519 672 2121
Close mobile menu
Published on: 11 Sep 2012 By (Dianne Saxe)

Citizen science: Home spectrometer and Big Data

Do it yourself spectrometer? Cell phone spectrometer add ons? Do it yourself aerial mapping with balloons and kites? Environmental data collection with citizen science devices could fill in some of the gaps created by government cutbacks, especially if combined with the NEON Big Data project. 

View the post titled Citizen science: Home spectrometer and Big Data
Published on: 6 Sep 2012 By (Dianne Saxe)

Surging climate change: Record low ice and crop failure, who cares?

What will it take for climate change to become an election issue? Ok, lots of people don’t understand why the rapid disappearance of Arctic ice to its record low (and still melting) matters to them. (For a quick summary, try Why Arctic Ice Matters and the Arctic Ice Death Spiral. Accor…

View the post titled Surging climate change: Record low ice and crop failure, who cares?
Published on: 4 Sep 2012 By (Dianne Saxe)

Managing fill: when is surplus soil “waste”, and where can it go?

Soil movement is big business in Ontario, involving perhaps 170 million tonnes/ year, and adding about 15% to infrastructure costs. Last year’s changes to the contaminated sites regulation Reg. 153/04 have made soil movement more difficult and expensive than ever, and further cost increases …

View the post titled Managing fill: when is surplus soil “waste”, and where can it go?
Published on: 30 Aug 2012 By (Dianne Saxe)

Sustainable remediation: what is the status?

The United Kingdom program, Contaminated Land: Applications in Real Environments, provides excellent resources on contaminated site remediation. One of their contributors, the University of Cambridge, is now seeking input on sustainable remediation. Study participants will receive the final report.

View the post titled Sustainable remediation: what is the status?
Published on: 29 Aug 2012 By (Dianne Saxe)

Environmental Review Tribunal appeal notices must be complete

The Environmental Review Tribunal has dismissed an anti-wind appeal, because the neighbours opposed to the project did not file a proper notice of appeal: Ball v. Director. Several appeals were also dismissed in Monture v. Ontario, Ministry of the Environment, because the notices of appeal w…

View the post titled Environmental Review Tribunal appeal notices must be complete
Published on: 27 Aug 2012 By (Dianne Saxe)

New Canadian environmental assessment: a rose by any other name?

Officially, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, has abolished most federal environmental assessment screenings,  but the practical  effect is less than it appears. Parks Canada, for example, has simply replaced the old Canadian Environmental Assessment Act process with its new, …

View the post titled New Canadian environmental assessment: a rose by any other name?