Posted by Peter Endisch on January 5th, 2009 at 21:29 PST (Environment, Reflections)
Public power or private power? Many people don’t know the difference. Many people don’t care. That’s just too bad, for there is so much that rides on power remaining public.
Posted by Peter Endisch on July 11th, 2008 at 15:32 PDT (Animal Welfare)
The lives of millions of seals around the world are now in the hands of the European Parliament. A bill to ban products made from the inhumane slaughter of seals will be put to a vote of the 27 member nations of the European community between July 16th and July 23rd.
Posted by Peter Endisch on July 6th, 2008 at 01:16 PDT (Global Climate Change)
If you ever doubted the sense of urgency on the issue of Climate Change, if you thought “we still have perhaps 20 years to fix it, so let’s enjoy our lives in the meantime” - think again.
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Posted by Peter Endisch on April 15th, 2008 at 22:42 PDT (Environment)
Letter to my MP. I encourage you to write your own, as each letter counts for hundreds of voices. To learn more, click here.
Dear Mr. Moore,
I am one of your constituents, living in Coquitlam. I have met you recently at an open discussion event in St. Mario’s restaurant on a Sunday morning.
The reason I am writing to you today is because of the proposed bill C-517 on which you will be expected to vote in the upcoming months.
Posted by Peter Endisch on April 8th, 2008 at 17:49 PDT (Green Living, News)
Key note presentation to my fellow employees
I woke up this morning and took a stroll through a forest, thinking to myself just how will I deliver my message to you. I decided on truth. I will tell you the truth, hopefully scare you in the process and by the end of it empower you to take positive action.
What am I talking about? Sustainability and our common future on this planet. I stand here today proudly as your colleague, friend, husband, father and citizen of Earth. As such, I have responsibilities. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Peter Endisch on March 23rd, 2008 at 17:13 PDT (Announcements)
At 7:38pm on March 17th, I became father to a gorgeous little boy named Luka (3.31Kg [7lbs & 5 oz] and around 51cm [20.5inches]).
Posted by Peter Endisch on March 12th, 2008 at 14:18 PDT (Global Climate Change)
Canadians fear U.S. energy bill clause could disallow oil-sands exports
A clause in the recently passed U.S. energy bill could be interpreted to prevent the U.S. from sourcing fuel from Canada’s oil sands, putting Canadian officials all in a tizzy. Section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act prohibits the U.S. government from purchasing alternative fuels with higher lifecycle greenhouse-gas emissions than conventional petroleum. It’s a descriptor that seems to fit oil sands, which have traditionally been classified as an alternative fuel and can produce up to five times more carbon emissions than conventional oil production. But in response to Canada’s fears that the rule “could unnecessarily complicate the integrated Canada-U.S. energy relationship,” the U.S. government is considering reclassifying oil sands as conventional fuel. Because, really, enabling extra climate-destroying emissions is far preferable to pissing off the Canucks.
Posted by Peter Endisch on March 1st, 2008 at 16:16 PST (Miscelaneous, Reflections)
I’ll be adding any day now ‘fatherhood’ to my growing portfolio. Many has asked me how I feel and that perhaps I focus to much on my environmental activism and not enough on becoming a father.
Posted by Peter Endisch on February 24th, 2008 at 22:15 PST (Environment, Green Living, News)
I am very pleased to say that we worked hard at bringing the worldwide phenomenom called “Greendrinks” to our city, Coquitlam (greater Vancouver), B.C.
We were able to obtain an exclusive interview by the local newspapers, Tri-City News and to our surprise, the article made top story, front cover. Publication is around 75K and goes out to three cities. Below is the article. Enjoy.
Posted by Peter Endisch on February 16th, 2008 at 21:32 PST (Environment)
To whom it may concern,
I am a citizen of Coquitlam, BC. It came to my attention recently that the government is strongly considering granting a permission to modify the Pinecone / Burke Mountain park boundaries, in order to allow Run of River Inc., to run a power line through from its megawatt hydro project in Upper Pitt River.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Peter Endisch on February 16th, 2008 at 18:20 PST (Global Climate Change, News)
Japan leads G8 in 2008, will focus on climate change
A new year means a new country takes over leadership of the Group of Eight rich nations, and in 2008 it’s Japan. Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has promised to make climate change a top priority, proposing a goal for G8 countries to cut emissions by 50 percent from 1990 levels by 2050. And while that may seem ambitious for a nation that just last month stood with the United States in opposition to specific reduction goals for a post-Kyoto treaty, the safe bet is on continued U.S. interference with specific emissions reduction goals at the G8 (see: last year), so there’s little to lose by aiming for the same shot-down target as last year. Fukuda also announced plans to hold a climate-change meeting immediately preceding the July G8 summit and has invited China, India, Indonesia, and South Korea to attend as well. Fukuda indicated that even after the climate-specific meet, “Environmental issues will be a big agenda” item at the regular old G8 summit. “Japan hopes to lead the worldwide discussions in order to hand over clean skies to our children.”
