Features

  • Just another day at the beach

    Noreen Mae Ritsema | Jul 24

    People still swim in the algae-infested water - is that arrogance or ignorance?

  • Hydro’s green wash shows signs of fading

    Sheldon Birnie | Jul 24

    After the dam was built, the rapids disappeared and the town effectively lost its namesake.

  • Carnival food

    Noreen Mae Ritsema | Jun 23

    Amid a sea of tank tops, tattoos and teenagers on the midway, the presence of food is undeniable.

  • For freaks, by freaks

    Leif Larsen | Jun 23

    Some states enacted legislation banning the exhibition of humans for entertainment purposes.

  • The current state of carnival culture

    Noreen Mae Ritsema | Jun 23

    Who are these people who confidently walk through the midway unfazed by the loud music, bright lights and tempting food?

  • From the ferris wheel to the mega drop

    Noreen Mae Ritsema | Jun 23

    The ride was inspired by the demand for a monument to rival the Eiffel Tower.

  • Jumbo attraction

    Ryan Harby | Jun 23

    It took nearly 150 circus workers to haul Jumbo's body away from the train tracks.

  • From circus maximus to mall parking lots

    Noreen Mae Ritsema | Jun 23

    Politicians began offering citizens free wheat and circus games in exchange for their vote.

  • Letting the big ones get away

    Daniela Smith-Fernández | Apr 3

    Figuring out viable ways to implement the necessary systemic changes is a problem which is considerably stickier and more complicated than buying the right brand of shampoo.

  • Vintage isn’t just cool anymore, it’s green too!

    Asma Mneima | Mar 27

    Waiting outside for an hour in -30 C weather, and dressed in only enough to leave me with a cold for the rest of the weekend is not something I ever imagined myself doing. But, along with a friend of mine, this was precisely what I was doing on January 30 while waiting for Ragpickers Fashion Emporium to open its doors for Winnipeg’s 25th annual Ragpickers’ All You Can Wear Sale. An alternative to shopping for conventionally-made clothing, which is irrefutably bad for the environment, is to shop organic. Despite the environmental consequences of conventional shopping however, the hefty price tag of its organic counterpart is usually the deal-breaker. The hefty price tag, though, reflects the cost it takes to...

  • One take on the carbon credit trading system

    Royle Derbitsky | Mar 27

    The carbon credit is a commodity that evolved out of the idealism of environmentalists, scientists and economists. Some governments, politicians, businesses and consumers around the world are also expressing support for such a system. What then, are these carbon credits that have entered the market? And why have they not been fully embraced around the world? A carbon credit is created and awarded when the equivalent of one metric tonne of carbon dioxide is prevented from entering the atmosphere. Carbon credits are available for emission reductions of six different gases — carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, perfluorocarbons, hydro fluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride. Carbon credits are sold and purchased according to who is reducing carbon emissions and who is emitting too...

  • Avoid the gas station

    Leif Larsen | Mar 27

    Nothing, it seems, motivates people quite as strongly as money. Like it or not, financial loss or gain is one of the best ways to get people onboard with a new way of thinking. For an excellent example of this, look to the mini-fuel-crisis of 2008, when gas prices peaked at more than $1.40 per litre. As a direct consequence of this spike in fuel costs, SUV sales tanked, and Toyota reported the sale of its millionth Prius in North America. Not everyone can afford the $27,800 sticker price for a brand new hybrid though, and this shouldn’t mean that you too can’t experience the thrill of sticking it to “big oil” through awesome fuel economy. This is your handy...

  • Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice

    Alon Weinberg | Mar 27

    Often, my short walks from the bus stop to wherever I happen to be going on campus — usually straight to St. John’s College for a cup of fair-trade coffee — I have been met with an unnerving puzzle. Outside of the parking garage there has been, on more than one occasion, a long line-up of idling automobiles winding around the corner onto the short access road in front of Max Bell. The vehicles — about 95 per cent of the time — are occupied by only one person and they are invariably nursing a Tim Hortons coffee bought from a drive-through en route. I wonder what is going through the minds of the drivers waiting in line. Do they...

  • Sustainable is Attainable

    Shawna Finnegan | Mar 27

    The recent Copenhagen Climate Summit proved that the Canadian government has almost no concern with climate change. But that doesn't mean that we should all just give up and accept that our grandchildren will be living in a starving world where even Canadians feel the effects of food scarcity. If the government is not going to make the necessary commitment to sustainability, then Canadians can make that commitment for themselves. Here are some of the ways that Canadians can contribute to sustainable development: Eat less meat, especially beef Did you know that livestock accounts for 18 per cent of human-made greenhouse gasses? In addition to C02, cattle produce methane, which has 21 times the negative effect of C02 on the...

  • How to Hanky

    Sheldon Birnie | Mar 27

    A green-minded co-worker of mine had a cold recently and, knowing that I am a pocket-square enthusiast, asked if I had any helpful tips so as to avoid “revisiting old territory” when using a handkerchief. It’s not such an easy thing, but certainly doable if you’re serious about reducing your impact on our waste-stream. If you’ve ever wondered how to get the most out of your environmentally sound snot-rag, then read on! Making your own pocket-squares Making your own snot-rag is a piece of cake. All you need is the ability to cut in a more or less straight line, and either know your way around a sewing machine or at least be functional at using a needle and thread....