UPCOMING ACTIVITIES (TORONTO)
(Calendar also includes other major, climate-related int'l events -- Check back for updates)
JULY, 2009
Check out ecoSanity's New Climate Emergency: Race 2 Survival (R2S) Campaign - Join the Race!
July 2, ecoSanity to Launch Bi-Monthly vidSane (video) Climate Alerts
July 8-10, G-8 Summit, Italy
More Soon!
JUNE, 2009
June 1 - 12, UNFCCC Climate Change Talks, Proposed Draft Agreement, Bonn, Germany
June 18, ecoSanity Launches Climate Emergency: Race 2 Survival (R2S) Campaign - Join the Race!
June 18, Canadian Parliament Recesses for Summer
June 19, 20, ecoSanity Table at EcoSavvy Festival, North York
June 20, ecoSanity Table at Big on Bloor Festival, Toronto
MAY, 2009
May 2, Learn How to Lobby Your MP/MPP For Climate Action Now!
May 3, ecoSanity to Table at Greening our Neighborhoods EcoFestival
May 8, ecoSanity to Attend Book Launch w Elizabeth May and Nicola Ross
May 21, An Evening with Thomas Homer-Dixon
May 24-26, World Business Summit on Climate Change, Copenhagen
May 26, ecoSanity to Attend James Lovelock in Toronto
May 29, Bush, Clinton at Metro Toronto Convention Centre
APRIL, 2009
April 2, G-20 Summit, London
March 29 - April 8, Int'l Climate Talks, Bonn
April 22, Climate Justice - Climate Action, Toronto
April 24, Alanna Mitchell interviews Tim Flannery, Green Living Show, Toronto
April 25, Stephen Lewis, Alanna Mitchell, Green Living Show, Toronto
April 27, 28, Obama Climate Change Forum, Washington D.C.
MARCH, 2009
March 2, Official Endorser, Capitol Climate Action, Washington D.C.
March 10-12, E-plea/Mailout to Emergency Climate Summit Participants, Copenhagen
March 12, Greenpeace Action at Pickering Nuclear Station, ecoSanity.org Founder Participates in Support
March 18, Tabling at Green Jobs Fair, U of Toronto
March 21, Tabling at Rex Weyler, The Friends House, Toronto
March 26, Ontario Budget
March 28, Major Mobilization for Earth (Climate Emergency) Hour Toronto.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, TORONTO
VOLUNTEERS WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN MAJOR MOBILIZATION AT EARTH (CLIMATE EMERGENCY!) HOUR TORONTO
Media Advisory -- Issued: March 27, 2009
In only 3 years, the 2009 Earth Hour goal has grown to 1 billion participants in 2,800+ cities and 84 countries worldwide. Given this incredible opportunity to inspire people on a massive scale, we must take care not to dilute the clear, present and unprecedented threat of the climate crisis.
At present, the world's atmosphere is on course to reach a state of unsurvivable global warming and climate change extremes within the lifetimes of today's children. Millions of people in the most impoverished countries -- those least responsible for the problem and least able to cope -- are suffering and dying right now from the way we in rich nations have chosen to live and the rapidly accelerating devastation that decades of our collective neglect has caused.
On Saturday, March 28th, at Nathan Phillips Square in downtown Toronto, Canada, ecoSanity.org Climate Emergency Campaign volunteers will bring truth, passion and urgency to Earth Hour. Help us to translate the energy of this remarkable event into the call for global transformation we must all embrace 8,760 hours a year from this moment forward with the declaration:
Tentative Schedule:
6:30 pm -- Meet at Nathan Phillips Square, South East Corner of Skating Rink (Queen & Bay) -- See Map
6:30 - 7:00 -- Prep (shirts, inflate globe, rig materials, late arrivals)
7:00 - 8:00 -- Various photo/video w volunteers, penguin, placards, globe, interviews, media
8:00 - 8:40 -- Enjoy event, countdown to lights out, shoot video
8:40 - 9:15 -- Various, pose w penguin in candlelight, closing statements
9:15 - 9:30 -- Pack up, head for beer/drinks at location TBD
For more info or to volunteer with ecoSanity.org, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info(at)ecoSanity.org.
You can also RSVP on facebook.
Get informed. Get inspired. Get involved.
See you Saturday!
THURSDAY, FEB. 19, 2009
ECOSANITY.ORG TO ATTEND OBAMA IN OTTAWA -- VOLUNTEERS WANTED!
ecoSanity.org will travel from Toronto to Ottawa to peacefully attend the public viewing area on Parliament Hill during U.S. President, Barack Obama's 6-hour visit to Canada this Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009 (See this Toronto Star article for details). If you are available to travel from Toronto, or are based in or near Ottawa, and would like to volunteer to participate with ecoSanity.org at this event (T-shirts, banners, pics, video, penguin), please contact us as soon as possible to discuss potential arrangements.
(416) 861-1303, info@ecoSanity.org.
FEB. 11, 2008
ECOSANITY.ORG AT POZNAN POSTMORTEM & COPENHAGEN COUNTDOWN
JAN. 29, 2009, 7PM (6PM TABLING TBC)
ECOSANITY.ORG TO ATTEND MAUDE BARLOW IN TORONTO
Join us at Unbottle It! Tap Into Public Drinking Water
There is a growing movement to ban the sale of bottled water in municipalities and institutions like school boards and university campuses. The cities of Toronto, London, Owen Sound, and many other Ontario communities, have banned the sale of bottled water in municipal facilities. So have school boards in Ottawa and Waterloo.
Building on this momentum, the Council of Canadians and CUPE Ontario are hosting an educational tour in January 2009, to encourage more municipalities and other institutions to take practical action to "Unbottle It!," and tap into clean, safe, public water. Maude Barlow, Council of Canadians' Chairperson and Senior Advisor on Water to the President of the UN General Assembly, and Sid Ryan, CUPE Ontario President, will be touring 15 Ontario communities to raise awareness about this important issue and encourage people into action.
Unbottle It! Tap Into Public Drinking Water
With Maude Barlow & Sid Ryan
Thursday, Jan. 29, 7pm (6pm Tabling TBC)
Steel Workers Hall
25 Cecil Street, Toronto - See Map
For more info, contact: Russ Townshend, russ.townshend@yahoo.com.
Get informed. Get inspired. Get involved.
See you there!
WED., JAN. 14, 2009, 7PM (6PM MEET & GREET)
ECOSANITY.ORG FOUNDER TO SPEAK AT EEON 5-YR AGM
Join us at Environmental Education Ontario (EEON)'s...
5-Year AGM Update: Greening the Way Ontario Learns
Wed., Jan. 14, 7pm (6pm networking/social hour)
OISE (Ont. Institute for Studies in Education, U of T)
252 Bloor St. West, Rm 2-211, Toronto
St. George Subway - See Map
Guest Speaker (20 mins): Michael Ball, Ontario Ministry of Education, Officer for the Environmental Education Initiative
Guest Speaker (40 mins): Glenn MacIntosh, Founder/Executive Director, ecoSanity.org
Followed by a spirited breakout discussion: Can we educate our way to sustainability?
RSVP to info(at)eeon.org or call (905) 854-6212.
HOLIDAY THANKS 2008
IT'S BEEN A BUSY YEAR!
20+ videos and more in progress; high profile figures; major events and protests; speaking engagements; facilitation of the Toronto Climate Campaign's Reclaim Earth Day: U-Turn on Climate Change; our 7-day, 7-video, TIFF eco-Razzies Campaign; our Harper: Race to Extinction Campaign; blogSanity compilations on a variety of essential issues; video and stills for the Sunshine Walk and the Global Rally to Stop Global Warming; our new, internationally targeted Call for Declaration of Global Climate Emergency-Campaign; and numerous volunteer mobilizations along the way.
