Sustainability and Loblaw’s Keiser Soze

Sustainitiatives is a section on The Urban Country where we highlight companies or individuals who are taking initiatives to help reduce our harm on the environment.

Corporate Environmental Sustainability is something we hear a lot about recently; however it’s not something we should take at face value. Many companies are more pre-occupied with “greenwashing” or are simply moving at a snail’s pace when it comes to sustainability.

In the late 1980’s, long before most companies were on the environmental bandwagon, Loblaw inc. learned that a forest the size of P.E.I. was being destroyed each year to produce pulp and paper products in Canada.

This was an eye opener for the company which prompted them to release their first line of PC G.R.E.E.N. products in 1989; paper towels and bathroom tissue made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Since then, Loblaw has introduced an additional 41 PC G.R.E.E.N. products and have solidified themselves as leaders in the industry.

I interviewed Loblaw Independent Scientist and Environmentalist Colin F.W. Isaacs. Isaacs is President of CIAL Group, “Canada’s leading experts in design and implementation of advanced environmental and Sustainable Development strategies.”

Isaacs is well-known in the industry for more than twenty five years of environmental work. He appears regularly on CH Television’s CH Live at 5:30pm program, and he was a regular environment commentator on TV Ontario’s popular Studio Two program in addition to being an environmental columnist in the Financial Post from 1990 to 1994.

He has been conducting an independent review of PC G.R.E.E.N. products since its inception in 1989.

I wanted to know more about the illustrious man whom Loblaw has confided in for 20 years of reviewing its environmentally-friendly products.

Educated in Chemistry, Isaacs first became involved in the environmental movement via Politics when he was a Councillor for the town of Stoney Creek in 1975. In 1979 he was elected into the provincial legislature as an NDP Critic, being defeated in 1981 by only 150 votes; partially for his refusal to support the construction of the Red Hill Valley Parkway in Hamilton, which was delayed for close to 30 years before being officially opened November 17th, 2007.

In his 25-year environmental career, Isaacs notes that the industry has went from “Silent Spring” to a situation where a growing number of companies and governments are adopting environmental practices. Isaacs is very excited about the enthusiasm he’s seen; especially in recent years.

When it comes to sustainability, Isaacs says “we have a huge long way to go. We’re hardly on the scale yet. For 10 years, the Liberal Government talked a good line but didn’t do much. Now the government doesn’t talk a line and doesn’t do anything.”

He believes that the only way we’ll overcome environmental issues is for cooperation between government, corporations and individuals. He says it’s difficult for individuals to have a great impact in our current market without the services and products that encourage sustainability. “If people don’t have recycling programs, they can’t recycle.”

He believes that in the future, more individuals will participate in encouraging corporations to be environmentally competitive and by differentiating environmentally-friendly corporations from non-friendly corporations. More people will participate and “green industry” will perform better.

To Isaacs, the biggest environmental concern of the day is by far Climate Change which “poses a huge threat to our economy and society”. “We have got to start dramatically reducing our Greenhouse Gas emissions. We’ve hardly started yet.”

When asked about Canada’s role as leaders to developing nations, Isaacs believes that it’s unfair for us to criticize a developing nation with our lifestyles and footprint. Isaacs says that we need to adapt to the way we live before we can expect a developing nation to reduce its emissions since we have access to the technology, capital and the wealth; the three pillars that he claims a developing nation needs in order to reduce its environmental impact.

“In North America, we’ve grown our economy and society beyond what the land mass can support. We’ve recognized it, but it will be a long long time before we will fully address it”.

And what’s the biggest faux pas with respect to the environmental movement that Isaacs has witnessed lately? Isaacs attended the Green Living Show this past weekend, and made an observation:

“Companies are pushing their products, but nobody is taking the time to ask people if they really need those products. If you don’t need the product don’t buy it. If you need it, buy green. Don’t just buy green for the sake of buying in addition to your regular consumption.”

Amen.

CONTINUE READING Sustainability and Loblaw’s Keiser Soze

2009 Adventure: 560K for Kids

For approximately $270, you could purchase a return flight from Toronto to Montreal, arriving in 1 hour and 14 minutes. Alternatively, for $140 you could take a VIA train and arrive in about 5 hours, while driving takes about the same.

