This week on the show we heard about Carol’s contribution to the UN’s upcoming Geo-5 report, Andrew talked to Murdo Murchison about composting programs on campus, and we had the 6th episode of the Madgical . . . → Read More: February 24, 2011: The UN’s Geo-5 Report]]> The Geo-4 report was released in 2007, and the Geo-5 is currently being prepared for release in 2011. Credit.

This week on the show we heard about Carol’s contribution to the UN’s upcoming Geo-5 report, Andrew talked to Murdo Murchison about composting programs on campus, and we had the 6th episode of the Madgical Moments series, on a ‘Red-Lined’ map.

Carol Hunsberger: The UN’s Geo-5 Report
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
Geo-5 is the latest in a series of reports by the United Nations Environmental Programme, that gives a broad overview of the current state of the world’s environment. It is created for the purpose of defining current problems, and exploring how to best face them in the future, and is therefore targeted at those in governments with the power to implement meaningful changes. Carol Hunsberger is a co-Coordinating Lead Author for the chapter on land, and joined us in the studio this morning to discuss the purpose of the report, and the preparation of the next volume. You can find the past reports, and the Geo-5 when it is released here.

Murdo Murchison: Carleton’s Composting Program
By: Andrew Lindstrom, Regular SPF Contributor
Murdo Murchison is Carleton University’s Sustainability Officer, and spoke with Andrew this past week about Carleton’s composting program on campus. Currently confined to behind the counters in the UC and other facilities, they hope to implement it around campus in the future.

Madgical Moments, Episode 6: The Red-Lined Map
By: Beth Ray, Maps Specialist @ MADGIC
The Red-Lined map is a historical map used during the negotiations at the Treaty of Paris in 1783 to establish the boundary between the US and Canada, when the United States first gained its independence. In this feature, Beth talks about some of the stories behind the British and American negotiations of the delineation of territory between the US and Canada, and how our border easily could have been very different from where it is today.

The Environmental News
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
In this week’s environmental news, the UN suggests that investment in greening the world’s economies could spur economic growth, 2010 saw record amounts of solar panels installed around the world, an earthquake measuring 6.3 struck Christchurch, New Zealand, and genetically modified crops reach coverage of 1 billion hectares.

Have you seen the new solar array on the Canal Building? . . . → Read More: August 26, 2010: Sustainable Campus Initiatives and Climate in the North]]> More than most places in the world, communities in the far north are wrestling with issues related to climate change. SPFer John Wall spoke to Gary Davidson and Beate Bowron, planners who are working on issues related to climate change in the north.

Have you seen the new solar array on the Canal Building? What about the River Building’s green roof? Ok, these projects are still under construction but they are close to completion. They are just two of the many green initiatives that are going on at Carleton. Carol Hunsberger caught up with Murdo Murchison, Carleton’s Sustainability Officer, to learn more about the university’s green achievements and priorities for further action.

In the political arena, Matt Street spoke with first-time ward candidate Clinton Cowan about what motivated him to run for this . . . → Read More: August 19, 2010: Just do one more thing]]> This week our theme was taking action. We started off with an improvised Green Routine about ways to prepare for the inevitable: back to school! At least, it’s inevitable for some of us.

In the political arena, Matt Street spoke with first-time ward candidate Clinton Cowan about what motivated him to run for this position and what he would change if he were elected.

Finally, we were joined in the studio by Jen and Grant from the Clean Bin Project. For a year they tried to reduce their production of household waste to practically zero and made a documentary film about the process. They’re currently on a cross-Canada bicycle tour to screen and discuss the film. Their motto: just do one more thing! That is, just take one action that’s unsustainable and make it sustainable, then another, then another…

Our thanks to . . . → Read More: June 3, 2010: The Waterkeeper Special: Environmental Prosecutions]]> This week on the show we heard from our friends at Ontario Waterkeeper, and an episode from their podcast series entitled ‘Living at the Barricades’. This episode was called Environmental Prosecutions, and looked at the cases against Syncrude in the Alberta Oil Sands in their contamination of local wildlife and waterways.

Our thanks to the Ontario Waterkeepers for the feature; you can find out more about them, and download the rest of their podcast series at www.waterkeeper.ca

Carleton Geography professor Scott Mitchell gives a quick review of the . . . → Read More: February 5, 2009: OC Transpo Strike Over, Google Earth 5 and Alternatives to the Landfill]]> After 51 days of no public transit, the City of Ottawa and the Amalgamated Transit Union reached an arbitration deal. Matt Street was on the scene to hear the reaction of students as they boarded the O-Train for the first time in 2009.

Carleton Geography professor Scott Mitchell gives a quick review of the new Google Earth 5 that includes the ocean bottom and historical imagery, and Matt also interviews the folks at Used Everywhere, who run localized classified sites to help people place their unwanted stuff somewhere other than the dump.

Also, Paul Martin interviews John Wall about a recent conversation that he had with Dr. Dean Bavington of Nippising University on . . . → Read More: November 14, 2008: Car Recycling And Fisheries Collapse]]> What happens when your long suffering but much loved car finally bites the dust? Follow Matt Street as he tries to find a suitable way to say goodbye to his 1996 Chevy Cavalier.

Also, Paul Martin interviews John Wall about a recent conversation that he had with Dr. Dean Bavington of Nippising University on his research on the science and social change related to the collapse of the Northern Cod stocks off of Canada’s east coast.

Carol read a first-person account of the situation in Kenya . . . → Read More: January 3, 2008: Transcending Conflict]]> Paul Martin kicked off this show with a feature about organic waste diversion in a grade 3/4 classroom. Hear students from St. Elizabeth’s School in Ottawa describe what they learned about composting and how they felt when they saw a bin full of worms!

Carol read a first-person account of the situation in Kenya following disputed election results, written by Kenyan freelance journalist David John Bwakali. David shares his personal experience of escalating tensions, analyzes the election outcome and suggests actions that Canadians can take to improve the situation.

Emily Wilson and Brent Parker came into the studio to discuss their new documentary film on community consultation and mining in the South American country of Guyana. Their film, called “Undermined: Communities, Consultation and Corporate Accountability in Guyana,” will be shown and discussed at a free public event in Ottawa on Wednesday, January 9th from 7-9pm at the National Archives.