the attached document and represent the citizens of British Columbia by ensuring that a fair environmental process is followed for the SFPR.

Sincerely,

Don Hunt
Sunbury Neighbourhood Association

And Donna added

Good for you for trying but asking the ombudsman’s office to exercise any control over the unethical actions of the Campbell government is akin to asking the Environmental Assessment Office to minimize damage to the environment.

But I suspect you know that and go through the motions anyway on the remote chance that somebody will finally stand up to Campbell while there is any nature, community, fish habitat, air quality, etc. left to protect in the south Fraser.

In that same spirit of persistence, I add the support of the entire Gateway 40 Citizens Network and add to your assertions the absurdity of having an environmental assessment process finalized when the public has not even been given the final route of this proposed road, when we have still not been told how sacred first nations sites will be affected.

And through this “harmonized” environmental assessment process, Gordon Campbell is making the federal government complicit in robbing the public of any expectation of an environmental assessment process with integrity. Shame on Stephen Harper for allowing that to happen, when it has been federal scientists that have blown the whistle on the impending devastation that the South Fraser Perimeter Road will have on the sensitive ecosystems of Boundary Bay.

Donna Passmore

Coordinator

Gateway 40 Citizens Network

I am repeating myself, but I feel it is necessary to point out that the BC EA process was gutted early on in the BC Liberal administration by the then Minister of Deregulation - Kevin Falcon. He clearly has carefully planned  how to get his pet projects built without having to bother about petty details such a public consultation or environmental impact. As was pointed out last night at Delta Council the entire process has been a sham.

Do give it a thought - for the sake of the environment.

The White Campion, brought over from Europe, is now naturalized across much of the North American continent. The flowers open at dusk and close in the morning; they are pollinated by night-flying moths. This photo was taken about seven in the evening, so the petals aren't fully open yet. They have an unexpected sweet fragrance. I used to 'pop' the bladders of these flowers when I was a kid, and hadn't yet learned the rules of the forest.

This is a Wood Anemone and I think probably one of the last ones blooming this season. It needs sunlight to grow, and the plants are deep in the woods - the sunlight is now getting blocked by the opening tree canopies. This guy is somewhat poisonous, though I did read that the Ojibwe used the roots in a remedy to clear the throats of singers. I wouldn't recommend it - maybe try a nice honey lozenge instead. :-) Or not sing.

Here's another Jack; sometimes he's called an Indian Turnip as his taproots were gathered as a vegetable by Native Americans. It is said to cause a strong burning sensation if eaten raw, but tastes peppery when well steamed. (I'll pass on that, too.) I probably saw a thousand Jack in the Pulpits in the woods in a two hour period. I've never seen so many in one place - I was off path and kept nearly trampling them.

I had to search several guides to ID this rather quiet wildflower, though I'm pretty certain it is White Baneberry. The leaves are the give-away clue, because there are several plants with very similar flower clusters. I'll come back in mid-summer and see if there are white berries growing - then I'll know for sure. Supposedly the plant was once called Dolls' Eyes because its berry has a black spot and looks like the eyes once set in china dolls.

I found four huge, densely-packed colonies of May-apples. Their umbrellas are fully opened now - in my photo of May-apples on May 2nd, they were still shriveled like puckered fingertips that have been in dishwater too long. No flowers as of yet. Native Americans used the roots to treat hepatitis and fevers and now a derivative of this plant is being used as a cancer treatment. It's commonly known as poisonous though, and known to kill a man in just a few hours after ingestion. BTW, its fruit isn't poisonous and tastes like a banana-lemon mix. Odd.

Depletion of groundwater. Aquifers in coastal regions (as well as inland) all over India are reported to have turned saline because of salt water intrusion and groundwater levels are fast declining due to unsustainable extraction and inadequate recharge.

Surface water management. Most of the traditional irrigation tanks of south India today are in neglected conditions and are heavily silted up, having lost their original storage capacity. Additionally loss of forest cover has further led to soil erosion, disappearing biodiversity and finally poor groundwater recharge from the rains.

Ground and surface water pollution. While solid waste management is now slowly being recognized as an issue to be addressed in the urban setting, this awareness is only gradually extending to the rural areas. The problem is worsened by inappropriate sanitation and open defecation. Treatment of waste water will not only avoid ground and surface water pollution, but also make it available for re-use.

An Integrated Planning approach at a regional scale is the only way out for appropriate water management and conservation and we can do this in the Auroville, Pondicherry and surrounding areas by working in a coordinated way with the administrations of Pondicherry & Tamil Nadu (Villupuram & Cuddalore districts).

In light of these issues, Town and Country Planning, Government of Pondicherry, L'avenir d'Auroville, Pondy CAN and INTACH are organizing a consultation meet on "Water Management Through Integrated Planning and Regional Collaboration" to be held at Town Hall in Auroville on 15 May 2008. The Consultation Meet will bring together the concerned authorities from the administrations and experts who have worked in this region to address the water issue at regional scale and give recommendations for future water management and conservation. Dr. Harjit Singh Anand, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) will be the chief guest.