Together, we've accomplished great things, but this is only the beginning and we -- all of us -- need to do much more.
Our sincerest thanks for a terrific year of action, and best wishes for a happy, healthy, engaged holiday season!
SEE YOU IN 2009!
SUN., DEC. 7, 2008, 1PM (VOLUNTEERS TO MEET AT 12:15PM)
VOLUNTEERS WANTED TO PARTICIPATE WITH ECOSANITY.ORG AT:
On Sunday, Dec. 7th, join Canadians across the country and take to the streets to support the Global Weekend of Action to Stop Global Warming -- the biggest climate rallies of the year to demand urgent action during the crucial international climate negotiations in Poznan, Poland.
ecoSanity.org is mobilizing to participate in this rally as part of our Climate Emergency Campaign -- an ambitious, necessary and urgent effort to re-frame mainstream misinformation about 'global warming' (more accurately, global heating, global climate destabilization, global weather extreming, global mass extinction, global ecocide) as the clear, present, unprecedented and accelerating threat that it has become to the survival of all people and most species within the lifetimes of today's children.
"This is an emergency and for emergency situations we need emergency action."
-- U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, Antarctic visit, Nov. 12, 2007 (click for more essential quotes)
GLOBAL RALLY TO STOP GLOBAL WARMING
Sunday, Dec. 7, 1pm (Volunteers to meet at 12:15pm)
Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto - SEE MAP
For more info or to volunteer with ecoSanity.org, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
NOV. 28, 2008
ECOSANITY.ORG CLIMATE EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISER
On Nov. 28, 2008, ecoSanity.org held its Climate Emergency Campaign fundraiser at barWellington in downtown Toronto, Canada. See blogSanity for pictures and thank you's.
NOV. 7, 2008
ECOSANITY.ORG LAUNCHES "CLIMATE EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN"
SEPT. 24, 2008
ECOSANITY.ORG LAUNCHES "HARPER: RACE TO EXTINCTION CAMPAIGN"
THURSDAY, SEPT. 4 - TUESDAY, SEPT. 9
VOLUNTEERS WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN ECOSANITY.ORG'S
"TIFF ECO-RAZZIES CAMPAIGN", TORONTO
Press Release - Issued Thursday, September 4, 2008
Media Advisory - Issued Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Flyer - (soon)
The 33rd annual Toronto Int'l Film Festival (TIFF): 10 days, 500+ celebrities, 312 films from 64 countries, 350,000 tickets, 60+ million in fossil-fueled revenue, and NO ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY.
Meanwhile, over the same 33 years that the festival has existed, 30% of all species have been rendered extinct. With the accelerating impacts of global warming, at least another 30% will be extinguished in far less time. Deadly climate change is happening NOW and, while heavily corporate international mega-events are not the biggest or most direct causes of this problem, the negligent culture of excess that they promote sure is.
A year ago, ecoSanity.org carried out a peaceful disruption of TIFF with a brief blockage of vehicle access to a gala at Roy Thompson Hall.
This year, we're organizing an ambitious, six-day volunteer mobilization to peacefully engage the public about the urgent global emergency and social injustices posed by climate change.
With many roles to fill and much to prepare, we want a big turnout!
To find out more about how to participate in this fun, interactive campaign, call or e-mail us at:
(416) 861-1303, info@ecoSanity.org.
What's The Problem With TIFF?
- TIFF has NO environmental policy and a pervasive and negligent disregard for environmental responsibility
- TIFF results in the carbon footprint of thousands of associated flights, limos and SUV's
- TIFF promotes a culture of excess to the growing demise of the people of the most impoverished nations who are suffering and dying from the devastating impacts of rich nation-induced climate change RIGHT NOW (increased poverty, spiking food prices, dwindling fresh water, starvation, disease, drought, desertification, ocean acidification, flooding, genocide, resource wars)
- TIFF's new Bell Lightbox tower (under construction - see this CBC article for more details) is not LEED certified (environmental building certification standard) and has not been given any environmental consideration
- TIFF is aligned with numerous green-washing companies and banks
The Climate Crisis Is An Urgent, Global Emergency!
NASA's James Hansen, the first leading scientist to warn of the dangers of global warming before a U.S. Congressional committee 20 years ago, recently returned to warn that the Earth's climate is nearing dangerous tipping points, to call for a national carbon tax and to declare that the CEO's of energy companies should be tried for crimes against humanity and nature.
"We have reached a point of planetary emergency...", he said. "...climate is nearing dangerous tipping points. Elements of a perfect storm, a global cataclysm, are assembled...". "...the oft- stated goal to keep global warming less than +2 C (+3.6 Fahrenheit) is a recipe for global disaster, not salvation."
Al Gore's concern that America's "dangerous over-reliance on carbon-based fuel" is at the core if its economic, environmental and national security problems recently compelled him to call for an urgent transition to 100% green energy in America within 10 years.
And in the new book, Climate Code Red: The Case For Emergency Action, Authors David Spratt and Philip Sutton argue that, in order to return to a 'safe climate', not only must we reduce carbon emissions 100% as quickly as possible by declaring an urgent global state of emergency in order to get beyond the suicidal denial of 'business as usual' (Read: The Perils Of Playing Nice), we must also figure out a way to remove excess carbon from the atmosphere.
The World Needs Leadership From Events Like TIFF
Few events pack the carbon wallop TIFF does into 10 so excessive, emissions-intensive days.
ecoSanity.org is based in Toronto, the festival is one of the highest profile media opportunities in the world, and the situation is urgent.
With TIFF's scale, influence and footprint should follow the absolute moral responsibility to take aggressive action. We believe there is also tremendous potential benefit for organizers and sponsors to pursue an industry-leading transformation that would not only make the festival as green as possible, but also set high environmental standards for all associated.
Given the dire state of the climate crisis, it must happen fast.
Contact Us
To find out more about how to participate in this fun, interactive campaign...
Call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
Get informed. Get inspired. Get involved.
SEE YOU SOON!
SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 11AM - 9PM
ECOSANITY TO HAVE A TENT AND SPEAK AT ECOSAVVY FESTIVAL, TORONTO
Organized by Enlightened Events, the EcoSavvy Festival is an exciting, FREE event for the public, where you can discover local sustainable businesses, learn from knowledgeable speakers about "green" issues relevant to you as a consumer, and enjoy local organic food and LIVE entertainment.
Join ecoSanity.org at our tent near the main entrance to Mel Lastman Square, have your picture taken with Mercury, the ecoSanity penguin and, at 4pm, hear Founder Glenn MacIntosh's presentation, Our Mass Imperative: See. Act. Inspire!
Saturday, August 16, 11am - 9pm
Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge St.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 7PM
ECOSANITY TO ATTEND AN EVENING WITH BOB LOVELACE, TORONTO
Meet Bob Lovelace, former Ardoch Algonquin First Nation chief and Queen's University lecturer, who was sentenced to six months in jail for saying 'no' to uranium mining on indigenous lands. Lovelace made this stand in defense of the Earth and Creation, which indigenous peoples regard as sacred.
Sponsored and promoted by GSU Social Justice Committee (U of T), Toronto Mining Support Group, Sam Gindin Chair (Ryerson University), University of Toronto Students Union
An Evening With Bob Lovelace
Wednesday, August 13, 7pm
7 Hart House Circle, University of Toronto
Hart House, Debates Room, 2nd floor - SEE MAP
For more info or to attend with ecoSanity.org, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 7PM - 9:30PM
ECOSANITY ATTENDED RALPH NADER IN TORONTO
Ralph Nader is the only major candidate for President of the United States standing up to implement Canadian-style universal healthcare, a Dion-style Carbon Tax, and ending the war in Iraq with a full 6-month withdrawal. Over ten million Americans say they will vote for him, and another 20 million say they would if they thought he had a chance of winning. He's on track to be on the ballot in 45 states, and has a shot at getting in the Google Presidential Debates to be held in New Orleans this September.
