24 Hour Wake – Friday, May 27th
It’s that time again for the 24 Hour Wake, happening on Friday, May 27th, 2011! This event is a great way to educate all students on the importance of supporting and fundraising money for those affected by HIV/AIDS, a 100% preventable disease. Here are a few details of the 24 Hour Wake:
Time and Place – 7:00 PM – 7:00 AM (all-nighter!) at Windermere Secondary School Fundraising – We are asking participants to take home pledge forms and request for donations from family and friends to collect a minimum of $15. All proceeds go to LetsStopAids, a wonderful charity that supports those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Activities – Stay up for 24 hours playing various sports, relay races, video games, and watching movies. There will also be tournaments, so be prepared to get your game face on! The 24 Hour Wake is definitely an event you do not want to miss! Not only are you able to have fun with your friends at school, but are greatly supporting a cause that affects many, many people worldwide. Please stay tuned to announcements and/or the bulletin for more information on how you can sign up and get involved.
I Like to Ride my Bicycle
By: Valerie Wong, Grade 12
Bicycles are undoubtedly a great alternative to fossil-fuel operated and greenhouse gas emitting automobiles. You don’t even need a license to ride one. All you need is a helmet and some reflective gear and of course, a functional bike!
Plenty of Vancouverites appreciate and support the two-way bike lanes that Mayor Gregor Robertson has promised in his mayoral position. That said, as long as there are proponents, there are also opponents. The bike lanes have come under a lot of criticism, particularly for the fact that accidents have occurred. In November of last year, an 80-year-old pedestrian was hit by a cyclist; he passed away later in hospital. The two-way bike lanes do make it safer for pedestrians, but how do they benefit drivers who are frustrated with the traffic issues that have arisen?
Drivers of automobiles complain that the two-way bike lanes, scattered throughout downtown Vancouver, provide a hindrance to traffic. There are even less lanes than before, and for a fast-moving population such as the one in downtown Vancouver, this is extremely frustrating. Time is money – and opposing taxpayers are probably questioning why their tax-dollars are being spent so that they lose more of their valuable time sitting in a traffic jam every morning.
It’s possible that this obstacle could provide another bridge of opportunity to switch from unsustainable modes of transport to mass transport systems, such as transit. If more buses were deployed and skytrains routes are extended, it would also encourage more people to leave their cars at home. It’s certainly less expensive than filling up a car with a full tank of gas, only to have it slowly wasted while idling in a congested street.
I’m not a biker, but I support the use of bicycles to reduce our carbon footprint. I think it’s an effective and relatively inexpensive way to save the Earth. However, as a pedestrian, I’ve noticed some improper biking behaviour. The thing that gets me worked up the most is when bikers ride on the sidewalk instead of on the road or bike lane. To me, it seems rather snobbish, making me think that that person doesn’t appreciate the lovely bike lanes that cost Vancouver $3.2 million to build! Bike lanes with special markings and concrete barriers are juxtaposed by cyclists sharing the sidewalk with disgruntled pedestrians. Riding on the sidewalk can be dangerous for pedestrians. Vancouver is filled with seniors who aren’t agile enough to jump aside when a biker comes barrelling through.
Now that we’re transitioning into spring, more and more people will be using their bikes to get around. Vancouver is a great place for bikers. There are plenty of bike lanes throughout the city that allow cyclists to stay off the sidewalks. Biking is not only a form of alternative transport; it’s also great for your health. So put on your helmet, slap on some reflective stickers and start biking! J
Funny comic: http://www.explosm.net/comics/2317/
The Growing Income Inequality in Canada
By: Thea Sample, Grade 10
After attending the annual Westcoast LEAF breakfast where Linda McQuaig was the guest speaker, I decided I should learn more about her. Other than knowing that she writes for the Toronto Star, nothing else about her is known to me. In truth, Linda McQuaig is a force of nature. She recently wrote a book titled “The Trouble with Billionaire’s”, which talks about the growing gap between the rich and the poor in Canada. After reading some of her articles online, I came to this conclusion: the United States currently has the highest level of income inequality in the modern world and Canada is following in its footsteps.
