green
The value of green apprenticeships
I met Gregory Salt-Smith and Chris Williamson in May when I visited the dozen or so young men selected to participate in the Central Ontario Building Trades Council's Hammer Heads program, which mentors, trains and places priority youth into trade apprenticeships.
Hammer Heads graduates, Chris and Gregory, had been invited to speak about their experience to the incoming class. They spoke about the harder realities of being a pre-apprentice first. "You have to say yes to whatever the foreman wants, and as the newest person on the site you're always given the hardest work," Gregory said. "If you told me I was going to get up at 5.30 a.m. every day I wouldn't have believed you," he continued. "You have to find some motivation to get up."
Earth Day
The first earth day was April 22, 1970. Many consider it the birthday of the environmental movement. In 1990 the day went global with events in 145 countries worldwide. Today Earth Day is typically celebrated the entire week before the day itself. It's observed in more than 170 countries and was instated as an official UN holiday in 2009.
The first Canadian Earth Day was held on September 11, 1980 at Queen's University in Kingston. In 2004, Earth Day Canada became one the most successful North American environmental organizations. To figure out how to celebrate Earth Day in your community, check out this guide.
![Karl Nerenberg](http://rabble.ca/sites/rabble/files/imagecache/thumbnail/category_pictures/Karl.jpg "Karl Nerenberg joins rabble to cover news for the rest of us from Parliament Hill. Karl has been a journalist for over 25 years including eight years as the producer of the CBC show The House. He has written scripts for documentary films and long-form television reports for such shows as Le Point and Actuel on Radio Canada television and The Journal on CBC-TV. Karl also founded and, for five years, edited the magazine Federations: What's new in federalism worldwide.
Karl has been awarded a Gemini award, a Best International Documentary Series award (from "la communauté des televisions francophones"), a CBC Radio Award for Best New Series (C'est la vie) among others. As a broadcaster, Mr. Nerenberg produced and directed television series and documentaries in a wide range of genres and on a great variety of subjects -- from civil war in Central America, to the crisis in South Africa's Apartheid system.
Karl works in both English and French, and can be reached at karl@rabble.ca")
Sustainable street art
Graffiti is a meaningful form of artistic protest that can reach a populous audience who might not otherwise be aware of an issue. But when your issue is the environment, using chemical spray paints as a medium can defeat the message. For many activists, sustainable street art is the answer.
Moss art
To make moss art, get a blender set up and ready to go. Pour 700ml of lukewarm water into the blender, then Crumble three handfuls of moss (can be found between the cracks in pavement, on drainpipe covers, urban backyards, anywhere it's damp and shady) in the water.
Sustainable transport key to saving the planet
Transport of Suburbia: Beyond the Automobile Age
(EarthScan,
2009;
$65.00)
Australian transportation planner Paul Mees has good news for people who want real action on global warming -- good quality transit is within reach even in the suburbs. But they might have to participate in a revolt against something as reasonable sounding as "balanced transportation" first.
Transport of Suburbia: Beyond the Automobile Age includes a strong argument for public participation in transportation decision making. Mees claims that "citizens have a keener understanding of the need for change than transport planners, with environmental awareness particularly strong among younger residents."
Introducing the next eco warriors
The Next Eco Warriors: 22 Young Women and Men Who are Saving the Planet
(Conari Press,
2011;
$20.00)
Evo Morales, Bolivia's indigenous president, has said that the challenge of the 21st century is to respect and restore the rights of Mother Earth. And the stakes are high. Ultimately, the fate of our species -- and millions of others -- hangs in the balance.
Already, thousands of young people worldwide have woken up to their historic task, as the first decade of this century has seen the rise of the climate justice movement. For many among this new generation, the December 2009 UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen was a rude awakening.
TD irie music festival
Jul 29 2011 - 3:00pm
Aug 1 2011 - 9:00pm
Location
Yonge-Dundas Square, Queen's Park North
Toronto, ON
Canada
43° 39' 12.6864" N, 79° 23' 2.0652" W
See map: Google Maps
The TD IRIE Music Festival is a multi-day, family-friendly festival taking place Friday, July 29th to Monday, August 1st. Join the celebration of music - from reggae to salsa, gospel and soul to African; dance from the African Diaspora, spoken word/literature, a visual arts exhibition, film, international food and refreshing drinks.
Contact name:
Planet 3
Contact email: