rabble.ca - Alternatives Podcast

Issue 38.1: Inside forestry

altrpn — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:54:50 +0000

Interviews with:

Jeff Gailus on Parks Canada's 100th anniversary (13:20)

Tenille Bonoguore discussing the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (10:40)

Will Turner on Conservation International's 10 global forest hotspots (14:12)

Vol. 37.6: Alternatives 40th anniversary issue

altrpn — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:13:33 +0000

Interview with Nicola Ross (Alternatives editor-in-chief) on Alternatives' 40th anniversary special issue. (8:15)

Interview with founding editor Bob Paehlke discussing past 40 years of Alternatives. (12:40)

Journalist Andrew Nikiforuk discusses declining energy return on investment and pine beetles. (20:53)

Ken Ogilvie on Pollution Probe and the evolution of the environmental movement in Canada. (10:35)

Issue 37.5: The Power & The Glory

altrpn — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:26:03 +0000

Rocking the Environment (Issue 37.4)

altrpn — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:03:15 +0000

Intro (00:00-3:05)

Editorial Overview with Nicola Ross (3:05-10:45)

Sarah Harmer on Mount Nemo, aggregate extraction and her advocacy work with PERL, interview by Nicola Ross (10:45-22:16)

Wisdom and rhythm of the elders pulse through Greg Brown's veins, interview by Marcia Ruby (22:17-32:48)

"Your Town Now" song by Greg Brown (32:48-36:37)

John Timmins of Greenpeace tells the story of the 1970 Amchitka concert, and the newly released remastered recording, available on CD (36:37-53:13)

"Big Yellow Taxi" Live from the Amchitka concert, song by Joni Mitchell (53:14-56:26)

Resource exploitation in the Sacred Headwaters of northern B.C.

altrpn — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 01:04:32 +0000

Wade Davis on the imminent threat from resource exploitation in the Sacred Headwaters of northern B.C. (Water 37.1).

(dur: 38m 35s).

Water, water everywhere (Water 37.1)

altrpn — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 19:47:00 +0000

Intro: (22s-3m03s dur: 3m03s)

Editorial Overview with Nicola Ross: (3m03s - 16m47s dur:13m45s)

Wade Davis on the imminent threat from resource exploitation in the Sacred Headwaters of Northern B.C. (16m51s - 54m45s dur: 37m54s)

A visit to Steam Whistle Brewery to understand how they are saving 5 million litres of water each year making their premium pilsner. (54m45s -1h17m56s dur: 23m16s)

An enigmatic black and white photo from the 50s prompted Jamie Linton to explore our disappearing public waterfronts and fountains. (1h18m17s - 1h42m28s dur 24m11s)

Robert Gibson on "BullS^%t", the academic version. (1h42m28s - 1h49m12s dur: 6m34s)

The New Entrepreneurs: A feature interview with author Andrew Heintzman

altrpn — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 03:41:25 +0000

A special feature interview with eco-venture capitalist Andrew Heintzman, author of The New Entrepreneurs: Building a Green Economy for the Future (dur. 51m51s).

36:6 Biodiversity

altrpn — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:52:24 +0000

Introduction (0-2m01s)

Editorial Overview with Nicola Ross (2m06-28m24s dur. 26m18s)

Biodiversity Primer: Everything you ever wanted to know about Biodiversity, sustainability and fighting the good fight from the inside, with Steve Hounsell of Ontario Power Generation (28m31s-1h10m16s dur 41m45s)

Book Review: Mark Brooks on "Prosperity without Growth" by Tim Jackson (1h10m23s - 1h 30m57s dur: 20m34s)

"What's the Big Idea" Commentary; Bob Gibson on Substitution (1h31m10s - 1h37m09s dur: 5m59s)

36:5 Education 2010

altrpn — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 22:09:17 +0000

Introduction (20s-1m24s dur 1m04s)

Editorial Overview with Associate Editor Fraser Los (1m28s-8m59s dur: 7m30s)

Kate Davies on Sustainable Literacy and the need to revamping our education system to move away from vocational training to environmental awareness (9m36s-31m50s dur: 22m44s)

