November Newsletter 2024

Dear Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour,
Thanks Pamela Cornell for her wonderful pictures of that Inner Harbour heron. Check her out on Facebook. Perhaps there are still turtle hatchlings to eat as it appears that November will also have some warm days? And I guess hibernation will be late this year.

LOCAL NEWS, ISSUES, AND EVENTS
1. Neighbourhood Activation Fund – City Sponsoring Events to Encourage Community & Celebration
2. Belle Park and Integrated Care Hub Update
3. Webinar re Using the City’s DASH page, Mon, Nov 4, 7 pm
4. Habitat for Humanity & City Celebrate Joint Tiny Home Project
5. City Testing of Forever Chemicals in our Drinking Water
6. City Battery Collection with Local Garbage, – Nov 4 – 8
7. Update re Proposed Biogas Project near Canaraqui Conservation Area
8. Conservation Authority Planted 220,000 Trees
9. Tiny Homes at Crossroads a Possibility Once Again!

FROM FARTHER AFIELD
11. Study Reveals the Great Lakes’ Top 10 Invasive Species
12. Arctic Sea Ice Hits Summer Minimum; Antarctic Hovers at New Winter Lows
13. Canada on Track to be World’s Third Largest Exporter of Wheat in 2040/2025 Crop Year
 
FOR FUN AND GENERAL INTEREST
14. Trees and Land Absorbed Almost No CO2 Last Year. Is Nature’s Carbon-Sink Failing?
15. The Federal Government Has Lost its Way in its Duty to Protect Canadians and the Environment from Harmful Chemicals Used on Food Crops, Trees, and Gardens.
15. Do Bike Lanes Really Cause more Traffic Congestion? Research Says.
16. Plastic in Canada’s Major Grocery Chains
17. Beer’s Secret Superpower? Here are the Health Benefits of Hops!
18. November Activities at Cataraqui Conservation Area
19. 25 Things to Do in Kingston This November
20. Blotching on Leaves This Year?
21. Really Good Online Source for US Politics – Heather Cox Richardson. Free for the time being.

LOCAL NEWS, ISSUES, AND EVENTS
1. Neighbourhood Activation Fund – –City Sponsoring Events to Encourage Community & Celebration
Received from the City of Kingston Oct 21, 2024
What: Connect and celebrate with your neighbours with support from the Community Development Neighbourhood Activation Fund. The fund provides individuals, neighbourhood associations, cultural organizations and other groups with financial support to host events that build stronger community relationships and fill gaps in local programming. 
Funding is offered for three types of events: block parties, community-led neighbourhood events and pop-up movie nights. 
Applicants will work with City staff to ensure their event meets the funding criteria and to determine any eligible costs. Micro-grants ranging from $500 – $2,500 are provided to fund recipients in-kind to offset items such as insurance, road closure signage, facility or park bookings and movie screen rentals. 
“Since the launch of the Community Development Neighbourhood Activation Fund, we’ve witnessed firsthand its potential to build social capital and strengthen our community,” says Benjamin Leslie, Community Development Coordinator. “Over the last six months, we’ve facilitated three pop-up movies in parks, five block parties and seven community and cultural initiatives, all aimed at fostering a greater sense of belonging and connection to make everyone feel more included and less isolated.” 
The Neighbourhood Activation Fund was launched in 2023 as a pilot project; it is now a permanent program to support the City’s strategic priority to ‘Foster a caring and inclusive community.’ 

How to Apply:
Individuals and groups can apply at https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/neighbourhood-activation-fund    If you need the application in an alternate format, phone 613-546-0000 or e-mail https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?fs=1&tf=cm&source=mailto&to=ContactUs@CityofKingston.ca

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis each year.
Funding guidelines:https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/neighbourhood-activation-fund/news_feed/neighbourhood-activation-fund-guidelines
Event eligibility criteria:https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/neighbourhood-activation-fund/news_feed/eligible-events

2. Belle Park and Integrated Care Hub Update
Received from the Kingstonist, Oct 30, 2024 – Tori Stafford
You will need to subscribe to read this as I am no longer allowed to copy and paste.
It is worth it. Not expensive. www.kingstonist.com  Have a look.
https://www.kingstonist.com/news/city-and-volunteers-express-opposing-perspectives-post-belle-park-encampment

3. Webinar re using the City’s DASH development page – Mon, Nov 4, 2024, 7 pm.
Received from Christine Sypnowich of the Coalition of Kingston Communities, Oct 30, 2024

Just a reminder that the Coalition of Kingston Communities webinar with City staff is this Monday, 4 November, 7pm – to help Kingston residents find their way through the challenging interface for planning applications.  
If you would like to attend, please reply to (coalitionkingston@gmail.com) and ask for the Zoom link. Thanks! Christine Sypnowich
4. Habitat for Humanity & City Celebrate Joint Tiny Home Project.
Habitat for Humanity and the City of Kingston Celebrate the Opening of a New Tiny Home Project and Recognize Federal Affordable Housing Funding
Habitat for Humanity Kingston and the City of Kingston are proud to announce the completion of an innovative eight-unit tiny home project on MacCauley Street. This development provides deeply affordable rental housing with support services in place to help residents maintain stable, safe, and energy-efficient housing. Two of the units are designed to be fully accessible. 
The project was developed on land donated by the City, with capital funding contributions from the City of Kingston and the Government of Canada through the Rapid Housing Initiative. It fulfills a key objective of Kingston’s 2019-2022 Strategic Plan and the Mayor’s Task Force on Housing.  
Full Article? https://www.cityofkingston.ca/search?cludo#?cludoquery=habitat%20for%20humanity%20and%20the%20city%20of%20kingston%20celebrate%20the%20opening%20of%20a%20new%20tiny%20home%20project%20and%20recognize%20federal%20affordable%20housing%20funding&cludopage=1&cludorefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cityofkingston.ca%2F&cludorefpt=Home%20%7C%20City%20of%20Kingston&cludorefact=Habitat%20for%20Huma&cludorefaci=1&cludoinputtype=standard