Ralph Nader in Toronto
Monday, August 11, 7pm - 9:30pm
Design Exchange, 234 Bay St., Toronto (South of King) - SEE MAP
- Screening of a portion of An Unreasonable Man, the acclaimed documentary on Ralph Nader
- Ralph Nader Remarks on the U.S. Presidential Election: What's at stake for Canada?
- Q/A with Ralph Nader
Contact: Rashi Khilnani, (647) 286-0396
FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1PM - 6PM
ECOSANITY HAD A TABLE AT 'GOING GREEN AT THE GRANGE FESTIVAL'
The Going Green at the Grange Festival includes free games, food, face painting, amusement rides, magic, music and more! Visit the many booths and learn how everyone can live healthier lifestyles and go green at home, at work and in the community. Grange Park - SEE MAP
SATURDAY, JULY 5
ECOSANITY ATTENDED AFROFEST (TORONTO)
Afrofest in Queen's Park-North is the largest annual African music event in Canada with attendence of up to 80,000 people. The many concessions selling African foods, crafts, clothing etc. have become just important to the festival as the featured acts themselves, creating an atmosphere where people of all ages and backgrounds can mix and enjoy the festival together.
SATURDAY, JUNE 21
ECOSANITY HAD A TABLE AT THE BIG FESTIVAL ON BLOOR (TORONTO)
On Saturday June 21st, from Christie to Lansdowne along historic Bloor Street, The BIG Festival celebrated local business, community, arts and culture with a unique street fair featuring hundreds of events, activities and exhibitions.
SATURDAY, MAY 24, FROM 11AM - 8PM
VOLUNTEERS WANTED TO HELP ECOSANITY AT GREEN TORONTO FESTIVAL
ecoSanity.org needs your help at the Green Toronto Festival. Parade with our GET SANE banners. Escort Mercury the Penguin. Table, bucket (collect donations, sell buttons, t-shirts) and gather e-mail addresses from throngs of concerned citizens who support our efforts to confront the urgent global emergency and social injustices posed by the devastating impacts of climate change.
New volunteers receive a free SEE ACT INSPIRE t-shirt!
The Green Toronto Festival
Concert - Dave Usher, Chantel Kreviazuk and others!
Saturday, May 24, 11am - 8pm
Yonge St. and Yonge-Dundas Square - SEE MAP
(Rendesvous at ecoSanity table/tent on Yonge St.)
For more info or to attend with ecoSanity.org, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
Get informed. Get inspired. Get involved!
SATURDAY, MAY 31, FROM 4PM - 11PM
ECOSANITY.ORG'S LIVE 2 GIVE! FUNDRAISER AND VEGGIE BBQ
Patio BBQ - Music - Raffles - Silent Auction - Veggie Dogs and Burgers On Us (while supplies last)
MUSIC BY YOU. Bring your instruments. Get Unplugged!
LIVE 2 GIVE!
Spring Fundraiser and Veggie BBQ
Saturday, May 31, 4pm - 11pm
Cafe Taste, 1330 Queen St. West - SEE MAP
For more info or to RSVP, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
SATURDAY, MAY 24, FROM 11AM - 8PM
VOLUNTEERS WANTED TO HELP ECOSANITY AT GREEN TORONTO FESTIVAL
ecoSanity.org needs your help at the Green Toronto Festival. Parade with our GET SANE banners. Escort Mercury the Penguin. Table, bucket (collect donations, sell buttons, t-shirts) and gather e-mail addresses from throngs of concerned citizens who support our efforts to confront the urgent global emergency and social injustices posed by the devastating impacts of climate change.
New volunteers receive a free SEE ACT INSPIRE t-shirt!
The Green Toronto Festival
Concert - Dave Usher, Chantel Kreviazuk and others!
Saturday, May 24, 11am - 8pm
Yonge St. and Yonge-Dundas Square - SEE MAP
(Rendesvous at ecoSanity table/tent on Yonge St.)
For more info or to attend with ecoSanity.org, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
Get informed. Get inspired. Get involved!
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14 AT 5 PM:
ECOSANITY.ORG TO TABLE AT MAUDE BARLOW TALK (TORONTO)
View our videos of the anti-SPP Summit Protest led by Maude Barlow last Summer in Montebello, Quebec.
"Desalination plants will ring the world's oceans, many of them run by nuclear power; corporate nanotechnology will clean up sewage water and sell it to private utilities who will sell it back to us at a huge profit; the rich will drink only bottled water found in the few remote parts of the world left or sucked from the clouds by machines, while the poor die
in increasing numbers. This is not science fiction. This is where the world is headed unless we change course."
THE GLOBAL WATER CRISIS
Maude Barlow, National Chairperson, Council of Canadians
Wednesday, May 14
5pm (eco-org tabling)
6pm - 7:30pm, Maude Barlow, Q/A, book signing
Monarch Park Collegiate Institute
1 Hanson St. (SE of Danforth and Coxwell) - SEE MAP
Contact Lois Monahan, (416) 393-9930 x 234
Organized by the Elementary Teachers of Toronto (ETT) Environmental Committee and supported by the Political Action Standing Committee.
AND STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS ABOUT ECOSANITY.ORG AT:
The Green Toronto Festival
Friday, May 23 (Kids Day)
Saturday, May 24 (Concert)
Yonge St. and Yonge-Dundas Square
Live 2 Give!
Spring Fundraiser (and Veggie BBQ) to Support ecoSanity.org
Saturday, May 31, 4pm - 11pm
Cafe Taste, 1330 Queen St. West
For more info or to attend any of these events with ecoSanity.org, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
Get informed. Get inspired. Get involved!
SUNDAY, APRIL 27TH AT 4 PM:
ECOSANITY.ORG FOUNDER TO SPEAK AT GREEN LIVING SHOW TORONTO!
Through truth, passion, emotion, Founder of the Toronto-based environmental and social justice organization, ecoSanity.org, believes actions speak louder than words.
Whether collaborating in a coalition to organize a major public rally like Reclaim Earth Day: U-Turn on Climate Change, or staging peaceful, high-profile, direct protests, ecoSanity.org mobilizes to confront the climate crisis head on. Hear why each of us can and must become empowered to see the imminent threat of climate change, take urgent action and inspire others to do the same - fast!
For MacIntosh, regardless of outcomes, how we all choose to respond to this challenge - our legacy - is everything.
ECOSANITY.ORG FOUNDER, GLENN MACINTOSH
OUR MASS IMPERATIVE: SEE. ACT. INSPIRE!
Sunday, April 27th, 4 pm
Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place
100 Princes' Blvd, Toronto - SEE MAP
(416) 263-3000
For more details or to attend with ecoSanity.org, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
Get informed. Get inspired. Get involved.
SUNDAY, APRIL 20TH AT 12 NOON (TORONTO):
ECOSANITY TO ATTEND RECLAIM EARTH DAY: U-TURN ON CLIMATE CHANGE!
ecoSanity.org is a core participant in the Toronto Climate Campaign (TCC), a coalition of representatives from unions, environmental and social justice organizations, students, and citizens whose key initiative is to educate, motivate and mobilize a collective mass-movement to demand equitable and just solutions to global warming.
Having staged the Toronto contingent of the D8: Global Day of Action this past December, the largest D8 climate rally in Canada (more than 2500 participants and extensive non-corporate sponsorship and support), the TCC wants another big turnout at:
RECLAIM EARTH DAY: U-TURN ON CLIMATE CHANGE!
Sunday, April 20th, 12 noon
Yonge-Dundas Square (Toronto) - SEE MAP
Dowload the Poster and Flyer - Click Here
12 noon: Rally at Yonge-Dundas Square, featuring The New Kings and special guests
1 pm: Parade West across Queen St., U-turn in Spadina intersection back to Queen and John St.
