Should arouse agihfiioin'

BY EVELYN MEADER

The summer of 1987 will long be remembered in P.E.I. by those who enjoy sunny, dry, calm golden days. It was a genuine "Holiday Island" summer. No rain falling means no acid rain either — a dry summer plus you may not have considered.

The July /87 issue of "Reader's Digest" contains a disturbing but informative article, "And Still the Skies Rain Acid" by Robert Collins, one of the first Canadian journalists to report "on the ravages of acid rain" (see June 1980 issue). There are two suggestions at the end of the article on what we can do about acid rain. Be sure our 50% emissions re- duction target is met — check with M.P. and M.L.A. Tell Americans what pollution from their country is doing to the land they love to visit. Both countries must work together to solve the problem.

Stories like "Hydro fiddles while maple trees die" (Toronto Star 22/4/87) and "Acid rain fight costs $3 million" - a lobby against acid rain controls in the U.S. (Globe 2/6/87) are discouraging but there is progress. All 700,000 fishing licesnces sold in Ontario this year were stapled to a card with acid rain information and an address for getting even more information: Acid Rain Information

Ontario Ministry of the Environment 115 St. Clair Ave., W. Toronto, Ont. M7A 929

If you would like to read any of the acid rain news that comes from the Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain (CCAR), Evelyn Meader has it by the quire for your reading, not musical enjoyment! From August 1 "Acid Rain News": 1. U.S. research funds have been cut by the House of Representa— tives. Could this mean a realization that it is time for action not fur— ther study? 2. U.S. An E.P.A. study shows delay in acid rain control programs costs the U.S. billions in lost health and welfare benefits.

3. WORLD A joint U.N. and World Health Organization study shows acid rain pollution endangers 600 million city dwellers worldwide.

Dry summers are indeed pleasant for holidayers but everyone knows we need rain. We need life—giving rain, not the lethal precipitation that is still "killing wildlife, wilting forests, eroding buildings and threaten- ing human health in many parts of the world" (Globe 27/4/87). Is it any wonder the folks being showered in the 7Up ad are so agitated? We all need to agitate that our "April Showers" do bring May flowers and not bay (or lake or river) sours!

Trust elects new exec.

Barb MacDonald has been elected President of the Is— land Nature Trust at a recent meeting. Doug Deacon, vice- president, Wendell Profitt, treasurer, and Brian McKenna, secretary, were also elected to the executive. Along with Executive Director Diane Griffin, the following are also on the Board of Directors: Mrs. Justin C. MacLellan, Hon. Angus MacLean, Daryl Guignion, Dr. Edgar MacDonald, Dr. Ian MacQuarrie, Dr. Thomas Hall, Bruce Smith, Joyce MacLeod, Pat Doyle, Connie Ings, Ian Scott and Lorne MacDougald. The Trust has also announced that it will host the Canadian Council on Ecological Areas' annual meeting nextiyear in Charlottetown.

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