May 1, 2014

by Bruce Mason • Much is now being written on the Commons, including two new books outlined below from New Society Publishers, which prides itself on providing “tools for a world of change and books to build a new society.” (www.newsociety.com)   Think Like a Commoner: A Short Introduction to the Life of the Commons by David Bollier The challenge is...

May 1, 2014

• The lengths that scientists will go to highlight the danger of runaway climate change is the subject of a new, short video by Vancouver-based icycle.ca productions ltd. The video, released on April 24, is part of icycle.ca productions’ campaign to raise $10,000 to help complete the hour-long documentary Running on Climate. View the clip and campaign at...

May 1, 2014

SCIENCE MATTERS by David Suzuki • We should really celebrate our small blue planet and all it provides every day, but recent events give us particular cause to reflect on our home and how we’re treating it. Through an amazingly ordered combination of factors, this spinning ball of earth, air, fire and water… provides perfect conditions for human...

Apr 1, 2014

SCIENCE MATTERS by David Suzuki • Canada’s federal government recently announced $14 billion in new funding to help municipalities repair and replace aging infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, sewer lines, energy production/distribution systems, subways and other public transit. About $1 billion is dedicated to smaller communities, but most of the...

Mar 1, 2014

SCIENCE MATTERS by David Suzuki • A man with a banjo can be a powerful force for good. Pete Seeger, who died January 27 at the age of 94, inspired generations of political and environmental activists with songs ranging from Where Have All the Flowers Gone? to Sailing Down My Golden River. From the late 1930s until his death, Seeger brought his music to union...

What you need to know by Reimar Kroecher • Common Ground asked Reimar Kroecher to study the highly controversial documents and share his analysis with our readers. Kroecher holds Economics degrees from UBC and UCLA and he was an Economics instructor at Langara for over 30 years. The long-awaited National Energy Board Joint Panel Report has shocked many...

Feb 1, 2014

SCIENCE MATTERS by David Suzuki • Nelson Mandela, who died in December at age 95, was sentenced to life in prison in 1962 because he fought for justice, equality and democracy. He was finally released 27 years later, in 1990. South Africa’s racist apartheid system fell and Mandela served as president from 1994 to 1999. The tributes after his death...

Jan 1, 2014

SCIENCE MATTERS by David Suzuki • It was a strange year. From the never-ending carnival of calamity at Toronto City Hall to the scandalous subterfuge on Parliament Hill, from horrific attacks by the Syrian government on its own citizenry to disasters inflicted by extreme weather on the people of the Philippines, 2013 recalls Queen Elizabeth’s description of...

Dec 1, 2013

SCIENCE MATTERS by David Suzuki • For much of human history, we lived close to the natural world. As civilization evolved, we became increasingly urbanized and most of us now live in cities. As we’ve moved away from nature, we’ve seen a decline in other forms of life. Biodiversity is disappearing. The current rate of loss is perhaps as high as 10,000...

Nov 1, 2013

SCIENCE MATTERS by David Suzuki • Following Japan’s devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami, fear spread about risks of leaked radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant… Shunichi Tanaka, head of Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority, told reporters radioactive water has likely been leaking into the Pacific Ocean since the disaster hit....