5. City Testing for Forever Chemicals in Our Drinking Water
Editor’s Note:A short Google search revealed the following short (4 minute) readable reports stating that Forever Chemicals are in the Great Lakes and in the air, rain, and elsewhere in the environment,
https://www.newyorkupstate.com/news/2024/06/toxic-forever-chemicals-detected-in-lake-ontario-all-other-great-lakes html#:~:text=Lake%20Ontario%20had%20the%20highest,Seaway%20and%20the%20Atlantic%20Ocean.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240516122547.htm#:~:text=Precipitation%20introduces%20similar%20amounts%20of,the%20air%2C%20water%20and%20soil.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/18/pfas-great-lakes-basin#:~:text=Toxic%20’forever%20chemicals’%20ubiquitous%20in%20Great%20Lakes%20basin%2C%20study%20finds,-This%20article%20is&text=Toxic%20PFAS%20%E2%80%9Cforever%20chemicals%E2%80%9D%20are,new%20peer%2Dreviewed%20research%20shows,

In addition, the following was received from the Canadian Environmental Law Assoc. Oct 31

“Time to Sunset “Forever Chemicals? The toxicity, pervasiveness, and longevity of PFAS chemicals is the latest Canadian environmental nightmare.

We have all witnessed a long history of “miracle” chemicals going badly awry; DDT in the 1950s and 60s; PCBs in the 1970s; chlordane in the 1980s and 1990s; and, more recently, ozone-layer eating substances as well as climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

But along the way, until relatively recently, PFAS chemicals have largely flown under both the public’s and government’s radar. Not so much anymore.

In their latest blog post, CELA Counsel Joseph F. Castrilli and Senior Researcher Fe de Leon discuss the latest calls to action for federal regulation of PFAS, including a letter penned by 60 scientists and medical doctors calling on Canada to accelerate measures to assess and control PFAS chemicals.

These chemicals have for decades been manufactured, imported, processed, distributed, and used in Canadian industry and commerce. They have been emitted to air, discharged to water, and disposed of on land without adequate understanding of their environmental and human health effects. As a result, we’re all part of a long-term experiment without our consent. The time to end the experiment is past due. Everyday we read media reports of new ways in which this ubiquitous class of chemicals has violated the integrity of the planet due to their presence in:

• major bodies of water like the Great Lakes;
• drinking water supplies;
• agricultural lands (laced with PFAS-contaminated industrial sewage sludge);
• livestock;
• food (that has come into contact with PFAS-tainted packaging materials);
• everyday consumer products including children’s toys; and
• ourselves.

Full Article? https://cela.ca/blog-time-to-sunset-forever-chemicals/
As a result of reading these reports, we reached out to Utilities Kingston for up-to-date information about Forever Chemicals in Kingston’s drinking water,
Received from Phillip Emon, Manager, Waste and Waste Water Treatment, Utilities Kingston, Oct 29, 2024

“Currently the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) has developed interim advice for PFAS recommending that water used for human consumption shouldn’t exceed 70 ng/l (nanograms per litre) for the sum of 11 different PFAS. 
We started testing in June of this year and will test again in the winter to monitor and determine if there are any detectable levels in our intake water.Currently we have results indicating levels as undetectable.”

When asked for further detail, the following information was received:
“We tested both raw water and treated water samples. A total of 48 different PFAS on each sample were tested. 
Depending on the analyte, the LOR limit of reporting (detection limit) varies. For each sample; 40 analytes had a LOR of 2 ng/l, 6 analytes had a LOR of 5 ng/l, 1 analyte had a LOR of 10 ng/l and 1 analyte had a LOR of 25 ng/l. 
Both sample results were below the LOR (detection limit) for all analytes.
More info?  Phillip Emons, pemon@utilitieskingston.com

6. City Battery Collection, Nov 4 – Nov 8
Received from the City, Oct 29, 2024
“Batteries contain toxic chemicals that can harm the environment and should never be put in the garbage,” says Adam Mueller, Operations Manager of Solid Waste Services. “
Disposing of batteries in the garbage or improperly is also a fire hazard.

We offer this collection as an easy solution for residents.” 
Place your bag of batteries on the ground beside your recycling box or next to another curbside waste container where it can be easily seen by a collector. Car, tool, and other types of large batteries will not be collected. 

“Battery collection week also coincides with daylight saving time, when we’re reminded to replace our smoke detector batteries. It’s a good opportunity to insert fresh batteries and dispose of the old ones,” says Mueller. 
Residents can also drop off batteries anytime throughout the year at one of these City locations: 

• City Hall, 216 Ontario St. 
• INVISTA Centre, 1350 Gardiners Rd.  
• Kingston Area Recycling Centre (KARC), 196 Lappan’s Lane 
• Find a list of additional drop-off locations at www.rawmaterials.com or www.call2recycle.ca.Collection is in partnership with E360 Solutions.

7.Update re Proposed Biogas Project near the Cataraqui Conservation Area.
Received from Peter Lawton of Big Stink at Little Cat, Oct 31,2024
“Stop the Sewage and Toxic Gas Plant to Be Built in Our Backyard
Dear Concerned Kingstonian,
This is your last chance to stop the large $80 million industrial, human sewage and toxic gas manufacturing plant that’s to be built next to the Little Cataraqui Conservation Area. If you enjoy your quality of life, value our local nature reserve, and object to a risky, high-cost investment of our money, this has to be stopped.

The Knox Farm property is a parcel of land owned by the city that has for decades been an important, heavily wooded, tree and wildlife habitat protection buffer, between the Little Cat Conservation Area ‘nature preserve’, and the heavily trafficked 401 highway.  The City Council has now done everything it needs to do to clear the path for this Utilities Kingston plant to go ahead, including earlier this year stealthily removing the “environmental protection” zoning that had been in place for decades, and defining the woodland as ‘’deciduous thicket’’, which now allows this important buffer to be removed. The local homeowners were not informed about this most inappropriate use of this site, because they were left out of the environment study.
Now, all that’s required is a City Council vote to go ahead.

