Earth Matters by Jacqueline Milner – Early Signs of Spring Cause for Concern? January 18, 2012

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One of my neighbours who puts out bird seed for our over wintering feathered friends sited Red Winged Black Birds at his feeder during the month of December.  Unseasonably warm temperatures mixed with rain were the ideal conditions to force worms to the surface just before Christmas, a site we wouldn’t normally witness until early spring or late fall.

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 Mother Nature seems to coincide the surfacing of the worms at a time when our migrating wildlife needs energy for the travel to or from their over wintering grounds.   Last week I heard songs from birds that would indicate mating season had arrived.  I could barely believe my ears.  Red squirrels have been sited scurrying about and just this past week a pair of Robins were sited flying into a residential area on the outskirts of Cornwall, Ontario.

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The most unsettling sightings have been trees which are beginning to bud, as seen in the title image and the image below.  The image below is of buds on a bush outside of my dentist’s office, photographed this past Wednesday.  As one can see this bush has clearly gone past the budding stage and is actually beginning to bloom.

For the many in denial with regards to Global Warming, take a look at what is going on around you.  Really LOOK and see.  Your own eyes may be calling you to reconsider your thinking and stand concerning this matter.

I caught a portion of The National this past week, a Canadian News program and was taken aback at how all the concerned Environmental groups and people who are expressing their unease about the Environmental impact of the XL Pipeline and Gateway were labeled as “Radicals” by our Canadian policy makers.  I don’t think being labeled as a “Radical” is necessarily a bad thing considering an on-line dictionary description indicates a radical to be someone who “advocates fundamental or revolutionary changes in current practices, conditions, or institutions.”

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My concern is in how this label seems to paint all these groups and their supporters as “terrorists” against the current government in power and against the population in general.  Wow!  Personally I am a supporter and concerned citizen of my community, my country, my world and my living planet.  I am concerned about our continual pursuit of finite energy sources and its mode of mining and delivery if it puts the health of our clean air, water, soil and habitats at risk.  Our current practices haven’t always and do not always serve us well.  I think it is time for a RADICAL shift, a time to put the health and welfare of our people and living planet before PROFIT.  Now is the perfect time to consider and move forward with alternate clean, renewable energy sources.  Mr. Harper, how can I help to make this happen?

Your commentary is encouraged and welcome below or to earthmatters@cornwallfreenews.com