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vol. 25:2 summer/fall 2007 BETWEEN THE BETWEEN THE COVERS: A Life in Plastic - It’s Fantastic i s s u e s Steps to Sustainability an ecology action centre publication www.ecologyaction.ca P M 4 0 0 5 0 2 0 4 BETWEEN THE ian ecology s action s centre u publication e s VOL. 25 NO. 2 Features table of contents A Life in Plastic 4 Action is Our Middle Name compiled by Robin Musselman and EAC Staff - It’s Fantastic / 14 6 Ecobriefs compiled by June Hall 7 Ask Eco Head 8 Citizen’s Choice: U-Pick by Catherine Joudrey 9 Building a Revolution by Andy Pedersen 10 To Be a Bee by Elizabeth Pierce 11 Booktime by Peggy Cameron 12 Trash Hounding in the Shubie by Elizabeth Pierce 13 People or Cars by Kevin Moynihan 14 A Life in Plastic - It’s Fantastic by Sadie Beaton 18 One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Green Fish by Sadie Beaton Steps to Sustainable 19 Dragging Bottom by Harry Thurston Prosperity / 24 20 Tried and True by Andy Pedersen 22 Carbon Counting at Fern Lane compiled by Susanna Fuller 24 Steps to Sustainable Prosperity by EAC Staff 26 A Matter of Opinion: Atlantica by Ian Rowberry 28 Art and the Environment by Susanna Fuller 29 Green Grants by Maggie Burns and Stephanie Sodero 30 The Coast is Clear by Jennifer Graham 32 China: Notes on the Environment by Ruth Gamberg 35 Meet the Veniottes by Hana Hermanek COVER: Aaron Harpell 38 Eco Horoscopes by Suki Starfish CONTENT EDITOR: Susanna Fuller To advertise in BTI, please contact [email protected]. We support businesses and organizations working towards social and environmental justice. COPY EDITORS: Maggy Burns, Heather McKibbon, Tim Roberts Printed at: Bromoc Printing on Chorus Art Paper, 50% recycled content with ADVERTISING: Gina Patterson vegetable based inks. ILLUSTRATIONS: Aaron Harpell, Henny Mac, Between the Issues is published quarterly by the Ecology Action Centre, Sydney Smith, Janet Wilson a charitable organization (PM Registration # 40050204). PHOTOGRAPHY: Ruth Gamberg, Jonathan Graham, Ian Guppy, The EAC is a founding member of the Canadian and Nova Scotia Environmental Hana Hermaneck, Andy Pedersen, Dusan Sudek, Networks. Views expressed in BTI are those of the writers and do not necessarily Michael Waterman represent EAC or its supporters. DESIGN AND PRODUCTION: Aaron Harpell - Hammerhead Design Ecology Action Centre 2705 Fern Lane Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3K 4L3 pagethree editorial EAC PROJECT STAFF AND COMMITTEE CONTACTS This issue of Between the Issues is a veri- prosperous future for both the renewable CORE STAFF table bumper crop of articles, just in time resources therein, and the people who live Internal Director: Maggy Burns 429-5287 [email protected] for the beginning of the harvest season. on our coasts. However, there are examples Policy Director: Mark Butler 429-5287 Like a garden, BTI changes and grows. The in Nova Scotia to celebrate – from hook [email protected] magazine is a “living document” in that we and line groundfish from Georges Bank, Financial Director: Carla Vandenberg are always seeking ways to improve, to bet- to harpoon caught swordfish, trap caught 442-0254 [email protected] Outreach Coordinator: Heather McKibbon ter achieve the balance of informing our shrimp and responsibly farmed shellfish. 422-0198 [email protected] members and engaging and educating the These industries, reviewed by Sadie Beaton Website Manager: Emma Boardman general public on environmental issues in on page 19, are part and parcel of a future 429-2202 [email protected] Nova Scotia and beyond. A constant iden- for Nova Scotia in providing sustainably Administrative Assistan: Zoe Miles 429-2202 [email protected] tity crisis, but always an interesting ride, and harvested seafood options. Between the Issues: in many ways a mirror of the EAC itself. The sea, and the seacoast are in every [email protected] As part of BTI’s evolution, we’ve preyed Nova Scotian’s blood, as Jennifer Graham COMMITTEES / PROJECT STAFF upon the good graces of a few of Nova so eloquently notes in her call for a coastal TRANSPORTATION ISSUES Scotia’s best writers and editors to help us planning strategy. Now. Before we lose TRAX: Stephanie Sodero / Leana Garrison out along the way, and will be implement- coastal access, before more wetlands suc- 429-0924 [email protected] Tim Crabtree 429-0924 [email protected] ing their recommendations over the next cumb to irresponsible construction prac- Jesse Joice 429-0924 [email protected] year. As BTI is a labour of love, we greatly tices, and before our coasts become home Steer Clean: Scott Gillard 442-0202 appreciate the time people have taken to to LNG plants and rock quarries feeding [email protected] provide us with feedback and become en- the monster to the south. This summer, I Andrew Martin 