For over three years, Utilities Kingston has talked about this property being used as a composting site for green bin biosolids recycling. We have been misled: this benign use of the site could not be farther from the truth. We now know that biosolids also means human sewage sludge, and lots of it. We were greenwashed.
The sewage sludge will be required to be trucked to this local site in large quantities from a wide, regional catchment area of southeastern Ontario, as yet undetermined. Kingston on its own doesn’t produce enoughcompost and human sewage to feed this hungry monster. This sewage slurry fuel will be trucked in by a fleet of sewage trucks, dumped into sewage lagoons several stories high and the size of three football fields, and on to a plant specifically designed to manufacture two of the most dangerous greenhouse gasses on the planet…a 24 hour Industrial site, with all its smells, noise, traffic, road rerouting, trucking pollution, vermin breeding ground, all night floodlights, spillage, leakage, and with the inevitable run-off flowing down the ‘formation of unstable bedrock’ to the Little Cat creek and reservoir.…and all this right on our doorstep.

After reading their latest Utilities Kingston: Regional Biosolids & Biogas Facility: Environmental Study Report – https://utilitieskingston.com/Cms_Data/Contents/UtilitiesKingston/Media/Documents/Projects/Biosolids_Biogas_Facility_ClassEA/CompletionDocs/Final-Draft-ESR-July-29-2024-AODA.pdf  it is unclear that Utilities Kingston and Dillon engineering consultants, fully appreciate the implications of the five-year construction timeline and the ongoing operation that they are proposing here. Leaving the problems of building a viable, clean methane gas operation aside, even after a 3-year study, there is no serious risk analysis – financial, environmental or practical. The construction and operation appear to be based on the simplistic and unrealistic assumption that it will work flawlessly and nothing will go wrong. In fact, the words ‘assume’, or the term ‘it is assumed’, appear over 50 times in the report. There is also no common-sense, detailed cost breakdown for the long-term operation of the plant, e.g., for all the trucking of everything in and out. They are guessing in the dark! However, the consultants do clearly specify that an additional $10 million budget will be required for further engineering consulting, if the project goes ahead!

Utilities Kingston is now quietly preparing to bring the go-ahead vote to City Council on December 17th.
Yes, very strategically scheduled to slide it in the week before Christmas, when we will be distracted by Christmas preparations, travel and celebrations.

Here is a list of just 10 reasons to oppose this plant. There are more.

1. This Utilities Kingston initiative will destroy the much-loved nature reserve that our families have appreciated and enjoyed for many years as our community’s recreation site, and for our children’s education about the natural environment. This is our nature preserve. Hands off our Little Cat. 
2. Our local community’s quality of life will be significantly and harmfully affected by the contamination of noise, light pollution, traffic, smells, toxic fumes, spills and leakage. 
3. This is an engineering project. It is clear that the implications, consequences and impact on the environment and our community have not been studied, understood or taken seriously. 
4. Our neighbours across Hwy. 401 in the retail and hotel centre have already submitted a letter through their lawyers appealing to the City Council to stop this plant. 
5. Local experts in methane gas production have told us that the likelihood of this plant being a viable operation are slim and it will not be economically viable. As has happened in other cities, this could easily result in a very visible, long-term and costly embarrassment to Utilities Kingston and the City. 
6. With uncertain expansion, and unclear operational results, an $80M capital cost is a very expensive and risky sunk-cost proposition, and these are our tax dollars and utility payments at work! 
7. There are specified birds and animals on this site that are protected under higher legislation, but this protection has been brushed aside and ignored. The legally protected wildlife are now endangered. 
8. There are groups of people who have not been sufficiently consulted about this change of use, e.g., indigenous people. This is also a legal requirement. 
9. The sewage residue, “farmers’ fertilizer”, has limited value. It is so contaminated, e.g., by pharmaceuticals, that it cannot be spread on fields that grow food for human consumption. 
10. Visitors to Kingston arriving by Hwy. 401 will see a plant producing the worst toxic greenhouse gasses, and they may be treated to a flare-off flame of poisonous methane gas as a welcome.

Kingston owns the land and Utilities Kingston owns the construction and operation of this plant.  Please choose your reasons and write to express your objections to this plant directly to Kingston’s Mayor and Council –cityclerk@cityofkingston.ca, and to David Fell, President and CEO of Utilities Kingston – dfell@utilitieskingston.com. Other decision makers you can include: David Ellingwood, General Manager Cataraqui Region Conservation Area – dellingwood@crca.ca; Gary Oosterhof, Chair, Cataraqui Conservation Board, City Councillor, and owner of a local electrical business!! – info@oosterhofelectric.com; and Ted Hsu, MPP – thsu.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org.

This will be our last chance to stop this real nightmare…Each of our voices can make a big difference.
Peter Lawton- peterlawton@bell.net.”

Here is another statement received Oct 31, 2024
“Too Many Unanswered Questions about Kingston Biosolid/Biogas Facility!

