A huge helping of humility is clearly one of the most crucial ingredients needed for the year that’s approaching. Plus a giant measure of realism.
Our national government, not to mention its provincial counterpart and many heads of large corporations, is carrying on as if we humans are in charge of our host, the Earth, rather than vice versa. Yet, just last month, the International Energy Agency, an autonomous organization which provides research, analysis and recommendations on energy, warned that if we don’t change direction on how we use and invest in energy in the next five years, we may lose forever the ability to avoid dangerous climate change. The IEA is not considered a Birkenstocks and tie dye-type organization.
Yet we have our federal government opting out of Kyoto and, more importantly, refusing to significantly reduce carbon emissions, while our provincial government supports a pipeline that relies on the environmentally disastrous tar sands, to list just a couple of glaring examples.
The arrogance and shortsightedness of the people making such decisions without consideration for our children and grandchildren is beyond reason. As with other ‘bothersome’ issues for our national ruling party, the approach has been to give no credence to what’s being said, to shut down debate, to manage the message, and to continue on with Plan A. In this case, Plan A is giving Big Oil free rein.
In response, we can do nothing as individuals because we are – not without justification – too tired, too busy, too (insert whatever fits) or, we can make this a fittingly top priority and take individual and collective action to force changes.
It’s up to us because our leaders aren’t leading.