350?!  Just passed 400!

This week the carbon dioxide level in our atmosphere passed 400 parts per million (ppm).  The movement 350.org was set up to reinforce a broad scientific understanding that 350 ppm was the absolute ceiling level of carbon, a relative "safe zone" in James Hansen's words, beyond which human life on earth would be increasingly untenable.  So, now we've hit 400, and among other things we've now lost most of our arctic ice.  According to Grist magazine, US carbon emissions have fallen 13% over the past 7 years--evidence that there may be hope?!--but global emissions are still 58% over 1990 levels (the Kyoto ceiling). 

So what does 400 really mean?  The number itself is irrelevant; the important message is that it is still rising, and we still have a lot of work to do.  Read more here.

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Announcing the May edition of the Village Vancouver Newsletter and Calendar of Events!

In this month's newsletter:

• April round-up of Transition worldwide
• Salmon Confidential screening May 6th with Alexandra Morton and Twyla Roscovich
• Hastings-Sunrise plant and seed exchange May 4th
• Chickens 101 on Main Street
• Learn to make kombucha and kefir beverages on the Drive
• O.U.R Ecovillage: Success through co-operation
• Salmonberry Days
• I matter, and so does what I eat! - Workshop
• Stone Soup Festival May 11
• Doxa Film Festival
• Fruit Tree demonstrations and work parties at Richmond Sharing Farm Orchard
• Kitsilano Sew-op and music exchange
• Free Intro to Permaculture Day on the Sunshine Coast
• Youth Permaculture program at Southlands Farm
• Vancouver Storytellers Evening in Kits

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 To find previous News Blasts and Special Announcements,
 go to this page.