2-4 pm: Streets are for People Street Festival on John St.
To VOLUNTEER with ecoSanity.org (get a free SEE ACT INSPIRE t-shirt, be in our pics and videos),
call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
Get informed. Get inspired. Get involved.
SUNDAY, APRIL 13TH AT 1PM:
ECOSANITY.ORG ATTENDS DAY FOR DARFUR
SEE MORE ABOUT DAY FOR DARFUR HERE
Nathan Phillips Square
1PM - 3PM
Read how the United Nations has concluded that the crisis in Darfur is largely the result of climate change:
Climate change and the fight for resources 'will set world aflame'
Darfur conflict heralds era of wars triggered by climate change, U.N. report warns
Get informed. Get inspired. Get involved!
THURSDAY, APRIL 3RD:
ECOSANITY TO ATTEND U.C. (UNIVERSITY COLLEGE) ENVIRO-FAIR AND
"WEATHER MAKERS" AUTHOR, TIM FLANNERY, LECTURE AT BLOOR CINEMA
Thursday's a busy one for us! First up, ecoSanity.org will have a table at:
U.C. (UNIVERSITY COLLEGE) ENVIRO-FAIR
Thursday, April 3rd, 11am - 3pm
Howard Ferguson Dining Hall "Fung"
In Morrison Hall Residence
75 St. George St., Toronto - SEE MAP
Then we're off to:
"WEATHER MAKERS" AUTHOR, TIM FLANNERY, LECTURE AT THE BLOOR CINEMA
"The history and future impact of climate change"
Thursday, April 3rd, 7pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
506 Bloor St. West (just East of Bathurst), Toronto - SEE MAP
To VOLUNTEER with ecoSanity.org (get a free SEE ACT INSPIRE t-shirt, be in our pics and videos),
call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
Get informed. Get inspired. Get involved!
SATURDAY, MARCH 29TH AT 6PM:
VOLUNTEERS WANTED TO JOIN ECOSANITY.ORG AT
EARTH HOUR TORONTO - FREE CONCERT!
Nelly Furtado, Philosopher Kings
Nathan Phillips Square
(Earth Hour: 8-9pm. We'll be there from 6pm)
To VOLUNTEER with ecoSanity.org (SEE ACT INSPIRE shirts, GET SANE banners, pics and video),
call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
SATURDAY, MARCH 15TH AT 1PM:
VOLUNTEERS WANTED TO JOIN ECOSANITY.ORG AT
WORLD AGAINST WAR RALLY AND MARCH
WHAT DO WARS HAVE TO DO WITH CLIMATE CHANGE? FIND OUT HERE!
Join ecoSanity.org at the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War, World Against War global day-of-action to mark the 5-year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq and to call for troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan!
WORLD AGAINST WAR
Bring the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan!
Saturday, March 15th, 1pm - 4pm
Queen's Park, Toronto
(University Ave. just North of College) - SEE MAP
1:00pm: Opening Rally, Co-hosted by the Housing Not War Campaign, Queen's Park
1:30pm: Peace March, From Queen's Park to Trinity-St. Paul's United Church, North on Avenue Rd., West on Bloor)
2:30pm: Indoor Rally, Trinity-St. Paul's United Church, 427 Bloor St. West (1 block West of Spadina at Walmer Rd.)
Featuring:
~ Rally speeches, cultural performances
~ Hip-hop, spoken word, drumming
~ Large-screen video footage of anti-war mobilizations in Toronto since 2003
~ Testimonies of US war resisters in Canada broadcast live to Washington, DC
~ Live webcast of Winter Soldier testimony from Washington, DC
The Toronto Coalition to Stop the War is Toronto's city-wide anti-war coalition, comprised of more than fifty labour, faith and community organizations, and a member of the Canadian Peace Alliance.
For more info, contact the The Toronto Coalition to Stop the War, (416) 795-5863, stopthewar@sympatico.ca.
To VOLUNTEER with ecoSanity.org (SEE ACT INSPIRE shirts, GET SANE banners, pics and video),
call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
WHAT DO WARS HAVE TO DO WITH CLIMATE CHANGE? FIND OUT HERE!
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5TH AT 7:30PM:
ECOSANITY.ORG TO ATTEND ELIZABETH MAY LECTURE AT HART HOUSE
Join ecoSanity.org at this public lecture on international environmental policy, a Hart House Debates Committee event in partnership with the Churchill Society.
IS CANADA'S PARTICIPATION IN MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS FUTILE? (PDF)
Guest Speaker: Green Party of Canada Leader, Elizabeth May
Wednesday, March 5th at 7:30pm
Hart House, Debates Room, University of Toronto
7 Hart House Circle - SEE MAP
For more info, contact the Debates Committee at Hart House, (416) 978-2452.
To RSVP to attend (volunteer) with ecoSanity.org, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH AT 7PM:
ECOSANITY.ORG TO ATTEND "THE TROUBLE WITH TASERS"
Join ecoSanity.org at this public forum on the use of tasers, sponsored by the Toronto Police Accountability Coalition.
PUBLIC FORUM: THE TROUBLE WITH TASERS
Wednesday, February 6th at 7pm
Innis Town Hall (Innis College, University of Toronto), 2 Sussex Ave.
(Corner of St. George and Sussex - 1 block south of Bloor) - SEE MAP
Speakers:
David Reville - Advocate and builder of the Psychiatric Survivor Movement
Naomi Klein - Author, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, No Logo
Andy Buxton - Chair, Amnesty International Toronto Organization
For more info about this forum, e-mail Andy Buxton (Amnesty International Toronto Organization) at chair@aito.ca
To RSVP to attend (volunteer) with ecoSanity.org, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1ST AT 7PM:
ECOSANITY.ORG TO ATTEND "DERRICK JENSEN IN TORONTO"
"We are members of the most destructive culture ever to exist. Our assault on the natural world, on indigenous and other cultures, on women, on children, on all of us through the possibility of nuclear suicide and other means - all these are unprecedented in their magnitude and ferocity." So began my first book, "Listening to the Land". Why do we act as we do? What are sane and effective responses to outrageously destructive behavior? What will it take for us to stop the horrors that characterize our way of being? My work and life revolve around these questions." -- Derrick Jensen
Join us at:
DERRICK JENSEN IN TORONTO: PRIVATE DESPAIR TO PUBLIC ACTION (PDF FLYER)
Friday, February 1st at 7pm
Church of the Holy Trinity, 10 Trinity Square, Toronto
(West side of the Eaton's Centre) - SEE MAP
Sponsored by the Environmental Justice Organizing Initiative (EnJOI)
For more about Derrick Jensen, visit www.derrickjensen.org.
To RSVP to attend with ecoSanity.org, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
ECOSANITY.ORG TO ATTEND REPORT BACK ON BALI
HEAR FROM EYEWITNESSES WHO WERE AT THE BALI CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE - SATURDAY, JAN. 26 AT 2PM, 25 CECIL ST., TORONTO
26.01.08
The Bali Road Map was signed, but what will the new deal really mean? Hear eyewitness reports and analysis from Bali climate change conference participants and join in a discussion on building the climate crisis movement at:
STATE OF THE CLIMATE: WHAT HAPPENED IN BALI?
Saturday, January 26, 2 PM
Steel Hall, 25 Cecil St., Toronto
(S. of College, E. of Spadina) - SEE MAP
Eyewitness Reports From:
MAY JEONG
Climate Journalist, Activist
Canadian Youth Delegation to Bali
CAROLYN EGAN
President, Steelworkers Toronto Area Council
United Steelworkers (USW) Delegation to Bali
BRIAN CHAMP
Activist, Toronto Climate Campaign
Report on D8: Global Day of Action
* * * * *
For excerpts from the recommended links below, see our Bali post in blogSanity.
