First of all, we’d like to congratulate our friends over at the Ryerson Review of Journalism. The students and instructor Bill Reynolds took home five awards from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication student magazine contest. Yay. Guardian columnist and climate change warrior George Monbiot rails against the rise of green consumerism. […] More »

How much can one little letter do to help improve air quality? In week 2 of our six-week Project Smog series, Jesse McLean asks just that. He looks at the AQHI (Air Quality Health Index), a new index that has replaced the AQI (Air Quality Index) in parts of B.C. and Toronto. What’s different? From […] More »

A “detection device is needed to monitor the movements and sexual activities of people with HIV/AIDS.” So says a new regulation currently under debate in the Indonesian province of Papua, according to today’s Jakarta Post. The device they are considering? An implanted microchip. A member of the working group currently considering Article 35 of new […] More »

Last Thursday, I puckered up with my sweetie, and did some smooching for social change. The venue was a cheesy Mexican restaurant at Dow’s Lake in Ottawa — an unlikely venue for a queer kiss-fest. But after Adam Graham and Phillip Banks were asked to “cool it” for sharing a gentle kiss by the water, […] More »

Boing Boing pointed us to this footage of a 1941 strike by Disney animators. Neat. Houston has negotiated a contract to ensure that a third of that city’s power comes from wind! Yes, you read that right. Houston, Texas. Now if they could only cut down on that sprawl and all those suburbs we’d have […] More »

Because it’s time for some good, scary summer reading, this week This Magazine launches a six-week web feature on air quality. The first part of the in-depth series by This‘s own Jesse McLean is now online. Part I, “We don’t need no regulation,” challenges the myth of Canada as an environmental leader by looking at […] More »

Rape is never funny. (Perhaps unless you are Sarah Silverman. But that’s a whole other post.) Rape doesn’t become funny when the target is a man. And in particular, it’s not funny when the target is a male prisoner. Jokes about dropping the soap in the penitentiary shower room? Not funny. If someone you disapprove […] More »

Everyone loves birds, right? Well, what could be better than recycled birdhouses. These guys make birdhouses out of recycled materials A couple make a trip from Halifax to Vancouver in a Smart car. Total diesel used, just 337 litres! We’re not a big fan of bottled water for many reasons. Apparently eco-conscious New Yorkers have […] More »

Shayna’s first entry from the road appears below. From here on in, she and Dominique will be posting directly to the Alternate Routes blog. Enjoy! We are somewhere in the middle of Quebec, on the Trans-Canada Highway. It’s about 10 p.m. We’ve been on the road since 8 this morning. We are looking for a […] More »

I can only describe my mood today as “infuriated, but not surprised.” Yesterday, Ottawa City Council voted to shut down a crack pipe exchange program, despite the strenuous objections of city health officials and local community workers. This came on the heels of an anti-drug demonstration staged by the Sandy Hill Business Improvement Association, who […] More »

The internet has been going berzerk for the last few days, after Bill O’Reilly aired this report on CNN: Yes, O’Reilly reported that “a lesbian gang called GTO, Gays Taking Over, are involved in raping young girls. And in Philadelphia, a lesbian gang called DTO, Dykes Taking Over, are allegedly terrorizing people, as well.” Yeah, […] More »