Wednesday, 6 June 2012

World Oceans Day

June 8th is World Oceans Day

The theme this year is Youth, the Next Wave for Change

  • According to World Oceans Day Canada the top 11 issues affecting our oceans...

 1) Overfishing
2) Irresponsible Fish Farming
 
3) Ghost Fishing  (when lost or discarded fishing gear continues to catch fish and other marine life) 
4) Garbage  
5) Acidification  
6) Dead Zones  (areas where the sea floor has little to no dissolved oxygen).
 7) Mercury Pollution

8) Offshore Drilling  
9) Whaling and Shark Finning  
10) Ocean Warming  
11) Destruction of Habitat and Coral Reefs

  • Here are 11 things now you can do to help:


1.      Mind Your Carbon Footprint and Reduce Energy Consumption
2. Make Safe, Sustainable Seafood Choices
3. Use Fewer Plastic Products
4. Help Take Care of the Beach

5. Don't Purchase Items That Exploit Marine Life. Avoid purchasing items such as coral jewelry, tortoiseshell hair accessories (made from hawksbill turtles), and shark products.
6. Be an Ocean-Friendly Pet Owner
Read pet food labels and consider seafood sustainability when choosing a diet for your pet. Never flush cat litter, which can contain pathogens harmful to marine life. Avoid stocking your aquarium with wild-caught saltwater fish, and never release any aquarium fish into the ocean or other bodies of water, a practice that can introduce non-native species harmful to the existing ecosystem.
7. Support Organizations Working to Protect the Ocean
8. Influence Change in Your Community
9. Travel the Ocean Responsibly
10. Educate Yourself About Oceans and Marine Life
11. Tell a Friend And Family Member The Above!!

WORLD OCEANS WEEK EVENT LIST: CANADA



7 Jun 2012 - 7 Jun 2012
Grimsby Canada

Nelles Public School, United Nations University Institue for Water, Environment and Health
Website: http://www.inweh.unu.edu/
Primary School Art Contest, Film Viewing, and Ocean-Themed Class Worksheets
As part of raising the awareness amongst young children (pre-highschool age) UNU IWNEH is organizing a whole day event at a primary school in Grimsby Ontario. Activities revolve around the oceans theme and will include 1) all students wearing blue; 2) an art competition (on large canvass with water paints, free style) amongst the classes (grades 1-6) with an ocean themed prize for the winning class; 3) a 20 minutes short documentary on oceans and ocean-threats in the gym for all classes; 4) ocean-themed worksheets (geography, science, language, and math) that students will be asked to complete; 5) teachers will discuss key facts and threats of oceans, listing 10 things students can do to help protect the oceans; and 6) the school will provide ocean-themed food items during the day (fish crackers etc.).  



7 Jun 2012 - 7 Jun 2012
Lunenburg Canada

Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation (BCAF)
Website: http://www.coastalaction.org/index_home.php
The Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation (BCAF) invites you to attend the 1st Annual World Oceans Day. BCAF will be hosting a World Oceans Day event to celebrate a vital component of our natural, cultural and historical life, as the event falls on Lunenburg’s birthday and we welcome the new students and staff at the Bluenose Academy. Come join BCAF at the Captain Angus Walters house (37 Tannery Road in Lunenburg) on June 7th from 3:00-9:00pm. The day will be filled with entertainment and activities including live music, refreshments, fun and games, face-painting, an ocean art exhibit with work from students at the Bluenose Academy, presentations for the BCAF bursary and volunteer award, as well as project displays and more! Everyone will be wearing blue to celebrate the big blue sea that connects us all! Hope to see you there!    



8 Jun 2012 - 9 Jun 2012
Vancouver BC Canada

Vancouver Festival of Ocean Films
Website: http://www.vfof.ca
We are very please to announce the third annual Vancouver Festival of Ocean films will be returning June 8th and 9th, 2012. This year, will be presented at Vancouver's premier festival theatre, the VIFF Vancity Theatre, in celebration of World Ocean's Day 2012. As Canada's ocean film festival, we are dedicated to the issues, personalities and the sports of our oceans. Our goal is to present a broad based experience that will leave our audience excited and educated about their relationship with the ocean. I invite you to view our website at www.vfof.ca for a more in depth explanation of our vision.  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Port Moody BC Canada

City of Port Moody
Website: http://www.portmoody.ca
Friday June 8, 2012 is World Oceans Day. Help us celebrate by learning more about the ocean that’s right on Port Moody’s doorstep with our online quiz!

Here’s how easy it is to take the quiz:
1. On Friday June 8, check out the descriptions on the What Swims Beneath page on our website.
2. Identify some of the species that we found off Rocky Point Park and Old Orchard Park.
3. Submit your answers on the online form (available Friday morning) and we’ll enter your name into a random prize draw.