36:4 Out of this world 2010

altrpn — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:29:16 +0000

Intro

Editorial Overview (1m11 - 13m06 dur: 11m54)

"Where in the World is Don Gamble?"
How a missing environmental consultant found himself. (13m00 - 33m41 dur. 20m40)

"Mr. Gorgolewski, Tear down that wall (and reuse it)"
When 35% of our waste stream is demolition waste, it's time to rethink our building practices. (33m58 - 52m23 dur 18m25)

"Reading the tree leaves."
The best weather forecasting in Kenya is not about bits and bytes, but rather the bugs, reptiles, plants and bubbles. (52m39 - 1h13m47 dur 21m08)

Special edition: A conversation with Janine Benyus author of BioMimicry

altrpn — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 21:10:21 +0000

Best-selling natural sciences writer Janine Benyus is also an excellent and engaging speaker. We recorded her in conversation with Nicola Ross at the Sustainability Network in June 2010.

Margaret Atwood: A feature interview

altrpn — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:48:09 +0000

Her face is smiling out from the cover of the Books 2010 issue of Alternatives Journal and between the covers Trent University environmental resource studies prof Stephan Bocking examines the power of story telling in Atwood's latest novel "The Year of the Flood" (along with Douglas Coupland's "Generation A")

And so when Alternatives Journal was nominated for an Utne Reader environmental Journalism award and Nicola Ross found herself in Washington D.C. at the same time as Atwood, she was thrilled to be granted an interview. And, as you will hear, she made the most of it.

36:3c Wade Davis on The Wayfinder

altrpn — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:04:09 +0000

Wade Davis is a noted anthropologist and was the 2009 Massey Lecturer. From that series of lectures was born his latest book " The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World"

36:3 "Green" Books 2010

altrpn — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 16:23:14 +0000

Introduction (0m22s - 2m44s dur. 2m22s)

Editorial Overview and "Slow Death by Rubber Duck" (2m50s - 13m36s dur. 10m46)

"What Should Harper Read" (13m45s - 23m06s dur. 9m20s)

Stephen Bocking on Environmental Fiction (23m18s - 39m15s dur. 15m56s)

Trends in environmental books and recommended reads (39m21s - 51m07s dur. 11m45s)

36:3b "the War in the Country"

altrpn — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 23:24:25 +0000

Thomas Pawlick's new book "the War in the Country: How the Fight to save Rural Life will shape our Future" is a rip snorting, page turner filled with intrigue, violence, deception, and greed. (And you thought environmental non-fiction was dry and boring. )

In it Pawlick recounts, with evident dismay, the deterioration of rural life, the difficulties facing small land owners, the dangers of industrial agriculture and the apparent unfairness of heavy-handed government bureaucracy.

36:2 Building Resilience: Extra Bits (28m11s)

altrpn — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:09:13 +0000

Andrew McMurry, Associate Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Waterloo writes in "the Rhetoric of Resilience" that "In a world that runs on persuasion, the green movement would be
wise to re-examine its use of language". (1m05s - 21m06s dur: 20m05s)

And in his second "What's the Big Idea" commentary, Alternatives Editorial Board member Robert Gibson takes aim at Simplicity. (21m14s - 27m29s, dur: 6m14s)

A Debate Special: "Will Ecology Dominate The 21st Century?"

altrpn — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:02:58 +0000

In the 2009 New Ecology issue of Alternatives Journal, Thomas Homer Dixon, professor of Environment and Resource Studies at the University of Waterloo, wrote that Ecology would replace Physics as the master science of the 21st Century.

In that same issue Stephen Bocking of Trent University argued that Politics, not Ecology, was the real master science.

To sort things out Alternatives Journal asked them to square off mano-a-mano in a panel discussion format.

To provide balance, they invited former Alternatives editor, current Alternatives editorial board member and UW Environment and Resource Studies faculty member Robert Gibson to join the fray.

