I’m taking a break from videogames this week (though, like the weeds in Animal Crossing, they’ll be back). Turning instead to something ‘wired’ but entirely different…

With all of the noise about Ontario becoming a have-not province, and the apparent collapse of the Canadian auto manufacturing sector, it would be nice if there was some sort of significant innovation in this major market, with international appeal, with which Canada could become a global leader.

Oh wait. There is. A made in Canada electric car perfectly poised to step in as the standard in next wave urban driving.

Nah, let’s make more SUVs.

The best synopsis of this ZENN car (Zero Emission No Noise) is found here, courtesy of the Rick Mercer Report.

More on ZENN, and driving, after the jump.(more inside…)

It’s 12:15pm on Tuesday and the text message from my friend DJ in Marty, South Dakota reads “The state has sent 47 troopers and 2 snipers here.”

For what?!

“The Yankton Sioux tribe is protesting a hog farm development that would harm the land and river.”

Are you kidding me? Last time I visited that reservation, the population read something like 3800. Marty alone has only over 400 people, and about 100 protestors were at the construction site where Long View farms is trying to build.

But it’s true. Two friends of mine, Gary Drapeau and Kip Spotted Eagle, were arrested among others for protecting the traditional territory and standing up for the wellness of the peoples on it.

Peacefully.

They were let go immediately but it was quite symbolic of the utter disrespect of the state for tribal sovereignty and jurisdiction. Never mind the health and well being of everyone else who would be greatly impacted by the waste from this hog farm and their polluted claim on Native land.

Does this story sound all too familiar? Only smaller communities like this aren’t making major news headlines, but it is people like Gary and Kip who are taking a major stand against Corporate America to ensure a better livelihood for the land and people that we really NEED to pay attention to.

Fed up of the continous disregard for the Native community? Let Governor Mike Rounds and the state of South Dakota know you support the Yankton Sioux tribe and to tell Long View Farms to cease all construction on their land.

I support my Inhanktowan brothers and stand in solidarity with them.
STOP DESTROYING MOTHER EARTH!

Ideas for a Living City – Student Shorts Competition on the TTC

Submission DEADLINE: MAY 15 2008

If you are a post-secondary student, or have just graduated, you can show your short film on the TTC this July - to over a million people a day.

We are looking for silent 1-minute shorts that take a creative peak at a greener future for the city. Ideas for a Living City challenges post-secondary students to take an imaginative leap forward and show us what it might be like to live in an ecologically sustainable metropolis.(more inside…)

This article from the National Post forwarded to me by Stacey May made me snort-laugh:

At 8:15 p.m. on Saturday, [Toronto] Mayor David Miller got in a car and drove from City Hall to a Shoppers Drug Mart on Eglinton Avenue West. He bought a card for the bar mitzvah of a family friend. Then he got back in the car, driven by his press secretary, Don Wanagas, and went to the bar mitzvah.

The Mayor did this during Earth Hour, after having called on Torontonians to “join me in the dark.”

The Post article goes on to insinuate that Miller is a big fat hypocrite, though it does stop to quote his supporters who say funny things like ““The Mayor has lots of things to do. He was very helpful in turning off the lights.”

But is it Earth Hour that is the big fat hypocrite? Tell me if I sound like the kind of person who enjoys crushing the dreams of small children and ripping up flower beds, but like the much maligned Buy Nothing Day, to me Earth Hour seems like one of those days that requires zero sacrifice, and allows the extremely class privileged to feel like we’re doing our part for one day (or one hour!) of the year. We get to pat ourselves on the back for really doing the absolute least possible that we can do.

I know that my bitterness and cynicism makes me very unattractive. But superficial and extremely showy acts towards social or political consciousness make me hopping mad. Not only do they allow people to think that things aren’t as dire as they are - because the fact that turning off our lights for one hour seems meaningful, implies (inaccurately!) that things can’t possibly be that bad - they allow people to feel righteous about acts which really aren’t that righteous. They set the bar for “doing the right thing” pretty damn low.

Is something really better than nothing? I must admit that the numbers from Earth Hour are worth noting: in Toronto energy use dropped by 8.7% (compared to average use for this time of year), in Christchurch, New Zealand it dropped by 13.1%.

But we wouldn’t celebrate “Don’t Use Racial Slurs” Hour, “Don’t Say Abusive Things to Your Female Partner” Week or “Let a Homeless Person Sleep On Your Porch” Day. Because those holidays would clearly trivialise hugely important issues, and deeply insult efforts to meaningfully end racism, violence against women and poverty.

So is Earth Hour ok?

For my Film Friday this week, I’m offering not a review or a critique, but a Shameless Exclusive. A friend directed me to this short video made by New York artist and musician Jessica Segall. It’s a history of corn told in shadow-puppetry - a fine mix of art, history, politics, oh and just a little sci-fi. (Of course, if you think about it, lots of food-politics stuff is way more Twilight Zone than Rod Serling’s most out-there fantasy.) Hope you enjoy. And eat those Corn Pops while you can, because after this you may never again.

Drop in on Jessica Segall and her band here.

A great example of when the right answer isn’t. Also, it’s funny. :)

Really. I swear. Under all of this salty snow, a whole world of green is waiting to burst into life. The first sign of the impending thaw is Seedy Saturday - happening this weekend.

Before you head over to the Shameless party in the afternoon, pop in to Seedy Saturday to trade your seeds with other gardeners, discover amazing food, get information about green gardening and so much more!

Best. Saturday. Ever.
(more inside…)

About Goods 4 Girls:

“You may have seen the commercials… the ones describing how girls in South Africa miss school when they have their period and how buying Tampax tampons will help them. There’s also a commercial for Always pads, with a similar message.
…
But what are the potential problems with donating disposable feminine hygiene products?
…
What would be a good alternative to help out these girls but without the environmental impact?
…
I started Goods 4 Girls to provide the link for women wanting to donate hand-sewn menstrual pads to agencies who could provide the means to identify areas of need as well as provide the distribution to the women and girls needing the pads.”

There’s a link to this initiative over at Green as a Thistle, and it was also mentioned in the comments on Stacey May’s article on the Always Africa Campaign. But if Always can buy time on tv, the least I can do is give this excellent alternative its own post.

Why is Goods 4 Girls using pads and not cups? What about the water requirements? What organizations are they donating to? Answers all here.

Everything in order? Donate one of three ways: 1) Send cash; 2) Make and send pads; 3) Buy pads for donation online.

That’s what I’m going to do… riiiiight… now.

I’d wager my winnings from Hot Flash that we’ll all agree this video is creepy. Yes, it has the dreaded “breast-bared-but-nipple-censored” thing going on, but exactly how and why it’s so disturbing may be up for debate.

From Treehugger:

“This send-up of the new greenwashing trend in advertising will give you a good belly-laugh, if you don’t pause to consider the tragic fact that even human milk is not free from chemical contamination.”

First I thought it was clever. Then it offended me. Now I’m just confused. What do you think?