7.1   What is a Biosolid/Biogas facility and why does The City of Kingston want to spend $71 to 85 million to build one?  The proposed plant would be built adjacent to and immediately above Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area (Knox Farm).  The concept is to truck Biosolids (sewage sludge) and green bin waste Kingston and nearby communities to a facility that would include a covered lagoon several stories high and the size of three football fields.  The process would produce methane and fertilizer.   7.2  Isn’t this a “green” or environmentally friendly initiative? Kingston’s Green bin waste is currently a 100% green and is a suitable fertilizer for food crops.  When combined with sewage sludge, it will contain forever chemicals that can cause permanent damage to the environment – this “fertilizer” is being banned in many jurisdictions around the globe.1   7.3  Are natural gas/methane emissions better for the environment than carbon dioxide? Natural gas is 80 times more toxic than carbon over 20 years. Jurisdictions around the world are banning natural gas in newly constructed buildings (e.g. Montreal, Nanaimo, New York State, California).2  CBC reported on September 22, 2024 that “Germany warns Canada that Europe’s appetite for natural gas is set to shrink”. 3     7.4  This facility is a huge investment for Kingston, is the project financially feasible? The City of Edmonton built a Biogas facility in 2018 for $45 million.  Last month, Edmonton announced that “the facility’s current processing cost is roughly four to eight times higher than other methods” and “the facility … is not financially or operationally viable in the long term”.  They are considering scrapped the facility after only 6 years. 4  Georgian Bluffs, Chatsworth  is currently looking for investment partners because it is too expensive to operate their Biogas facility. 5  The proposed facility is unlikely to be financially feasible.    7.5  The preferred model shows a huge lagoon tank just 65 meters from Trail #4 of Little Cat – what effect will this have? The biggest complaint about anaerobic digesters is odour.  Residents of Hamilton have been fighting with the City since 2019 over noxious odours that prevent residents from using their backyards or even going outside.6  Yet there were still formal complaints of odour in 2023, most of which were due to “mechanical failures’.  Odours can be reduced with perfume misters and charcoal barrels, but there will be odour.  How many people will want to experience a Big Stink at Little Cat?  What will happen when legislation changes render the facility obsolete, or the project becomes too expensive to operate and the City decommissions the facility? Will the City of Kingston invest millions of dollars to remove rusting pipes and a derelict building that could be seeping toxic chemicals into the environment?   What will happen to Little Cat?    The proposed Biosolid/Biogas facility is a huge step backward and is not feasible financially, ecologically or scientifically. Building this facility next to a conservation area is short-sighted and risks permanent damage to an environmentally protected region and natural heritage sites.”

Received from the Kingstonist, Oct 30, Bill Hutchins
https://www.kingstonist.com/news/be-patient-utilities-kingston-says-proposed-71m-gas-plant-near-little-cat-conservation-area-not-decided-yet/

Editor’s Notes:
A delegation was presented to the Cataraqui Conservation Board this past Wednesday.
Utilities Kingston is also working on a separate business case analysis of the proposed biogas plan, which hasn’t been seen by the public but will form part of its presentation to Council this December.

To keep up to date, visithttps://bigstinkatlittlecat.substack.com
 
8. Conservation Authority Planted 220,000 Trees
Received from the Cataraqui Conservation Tree Planting Program – Rick Knapton, Forestry Coordinator

In the Spring of 2024, we planted over 220,000 trees in the Cataraqui region (not including our over-the-counter tree seedling sales). Our program provides the trees, the planting of the trees, initial vegetation control (to improve tree survival during the first year) and subsequent site assessments to determine survival rates. We plant at a density of 800 trees per acre – predominantly coniferous species – based on a spacing of 6 feet between trees, and 8 feet between rows of trees. For example, a 5.0-acre property, planted at 800 tree seedlings per acre, would require 4,000 trees. Tree planting is completed via tractor and machine planter, and so good access to each planting site is important.

We are fortunate enough to have access to a variety of funding sources that enable us to provide our tree planting services at extremely affordable rates. We offer tree planting to landowners for between $0.05 to $0.20 per tree. We should note that our program is largely designed for planting in rural areas – landowners are required to have a minimum plantable area of 2.5 acres. The cost per tree decreases as the size of the project increases.  

To provide an example of the cost of tree planting through our program, to plant a 10.0-acre field (requiring 8,000 trees), the cost to the landowner would be $0.10 per tree, totaling $800.00 + HST. The actual project cost, however, is approximately $2.75 per tree, totaling $22,000.00. This is a substantial savings to the landowner! Funding for our tree planting through our program, is so great because it is largely a climate change initiative. We all know that trees capture carbon dioxide – one of the main greenhouse gases – and emit oxygen, among many other benefits. Our program strives to increase forest cover in our region in an effort to mitigate the pace of climate change, provide critical wildlife habitat, and more.

With the upcoming spring 2025 planting season, Cataraqui Conservation will have planted more than 3-million trees across the region since 2007. We are still accepting properties for planting this spring – however, we will need to hear from interested landowners very soon. The spring planting season typically occurs from mid-April until the long weekend in May, each year.

For more information, and for anyone interested in planting trees, please contact: 

• Rick Knapton (Forestry Coordinator) at rknapton@crca.ca or 613-546-4228 Ext. 206; or
• Haven Jerreat-Poole (Forestry Technician) at hjerreat-poole@crca.ca or 613-546-4228 Ext. 227.

9. Tiny Homes at Crossroads a Possibility Once Again!
According to Chrystal Wilson of Our Liveable Solutions, Modular Energy Systems (MES), based in Niagara Falls, has offered to build a common building at Crossroads Village for a reduced cost. They have also agreed to helping out with the costs of some upgrades to the sleeping cabins.
https://www.kingstonist.com/news/future-brightens-for-crossroads-village/

10. Update on Bridge connecting K&P Trail  at or near John Counter and Division
Received from Danny Potts, City of Kingston,  Oct 31, 2024 
A second Public Information Centre (PIC) was held on Wednesday October 16, 2024, for the study of a new pedestrian bridge crossing John Counter Boulevard and CN Rail Line. The PIC was well attended in similar fashion to the previous information session and the study process, existing conditions, alternative solutions, and the recommended Preferred Alternative were presented. The display boards containing this will be posted on the City’s Get Involved Project Page, in the near future, at the following link.https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/jcb-pedestrian-bridge

FROM FARTHER AFIELD
11. Study reveals the Great Lakes’ top 10 most harmful invasive species, Spartan Newsroom, October 11, 2024. Researchers have revealed the Great Lakes’ 10 worst aquatic invasive species, spotlighting the plants and animals that pose the greatest threat to the region’s delicate ecosystems, fisheries and recreational waters.