That’s it! Everyone who takes the quiz will have a chance to win prizes - books, a gift card donated by the Boathouse Restaurant in Rocky Point Park, free ice cream (compliments of Rocky Point Ice Cream) and a travel mug (compliments of the Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society). We will contact the winners through their email addresses on June 11, 2012.  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Halifax NS Canada

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
Website: http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mmanew/en/home/whattoseedo/worldoceansday.aspx
This year marks the 20th Anniversary for the concept of World Oceans Day, first showcased on June 8, 1992 by the Government of Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, coordinated by the Oceans Institute of Canada. Canada and other countries continue to hold celebrations on June 8 to mark World Oceans Day. As a result of a United Nations General Assembly resolution passed in December 2008, World Oceans Day is now officially recognized by the UN on June 8 each year. Activities and events celebrating our oceans and coasts are carried out each year around the world throughout the month of June. Click on the event title for full details!  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Clarke’s Beach NL Canada

All Hallows Elementary
Website:
A World Oceans Day session at our Elementary school.  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Halifax Canada

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
Website: http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mmanew/en/home/whattoseedo/worldoceansday.aspx
This year marks the 20th Anniversary for the concept of World Oceans Day, first showcased on June 8, 1992 by the Government of Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, coordinated by the Oceans Institute of Canada. Canada and other countries continue to hold celebrations on June 8 to mark World Oceans Day. As a result of a United Nations General Assembly resolution passed in December 2008, World Oceans Day is now officially recognized by the UN on June 8 each year. Activities and events celebrating our oceans and coasts are carried out each year around the world throughout the month of June.

The annual public event on the Halifax Waterfront is one of the largest and longest-held World Oceans Day activities on the East Coast of North America.

Please click on event title for full details!  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Vancouver BC Canada

Vancouver Aquarium
Website: www.vanaqua.org
On June 8, join us for a special World Oceans Day celebration at the Vancouver Aquarium! Start your day with a Beluga and yoga session led by yogi, ocean lover, and blissologist, Eoin Finn. Refresh your body and mind with an invigorating yoga workshop while majestic belugas swim in the background. Enjoy a healthy breakfast provided by Choices Markets, as well as global hip-hop and organic beats from DJ Tspoon (Delhi 2 Dublin), Rupinder Sidhu (Banyen Roots), and Ndidi Cascade. Tickets are $50 each and can be purchased online at vanaqua.org. All funds directly support the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program and SeaChoice. Special workshops and presentations offered all day. Cake will be served in the afternoon! Don\'t miss out! vanaqua.org  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Vancouver BC Canada

SeaChoice and Ocean Wise
Website: http://tickets.vanaqua.org/select.aspx?item=588&sch=123688&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
Join Ocean Wise and SeaChoice this World Oceans Day for a beluga inspired yoga adventure. Led by yogi, blissologist and ocean lover, Eoin Finn, this once in a lifetime yoga class will take place in the underwater beluga whale viewing area of the Vancouver Aquarium. With live musical talent, inspirational speakers and breakfast, this is one event not to miss! Click here to reserve a spot.  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Hamilton Canada

Westdale Secondary School and the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health (UNU-INWEH)
Website: http://www.inweh.unu.edu/
Students from Westdale Secondary School are celebrating World Oceans Day by wearing blue, watching a short documentary about oceans, and competing in an ocean-themed contest to win a prize. They are also encouraged to become "Citizens of the Ocean" by pledging to live in a sustainable manner. Westdale teachers have joined with the Coastal Programme from the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health (UNU-INWEH) to bring students this in-class event and contest that fosters open dialogue and discussion about the world's oceans and the environmental issues they face.  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Heatherfield Canada


Website:
Small Craft Harbours Branch of DFO and the Bayfield Harbour Authority are holding a barbecue for local school children on the morning of June 11th, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, at Bayfield Harbour, NS. A beach seining demonstration will take place, with identification and explanations given on species caught and released. For further details, contact Paul Boyd at 902 863 5670 or send an e-mail to Paul.Boyd @ dfo-mpo.gc.ca  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Cape Breton NS Canada

Cape Breton University
Website:
On June the 8th, 2012 a Community Studies group from Cape Breton University will be taking a local high class from Glace Bay High School to Big Glace Bay Beach and Bird Sanctuary in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada. The purpose of the trip is to perform a beach clean-up and to install new garbage cans and signage around the area to limit future waste and prevent the problem from getting worse.  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Port Morien Canada

Community Studies Dept. at Cape Breton University
Website:
With help from a Grade 11 Oceans class from Glace Bay High School, our Community Studies group from Cape Breton University will be cleaning up the Port Morien Beach and educating on the dangers and threats of litter around our oceans, shorelines, and waterways. We invite all who wish to help us along for the fun-filled day! (With Lunch Provided)  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Shippagan Canada