Program:

09.00 am - Tea

09.30 am - Welcome by Mr. Ramaswamy, IAS, Secretary, Auroville Foundation

09.35 am - Purpose of the meet by Mr. G. Durairaj, Chief Town Planner, Govt of Pondicherry

09.45 am - Address by Dr. Harjit Singh Anand, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India

10.00 am – 11.15am – Presentations followed by Questions/Answers

• Regional Perspective & Historical Evolution – Tency & Prashant, Auroville
• Salt water intrusion into ground water in Pondicherry -Dr. A. Baskar, Professor and Head, PAJANCOA & RI

11.15 am – Tea

11.30 am – 12.15 – Presentations followed by Questions/Answers

• Water supply proposals for Pondicherry- Future plans – PWD, Pondicherry
• Water Projects in eastern Villupuram - Villupuram Collectorate

12.15 – 12.50pm – Panel discussion

12.50 – Concluding remarks by Dr. Harjit Singh Anand, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India

1.00pm – Lunch

The myth about looking up is that all things become filled with sun and shine. This is untrue. The sun and shine are there but so is the universe and the darkness beyond. You see, this is the job of the prophet- to see beyond the sun and sky and into the depths of eternity. This is not an easy undertaking for a man such as myself who is easily blinded by the sun and preoccupied with a fear of the dark. But it is within this darkness, which sits just beyond the sun, that I look into every day with a full commitment towards revealing a truth that most ordinary mortals are to blind to see.

You may not need a prophet to inform you that these are troubling times in which we now exist. So troubling in fact that Therapists and Psychiatrists are being trained on how to deal with a very new form of anxiety called “eco-anxiety.” This is a form of anxiety that has become more chronic in the past few years with the rising information about global warming, toxins in food, toxins in the home and toxins in the air. I admit that I to may be suffering from this avant-garde form of anxiety. My life has been made more nervous by all the daily decisions that I have had to make in order to remain healthy. Even though I am a prophet I still have to be careful that my meat does not contain antibiotics and hormones, that the water I drink has been filtered, that I eat only organic food so as to reduce my exposure to pesticides and that the environment in which I live does not contain toxic materials. Granted, I am rarely able to do these things consistently so I end up with chronic anxiety because I know that the world in which I am living is making myself and everyone else sick.

Maybe this is the most difficult aspect of being a prophet- “the knowing.” Knowing so much that you always have to be on-guard about what you eat, drink, wear and breathe. In prophet circles this is referred to the as the curse of “knowing too much.” Many wonderfully gifted prophets that I have associated with have lost their mystical/metaphysical talents because they have “known to much” and as a result developed panic attacks. In order to cope with the oppressive burden of panic disorder they have elected to go onto medication and I believe it is common knowledge that all modern day psycho pharmaceutical drugs destroy the prophet’s ability to prophesize. The prophecy is enough to burden any ordinary prophet and the immense amount of personal spiritual work that I have to do in order to bare the weight of prophecy swallows up most of my time.

There was a time when I was a social creature. I spent a lot of time hanging out in bars and spending my entire days sitting in cafes. I had several girlfriends at a time and I enjoyed several sexual rendezvous a day. Now that I am older and a little less confused I rarely leave the house during the evening and during the day I am preoccupied with the work of prophecy. I have very few friends, because when I get around them I only feel aggravated by their inability to “see past the sun.” Or maybe it would be more correct to say that I am jealous of them, envious because they have no idea what is going on. They just don’t know.

I, on the other hand, know all to well. I connect the dots between earthquakes in China, floods in Burma, tsunamis in Indonesia, floods in New Orleans, rising food, living and gas prices, widening gaps between rich and poor, toxic air and food, wars, genocides and chronic battles for domination and power all happening in different parts of the world at the same time. This knowledge makes me wonder if I may not be a prime candidate to be diagnosed as suffering from “eco-anxiety.” After all I do wear a respirator when I ride my bike (to protect against gas fumes), I take two-dozen supplements a day and drink green algae drinks all through out the afternoon so as to stimulate detoxification of my vessel (body). Some think that I am over reacting and some call me paranoid- but because I am a prophet I know that they think this because "they just don’t know." Some day soon I think I will let the whole world know what I see when I look up. Then we will all be able to be anxious together and I wont have to feel so alone.

It's on the island of Kaua'i, the oldest of the archipelago, with a reputation for being the most laid back (read: least commercialized). The Hawaiian Islands themselves have the dubious distinction of being the the extinction capital of the world. That's where, among other groups, NTBG steps in. Along with six other journalists, I'm learning about tropical ecosystems, ethnobotany, and a host of other issues I'll be blogging on this week.

We started the day at NTBG's newest addition, it's Botanical Research Center. It's the Island's first LEED certified building, meaning more or less that it has the national "green seal of approval" for its use of sustainable construction practices, materials, and other elements. But for me, the exciting part was what's inside.

Check it:

Rare botanical books collection. This little number dates to about 1550. We could only touch them with white gloves.

Hundreds of samples like these, bagged and tagged and indicative of plants found throughout the world.

]]> http://dailyprandium.wordpress.com/?p=383 Wed, 14 May 2008 04:58:50 +0000 Daily Prandium http://dailyprandium.wordpress.com/?p=383

One of the girls in class brought tiny homemade chilé and cheese tamales for everyone. Seeing them in their cooler reminded me of the tamale lady in San Francisco. I think I'll try finding her this weekend. Wish me luck. Either way, by tomorrow night this time, I'll have enjoyed a day's fill of Mexican comer.

During another presentation earlier tonight, I was enlightened of the tortilla likely used at Chacho's. It's called pan araba. They're a cross between a flour tortilla and a pita, and were an import or creation of a Lebanese immigrant.

I need to get some shuteye. In the morning I'm heading out early to the airport. Daily Prandium will post tomorrow from San Francisco about fast food incubators. Then over the next several days, Daily Prandium invited friends and colleagues to write guest posts. Be sure to bring your eyeballs back here and show them your digital love.

Before shutting down for the night, two things..

First. I never leave Gotham for CA without first stopping for my favourite slices at Bleeker Street Pizza.

Then second and most important. I already miss my bugs. They are my heart's lovests.

Bon woof..