According to NASA’s website on climate change, 97 per cent or more of actively publishing climate scientists agree: climate warming is very likely caused by humans.
So how do we, as average Albertans, do something about it?
This year’s Cochrane Ideas session, happening tomorrow (Sept. 11) at King Solomon Lodge at 7 p.m., aims to spark discussion on the practical things as well as the larger climate change initiatives, Andy Marshall, of Cochrane Ideas, said.
“The idea of the Ideas session,” Marshall explained, “is to look at practical ideas to encourage the use of alternative energy and to encourage active support for renewable energy sources that can lead to our transition to beyond fossil fuels.”
A number of speakers will be presenting at this year’s Ideas. Cochranite Michael Kerfoot, who’s been involved in the construction of energy efficient homes since 1976, will present on sustainable and energy efficient building methods.
Evan Bouey, a Calgary oil patch engineer, will speak on Elon Musk’s “open technology” work with electric storage and cars. Musk is the business magnate who formed Tesla Motors and SolarCity committed to a clean, renewable energy future for the world.
The last speaker, Roger Gagne, will discuss initiatives now under way in Calgary relating to climate change and how all citizens can become involved. Along with his environmental activism, Gagne ran as the Evergreen Party’s (now the Green Party of Alberta) candidate for the riding of Calgary-Klein in 2012.
Gagne is a member of the Climate Change Action Network, which has a number of initiatives that will be covered at the session.
With an international conference on climate change scheduled for Paris, France, in November and December, the network is urging people to express their views to the Climate Change Advisory Panel set up by the new NDP government to assess policy options and make a presentation to the conference.
The network hopes a critical aspect of the policy options will include the introduction of a meaningful carbon tax in the province and active support for renewable energy sources that can lead Alberta’s transition beyond fossil fuels.
The network also believes that a price on carbon will encourage all emitters – industrial, commercial and household – to make smarter use of energy and start moving to less polluting energy alternatives, such as solar, wind, biomass and geothermal.
After the speakers, Ideas’ moderator David Sweeney will lead a discussion on the topics raised.
All interested people are welcome to attend the Ideas evening free of charge. Donations are welcome.
Cochrane Ideas has been operating for 15 years, offering once a month a wide range of discussion on many subjects of interest. For more information, call 403-932-6580.
