Hemmingford Environment – June 2012

by Benoît Bleau Translated by Catherine Stratford  (June 2012)

Shale Gas : Let’s protect our water!
Everywhere there is exploitation of shale gas, the wells are contaminated, the property value melts and communities are destroyed. It is why we have to stop it! Articles 170 and 135 in the Quebec Mining Law states that companies holding claims for the exploitation of shale gas must ask land owners’ consent to gain access to private property to start mining. To discourage possible exploitation of shale gas , the “Regroupement interrégional Gaz de Schiste de la Vallée de Haut St Laurent” (regroupementgazdeschiste.com) has prepared special forms to be filled out with your lot number and address. These forms are available at the Municipal Library. Spread the word!

Guide to Genetically Modified Foods
Unfortunately, there is no law in Canada to oblige food production and transformation agencies to indicate whether foods contain genetically modified ingredients. There are, however, a number of Quebec environmental groups including L’Union Paysanne, which do not use GMOs. A new guide to these producers has been published, helping consumers make better choices. You will find the link to this new publication below. I will try to obtain a copy of this information for public consultation at the Municipal Library. www.unionpaysanne.com

Composting
Summer has arrived! We produce all kinds of organic waste with kitchen scraps, lawn and garden wastes. A compost pile will greatly reduce the amount of garbage you put out and will provide you with valuable natural fertilizer as well. For information about composting, consult : www.compost.org.  For further information and suggestions, please contact us at envirhemmingford@gmail.com, or by phone at 450-247-0137.

To bee or not to bee

Living as we do in an apple-growing region, we all know the vital role played by bees in the pollination of flowers. Their role is so important that if bees were to disappear we wouldn’t survive a week. For several years bee-keepers everywhere on the globe have been recording an annual loss of 36% of their bee colonies, and the reasons put forward for these considerable losses are diseases as well as a moth called (varoase). In fact these are not the real causes, but only the symptoms. The actual cause is poisoning by new chemical substances called neonicotinoids with which Bayer, BASF and other multinational pharmaceutical companies saturate our harvests, lawns, tree and gardens. And by using these products or having them sprayed on our properties, we are poisoning our en- vironment and ultimately our children.

You may nevertheless believe that when used according to instructions on the label these pesticides are approved for use without danger to humans or animals. The problem is that the bees need more than just a few flowers for making honey; they must visit thousands of flowers each day to do their work. The cumulative effect together with the mixture of different substances which they encounter on their rounds is catastrophic for these tiny creatures. On top of that these neonicotinoids are as long-lasting as was DDT and affect nectar, stems, leaves and fruits which we consume and which we use to feed our children.

The future of the bees, and thus our own future, is intimately dependent on our will to change our ways. In our immediate environ- ment, why not put up with a few weeds in our grass and even better, transform our lawns into meadows. Think about it! Less spreading of pesticides, less need for using gasoline and more time for family activities. You could enlarge your vegetable garden, plant fruit trees or nut trees, and invite friends or relatives who don’t have a garden to come and join you in yours. A splendid cure for the sickness of the century : nature deficit disorder.

Since we cannot produce all we need even on a small scale, we must be more responsible in our food shopping by choosing organic products and requesting that organic produce be made available in our stores, so that we are doing our bit to reverse the trend and give the bees a chance.

“It is said that for bees, the flower is the fountain of life, and for flowers bees are the messengers of love.” Dennis van Engelsdorp

Let’s appreciate all the wonders of nature and protect and respect the gifts of the Creator.

Benoît Bleau

Here are some documentaries or sites you can consult to discover more about this subject:
“L’été, c’est nous autres: élever des abeilles dans sa cours”. Duration 2 hrs. 30 min. on zone radio of Radio-Canada.
“If bees disappear, man will have only 4 days left to live.” Duration 51 mins. on You Tube.
Books: “A Spring Without Bees”
Documentaries in English: “Nicotine Bees”, “Queen of the Sun”, ”The Hidden Beauty of Pollination” by Louie Schwartzberg;
“To Bee or Not to Bee” 45 mins. at www.cbc.ca/documentaries/natureofthings/2010/bees/