Scientist believe they have found an answer to solve the problem of feeding our growing global population. They want to create salt-tolerant crops to sustain our planet’s appetite. The goal is to create crops that have a gene “to develop salt bladders without a major impact on their growth and yield”. This would mean that we would be able to grow crops such as wheat or rice on high salinity soil.

High Salinity Soil.

The invention seems ingenues as it would solve the problem of famine, especially in regions with high salinity soil. However, the issue is that they will be genetically modified organisms, therefore they might have some side effects that we are unaware of as we eat them. Although, we have been consuming genetically modified organisms for awhile now. Thus, if we have not had any severe side effects yet, then maybe that means they are good for us to eat. Furthermore, scientist have a few years to make sure the salt-tolerant crops consumption do not pose a problem to use until we will need them in 2050.

The Nak’azdli are standing firm saying that they do not want the Northern  Gate pipelines going through their “precious” land. The aboriginals of BC have very strong values especially when it concerns their beautiful land. They do not want oil pipelines to go through their land as it could have damaging effects on the environments ecosystem.

The First Nations protection over nature makes it extremely hard for businesses to build on their land. It isn’t simply a question of companies using up their space but more of a concern of the environmental impact they with have on the land. The First Nations lands are filled with diverse wildlife. They contain populations of endangered species such as Nechako white sturgeon.

The First Nations stakeholders will protect their land and will not want the Northern Gate to construct their pipelines on their land due to a possible oil spill that would greater endanger the ecosystem. It seems as if the Northern Gate pipeline will have to wait as they are restricted by The Nak’azdli people and other First Nations. The Nak’azdli claim “that [they] were put here to look after this part of the earth. And [they] take that seriously”.

Maxine‘s blog concerning the article discussing the issue with part-time jobs in Canada has interested me as I was truly unaware that this country faced just a devastating problem.

I agree with Maxine that the biggest issue is that this problem affects the working class of Canadian’s between 25-54 years old, the people that need a full time job the most. These people are at the age of their woking period were they should have “regular hours that let [them] plan [their] life and save a little for retirement”. The income they are gaining won’t be good enough to be able to support a family or form one. The Canadian economy cannot be efficient if their workforce is unable to work to their maximum potential. This problem needs to be dealt somehow as workers are willing to work full-time. Another concern with involuntary part-time jobs are that they not only effect the low-class but the issue is starting to rise in the middle income class too. The problem needs to be dealt with fast before it becomes catastrophic.

Facebook employee’s bus driver’s are asking help from the Teamsters Union. The driver’s have been complaining about the lack of pay they obtain and the split shift schedule. The angry employees have written to  Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive in order to resolve this issue. However, Facebook do not believe it is their problem to resolve. The bus driver’s are part of the external company run by Jeff Leonoudakis. Mr. Leonoudakis is in charge of setting the wages and hours of his driver therefore it is up to them to solve this problem.

This situation is causing threats to Facebook as they are starting to have issues with the Teamster Union and the shuttle buses that bring the company’s labour to work. If the problem is not resolved Facebook might start to suffer direct consequences such as its labour force being unable to come to work or Labour Unions reducing Facebook’s good image. These factors can potential impact the companies sales as a poor image would make repel customers from Facebook. Customer’s would not want to support or be associated with a company that mistreats workers, in this case bus drivers.

Recently in southeastern Saskatchewan, a carbon capture and storage project has been reveled. The facility was divulged today in front of hundreds of people from different countries. This plant will serve to greatly reduce emmisions by one million tonnes annual, which is 90% of the emissions released by the coal plant near this facility.

This could serve as a breakthrough to reducing the emissions in the world as other countries could learn and take example of Saskatchewan’s innovative idea. This is exactly the type of projects our world needs today as it allows for a cleaner environment and creates jobs for citizens.

The storage of the emissions into the ground by this new commercial plant permits the carbon dioxide to be liquified and sold as oil (renewed oil). Cenovus Energy Inc. (Calgary-based Oil company) is in a 10 year contract with this facility to purchase all of its renewed oil. This makes the oil company demonstrates to customers that it is environmentally award of the consciences of oil drilling and that by purchasing this renewed oil it encourages a greener environment.

This project will aid to the future of a more eco-friendly world and is a solution to making oil a renewable resource.