Terra Informa

As we continue to stay home to protect ourselves and others, the natural world carries on without us. Human intervention in our environment often comes with damaging consequences, and today we're taking some time to learn about the history of the regions that are special to us and turning a critical eye on efforts to "protect" these spaces, efforts with a colonial history and present. Listen to our very own Terra Informers Elizabeth Dowdell, Curt Blandy, Andy Silva, and Daniel Pietraszewski as they share some personal stories about natural places and species that are significant to them. You'll hear about the history of the Sturgeon River region and how the ecosystem has been transformed by industry and development, the Milk River and a visit to Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, and one journey from connoisseur of online otter content, to advocate for Alberta's own River Otter. Sara Cannon - Decolonizing Conservation: A Reading List Indigenous Circle of Experts ResourcesThe Indigenous Guardians Toolkit Downlo

It's time for the Terra Informa monthly news roundup. This week, Terra Informers Hannah Cunningham, Curtis Blandy, Sonak Patel, and Andrea Miller are bringing you in-depth coverage of four energy-themed headlines.Two stories that we're watching closely are headlines we first introduced during our June news roundup. The Government of Alberta's Critical Infrastructure Defence Act, or Bill 1, was dealt a constitutional challenge by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, and the Alberta Energy Regulator resumes environmental monitoring in Alberta's oilpatch.We are also bringing you coverage of the Grassy Mountain coal project public hearing announcement, and some pipeline news, including the ordered shutdown of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) and updates on Keystone XL and the Trans Mountain Pipeline.Download the program log here★ Support this podcast by donating ★★ Support this podcast ★

In the film, acclaimed actor Elliot Page, inspired by a book by Ingrid Waldron that also lends its name to the documentary, travels across their home province of Nova Scotia to explore cases of environmental racism. This week, we are talking about environmental racism, which specifically refers to the environmental injustice that is based on race.We reached out to Dr. Ingrid Waldron, a professor and author of the book “There’s Something in the Water”. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Waldron to discuss environmental racism towards Black communities in Nova Scotia and what liberation could look like.Download program log here. ★ Support this podcast ★

Terra Informers Sonak Patel and Elizabeth Dowdell take us on a tour of the River Valley history in Amiskwaciy or "Beaver Hills", otherwise known as Edmonton, Alberta. After recapping Part I of this topic, the episode delves into themes of cultural values, Indigenous displacement, and respect for both our natural spaces and each other. We hear the voices of Amber Paquette, historian laureate of Edmonton, and Dr. Dwayne Donald, associate professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta as they uncover their hopes for the future of the River Valley. Download program log here. ★ Support this podcast ★

Terra Informers Sonak Patel and Elizabeth Dowdell take us on a tour of the River Valley history, following global trends in the local sphere of Amiskwaciy or "Beaver Hills", otherwise known as Edmonton, Alberta. The River Valley was not always the lush park we think of today. In fact, it's gone through many transformations! We hear the voices of Amber Paquette, historian laureate of Edmonton, and Dr. Dwayne Donald, associate professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. Paquette and Donald provide fresh perspective on the braided pathway of the River Valley from gathering place to trading post to smelly town to the "ribbon of green" we know and love today. Throughout its many transformations, the Edmonton River Valley has always been an important meeting place and true local gem. Download program log here. ★ Support this podcast ★

In a 2012 piece, Annie Banks speaks with Erin Konsmo of the Native Youth Sexual Health Network, an organization by and for Indigenous youth that works within the full spectrum of sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice across the United States and Canada. Oftentimes pollution is thought of as impacting the land and the water but what about the impacts that pollution, industry, contaminants and environmental degradation have on nearby communities and individuals and their sexual and reproductive health? And why is this critical for environmentalists to learn more about? What is environmental violence and how are communities defining, responding to and resisting environmental violence? Chris Chang-Yen Phillips spoke with Sierra Jamerson during a live taping at the St. John’s Institute of Edmonton in 2013. Sierra Jamerson was born into a family of talented leaders and gifted musicians, and she’s been performing professionally since the tender age of eleven, singing traditional Black Gospel, jazz, sou

We are exploring the relationship between queer people and the natural environment. This week we are going to share with you an interview that Terra Informer Elizabeth Dowdell held with Kevin McBean. Kevin will share with us his experience as a gay man, an outdoor enthusiast, and a member of the board of directors of Camp Maskepetoon.A few queer members of the Terra Informa team had the chance to reflect on their relationship with the environment and their identities as sexual minorities. For some of us, urban spaces can bring comfort and familiarity. Seeing a rainbow sticker or a trans flag in businesses or as part of urban art is a reminder that this is our space too. But what happens when we explore the natural environment? We tend to still think of the environment as a very heteronorNmative space, but we need to actively work to change that and you’ll get to hear Kevin’s perspective on how we can do just that! Program Log★ Support this podcast ★