Rather than using these “typical” methods of transportation, I’m planning to paddle the entire 560KM in my kayak for this year’s fundraiser adventure.

Each year I try to organize a fundraiser to raise money for my Aunt Linda who runs a foster home / education centre in the Philippines called Noah’s Ark. My adventures fall somewhere between mildly challenging to borderline crazy. Last year I solo-kayaked 107KM in two days on Lake Ontario, raising close to $6,000 and in 2006 I biked 260KM to Niagara and back, raising $1,845.

This year’s trip allows me to raise some money for a good cause while providing me an adventure I’ve been itching for. It’s also a great way to do some traveling on a small budget given the current state of the economy.

I’m normally reluctant to donate money to charities because I’ve always believed the charity system in the U.S. and Canada to be ridden with loopholes and corruption. Even charities that seem altruistic on the outside aren’t always fiscally prudent, with overpaid executives and lavish headquarters.

My opinion on charities was confirmed in a timely news article about a Toronto man who runs a charity that provides bogus tax receipts to its donors. The subject of the article, James Arion, a twice-bankrupt con-man runs the charity “The Orion Foundation” which received 200 million dollars in donations over the past 2 years.

Arion provides tax receipts to donors in the sum of 5 times the value that was actually donated, allowing donors to actually make profit on their donations. Although Arion’s foundation does do some actual charity work, there is no evidence to prove how much of that money actually gets to those who need it and with 83,000 charities registered in Canada and only 40 auditors, it’s very difficult to weed out the “bad apples”.

Arion also runs a shady computer business that provides fake credit card charges for escort services as a cover for curious wives whose husbands are paying for sex with credit cards.

By donating to a foster home like my Aunts, your money goes directly to those who need it, bypassing the middle man and the financial books are open and transparent. Ninety percent of your donation goes directly to the foster home, while 10% is charged as an admin fee for processing tax receipts.

The children of Noah’s Ark are housed, nurtured and educated temporarily until they are healthy enough to return to their families or be adopted. In addition to the dozens of children who live at Noah’s Ark, they also provide milk for 15 babies in the area and they are educating 120 elementary and high-school children in the area through the Child Care Plus Sponsorship Program in Canada.

2009 marks the 20th anniversary of Noah’s Ark and since its inception 123 children have lived at Noah’s Ark Home, 18 children have graduated from college or university, 343 students have received educational scholarships through Child Care Plus and 27 babies have received milk and vitamins.

My kayak trip will take place in either late July or late August over a 2-week period (pending my work schedule), and I’ll be camping along the shores of Lake Ontario each night before my anticipated arrival in Montreal where I’ll be meeting some friends and family to spend a few days in the city before strapping the kayak on the roof of my car to head home.

If you’d like to support this cause or if you’d like more information about Noah’s Ark, please feel free to e-mail me; my contact information is available on the About Us section of this site.

Photo by James D. Schwartz – Kayaking Lake Ontario, Summer 2008

CONTINUE READING 2009 Adventure: 560K for Kids

Sketch It: Recession Lounge

Sketch it! is a fun new section on The Urban Country where we feature random napkin sketches from our resident sketch artist and writer, George Pechtol (Against his will).

Today’s sketch features a downtown Toronto lounge during the current economic recession.

CONTINUE READING Sketch It: Recession Lounge

Sustainable Living: Celebrating Earth Day 2009

Earth Day was officially born in 1970 after a proclamation by its founder, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson in September 1969 that stated a “nationwide grassroots demonstration on the environment” would take place in Spring of 1970. 

Thirty-nine years later, Earth Day is alive and well and nothing gets me more excited than knowing that billions (yes billions) of people around the world are thinking about the earth and reflecting upon the harm we are causing.

On the other hand, there will always be a fringe group of people who spend Earth Day burning plastic bags, idling their SUVs, and dumping solid waste into lakes and ponds. That may sound like fun and all, but I’d rather spend my earth day doing something more constructive.

Earth Day’s founder Gaylord Nelson was a revolutionary in his day. Like myself, I can imagine that every day was an “Earth Day” for Nelson. Nelson didn’t pass a legislation to celebrate Earth Day so that only he himself could reflect on the earth; he wanted the world to reflect on the earth.

Nelson summarizes his view on the economy versus the environment in this wonderful phrase:

“The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment, not the other way around.”