Centre Marin de Shippagan Marine Aquarium
Website:
An information kiosk about World Oceans Day will be in place at the Centre Marin de Shippagan marine aquarium from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon on June 8th. A DFO staff member will be on site to offer explanations. Between 150 and 170 school children (grades 2 to 5), are expected to visit, and the kiosk will be open to the public.
For further details, contact Marc Godin at 506 395 7713 or send an e-mail to Marc.Godin @ dfo-mpo.gc.ca  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Halifax NS Canada

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
Website: http://marineaffairsprogram.dal.ca/News%20and%20Events/World_Oceans_Day/
This year's Halifax Waterfront event there over 30 organizations with exhibits and displays, and annually attracts over a thousand visitors. Event highlights include:
See, touch, and feel fish and sea creatures up close
Learn about Nova Scotia's coastal and ocean resources
Visit educational exhibits and interactive demonstrations
Take part in the "Celtic Mass for the Sea" Flash Mob at 12:30 pm  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Halifax Nova Scotia Canada


Website: http://coinatlantic.ca/documents/wod/Oceans_Day_2012_E.pdf
Celebrations in Nova Scotia include an annual public event on the Halifax waterfront that is one of the largest Oceans Day activities on the East coast of North America. The waterfront event which will be celebrated this year on Friday June 8th, is jointly organized by the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture.  



8 Jun 2012 - 10 Jun 2012
Victoria BC Canada

Maritime Museum of BC
Website: mmbc.bc.ca
Join the Maritime Museum of BC and Ocean Networks Canada as we partner with businesses and community organizations within the Inner Harbour and surrounding areas for our first annual World Oceans Day Festival, June 8th -10th in Bastion Square. Click on event title for full details!  



8 Jun 2012 - 10 Jun 2012
Victoria BC Canada

Ocean Networks Canada
Website: http://www.onccee.ca/events/2012/06/world-oceans-day
From June 8 to 10, the Maritime Museum of B.C. and the University of Victoria’s Ocean Networks Canada are co-hosting a free, weekend-long community festival at downtown Victoria’s Bastion Square. This celebration encourages people of all ages to come out and learn how the ocean affects our lives—and how we have an effect on the ocean.

Special indoor and outdoor activities include: a fast-paced afternoon speaker series featuring marine research projects, a unique art contest showcasing images and video from researchers studying our beautiful blue planet, and a lively exhibition of local organizations actively involved with oceans.

There’ll be lots of hands-on activities for the kids too. So come celebrate with us at the square, 11am to 5pm.  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Halifax NS Canada

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
Website: http://www.greaterhalifax.com/en/home/livinginhalifax/oceans2012.aspx
Learn this 4-minute excerpt from ‘The Celtic Mass for the Sea’ and be part of our June 8th, World Ocean’s Day, ‘Flash Mob’ event. Let’s raise our voices for Ocean Awareness!
Join us in Halifax at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic wharf. We will gather around a display for the ‘Celtic Mass for the Sea’ and at 12:30pm we will ‘on mass’ perform an excerpt from the Introit. Can’t be with us in Halifax……. you can plan your own ‘Celtic Mass for the Sea’ Flash Mob with your friends, whereever you live. Let us know when and where you will be having your World Ocean’s Day ‘Celtic Mass for the Sea’ Flash Mob then download your music and let’s raise our voices across the miles for Ocean Awareness!  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Nanaimo Canada

DFO
Website:
On World Ocean Day, Friday June 8th, DFO staff from the Nanaimo area will gather at Departure Bay Beach, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., to help clean up the shoreline. By taking action we are setting a positive example for everyone to improve the health of our ocean. Staff working at four different local offices will join together, meeting fellow colleagues and sharing a love for the sea. Though this is a staff event, we always encourage public visiting the beach to join in (and we usually get some takers). We hope all DFO staff offices will take the opportunity to join in and clean up their own local waterways. We are all part of the solution!
If you need more information, you can contact Christy Wilson at 250 754 0330 or send an email to Christy.L.Wilson @ dfo-mpo.gc.ca  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Hobbema Alberta Canada

Ermineskin Elementary school
Website: http://librarypathwaysandfootprints.blogspot.ca/
June 8 World Oceans day celebration Draw ocean animals, fishes, flora and fauna, read books about the ocean life, facts about sharks and fishes, Fifi the Fiction Fish puppet theater, sea shell identification, Scavenger hunts, beach art and poetry that the whole family can join in.  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
St. John’s City Canada

