Monthly Discussions

Monthly discussions will be held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.  Guest speakers will talk on a variety of environmentally related topics, followed by Q & A.  Meetings will be held at the J.S. Woods Library located at 1801 Lansdowne Avenue, Saskatoon, at 7 p.m.  Cosponsored with the J.S. Woods Library.  All are welcomed.

Upcoming Topics and Speakers

Climbing Mount Sustainability: Business Responses to Environmental Challenges
Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The relationship between business and society has never been more influential or important. What actions are businesses taking with respect to environmental challenges and concerns? Where are they leading and where are they struggling? Join guest speaker Niranjan Harrison from the University of Saskatchewan for this talk that will trace the history of corporate action regarding environmental issues and discuss a bold path for the future – where business and society concerns are aligned, not in opposition.

Climate Change, Oil Sands And The Potential To Build A Renewable Energy Society In Saskatchewan
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Saskatchewan and Canadian energy policy runs counter to the global reality of climate change and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in every corner of the world. At over 70 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per capita, Saskatchewan and Alberta are among the very highest per capita polluters on our planet.

Peter Prebble, Director of Energy and Water Policy for the Saskatchewan Environmental Society, will review the enormous consequences of climate change, the long lived nature of greenhouse gases, and the outcome of the international negotiations at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. In that global context, he will then examine plans to develop an oil sands industry in Saskatchewan and argue for a much more cautious approach than the Saskatchewan government has taken to date. Saskatchewan should learn from Alberta's serious mistakes and be prepared to reject unsustainable oil sands proposals. The second half of Peter's presentation will outline concrete steps Saskatchewan can take to sharply reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and create green jobs based on a renewable energy future. Peter will make the case for major Saskatchewan investments in energy efficiency, wind power, small scale hydro, co-generation of electricity, biomass development and solar energy. He will propose a new set of public policies aimed at building a renewable energy society in Saskatchewan. The policy proposals would bring sweeping and exciting change to Saskatchewan

Native Plants of Saskatchewan
Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Chet Neufeld, Executive Director of the Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan, will talk about gardening with native plants. Gardening with native plants requires no pesticides or fertilizer and many require very little water. Learn what plants are adapted to our climate and attract birds, butterflies and bees.

Past Topics & Speakers

Pesticides and Cancer - Exposure to pesticides may increase your risk of developing cancer. Most of the research has focused on occupational, or workplace, exposure, linking it to non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, prostate cancer, kidney cancer, brain cancer and lung cancer. There is also evidence that children may be especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of these chemicals.  These chemicals can be used for a variety of reasons in many settings, from controlling pests that impact our health, safety or food supply to improving the appearance of a lawn or garden (ornamental use).  Donna Ziegler from the Canadian Cancer Society will talk about this connection between pesticides and cancer.

Green Homes - Looking for information on how to "green" a new home? LEED® Canada for Homes is an initiative designed to promote the transformation of the mainstream homebuilding industry toward more sustainable practices. Join guest speaker Michael Molaro from the Saskatchewan Chapter of the Canada Green Building Council who will present an overview of LEED and LEED for Homes and can answer your questions on building with environmentally sustainablility in mind.

The State of the Saskatchewan River Basin - Join guest speaker Robert Halliday to talk about his examination of the state of the Saskatchewan River basin.  He will provide background on hydrology, water use, water quality, and ecosystems with emphasis on the South Saskatchewan River.  The talk will review the key vulnerabilities and issues facing the basin, including water availability, water quality and natural hazards.   

Food Not Lawns - Food Not Lawns is a growing urban movement that embraces turning yards into food gardens and neighbourhoods into communities one plot at a time.  Susan Bradbury-Pederson did this to her yard over a year ago and will be here to talk about her experience.

Everything You Need to Know About Energy Efficient Residential Lighting: Ever walked down an aisle at the hardware store and been overwhelmed by your choices of light bulbs for the home?  Help is on the way!  Come with your questions and Rebecca Fiissel from SaskPower will guide us through the various options on the market today.

