Earthgauge Radio

On Earthgauge Radio this week, we’re taking a look at issues facing Canada’s rapidly changing northern regions. I have three interviews for you on today’s special show:

• Mary Simon, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the national organization representing Inuit
• Ed Struzik, author of The Big Thaw: Travels in the Melting North
• Andrew Revkin, New York Times journalist and host of the blog DotEarth

Earthgauge Radio is broadcast every other Thursday morning at 7:00-8:00 AM on CKCU 93.1 FM in Ottawa. Click the audio player above to hear the full show. Right click here to download today’s full show. Scroll down to listen to individual interviews only.

Remember that Earthgauge Radio is podcast on iTunes if you type earthgauge into the search bar, you’ll find us. Contact us at . Facebook address is www.facebook.com/EarthgaugeRadio and Twitter handle @earthgaugeCA. Please do get in touch if you have story ideas, a comment on something you’ve heard or want to get involved or contribute to the show.

On today’s show, we also have our usual segment with Ecology Ottawa who update us on local environmental events.

The music off the top of today’s program is from a performance by the Inuit circus and multi-media production group called Artcirq. Based in Igloolik, Nunavut, a remote Inuit community in the Baffin islands, Artcirq is a unique Inuit circus and multi-media production group that aims to give youth the space, the skills and the opportunities to express themselves. I recorded this performance at the International Polar Year summit in Montreal a few weeks ago. The theme of the IPY summit was From Knowledge to Action and it was one of the largest and most important scientific conferences ever for polar science and climate change, impacts and adaptation.

While at the summit, I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with many inspiring individuals who are doing terrific work promoting the importance of the polar regions and trying to bring to public attention themes such as rapid polar change, communities and health, ecosystem services, infrastructure, resources and security. So on today’s show I have three interviews from the summit.

First I speak with Ed Struzik, author of The Big Thaw. He tells us about some of the dramatic changes happening up North and give us the big picture perspective on the importance of the polar regions.

Ed Struzik interview, right click here to download

Next we hear from the influential New York Times environmental journalist Andrew Revkin whose blog dot Earth is one of the mostly widely read environmental web sites on the planet.

Andrew Revkin interview, right click here to download

Finally, I was very pleased to have the opportunity to speak with Mary Simon, who is the President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the national organization representing Inuit from Nunavut, Nunavik in Northern Quebec, Nunatsiavut in Labrador and the Inuvialuit region of the Northwest Territories. Mary Simon is a very influential figure both here in Canada and abroad and I have a feature interview with her on the program today.

Mary Simon interview, right click here to download

Upcoming local environmental events (courtesy of Ecology Ottawa):

Tonight, May 24th, from 12:00 to 5:00 pm, you are invited to learn about Building Nigeria’s Response to Climate Change, a 5-year CIDA-funded project that is supporting both government and civil society to develop climate change adaptation policies and initiatives. Presenters will talk on a range of topics, including their experience in working with the Special Climate Change Unit to formulate a national climate change adaptation strategy, to supporting the implementation of adaptation initiatives in communities across the country. If you would like to attend, please RSVP at [email protected].

Starting tomorrow, May 25th, until Sunday, May 27th, the Permaculture Institute of Eastern Ontario will be holding a 2-day + 1 evening introductory course on Permaculture, Ecological Design and Gardening. The ethics, principles and design process of permaculture design are based on living systems and draws upon indigenous knowledge. They can be applied to physical systems, such as farms, gardens and cities; and to social systems such as organisational flows, business models or school curricula. This course focuses on permaculture as design, which can be broadly applied to land-based, urban, social or economic systems. For more information or to register, email [email protected].

And of course, don’t forget that this Saturday, May 26th, is the Great Glebe Garage Sale!
SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2012, 8am-4pm
680 & 690 Bank Street
Rogers Plus & Kunstadt Sports parking lots

It’s your favourite time of year again… Soon the entire Glebe will be abuzz with lawn-hawking like you’ve never seen. It’s this annual mecca of bargain-hunters from near and far that gave birth to Ecology Ottawa’s Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale.