Underneath the boreal forest in northern Alberta the topsoil and clay give way to an ocean of sand and silt. But this is not like most other sand in the world — this dark, sticky underground expanse is the controversial and highly lucrative oil sands upon which Canada’s environmental and economic health may rest.

If Saskatchewan residents are beginning to wonder about the viability of pulling tar sand oil out of the earth, it’s necessary to learn a few things from those who have already done it — look to Alberta.

Over 350 cyclists descended on city hall Sept. 28 in a massive show of gratitude to city councillors for the new bike lanes downtown. Cyclists started at Caffé Sola and, with police escort, rode down to the river past city hall, finally winding around to flood the main entrance of city hall, bells ringing. Carrie Catherine, a friend of McLean, played music for the group as they biked, sitting on a wagon pulled by a cyclist.

Al Gore and David Suzuki, although likely to escape criticism, will eventually be recognized for predicting catastrophes that will never come.
Environmentalists will simply continue to argue that the disasters have been slow to foster, that while mistakes have been made the science behind their arguments is sound.

With the help of a U of S campus group, Saskatoon’s apartment dwellers may soon get more than a good view from their rooftops. The group, called Rooted, was created to promote food security and community building efforts in Saskatoon. One goal of Rooted is to find city space not currently being used and turn it into productive land.

Jan Gehl is a world-renowned architect involved in projects on every continent except Antarctica. Now he’s hoping to leave his mark in Saskatoon. On Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, Gehl is getting involved with Saskatoon residents, giving two lectures, meeting with city officials and sitting down with students. Gehl’s work focuses on making urban life “lively, healthy, diverse, sustainable and safe.” …

One of the joys of summertime is the abundance of fresh garden vegetables.
Thanks to the many community gardens throughout the city, those without yard space are still able to grow their own. But the future looks uncertain for the Nutana Community Garden. Their lease on the current location behind the Broadway Roastery is up this year, and the land has been slated for condo development…

TANNARA YELLAND
Associate News Editor
Today’s economic standstill has one important potential advantage: cutting costs often benefits the environment.
In times of financial trouble, people often cut down on any expenditures they can. This can mean anything from fewer toys for the kids to moving Grandma to a cheaper home. Often one of the things people look at is how much they are spending on energy.
The Green Book, written by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen, offers ideas that decrease …

With the twin intentions of fostering youth involvement in politics and promoting an environmentally friendly Saskatoon, the people behind 2008’s We Are Many festival organized an action summit for May 14.