The wonderful Bethany Gibson recently honoured me with an invitation to contribute something literary to her online art project, The Scales Project, “a conversation between artists … a call-and-response, a provocation, and a forum for connection and communication through art about the climate crisis and ecological collapse.” Going through the posts from other artists, I […]
ReImagining the Energy Efficient Building. ReBuilding a Sustainable Economy This story first appeared in The Laker News on November 19,2020. BERWICK: Lorrie Rand remembers two pivotal moments leading to the creation of the ReCover Initiative, which aims to reimagine energy-efficient buildings in Nova Scotia. The first was in 2013, at a passive-house conference in Maine, where she […]
Originally published in Coastlands: The Maritimes Policy Review, in December 2007, on pages 26-27. By Chris Benjamin In August I moved back to Halifax after an eight-year hiatus in Toronto. I was surprised to find that not much has changed. The north end is gentrifying somewhat and I see a few new buildings going in, but, by and […]
This story first appeared in The Coast on November 26, 2015: Halifax to Paris, by way of Syria Climate change is driving conflicts across the world, and we’re starting to see the results. By Chris Benjamin “When you have drought, when people can’t grow their crops, they’re going to migrate into cities, and when people […]
How short-term energy-price politics prevent us from making real progress in the fight against climate change. On December 14, Minister of Energy Michel Samson stood before the legislature and introduced Bill 141 – Electricity Plan Implementation Act. “Mr. Speaker,” he said, “I’m pleased to stand for a third time to speak about this important bill…The […]
The following is an excerpt from the April 2015 Halifax Magazine essay called “Time for a Revolution,” by Chris Benjamin. Once upon a time the world waited breathlessly for someone to perfect the horseless carriage. But soon the gadgetry proved less significant than the infrastructure around it. A German named Benz built what we now […]
Last week I saw on my Facebook wall that it was Colette Urban’s birthday. I wrote about Colette’s work, mostly in Newfoundland, as an inspiring, environmentally conscious artist, teacher, small-scale farmer and host of eco-tourists for my book, Eco-Innovators. But she wasn’t much of a Facebook user, so I was surprised, and very saddened, to […]
This article originally appeared in Saltscapes Magazine‘s Summer 2014 issue. by Chris Benjamin I reach Red Bank Road in Hants County, NS after a blue-sky drive through sparkling frozen mudflats in high-tide country. I see a sign that says “Sustainable Fish Farming Canada.” Sustainable Blue is the company’s brand name. The operation is 500 metres […]
