As those of you who know me may be aware, I have been actively working in the climate change field for the past few years since leaving university. Over this time, this has become an increasingly important issue for me, and I have grown increasingly concerned over Canada’s repeated failure to act on the subject. With this in mind, I’ve taken the decision to act on my concerns and am starting up a non profit organization focused on environmental education programs.
Climate change is just one indication of the way in which mankind is throwing our ecosystem out of balance. It is true that changes in the Earth’s climate are not uncommon in our planet’s long history, but not changes of this magnitude and rate. Our actions are provoking a response – a response none of us can accurately predict, but if left unchecked is likely to be devastating.
Defining the problem isn’t difficult. The difficulty lies in finding and enacting solutions. Eleven years ago, Canada committed to a lofty commitment on greenhouse gas reductions. Governments have come and gone, promising to take action to meet our Kyoto commitments, yet each one has left Canada worse off, in terms of emissions, then when it started. In short, while Canadians are more and more aware of the challenges of climate change, they continue to emit more and more greenhouse gases.
Working with Matt Grant and Farron Blanc, and with the advice of many many others, we’ve developed a plan to deliver to students the information required to think critically and make informed decisions about not only their own actions and their impact on our climate, but also the role that businesses and governments can play in the solution. We’ll do this through development of a curriculum, interactive presentations, integrated learning opportunities and student run projects. Our intention is to start this project in Fredericton, New Brunswick, hopefully by this October/November (as we are currently awaiting a decision of charity status from the CRA).
What I am looking for from all of you is your support. If you have ideas, or contacts, or other friends who are interested in climate change, we want to know. A key element to our success will be the interest of a broad network of members, giving us a larger voice in the debate on the future of climate change in Canada. Over time, we want this website to serve as a point of communication between all of us on issues relating to climate change, and as a resource for making more informed decisions about our actions. It’s intended to be a collaborative approach, not us telling you what to think. If you’ve got a thought, or an idea, let us know. We’ll be opening the site up to contributors shortly so that everyone can have their say in the debate.
Take a look around our site, learn a bit about us and what makes us tick, and don’t be afraid to send us a note.
Welcome to The Gaia Project