The Nominations Are In!

And what can we say? Once again The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos has represented themselves well at the 24th Gemini Award nominations announced this morning at a press conference in Toronto. So what are they nominated for?

Best Talk Series

The After Show
Garrett Wintrip, Pam de Montmorency, Alex Sopinka

The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos
Jennifer Dettman, David Freeman, George Stroumboulopoulos

Steven and Chris
p. Jennifer Dettman, Krista Look, Susan Taylor


Best Writing in an Information Program or Series

Bob McKeown
CBC News: the fifth estate
The Code

Gillian Findlay
CBC News: the fifth estate
A Death in the Family


David Freeman, Paul Bates, Diana Frances, Ken Hegan,
Nick McCabe-Lokos, Carman Melville, Scott Montgomery,
Adam Nicholls, Randy Potash, George Stroumboulopoulos
The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos
Sarah Palin

Ryan Leigh
INK: Alter Egos Exposed
"Villains"


Best Host or Interviewer in a General/Human Interest or
Talk Program or Series

George Kourounis
Angry Planet
Island Caving

Austin Stevens
Austin Stevens Adventures
In the Shadow of Armoured Giants


George Stroumboulopoulos
The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos

Les Stroud
Survivorman Third Season

Matt Wells
Where You At Baby? Huey Lewis


Best Cross Platform Project

Being Erica Interactive
Shawn Bailey, David Fortier, Jessie Gabe, Ivan Schneeberg
(Temple Street Productions)

CBC News: Ormiston Online
Susan Ormiston, Allison Brachman, Karl Delgadillo, Paul Hambelton, Jeff Wyonch
(CBC)

I Prophesy: The Future Revealed - Interactive
James Milward, Sissy Federer-Less
(Henry Less Productions)


One Million Acts of Green - Interactive
Jennifer Dettman, Julie List, Alex Liu,
Paul McGrath, George Stroumboulopoulos
(CBC-The Hour)

Pop It! - Interactive
Susan Nation, Nina Beveridge
(Hop To It Productions Inc.)

Congratulations to everyone that works on The Hour, these are well-deserved nominations among a field of very strong competition. The awards will be handed out on the following dates:

Best Writing in an Information Program or Series will be presented on October 19th.
Best Cross Platform and Best Talk Series will be presented on October 20th.
Best Host or Interviewer in a General/Human Interest or Talk Program or Series will be presented on November 14th.

The Gemini Awards telecast will take place in Calgary on November 14th. Stay tuned to the Stroumboulopouli for more information and the results!

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Strombo Joins the Suzuki Foundation Board

On the heels of the enormous success and visibility in the One Million Acts of Green initiative, George Stroumboulopoulos has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the David Suzuki Foundation. George is in good company with the other two recent appointees - entrepreneur John Lefebvre and Westport Innovation CEO Elaine Wong.

Chair Jim Hoggan is `delighted`and said -- `George Stroumboulopoulos is an inspired and inspiring guy. Few others have done so much to engage Canadians on environmental issues and I can`t think of anyone - with the exception of David Suzuki himself - who is so credible with people in every demographic group.` High praise indeed.

Established in 1990 by the popular scientist and journalist David Suzuki, the David Suzuki Foundation has established itself as an innovator in providing not only facts, but practical solutions of how average Canadians can positively impact their world through striving to live 'in balance with the natural world that sustains us'.

Key tenets of the Foundation's goals include:

Sustainability -- A measure of Canada's performance shows that we've got a loooong way to go to achieve this. Apparently a study showed Canada ranked 29th out of 30 developed countries. Shameful, given all the incredible natural resources we are blessed with!

Oceans and Sustainable Fishing -- Overfishing and pollution are critical stumbling blocks in a healthy water system. Water IS life, after all.

Climate Change and Clean Energy -- Ensuring the development and utilization of alternative and clean energy including solar and wind power, increasing efficiency of existing mainstream power sources and increasing the utilization of public transportation are seen as vital to lessening the impact on climate change. The impact should lessen strains on the climate and boost the economy in the process.

Nature Challenge -- To learn about the 10 most effective actions YOU can take to protect nature. Visit the David Suzuki Foundation`s website. Oh and just a suggestion. You may not want to print out the list... just saying.

So, in honour of this appointment, perhaps a shot of wheatgrass is in order!

Cheers!

