Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Canadians are not Doing Enough

According to this, the Conservative Canadian government has not been doing enough to curb global warming.  Many, many people think that since they recycle that is enough on their part.  We have to take a serious look at where our energy is coming from, how we commute to work,  how much and what we eat and use.  We are closing onto the threshold, where once we cross it our actions will be irreversible. We have to start acting now, as in this year and it needs to be drastic. 

Luckily Canadians have an election coming up in a month on May 2, 2011.  We have a chance to elect the NDP or Green Party into power, both of which are ready to take the drastic action that is necessary to solve climate change.  Cities need more funding for public transit, we need to replace our congested highways with high speed rail, we need to build more efficient buildings and homes.  These are all things that the Green Party and NDP are ready to do, both of these parties will act on what is right rather than what makes them the most popular.  This would include cutting the $1 Billion subsidies awarded annually to the oil industry.  This would include investing heavily in renewable sources of energy such as wind or solar and shutting down coal power plants.  This would include shutting down the asbestos mines in Quebec.  This would include protecting vital forests, mountains and rivers so that people can live.  This would include cutting income taxes and instead taxing the corporations that decide to pollute our environment.  These parties are ready to act, are you?

The platform and information for both parties can be found here Green Party and here NDP.

A long time ago in junior school days we were undertaking a discussion about climate change.  We have two scenarios, on the one side we can choose to ignore the problem, do nothing and hope for the best.  On the other side we can choose to take the necessary steps to reverse climate change.  With the first option if you are wrong the consequences are huge, however if we take the second route and we are wrong what is the worst that can happen?  We spend money which creates jobs to make our energy, transportation, and living systems more efficient.  If we choose to take action it will not go to waste if it does not happen,  we will have cleaned up our skies, our water, and we would have ensured that it stays that way for future generations as laws are put in place.  I would gladly say that I was wrong if proven so, I don't think that the guy still driving his hummer can say the same thing when he is proven wrong.

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