DFO
Website:
On World Oceans Day, come join our DFO staff members for a complete make-over of a beach area! This special day is meant to celebrate the important role of oceans. Let's give our environment a chance by making it a beautiful clean place. Meet at the lower parking area at Quidi Vidi Lake at 2:00 pm. Gloves, garbages bags and safety glasses will be provided. All volunteers are welcome to join us!
For further details, contact Melissa Abbott at 709 772 6270 or send an e-mail to oceansday-nl @ dfo-mpo.gc.ca  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Toronto Canada

Royal Ontario Museum
Website: www.rom.on.ca
Join the adventourous Water Brothers (TVO video stars) as they share experiences from their world travel, and help inspire kids and adults to appreciate and understand the Oceans. Later, join award winning videographer and film producer Rob Stewart (Sharkwater) as he provides an interactive and passionate talk on his upcoming film "Revolution"; the world premier to be held in September at TIFF and the ROM. The ROM is a world-class museum of natural history, the largest field research museum in Canada. Through the Life in Crisis: Schad Gallery of Biodiversity, we hope to engage all audiences to make choices that help sustain the planet.  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Calgary Canada

Cuisine Concepts Restaurant Group
Website: www.big-fish.ca
Big Fish is a seafood restaurant dedicated to using sustainable seafood, and we feel strongly about the current crisis surrounding sharks being fished to extinction for their fins. On Friday, we are raising awareness for sharks by serving a Faux Fin Soup, a sustainable version of Shark Fin Soup made with a glass noodle instead of the real thing. All proceeds from the soup will go to support Shark Fin Free Calgary, www.sharkfinfreecalgary.org  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Vancouver BC Canada

YEW
Website: http://www.yewrestaurant.com/new_from_yew/world_oceans_day_dinner_at_yew/
The Vancouver Aquraium and YEW team up to present a World Ocean's Day Dinner on Friday June 8th, 6:30pm reception, 7:00pm dinner. Don't wait to get your tickets to this intimate and extraordinary dining experience. Only 50 tickets are available which also features a cocktail reception and paired wines from around the world. To buy tickets, please contact Emily Walker, YEW Sales Manager & Sommelier at emily.walker@fourseasons.com or 604.609.5480.  



8 Jun 2012 - 8 Jun 2012
Halifax Canada


Website:
Eighth Annual Elisabeth Mann Borgese Ocean Lecture.
The eight annual EMB Lecture takes place on World Oceans Day - 8th June, 2012, and focuses on important issues relating to the oceans and the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development. Blue Planet Under Threat: Challenges and Opportunities at Rio+20 will feature four prominent panel members
:

Dr Awni Behnam, President, IOI
Dr Susanna Fuller, Marine Conservation Co-ordinator, Ecology Action Centre
Ms Megan Leslie, MP for Halifax, Deputy Leader and Environment Critic, NDP
Hon. David MacDonald, Commons Group  



9 Jun 2012 - 10 Jun 2012


Toronto Zoo
Website: http://www.torontozoo.com/Events/?pg=WorldOceansDay
The world's oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface and contain approximately 80% of all life on Earth! Join the Toronto Zoo along with others around the world for a creative and fun way to celebrate World Oceans Day and our connection to the sea. Visit our exhibits and special displays that highlight the astonishing diversity of life that exists within our seas!  



9 Jun 2012 - 10 Jun 2012
Toronto ON Canada

Toronto Zoo
Website: http://www.torontozoo.com/Events/?pg=WorldOceansDay
The world's oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface and contain approximately 80% of all life on Earth! Join the Toronto Zoo along with others around the world for a creative and fun way to celebrate World Oceans Day and our connection to the sea. Visit our exhibits and special displays that highlight the astonishing diversity of life that exists within our seas!  



9 Jun 2012 - 14 Jun 2012
Rimousk Canada

Coastal Zone Canada Conference
Website: http://www.czc2012-zcc2012.org/Accueil-eng.asp
Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Université du Québec à Rimouski will co-chair this major event, which provides a forum for the exchange of ideas between oceans and coastal zone experts, practitioners, decision-makers and other interested parties. More information is available online at http://www.czc2012-zcc2012.org  



9 Jun 2012 - 9 Jun 2012


Le Club Total Diving - Montreal Scuba
Website: http://totaldiving.com
Come on in to celebrate World Oceans Day  



9 Jun 2012 - 9 Jun 2012
St. Andrews Bay of Fundy Canada

Huntsman Marine Science Centre
Website: http://huntsmanmarine.ca/events.php?ex=h&action=edit&id=25
The future of ocean conservation is in all of our hands and The Fundy Discovery Aquarium has an action packed day planned for Saturday, June 9th, in celebration of World Oceans Day. There will be hourly draws for prizes, gift shop specials all day and The Tide radio station will be joining us from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. In addition to our daily seal feedings at 11:00a.m.and 4:00p.m., there will be other interactive activities designed to raise ocean awareness.  