Posted by Peter Endisch on February 3rd, 2008 at 22:21 PST (Chemical World)
A letter to Yves Rocher company in regards to their beauty products
Hello. I recently received a gift basket of your products from a relative who knows that I use nothing but non-toxic, natural or organic cosmetics and household products. She proudly told me she included your catalogue, entitled “Green Guide 2008″ so that I would know that the products were “all natural”, knowing I would not use them if they were not. I was very disappointed to discover the extent to which your company is greenwashing people. You were very successful in fooling my relative into believing that your products were natural.
In the catalogue, I saw mention of “organic Arnica” but no evidence of a certifying body. What’s more, the actual product label did not indicate anywhere that it was organic, not even in the ingredient list. Further, other products stated “the pleasures of nature (in French)”. There was no indication that there is anything natural about these products other than your crafty title. Just because they smell like fruit, how does that make them natural?
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Posted by Peter Endisch on January 31st, 2008 at 12:32 PST (News)
Prince Charles made a sci-fi-inspired speech at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi this week. But swallow your cries of jet-setting hypocrisy: Instead of spewing planet-warming pollutants by flying to the Middle East, the Prince of Wales appeared as a life-size, 3-D hologram, and he used the occasion to call for urgent action against global warming. “Scientists are now saying that the problem of climate change is now so grave and so urgent that we have less than 10 years to slow, stop, and reverse greenhouse-gas emissions,” said the virtual prince. “Common actions are needed in every country to protect the common inheritance that has been given to us by our creator.”
sources: The Telegraph , The New York Times
Posted by Peter Endisch on January 23rd, 2008 at 19:42 PST (Uncategorized)
Whole Foods to stop giving out plastic grocery bags by Earth Day
Whole Foods will stop handing out plastic grocery bags by Earth Day, April 22, this year. The mega-retailer of natural foods announced yesterday that it will instead encourage customers to bring their own reusable bags; the lazy and forgetful will have their goodies bundled into 100 percent recycled paper bags.
Posted by Peter Endisch on January 23rd, 2008 at 19:39 PST (News)
WWF and the government of Abu Dhabi today launched a Sustainability Strategy to deliver the world’s greenest city – Masdar City.
The six square kilometre city, designed by Foster and Associates, is to house an eventual 50,000 people in accordance with WWF One Planet Living sustainability standards which include specific targets for the city’s ecological footprint.
Independent and public verification of Masdar City’s performance in meeting these standards is just one of the features distinguishing the project. Another is the commitment that the project will not just preserve existing regional biodiversity but enhance it.
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Posted by Peter Endisch on January 15th, 2008 at 13:57 PST (Environment, News)
California, 15 other states, and five nonprofits sue EPA over waiver decision
California has made good on its promise to sue the U.S. EPA over the agency’s refusal to allow the state to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions from vehicles, and 15 other states have made good on their promise to join in on the litigation. The swarm of states, along with five nonprofit groups, filed suit last week in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. The presumed shared feeling of the group, as stated by California Attorney General Jerry Brown: “The denial letter was shocking in its incoherence and utter failure to provide legal justification for the administrator’s unprecedented action.”
Posted by Peter Endisch on January 13th, 2008 at 16:32 PST (Global Climate Change)
Posted by Peter Endisch on January 7th, 2008 at 22:14 PST (Global Climate Change)
Commentary By Gwynne Dyer, The Georgia Straight
Do not be too downhearted about the outcome of the Bali talks. They did not deliver the binding commitments to cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions that are desperately needed, and as a result millions may die who might have lived. But they did show us something remarkable. They showed us the human race trying to grow up and take responsibility for its common future. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Peter Endisch on December 30th, 2007 at 20:42 PST (Global Climate Change)
Environment minister “haunted” by past and present as political operator opposed to environmental initiatives.
BALI, INDONESIA, on December 10, 2007: John Baird was at the centre of international attention during that week’s climate change talks there. The international community was adjusting to a Canada that initially promoted the Kyoto protocol and whose top ministers were then undermining it with proposed revisions that appear to favour big polluters such as Alberta’s oil industry.
Posted by Peter Endisch on December 24th, 2007 at 22:53 PST (Global Climate Change)
This December, the United Nations met with 190 countries to start working on a new framework on Climate Change when the current Kyoto protocol expires in 2012. The work that led to this historical meeting, the rallies that happened across the world on December 8th and the work done at the meeting in Bali was astounding.