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Your 'Hour-pod' on shuffle:

Check out The Strombo Show, every Sunday, on your local Corus radio network & join in on the group chat @ www.justin.tv/thestromboshow

This week on The Hour.....

Mon, April 27
++
Malcolm Gladwell, Jamie Kennedy, Charlie Kauffman

Tues, April 28
++
David Frum, LeVar Burton, Margaret Atwood

Wed, April 29
++
Joe Clark, Kat Von D, Eugene Levy

Thur, April 30
++
Richard Florida, Colin Mochrie, The Killers

Fri, May 1
++
Shai Agassi, Joshua Jackson, Chris Noth

Seeing as how my hockey team's no longer in the playoffs, I for one, am really looking forward to some new shows starting next week....Grrr & Yay!

Oh, and P.S,
www.onemillionactsofgreen.com

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Earth Day 2009: Ten Actions To Help the Environment

In preparation for Earth Day on Wednesday, April 23, the Earth Day Canada website recently published a list of the Top Ten Actions you can do to help the environment:

Smart Shopping

* Consider renting or borrowing rather than buying something that will be rarely used

* Buy or trade used items

Simple Savers

* Use aerators on faucets and low flow shower heads

* Weather strip windows and doors

* Use energy efficient bulbs

Transportation Alternatives

* when you drive, reduce idling

* keep your car in good shape

* think of alternative transport: walking, cycling, public transportation

Food Shares

* choose local, seasonal produce to support local food producers

* eat less meat

Washing and Drying

* wash full loads in cold water

* air dry clothes

Heating and Cooling

* in the summer, set your thermostat to 24 or 25 degrees

* in the winter, set your thermostat to 19 or 20 degrees

* install ceiling fans and programmable thermostats

Close to Home

* work and vacation as close to home as possible

Bathroom Basics

* take short showers instead of baths

* turn the faucet off while brushing your teeth

Careful Cleaning

* chose natural, non-toxic cleaners

* make your own cleaners with baking soda, vinegar, lemon and other household products

Don't Discard

* don't throw everything out, consider if it can be donated, reused or recycled

* take items like batteries and chemicals to proper hazardous material depots instead of throwing them in the garbage

Get out and do something for your own little corner of the world. Everyone can make a difference in the world with just a few of these little acts. You can find many of these acts and more on the One Million Acts of Green website. If you haven't already signed up, do it this week. We passed the One Million act mark at the beginning of March and now we're closing in on 1.5 million acts. Let's see if we can break that next milestone for Earth Day!

Starting today, One Million Acts of Green is going global with a website and challenge starting in the United States. On their first day, they've already got over 38 thousand acts of green. How long do you think it will take them to reach the One Million mark?

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BREAKING (the) NEWS....Special Delivery.

*Guest update for Wed, Mar 25

Appearing on The Hour - March 23 - 26, 2009.
Some of Canada's top comedians are booked this week to guest host & deliver "The News" - George's nightly entertainment wrap.

Here is the fantastic list of comics booked (click on pics for their websites):

Seán Cullen, Colin Mochrie, Gilson Lubin & Nikki Payne

THE HOUR - MARCH 23 - 27, 2009

Mon, Mar. 23
The News Guest Host – Seán Cullen
Harry S. Dent

U.S. economist that uses his unique methods to forecast the economy from consumer & demographic spending.
I wonder where 'thrift shop purchases' would land in his research?

Lewis Black

From his official website: "Lewis’ live performances provide a cathartic release of anger and disillusionment for his audience. Lewis yells so they don’t have to. A passionate performer who is more pissed-off optimist than mean-spirited curmudgeon, he's perfected expressing what the rest of us cannot say in polite company. Lewis is the rare comic who can cause an audience to laugh themselves into incontinence while making compelling points about the absurdity of our world."
My kind of guy!


Tues, Mar 24
The News Guest Host - Colin Mochrie
David Chilton

A Canadian financial expert who's helped thousands to reach for their goals in financial success.

(Maestro Fresh) Wes Williams

A Canadian actor & Hip-Hop artist who's hit single "Let Your Backbone Slide" is still the only song from a Canadian Hip Hop artist to go Gold. Due to his influence & significance, in 1991 The Juno Awards implemented a new Hip-Hop catagory, to which may I add, he was nominated for 5 & walked away with 2. He is currently starring in a new HBO TV show called 'The Line' & has been touring with Naughty By Nature and Guests.
"A staple to The Maple!"