9 Jun 2012 - 9 Jun 2012
St. Andrews Canada

St. Andrews Biological Station
Website:
The St. Andrews Biological Station will present a World Oceans Day display at Sunbury Shores Arts and Nature Centre, 139 Water Street, on Saturday June 9th, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. The display will feature scientific research materials and a touch tank.

If you need more information, you can contact Suzanne Taylor at 506-529-5884 or send an e-mail to Suzanne.Taylor @ mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca  



9 Jun 2012 - 9 Jun 2012
St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador Canada


Website: http://www.fishaq.gov.nl.ca/education/kids.html
The Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University is holding a free kid-friendly event! Click here to learn more, and click on event name to see location map. located at , St. John\'s, NL. Refer to the map below for directions.  



9 Jun 2012 - 9 Jun 2012
Qualicum Beach Canada

Seashore Science
Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Seashore-Science/378228355551629
Celebrate World Oceans Day with Seashore Science! Explore oceanside with our one hour beach walks June 9th in Qualicum Beach, starting at 3:00pm and 4:00pm; by Donation. Discover plants, animals, and shells on the beach! Learn how to use pitfall traps and have fun! Email seashorescience @ gmail.com to sign up!  

Saturday, 2 June 2012

Composting with Kids


I recently did a composting presentation for three classrooms at my school: grade 1/2, grade 3, and preschool. As part of the presentation, the kids examined my compost from home with magnifying glasses. They freely and enthusiastically scooped up worms, millipedes, woodbugs, and any other goodies they could find. 
This is important- this fearlessness keeps them in touch with nature. If they establish an early connection with nature, then the next generation will revere it and preserve it. 
I am saddened and frustrated by the amount of people my age afraid of insects, spiders, and just plain old dirt. But that is life. Real life.

Let's keep in touch with it. 

Wednesday, 30 May 2012

Speaking Out Against the Northern Gateway Pipeline

“Our Nations are the wall
this pipeline will not break
through. Our lands and
waters are not for sale, not
at any price. What Enbridge is offering is the destruction of our lands to build their
project, and the risk of oil spills for decades
to come which could hurt everyone’s kids
and grandkids.”


Enbridge Inc.,  a Calgary, Alberta based company focused on three core businesses: crude oil and liquids pipelines, natural gas transportation and distribution, and green energy, has proposed an estimated $5.5-billion 1,172-kilometre twin pipeline running from Bruderhein, Alberta to Kitimat, BC.
Eastbound, the pipeline imports natural gas condensate to the Tar Sands.
Westbound it will export crude oil to new marine terminal in Kitimat where it will be transported to Asian markets by oil tankers.
  The pipeline project brings about environmental, Aboriginal land claims, safety, energy security, and long-term economic concerns. Most prominently the pipeline
  • Compromises the lifestyles of First Nations who depend on the region’s lands and waters for their livelihoods, culture, and health.
  • Threatens the economic well-being of the communities of British Columbia that depend on fisheries and forests.
  • Poses potential devastation from a major oil spill from the pipeline or an oil supertanker, which could destroy economically important salmon habitat, as well as the habitat of Spirit Bears and grizzlies, and whales, orcas, and other marine life that depend on these rich coastal waters.
 Harm from an oil spill to the Great Bear Rainforest that the province and First Nations have worked hard to protect from unsustainable forestry practices and to shift to a conservation-based economy.
The case that this pipeline is needed is difficult to make based on the limited evidence presented by Enbridge. Instead of relying on the market to demonstrate demand for the project, in an unprecedented move, Enbridge is seeking regulatory approval for a pipeline without any proven commercial support from shippers and investors. Enbridge has failed to conduct a refinery-level demand analysis for the Northern Gateway pipeline, considered common practice in the industry. There is currently a glut of export pipeline capacity leaving western Canada. Current oil production in western Canada leaves 41 percent of existing export pipelines empty. Based on industry production estimates, no additional export pipelines are needed out of the tar sands for at least another 10 years.
In addition, Enbridge has not provided an adequate assessment of alternatives (as required under law), quantified the upstream environmental impacts from additional tar sands, or presented the full cost of the pipeline. As a result, it will be very difficult for Enbridge to make the case to government regulators that this pipeline is needed and in the interest of Canadians.

The Natural System Affected


Unlike other pipelines Enbridge has built, the route for the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline crosses the rugged, mountainous terrain of the Northern Rockies and the Coast Mountains of British Columbia. The pipeline would crosses some 1,000 streams and rivers, including sensitive salmon spawning habitat in the upper Fraser, Skeena, and Kitimat watersheds. Five important salmon rivers that would be impacted are the Stuart River, Morice River, Copper River, Kitimat River and Salmon River. Currently, the Northern Gateway Pipeline is opposed by the nine Coastal First Nations, as well as many of the inland First Nation along the pipeline route. The pipeline would pass through the unceded traditional territory (which means that it has not "relinquished title to its land to the government by treaty or otherwise." ) of dozens of BC First Nations and the Great Bear Rainforest – the last intact temperate rainforest in the world home to thousands of species of plants, birds and animals. The pipeline would also cross 1,000 streams and rivers, many of which are key habitat for salmon and other species.

Great Bear Rainforest:
The Northern Gateway pipeline would carry 500,000 barrels a day of the world’s dirtiest oil from the Alberta tar sands directly through the bear’s rainforest home.
A serious pipeline break could happen at any time as a river of toxic oil is pumped from the Alberta tar sands across the spectacular mountains and rivers of British Columbia. But it gets worse: When that oil reaches the Spirit Bear Coast, it will be loaded onto supertankers that will have to navigate treacherous reefs, hurricane-force winds and a channel six times narrower than the passage that sank the Exxon Valdez! Those oil-laden tankers will need to pass Princess Royal Island, the last stronghold of the Spirit Bear, as they churn through wildlife-filled waters that are home to orcas, humpbacks, fin whales and Steller sea lions.

Salmon:
The Enbridge oil sands pipelines would cross and in some places run parallel to major salmon rivers in British Columbia’s Upper Fraser, Skeena and Kitimat watersheds, which contain some of the highest quality habitat for wild salmon and steelhead trout in Canada. Chinook, sockeye, chum, coho and pink salmon, as well as steelhead trout and many other fish species, use the rivers and lakes in these watersheds for spawning, rearing and migrating. Pipeline construction, ruptures and leaks all pose serious risks to salmon, making the Enbridge oil sands pipelines a toxic proposal for salmon and the communities that depend on them. Experience indicates that a spill of some sort will inevitably occur. In addition, the pipelines would affect salmon ecosystems that are already under stress from forestry, mining, agriculture and climate change.

Aboriginal Territory
If built, the Northern Gateway Pipeline would cross the territories of more than 50 First Nations groups. West of the Rocky Mountains, few First Nations have signed treaties with the Crown. Their rights and title to their traditional territories has been affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada. Dozens of BC First Nations bands, empowered by a decade and a half of legal victories that have granted them a significant say over land in their traditional territories, oppose the project. The pipeline traverses much of their traditional lands and threatens habitat for wild salmon as mentioned above, which they have relied upon for sustenance for thousands of years

Oil Spills
Pipelines carry a serious risk of oil spills. Metal pipelines age and corrode over time, making them susceptible to ruptures. Pipelines are also at risk of breakage due to natural events such as landslides, and non-accidental events such as terrorism/vandalism.
The National Enery Board estimates large petroleum pipelines will experience a spill every 16 years for every 1000 kilometres in length. For a pipeline the size of the proposed Northern Gateway, meeting Canada’s federal standards would allow a spill of over 11 million litres a week (45 million litres a month) to remain undetected!
The report details the dangers of bitumen transportation and the risks of spills to the environment and the economy in a region that depends on healthy fisheries, lands, and waters. At risk from an oil spill would be the approximately $250 million annually from commercial fishing, $550 million annually from recreational fishing, and hundreds of millions of dollars from nature tourism. The wild salmon economy of the Skeena River alone has been valued at $110 million annually. The pipeline would cross over 1,000 streams and rivers through terrain prone to landslides.
In addition to the challenges posed by the corrosiveness of the diluted bitumen, the tankers would have to navigate narrow inlets, dotted with rocky outcroppings and underwater hazards. B.C.’s north coast is often battered by gale to storm force winds, with 10-metre waves and reduced visibility due to precipitation and fog. Hecate Straight, the shallow body of water between Haida Gwaii and the mainland that lies along the proposed tanker route, is considered the fourth most dangerous body of water in the world due to quickly changing winds and sea states.  A 2011 report from the Bulkley Valley Research Centre concluded that “the unstable mountainous terrain across west central B.C. is not a safe location for pipelines.
Eventually a landslide will sever a pipeline. An alternative safer route through B.C. needs investigation.”
Furthermore, the remoteness and inaccessibility of the Great Bear Rainforest would make an oil spill clean-up difficult. This would be compounded by the poor weather and rough seas which frequently make marine vessels and aircraft inoperable.

