Posted by: Kathie Brosemer (kathie) on May 16, 2003 at 20:39:44
from the little-brown dept.
We did it! Tonight's Bat House Party on the lawn in front of Canadian Tire was a great success! We sold 29 bat houses, gave away lots of information brochures and collected names of bat house owners for future surveys. It drizzled on us and was cold, but despite somewhat uncooperative weather, the people came out! This shows that residents really are interested in alternative mosquito control measures and are willing to do their part to help. Add the nine bat houses we've taken names for already, and we've got 38 sold - well on the way to the 50 we committed to for the Canadian Tire Award. If you missed the party and want a bat house, they will be available next weekend at the Sault Horticulture Society's annual Plant Sale. (You can get a Clean North rainbarrel there, too!) Photos of the Bat House Party are here. Thanks, volunteers! Thanks, Canadian Tire! UpdateDB: We have pictures of the event!
Posted by: Kathie Brosemer (kathie) on May 12, 2003 at 06:34:22
from the holy-west-nile-virus,-Batman! dept.
This Friday, the 16th, from 6:30 to 9 pm, the lawn (well, the little grassy strip) in front of Canadian Tire is the place to be! It's the Bat House Party we've been working toward. We'll have bat houses for sale, some handy young fellows building more, and lots of information about bats, mosquitoes, and other appealing summer residents. One Little Brown Bat can eat up to 3000 mosquitoes each summer evening, so they're great neighbours to have around! Be a good host and give them a place to stay. Our bat houses will help keep them out of your eaves, too.
Posted by: Kathie Brosemer (kathie) on March 19, 2003 at 18:52:45
from the West-Nile-Story dept.
Here's an interesting story from Lynn Landes, an environmental reporter in Pennsylvania.
"What to do about West Nile? Don't do anything. It has the smell of a manufactured crisis. The news on West Nile is a disturbing combination of hype, confusion, distortion, and omission. Take a look at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website for, "West Nile Virus Update - Current Case Count," and you'll see a startling variation in the incidence of West Nile infections and fatalities from state to state - and even within the same region. It makes me wonder." Full story, below.
Posted by: Kathie Brosemer (kathie) on April 23, 2002 at 09:41:46
from the what's-making-YOU-buggy? dept.
April 23, 2002 - National Post
"Health Canada to outlaw extra-strong bug spray. Brain damage feared. by Tom Blackwell
Health Canada has quietly decided to ban insect repellents with more than 30% of the active ingredient DEET, citing health risks and evidence that pumping up the content of the chemical does not do much more to keep the bugs at bay. The regulator has also decided to bar popular two-in one products that mix sunscreen and insect repellent, saying there is potential for users to get too much DEET as they lather on the lotion." Full story below, including some scary research results. Just in time for black fly season. Somebody post some less-toxic remedies here, please!
Posted by: Kathie Brosemer (kathie) on November 26, 2001 at 11:32:52
from the don't-panic-go-vegetarian dept.
The Gallon Environment Report this week had a story about the use of DES (diethylstilbestrol), the infamous drug used in the 60s to prevent miscarriages and now linked to a range of health effects in sons and especially daughters of the mothers who took it. It seems this dangerous drug is legally used in chickens and beef cattle in Canada, to enhance meat production. Story below.
Posted by: Dan Brosemer (odin) on November 26, 2001 at 06:44:39
from the in-time-for-episode-2 dept.
It seems a human embryo was cloned in advance of the upcoming legislation to make this sort of thing illegal. Read about it in the Scientific American article as well as in the MSNBC article. We have the press release for your reading pleasure as well.
Posted by: Dan Brosemer (odin) on August 24, 2001 at 16:34:01
from the stickin'-it-to-the-man dept.
CNN is covering a story about Brazil's decision to produce nelfinavir in spite of the patent held by French pharmaceudical giant, Roche. This was after much negotiation, and a failure to come to an agreement on a reasonable price.
Posted by: Kathie Brosemer (kathie) on August 14, 2001 at 15:35:11
from the mexican-food-anybody? dept.
Just in case you missed this when it first aired last spring. It's on again - tape it.
The Yaqui Valley is one of Mexico's largest agricultural areas, providing much of North America's fresh fruits and vegetables. It is also home to neighbouring towns in which children exhibit significant and disturbing neurological differences. CBC-TV's The Nature Of Things with David Suzuki investigates this phenomenon and its relevance for children across North America in Toxic Legacies, Wednesday, Aug. 15 at 4 p.m., edt. This show also repeats on Wednesday, Aug. 15 at 9 p.m.
Posted by: Dan Brosemer (odin) on May 17, 2001 at 00:36:16
from the the-eve-within-you-will-awaken dept.
BBC news is reporting that the first genetically modified humans have been born. If I understand correctly, this was a modification to mitochondrial DNA, and will, thus, be passed on to these children's offspring. This is something we've known our society would have to get ready for for a long time now. Are we prepared?
Posted by: Kathie Brosemer (kathie) on March 26, 2001 at 12:08:23
from the caught-with-its-pants-down dept.
When: Tonight: Mon. Mar 26 9-11pm, TV special. (also Thurs. 2 am).
"Trade Secrets," a report on the chemical industry produced by the Peabody Award-winning duo of Bill Moyers and Sherry Jones. The documentary is based on internal documents about the chemical industry.
