Sustainable

Why scientists say Canada’s logging industry produces far more emissions than tallied

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Canada’s forestry sector is responsible for far more greenhouse gas emissions than show up in official tallies, potentially leading to policies that aren’t in line with the country’s climate goals, a new study suggests. The peer-reviewed study, published in the academic journal Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, found that annual greenhouse gas emissions attributable … Read more

Big Canadian banks may be making misleading claims on sustainability, says securities complaint

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Canada’s big five banks are potentially misleading investors with their use of terms like sustainable finance, according to a complaint to securities regulators by a climate advocacy group. Banks are using the term “sustainable finance” too broadly and not backing up the claims with data, Investors for Paris Compliance said in its submission Tuesday to … Read more

How a US fashion designer teamed up with Chinese ethnic minorities to recreate their traditional clothing

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This was 2012, when we first crossed paths in that otherwise splendid guest house set in Guizhou province’s unspoilt landscapes, where every journey unfolded along hours of serpentine roads. Dong minority artisans dye fabric with indigo created from tree bark. They say the dye is harmless and can be washed into the river. Photo: Justin … Read more

The environmental costs of EV batteries that politicians don’t tend to talk about

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Along with the massive recent manufacturing investments in electric vehicle (EV) technology and talks of a greener, decarbonized future, there are some not-so-green problems.  In its latest New Energy Finance report, Bloomberg News predicts there will be some 730 million EVs on the road by 2040. The year before, Bloomberg predicted half of all U.S. vehicle sales would be battery electric by 2030.  … Read more

How the music business is putting a green spin on vinyl records

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Vinyl records were once written off as relics. First, they were replaced by shiny compact discs that (supposedly) offered superior sound. Then streaming took over, allowing fans to carry vast music collections with them wherever they go. In recent years, vinyl sales have turned around. In 2022, vinyl outsold CDs in the U.S. for the first … Read more

After years of turbulence, small clothing designers struggle for a sustainable model

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Amid high inflation, rising operating costs and shrinking Canadian demand, clothing designers in Nova Scotia say they’re struggling to find a sustainable business model. Designers say they’ve had to adjust to significant changes in consumer behaviour, supply chain disruptions and inflation as they’ve navigated through the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. “We’ve made a lot of hard decisions. … Read more

Meet Oscar, the Canadian-built, AI-driven recycling system helping governments go green

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Standing in the middle of a cafeteria at Global Affairs, Soren Antosz was testing Oscar, a new, high-tech tool popping up in federal government buildings. Antosz holds up a paper napkin. That’s compostable, flashes the message on Oscar’s screen. Next is a plastic bottle. Oscar tells him to empty the liquid then drop it into … Read more

Opinion | Singapore’s Tortoise Island becomes fully sustainable using solar power, showing it’s no slowcoach – now others need to catch up

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“As backup, batteries housed in two 40-foot containers can store enough power to last two days in the event that the solar panels cannot produce electricity because of issues such as cloud cover or rain.” Solar panels are raised on stilts in the shape of a tortoise in the lagoon in front of the Da … Read more