Earth Matters

Climate change is contributing to rapid species extinction, of which we humans will hope to avoid. I’m going to take a moment to look at an unusual suspect – a species you might not have thought of when considering the consequences of climate change.

Those of you who took first year university level Biology will probably remember Drosophila –  the humble fruit fly. With their short life span of around two weeks, they’re a great way to see genetics in action and I spent several weeks in a lab raising and then cataloguing Drosophila during my first year.

So why are these flies going to be one of the first climate change victims and should we even care?

Fruit flies are annoying and difficult to swat, but everybody’s got to eat, and spiders, frogs, some ants and beetles find fruit flies really tasty (another win for much-maligned spiders!).

A humorous video called "We Quit You, Keystone XL (It's Not Us, It's You)" takes pointed aim at Canadian oil giant Trans Canada's proposed Keystone XL pipeline. 

An insistent young man representing Keystone shows up at a young woman's front door, begging her to consider approving him.

"I was arrested trying to get rid of you," the young woman says, representing the American population opposed to the pipeline.

"It doesn't matter what talking points you come back with, or how many times you change your route or whatever budget bills you attach yourself to-- I am never, ever going to say yes to you," the young woman says.

The video also concludes with a reference to major oil pipeline proposal projects currently under review in Canada, the Enbridge Northern Gateway and Kinder Morgan's proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. Both pipeline proposals would export Alberta tar sands oil to British Columbia.

The Avaaz petition "No Enbridge Tankers/Pipeline in BC Great Bear Rainforest", having surpassed its original goal of 10,000 signatures, is now aiming for 20,000 names to pass against the Northern Gateway pipeline to the federal and provincial government. 

• Online petitions call for stop to Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline 

The petition, started by Kelowna resident James MacGregor, has picked up an increasing number of signatures as more people have become aware of the issue. 

"BC's entire Great Bear Rainforest, its wildlife and the livelihoods of coastal First Nations are all at great risk if Enbridge's Northern Gateway pipeline is approved," he said.