Mutant Fish Found Close To Alberta Oil Sands Says CBC

Imagine your children go to the dock to go fishing and catch a fish with two mouths. This is precisely what the CBC reported yesterday( see pic and news story here). The news giant said the fish came from Lake Athabasca in Wood Buffalo National Park. The fish appears normal except for the fact it has two mouths - one underneath the other. Interestingly, it was found only a few before days from a water quality conference in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta.

The local native community and thousands around the world are angered that the government have allowed things to get this bad in the area. The local communities surrounding the Oil Sands have also noticed a significant increase in cancers and other serious illnesses. Rumors are that coalitions and demonstrations could be held in the near future to stop any expansion plans that may currently be in the works.

This is very terrifying, but not the worst of it. If you have read my previous post on the Lake Athabasca region, you will already know that this is also home to the Athabasca Sand Dunes. The massive sand formations are some of the largest in the world and are habitat to several endangered species. Some of the flora and fauna cannot be found anywhere else on earth. To the East, sections of the surrounding forest were devastated by wildfires. To learn more about the region please read this post.

Of course the Oil Sands are probably a large portion of this occurrence, but is it the only cause? I highly doubt it. I think the longer pollution and waste runs rampant and people continue to use and abuse the world around them, there will be more and more like this. In fact, a cat with four ears was reported in the news just this morning and this isn’t the first one!

You can’t tell me that’s because of the Oil Sands. Again, I’m not in any way saying they have not been a large factor in the earth’s downfall, but unless we all get off the soapbox and become willing to work towards solving these issues it is bound to happen. I myself am extremely guilty. I have a fair sized home. We have two vehicles. I have a gas lawn mower.

On the other hand, I do cut back my driving as much as I can. I recycle and conserve energy. In reality, I do lots of small things to help out. But then again, so have the oil companies in the Alberta Oil Sands. So who is responsible?

Canada’s Oldest Culture: Western Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples

Canada's First Nation's People - True Canadian Culture

©2008AngieHaggstrom

One of the most prominent things you’ll notice as you travel in Saskatchewan and Canada is its rich Aboriginal culture. Having lived on the continent for more than 12 000 years their stories and dances aren’t just entertainment. These dances and songs have been performed for thousands of years and tell of the world’s creation.

Dance

Aboriginal dance is one of the most well known examples of this rich culture. Amazing, brightly colored costumes are generally handmade and decorated with quills, beads, and other religious and sparkling symbols in a traditional fashion. Although slightly different from the original costumes, the time and care put into each one is truly stunning. Some of these costumes can weigh more than 100 pounds when complete. Traditional dances include the round dance and several native dances and competitions throughout the season often called the Powwow Circuit from May to September. These are massive celebrations and frequently have large cash prizes.

Art

Aboriginal art is unique to each band and reflects the nature and daily activities around them. Animal spirits, flowers, and hunting scenes are all common in traditional works. More modern art still has threads of their original culture, but display more of the artists soul and some even addresses modern issues. Beadwork, leather, and carvings are just a few of the items frequently made. Religious items such as medicine wheels and dream catchers are also popular cultural items.

Housing, Language, and Education

Many First Nations People do still live on reserves, but they do NOT live in teepees. Like others in Canada, they live in homes, in communities, and speak English or French. Traditional teepees are generally reserved for special festivities and informational purposes. First Nations People attend schools, some of which may include traditional teachings and stories. A majority of the history is passed from elders to children through story. Each tribe has its own language unique to their area.

First Nations People are not like they are portrayed in movies. They are real Canadians like everyone else you see in the country with the added benefit of a rich and colorful heritage. Take the opportunity to experience this genuine Canadian experience. You’ll be glad you did.

If you would like to learn and see more, visit the Virtual Aboriginal Trade Show

(Picture for this post provided by rromin1 at Stock.Xchng)

You Know You’re From A Small Saskatchewan Prairie Town When…

Life in a Small Town

©2008AngieHaggstrom

Have you ever had one of those days where the true realization of your life comes at you in one of those head smacking moments? I’ve had one of those days and it ‘gots me ta tinkin’ about how living in a small town Saskatchewan is almost like living in your own little world.

I never truly appreciated the separate culture this little town had until my first time living in the ‘big city’ (slightly more than 700 000 people, but massive compared with the 2 500 that live here). Everyone dressed different, talked different, did funny things, and looked at me as if I was an alien. In truth, I was.

My little town is unlike anywhere else in the world. Unlike the big city, we have strange traditions. When you see someone on the street, your first instinct isn’t to look away or size up the other person. Nope we smile and wave. It is often accompanied by phrases such as ‘hi, how are you?” even if you’ve never seen that person in your life. Urban dwellers tend to look at you and attempt to figure out whether you have a mental condition or are just trying to get close enough to pick their pockets.

