Zcom_simple

Hello,

Blogs are a familiar feature on the internet - where users post content in an accumulating manner, with comments, and search options, etc. They facilitate expression and exploration, and via attached comments, also debate and synthesis.


Reading and
Navigating Blogs

Our blogs are quite powerful. Each writer can post, as is typically the case. Sustainers who have the option can also post, however. All Blogs appear in the blog system, and sometimes also in content boxes the top page of ZNet - and always via the left menu of the top page - and can be found via searches, etc.

Commenting on blogs follows the blogs, attached at the bottom, and blog comments, like all others, are also visible in many places that show comments including in the forum system. In addition, the entire blog system gathers content for everyone - but one can look at the accumulating content in many ways.

  • For example one can look at one writer's efforts - so one is seeing what is effectively a blog system for that one writer, or Sustainer.
  • One can also look at the content by topic, seeing blogs that are tagged as being about a certain topic - or place, as well. Thus, when doing that, it is a blog system about a topic, or a place, with many contributors.
  • One can look at only writer blogs, or only sustainer blogs, as well.
  • One can look at blogs for particular Groups, too.

All this is easily done using the left menu. Searches allow even more variables and refinements.


Creating Blog Posts

If you are a Sustainer with permission, and are logged in, you will see a link in the left menu for you to post a blog - and you can use that to post one, and then tag it various ways (such as with a topic or place, or a group tag), and once you do, it is in the system with you as the author.

You can also use the console button to the left to post a blog - anytime and from anywhere in the site, as long as you are logged in.

Meanwhile, enjoy the blogs - and, by the way, if you are a Free Member or a Sustainer with a ZSpace page, of course you can put one or more content boxes on it, pulling blog links of any sort you may want to filter for, for example, by you or by your friends or by others - and by topic, about places, for groups, etc.

Blogs

Fighting Chemical Valley

By Toban Black at Nov 05, 2010


Change Text Size a- | A+

In this interview, Zak Nicholls shares his experiences with struggles and impacts around Sarnia’s Chemical Valley.

You can listen to the interview here.

Zak speaks about his role in campaigning alongside others in Sarnia and Aamjiwnaang. He talks about local pollution impacts, complacency from government officials and the general public, local indigenous struggles, obstacles in the way of uncovering information about petro-chemical industry operations, and some other related issues.

Since our conversation, Aamjiwnaang reserve community members have launched a lawsuit against petro-chemical industries. and their government allies.

This interview was recorded in an evening after an Enbridge protest, and a local toxic tour through Sarnia and Aamjiwnaang — a few weeks before the recent lawsuit.

During the toxic tour, Zak led a few of us through chemical valley, and through off-site areas which are impacted by industry, on a daily basis. Zak has lived in Sarnia for more than thirty years, and the information and on-the-ground stories that he has to offer seem to be limitless.

The rally earlier that day was along the St. Clair river, where we gathered to raise concerns about how Enbridge has been managing and neglecting their oil pipelines. We were near a damaged Enbridge pipeline, beside the native reserve. Aamjiwnaang residents were actively involved in the rally. Photos are online here and here.

We were protesting alongside the same pipeline that recently had ruptured in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Well over 3.5 million barrels of oil were spilled there — along the way to Sarnia. The Enbridge protest in Sarnia was part of ongoing campaigning from S.H.A.M.E.: Sarnia’s Hometown Activist Movement Emerging.

Zak also ran in the Sarnia mayoral race this fall. He was challenging Mike Bradley, an incumbent who has held the position since 1988. His mainstream media profile outside of Sarnia helped him to win the election. for his eighth term, as of this October.

On the day that we recorded the interview, Nicole and I were in Sarnia on behalf of another southwestern Ontario group called Climate Justice London. Less than a week after the Enbridge rally in Sarnia, our London group began a regional pipeline campaign and research project.

Loading_border