442-0202 [email protected] gaged in this publication. noticed the great change our coasts are fac- Bike Again: Scott MacPhee or Susanna Fuller In this issue, we focus on people and ini- ing, as I went down to the beach near my [email protected] tiatives who are leading the way in moving parents house for my usual skinny dip to Active & Safe Routes to School: Janet Barlow Nova Scotia towards sustainable prosperity, find it had been posted with Private Prop- 442-5055 [email protected] Pace Car/Commuter Challenge: Cheyenne Dickinson a place that respects both the environment erty and No Trespassing signs by a new 442-5055 [email protected] and the people who live here. Ultimately, resident in the community. Centuries of BUILT ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE achieving sustainable prosperity will be public access threatened by a hammer, a Built Environment contact: Geraline Blyleven something we will have to choose to do. nail and a few signs. 442-5051 [email protected] Green Building: Tricia and Claire 442-5051 Many of the articles in this issue are about A second focus of this issue is plastic, [email protected] those who have made their choice. which is also, to some degree about choice. COASTAL ISSUES Andy Pederson profiles two fundamen- Elizabeth Pierce recounts her trip down the Coastal Coordinator: Jen Graham 442-5046 tally human projects in the Maritimes. The Shubenacadie in the spring where plastic [email protected] Saltmarsh Restoration: first, on page 9, is the concept behind the is more plentiful than wildlife. Sadie Bea- [email protected] new farmers market in Halifax, which gives ton reviews plastic recycling, showing that ENERGY ISSUES architectural meaning to all the things we our waste is not just a problem for Nova Energy Coordinator: Brendan Haley hold dear about markets and farm gate pur- Scotian communities like Lincolnville, but 442-0199 [email protected] Solar Gain Coordinator: Wayne Groszko chasing, from meeting friends to develop- also for poor communities in China where 442-0300 [email protected] ing relationships with those who produce much of our plastic gets sent for supposed Dave Lovekin 442-0300 [email protected] our food. The second article on page 20 reuse. Ruth Gamberg brings this home Phil Mackenzie 442-0300 [email protected] brings us to the seaside, with a profile of again, through her tales of recent travels in FOOD ACTION Food Action Committee contact/Food Miles coordinator: Bryan Boatbuilding where Harry Bryan China and the growing gap between the Marla MacLeod 442-1077 [email protected] and Wyatt Lawrence build boats – wooden rich and poor, all driven by a sense that Heliotrust: Jen Scott 429-2202 [email protected] boats, and things of great beauty, in Harry’s North American consumption patterns Urban Garden: Garity Chapman 442-5051 off grid boat shop in Charlotte County, are the goal (rather than learning from our [email protected] MARINE ISSUES New Brunswick. Catherine Joudrey re- mistakes). As Nova Scotia rolls out an elec- Marine Coordinator: Susanna Fuller minds us how to get closer to our food, tronics recycling program, we should be 446-4840 [email protected] particularly through the abundant options mindful (preferably before we buy them) Sustainable Fisheries Coordinator: Jen Ford for U-Picks, from blueberries, to peaches, of where those electronics might end up. 446-4840 [email protected] Sable Island: Robin Musselman to pumpkins. EAC’s seven issue com- We have a choice to create a Nova Sco- 429.2202 [email protected] mittees have all submitted their “Steps to tia that is truly a model for other regions SeaChoice: Anna Margera 446-4840 Sustainable Prosperity”, policy recommen- in the world. We have a choice to take [email protected] / Sadie Beaton dations, and ideas for action that can help cloth bags to the grocery store. We have a 446-4840 [email protected] WILDERNESS ISSUES steer the good ship Nova Scotia towards choice to create community. We’ve added Wilderness & Public Lands: Raymond Plourde a brighter future. On page 27, Ian Row- to many of the articles a TAKE ACTION 442-5008 [email protected] berry gives us the low down on Atlantica, section, to enable our readers to easily be- Kermit deGooyer 442-5008 [email protected] and why it is a good idea to ask questions. come involved in this process of change. Forests / Standing Tall: Minga O’Brien 429-1335 [email protected] When it comes to the sea, it seems Susanna Fuller is still the content editor Joanne Cook 429-1335 [email protected] we’ve all but given up on a sustainable and for Between the Issues. Hana Hermanek 429-1335 [email protected] action is our middle name changing climate, changing coasts June 6th, 2007, 55 participants took part in a learning circle discussing how coastal planning can be an effec- tive climate change adaptation strategy.