BALI: PEOPLE POWER CONFRONTS CLIMATE CHANGE
www.avaaz.org
HURRAY! WE'RE GOING BACKWARDS!
www.monbiot.com, George Monbiot, December 17, 2007
LATE-NIGHT DRAMA PUSHES U.S. INTO CLIMATE DEAL
The Guardian, Juliette Jowit, Caroline Davies, David Adam, December 16, 2007
* * * * *
For more info or to RSVP to attend with ecoSanity.org, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
ECOSANITY.ORG TO PARTICIPATE IN RYERSON SUSTAINABILITY WEEK
SEE WHAT WE'RE ABOUT AT THE RYERSON ECO-FAIR (TORONTO)!
22.01.08
On Tuesday, January 22nd, from 11am - 3pm, ecoSanity.org will have a table at the Ryerson eco-fair.
Location: The Snack Stop, 350 Victoria St., 2nd Floor of podium (POD) - SEE MAP
For more info about the eco-fair and Ryerson Sustainability Week, visit www.ryerson.ca.
For any other info, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
ECOSANITY.ORG HOLIDAY DONATION CAMPAIGN 2007
PLEASE HELP ECOSANITY.ORG SURVIVE AND GROW
21.12.07
BECOME A MONTHLY DEFENDER TODAY
As we near the end of our fledgling year, we've been making waves with our passion and commitment to expose the urgent global emergency and social injustices posed by the devastating impacts of climate change.
With the exception of a few substantial contributors, ecoSanity.org has largely been financed out of our own pockets through considerable expense and sacrifice. To continue our work to speak the hard truth to power, and to attempt to inspire as many people as possible to get involved - FAST -
Monthly Defender donations will determine our ability to survive for another year. Your contributions will enable us to plan, finance and mobilize more - and larger - public actions and protests, expand our growing activist community of Green Defenders (volunteers) and enhance the content and interactivity of our website. Please become a Monthly Defender so that we will have the resources and independence we need to get even louder in 2008!
If you believe, as we do, that urgent action must be taken NOW to attempt to preserve a livable world for the future of our children, and if you can spare a small amount each month, we would be grateful for your support.
The planet won't wait for us to save it, ourselves or those we love.
WE MUST ALL - ACT - NOW.
* * * PLEASE CLICK HERE TO BECOME A MONTHLY DEFENDER TODAY * * *
CONTACT US
To hear more about what we do and why we do it, don't hesitate to write us at info@ecoSanity.org or give us a call at 416.861.1303.
Thank you for helping to make our first year a great success and stay tuned for info about what's coming up NEXT in 2008! Until then, our best wishes for a safe, happy, environmental and socially conscious holiday season and new year!
ECOSANITY.ORG ENDORSES
ECOSANITY.ORG IS PLEASED TO ENDORSE...
18.12.07
...Grassroots environmental products stores and bullfrog power green energy in the new 'ecoSanity endorses' section of our home page. Grassroots has been extremely generous and supportive of our efforts to date and, following their lead, we are delighted to announce that ecoSanity is now bullfrog-powered with green, renewable energy!
ECOSANITY.ORG AT D8
ECOSANITY.ORG ATTENDS THE D8 (DEC. 8TH, 2007) GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION
CLIMATE RALLY, MARCH AND ECO-FAIR
08.12.07
Thousands of Torontonians took to the streets in solidarity with people in 37 cities across Canada and more
than 70 countries around the world to make their peaceful outrage heard and to demand immediate, aggressive, life-or-extinction responses to the dire global emergency and social injustices posed by the devastating impacts
of climate change.
Canadian Federation of Students', Jen Hassum, called Prime Minister Stephen Harper during the rally at Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada.
The message: What do we want? KYOTO! When do we want it? NOW!
"...at present, the world's atmosphere is on course to heat up to UNSURVIVABLE TEMPERATURES within the lifetimes of today's children." - Glenn MacIntosh, Founder's Imperative
The planet won't wait for us to save it, ourselves or those we love.
WE MUST ALL - ACT - NOW.
For more info about D8 Toronto 2007, visit the www.torontoclimatecampaign.org.
To view ecoSanity.org's pictures from D8, go to LAST on our homepage, or go to ACT: ecoSanity.org Activities,
type 'ecoSanity', click a picture, then choose 'Sets'.
NGO'S RELIEVE HUNGER STRIKE ACTIVIST, DONNA DILLMAN!
CCAMU ANNOUNCES (GREENPEACE, CAPE, DAVID SUZUKI FOUNDATION, SIERRA CLUB, OTHER NGO'S ENDORSE) PUBLIC HEARINGS ON URANIUM MINING - DILLMAN ENDS HUNGER STRIKE WITH FIRST SPOONFUL IN 68 DAYS
13.12.07
Watch the December 13th video of Donna Dillman's march to Queen's Park and press conference aftermath below.
(To watch the December 8th video of Donna's statement outside Queen's Park at the D8 Global Day of Action rally in Toronto, click here)
From December 13th, CCAMU media release:
The Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium (CCAMU) announced today that they would hold public hearings throughout Eastern Ontario in the New Year on the environmental and health impacts of uranium mining.
"We have been asking the government to hold an inquiry into uranium mining and they have failed to respond", said Wolfe Erlichman of CCAMU. "In the absence of action, on behalf of the McGuinty government, we are going to hold a citizen's inquiry and invite the Premier to attend. We will even go to his home town to accommodate him."
A number of NGO's including Greenpeace Canada, Canadian Association Of Physicians For The Environment (CAPE), David Suzuki Foundation, Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility, Voice of Women and Sierra Club of Canada have endorsed the hearings or will participate as expert witnesses.
CCAMU will be calling for public and expert submissions to take place at hearings to be held in Kingston, Ottawa and Peterborough in February/March. In response to the hearings, Donna Dillman, who has not eaten since October 8th 2007, said she will end her hunger strike.
"I began this hunger strike to shine a light on the problem of uranium mining in eastern Ontario with the hope that Premier McGuinty would call a moratorium on further mining and exploration", said Dillman. "We have not yet got a moratorium but these hearings are a great opportunity to inform and educate Ontarians about some of the detrimental effects of uranium mining and to keep the pressure on the McGuinty government."
"Donna has made an incredible personal sacrifice in pushing for this moratorium. It is time for the environmental community to take some of the heavy lifting from Donna before she suffers any serious health impacts", said Gideon Foreman, Executive Director of the Canadian Association Of Physicians For The Environment (CAPE).
"These hearings will be an opportunity to further expose the unfolding economic, health and environmental disaster associated with the global nuclear agenda", said Bruce Cox, Executive Director of Greenpeace Canada.
"Mr. McGuinty is wrong when he says we need to mine uranium here to keep the lights on. This uranium is bound for export."
Donna Dillman had not eaten since October 8th, 2007 - a full 68 days ago. Ms. Dillman has been calling on Premier McGuinty to announce a moratorium on further mining and exploration in Eastern Ontario until a full public inquiry on the health and environmental impacts of uranium mining can take place.
On Tuesday of this week, Ms. Dillman stopped drinking juices and had been surviving solely on water. She ate her first bite of food in front of the supporters who had gathered in MPP Peter Tabuns' office, just after the press conference held in the Queen's Park press gallery. Four other women, Adriana Mugnatto-Hamu, Rita Bijons, Sharon Howarth and Karen Buck, had joined Dillman on her hunger strike this past Tuesday, to show their solidarity.
They broke their fast today, just after Dillman ate a small amount of mashed squash.
CONTACT DALTON MCGUINTY
CONTACT THE PREMIER DIRECTLY TO CALL FOR RESPECT FOR ABORIGINAL LAND RIGHTS AND FOR A PUBLIC INQUIRY AND MORATORIUM ON URANIUM MINING. PLEASE SEND A LETTER, E-MAIL OR FAX, OR CALL:
Premier Dalton McGuinty
Queen's Park Room 281
Main Legislative Building
Toronto, ON M7A 1A4
Tel: 416-325-1941
Fax: 416-325-3745
Email: http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/default.asp
MORE ABOUT CCAMU
For more info about Donna Dillman and uranium mining, go to www.ccamu.ca.
The Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium
Contact: Lynn Daniluk
E-mail: uraniumnews@mail.ccamu.ca
HUNGER STRIKE ACTIVIST, DONNA DILLMAN, IS RUNNING OUT OF TIME!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE IN URGENT - LIFE OR DEATH! - ANTI-URANIUM MARCH IN SUPPORT OF HUNGER STRIKE ACTIVIST, DONNA DILLMAN - INTO HER 3RD MONTH WITHOUT FOOD, NOW ON WATER ONLY!
13.12.07
Watch this video of Donna Dillman's statement outside Queen's Park (taped at the D8 Global Day of Action in Toronto) and attend the upcoming anti-uranium march this Thursday, Dec. 13th, 9:30 am, Toronto CPT office (Steelworkers' Hall), 25 Cecil St., Unit 307 - (SEE MAP).
From ccamu.ca media release:
Join the call for a moratorium on uranium mining and for respect for Aboriginal land rights.
This Thursday is the last day the Ontario Legislature sits until February 2008, so it is a crucial week to let our voices be heard regarding Aboriginal land rights and uranium mining. Grandmother Donna Dillman is into her third month without food and is now on WATER ONLY. She is calling for a moratorium and public inquiry into uranium exploration and mining in Ontario, and in recent weeks has been holding vigil at Queens Park.
Please plan on participating in a procession from the CPT office to the legislature on the morning of Thursday, December 13 to join Donna Dillman and to add our voices to the thousands who have already spoken out. We will gather at the CPT office (Steelworkers' Hall, 25 Cecil Street, Unit 307) at 9:30 AM. Fair Trade coffee will be waiting for you! From there we will proceed to the Ontario Legislature for a time of public witness. Details to follow.
CONTACT DALTON MCGUINTY
CONTACT THE PREMIER DIRECTLY TO CALL FOR RESPECT FOR ABORIGINAL LAND RIGHTS AND FOR A PUBLIC INQUIRY AND MORATORIUM ON URANIUM MINING. PLEASE SEND A LETTER, E-MAIL OR FAX, OR CALL:
Premier Dalton McGuinty
Queen's Park Room 281
Main Legislative Building
Toronto, ON M7A 1A4
Tel: 416-325-1941
Fax: 416-325-3745
Email: http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/default.asp
MORE INFO - VOLUNTEER
For more info about Donna Dillman and uranium mining, go to www.ccamu.ca.
For more info or to RSVP to participate with ecoSanity.org, call us at 416.861.1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
URGENT ANTI-URANIUM MARCH IN TORONTO
Thursday, Dec. 13th, 9:30 am
Toronto CPT office (Steelworkers' Hall)
25 Cecil Street, Unit 307 - (SEE MAP)
PLEASE HELP DONNA NOW - SHE HAS NO TIME TO SPARE!
JOIN ECOSANITY.ORG AT THE D8 (DEC. 8) GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION!
ECOSANITY.ORG TO ATTEND THE D8 (DEC. 8) GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION
CLIMATE RALLY, MARCH AND ECO-FAIR
08.12.07
(The following statements are from ecoSanity.org, not www.torontoclimatecampaign.org promo materials).
This Saturday, December 8th, Torontonians and people the world over will take to
the streets to make their peaceful outrage heard and demand immediate, aggressive, life-or-extinction responses to this dire global emergency.
"...at present, the world's atmosphere is on course to heat up to UNSURVIVABLE TEMPERATURES within the lifetimes of today's children."
-- Glenn MacIntosh, Founder's Imperative
The planet won't wait for us to save it, ourselves or those we love.
WE MUST ALL - ACT - NOW.
VOLUNTEER TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZERS
To help the Toronto Climate Campaign organizers with logistical support this Saturday, December 8th,
Call 416.922.0035 or e-mail www.stopclimatechaos-toronto@sympatico.ca.
VOLUNTEER TO PARTICIPATE WITH ECOSANITY.ORG
To RSVP to participate in the rally and march with ecoSanity.org (SEE ACT INSPIRE shirts, GET SANE banners),
Call us at 416.861.1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
NOTE: ecoSanity.org volunteers will be meeting between 11:30 am and 11:45 am at Dundas Square (SEE MAP).
D8 (DEC. 8) GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION CLIMATE RALLY, MARCH AND ECO-FAIR
This Saturday, December 8th, 12 noon
Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto (SEE MAP)
For More Details, Visit: www.torontoclimatecampaign.org
D8 WARM-UP: ECOSANITY.ORG PROTESTS JOHN BAIRD: LIAR!
ECOSANITY.ORG PROTESTS CANADIAN MINISTER OF THE ENVIRONMENT,
JOHN BAIRD, AT ECONOMIC CLUB OF TORONTO LUNCHEON
05.12.07
JOHN BAIRD: LIAR - For more videos of our activities, see vidSanity on our
homepage or visit our YouTube channel, seeactinspire.
On Wednesday, December 5th, at the end of Minister of the Environment, John Baird's "Canadian action on climate change: Laying a foundation for our future" luncheon speech at The Economic Club Of Toronto, a suited ecoSanity.org 'Green Defender' (volunteer) rose in protest with a cloth banner that read LIAR. As he was escorted out of the room, he yelled, "Stop sacrificing my generation", and, "You're sacrificing my generation for business!".
Our government says it won't act to save our future and the future of our children unless every other government does, too (U.S., China, India).
Per capita, Canada is one of the most affluent, wasteful and culpable rich nations on the planet. At this time of unprecedented opportunity for our government to lead by example, it has instead chosen the role of key saboteur of our children's - not to mention humanity's - ability to even HAVE a future, let alone one worth living in.
Canada must redeem itself. We must fulfill our Kyoto obligations and we must commit to aggressive caps and reversals of emissions - not IF or WHEN everyone else buys in, but SO everyone else buys in, FAST!
"At present, the world's atmosphere is on course to heat up to UNSURVIVABLE TEMPERATURES within the lifetimes of today's children." -- Glenn MacIntosh, Founder's Imperative
The planet won't wait for us to save it, ourselves or those we love.
ECOSANITY.ORG'S OFFICIAL "GET SANE" LAUNCH PARTY - A GRAND SUCCESS!
29.11.07
Our thanks to all who attended and to those who gave so generously. To date, ecoSanity.org has largely been funded out of our own pockets, but your one-time and, especially monthly, donations are what will allow us to continue to voice the hard message about the urgent global emergency and social injustice posed by the devastating impacts of climate change.
Thank you to Catherine for offering us the world at her wonderful venue, The Parkdale Drink. Our sincere appreciation to Angela for representing Greenpeace and speaking so genuinely in support of our fledgling organization; to Grassroots, Greenpeace, The Parkdale Drink, Cafe Taste, Curbside Cycle and Hardboiled for their abundant raffle prize package donations; to bullfrog Power for powering our event by injecting a proportional amount of green energy into the grid (learn how to power your home or office with green energy here); and to three spectacular performers,
G. Mark Weston, and Igor & Zo, for bringing our evening to life.
We at ecoSanity.org are grateful to all of you for making our official launch such a special memory. Stay tuned for info about our next epic gathering in late spring '08!
ECOSANITY.ORG ATTENDS TEACH-IN TO PROMOTE D8 (TORONTO)
ECOSANITY.ORG ATTENDS INTERACTIVE TEACH-IN TO PROMOTE D8 (DEC. 8) GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION CLIMATE RALLY, MARCH AND ECO-FAIR!
17.11.07
On Saturday, November 17th, ecoSanity.org attended an Interactive Teach-In - "From Climate Crisis To Climate Justice" - to promote the upcoming D8 (Dec. 8), Global Day of Action, Climate Rally at Yonge-Dundas Square, to be followed by a March to Queen's Park and an Eco-Fair at Hart House (University of Toronto).
(NOTE: Statements below are from ecoSanity.org, not from www.torontoclimatecampaign.org promotional materials)
On Saturday, December 8th, Torontonians and people the world over will take to the streets to make their peaceful outrage heard and demand immediate, aggressive, life-or-extinction responses to this dire global emergency.
"...at present, the world's atmosphere is on course to heat up to UNSURVIVABLE TEMPERATURES within the lifetimes of today's children." -- Glenn MacIntosh, Founder's Imperative
The planet won't wait for us to save it, ourselves or those we love.
WE MUST ALL - ACT - NOW.
D8 (DEC. 8) GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION CLIMATE RALLY, MARCH AND ECO-FAIR
Saturday, December 8th, 12 noon
Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto
www.campaigncc.org (UK)
www.torontoclimatecampaign.org (Toronto).
MCGUINTY SWEARING-IN PROTEST
ECOSANITY.ORG STAGES URGENT PROTEST OUTSIDE SWEARING-IN OF ONTARIO PREMIER, DALTON MCGUINTY!
30.10.07
On Tuesday, Oct. 30th, at Queen's Park in downtown Toronto, ecoSanity.org Green Defenders (volunteer activists) staged an urgent, peaceful protest of the swearing-in of Ontario Premier, Dalton McGuinty, and promoted the upcoming D8 (Dec. 8), Global Day of Action, Climate Rally and March.
UK site: www.campaigncc.org
Toronto site: www.torontoclimatecampaign.org
We were grateful to be joined by several members of www.streetsareforpeople.org and their 'dead', motorless petition car covered with 4,000 + signatures in support of a car-free culture that they pushed from Kensington Market to Queen's Park.
Under Mr. McGuinty, the Liberals have bought themselves another 4 years of dirty, deadly coal and sold Ontarians out to a 40 BILLION-PLUS debacle of crippling, unnecessary investment into nuclear power at the expense of conservation and our vast clean, renewable energy potential.
We must not let them side-step the environment and the urgent global emergency of climate change the way they, certain other parties, and many of the media outlets did during the shamefully negligent, Green Party exclusionary, one-off debate and anti-MMP (Mixed-Member Proportional voting system referendum) rouse that was the 2007 Ontario Provincial Election.
Right now, the people of the most impoverished nations are suffering and dying because of our shameful, negligent, inadequate environmental policies. We need clean, sustainable energy solutions, not pillaging, murderous ones. End coal now. Renewable energy now. Nuclear waste never!
On Saturday, December 8th, Torontonians and people the world over will take to the streets to make their peaceful outrage heard and demand immediate, aggressive, life-or-extinction responses to this dire global emergency.
"...at present, the world's atmosphere is on course to heat up to UNSURVIVABLE TEMPERATURES within the lifetimes of today's children." -- Glenn MacIntosh, Founder's Imperative
The planet won't wait for us to save it, ourselves or those we love.
WE MUST ALL - ACT - NOW.
You can view pictures from our protest in ACT: ecoSanity Activities.
For more about the D8 (Dec. 8) Global Day of Action Climate Rally and March, go to www.campaigncc.org (UK), www.torontoclimatecampaign.org (Toronto).
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL ELECTION & FAIR VOTE REFERENDUM, OCT. 10TH!
THE OCT. 10TH ELECTION IS ALSO A REFERENDUM AND THE MOST INFLUENTIAL VOTE YOU CAN
CAST IS ONE IN FAVOUR OF "MMP" (MIXED-MEMBER PROPORTIONAL) OR, IN ENGLISH, A LONG OVERDUE SHIFT TO A FAIRER, MORE ACCURATELY REPRESENTATIONAL VOTING SYSTEM. IT WILL ALSO GIVE THE SMALLER, MORE ECO-FRIENDLY PARTIES A MUCH LOUDER VOICE THAN THEY HAVE NOW. STEP UP AND MAKE URGENT CHANGE HAPPEN BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. VOTE FOR "MMP",
IT'S CLOSER TO "REAL" DEMOCRACY!
ELECTION
On Wednesday, October 10th, vote as if lives depend on it because THEY DO!!!
RIGHT NOW, the people of the most impoverished nations are suffering and dying from the devastating impacts of climate change and the way we in rich nations choose to live.
Vote with your conscience. Vote for CLEAN ENERGY! (voteforcleanenergy.ca)
REFERENDUM
This election is also a ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY to adopt a MMP (Mixed-Member Proportional) voting system (more proportionally accurate and reflective of the total popular vote) in the FAIR VOTE referendum.
Vote for MMP, it's closer to "REAL" democracy!
CALL TO ACTION!
"At present, the planet's atmosphere is on course to heat up to UNSURVIVABLE TEMPERATURES within the lifetimes of today's children." -- Glenn MacIntosh, Founder's Imperative
The planet won't wait for us to save it, ourselves or those we love.
For more info, contact us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
"NUCLEAR-FREE FUTURE" YOUTH PROTEST
ECOSANITY.ORG ATTENDS "NUCLEAR-FREE FUTURE" YOUTH PROTEST, QUEEN'S PARK, TORONTO
05.10.07
On Friday, October 5th, ecoSanity.org attended the "NUCLEAR-FREE FUTURE" YOUTH PROTEST organized by Catalyst and the Toronto Green Team at Queen's Park in downtown Toronto.
As you read this, the Ontario Government is proceeding with its nefarious, aggressively-lobbied plans to invest $46 BILLION of our dollars into nuclear power - the most expensive, dangerous, unreliable, unnecessary energy source in existence - and is conspiring to secure contract commitments behind closed doors.
On October 10th, step up and vote for a NUCLEAR-FREE FUTURE before it's too late!
For more about clean energy and the upcoming election, check out voteforcleanenergy.ca.
For info about future Youth Protest plans, contact catalysttoronto@gmail.com or torontogreeteam@gmail.com.
The planet won't wait for us to save it, ourselves or those we love.
Ontario Provincial Election and FAIR VOTE Referendum: October 10th!
ALBERTA TAR SANDS PROTEST
ECOSANITY.ORG PROTESTS ALBERTA PREMIER, ED STELMACH, AND RUNAWAY TAR SANDS DEVELOPMENT AT EMPIRE CLUB LUNCHEON, TORONTO
25.09.07
(To see more videos of our activities, go to vidSanity on our homepage or visit our YouTube channel, seeactinspire)
On Tuesday, September 25th, shortly after the Premier of Alberta, Ed Stelmach, began his "Alberta: Canada's engine of growth", luncheon speech hosted by The Empire Club Of Canada at the Sheraton Centre in downtown Toronto, a suited ecoSanity.org Green Defender (Volunteer) rose in protest with a cloth banner that read GET SANE in bold, black letters on white and made the following statement until he was removed:
"Mr Stelmach, right now, the people of the most impoverished nations are suffering and dying because of environmentally negligent ventures like the Alberta tar sands. (This sentence not stated due to time) Canadians and the world need a clean, sustainable energy economy, not a pillaging, murderous one. (These were stated) Stop sacrificing my generation. Renewable energy now. Deadly tar sands NEVER!"
The tar sands are located under millions of hectares of untouched boreal forest that covers nearly 1/4 of Alberta. Trees are cut down, the surface is strip-mined and the underlying mixture is heated with steam to make it flow.
- Oil from the tar sands produces 5 x more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional oil and is the fastest growing greenhouse gas emitter in Canada (Alberta emits 40% of our nation's total, but with only 10% of our population)
- Huge amounts of water and dirty energy are required to create the steam needed to extract the oil
- The surrounding air and water is polluted with a variety of toxic chemicals
- 70% of the crude oil is exported to the U.S.
ECOSANITY.ORG'S DEMANDS OF PREMIER, ED STELMACH, AND THE GOV'T OF ALBERTA:
We could propose things like: an immediate moratorium on new tar sands projects; cap air emissions from new upgraders; restrict water usage; level, then reverse, runaway development and initiate aggressive government regulation, but the reality is:
"At present, the planet's atmosphere is on course to heat up to unsurvivable temperatures within the lifetimes of today's children." -- Glenn MacIntosh, Founder's Imperative
Alberta tar sands development and humanity cannot co-exist because tar sands development KILLS.
To read more, check out this Edmonton Sun article, Stelmach heckled in Toronto.
The planet won't wait for us to save it, ourselves or those we love.
ONTARIO ELECTION DEBATE
ECOSANITY.ORG ATTENDS INFO-PICKET OUTSIDE DEBATE
20.09.07
On Thursday, September 20th, ecoSanity.org participated in an info-picket initiated by the Toronto Green Team
outside the Ontario Election Debate at the CBC Broadcast Centre.
ecoSanity.org sought to express outrage over the following offensive, shameful and negligent realities:
- None of the participating parties embrace policies that are anywhere near proportional to the unparalleled threat, urgent global emergency and absolute moral imperative posed by climate change
- The leader of the Green Party of Ontario, Frank de Jong, was excluded from the debate despite the fact that the environment is the biggest issue on voters' minds, with the Green Party being, BY FAR, its most adamant, political advocate
- How dare we allow our Governments, "leaders", industries and election processes to function the way they do.
"At present, the world's atmosphere is on course to heat up to UNSURVIVABLE TEMPERATURES within the lifetimes of today's children." -- Glenn MacIntosh, Founder's Imperative
The planet won't wait for us to save it, ourselves or those we love.
For more info about the Toronto Green Team, visit them on facebook here, online at voteforcleanenergy.ca or e-mail them at torontogreenteam@gmail.com.
To contact ecoSanity.org, call us at (416) 861-1303 or e-mail us at info@ecoSanity.org.
Ontario Provincial Election and FAIR VOTE Referendum: October 10th!
ECOSANITY.ORG FOUNDER, GLENN MACINTOSH, IMPRISONED FOR 3 DAYS AND ASSAULTED AFTER PEACEFUL ANTI-TIFF(G) PROTEST!
13.09.07
(To see more videos of our activities, go to vidSanity on our homepage or visit our YouTube channel, seeactinspire)
Dear ecoSanity.org supporters,
On Friday, September 7th, ecoSanity.org staged a peaceful protest of the Toronto International Film Festival (Group) by successfully blocking the main vehicle access route to the George Clooney, red carpet Gala at Roy Thompson Hall with a large, white van that had our GET SANE banners taped on each side while another team held another GET SANE banner on one corner.
Although Mr. Clooney had arrived earlier than expected and was already on the red carpet, we delayed several limos and congested the intersection for a substantial period of time.
ecoSanity.org Founder, Glenn MacIntosh, was promptly arrested for mischief and obstruction for refusing to move the van.
In an effort to minimize expense, a Lawyer had not been retained and, after a long, sleepless night in a freezing cold jail cell with a stainless steel plank for a bed (they freeze you to keep you uncomfortable), Glenn's Government appointed "Duty Council" bungled bail Saturday morning when the Crown became concerned that Glenn might attempt another protest.
Many long waits in cold holding cells packed with dangerous, impatient criminals later, Glenn was imprisoned Saturday night at "the Don", the most dangerous jail in Toronto where, after 24 shivering and uncertain hours, he finally had a little food and got some sleep.
That same night, one of the guys Glenn went in with was assaulted by a flurry of blows from several inmates for using a phone without their consent. The next afternoon was Glenn's first opportunity to risk asking the prisoners for permission to make a call since declining to contact a Lawyer on the night of his arrest (Note: if you attempt to ask a guard for anything, the prisoners will beat you up).
Glenn was very lucky to have been able to contact ecoSanity.org's, Soo Luen Tom, who later visited to get more details, then set out to retain quality council for the scheduled Monday morning bail hearing.
A Lawyer was arranged, a deal was struck and a friend of Glenn's - also a Lawyer - was able to secure his release Monday afternoon for a surety of $5,000 and assurance that he would stay at least 500 metres away from Roy Thompson Hall.
However, on the Sunday evening prior to his release, Glenn was the last of his cellmates to be dragged by prisoners around "the Range" (the generally unsupervised common area of the floor outside the prison cells) by his neck with a towel until near unconsciousness -- twice -- and was punched in the head.
Only minutes after that, another inmate was severely beaten, but narrowly escaped and snitched. The floor was locked down for the night (everyone locked into their cells, 3 per cell) and this probably saved Glenn from further physical harm.
My sincere thanks to the volunteers who participated in our action: to P and P for their support, encouragement and speaking cues on the night of the action; to A for making it possible to get the banners on the van in time to arrive as scheduled; to A for taking what I expect are terrific stills photos; to Y for being so helpful that night and for forwarding such a moving and inspirational e-mail a few days later.
I'd also like to thank two close friends for rushing footage online and for bailing me out (they know who they are).
Most of all, I'm grateful to Soo Luen, not only for carrying many of the arrangements on the day of the action, retrieving the van from impound and returning it to Richmond Hill late the following night, but for working tirelessly throughout the upsetting, days-long ordeal to insure my safe release amidst very trying circumstances.
Our protest was apparently covered on CBC's The National and Newsworld this past weekend, which included an interview with Soo Luen.
Glenn was quoted in the last paragraph of a Toronto Star article, City's film industry aim to be eco-friendly, on Tuesday (thank you Tim and Spencer), and Glenn gave another interview for a story that will include Festival Director, Piers Handling, on Newsworld's, The Scene (thank you Jelena).
To see our REVISED, edited video of our protest, please check out TIFF(G) '07 Protest - Excess Kills! in the vidSanity section of our homepage (www.ecoSanity.org).
Please read our press release to further clarify what we were attempting to achieve, why we targeted TIFF(G) and how our action was intended to compliment and appeal to George Clooney's humanitarian efforts and sensibility (See One: The Campaign To Make Poverty History and Not On Our Watch).
With friends and supporters like all of you, we are moved and motivated to work even harder to get our urgent message out and inspire others to do the same.
The planet won't wait for us to save it, ourselves or those we love.
Glenn MacIntosh
Founder: www.ecoSanity.org
ECOSANITY.ORG AT TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL '07!
06.09.07 - 15.09.07
ECOSANITY.ORG TO EXPOSE TIFF(G) FOR:
- Promoting a culture of excess at the expense of the most impoverished people of the world who are SUFFERING AND DYING from climate change and social injustices - the result of events like TIFF(G) and how we in rich nations choose to live
- Massive mega-corporate sponsorship by, and association with, companies who have little or no social or environmental conscience or policy
- No TIFF(G)-specific environmental policy whatsoever and a pervasive and negligent disregard for environmental responsibility that includes: the carbon footprint of as many as thousands of related flights; hundreds of limos and SUV's; association with multiple four-star hotels that source irresponsible paper and other products, etc.
- The TIFF(G) Tower, recently named the "Bell Lightbox" (See CBC article for details here) under construction at the corner of King & John St. in downtown Toronto - NOT AT ALL eco-friendly or LEED certified (environmental building certification standard)!
- The Government of Ontario and the City of Toronto's aggressive self-promotion and support of this event, despite all of the above