Effects




Effects on Aboriginal Communities: The Enbridge Gateway pipeline would affect the traditional territories and rights of at least 31 inland and 10 coastal First Nations. A recent study has concluded that the pipeline would have a devastating impact on cultural activities such as hunting, fishing, trapping, berry picking, spiritual activities, traditional village sites, recreational activities, and travel routes, with few if any corresponding benefits to First Nations communities.
Effects of tanker traffic: The threats from tanker traffic include air pollution, ballast discharge, and terminal accidents during loading and discharge. The day-to-day impacts of increased air pollution, noise, as well as the psychological stress of living with the risk of a pipeline or tanker spill are all health impacts that the communities along the pipeline and tanker traffic routes would face if a northern pipeline is built.
Contributing to Climate Change
Enbridge causes the release of
-per day 1,062,372,866,645,336,008
-per year 387,765,885,316,325,266,122,642,756
tonnes of carbon dioxide through its pipes .
Their entire business is based on expanding fossil fuel use at a time when the science is clear: we need to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels to clean energy in order to avoid climate changes that will impact future generations. Fossil fuels will eventually run out no matter how much we conserve them. Renewable energy sources such as hydrogen, solar, wind, tidal, and geothermal must be developed so there is not a major drop in available energy when the world supply of fossil fuels finally runs out.

Tar Sands Expansion
The pipeline will enable further expansion of the tar sands by providing an additional 525, 000 barrels per day. The production of the tar sands oil that would fill the pipe would
· Consumer 200  million barrels of processing water each year
· Destroy 12.5 square kilometres of land
· Produce 6.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emission per year, equivalent to the emissions from 1.6 million cars
Produce 25 million barrels of toxic tailings and contribute 2.7 million barrels of seepage from tailing lakes into groundwater and surface water each year.
Effects of Oil Spill Enbridge has not yet explained how it would clean up a spill in a fast-flowing river like the Morice-Bulkley or Skeena without causing further harm
Precedent:
Each year, oil pipelines in North America spill millions of liters of oil into the environment. In July 2010, Enbridge’s Lakehead pipeline ruptured near Battle Creek, Michigan, spilling an estimated 4 million liters of crude oil into the Kalamazoo River. It was the largest oil spill in Midwest U.S. history. Although Enbridge claims to have a rigorous pipeline safety program, there are serious questions being asked regarding both its maintenance of its pipelines and its response to the oil spill.
Some of the many effects on animals coming into contact with crude oil include:
- hypothermia and drowning of birds as the oil breaks down the insulating capabilities of feathers, makes them heavier and compromises flying ability
- hypothermia in some seal pups as the oil destroys insulating fur
- if oil is ingested, it can either poison the animal outright, make them extremely sick or create a level of toxins in their system that then causes poisoning further up the food chain. Birds and other animals often ingest oil when trying to clean themselves. Shellfish and corals are particularly at risk in these scenarios as they cannot escape from an oil slick.
- damage to the airways of birds and animals.
- damage to animal immune systems
- interruption of breeding and fouling of breeding grounds
- thinner bird and turtle egg shells and also damage to fish larvae, causing deformities
- damage to sea grass beds and other shelter/feeding areas
- tainting of algae, which perform a vital role in waterway ecosystems
Even once the oil appears to have dissipated, it can still lurk beneath the surface of beaches and the sea bed, severely affecting marine organisms that burrow, such as crabs, for literally decades. These burrowing creatures are also food for other animals, so the cycle of poisoning continues for many years.
There's really no aspect of a marine and coastal environment that is not in some way adversely affected by an oil spill. The closer the spill occurs to the shoreline, the more pronounced the damage will be due to coastal zones being home to more concentrated and diverse populations of marine, bird and animal life than far out to sea.
-Health risks associated with both oil and gas development and water contamination are serious. Oil spills pose the risk of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a known carcinogen that persists long after an oil spill has occurred.  Condensate also contains persistent PAHs, although the impacts of condensate spills are less known. Land based oil spills carry the potential to contaminate drinking water through direct spills in rivers and streams, which will cause leaching and contamination to groundwater. Contamination from oil spills on fish and wildlife also pose serious health risks to humans
Bad Bitumen: Diluted bitumen—bitumen extracted from the tar sands and then diluted with natural gas liquids so that it can flow through pipes—differs from conventional crude: it is thicker, more acidic, more sulphuric, and more abrasive. Translation: diluted bitumen is more likely to cause corrosion in the pipelines through which it flows, as well as in the tankers that carry it through marine ecosystems. It is also harder to clean up. Conventional oil spill clean-up responses—which focus on containing and recovering oil floating on the surface of the water—are largely ineffective in the case of a bitumen spill, because bitumen will sink below the surface.
Effects on economy: The proposed pipeline could actually hurt non-oil based sectors of the Canadian economy. Economist and former Insurance Corporation of BC CEO, Robyn Allan, reported that an increase in oil prices will lead to "a decrease in family purchasing power, higher prices for industries who use oil as an input into their production process, higher rates of unemployment in non-oil industry related sectors, a decline in real GDP, a decline in government revenues, an increase in inflation, an increase in interest rates and further appreciation of the Canadian dollar." It is estimated that only 35-40 permanent jobs would be created in Kitimat from the marine terminal.
Effects on Fish regarding construction: Construction and operation can impact fish through the sediment that is released into streams and rivers during road building, road washouts and the construction of water crossings. Certain concentrations of sediment can kill fish directly. Sediments can also increase the amount of stress that fish experience, disrupting their feeding, growth, social behavior and susceptibility to disease. Sediments may also impact fish eggs and affect the survival of juvenile fish, and make water cloudy, interfering with light penetration, reducing the number of plants, and decreasing the habitat for insects that fish rely on for food. Road building practices by industry users can threaten salmon spawning grounds with siltation due to slumping of stream banks.
Further Effects on Wildlife and Land: In Alberta and northeastern British Columbia, the web of oil and gas development, including pipelines, has had harmful effects on many wildlife species, ranging from the loss of habitat to poisoning to a reduction in herd size and home range. Species in decline as a result of industrial development in Alberta include caribou, lynx, martin, fisher, wolverine and various bird species. The web of roads, well pads and related oil and gas facilities disrupts the way animals use the land for eating and cover, and affects their movement and migration patterns. Pipelines and related roads can contribute to fragmentation of habitat of animals such as grizzly bears. Roads and pipeline corridors also allow people easier access to an area, which can lead to increased hunting and poaching.

