Barry Lopez, 1945-2020

“We cannot, of course, save the World because we do not have authority over its parts. We can serve the world though. That is everyone's calling, to lead a life that helps.” (Barry Lopez) 

“Barry Lopez, a lyrical writer who steeped himself in Arctic wildernesses, the habitats of wolves and exotic landscapes around the world for award-winning books that explored the kinship of nature and human culture, died on Friday at his home in Eugene, Ore. He was 75.” (The New York Times) 

“The cold view to take of our future is that we are therefore headed for extinction in a universe of impersonal chemical, physical, and biological laws. A more productive, certainly more engaging view, is that we have the intelligence to grasp what is happening, the composure not to be intimidated by its complexity, and the courage to take steps that may bear no fruit in our lifetimes.” (Barry Lopez) 

“My goal that day was intimacy—the tactile, olfactory, visual, and sonic details of what, to most people in my culture, would appear to be a wasteland. This simple technique of awareness had long been my way to open a conversation with any unfamiliar landscape. Who are you? I would ask. How do I say your name? May I sit down? . . . . It seems to me you must find some way in a new place—or with a new person—to break free of the notion that you can be certain of what or whom you’ve actually encountered. You must, at the very least, establish a truce with realities not your own, whether you’re speaking about the innate truth and aura of a landscape or a person.” (Barry Lopez, Love in a Time of Terror) 

“To put your hands in a river is to feel the chords that bind the earth together.” (Barry Lopez)

 

Bibliography: Books, Fine Press, Audio Recordings

EcoSask News, February 6, 2018

Upcoming Events
Winter Sustainability Week, Feb. 7-9 (Saskatoon)
It’s Winter Sustainability Week at the University of Saskatchewan with a winter cycling and maintenance workshop from 10 am-3 pm, Feb. 7; a sustainable clothes swap from 9 am-2 pm, Feb. 8; and a farmers’ market from 9 am-2 pm, Feb. 9.

We Were Once Wolves, Feb. 13 (Prince Albert)
Brad Muir, Sundogs Excursions, will discuss the boreal forest ecosystem and its canine representatives at 7 pm, Feb. 13, at the John M. Cuelenaere Library.

Food Evolution, Feb. 13 (Prince Albert)
The John M. Cuelenaere Library is showing the film Food Evolution at 7 pm, Feb. 13.

Climate Change & Canadian Public Opinion, Feb. 14 (webinar)
The Sustainability Network is hosting a webinar on Climate Change & Canadians: New Public Opinion Research by Ecoanalytics on Feb. 14.

Wind Energy & Bats, Feb. 14 (Saskatoon)
Erin Baerwald will discuss wind energy development and bats at 3:30 pm, Feb. 14, at the U of S as part of the Wild Ecol Seminar series.

Beringia: Relics from the Ice Age, Feb. 15 (Regina)
Syd Cannings will share stories from his explorations in Beringia and discuss how an environment’s past shapes its future at 7:30 pm, Feb. 15, at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.

Australia’s Biological System, Feb. 15 (Saskatoon)
There will be a presentation on Australia’s biological system at the Feb. 15 meeting of the Saskatoon Nature Society.

Sustainability Slam, Feb. 15 (Saskatoon)
The U of S Graduate Students’ Association is holding a Sustainability Slam on Feb. 15.

Winter Birds & Wildlife, Feb. 17 (Regina)
Join Nature Regina for a Wascana winter birds and wildlife field trip from 10 am-12 pm, Feb. 17.

Looking Ahead
Winter Family Nature Play Retreat, Feb. 19 (Earl Grey)
Wild Spirit Prairie Sanctuary is hosting an outdoor play day for the whole family on Feb. 19.

Compost Coach Training, Mar. 3 & 4 (Saskatoon)
Take the two-day training on Mar. 3 & 4 and join Saskatoon’s team of compost coaches.

Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation Course, Mar. 17-18 (Saskatoon)
The International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council is offering an introductory course for beginning or novice wildlife rehabilitators Mar. 17-18.

Passive House Designer/Consultant Exam, Mar. 24 (Saskatoon)
Passive House Canada is providing an opportunity to take the Certified Passive House Designer/Consultant exam on Mar. 24 in Saskatoon.

Saskatoon Nature Society
Feb. 11, 1-3 pm – Chorney Acreage Bird Feeders
Feb. 17, 1-3 pm – Weir & City Park Birding
Check the Saskatoon Nature Society’s website for full details and updated information.

A full list of upcoming events can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

Water Security/Sustainable Environmental Management
Apply by March 30 for the U of S School of Environment and Sustainability’s Master’s programs. The Master of Water Security investigates concerns such as drought and climate change using a holistic approach that incorporates science, social dynamics, and policy. The Master of Sustainable Environmental Management, a transdisciplinary, project-based degree, develops a student’s ability to assess and evaluate sustainability issues and their potential solutions.