You see, Nelson believed that the economy wouldn’t exist without a healthy environment, and placing economic development before the environment can only leave us to regret what we have left our children to deal with.

Nelson also believed that overpopulation was a major cause of the environmental issues of that day. Given the post-war baby boom, this was a common position to take in those days.

Many people still have this same concern about overpopulation, but I strongly believe that the earth can thrive even at its current level of population; we just need to address the overconsumption nature of our current lifestyles in addition to embracing initiatives that address sustainability.

The most important environmental issues of today (in my opinion) are:

• Climate Change
• Air and Water pollution
• Sustainable energy solutions
• Solid waste diversion / Consumer packaging
• Urban Sprawl / spread / low-density housing
• Loss of cultivatable farm-land
• Lack of Water Conservation

Earth Day 1990 led to an increased awareness about recycling which ultimately planted the seed for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 1992 summit was a wake-up call that resulted in the creation of the Kyoto Protocol.

I wanted to share some of the things that I practice on a day-to-day basis to help reduce my personal impact on the environment:

• Responsible energy consumption: Never use a dryer, hang-dry clothes, use less hot water, shorter showers, turn off lights, environmentally-friendly bulbs, unplug electronics.
• Reduction in air pollution: Walk first, bike second, public transit third, drive last.
• Reduction in waste: Plastic reusable lunch containers, reusable shopping bags, biodegradable trash bags, re-use muffin bags for dog poop.
• Reduction in Carbon emissions: Eat less meat, purchase carbon offsets when you absolutely need to travel, drive less.

… and some other options that are becoming available in some cities:

• Bullfrog power – purchase energy exclusively from sustainable, renewable sources.
• Green-bin organic recycling – Currently only available to house dwellings in Toronto, but should become available to condominium complexes in the near future.

Sustainable living is an attainable pursuit that starts at home. There is nothing more frustrating than someone telling you that they have no concern about their personal impact on the earth because it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. When everybody does their part, it adds up and it really does matter.

If we all contribute in our own way, we will leave the earth a better place for our children to live in.

Photo by James D. Schwartz / The Urban Country, Algonquin Park, 2008

CONTINUE READING Sustainable Living: Celebrating Earth Day 2009

Recession Ready? Relief for some, Anxiety for others

In a series of articles entitled “Recession Ready?”, The Urban Country is interviewing people around the world who are affected by the recession to understand how different people are coping.

On the morning of March 26th, AutoCAD Operator Megan Howlett arrived at work at a downtown Toronto Architecture firm as if it was any other day. As the day wore on, her colleagues were called into the boardroom, one-by-one. Nobody knew what was happening. It wasn’t until it was her turn to be called into the boardroom when it became apparent: she and 7 others were being laid off from the 35-person firm.

How did Megan handle the news?

“I felt relieved! I didn’t like the work I was doing. I saw this as an opportunity to find employment elsewhere in my field”

Megan is one of the thousands of people in Ontario who have been hit by the economic downturn that has devastated the manufacturing industry in this province.

For the first time in history, Ontario will be receiving equalization payments from wealthier provinces; $357 million to be exact. The equalization program was first introduced in 1957 and prior to this year, Ontario was the only province that had never qualified to received payments. Until now.

Fortunately Megan has a positive attitude about her future employment, given her specialization in the Architecture/Design field. She plans to look for employment in the same industry, though she hopes to have more interaction with clients rather than sitting at a computer all day.

Most people who have suffered her fate however are not as optimistic. Factories in rural towns have been closing, leaving very little hope for finding work. Some have even decided to take up Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall’s offer for employment. Earlier this month Premier Wall was visiting Toronto in a recruitment drive to fill 6,200 vacation positions in his booming province.

When asked how Megan’s colleagues handled the news:

“Initially they were shocked. Since the New Year we could all tell work was slowing down, but never thought layoffs would happen so quickly. Working in a small firm, you become close like a family and it's hard to see anyone leave the team. Talking to others who survived the layoffs, who currently still work at the firm, say it's like there were multiple deaths. It takes time to adjust to the missing personalities.”

Fortunately for Megan, she doesn’t have a family to support or a mortgage to pay. But the layoff that Megan has faced has become the reality for many others in Canada as the economic crash in the United States has begun to be felt North of the 49th parallel.

To me, the recession is a great opportunity for all of us to begin to assess our needs versus our wants and determine what’s important in our lives. Knowing that we could be next can help us appreciate what we have and help put us on a path toward sustainable lifestyles.

Photo courtesy of zncjmom on Flickr

CONTINUE READING Recession Ready? Relief for some, Anxiety for others

Armstrong: April Turn, Goldman Conspiracies, and Life Behind Prison

Martin Armstrong has somewhat of a cult-like status in internet forums, likely fanned by the fact that he has spent more years in prison for contempt of court than he would have had he actually been convicted of the securities crime he was originally charged with.

Some consider him to be one of the greatest economic minds of our time. His Economic Confidence Model has been used to predict market turns, in some cases, to the day; but, rather than receiving a Nobel prize for it, he is relegated to recording his thoughts on a type writer and releasing weekly newsletters from prison.

His latest newsletters, “Behind The Curtain” (April 9th) and “Destroying Capital Formation” (March 23), are provided for those interested in his unique take on the unfolding drama; mind you, some dismiss his work as "hand-typed booklets with crude illustrations and Unnecessarily Capitalized Letters that float around in conspiracy theorist circles" - needless to say, buyer beware.

Nonetheless, his dates are watched by many: even if the outcomes are miss-forecasted, the dates do typically represent an inflection point. The latest turn from The Forecaster You Cannot Ignore is fast approaching this Sunday and would coincide with the top that others are forecasting for the recent market rally:

The earliest turning point appears to be April 2009. Yes, we have the half-cycle turning point for April 19th, 2009. Usually the half-cycle targets do not produce major events. There have been some exceptions such as 19878 produced the precise low for the crash on October 19, 1987. If that were to produce a reaction high, then we may see the market turn south for a low in July 2009 on an intra-day perspective. The key weekly target seems to be the week of July 5th, 2009. A simple Breakline on the monthly chart places the ideal technical support at around 4200 for July.

As a point of reference, the DOW closed today at 8029.62.

On a somewhat lighter note, one of the changes he has consistently pushed for is abolishing personal income tax (while the excerpt below is from an older letter, the principle is echoed again in his recent pieces as well):

Stop the Marxism! We need to return to basics. End the income tax & replace it with a 10% National Sales Tax (excluding raw food & basic clothing) that also include real estate. China has boomed because it had no income tax! This is what the men who established this nation established until Marxism began with the passage of the income tax only for the rich in 1909, that now applies to everyone. Stop borrowing money from the poorest with no interest masking it as a "refund" check confusing them to make it appear as a gift. Do this, and we will re-establish jobs in America and it will matter not if someone is an illegal alien or not for they will still pay their fair share. We are losing jobs because of high taxes and high heathcare costs that just make it cheaper to set up service oriented jobs in India, Philippines, or Mexico. It is time the BOO pound gorilla lost a little weight. This will create a offsetting economic boom that will save the nation.

Criminal or genius, one thing is certain: the almost violent upward swing of late remains nothing more than a bear-market rally. Headlines quick to hang the Mission Accompolished banner need to be approached very cautiously.

CONTINUE READING Armstrong: April Turn, Goldman Conspiracies, and Life Behind Prison

How Could You?

I wanted to relay a recent piece that I came across; written by Jim Willis in 2001 [1], it is one of the top-cited essays of its kind and is still making the rounds 8 years later:

When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child, and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows, I became your best friend.

Whenever I was “bad,” you’d shake your finger at me and ask “How could you?” — but then you’d relent and roll me over for a bellyrub.

My housebreaking took a little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life could not be any more perfect. We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops for ice cream (I only got the cone because “ice cream is bad for dogs” you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.

Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments, never chided you about bad decisions, and romped with glee at your homecomings, and when you fell in love.

She, now your wife, is not a “dog person” — still I welcomed her into our home, tried to show her affection, and obeyed her. I was happy because you were happy. Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement.

I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I spent most of my time banished to another room, or to a dog crate.

Oh, how I wanted to love them, but I became “prisoner of love.” As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated my ears, and gave me kisses on my nose. I loved everything about them and their touch — because your touch was now so infrequent — and I would’ve defended them with my life if need be. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams, and together we waited for the sound of your car in the driveway.

There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me. These past few years, you just answered “yes” and changed the subject. I had gone from being “your dog” to “just a dog,” and you resented every expenditure on my behalf.

