Local communities setting lofty and far-off goals like 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050 may make some of us feel good. Not so with me.
Carbon emissions continue to increase globally at an alarming rate, the twinning of the Enbridge pipeline is going ahead, the coal trains to the coast keep running, and the development of a liquified natural gas terminal on the coast are going ahead.
Given the ever-increasing rate of climate change, these activities are irrational and should have been stopped 20 years ago. I don’t notice much change in behaviour globally or locally. As soon as there is enough snow, Ski-Doos are roaring up and down the mountains.
People are flying south for holidays or going on cruises. Our carbon emissions could be reduced by more than half if we all just did what is necessary to sustain life. We currently enjoy a very high quality of life and are putting that in jeopardy by continuing our ego-driven pursuit of pleasure.
Action must be taken immediately. Sea levels are rising at twice the rate they rose 20 years ago. We are well beyond the tipping point. The lack of snow and precipitation in the first half of this winter is alarming. If our mountains are subject to drought conditions, we are in deep trouble. The immediate thing we can all do is consume less and burn less fuel.
Let’s think about what we can do today and we can at least lessen the extent of the inevitable extreme weather events in the future.
Brian Zacharias
Blewett