SaltWire E-Edition

Climate Crisis is here and now, and all of us can help

DON CAMERON don.cameron@novascotia.ca @Saltwirenetwork Don Cameron is a registered professional forester.

In 2012, polar explorer Robert Swan personally witnessed that the far north was literally melting before his eyes due to the effects of climate warming. His quote, “the greatest danger to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it,” makes a good point that could benefit all of us.

At this time in history, the evidence is overwhelming – we are slowly but surely fouling our one and only home – Earth. Even dogs don’t do this.

Science is helping us determine the problems causing the climate crisis, as well as helping to devise tools and actions to improve the situation. For instance, we know the burning of fossil fuels is the single largest cause of our critical situation. We currently have options that we can choose to dramatically decrease, or eliminate, our use of carbon. Examples would be converting to solar or wind sourced energy homes and electric vehicles. These are expensive steps, but with available government funding and incentives, it has never been more affordable. By creating a solar powered home, one would significantly increase its value, and it could be paid off over several years, while enjoying virtually free electricity.

Overconsumption is at the root of some of our biggest environmental challenges. Compounding the hyper-consumerism world we find ourselves, is that people are often purchasing useless gifts for others on special occasions. These gifts are often never used, and often thrown in the garbage, or in a best-case scenario – regifted on a future occasion.

As our lovely spring season approaches, here’s a challenge for us in the coming year. Why not resolve to consume less of the stuff we don’t need, and when we consider gifts for others, choose gifts that are better for the body, soul, community, bank account and planet? Following are a few possible ideas:

• Enjoyable experiences like live theatre; outings like date night or family night; fun activities like bowling, tennis or pickleball

• Local, eco-friendly personal care products like soap, lip balm and lotions

• Eco-friendly gifts like a compost pail, beeswax wraps or reusable containers for leftovers to replace the need for single-use Styrofoam and plastic in the kitchen

• Home-made baking or preserves; or even better, a home-cooked meal and get-together

• Gifts from thrift stores where there are tons of great deals on great nearly-new products

• A subscription for a food box from a local community-supported farm

• Books or courses on gardening, energy efficiency, renewable energy or other sustainability topics

• Personal gift certificates for later enjoyment – food, trip, activities

• Commemorative donations to organizations that do good for the community or the planet, like the Nature Trust of Nova Scotia; the Nature Conservancy of Canada; the Trans Canada Trail, local shelters, United Way, Food Bank; or another organization that shares your values

• As gifts, give trees, or plant trees and perennials in honour of the special person receiving the gift, at a location that would be meaningful to them

• The gift of time; a visit or phone call to an old friend, relative or anyone who could use a bit of company is far more valuable than more stuff

Recent good news is the International Energy Agency recently reported that the world is set to add as much renewable power in the next five years as it did in the past 20 years.

It is important for all of us to keep in mind that we can’t expect others to fix the climate crisis situation; we can all help in some local or global way. As Margaret Mead famously said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”

Opinion

en-ca

2023-03-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

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