Now, you have a new career opportunity in another city, and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets.

You’ve made the right decision for your “family,” but there was a time when I was your only family.

I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness.

You filled out the paperwork and said “I know you will find a good home for her.” They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog, even one with “papers.”

You had to pry your son’s fingers loose from my collar as he screamed “No, Daddy! Please don’t let them take my dog!”

And I worried for him, and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about respect for all life.

You gave me a good-bye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you. You had a deadline to meet and now I have one, too. After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home. They shook their heads and asked “How could you?”

They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago. At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you that you had changed your mind — that this was all a bad dream… or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared, anyone who might save me.

When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate, I retreated to a far corner and waited. I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day, and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room. A blissfully quiet room. She placed me on the table and rubbed my ears, and told me not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come, but there was also a sense of relief.

The prisoner of love had run out of days.

As is my nature, I was more concerned about her. The burden which she bears weighs heavily on her, and I know that, the same way I knew your every mood.

She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek. I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years ago. She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein.

As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked into her kind eyes and murmured “How could you?”

Perhaps because she understood my dog speak, she said “I’m so sorry.” She hugged me, and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place, where I wouldn’t be ignored or abused or abandoned, or have to fend for myself — a place of love and light so very different from this earthly place.

And with my last bit of energy, I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my “How could you?” was not directed at her. It was directed at you, My Beloved Master, I was thinking of you.

I will think of you and wait for you forever. May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty.

That it’s powerful and inspiring is a severe understatement. Incidentally, I happened upon the letter in Toronto's pet section of Craigslist – some passer byer deemed it necessary to remind those who looking to part with their “family.”

As a recent and first-time dog owner, I’ve developed a new-found duty to instill a deep and unrelenting sense of caution in anyone looking to adopt a pet: in my view, it is a profound, life-altering decision that is far too often taken lightly. There aren’t nearly enough warning signs out there informing would-be adopters of the true nature of responsible pet ownership – this point can’t be understated and is an entire topic in its own right.

However, the topic also touches on another sensitive discussion that’s been at the forefront of our lives for the last few months: the practice of neutering male dogs. (While much of the philosophy behind the argument can extend across genders, I must admit that we’ve focused almost exclusively on the male ramifications in our research – there are some notable differences between the two.)

There are generally 3 arguments in favor of neuterings: sterilization, behavioral (marking their territory, roaming, etc.), and prevention of testicular cancer. The cited disadvantages are numerous too: increased risk of obesity, a fourfold increased risk in prostate cancer, a twofold increase risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer), increased risk of hemangiosarcoma and urinary tract cancer, increase risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations, and some cases of hormone-responsive alopecia (hair loss).

The behavioral aspect of the debate is largely irrelevant, given the gravity of the surrounding factors. While respecting the seriousness of the overpopulation risk, I do think that most owners and vets alike approach the neutering debate as “no brainer” under a false pretence of benefiting the animal’s long-term health and happiness. At the most primitive level, I don’t think we can summarily dismiss 100,000 years of years of evolutionary advancement to suggest that removal of this organ somehow improves overall health and wellbeing! Nor do I see any convincing science that supports that line of thought.

But clearly, quality of life, for the wider community (and not the individual in question), is what the debate boils down to. To that end, anyone who’s considering keeping their male intact must also accept the full responsibility that either the dog will not be allowed to run unsupervised or be willing to bear the full consequences of his actions (in owning the full and true lifetime cost of accidental births and ensuring the same quality of life for the litter that was afforded to the father). The implementation of this, of course, present some challenges – and accidents do happen.

An interesting exercise, data permitting, would be to segment the unwanted pet population into groups based on whether they are a result of: a) commercialization, b) indifference and ignorance or c) bonafide accidents between dogs who's owners have otherwise taken every precaution.

Responsible dog owners have an obligation to review the facts and seek different opinions. With Jim Will’s narrative in mind, and the thousands of similar deaths every day at shelters around the world, decide what makes sense for you and yours – and keep the following words of wisdom in mind too:

Either is okay as long as you understand the pros and cons and get the information from good sources; i.e. veterinarians who are honest. Be careful when reading about some of the ratios on developing cancers in neutered animals. The veterinary literature is fraught with studies that lack power, especially ones in veterinary oncology. You would have to go back to some of those papers and look at how many dogs are in the study and look at statistical significance. I do believe that in regards to hemangiosarcoma (a terrible cancer of blood vessels that can appear anywhere in the body but most commonly found in the spleen), this is a repeatable finding that more dogs that are neutered/spayed are overrepresented.

The most important thing for you to realize if you chose not to neuter your dog is that at some point in the future when he becomes an adult, it may be important to consider neutering your pet as a therapy for an underlying disease. For instance, in diabetes, the presence of progesterone antagonizes insulin, therefore spaying an animal may help better control diabetes that is otherwise difficult to regulate. A perianal adenoma is a hormone responsive disease. If your dog were to develop this benign tumour, it would likely recur if you did not neuter him.

[1] – A note from the Author: If “How Could You?” brought tears to your eyes as you read it, as it did to mine as I wrote it, it is because it is the composite story of the millions of formerly “owned “pets who die each year in American & Canadian animal shelters. Anyone is welcome to distribute the essay for a non-commercial purpose, as long as it is properly attributed with the copyright notice. Please use it to help educate, on your websites, in newsletters, on animal shelter and vet office bulletin boards. Tell the public that the decision to add a pet to the family is an important one for life, that animals deserve our love and sensible care, that finding another appropriate home for your animal is your responsibility and any local humane society or animal welfare league can offer you good advice, and that all life is precious. Please do your part to stop the killing, and encourage all spay & neuter campaigns in order to prevent unwanted animals. -Jim Willis

CONTINUE READING How Could You?

White Wolf – Classic Canadian Rockers

Back in 1980, a band was formed in Edmonton Alberta called White Wolf. Many remember White Wolf as a talented, yet underrated Canadian Heavy Metal acts of the 1980’s. In 1984 they signed with RCA and their debut LP “Standing Alone” which went on to sell 250,000 copies worldwide.

The band enjoyed much success and toured North America and were featured on radio stations across the nation as well as Much Music in Canada and MTV in the United States.

In 1985 they flew to Holland to record their second album “Endangered Species” which was released in 1986. The album was sitting at #114 on the Billboard charts, heading to break 100 when their record label RCA was purchased by BMG.

Sensing a lack of support after the record company merger, the band went their separate ways in 1988.

With the rise in popularity of 80’s music this decade, White Wolf resurfaced in 2007 with former members Don Wilk and Cam Macleod reuniting to release their third album “Victim of the Spotlight”. Wilk has since changed his legal name to “Don Wolf” and he and Macleod have been touring Europe to promote their new album.

The band has recently re-issued a double digipack of their first two albums “Standing Alone” and “Endangered Species” and are selling their live in Germany performance on their MySpace page:

“White Wolf are legends, make no mistake and this is a worthy addition to your collection. With the 2007 release of the third White Wolf album "Victim of the Spotlight" (ESM155) and the reissue of the two earlier albums then the future is bright for this Canadian six piece.”

 

“The Wolf shall prowl once more…….this is a fantastic live performance and essential for anyone wishing to experience the sheer power of this magnificent hard rock band.”

Given that my father’s brother was an original member of the band, I’ve always been delighted when I meet people who grew up in the 80’s and were fans of the band. It’s also great to see the band has been partially re-united to preserve the history of Canadian Hard Rock.

Here’s the song “She” from the 1986 album “Endangered Species”

CONTINUE READING White Wolf – Classic Canadian Rockers

Change is on the Horizon

Photo by James D. Schwartz, Algonquin Park Sunrise, 2008

You might have noticed some changes that have been happening on The Urban Country over the last couple months. This is no accident. I’m expanding the site to offer a much a wider variety of topics from a more diverse group of people.

I’ve already recruited a few talented and passionate writers into our contributor pool, and over the next several months we’ll continue building a team of writers who really care about the world and our state of being. Each writer will have his or her own unique position on these important issues with the common objective of making the world a better place for everyone.

The decision to expand the site is primarily based on my intent to expand the topics we cover. Over the last year or two I’ve been very focused on urban affairs, the environment and sustainability. I do however concede that my readers would prefer to see a wider variety of topics than simply environmental sustainability.