Marsh Monitoring Program
Bird Studies Canada is looking for volunteers to install wetland monitoring recording units. Email LeeAnn Latremouille for more information.

Marcella Pedersen: Global Citizen Award 2018
Marcella Pedersen has received a 2018 Global Citizen Award from the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation. She and her husband are members of the North Saskatchewan River Environmental Society, live in a passive solar-heated house, have installed 4 wind turbines on their farm, and use solar panels to heat the honey house. Marcella promotes “food sovereignty through sustainable cropping practices, such as gardening, saving seeds, mulching, and protecting the soil rather than mining it.”

In the News
Don’t have a compost bin? Maybe your neighbours will share theirs: Share Waste.

Edmonton's green spaces network is designed to support healthy ecosystems, diverse wildlife habitats, and quality of life.

"Beetles are, without a doubt, the most important organisms on the planet."

EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include. 

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).

EcoSask News, April 18, 2017

Upcoming Events
Negative Emissions Technology, Apr. 20 (Regina, Saskatoon) 
Dr. David Reiner, UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre, will discuss negative emissions technology in a video conference at the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy from 10:30 am-12 pm, Apr. 20.

Prairies, Wetlands, and Riverbanks, Apr. 25 (Saskatoon)
Wild about Saskatoon is partnering with Café Scientific for a presentation by Kenton Lysak on Prairies, wetlands, and riverbanks...Oh my! Why we need to reconnect with Saskatoon's Natural Areas at 7:30 pm, Apr. 25.

SK Environmental Society AGM, Apr. 25 (Saskatoon)
The Saskatchewan Environmental Society is holding their annual general meeting from 6:30-9 pm, Apr. 25. Brett Dolter will discuss Greening the Grid: Pathways for Decarbonizing Electricity in Saskatchewan and Canada.

Citizen Science, Apr. 26 (webinar)
Brenda Dale is offering a webinar on citizen science at noon on Apr. 26 as part of SK-PCAP’s Native Prairie Speaker series.

Edible Landscapes, Urban Foraging, Apr. 27 (Regina)
Join the Regina Horticultural Society for a workshop on urban foraging at 7 pm, Apr. 27.

Household Hazardous Waste Day, Apr. 29 (Prince Albert)
You can dispose of household hazardous waste in Prince Albert from 9 am to 3 pm on Apr. 29.

Breeding Bird Atlas Workshop, Apr. 29 (Saskatoon)
Find out more about the Saskatchewan Breeding Bird Atlas and how you can participate from 9 am to 3 pm, Apr. 29, in Saskatoon.

Breeding Bird Atlas Workshop, Apr. 29/30 (Fort Qu’Appelle)
Join local regional coordinators for a Breeding Bird Atlas training workshop in Fort Qu’Appelle from 7-9 pm, Apr. 29, and from 1-3 pm, Apr. 30.

People’s Climate March, Apr. 29 (Regina)
There will be a People’s Climate March in Regina from 12-2 pm, Apr. 29.

Carbonless Concert, Apr. 29 (Saskatoon)
Jason Maillet is hosting the sixth in a series of carbonless concerts from 6:30-9 pm, Apr. 29.

Looking Ahead
South American Birds & Music, May 5 (Regina)
Enjoy a presentation on grasslands conservation in South America and South American music at a fundraiser for PPPI’s Public Grasslands Defense Fund, at 7 pm, May 5, in Regina.

Meewasin Trail Count, May 13/14 (Saskatoon)
Sign up for a 1 or 2-hour count and user survey on the Meewasin Trail in May. Training sessions will be held at 12 pm, May 13 and 14.

Expedition to the Cypress Hills, June 15-18 (SK)
Join the Explorers’ Club for an expedition to the Cypress Hills, June 15-18.

A full list of upcoming events can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

In the News
“If we woke up tomorrow and found that half our local bird population was lying dead on our lawns, there’d be a crisis. If it happened over a lifetime, we wouldn’t notice. That’s exactly what has happened, and not just with birds.” 

Co-existence is best for sheep, wolves, and people. Let’s put an end to bounty hunts and killing contests.

Want to avoid traffic jams, pollution, and urban sprawl? Don't let people park for free.

Urban nature is full of surprises.

EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include. 

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).

EcoSask News, December 22, 2015

Happy Solstice!

Upcoming Events
Green Drinks Regina, Jan. 7 
Join Green Drinks Regina at 5:45 pm, Jan. 7, as they discuss greening the Saskatchewan grid and environmentally sustainable products.

Permaculture Regina Board Meeting, Jan. 7
Permaculture Regina’s board meeting is scheduled for 6 pm, Jan. 7.

