A recent Reuters report describes the repeated A12 highway blockades in The Hague, where Extinction Rebellion (XR) protesters halt traffic to demand an end to the Netherlands’ multi-billion-euro fossil-fuel subsidies (Boztas, 2023). Seeing thousands of people voluntarily risk arrest made me think of the documentary If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front (Curry & Cullman, 2011), which we watched in Unit 4. That film traces how a small group of U.S. activists escalated from peaceful forest‐defence rallies to nighttime arson against lumber companies, and how the resulting “eco-terrorism” label ultimately eclipsed their message. XR’s Dutch activists…

Global News shared an article highlighting the presence of extremely high levels of E. coli in British Columbia Middle Shuswap River, which were so high they could not even calculate it. These dangerous levels pose health risks to local ecosystems and swimmers. It is also said that the high levels of E. coli are likely linked to agricultural runoff and improper waste management. Bee SAFE and residents in the region call for stricter regulations on farming practices and to prevent further contamination, while many are concerned about access to drinking water and concern about the thousands of fish West Bank…

Conservation group buys out hunting rights in B.C. rainforest to protect wildlife According to this article, a conservation group in British Columbia states that to save wildlife, they have acquired the sole right to hunt in a quarter of the Great Bear Rainforest on the north and central coast of the province. According to the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, they had to raise $1.92 million over two years to purchase the 18,000-square-kilometer tenure from commercial hunters. According to Raincoast, it was said that with six tenures spanning more than 56,000 square kilometers, the acquisition places the environmental group as the largest…

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/alberta-premier-says-province-working-proposal-new-crude-oil-pipeline-port-2025-06-11/ Alberta B.C. Pipeline Push, June 11, 2025.   The link is a Reuters article that Alberta’s premier plans to propose a new crude‑oil pipeline from Alberta to the Port of Prince Rupert in B.C., aiming to boost energy export diversification beyond the U.S.A.  As a British Columbia resident, I’m torn. I recognize our dependence on resource development and the potential economic gains. Yet, the local environmental risks and disturbance of habitat are concerning. I would lean against this pipeline, believing that long‑term ecological health of our province is more important than short-term financial gain. I think civil disobedience works…

In recent years, the Fairy Creek protests on Vancouver Island have highlighted the ongoing tensions between environmental conservation and industrial interests in British Columbia. Activists, including Indigenous land defenders and environmentalists, have engaged in acts of civil disobedience to prevent the logging of old-growth forests in the area. These protests have led to numerous arrests and have sparked widespread public debate about forest management and Indigenous rights. Watching If a Tree Falls provided a historical perspective on radical environmental activism, showcasing the story of the Earth Liberation Front and their controversial tactics. Similarly, Birth of a Movement illustrated how media…