12. Arctic Sea Ice Hits Summer Minimum; Antarctic Hovers at New Winter Lows, The Good Men Project, October 12, 2024. In the Arctic this year, sea ice continues its multidecade downward slide, with just 4.28 million km2 (1.65 million mi2), making it the 7th lowest minimum in the satellite record.
 
13. Canada on track to be world’s third-largest wheat exporter in 2024-25 crop year, The Globe and Mail, October 28, 2024.  Canada is on track to be the world’s third-largest wheat exporter for the second year in a row as crop production in the prairie provinces continues to increase.  International data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows Canada overtaking Australia for the third-place spot in the 2023-2024 crop year, and predicts a similar ranking for 2024-25.  Canada is now behind only Russia and the European Union when it comes to volumes of wheat exports.

FOR FUN AND GENERAL INTEREST
14. Trees and Land Absorbed Almost No CO2 Last Year. Is Nature’s Carbon-Sink Failing?
Received from Canada’s National Observer, Oct 18, 2024 – Patrick Greenfield
#2523 of 2523 articles from the Special Report: Race Against Climate Change
This story was originally published by The Guardian and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.
It begins each day at nightfall. As the light disappears, billions of zooplankton, crustaceans and other marine organisms rise to the ocean surface to feed on microscopic algae, returning to the depths at sunrise. The waste from this frenzy – Earth’s largest migration of creatures – sinks to the ocean floor, removing millions of tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere each year.
This activity is one of thousands of natural processes that regulate the Earth’s climate. Together, the planet’s oceans, forests, soils and other natural carbon sinks absorb about half of all human emissions.
But as the Earth heats up, scientists are increasingly concerned that those crucial processes are breaking down.
In 2023, the hottest year ever recorded, preliminary findings by an international team of researchers show the amount of carbon absorbed by land has temporarily collapsed. The final result was that forest, plants and soil – as a net category – absorbed almost no carbon.
There are warning signs at sea, too. Greenland’s glaciers and Arctic ice sheets are melting faster than expected, which is disrupting the Gulf Stream ocean current and slows the rate at which oceans absorb carbon. For the algae-eating zooplankton, melting sea ice is exposing them to more sunlight – a shift scientists say could keep them in the depths for longer, disrupting the vertical migration that stores carbon on the ocean floor.
“We’re seeing cracks in the resilience of the Earth’s systems. We’re seeing massive cracks on land – terrestrial ecosystems are losing their carbon store and carbon uptake capacity, but the oceans are also showing signs of instability,” Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, told an event at New York Climate Week in September.
“Nature has so far balanced our abuse. This is coming to an end,” he said.
The 2023 breakdown of the land carbon sink could be temporary: without the pressures of drought or wildfires, land would return to absorbing carbon again. But it demonstrates the fragility of these ecosystems, with massive implications for the climate crisis.
Full article?https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/14/nature-carbon-sink-collapse-global-heating-models-emissions-targets-evidence-aoe

15. The Federal Government Has Lost its Way in its Duty to Protect Canadians and the Environment from Harmful Chemicals Used on Food Crops, Trees, and Gardens.
Received from Canada’s National Observer, Oct 19,2024

In particular, Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), the agency tasked with regulating pesticide in Canada, is broken. Or worse; because to say something is broken implies it once was whole. It would mean Canada at one time had strong pesticide laws and a government department or agency that used them to aggressively weed out chemicals that contribute to cancer, fertility problems, fetal deformities, neurodevelopmental problems, and crashing populations of bees and other essential pollinators.  I see no evidence that this was ever true. My colleague Marc Fawcett-Atkinson has spent the last three years investigating pesticide regulation in Canada. His detailed reports show a health protection body in thrall to the pesticide giants and a government lacking the political will to create laws that protect Canadians and the environment from toxic chemicals. Pesticides, for reasons unknown, are excluded from the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, which regulates all other toxic chemicals. Canada’s National Observer’s reporting on pesticides paints a picture of a regulator captured by industry and the only way to break those ties is to blow it up and start over.  Responsibility for pesticide regulation should be shifted to the Public Health Agency of Canada or Environment and Climate Change Canada, bodies with a better track record of public health protection.   Because the status quo simply isn’t working. Canada lags behind 90 per cent of countries in the world when it comes to banning harmful pesticides. And when presented with scientific and medical evidence of harm to human and animal health, the PMRA at every turn, seems to search for ways to keep pesticides in use rather than soberly weighing their risks against their benefits.  The latest outrage uncovered by Fawcett-Atkinson shows the PMRA collaborated with Bayer, one of the world’s largest agrochemical companies to undermine research by Christy Morrissey, a prominent Canadian scientist. A trove of emails and meeting minutes shows the agency and company colluded to stave off a pending ban of imidacloprid and two other related neonicotinoid pesticides used on corn, soybeans, potatoes and other crops. The chemicals are harmful to human brains and sperm and deadly to bees, insects and birds. Water sampling data collected on the Prairies by Morrissey, a Canadian ecologist and University of Saskatchewan professor, helped form the basis for a national ban proposed in 2016. But it was reversed based on a scant replication of her research conducted by Bayer.  Then there is the disturbing history of chlorpyrifos, a pesticide that was widely used to kill insects in greenhouses, on farms and as a spray to kill mosquitos. It can cause neurological damage in children, including lowering IQ, and contributing to memory loss and attention deficit disorder.  Chlorpyrifos was banned in the E.U. in 2019 and in 2021 the U.S. was forced by the courts to follow suit. Canada stalled until 2021 when the PMRA finally issued a ban allowing farmers to use their backstocks for an additional three years, until December 2023. Think about it. That meant three more years of spraying a pesticide that we know harms the brains of our children. The PMRA dropped the ball again in 2023 when it failed to warn Canadians about the health dangers of a pesticide used on sports fields, golf courses and vegetable farms. Dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, or DCPA, has the ability to harm human fetuses, causing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue an unusual public warning. Canadian officials knew about the American warning, emails reviewed by Canada’s National Observer revealed, but chose not to follow suit. The litany of failures by the PMRA to become more accountable to the public and transparent about its decisions, prompted one scientist to resign his position as co-chair of the PMRA’s scientific advisory committee. Bruce Lanphear, a public health expert and Simon Fraser University professor, said he was routinely denied access to key health and safety data his advisory committee needed to evaluate the effectiveness of Canada’s pesticide regulations. The PMRA cited legal constraints as the reason, another indication that, in Canada’s world of pesticides, corporate proprietary rights trump public health. If our current laws truly prevent the public from scrutinizing scientific data provided by companies about the safety or danger of their products, then it’s time those laws were changed. Lanphear said there is a culture of secrecy within the PMRA that he couldn’t crack. The agency is reluctant to be more transparent — including with its own scientific advisory committee, he told Fawcett-Atkinson shortly after he resigned. “They just would distract us or ignore” the committee’s requests to review pesticide data, he said. “They were always very pleasant, but would just not answer.” Efforts to obtain information about pesticide approvals by the Canadian environmental watchdog Ecojustice were similarly blocked. In a recent ruling, Canada’s Information Commissioner found the PMRA stalled the release of some information for more than four years, delays she called unreasonable. The PMRA insists it is working on ways to provide more timely access to information. But it’s difficult to believe any number of new processes and procedures will succeed so long as the people within it are cozy with industry and seem hellbent on upholding a culture of silence. Yes, pesticides help farmers and foresters obtain bigger yields. And few would argue Canada should do away with them altogether. However, in cases where the evidence is clear that chemicals are harmful, the choice must always favour human health over economic gain. It takes a strong civil service to beat back the ambitions of industry and it’s sad to think we don’t have that now. Canadians deserve better.  — Adrienne Tanner