So, what’s happening? Why wasn’t it the same in the 50′s and 60′s? Linda McQuaig says, “In the 50′s and 60′s, the real median (average) family income in Canada was growing fast enough to double every 20 years. Since 1980, it has barely grown at all.” In other words, in the 50′s and 60′s, average incomes rose with the cost of living. But since the late 70′s and 80′s, the rate of increase in income cannot keep up with the rising cost of living.
When the government cancelled the estate tax in Canada in 1972, it was estimated that the wealthiest families in Canada at the time gained around $12 billion from the change. By today’s dollar that would be equal to about $62 billion. This, in combination with other tax cuts on the rich resulted in today’s income inequality in Canada.
Currently, the Obama administration is trying to end tax cuts for the wealthy. He is also trying to save the U.S. estate tax, which is heavily opposed by the Republicans.
Have you ever heard of the ‘Trickle Down Theory’? According to www.investorwords.com, the ‘Trickle Down Theory’ is “an economic theory which advocates letting businesses flourish, since their profits will ultimately trickle down to lower-income individuals and the rest of the economy”. This idea is the foundation of economic thinking over the past 30 years – if the rich get richer, the wealth will be spread around and “trickle down” to others. In reality, however, it is the other way around. As the rich gets richer, the poor (and middle class) gets poorer.
Giving more money to the wealthy does not benefit everyone; not at all. In fact, during the thirty years (1950 – 1980) after the Second World War, when rich people and large corporations paid the highest taxes, western economies experienced the highest levels of growth. Since tax cuts have been in place, our economy has tanked, the average income suffered, and our standard of living decreased. (Think about public schools, parks, and everything else our tax money pays for.)
“We can have democracy…. or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of the few. We cannot have both.” – Louis Brandeis
April Horoscopes
Aries – You’re a shooting star, leaping through the skies like a tiger defying the laws of gravity. You’re gonna go, go, go! There’s no stopping you!
Taurus – It’s your life. It’s now or never. You’re not going to live forever! You just want to enjoy living while you’re alive!
Gemini – For some reason, there is never an honest word. But, that is when you rule the world!
Cancer – You know they like you. You know they care. Just shout whenever, and they’ll be there.
Leo – Windmill. Windmill for the land. Turn forever hand in hand. Take it all there on your stride. It is thinking… falling down.
Virgo – Who said that every wish would be heard and answered when you wished on the morning star? Somebody thought of that, and someone believed it… Look what it’s done so far.
Libra – Don’t hide yourself in regret. Just love yourself and you’re set. You’re on the right track, baby. You were born this way.
Scorpio –You know it’ll all turn out right someday. They’ll make you work, so you can work to work it out.
Sagittarius – You got a feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night. That tonight’s gonna be a good night. Tonight’s gonna be a good, good night.
Capricorn – Everybody’s gonna love today, love today. Everybody’s gonna love today. Anyway you want to, anyway you’ve got to.
Aquarius – Every breath they take, every move they make, every smile they make, and every step they take you’ll be watching them.
Pisces – You don’t know where, confused about how as well. Just know that these things will never change for us at all.
The Integrity of Science: Climate Change
By: Brendan Chan, Grade 12
Climate change is one of the most important issues in the world today; yet there is still so much debate on whether or not humans are at fault. Despite agreements by many scientists that the planet is warming due to increased concentrations of heat-trapping gases and that the increase in the concentration of these gases over the last century is due to human activities, there are still assaults on climate science by deniers. Reasons for their denials may be for scientific recognition, money for research or possibly because they fear the truth
Throughout history, scientists have worked to gain recognition and build a reputation. If we look back in time, scientists build their status by not only supporting conventional theories, but more so by demonstrating that the scientific consensus is wrong. Galileo, Pasteur, Darwin, and Einstein are all examples of this. For climate deniers, climate change offers an opportunity for scientists to go against climate change, despite compelling and comprehensive evidence that humans are directly responsible for the increase in greenhouse gases. Often, deniers pick up on obscure facts from climate scientists to support their argument. These are never facts about climate change in general, but rather small changes in numbers. Since this is science, there is always room for mistakes, and it’s those mistakes that the opposition to climate change takes advantage of. However, the mistakes are small, and it is important that people don’t get confused about whether or not climate change is real. There are basic facts that scientists urge people to realize, such as the fact that the earth is warming at a fast rate, and the rise in CO2 levels. Just to get a sense of what climate skeptics do, in Science (The Worlds’s Leading Journal of Original Scientific Research, Global News, and Commentary), there was an article on climate change with a picture of a polar bear on a drifting ice piece. Climate deniers called climate change a conspiracy because the photo was photo-shopped to make people feel sorry for polar bears.
Today, it’s all about following the money, especially in politics. Before the Copenhagen conference in 2009, an event, Climategate, revealed emails from scientists showing that they had changed facts to persuade the public to believe in climate change. However, these were emails and not data, and thus susceptible to the harsh language, and jokes that may be considered serious to others. These emails created a huge distraction from the climate talks and would play a part in a failed attempt to do something about climate change in Copenhagen. Ultimately, scientists need money for research; if their job was to deny climate change, then most likely they will do what it takes to prove that point. At the same time though, they are ruining the integrity of science. I believe that science is an educational tool to seek out the truth, to prove theories, and discover new things. However, in the circumstance of climate change, science seems to become more a political tool to confuse or persuade the public mind on behalf of their employer.
Despite how advanced society is becoming, we still can’t decide if climate change is happening. Scientists have the facts to prove it, yet media and deniers get people’s full attention. When someone says that society should wait until scientists are absolutely certain before taking any action, it is the same as saying society should never take action. According to a letter in Science (The Worlds’s Leading Journal of Original Scientific Research, Global News, and Commentary), climate scientists from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences all call for an “end to McCarthy-like threats of criminal prosecution against our colleagues based on innuendo and guilt by association, the harassment of scientists by politicians seeking distractions to avoid taking action, and the outright lies being spread about them.” These debates around climate change ultimately allow for no action to take place.
Plastic to oil machine?!
By: Eric Lam, Grade 11
In our current society, our status quo is to constantly consume and constantly buy new things. Plastic is the most commonly
disposed item from the common household. In reality, only organic/biodegradable material can decompose in a short period of time. Plastic, being manmade, cannot. In fact, it can take a whole century for plastic to even start decomposition! Almost every item in a household contains plastic nowadays. Very recently, Blest, a Japanese company, invented a new machine that converts plastic into oil in hopes of creating a better innovative sustainable future and help restore the environment.
This new plastic to oil machine is not very hard to use. You can think of this machine as a washing machine, but instead of putting your clothes in you just insert your plastic and press a few buttons. Most people put their plastic waste into a garbage can, but because of this machine’s potential of creating more sustainable opportunities, people might find themselves with more chances to recycle.
The process of turning plastic into oil is incredibly simple; you even learn this in science class! The machine emulsifies the plastic with high temperatures which melt the plastic into oil, CO2, H2O, methane, butane, ethane, propane, etc. Excess dangerous compounds like methane, butane, ethane and propane, are filtered into a separate component which decomposes these compounds into H2O and CO2. Oil, H2O and CO2 will then be pumped into a tank with tap water so the oil can then be cooled. The oil will float to the surface because oil is lighter than water. There is a pump that pumps the oil out of the tank for easy access. However, the downside is that the oil is actually made up of lots of different types of oil. The oil contains diesel, kerosene and gasoline. These could later be refined and separated by another machine, which is another product sold by this company. The oil produced can be used to run things such as automobiles. However, only three types of plastics could only be put into this machine; polyethylene (PETE), polystyrene (PS) and polypropylene (PP). If you look at the bottom of your plastic container, these plastics would be numbers 1, 5 and 6. This means things such as water bottles and caps, chip bags, Styrofoam, and yogurt containers can be recycled by this machine. The company is still researching how to use the same process for other types of plastics such as the material used to make car tires. Who knows what is in store as this type of technology improves?
Like everything else, however, this machine has its downsides. This product costs around $10,000 and cannot be easily purchased. The cost of this machine is equivalent to the price of solar panels. Additionally, you can’t buy this machine on its own; you have to buy another machine that separates the unrefined oil. It could cost as much as a new car; the average person could not afford a machine. It is guaranteed that this machine will eventually pay off in the long run in terms of income since you are creating oil and you can eventually sell it. Blest has an industrial-level machine which can create oil 24/7. The current household machine cannot be used as frequently because the high temperatures will eventually destroy the machine. In order to use the machine again you would have to let it cool down between uses.
However, the main problem is not the temperature; it’s the long term impact due to the consumption of oil. An excuse will rise from oil companies saying that “oil is sustainable now”. Blest’s goal is not to make oil sustainable but to get rid of waste and use the oil for better means. We cannot forget that oil is not really sustainable. Oil disappears because it is consumed by transportation or machinery. The whole goal of a sustainable society is not to use oil, but to use other methods of energy that can be renewed. Oil creates CO2, which contributes to climate change.
There is a solution to everything, and there is hope that we can save our race from extinction. Despite the many controversies surrounding this machine, there are some things that it can do to bring about a better future. We currently have a problem with our oceans; gigantic islands of plastic are floating and circulating in the Pacific. We also have a problem with our landfills that are incredibly filled with plastic, because our society is built to consume and throw away things. Last but not least, cities in third-world countries are filled with plastic waste because they have not been taught to recycle, and due to extreme poverty, do not have the resources to do so.
Now you may be wondering, “How could this machine have a positive impact?” A phrase that perfectly fits this machine’s description is “stepping stone”. It is a stepping stone we can use in order to create a sustainable society. There has to be a foundation or outline for a new society before we can move forward into creating it. How else would a sustainable society come about? It has to come from somewhere. The machine offers the solution in solving the plastic problem we have around the world. In fact, Blest has donated these machines to third world communities and is educating them about recycling instead of throwing away plastic onto the streets. The next goal for this company is to get rid of plastic that circulates within the ocean. The majority of plastics end up in the ocean or in landfills and this machine is the solution to that problem.
Blest has opened doors for our society and we need to take advantage of this; it will help us move forward and change the way we live. We are ruining our lives constantly because our mentality thinks that things will go away once we put them into the trash can. Landfills do not disappear or degrade properly because of plastic. We need to solve this problem and use better means of waste management than the way we are currently using. This machine alone is just one piece to the puzzle and we should not count on this machine alone. We have to do so much more than advance our technology. There are other solutions that do not even require technology. We need to be aware of these, and realize what are we doing to our only earth that we live on.
Interthugs
Hey everyone! Interthugs here! Here are a few links to tide you over until next month. Follow the links at your own risk, because some of these websites may include some inappropriate content.
A good boredom killer on the internet is icanhascheezburger.com. This site has links to many image sites, like Failblog at failblog.org and Must Have Cute at stuff.icanhascheezburger.com! Check it out.
For the lovers of science and nature out there, a good website for discovering fascinating or bizarre worldly news might be National Geographic. Like the very well-established magazine, the website offers engaging articles and stunning photography. Their website is nationalgeographic.com.
See you next month!
Time to Stop Adding to Canada’s 56-Billion-Dollar Debt
By: Winnie Liang, Grade 11
Canada is one of the five countries that have promised to “phase out over the medium term inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that lead to wasteful consumption” at the G20 Leaders Summit in Philadelphia back in 2009. No real action has been taken since then. Instead, Canada’s debt has rocketed to $56 billion, which means there will definitely be a serious cut-back on government spending. And who is going to suffer from it? The answer is us, the average citizens. The Conservative Party has never been a big fan of social spending, so budgets on healthcare and social welfare are the most likely to be cut to deal with the government deficit.
While the country’s debt continues to rise, the federal government is subsidizing oil companies with $1.4 billion per year. This number increases even more if other fossil fuels, such as coal, are factored into the calculation. Along with provincial subsidies, the amount of subsidies provided to fossil fuel companies reached up to $2.84 billion in 2008, according to the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). However, over half of it ($1.59 billion) is taken in by the Alberta tar sands, the world’s biggest environmental disaster. This is larger than the combined 2008 budgets of Environment Canada ($1.1 billion) and Alberta Environment ($403 million). Annually, the tar sands brings in above $1.2 trillion, yet more than $1.1 trillion of the revenue does not belong to Canadian companies but to foreign-owned companies, five of which are ranked by Fortune magazine in 2010 as being among the top 10 largest in the world.
Most of the aforementioned subsidies are given in the forms of special tax breaks and royalty reductions. However, the Government of Alberta is also planning to subsidize oil and gas producers by protecting them from legal liability in the event of accidents. Right now, the protection is only provided to those in the nuclear industry. By given such a privilege to them, operators of nuclear power plants cannot be held financially responsible for the full cost of accidents they cause. Instead, taxpayers like us are going to be paying for a bulk of the cleanup costs.
“This government’s irresponsible support for the fossil fuel industry is leaving Canada behind – and costing us billions,” said Nathan Cullen, New Democrat Energy and Natural Resources critic. “There are a lot of Canadians still hurting from the recession, and given the choice, I really don’t think they would agree to donate to the world’s most profitable oil and gas companies – a gift that works out to $75 a piece from every single Canadian.”
So what would if Canada stopped giving billion-dollar hand-outs to the fossil fuel industry, as it had promised in the G20 Leaders Summit? An economic modeling done by Greenpeace found that:
Deficits would go down: Without having to give away huge amounts of money, government revenues would certainly go up. For instance, there would be a rise of 5% in Alberta, 4% in Saskatchewan, and 1% federally.
Pollution would go down: The government is encouraging greenhouse gas emissions by providing subsidies to fossil fuel companies. Currently, Canada’s emissions are projected to rise by about 2% by 2020. In Alberta, there would be a 5% increase in provincial emission, contributed to by a 12% increase in emissions from the tar sands. By removing the subsidies, the amount of environmental pollution would significantly decrease.
Employment would not be affected negatively, but rather positively: Although the stopping subsidies to fossil fuel companies would affect the total employment in the industry, by transferring subsidies to environmental and social programs, more labour would be employed in those areas. For instance, the government could restart the EcoENERGY program that offered grants to homeowners who weatherized their drafty houses. Weatherization is the practice of modifying and protecting a building’s interior in a way that it reduces energy consumption and optimizes energy efficiency. Besides reducing 23% of annual greenhouse gas emissions, such program provides work to local businesses and contractors, therein increasing the need for workers.
“From an economic perspective, eliminating oil and gas subsidies just makes sense,” said Thomas Mulcair, the New Democrat Finance critic. “Since 2004, Canada’s fossil fuel industry has nearly doubled its revenues – it simply doesn’t need tax-payer funded handouts. And even worse, those subsidies only drive up our Loonie, over-price our exports, and discourage development of the green energy sector.”
This is why organizations and citizens need to voice their opinion by writing letters or signing a petition to leaders such as members of parliament, finance minister, or even the prime minister to urge the immediate phase out of fossil fuel subsidies. The pledge Canada made to the world nearly two years ago in Philadelphia remains unfulfilled, and it is up to the people to make sure it will be in the near future.
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http://www.hazmatmag.com/issues/story.aspx?aid=1000394501
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/Blog/government-subsidies-to-tar-sands-companies-l/blog/28184
Career Centre News for Grads from Mrs. Rajkumar
In the month of April:
- Take the LPI Test on April 19.
- Complete the PSI choices form by April 30th. https://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/exams/
- Apply to colleges, if you have not done so before. Even if you are university bound, apply to one college as a back-up option.
- Plan for your post-secondary journey. Are you planning on attending an university, college, trade and technical institution, taking a job, working and travelling, volunteering or just taking a year off to do explore? Not sure. Drop into the Career Centre and expand your options. Every grad should have a post-secondary plan.
Russia’s $650 Billion
By: Anchita Kaushik, Grade 9
Today, Russia is best known for the KGB, its intelligence and internal security organization; but it was once known as the nation
whose military was on par with that of the States. Well, they’re trying to get back into the military realm once again with a large budget of $650 billion, being used solely for military. Some people may be wondering ‘what are they doing with it?’ while others are pondering the question ‘why do they need so much?’
It’s been revealed that they’re going to do what most military units do with money: spend it to increase their arsenal. The purchased objects have been revealed to be 8 nuclear subs, 100 warships, 35 naval corvettes, 600 jets including the Su-34 and Su-35 fighters as well as the Mi-26 transports, 1000 helicopters including Mi-8 gunships and 2 French Mistral helicopter carriers, which will allow Russia to rapidly deploy hundreds of troops and with dozens of armoured vehicles on to foreign soil, and 15 frigates, naval vessels that are frequently used for shore bombardment. In total, there are 1760 new pieces of weaponry, not including arms upgrades which could cause that number to increase to 2500.
As “effective” as guns can be, there is the fact that the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles, which the nuclear subs have been equipped with, have embarrassed Russia due to recent test failures, despite it reportedly having worked during previous tests. If the missile had passed its tests it would certainly get the military board to parcel out more money to Russia’s long under-funded navy.
As for ‘why?’ It seems the nation’s goal is to renew its once powerful military through war technology upgrades, considering they have to upgrade their nuclear power once in a while anyway. Even so, it’s a painful drive to streamline the armed forces, the likes of which is already underway. Up to 200,000 officers are losing their jobs and nine tenths of army units are being disabled.
Across the globe, Obama is seeking to trim the gigantic federal deficit not only by eliminating 200 federal programs which are dedicated to social services and education but also increasing military spending for the construction of nuclear power plants. While Russia’s expenses amount to only $650 billion, the United States, already in a deficit, will be using $3.7 trillion. The amount is at least 5 times that of Russia and they will be drawing on it to build nuclear power plants while cutting hundreds of programs focused on helping and educating others, just for the sake of war.
As the U.S. deepens their reliance on nuclear arsenal, Russia may, if the renewal is successful, be able to depend less on the aged nuclear artillery it inherited from the USSR.
But, could this subtle competition be leading to another ‘Cold War?’
Wisconsin Protests
By: Anson Lee, Grade 12
Since February 14th, protests have been ongoing in Wisconsin against the proposed bill by Republican Governor Scott Walker calling for increased costs to union members and the removal of collective bargaining. The Democrat Senators, in support of union members, pushed to amend the bill, making it acceptable for both sides. The Republicans refused to move off their initial proposal. This resulted in numerous demonstrations by both sides, more prominently on the Democrat and Union side.
On the 14th of February, new Governor Scott Walker had a projected $3.6 billion budget shortfall. As per regulations, he had to find a way to balance the budget so it would stay neutral. His Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill was his attempt at fixing the budget problems. The main parts of the bill required state employees, basically unions, to pay 5.8% of their salaries to cover pension costs, 12.6% towards health care premiums, and would restrict the collective bargaining powers of unions.
The day after, it became clear that many people were against the bill. Tens of thousands of protestors took to Madison, Wisconsin’s capital city, to express their view on the bill. Many people were against the bill, with slogans such as “Kill the Bill” becoming cornerstones of the protests. Public hearings were held for over 17 hours as union members and students spoke out against the bill. The following day, the number of protestors was estimated to be about 30,000.
Things would get hairier over the next few days. On the 17th, the protests began spreading elsewhere. In Columbus, Ohio, 3800 people protested against a similar bill that aimed at removing collective bargaining. Ongoing at the same time, protestors in both states carried Egyptian flags showing their support of the Egyptian Revolution. By the 19th, the number of protesters increased to over 70,000 on both sides of the bill. Protesters at that point began carrying signs comparing Walker to historic figures such as Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. By the 26th, the protesters in Madison alone numbered anywhere from 70,000 to 100,000. That did not include thousands or protesters at other state capitals at the time.
On the 20th of February, Democrat Senators pulled an unprecedented move by leaving Wisconsin in order to delay the voting of the bill. In simple terms, a bill could be passed at that level by having 20 Senators of the State Senate present to vote. The Republicans had 19 seats meaning they needed at least one Democrat present. It was in essence a last ditch attempt at having the bill stopped and force Walker to negotiate. This was bypassed in his revised version of the bill as bills without financial details could be passed at any time with any amount of senators present.
Walker soon began showing signs of desparation. On March 4th, he threatened to terminate 1500 middle class jobs if Democrat Senators did not help pass the bill. Walker mentioned that it would save the state $30 million but had also said he intended to use the threat of lay-offs as a political weapon. He soon presented a revised version of his bill on the 9th of March. In the new version, the part to restrict unions was still present but the financial parts of the pervious bill were not present. The senate passed this new bill. That story is still developing but for the moment, Walker has limited the power of unions.
The long-term issues are still ongoing as of this writing. On both sides, recall attempts are being made against senators in order to force another vote in the state and swing the balance of power. That alone could bring down the bill. Walker is one of the few who cannot be recalled due to the law stating that all elected members much serve at least one year before being eligible for recall. This ensures that the protest movement will stick around for quite a while. Additionally, the Supreme Court votes are actually being followed as a result. The two candidates running coincidentally either favour the bill or oppose it, setting up the stage for another round of Walker vs. The Unions.
The Windermere List – 1st Edition
The world’s largest crude oil reserve: Saudi Arabia
The second largest: Alberta
The number of active tar sands projects in Alberta as of August 2010: 91
The number one foreign supplier of oil to the United States: Canada
Percentage of oil supplied to Canada from the Tar Sands: 26
Anticipated percentage by 2025: 70
Number of barrels produced every day at the Tar Sands: 2 million
Number anticipated by 2030: 5 million
Number of jobs created by the Tar Sands: 35,000 to 100,000
Manufacturing jobs lost due to rise in the Canadian dollar (partly due to the tar sands): 400,000
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_oil_res-energy-oil-reserves
http://www.energy.alberta.ca/OilSands/791.asp
http://www.tarsandswatch.org/tar-sands-showdown-building-blue-green-alliance-our-communities
Theatre Company – Rebel without a Cause
Hey Warriors,
Windermere’s own Theatre Company is performing Rebel without a Cause on four nights:
Tuesday, April 12 /2011
Wednesday, April 15 / 2011
Thursday, April 16 /2011
Friday, April 17 / 2011-03-17
Prices
Students: $5
Adults/Staff $10
These prices are a steal so go to the foyer the week before to buy your tickets, or we will find you!
*Refreshments and snacks will be sold as well
Earth Week Festivities!
- April 18th- E – Eco-market: buy organic, local foods baked from Ms. Wong and water bottles to satisfy your thirst.
– April 19th - A – Action: A showcase of green projects students did from arts, or sewing. A clothing fashion show during lunch in the cafeteria. Arts displayed in the school’s front entrance and the foyer.
– April 20th - R – Rethink: Playing H2Oil in the auditorium during block 2-3 for classes that have signed up for it
– April 21st T – Transportation: USE TRANSIT, OR BIKE!! Bike ride! Meet at 29th Skytrain Station 8:30AM to enjoy a free breakfast after.
– April 22nd - H – HOME: Earth Day Parade Happening at Broadway Station 11 am to Britannia Park.