By expanding our contributor base, I can focus more on environmental and urban issues as well as spending more time on investigative journalism. At the same time, we can offer more frequent content and more special features such as our “Trash Talk” section, “Sketch It!” section or our “Recession Ready?” section.

A Brief History of The Urban Country

The Urban Country was born in 2004 as a way for me to share my personal stories and thoughts with the world. The first article I wrote in June 2004 was entitled “Beer Can War” about my experience at a NASCAR race.

In the ensuing months in 2004, the site became an outlet for humourous stories, funny quotes and news (With posts such as “Chris Rock quotes of the week”, or the Dec 2004 article “How to impress a woman at the gym”)

As a result of poor choices by the Bush Administration, the site then took a new slant and became an outlet for me to vent my political frustrations; primarily about America’s wars.

Throughout 2005 the site contained a mixture between political commentary and humour but by 2006 I had started to focus more on environmental issues and simple living. In 2007 the humour had taken a back seat to more serious deep thoughts (Such as my thoughts on living on Toronto Island).

By the start of 2008, virtually all articles were related to sustainable, simple living, and many readers who were entertained by the humour over the years eventually dissipated while the site became more attractive to those who are passionate about the earth.

Titles such as “Corporate Environmental Responsibility”, “Pollution vs. Greenhouse emissions”, “Self Sustaining Home” and “Dixie Trash” became the norm and the era of educating myself and my readers on sustainability was born.

Now The Urban Country is entering a new era on the premise that “we don’t accept the status quo of society”. We’ll offer a mixture of serious articles (Economy and Politics), as well as entertainment (Sketch It! and perhaps Movie Reviews) and being passionate about living active, healthy lifestyles will always be a part of The Urban Country’s values.

I’m excited about what the future holds for us at The Urban Country, so I hope you follow us through our journey to a world of new and unique content!

CONTINUE READING Change is on the Horizon

Sketch It: Mountain of Coffee Cups

Sketch it! is a fun new section on The Urban Country where we feature random napkin sketches from our resident sketch artist and writer, George Pechtol (Against his will).

This week’s sketch symbolizes the 1 million coffee cups that are trashed each day in Toronto that end up in landfills in a “Mountain of Coffee Cups”.

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Can't Be Indifferent about Dead Ducks

(Photo Courtesy of ViaMoi on Flickr)

Last spring, a large flock of ducks landed on a toxic basin of bitumen residue and other byproducts of oil sands extraction before drowning. Early estimates placed the size of the flock at 500, and the story made headlines around the globe, severely undercutting the Alberta government’s frantic efforts to reframe the growing perspective that oil sands extraction is environmental degradation.

The story refuses to die. Nearly a year later, it thrives in the Alberta media and has been revived globally following the recent revelation that Syncrude, the energy-giant responsible for the tailings pond, got the death toll wrong. Apparently, most of the flock sunk in the toxic sludge and surfaced in the weeks that followed the tragedy. The new count: 1,606 dead ducks.

Some commentary, notably that of Don Braid of the Calgary Herald and, to a much lesser extent, Margaret Wente, in today’s edition of the Globe and Mail, objects to the notion that a flock of dead ducks warrant such negative media attention. They both claim that the amount of dead ducks is insignificant relative to the tens of thousand of birds that strike wind turbine blades each year or the millions that perish following collisions with high rise buildings in Toronto.

This is unpersuasive reasoning, that because a larger quantity of a species is perishing from other means, the media’s attention on the dead ducks’ story and the resulting public outcry are somehow disproportionate and unfair. The distinction in this instance is that the ducks’ death could have been easily prevented. What was required was an attentiveness to the risks posed by climate change and changing bird migratory patterns and a curiosity to assume that protocols that may have worked well in the past will fail.

By its own admission, Syncrude’s system to prevent bird deaths on its tailings ponds was insufficient against unique weather patterns at the time of the incident and an early, significant arrival of waterfowl in the area. In response to the public outcry, Syncrude accepted its responsibility and adopted eight new measures to mitigate the risks of allowing wildlife mortality at its tailings ponds. These new measures, including a program to observe waterfowl migratory patterns to test and improve the company's system going forward, are much more rigorous relative to what was in place.

It took nothing for Syncrude to adopt these new protocols, which rely on low-tech solutions (with exception to its adoption of radar) and a greater complement of people. For this energy giant, it’s not the number of dead ducks that is insignificant but rather the new cost of implementing a more rigorous system. This makes it all the more regrettable that Syncrude was complacent about its previous system and warrants the media spotlight.