Spurs, cowboy, hats, and pickup trucks are almost like the town uniform. A majority of the time, there are dogs in the back of the truck, and after you live here for a few weeks, you will know their names, where they like to be rubbed, and know who they belong to. In the city, you learn very quickly NOT to pet the puppy.

I can walk down any street in town and many of the houses and vehicles will be sitting unlocked, windows down, and possibly even the keys in it. Now this is becoming less frequent with the influx of new people to town, but it is certainly not rare. On many occasions I’ve left to take something over to someone’s house to be told to just ‘open the door and set it on the kitchen table.’ In the city, I wouldn’t leave the apartment without at least one can of mace and I didn’t even go to get my laundry from down the hall without taking my keys.

Oh yeah, I also learned that when they advertise a one room apartment for rent in the city newspaper, they aren’t kidding. I wasn’t sure how to take that surprise. I thought the only thing ‘one room’ today were the old school houses that sit abandoned just outside of town.

I will admit that a part of me is homesick for the city lifestyle. Even though shopping isn’t my thing, I miss the opportunity to spend a night at the symphony or an afternoon ‘museum-hopping.’ I miss the chance to don a nice gown and dine out for the evening, or put on some party wear and go to see my favorite rock band.

When I begin thinking about how much I miss my life in the city, I think about what I missed while I was there. In my little town, I can walk down the street and recognize almost everyone I see. There is nothing more welcoming than that. When I looked at my small town, I realized that there is no other place in the world better to raise my son. He has the chance to learn about life on a smaller scale before being thrust into a swift moving world of strangers.

This being said, I have nothing against cities or city schools. I simply feel the support and love as well as the torment and heartaches I experienced here made me who I am and I would like to give my son those same opportunities - to grow up innocent.

This whole internal city/country struggle did bring to mind a few sayings we often joke about here. What is scary is how true some of them are…

You know you’re from a small town in Saskatchewan when:

1. You and a few friends have spent at least one evening going cow-tipping.
2. The ‘in’ thing to do is to spend the evening driving laps around town. This consists of driving around a five-block radius.
3. All of the local parties are at ‘the bridge,’ ‘the dam,’ or ‘the tree.’ (There is only one of each in the area and everyone knows where they are.)
4. You get into trouble downtown and your parents found out about it in the first 15 minutes.
5. The entire town takes holiday for rodeo weekend.
6. One of the biggest school events of the year is taking everyone to the bucking horse sale.
7. When you tried to skip school the principal, who also happens to be your neighbor, knows whose house you’re hiding out in.
8. Going on a date = a burger run (You drive an hour to pick up a burger and fries from the Burger King drive-thru and head home. On a second date, you might stop at the pool hall on the way back into town.
9. “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” and “Teen Spirit” are played at every dance in town.
10. You know more than the local newspaper about what’s going on before the paper is even printed.

(picture provided by xameron from Stock.Xchng)

First Solar Heated Community in Canada - Another First for Alberta

Great Green Attractions in the Canadian Prairies

©2008AngieHaggstrom

If you travel to Okotoks, Alberta to see The Big Rock or Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump, you may notice another unusual sight in the area. The Drake Landing Solar Community consists of 52 1500 square foot houses and 800 solar panels shining proudly from garage roofs. This is a first for North America, but the Okotoks community is even greener than you think.

The 1.5 MW collected by the community’s solar panels heats a series of pipes carrying glycol to a water heating and storage area. Then the hot water is kept underground to supply the entire community with hot water and heat during the winter. In all, the system looks after all but 10% of the heating and hot water costs of the community.

Community design and the housing itself takes environmental concerns into account as well. The first thing you may notice about the community is the proximity of the houses. Each home in the community sits close to its neighbors. The not only cuts down on the amount of piping to upkeep and repair, but it also helps to eliminate heat loss through the piping.

To conserve the heat produced by the solar panels, the underground storage cells and homes have high-rated insulation. Each home constructed in the city used only local resources and recycled materials. The community practices recycling, conservation, and other green initiatives. The total energy savings is estimated at 110.8 GJ and should eliminate 5.65 tonnes of green house gas emissions per year.

The Drake Landing Solar community isn’t the only green first in Canada. Wind farms have also begun to spread across the prairies. Makes sense when you have the amount of winds we have here. Gull Lake Saskatchewan is home to Saskatchewan’s first wind power project. The $22 million dollar project consists of 17 massive wind turbines on the bench located on the south of the Trans Canada Highway. They generate in excess of 11 megawatts of electricity.

Mcgrath Alberta is home to 20 turbines that produces enough energy to run 13 000 homes with the 30 megawatts they produce. The Chin Chute Wind Power Project in Taber, Alberta supplies the energy for another 14 000 homes with 20 turbines producing 1.5 megawatts each.

While these may not exactly be tourist attraction, they are definitely one of those things you wonder about when you see them from the highway. Canada isn’t the greenest country in the world, but it is great to see the situation improving. Come to think of it, who is the greenest country in the world?

(Photo provided by saavem from Stock.Xchng)