Piping Plover Census, June
Nature Saskatchewan is looking for volunteers who have time to check for Piping Plovers on gravelly beaches, lake shorelines, or alkali wetlands at one or more locations in Saskatchewan in the first two weeks of June 2016. For more information, email the Saskatchewan Coordinator at pipingplover@naturesask.ca

A full list of upcoming events can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

News
Congratulations!
Congratulations to the Saskatchewan Environmental Society for urging the Government of Saskatchewan to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Excellent media coverage!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 
This Japanese town is set to become zero waste by 2020. They separate recycling into 37 different commodities, have a store where people can drop off and take used items for free, and a factory that makes items from previously recycled pieces.

Wolves are Welcome
The state of Washington welcomes wolves back – across deep political divides.

Rethinking the City
“Reimagining our cities provides us an important opportunity to reconsider the various structures of urban life—transportation, food, and community—both environmentally and socially. The slow and necessary steps of eliminating our dependence on fossil fuels will certainly be difficult, yet we should see it as an occasion to remake our places that are humane, convivial, and sustainable.”

The Internet Shouldn’t Run on Dirty Energy
An internet powered by 100% renewable energy is within our reach.

EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include. 

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).

EcoSask News, September 16, 2014

Events
Heritage Tomato Seeds, Sept. 18
Join Permasask and the local heritage tomato seed savers on Thursday, Sept. 18 from 6-8 pm for a potluck supper and seed saving workshop.

Field Trips
Young Naturalists
Sept. 28, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm – Sandhill Crane Field Trip (space is limited; register in advance)

Golden Eagles
Sept. 25, 8 am – Birding at St. Volodymyr Church Park
Oct. 2, 9 am – Birding & Petrofka Bridge Orchard

Other Nature Society Field Trips
Sept. 27, 8:30-10 am – Cosmopolitan Park Bird Walk
Sept. 27, 1:30-9 pm – Outlook District Crane & Goose Trip

Check the Saskatoon Nature Society’s website for full details (e.g. some trips require rubber boots, others will be cancelled if the weather is bad).

News
Eleven, Paul Hanley
Paul Hanley’s new book, Eleven, is now available for purchase. Contact Paul directly to make arrangements (978-4797, paulhanley@sasktel.net). Paul is also interested in speaking to groups and organizations.

In Eleven, Paul argues that the forces eroding the present social-ecological order are also preparing humanity for a cultural transformation that will make a resilient world of 11 billion possible.

Redberry Lake Discovery Trail
The Redberry Lake Discovery Trail, supported by a $5,000 grant from EcoFriendly Sask, is now open. The 2.2 km. trail, designed by the Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve, includes stations which explain things like how to make an Insect Hotel, which creatures call a rock garden home, and how to make a nest box.

Local Myths
Two news stories got a lot of attention this past week. Here's some background information.

Myth #1: Wolves are a Problem
The province is offering 100 new licenses to kill wolves in response to an alleged increased number of livestock kills. Wolves are an invaluable part of the environment as the video, How Wolves Make Rivers, demonstrates. And anyway, wolves aren’t the real problem:

“if livestock is your business, you've got a lot of problems, but wolves aren't even close to one of them. Remember that wolves killed roughly 8,100 head of cattle in 2010. The USDA's National Agriculture Statistics Service estimates that 1,055,000 head of cattle were felled by respiratory problems in that same year. Over a million. Digestive problems took out another half a million head. And let's not pretend the inhumane manner in which agribusiness raises cattle didn't have something to do with that. Write off another 500,000 each to the weather and various problems with calving. Hell, just flat-out cattle rustling accounted for nearly twice as many lost head of cattle as wolves. Predators are only 5.5 percent of total cattle losses, and wolves are only 0.23 percent of the total.” (Stop Shooting Wolves, You Maniacs)

“I spoke with an Idaho biologist who has worked with both the FWS and the wolf reintroduction program. He argues that human populations continue to ‘overuse’ hunting in the name of sport and this has reduced deer and elk populations, not just in Idaho, but in the Great Lakes and Alaska. The result? Wolves have been forced to look elsewhere for food and sustenance. This results in cattle being attacked because the regular food chain has been disrupted. Hunting wolves won't stop this problem unless all the wolves are killed.” (Heed the Call of the Wild: Don’t Cull the Wolf)

Myth #2: Glass is Recycled in SK
If you’re like me, you’ve been carefully washing used glass jars and setting them aside for recycling. Because that’s what the City told us to do. However, this week we learned that a lot of the glass gets broken and has to be sent to the landfill. The glass jars that aren’t broken are carefully set aside at the landfill for possible future recycling. This is what happens in Regina as well.

“Better than half of the glass that comes into the [Loraas] company's Saskatoon facility ends up shattered and buried in its landfill north of the city. The balance of the unbroken glass is stored in a makeshift pile at the same landfill for future recycling.” (CBC News)

Unfortunately, glass is cheap to make (“recycling glass is only 33 per cent more energy-efficient than making glass from scratch”) and recycling rates are low, even in Alberta, which has three end-markets for recycled glass.

EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include. Additional upcoming events can be found on our Calendar. 

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).