 Solutions



Policy Recommendations
  • ·         Federally legislate a permanent large oil tanker ban in accordance with the Coastal First Nations tanker ban and the Save the Fraser Declaration. While additional measures must be taken to make tankers and pipelines as safe as possible, the value of some areas is too high to risk any accidents. The Great Bear Rainforest, the world’s largest intact temperate rainforest, and the sensitive coastal waters and ecosystems surrounding it, should be permanently preserved and protected from the threat of oil spills. First Nations rights and laws over the resources of their traditional territories should be respected and their decisions on tanker traffic and pipelines through their territories should be mirrored by federal legislation.
  • ·          The Government of British Columbia should reject Northern coast oil tanker proposals as a matter of policy. While the federal government has ultimate regulatory responsibility for interprovincial pipelines and marine transportation, the provincial government has an important role to play in protecting communities and jobs in coastal industries, and protecting the environment. The government of British Columbia can and should show leadership to stop crude oil tanker developments from proceeding, as desired by 80 percent of British Columbians.
  • ·          Reject the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline project. The Joint Review Panel assessing the proposed project and the Cabinet Ministers with final decision making authority over its fate should reject the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline given the grave safety risks it would impose on a culturally, economically, and ecologically valuable region.
  • ·         Restrict further diluted bitumen pipeline development until adequate safety regulations are in place. Applications for diluted bitumen pipeline projects should be tabled until the National Energy Board evaluates the additional risks posed by diluted bitumen pipelines and ensures that adequate safety regulations are in place to address them.
  • Technical Recommendations
  • ·         Evaluate the need for new Canadian pipeline safety regulations. The current safety standards designed for conventional oil transportation in Canada may not provide adequate protection for communities and ecosystems in the vicinity of a diluted bitumen pipeline. The National Energy Board should analyze and address the potential risks associated with the transport of diluted bitumen and enact new regulations as necessary to address these risks.
  • ·         Commission an independent study on the impact of diluted bitumen on oil tankers. The effect of diluted bitumen on the cargo tanks of oil tankers is largely unknown. Transport Canada should commission comprehensive, independent analysis of the risks posed by transporting diluted bitumen by tanker to ensure that existing tanker traffic in southern British Columbia is designed to the highest possible safety standards.
  •  
  • ·         Ensure the oil pipeline industry takes adequate precautions for pipelines currently transporting diluted bitumen. Until appropriate regulations are in place, oil pipeline companies currently shipping diluted bitumen must use technology that effectively addresses the additional corrosion caused by diluted bitumen, to ensure that the smallest leaks can be detected in the shortest time possible and that companies have sufficient spill response assets in place to contain a diluted bitumen spill.
  • ·         Strengthen risk assessment from landslides and snow avalanches. No pipeline can withstand a significant landslide. Enbridge and the Canadian government should assess landslide and snow avalanche risks by widening the study corridor to include the steeper terrain where landslides and avalanches are more likely to originate. The use of airborne imaging technology would greatly increase the detection and recognition of landslide features. Pipeline regulations should be adopted that require new pipelines to avoid landslide prone routes.