Today’s guest blogger is Cheryl McNamara, whose blog Carbon Slim offers tasks and tips to help readers reduce their carbon footprints. Cheryl also runs Climate Response, a grassroots on-line group whose purpose is to “elevate the public conversation on climate change and the transition to a low-carbon economy”. The following article is from August 4, 2010:
Some of you have been asking about my Carbon Slim blog. My apologies for the spotty installments. I’ve been busy writing to Canadian Senators and now, the President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, to stop plotting to kill Bill C-311, the Climate Change Accountability Bill. The Bill is now before the Senate.
To read my exchange with Perrin Beatty, President of the Chamber of Commerce, who is urging industry to lobby the Senate to kill the Bill, visit http://www.trunity.net/climateresponse/blogs/view/149327/?topic=28777
For my correspondence with Marjory LeBreton, Leader of the Government in the Senate, visit http://www.trunity.net/climateresponse/blogs/view/147728/?topic=28777
Things are little hairy, what with the US Senate not doing a damn thing about climate change, despite 2010 being the hottest year on record. Governments are failing us because, let’s face it, they receive campaign money from big oil and coal, or believe we must hitch our economic wagon to oil and coal extraction.
350.org is mobilizing citizens through its 10.10.10 campaign. If governments won’t act, people will. Time is of the essence. It’s not time to give up. In five years time, if no significant action is taken on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, then god help us all.
Bill Mckibben, who spearheaded 350.org, has this to say about the matter – http://www.tomdispatch.com/archive/175281/
More links:
If you are interested in being notified and contributing comments when articles on climate change and alternative energy appear in the mainstream media, click here to join Climate Response.
one Senator who will engage you positively is Grant Mitchell, the Liberal point man on C-311 in the Senate, it’s hard to read the guy but maybe part of his problem is innate Canadian politeness because he seems passionate enough when you talk to him
he makes a statement about C-311 on YouTube ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAc0a1cX1kI ) though I have to wonder where his ‘perhaps’ comes from?
and then too, he goes supporting off-shore drilling ( http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/senate-gives-thumbs-up-to-offshore-drilling/article1677199/ ) but this Globe article is suspect as well – the picture shows jack-up rigs which are not used in deep water as far as I know, and they incorrectly put Mitchell in Newfoundland instead of Alberta, dunderheads!
when I took him up on the off-shore issue he seemed to think it was either inevitable or economically necessary or some such fol-de-rol – but I give him credit, at least he will talk to you, and on his nickle
I recommend Tim Jackson’s ‘Prosperity Without growth’ – Jackson is such a good fellow that he even explains the economic bafflegab as he goes along making this book particularly ‘acccessible’ as they say
be well, David.
Sorry,David, it looks like your links caused your comment to end up in the spam line. I, too, was quite distressed to hear the Senate committee’s conclusion on offshore drilling this past week. With the Gulf disaster fresh on Canadian’s minds you think they could have done better. Thanks for taking this up with Senator Mitchell. We all need to be – but it’s interesting that it was announced in the middle of august when folks are on holidays!