Wed, Mar 25
The News Guest Host – Gilson Lubin
Louise Arbour

Having held many high-appointed international positions in her career, the honorable Louise Arbour has very recently been selected as the next President of the International Crisis Group. The ICG is now generally recognised as the world’s leading independent, non-partisan, source of analysis and advice to governments, and intergovernmental bodies like the United Nations, European Union and World Bank, on the prevention and resolution of deadly conflict.
A huge step forward for women in the difficult global years ahead.

*Dave Salmoni

"Hello, my lovely..."
Rumour has it that our other boyfriend, Dave, will be bringing his snake & a previous furry guest onto the set.

Thur, Mar 26
The News Guest Host – Nikki Payne
Sheila Watt Cloutier

A 50yr old Grandmother & a long-time Inuit Spokesperson, Sheila is speaking out on the impending disasters being caused by global warming. Her people are witnessing first hand the devastating affects of climate change & its relentless assault on their traditional way of life. "We're already living this reality," Watt-Cloutier, said. "It's not a theory in the future, it's right now in the present." Her aim is to persuade states for emission reductions of greenhouse gases & the use of toxins.
Nicknamed the "Arctic Emessary' by Rolling Stone.


Fri, Mar 27
Tattoo artist - Kat Von D
Comedian - Eugene Levy
Former Canadian P.M.- Joe Clark

*Don't forget to check into onemillionactsofgreen.com
The total is over 1, 300, 000! Way to go Canada!
(The city of Airdrie won the challenge against Okotoks, with almost 7000 acts of green between them.)

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And the party goes on... What's on February 8-14

Well, it's the week after Canada reached the one million mark and the party goes on with an exciting week on The Strombo Show and The Hour...

Sunday

The Strombo Show live!

The Stills will be live in Studio to snakecharm the masses!
Also George and Alex will be talking about the Junos.

Monday

Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsey

Last time he was on The Hour, Gordon Ramsey called George fat... and now he's back on The Hour.

Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard is here to talk politics and world issues with George.

This Liberal Prime Minister served Australia as PM from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007.

Tuesday

One Million Acts of Green Celebration

as of this Sunday morning
Total Acts of Green

1,061,759

Greenhouse Gases Saved:

60,300,428 kg

Canada's Handyman Mike Holmes

Mike Holmes is a friend of The Hour and a huge supporter of One Million Acts Of Green
Mike helps The Hour mark the special occasion by sharing his green tips.

Wednesday

Hockey Night in Canada Host Ron MacLean

For the hockey fans in all the land the host of The Hour talks with his favourite TV host.

Actor Chris Noth

TV , film star and club owner talks about Sex in the City and upcoming projects like a Sex in the City sequel.

Thursday

Funny Guy Jon Dore

Has his own show returning soon on The Comedy Network and has actively been touring comedy clubs.

Canadian Author Dave Chilton The Wealthy Barber has some advise for these difficult economic times. His book has sold over 2 million copies since it was first published over 10 years ago.

FRIDAY's best of show features

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter

Spiritual Teacher Eckhart Tolle

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BREAKING NEWS: ONE MILLION ACTS!

No one was really sure it would happen, and if it did, it would be a long, winding road. But guess what?  It happened... and we all have each other to thank for it!

As of this evening, the One Million Acts of Green Initiative has reached and exceed the goal of One Million Acts... one act at a time...  a mere three after the initiative started in October!

Which act was the most popular?  

Replacing an incandescent light bulb with a compact flourescent... over 146 382 people and counting made this act happen.

Wondering which act saved the most green house gasses from the atmosphere all by itself? 

Recycling at Home... at the time this was published over 8 512 000 kg gasses were saved from this act alone. 

Make sure you tune in next Tuesday, February 10th for a special One Million Act of Green edition of The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos.

Congratulations Canada!  Tell us about your One Million Act of Green experience.  What was your favourite Act of Green? Which Act of Green was the hardest to accomplish? The easiest?  Which act did you want to do but didn't get around to? 

We've gotten this far, now let's take it to the next level! One act a time!

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What's up...November 23-27th

It's Sunday...but not just any Sunday...it's Grey Cup Day!

