DEN Enews

Are you coming to the Law Courts today and tomorrow? Nature Nova Scotia will be there! Fighting for coastal habitat protections. Learn more and help at the link below

In the early days of the new parliament we need to speak up about ending the era of fossil fuels for good and championing a renewable energy transition, investing in our future by taxing the ultra-rich and mega-corporations and upholding the rights, title, and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples.

“Bill 5” is Doug Ford’s plan to gut Ontario’s Endangered Species Act and gain the power to greenlight mines, highways, and clearcuts with zero oversight. Big developers could get environmental approvals with a simple online form. This Bill would create “economic zones” that can override any law. There would be no environmental protection and no Indigenous rights, only Ford’s rules. The public consultation period is being rushed and hidden, there are only a few days for Canadians to stop this Trump-like behaviour. Please sign and share the petition to stop this sneak attack on regulation and yet another Ford attempt at environmental slaughter.

The natural world is too often at the mercy of investment decisions made by big banks. Adani is the world's largest private coal developer. It is involved in fraud, deception, bribery, human rights, child labour, Indigenous rights abuses, and more. They have violated environmental regulations, been fined for environmental breaches, are involved in multiple criminal lawsuits, and have left their coal spills in marine environments.  Adani is fast becoming one of the most controversial companies in the world. Despite this, the world’s biggest banks continue to finance this corrupt company. French and British banks have arranged million-dollar bonds helping Adani to mine, handle, and burn record volumes of coal. This petition is a chance to tell regulators in France and England to take action against banks propping up this corrupt, climate-wrecking company. 

The Tapanuli orangutan is one of the most intelligent and emotionally complex beings on Earth. The entire species lives in a single rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia. These amazing creatures can feel joy and love, but the situation they are in is about fear and loss. Their home could be destroyed by a corporate giant named Jardine Matheson who is set to expand a gold mine. This will tear down over 500 hectares of these great apes’ only home. Global outcry is a way to pressure those who make decisions. Send a message to Jardine Matheson demanding they not eliminate this beautiful rainforest and the future of the Tapanuli orangutan.

The U.S. is dismantling forest protection on public lands. More than 100 million acres of U.S. national forests have been opened to logging. More than 20 million of this is in California, covering all national forests. Public lands in areas like Washington, Oregon, and Idaho are now under pressure to produce more timber. Logging is moving forward without meaningful environmental review, public input, or safeguards for endangered species. There is no sense being used and the benefits trees bring are being lost. Mature forests play a key role in slowing climate change and fire ecologists say cutting old-growth trees makes fires worse. The forests that will be taken support hundreds of species that depend on mature tree cover and their waterways remaining undisturbed. The loss of trees is connected to the loss of biodiversity, endangered species, clean water, and a stable climate. Help push for the immediate ban of logging in previously protected U.S. forests.

Food Security - Too Good To Go

Recently I have heard of an app called Too Good To Go. It allows businesses to give away end of day food or close to Best Before dated food for a reduced fee. With daily trips to Nana in hospital, I had a chance to learn more. There are many businesses that participate but in my rural area it was the Circle Ks in Bridgewater and Mahone Bay.

The Surprise Packs cost $4.99 plus tax. They can hold all manner of anything sold in that business. What could you get in a surprise pack?

You need to be flexible and think of ways to use what you get. I don’t have a cat, but my neighbour does. My grandson loves pop tarts. We keep Ravioli in our Emergency packs to make a fast meal if the power is out. The snacks and sweets will just disappear easily. Each of the photos above, everything in the photo together cost $4.99 plus tax.

Not all of us have the luxury of planning stews and soups for supper. Even the homeless often have a phone. Download the app and see what is available near you.

In the city, restaurants sell meals later at night for six or seven dollars. Bakeries sell their pastries next day. Tims and Circle K make up surprise packs.

Here is the environment twist. Each surprise pack saved will save the planet. The app will tell you how much energy you saved the planet, when you buy the surprise pack. Mine told me I saved the energy used to make 30 cups of coffee by buying instead of those items being thrown away. Something to think on.

Guerrilla Gardener 

You can blame your editor Carole for this idea.  Well, part of it. She sent me a link to make “Seed Bombs”. Grandma researched a bit more and there was the perfect name, “Guerilla Gardener”. It is a term used in the 1970’s when people planted gardens in empty lots or any unused public land.

I recently learned of someone on the same wildflower mission as myself. The only difference is while I politely ask parishes to scatter seeds along the wayside, she encourages people to casually stroll up to chain-link fences and toss seed bombs through or over the fence. I love it!

According to Google, a guerrilla fighter uses sneaky tactics like ambush, sabotage, and harassment against a bigger force. Sounds intense, right? Don’t worry—we’re not that kind of guerrilla. We’re more into seed bombs than actual ones. Our “sabotage” is re-greening empty lots. Our “ambush” is surprise seed giveaways. And “harassment”? Let’s call it politely pestering the government with petitions to save the planet.

Yep, I can live with being a guerrilla gardener—spreading plants, seeds, and a little green rebellion. Sort of “Raise a little ……….

When mixing up seed bombs, start the following with 1 part being 1 cup. If you need more, next time double or triple it.

Seed Bombs

1 parts (cup) seeds

3 parts soil

3 parts cat litter

2 parts water.

Make your bombs about the size of a golf ball or a little smaller to fit through fences. Then go drop your bombs and beatify the planet while feeding pollinators.

Lacing or Sewing cards

When Grandma was under ten, one of her favorite activities was working on sewing cards. The first ones she had were a Christmas gift—colorful cards with pictures of kittens and hens. After that, I eagerly waited for every cereal box to be emptied. The boxboard felt like gold.

I remember Mom drawing a tree on the cardboard and using the tip of sharp scissors to punch holes so I could sew with different yarns.

Sewing or lacing cards are still a beloved activity. Grandma recently found a picture of a church that looked just like St. Barnabas with its crown steeple. It’s easy to recreate: photocopy the picture, cut it out and paste it onto a piece of cereal box, use a hole punch to add holes, then cut up scrap yarn and tightly tape the ends for easy threading.

It’s a wonderful way to keep little ones quietly engaged during the sermon.

Something to eat

We call this a Camp Omelet although it is mainly used at home. Put on a pot of boiling water. In a medium zipper type bag crack 2 eggs. Zip the bag close and break up the egg. Open the bag and add onion, garlic, bell pepper, mushroom and chopped tomato. Seal the bag. Drop the bag into a pot of boiling water and boil exactly 13 minutes. Drain the water, open the bag and the omelet slides out

For Agriculture and Farming

May all who travel to our Diocesan Synod be upheld by our prayers for their safety and their prayerful discernment.