Eco-explorations in Saskatchewan's Backcountry: A presentation on adventure ecotourism in Saskatchewan illustrated by inspiring images of some of the Province's wilderness destinations. Presenter Cliff Speer has owned and operated his own outdoor adventure tour company specializing in wilderness canoeing and cross-country skiing since 1990.

Green Body Products - Ever look at a lotion or shampoo bottle and wonder how environmentally friendly they are?  Join us for a presentation by Donna Rusnell who has 15 years experience researching this area. If you missed the Donna's presentation you can view it here: tinyurl.com/greentalk (PDF). Donna's recommended websites:
Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database -- www.cosmeticdatabase.com/
National Geographic Green Guide -- www.thegreenguide.com/
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics -- www.safecosmetics.org

Eco-Friendly Hair Salon - Join guest speaker Candace Zimmerman, owner of Sunday Morning Organic Salon & Spa, for a talk about her experience in the hair care industry.  Candace started her career working in salons using conventional products.  She recently launched her own eco-friendly salon to align her career with her beliefs.   If you missed the monthly discussion, click here to download a copy of the PowerPoint presentation.

The Mission of CHEP Good Food Inc. ("CHEP") - CHEP has been in the news lately, especially regarding the future of Station 20 project. But what does CHEP do? Meet representatives of CHEP as they talk about the diversity of work this exceptional organization takes on. CHEP works with children, families and communities to improve access to good food and promote Food Security. CHEP believes that food is a basic right and that inadequate nutrition adversely affects health, physical, mental, and emotional development, learning ability, and participation in community. CHEP believes that a community development approach is necessary to fulfil its mission. CHEP's vision is of a community where good nutritious safe food is always available for everyone no matter what their circumstances, where there is care for the environment, access to local food production, and knowledge about making healthy food choices. "Food Security" is defined as a situation both globally and locally in which: everyone has assured access to adequate, appropriate, safe and personally acceptable food in a way that promotes health, respect and dignity; people are able to earn a living wage by growing, producing, processing, handling, retailing and serving food; the quality of land, air, and water is maintained and enhanced for future generations; food is celebrated as central to community and cultural integrity.

After Peak Oil - Join Rob Dumont, Ph.D. and Ewen Coxworth, Ph.D as they talk about the implications of peak oil. Many studies are concluding that sometime in the next 10 to 25 years, world oil production will reach a peak and then decline. Ewen and Rob will survey the search for alternatives for fuelling the world’s transportation systems. In addition to greatly improved vehicle energy efficiency and increased use of public and active transportation modes, alternative energy sources are needed. These may include biofuels based on urban wastes and forest products, and renewably-generated electricity to power plug-in hybrids. A vision of a possible Canadian energy system in 2058 will be described.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) - Join us for coffee and a discussion about LEED with Dave Palibroda from In Design. LEED is a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Prairie Wetlands and Climate Change - Join Garth van der Kamp, Research Scientist with the Government of Canada’s Aquatic Ecosystem Impact Research Branch at the National Water Institute, as he talks about hydrology and groundwater recharge functions of prairie wetlands in relation to land use changes and climate change.

A Day in the Life of a Certified Forest Manager - Join the Saskatchewan Environmental Society and staff from Mistik Management (a forestry company in northwestern Saskatchewan) to discuss what it takes to achieve sustainable forest management.

Going Solar - Join us for hot coffee and sunny thoughts about going solar. As one of Canada's sunniest provinces, Saskatchewan is uniquely placed to greatly benefit from the sun's energy. Angie Ortlepp from Suncatcher Solar Homes talks about the many different ways to use solar energy--from solar panels in your home for electricity and water heating to solar powered gadgets for around home, RV and boat.

Nuclear Power? Why? Why Not? - Nuclear power is proposed by some as a way to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Our uranium resource in Saskatchewan is often portrayed as providing a route to provincial economic development. Ann Coxworth, a nuclear chemist by training and long-time participant in energy policy debate, will offer a critical picture of the nuclear fuel path and the problems that it presents.