If you are able to multitask, might I suggest that you watch the big game AND listen to

The Strombo Show on these Corus Radio stations:

The Edge 102.1 (Toronto) The Fox 99.3 (Vancouver)
Power 97 (Winnipeg) Y108 (Hamilton) FM96 (London)

Now I know what you are asking yourself...will it be live or pre-taped?

Tune in and find out!

Hint: Throughout the weekend, George's Facebook has a few photos of him

participating in events at The Bell Centre in Montreal since Friday.

Coming up on The Hour this week:

Monday, November 24th

Co-founder of the Talking Heads, Scottish-born musician and artist

David Byrne.

The name Ben Goldhirsh may not mean anything to you. But his philanthropic efforts mean much to so many in need. Ben, son of the late Inc. Magazine founder Bernie Goldhirsh, chose to use his substantial inheritance to help others by creating a new publication aptly named GOOD. Billed as "an entertaining magazine about things that matter", the subscription fee from the magazine goes to twelve worthy charities, among them, UNICEF. Goldhirsh is also the founder of Reason Pictures.

Tuesday, November 25th

Boston Bruins defenceman and Right to Play Athlete Ambassador Andrew Ference.

One of my favourite bands...The Killers. Their new CD Day & Age

is being released November 24th.

Wednesday, November 26th

For 30+ years, Canadians and music fans worldwide have enjoyed the musical artistry known as RUSH. Lead vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson will be on The Hour.

Making a return visit to The Hour is the most excellent Stephen Lewis, former United Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa and founder of The Stephen Lewis Foundation.

If you happen to be in the Toronto area this Friday, you may wish to check out Ending sexual violence in the DRC: An evening with Stephen Lewis & Dr. Denis Mukwege being held at Convocation Hall, University of Toronto. Tickets can be obtained here.

Thursday, November 27th

By now, most Canadians are familiar with the story of Syrian-born Canadian citizen Maher Arar and his wife Monia Mazigh that began in 2002. The simple tagline on Arar's website speaks volumes to the frustration he and his family must still feel..."we all have the right to the truth".

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In other news...

Have you registered your Acts of Green? The total acts of green is on the rise...as of this very moment there have been 359,246 acts registered...but of course there is always room for more! One Million Acts of Green...register today and tell your friends!

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Teach your children well

There are many, many individual things we can do to make a difference in making this planet a healthier place to live. Whether it's at work, home, traveling, or just being outside. Our actions have an impact and whether we want to realize it or not, what we do today will affect what happens tomorrow.

One of the most powerful resources we have for making a difference in our fight against climate change is our children.

Paint for the planet
Description: Paint for the Planet is an exhibit and auction of children's art to launch the global United Nations campaign "UNite to Combat Climate Change". The event will feature a selection of paintings from UNEP's International Children's Painting Competition. Showcasing children's fears and hopes for the planet, the paintings are a powerful plea from children for leadership on climate change before it is too late.

Now, some would argue that WE are the ones that are destroying the earth and it should not be left up to the next generation to "fix" what we have done/are doing. I partially agree with that sentiment, but I also disagree.
The compassion a child holds for beauty & happiness is infectious. They see things simply, uncluttered & straight forward....they know what they want, what they like, what they don't, they love to please & have amazing ideas that can absolutely knock you on your ass.
It is our responsibility as parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents & guardians to show them what is beautiful, what is right & what needs to be done. You can start with little things like, why you should flick off a light in an empty room, show them what to recycle & where to put it, explain the difference in buying local produce versus imported, to compost, teach them how & why to grow plants & the sense of accomplishment and appreciation that comes with doing so. These actions will be second nature to them in no time. We don't give children enough, the credit they deserve in what they can learn and absorb from us.
Children are the warriors of tomorrow and the spirit they constantly reveal should be the torch leading the way to a cleaner earth. They have the potential to be whatever they want to be, so why not nudge them down a greener path in their discovery of life.

Check out One Million Acts of Green for ideas on how to make a difference.....one act at a time.
In the three weeks since it's launch, participants have made 324,654 Total Acts of Green!
Greenhouse Gases Saved: 15,480,664 kg.

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Eat Your Way to a Greener Planet

There are so many little things we do in our lives to make a difference. Almost everyone does something. This week, I thought I'd talk about how what we eat can impact the environment.

The biggest choice I make to eat environmentally is eating meatless meals.

