Over at The Guardian, readers have been given a sneak peek at Far & Away, a new book on travel and perspective by Andrew Solomon. Solomon proposes that travel is a necessity in order to counterbalance the narrow-mindedness that can come from only knowing one's own experiences (or one's own language, cultural norms, and versions of war stories).
Barren trunks and dying yellow cedar trees are transforming the rainforest landscape along the Alaskan coast caused by the warming northern climate. To track the effects that climate change is having on this species, Stanford PhD student, Lauren Oakes, collected raw data from forty-eight tree plots. After years of interpretation, music helped Oakes see her research in a whole new light.
In an earlier blog, I wrote that Ontario had just released the best climate action plan in the country. A few days ago, Premier Wynne announced she was cutting over 2 million dollars from the accompanying investments in clean energy technology as it would cost Ontario taxpayers an additional $2.45 more on their annual tax bill.
By: Jaime Clifton, Research Curator
The Swedish government is introducing tax breaks on repairs to everything from bicycles to washing machines so it will no longer make sense to throw out old or broken items and buy new ones. This is consistent with Paul Hawkin's article, 12 steps Society can take to save the whole enchilada.
The Dutch parliament has just voted to close down the the country's coal industry. Although not quite a done deal, contrast this to our country opening a new coal mine in Cape Breton on May 1st, 2016. And to an American company known for mining safety violations.
When dealing with ripped jeans, broken appliances, and shattered cell phones, it’s often cheaper to buy new ones than repair them. Why fix the stitching and replace the heels on your fall boots when you can buy a brand new pair for less? This is a major contributing factor to consumerism and waste, which is why Sweden is working to reduce taxes paid on repairs and increase them on items that are unrepairable.
Today, an American bank, Amalgamated Bank, became the first bank to commit to divesting from carbon risks and investing in a clean energy transition. This article also talks about the legal risks of not taking action.
Scientists are claiming that humanity’s impacts on the Earth are now so profound that we have entered a new geological epoch—the Anthropocene. And Pope Francis has recently spoken out that destroying the environment is a sin.
By: Jaime Clifton, Research Curator
When museums first shifted their focus to visitor experience in the 1980s and 1990s, they had to develop a new approach to audience engagement. They needed to find new ways to share the voices and experiences of many different people while decreasing their authoritarian presence. They essentially needed to learn to listen. While many have made big strides over the last couple of decades, this issue is still front and centre. Perhaps they can’t break free from their authoritarian past because they are bound by their institutional walls.