CONTINUE READING Can't Be Indifferent about Dead Ducks

Human-Powered Hydrofoil Kayak

The 4-man Olympic-style K4 boat gets off to a good start against the 1-man Hydrofoil “Flyak”. It doesn’t take long however for the Flyak to burst ahead of the 4-man boat at a speed of 27 KM/hour to win the 200M race.

The Flyak starts out like a regular kayak, but once the paddler reaches a certain speed, the hydrofoils kick in, the hull is raised above the water, and has the ability to reach an amazing level of speed.

With the hydrofoils fully engaged, the boat has very little drag and is almost “flying” above the water. The boat was first designed by Norwegian world champion sprint-canoer Einar Rasmussen and Olympic canoe contender Peter Ribe in Norway in 2005.

Hydrofoil technology has a long history, dating back to 1899 when British boat designer Sir John Isaac Thornycroft began his design of prototypes which came to fruition in 1909 in the form of a 22-foot boat “Miranda III”.

American hydrofoil pioneer William E. Meacham first explained the science behind hydrofoil technology in 1906 in a Scientific American science magazine article.

Alexander Graham Bell also had an interest in hydrofoil technology when he worked with engineer Casey Baldwin to develop working models of hydroplane watercraft based on a model by Italian inventor Enrico Forlanini (Casey Baldwin is also credited to be the first Canadian to pilot an aircraft). They achieved a world marine speed record on September 9, 1919 with a speed of 114KM/h which stood for 10 full years.

Alexander Graham Bell and Casey Baldwin’s boat built in 1919, courtesy of hydrofoil.org

At 27KM/h I could have reached my destination in 2 hours as opposed to 8-10 hours during last summer’s kayak adventure. This is pretty amazing technology, though something tells me it will be a long time yet before this type of boat would be feasible for your average kayaker to use.

CONTINUE READING Human-Powered Hydrofoil Kayak

Sketch It: Urban Food Chain

Sketch it! is a fun new section on The Urban Country where we feature random napkin sketches from our resident sketch artist and writer, George Pechtol (Against his will).

 

“Urban Food Chain”, by George Pechtol

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Who Controls Your Media?

 

(Photo courtesy of fxgeek on Flickr)

“Mediterranean becomes sea of death for hundreds” – CNN, March 31st

“Chinese ‘Kill Weapon’ Gives U.S. Cause for Concern” – FOX News, March 31st

“Two Killed Execution-Style in NFL Player’s Condo” – FOX News, March 31st

“SHARE MORE PAIN” – Toronto Sun – March 31st

For a period of time in my life, I was a news junky. I wanted to know everything that was going on in the world. Although I think it’s important to be aware of world events, I think too much mainstream media can have a detrimental effect on your well-being.

After all, negative news is much easier to sell than positive. When you watch Paris Hilton’s “My New BFF”, the contestants aren’t sipping tea and complimenting each other. Like every other “reality” TV show out there right now, the show centers around drama, quarrels and insults. Negative media, that’s what sells.

However, with the evolution of the Internet, and the steady improvement in online feed readers, it’s now easy to find the news that you want to read and bypass the topics that don’t interest you.

You’re no longer obligated to sit through a pre-determined CNN program where you have no control over what news you’re presented. Much of that content that you were previously subjected to can be swept under the rug forever (Bye, Bye Fox News).

Even though we’re empowered behind a computer to choose content at our own discretion, there is still a key media outlet that will persist for some time yet in the form of newspaper stands.

Like most people, I’m subjected to the news headlines every day on my morning commute to work. After 3 years of walking to work and glancing at constant negative headlines, I finally decided to do something about it. I created the website torontosunsucks.com which is devoted to exposing a local Toronto newspaper for its fear-mongering headlines.

Although newspapers won’t be around forever, they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

With all the negative media about the economy, wars and dirty politics, I’ve been less enthusiastic about viewing the latest news headlines.

I’m now consciously focusing less on a macro level and more on a micro level. I want to know what I can do as an individual to make our world a better place.

After all, it’s micro-level circumstances in our lives that we can potentially have the greatest impact on.

CONTINUE READING Who Controls Your Media?