36:2 Building Resilience: an Exclusive Feature Interview with Buzz Holling 44m20s)

altrpn — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 04:00:35 +0000

Executive Editor Nicola Ross in conversation with the father of Resilience in Ecological thinking, Buzz Holling.

Special: "Mending Our Fuelish Ways" -- A radio play in five acts

altrpn — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:08:06 +0000

University of Waterloo PhD student Kyrke Gaudreau interviewed five of Canada's leading environmental experts on the future of energy in Canada. The participants were these well known names: William Rees, Marc Jaccard, Robert Page, Ian Rowlands and Roydon Fraser.

Conveniently he pieced together the hours of responses into a play format, titled "Mending Our Fuelish Ways".

In December 2009, the staff at the Alternatives Journal offices gathered around two microphones to make the print piece come to life.

36:1 New Energy

altrpn — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:07:22 +0000

Introduction 00 - 03m01s (dur: 3m01s)

Editorial Overview: 02m54s - 08m12s (dur: 05m17s)

"Mending Our Fuelish Ways" A Radio Play in Five Acts: 08m21s - 20m02s (dur: 11m41s)

A Word From Our (we wish) Sponsor, Frog Pond Farm Winery: 20m11 - 24m41s (dur: 05m03s)

Mark Winfield on Why Renewables Now (and not Nuclear): 24m50s - 59m07s (dur: 34m30s)

Stephen Hill on getting the Public onside of your renewable energy project: 59m20s -- 1h14m29s (dur: 15m26s)

Robert Gibson "What's the Big Idea -- Balance": 1h14m13s - 1h19m52s (dur: 05m28s)

Special: An energy conservation panel discussion

altrpn — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:27:39 +0000

Do you wonder why everyone doesn't use CF light bulbs?
Does green energy's slow progress dumbfound you?
Are you curious about why it's so difficult to get Canadians to adopt energy efficiency measures?
To find out why, Alternatives Journal invited energy experts from government, academia, industry and science to join a panel discussion.
Joining Alternatives Executive Editor Nicola Ross at the Sustainability Network in Toronto were:
Peter Love, Ontario's first Chief Energy Conservation Officer,
recently formed a consultancy firm to foster culture change as part of
his commitment to advancing sustainability.

35:6 Work - Part 1: Wayne Roberts

altrpn — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:46:36 +0000

Wayne Roberts' article in this issue of Alternatives is titled "Eat this Recession" and in it he describes an inventive plan for pulling ourselves up by our own economic bootstraps.

He says that if three million Canadians shifted $100 from buying imported food to buying local food, the economic impetus of all that local money sloshing around our economy would inevitably create the jobs we are so lacking.

There are some wiggles -- like the 10% credit he's asking the government to kick in to cover the extra cost of local food.

35:6 Work - Part 2: Stephen Hazell, Sally Lerner and Mark Anielski

altrpn — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:45:35 +0000

Intro: 00m00 - 03m04

Sierra Club of Canada Executive Director Stephen Hazell says that despite government inaction, Canada's environmental job market is growing 60 per cent faster than employment in the overall economy. (03m05 - 24m06, dur, 21m)

Universal social income, guaranteed annual income, basic income guarantee, citizen's income – call it what you will, Sally Lerner says that a no-stigma, no-strings-attached, baby-bonus-style guaranteed salary for all would revolutionize how we work. (24m22 - 42m48, dur. 18m25)

Ecological economist Mark Anielski asks, "If all the money in the world won't buy happiness, then why are we working so hard?" (42m56 - 1h05m06, dur 22m49)

35:5 Your Town: Sustainable by Design

altrpn — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:39:41 +0000

Introduction (20.82s - 02m01.54 / dur 1m40.72)

Editorial Overview (02m07 - 20m36,882 / dur: 18m29.37)

Nina Bailey Dick on how outdated (in her opinion) zoning rules almost shut down her Local Foods Buying Club (20m50s - 46m16s / dur. 25m26s)

Jennifer Taylor on Masdar City, a planned model city of sustainability in the UAE (46m23s - 1h12m41s / dur 26m18s)

Ray Tomalty on SCP - Sustainable Community Planning and what makes a community "sustainable" (1h12m48 - 1h45m32 / dur. 32m44s)

Special Edition: The Bob Wiseman SoundFM Interview

altrpn — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:36:41 +0000

Well-known musician Bob Wiseman entertained at Alternatives' celebratory launch of The New Ecology issue at the Princess Café on June 16/09. James Walker (The Road Dog Show) interviewed Wiseman at the SoundFM studio afterward. The engaging interview covers a lot of ground -- the music industry then, now, seeing "then" in the future. Bob tells why he's doing a vinyl relaunch of In Her Dream on the 25th anniversary of his first solo album (from back in the Blue Rodeo days).

35:4 The New Ecology

altrpn — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:23:48 +0000

Alternatives Journal issue 35:4 is entitled The New Ecology, and in this five-part podcast, we go deep with two contributors, short with one other, and have fun with the title term "Ecology" in another.

Intro: 0m20 - 2m29

Editorial Overview: 2m32 - 26m27 (dur.25m07)

For our regular Editorial Overview I sought out Nicola Ross as she arrived at the Drake Hotel in Toronto for the Earth Day Canada HomeTown Hero awards (presented this year to Liz Benneian, volunteer President of the Oakvillegreen Conservation Association). Nicola took extra time to give us an overview of some of the articles not covered in this podcast.

35:3 Books from the Deep Green

altrpn — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:21:43 +0000

In this podcast we speak with some of the book reviewers from the print edition. As Executive Editor Nicola Ross points out in her Editorial Overview, since the reviewers are often as interesting as the writers of the featured books, these interviews go way beyond a simple review.

Intro 0m21 - 2m27

Editorial Overview 2m27 - 14m03 (dur.11m36)

In his article "Skewing Science" Stephen Bocking discusses four recent books that expose the sleazier side of science and its often unholy alliance with Big Business. 14M03 - 43m49 (dur. 29M46)

In Book Blurbs, Alternatives Journal staff and editorial board members call in with their best environmental books recommendations 43m49 - 53m10 (dur 9m23)

35:2 Biofuelling the Future - Part 4: Beyond Food vs. Fuel

altrpn — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:18:05 +0000

Energy policy analyst and Alternatives Journal editorial board member Susan Holtz explains why, when it comes to Biofuels policy, Food versus Fuel is not as important a question as everyone seems to think. She also explains why we need a balance of biofuel solutions, even if ethanol is relatively inefficient. And she wraps up by explaining why policy analysts, the people who seem to have all the answers, are not frustrated when politicians often ignore them.

35:2 Biofuelling the Future - Part 3: Better Biofuels

altrpn — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:14:02 +0000

Imagine you have to buy gas for your car.
At one station down the street, the sign offers "1.3 liters per $1".
Another though is offering "5 liters per $1" Which would you choose?

Well, with Bill C-33 it appears the Government of Canada has opted for the former, the Less Bang For Our Tax Buck option. Because that 1.3 to 1 is the Energy Return on Investment of the corn ethanol gas additive Bill C-33 mandates. Ethanol made from switchgrass on the other hand has an EROI of between 4.4 and 6.1 to 1.

EROI is one of the four measures that Resource Efficient Agrcultural Productuion Canada has proposed as a way of making better biofuels funding decisions.

35:2 Biofuelling the Future - Part 2: Real Life Adventures in Biofuels

altrpn — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:10:50 +0000

Sick of high fuel costs? Sickened by the damage transportation is doing to our environment? In theory biofuels -- ethanol, biodiesel, etc. -- might proide relief on both these fronts. But theory aside, is it really practical? For four years Blake O'Brien ran his 1985 diesel Mercedes Benz "beater" (his description) on WVO -- Waste Vegetable Oil -- he scavenged from a nearby Vietnamese eatery. In this telephone conversation O'Brien lays out the pros and cons of of pollution-free, cost-free motoring.

(Warning! the first 60 seconds of our conversation are a bit scratchy. It then settles down. Bear with us.)