This week the Terra Informa crew discuss the 2019 film, The Whale and the Raven, directed by German filmmaker Mirjam Leuze. In the heart of British Columbia's coastal Great Bear Rainforest, whale researchers and Gitga’at Nation community members share the screen with their non-human kin, orcas and humpback whales, whose homewaters are also a proposed liquefied natural gas tanker route. Terra Informers Elizabeth Dowdell, Curtis Blandy, Skylar Lipman, and Andrea Miller discuss resistance, the integration of Indigenous knowledge with scientific knowledge and technology, respect in our relationships with the natural world, and the cinematic beauty of kelp forests. Watch the film’s trailer here, and stream the full movie on Amazon Prime Video. Download the program log here.★ Support this podcast ★

This week Terra Informa debuts a new show format we're calling a 'News Roundup'. Very original title, no? We do in-depth coverage and a little bit of Terra Informa opinion-piece on major environmental news headlines from Alberta. Listen to find out why we wanted to make these specific news episodes, and learn about changes in Alberta Parks and public land management, the suspension of environmental monitoring requirements for the Alberta energy sector, and what the new Critical Infrastructure Defense Act means for local environmentalists looking to demonstrate their dissent through public protest.Speaking of public protest, in response to Black Lives Matter demonstrations taking place across the United States, Canada, and many other countries, we take some time in this episode to connect the dots between environmental issues and systemic oppression. Here is a list of Anti-Racist Environmental Resources we compiled and used in this episode, and as part of our ongoing learning.Program Log★ Support this podcast

June is Bike Month in Edmonton and lots of other cities, so we're bringing you the right content for the season! On this episode Terra Informer Curtis Blandy talks to Bike Edmonton Executive Director Chris Chan and LuGr Enterprises Founder Luke Grayston. Chan talks about his inspiration for, and experiences of, cycling in Edmonton. Grayson gives us the lowdown on Beet 55, an innovative deicer used to keep roads safe for winter cycling.Program Log★ Support this podcast ★

Find the program log here.Email us at terra@cjsr.com or reach out to us on our socials below!★ Support this podcast ★

Download the program logEmail us at terra@cjsr.com or reach out to us on our socials below!★ Support this podcast ★

Download program logWe are still all working from home so audio quality in this episode varies. ★ Support this podcast ★

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This week on Terra Informa, we revisit a great episode from our archives that originally aired on May 5, 2019. In this episode, Sofia Osborne interviews Dr. Carolyn Sale, an associate professor in the department of english and film studies at the University of Alberta, who taught a course on Shakespeare and ecological crisis. Then hear Terra Informer Sydney Karbonik read a paper she wrote about storytelling and environmental activism.★ Support this podcast ★

This week on Terra Informa, we revisit a beloved episode from our archives that originally aired on March 18, 2019. This episode's format is a round-table discussion, in which the each member of the team brought something different to the table- something related to The Unseen Environment. Mysterious. Charlotte Thomasson and Amanda Rooney brought together a handful of Terra Informer's for a discussion about mysterious natural events, Nematodes, paleoburrows, and so much more.Additionally, Ben Hollihan talks about a news story for this week: how grocery stores are struggling to adapt to COVID-19. ★ Support this podcast ★

This week on Terra Informa, we revisit discussions some of the world’s big problems, like climate change and antimicrobial resistance, and how the communication of information about them can either be motivating or discouraging.In June 2019, Terra Informer Dylan Hall interviews PhD Candidate Scott Mitchell on a presentation he delivered at the 2019 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences on the story of antimicrobial resistance, what this ‘apocalypse’ has in common with climate change, and how the public isn’t always getting the message.Additionally, Terra Informer Curtis Blandy gives a run-down of how our team is socially isolating during this COVID-19 pandemic. ★ Support this podcast ★

Just like the gendered impacts of the covid19 crisis are getting little media attention, environmental issues that predominantly affect women are not talked about enough. This week on Terra Informa we revisit an episode that features headline news, research, and audio from an event organized last April (2019) by then-Terra Informer Sydney Karbonik. The event was called Menstruation Innovation, and tackles environmental impacts and alternatives for a greener period.★ Support this podcast ★

At Terra Informa, we know that climate change affects us all... and that includes the vast range of conspiracy communities. Worried about how our changing climate is going to affect the flat earth, or Bigfoot's habitat? Well, this week, we're broadcasting straight from the center of the hollow moon to bring you the F-A-C-T-S.For maximum impact, listen to this episode on April 1st. ★ Support this podcast ★

Have you ever thought about the connection between the dank memes you consume and the process of decolonization? Or about how the power of meme to restructure or recreate the reality we know? For this week's episode, Terra Informer, Carter Gorzitza, got to sit down with Nigel Henri Robinson (@nazoonigel), to discuss his own meme practice and the deeper context behind memes that slap.