15. Do Bike Lanes Really Cause More Traffic Congestion? Here’s What the Research Says. Editor’s Note: As  if we didn’t know! But it seems to need repeating – given our current Premier. https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/bike-lanes-impacts-1.7358319?cmp=newsletter_CBC%20Newsletter_12744_1767918 16. Plastic in Canada’s Major Grocery Chains Received from Environmental Defense, Oct 24, 2024 – Karen Wirsig In 2022, we conducted an audit of plastic in Canada’s major grocery chains—including Loblaws, Sobeys and Metro—and found disturbing amounts of plastic packaging. Since then, thousands of people across Canada have sent letters to major grocery retailers demanding they reduce the plastic packaging on their shelves. We recently went back to some of their stores to see if they listened. Sadly, the answer is no. Our updated audit found that the major chains have made virtually no progress on eliminating throwaway plastic packaging from food product shelves, even after being called out by the federal government and thousands of Canadians. Full article? – https://environmentaldefence.ca/report/left-holding-the-bag-plastic-packaging-in-grocery-stores/ to see why we are asking for federal government action to reign in garbage grocery plastic. Here are some notable findings from the report… Only 16 per cent of grocery packaging is the type that is likely to be recycled in Canada—even if it is sometimes accepted in curbside recycling programs the vast majority is not recycled in practice. Instead it is buried, burned or littered. The amount of plastic found on baby food shelves is up from 76 per cent in 2023 to more than 82 per cent today. Chemical additives commonly found in plastic packaging are found in human blood, urine, placenta, breast milk and hair samples. These same chemicals are linked to cancer or reproductive harm. We found 38 per cent of soft drink six- and eight-packs were held together with plastic wrap–a regrettable replacement for the six-pack rings the federal government banned back in June. Plastic creates pollution from the moment it is made and continues polluting long after it is thrown away. As consumers, we have little control over what our food is packed in. We can buy in bulk, bring our own bags, or opt for more expensive products packed in glass or paper. But our choices are limited. Major grocery retailers have the market power to drive changes across the food supply chain and eliminate throwaway plastic packaging. They also have the money to invest in more sustainable packaging models that eliminate waste and harmful chemicals while delivering environmental and economic benefits. Clearly, they are not doing so. The government must step in and regulate plastic pollution from grocery stores. In order to see change, the Federal Government must… – Ban single-use plastic packaging materials that have no prospect of effective and safe recycling.— Finalize the Pollution Prevention Plan notice for major grocery retailers that requires targets for refillable packaging by 2030. -Ban hazardous chemicals from plastic packaging and products, including bisphenols, phthalates, heavy metals, forever chemicals (PFAS), and UV stabilizers.   And retailers must… – Stop opposing industry-wide requirements to eliminate throwaway or single-use plastic packaging. – Begin implementing a pollution prevention plan for food plastic packaging by: – Eliminating packaging for produce wherever possible – Eliminating plastic packaging from at least 95 per cent of produce by 2028 – Implementing systems in order to reach 25 per cent reusable/refillable food packaging by 2030 – Eliminate the use of plastic packaging for foods marketed to babies and toddlers. More info? https://environmentaldefence.ca/report/left-holding-the-bag-plastic-packaging-in-grocery-stores/

17. Beer’s Secret Superpower? Here are the Health Benefits of Hops!
Received from, National Geographic, Oct 29, 2024 – Mary Davids Landau
Every fall, as Oktoberfest and other autumnal celebrations ramp up, beer enters the spotlight. In recent years, scientists have increasingly focused on the beverage too, because one of its main ingredients—hops—turns out to have a wide range of health-promoting properties.
When it comes to beer and health, “hops are the star of the show,” says Glen Fox, a professor of beer-brewing science at the University of California, Davis. Dozens of laboratory and animal studies and a few small ones in people make clear that hops compounds have an impressive array of antimicrobial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and blood-sugar regulating properties, leading experts to explore the plant’s potential for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, and even cancer.
Hops (Humulus lupulus, a member of the hemp family) derives most of its beneficial reputation from the thousands of healthful antioxidants naturally found in the cone of the female plant, the part used in beer. Antioxidants regulate inflammation and protect cells from damage and comprise some 14 percent of the plant. Two types of promising antioxidants in hops, bitter acids and polyphenols, also give beer its flavor and aroma. Researchers are especially interested in a polyphenol called xanthohumol (the first syllable is pronounced “zan,” with the accent on syllable three), a powerful antioxidant that’s found only in hops. 
“People who drink beer in moderation, can feel confident they’re doing their health a favor,” Fox says. “And I think non-alcoholic beer should be considered a health drink.”
Full article?https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/hops-beer-health-benefits

