Building a shiny new normal

 In Opinion

There is a lot of dialogue around what reopening the economy looks like, and what’s the best way to do it.
One thing we know for sure – a return to normal isn’t possible. Nor is it desirable. Because let’s face it: normal was a crisis.
With the pandemic’s devastation coupled with the collapse of the oil industry, Nature has triggered an “are you sure” warning, asking us to weigh carefully before we click “yes” to business as usual.
Over the past years, the main argument against investing in sustainable technologies, public transportation, greening the grid and transitioning the oil industry has been the massive investment it requires. That argument is now moot.
Our governments are injecting over $150 billion into our economy towards recovery. Whether we invest in the right places is yet to be seen.
The federal government already took positive steps when it funded the clean up and conversion of decommissioned oil wells instead of bailing out big oil. We need more of that thinking as we move forward.
It’s critically important that we don’t recreate mistakes of the past. This investment requires visionary thinking and careful analysis to make sure we are not only rebuilding, but improving our existing economy and infrastructure, and building better ways of doing things.
We are on a precipice of either change, or disaster. It requires steely resolve and courage. The Federal government itself has one leg in the past, and one the future.
As citizens, we have significant influence, and an opportunity to shape the path forward.
This month, we focus on getting informed about government climate policies at all levels. We will contact our governments about our hopes for climate action and stimulus investment. Then, we’ll shift focus to what can be done in our own backyards.
June 3: The goal is to get more informed about your local, provincial, federal governments’ actions related to climate change. You will be surprised how detailed (or not) they are. If you feel ambitious, read the environmental policies for all political parties too. There are links to all levels of government on our blog site: www.52weeksofclimateaction.com.
June 10: Communicate with one level of government with your hope for climate action.
Email (good), mail (better), in person or schedule a virtual meeting (best). Direct contact by individuals has shown to have the most impact on government decision-making. Your communication does not need to be confrontational or angry. It can be personal, and as simple as “I am wondering if we will be getting local electric buses … I would support that initiative”. OR “I would love to contribute to a community vegetable garden and see more fruit trees planted in public spaces.”
June 17: Learn/review your municipality’s composting rules. New things are regularly added, so you may be surprised to see what’s now compostable.
June 24: If you do not compost now, start this week by getting a compost pail. If you compost already, see if there is something you could be putting in (like pet waste) that you haven’t been. If you are in a rural area, create a compost pile or vermiculture to deal with food and yard waste. Put in only green (kitchen scraps) or brown (leaves) matter. No meat or dairy to avoid attracting pests. Save this for your municipal collection.
Supporting a green recovery for Canada is critical right now. And, while we wait for that to unfold, let’s continue acting on a personal level to do our part. Action from the top down, and bottom up, will bring us closer to the goal of a healthier planet for everyone. Then we all win.

52 Weeks is an initiative conceived by Laurel Hood and Sherri Jackson. Laurel is a retired secondary school teacher from CCI, a climate activist and transportation lead for the Collingwood Climate Action Team (CCAT). Sherri is a writer and speaker, climate activist, communications lead for CCAT, and CCAT’s newsletter editor. She also hosted two Green New Deal town halls in the region.

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