Welcome to EcoWest News, a weekly round-up of news and resources that you can put to use in addressing environmental issues and protecting the wild in your community.

Across the West

Western sandpipers use the biofilm on the surface of the Roberts Bank Mudflats as an energy drink to power their migration. The essential nutrients in what looks like barren mud boost immunity, reduce inflammation, and strengthen their wing muscles. The proposed container ship terminal could put an end to this essential food source. [Canadian Geographic]

“The whole point of fracking is to cause tiny earthquakes that fracture rock and release oil or natural gas. But the process of injecting high-pressure fluids into the earth’s surface can sometimes cause quakes” that disturb cattle or endanger homes and other buildings. [The Narwhal]

BC’s private forests, the majority of which can be found on Vancouver Island, are subject to less stringent regulations than publicly owned forests, placing old growth, wildlife, and neighbouring communities at risk. [The Narwhal]

An Alberta homebuilder and a solar installer have built 4,000 energy-efficient homes with 10 solar panels as a standard feature, saving 5,776 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually. [The Energy Mix]

North America’s largest urban solar park is set to get underway in Medicine Hat, AB, a good fit for a city with the highest number of sunny days per year in Canada. [Mother Jones]

Presentations from BeaverCON 2024 about beaver coexistence are now available on YouTube. [YouTube]

“Protecting land and water is about keeping natural spaces healthy—for wildlife, for people, and for future generations.” It doesn’t preclude legal land-based activities. [CPAWS-MB]

Across Canada

Green Economy Canada is hosting an online panel discussion on sustaining climate action in uncertain times from 1-2 pm ET, Feb. 27. [Green Economy Canada]

The Federal Court has ruled that Health Canada’s approval of a glyphosate-based herbicide was unreasonable as it was based on outdated information. [Ecojustice]

Pedestrianized streets, skating rinks, and mini forests on abandoned railway lines – across Canada municipalities are finding new ways to bring nature into city centres. [The Globe and Mail]

Around the World

Fast fashion is being replaced by fast homewares (candles, seasonal decorations, ornaments). “The British throw away about 70m homeware items each year, with 35% of people admitting to binning things simply because their tastes have changed.” [The Guardian]

Effective 2026, France will limit the production and sale of some items (cosmetics, clothing, ski wax) containing forever chemicals where an alternative to PFAS exists. [Phys.org]

Making a Difference

Berlin’s Planet Wild crowdfunds support for global rewilding projects each month, sharing the impact of their members’ contributions on YouTube. “I think what our community members appreciate most is the ability to support grassroots projects they wouldn’t normally have access to.” [Rewilding]

DIY

Science Moms’ 3-step framework for action: 1) Swap polluting stuff for clean stuff; 2) Share facts, concerns, and solutions; and 3) Speak up and ask leaders about their plans to stop big polluters. [Science Moms]

Nature’s Wonders

Animals shape Earth’s landscape far more than previously recognized, ranging from termite mounds visible from space and hippos carving drainage systems to ants altering soil structure and drainage. “These diverse natural processes are crucial, yet we risk losing them as biodiversity declines." [Science Daily]

We don’t often have an opportunity to observe what is happening below the ocean’s surface. These award-winning photographs let us admire hairy shrimp, seals, and medusas. [DP Review]

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/apmckinlay/54301174296/

EcoFriendly West informs and encourages initiatives that support Western Canada’s natural environment through its online publication and the Nature Companion website/app. Like us on Facebook, follow us on BlueSky, X, and Mastodon, or subscribe by email.