18. November Activities at Cataraqui Conservation Area
Received from Cataraqui Conservation, Oct 30, 2024
Nov 1 Forest Therapy Walk 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Nov 9 Creatures of the Night Hike 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Nov 12 Cataraqui Region Phragmites Working Group Workshop 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Nov 23 Lantern Hike 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Dec 7 Outdoor Holiday Party for the Animals 2:00 – 3;30 pm
Dec 20 Winter Solstice Forest Therapy Walk 7:00 – 8:30 am
Dec 21 Winter Solstice Night Hike 6:30 – 8:00 p m
https://cataraquiconservation.ca/pages/events?se_activity_id=166502400157&syclid=csh86mjdqaac73ac5ghg&utm_campaign=Cataraqui+Conservation+News+%26+Events_166502400157&utm_medium=email&utm_source=shopify_email

19. 25 Things to Do in Kingston This November
https://www.visitkingston.ca/

20. Blotching on Leaves This Year?
Received from Rideau Waterway Land Trust, Oct 24, 2024
Have you noticed blotching on leaves?  Here’s why,
Each fall, Ontario’s forests typically burst into vibrant reds, oranges, yellows, and purples. This stunning transformation happens as trees prepare for winter by slowing down their energy production. During the growing season, leaves are filled with chlorophyll, the green pigment that helps trees convert sunlight into food. But as days shorten and temperatures drop, chlorophyll breaks down, revealing the other pigments that have been hidden all summer.

Carotenoids, which give us bright yellows and oranges, are always present in leaves but are hidden by chlorophyll during the growing season. Anthocyanins, which produce striking reds and purples, are formed in the fall when sugars become trapped in the leaves and react with sunlight. The most vibrant fall colours occur during sunny days paired with cool, but not freezing, nights.However, extreme weather can impact this process. This year, Ontario’s unusually warm fall and record-breaking summer rainfall have affected the usual fall spectacle, both in timing and intensity. While some summer rain is beneficial for colour change, experts suggest that flooding and excessive rainfall may stress trees, causing them to change colour and shed leaves earlier than normal.

As beautiful as fall foliage is, it’s a crucial part of a tree’s survival strategy for winter. During the colder months, the ground often freezes, making it difficult for trees to take up water through their roots. By shedding their leaves, trees reduce water loss and conserve moisture, helping them survive when water becomes scarce. Leaves are also vulnerable to frost damage. If trees held onto their leaves throughout winter, ice could form on them, weighing down branches and causing them to break under a load of snow or ice. Shedding leaves is a way for trees to protect themselves from the harsh conditions of winter storms.

In addition to early leaf fall, an increase in leaf diseases has been observed this year due to the wet summer. Fungal infections such as Anthracnose, Powdery Mildew, and Tar Spot thrive in warm, damp conditions, causing leaves to develop dark spots, curl, or fall off prematurely. Insects have also benefited from the humid environment, further weakening trees and accelerating leaf drop. Together, these factors have contributed to widespread leaf loss in some parts of Ontario. Though this may affect the fall colours we’re used to, most trees are resilient and can recover in future seasons. Landowners can help by ensuring proper drainage, monitoring for pests and diseases, and supporting trees during dry periods.

Even if this year’s colours are more subdued, the changing foliage is a reminder of nature’s adaptability. By understanding how weather and seasonal changes affect our forests, we can better appreciate and protect Ontario’s natural beauty for generations to come!

More info on a variety of local topicsinfo@rwlt.org

21. Really Good Online Source for US  Politics – Heather Cox Richardson.  Free for the Time Being.
 Here is her October 30 newsletter.
Thanks John Thomas for the suggestion! heathercoxrichardson#substack.com