I'm a vegetarian, so this one comes easy to me. Both One Million Acts of Green and The David Suzuki Foundation suggest eating at least one meatless meal a week can make a difference. When I first heard of this, I didn't really get it. Why would my eating vegetarian made a difference? Then I did a little research. Animals raised for meat are the largest land users on the planet when you combine their pasture land with the land used to raise crops to feed the animals. Once the meat is brought to slaughter, the methods used also tax the environment: a massive amount of water is used, the processing and packaging plants emit high amount of carbon, not to mention the amount of fossil fuels used to transport the meat. And don't forget, the animals themselves create a significant amount of gasses that impact the environment.

I know to many of my meat-eater friends, the thought of giving up their yummy meat is kind of scary and limiting. It doesn't have to be. There's a lot to choose from out there, and it's getting easier and easier to find good vegetarian choices.

We live in a world of fast food and convenience food. Most fast food outlets are now offering vegetarian offerings along with their beef, chicken or fish choices. Yes, veggie burgers are tasty and if they are made properly, no they don't taste like sawdust. Also, salads and other healthy alternatives are popping up as fast food, so keep your eye out for vegetarian and healthy choices.

If you're not the fast food type, most restaurants are also becoming more and more vegetarian friendly. There is usually at least one offering on the menu that is vegetarian or that could be easily modified to be vegetarian. Just ask the wait staff about hidden ingredients like bacon bit toppings or stock used in the sauce and usually the kitchen will be able to modify their menu selection to make it vegetarian. If you're considering getting a vegetarian sounding soup, make sure you double check if the stock used to make the soup is vegetable based. Most soups are made with either chicken or beef stock.

There are lots of options to try vegetarian cooking at home, and it can be a real adventure to find the perfect recipe. There are some great vegetarian cookbooks out on the market, and the internet is a wealth of vegetarian websites and vegetarian recipes are available on most cooking sites. I highly recommend taking a look at the vegetarian recipes on The Food Network and Whole Foods, both of these sites have a great variety of meatless recipes for cooks at any skill level. If you'd rather try something premade, there are now a wealth of pre-made vegetarian options available.

The trick to remember when you're eating meatless is variety. Choose a diverse palate and try new things. Don't be afraid of the much maligned tofu. Yes, if you eat it the way it comes, it will taste gross. I won't lie, plain tofu is not tasty. But the beauty of tofu is that it takes on the flavours of a dish so nicely. Soft tofu is a great addition to drinks or soups or even some desserts, and firm tofu can be crumbled into soups and sauces, or it can be fried or grilled after it's been marinated. I promise you, if you prepare it correctly, tofu is a great addition to any meal.

If you like eating one vegetarian meal and eventually decide to become a vegetarian, make sure you do your research so you do it right. You need to know where to the best sources of protein are and how to combine different foods for optimal nutrition. If you don't, you run the risk of getting quite ill from a lack of needed nutrients. That said, it's not that hard to be vegetarian, but there is more planning involved.

Good luck, I hope some of our readers try a vegetarian meal. If you do, I'd love to hear what you tried and what you thought.

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Has bins...

I happen to live in what is known as the "greenest town in Ontario". This honour comes in part as a result of our community's efforts with regard to our natural resources and the responsibility assumed by individual citizens to do their part.

The Region of Peel provides residents with the tools required to make recycling easy. We have a bin for pretty much everything from newspapers to lawn clippings to kitchen compost to rainwater for plant watering. I am proud to say that I am down to half a bag of garbage per week and have been for over three years.

Continuing with the bin theme, I also purchased these nifty "Greenboxes" (love the name...Bin Shoppin') for my expeditions to the grocery store. I also have begun using the reusable tote bags for smaller purchases.

What else???

Two years ago, my furnace passed on and I decided to invest in a high-efficiency replacement with a programmable thermostat. As the One Million Acts of Green website suggests, I have also cut heat to the rooms of my home that are rarely used.

I use both low voltage and solar lighting outside the house. I wash the majority of my laundry in cold water. I have become quite accustomed to hand washing dishes and usually only use the dishwasher when I have company for dinner. My home was one of the first on my street to be installed with a "Smart Meter".

One thing my 'green' community does not have is public transportation and depending upon where you live in the town, ammenities are quite spread out. When I need to do errands, I try to bunch them together so that even if I have had to drive my car to location, I can walk from place to place. I also keep my tires properly inflated and the car goes for a yearly tune-up in the spring.

So, what's your act of green?

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