“On Friday, October 25, at a town hall held on his social media platform X, Elon Musk told the audience that if Trump wins, he expects to work in a Cabinet-level position to cut the federal government.
He told people to expect “temporary hardship” but that cuts would “ensure long-term prosperity.” At the Trump rally at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Musk said he plans to cut $2 trillion from the government. Economists point out that current discretionary spending in the budget is $1.7 trillion, meaning his promise would eliminate virtually all discretionary spending, which includes transportation, education, housing, and environmental programs.
Economists agree that Trump’s plans to place a high tariff wall around the U.S., replacing income taxes on high earners with tariffs paid for by middle-class Americans, and to deport as many as 20 million immigrants would crash the booming economy. Now Trump’s financial backer Musk is factoring in the loss of entire sectors of the government to the economy under Trump.  
Trump has promised to appoint Musk to be the government’s “chief efficiency officer.” “Everyone’s going to have to take a haircut.… We can’t be a wastrel.… We need to live honestly,” Musk said on Friday. Rob Wile and Lora Kolodny of CNBC point out that Musk’s SpaceX aerospace venture has received $19 billion from the U.S. government since 2008.
An X user wrote: “I]f Trump succeeds in forcing through mass deportations, combined with Elon hacking away at the government, firing people and reducing the deficit—there will be an initial severe overreaction in the economy…. Markets will tumble. But when the storm passes and everyone realizes we are on sounder footing, there will be a rapid recovery to a healthier, sustainable economy. History could be made in the coming two years.”
Musk commented: “Sounds about right[.]”
This exchange echoes the prescription of Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon, whose theories had done much to create the Great Crash of 1929, for restoring a healthy economy. “Liquidate labor, liquidate stocks, liquidate the farmers, liquidate real estate,” he told President Herbert Hoover. “It will purge the rottenness out of the system. High costs of living and high living
will come down. People will work harder, live a more moral life. Values will be adjusted, and enterprising people will pick up the wrecks from less competent people.” 
Mellon, at least, was reacting to an economic crisis thrust upon an administration. Musk is seeking to create one. 
Today the Commerce Department reported that from July through September, the nation’s economy grew at a solid 2.8%. Consumer spending is up, as is investment in business. The country added 254,000 jobs in September, and inflation has fallen back almost to the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%. 
It is extraordinarily rare for a country to be able to reduce inflation without creating a recession, but the Biden administration has managed to do so, producing what economists call a “soft landing,” rather like catching an egg on a plate. As Bryan Mena of CNN wrote today: “The US economy seems to have pulled off a remarkable and historic achievement.” 
Both President Joe Biden and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris have called for reducing the deficit not by slashing the government, as Musk proposes, but by restoring taxes on the wealthy and corporations. 
As part of the Republicans’ plan to take the country back to the era before the 1930s ushered in a government that regulated business and provided a basic social safety net, House speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) expects to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. 
At a closed-door campaign event on Monday in Pennsylvania for a Republican House candidate, Johnson told supporters that Republicans will propose “massive reform” to the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” if they take control of both the House and the Senate in November. “Health-care reform’s going to be a big part of the agenda,” Johnson said. Their plan is to take a “blowtorch to the regulatory state,” which he says is “crushing the free market.” “Trump’s going to go big,” he said.” When an attendee asked, “No Obamacare?” he laughed and agreed: “No Obamacare…. The ACA is so deeply ingrained, we need massive reform to make this work, and we got a lot of ideas on how to do that.” 
Ending a campaign with a promise to crash a booming economy and end the Affordable Care Act, which ended insurance companies’ ability to reject people with preexisting conditions, is an unusual strategy.
A post from Trump last night and another this morning suggest his internal polls are worrying him. Last night he claimed there was cheating in Pennsylvania’s York and Lancaster counties. Today he posted: “Pennsylvania is cheating, and getting caught, at large scale levels rarely seen before. REPORT CHEATING TO AUTHORITIES. Law Enforcement must act, NOW!” 
Trump appears to be setting up the argument he used in 2020, that he can lose only if he has been cheated. But it is increasingly apparent that the get-out-the-vote, or GOTV, efforts of the Trump campaign have been weak. When Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump and loyalist Michael Whatley became the co-chairs of the Republican National Committee in March 2024, they stopped the GOTV efforts underway and used the money instead for litigation. They outsourced GOTV efforts to super PACs, including Musk’s America PAC.
In Wired today, Jake Lahut reported that door-knockers for Musk’s PAC were driven around in the back of a U-Haul without seats and threatened with having to pay their own hotel bills if they didn’t meet high canvassing quotas. One of the canvassers told Lahut that they thought they were being hired to ask people who they would be voting for when they flew into Michigan, and was surprised to learn their actual role. The workers spoke to Lahut anonymously because they had signed a nondisclosure agreement (a practice the Biden administration has tried to stop).
Trump’s boast that he is responsible for the Supreme Court’s overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision recognizing the constitutional right to abortion is one of the reasons his support is soft. In addition to popular dislike of the idea that the state, rather than a woman and her doctor, should make decisions about her healthcare, the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision is now over two years old, and state examinations of maternal deaths are showing that women are dying from lack of reproductive healthcare. 
Cassandra Jaramillo and Kavitha Surana of ProPublica reported today that at least two pregnant women have died in Texas when doctors delayed emergency care after a miscarriage until the fetal heartbeat stopped. The woman they highlighted today, Josseli Barnica, left behind a husband and a toddler. 
At a rally this evening near Green Bay, Wisconsin, Trump said his team had advised him to stop talking about how he was going to protect women by ending crime and making sure they don’t have to be “thinking about abortion.” But Trump, who has boasted of sexual assault and been found liable for it, did not stop there. He went on to say that he had told his advisors, “I’m going to do it whether the women like it or not. I am going to protect them.” 
The Trump campaign remains concerned about the damage caused by the extraordinarily racist, sexist, and violent Sunday night rally at Madison Square Garden. Today the campaign seized on a misstatement President Biden made when condemning the statement from the Madison Square Garden event that referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” They tried to turn the tables to suggest that Biden was calling Trump supporters garbage, although the president has always been very careful to focus his condemnation on Trump alone. 
In Wisconsin today, when he disembarked from his plane, Trump put on an orange reflective vest and had someone drive him around the tarmac in a garbage truck with TRUMP painted on the side. He complained about Biden to reporters from the cab of the truck but still refused to apologize for Sunday’s slur of Puerto Rico, saying he knew nothing about the comedian who appeared at his rally. 
This, too, was an unusual strategy. Like his visit to McDonalds, where he wore an apron, the image of Trump in a sanitation truck was likely intended to show him as a man of the people. But his power has always rested not in his promise to be one of the people, but rather to lead them. The pictures of him in a bright orange vest and unusually dark makeup are quite different from his usual portrayal of himself.
Indeed, media captured a video of Trump’s stunt, and it did not convey strength. MSNBC’s Katie Phang watched him try to get into the truck and noted: “Trump stumbles, drags his right leg, almost falls over, and tries at least three times to open the door…. Some transparency with Trump’s medical records would be nice.” 
The Las Vegas Sun today ran an editorial that detailed Trump’s increasingly obvious mental lapses and concluded that Trump is “crippled cognitively and showing clear signs of mental illness.” It noted that Trump now depends “on enablers who show a disturbing willingness to indulge his delusions, amplify his paranoia or steer his feeble mind toward their own goals.” It noted that if Trump cannot fulfill the duties of the presidency, they would fall to his running mate, J.D. Vance, who has suggested “he would subordinate constitutional principles for personal profit and power.”

That’s it for now.
Cheers,
Mary Farrar, President,
Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour