Archives October 2018

Great news from a couple of days ago. There is a long ways to go on reducing pollution (plastic and other) – this is a bit step in the right direction. Hopefully this is the start of many other, big changes in the right direction. 🙂
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/24/european-parliament-approves-ban-on-single-use-plastics-uk-eu-brexit?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_WordPress

Glad to see that the federal government is starting to move on climate action. I admit that I am shocked at how many provinces are resisting, including some that I thought were more progressive than what they have shown in this process.   This is not enough, and much more will need to be done, but it’s a start. 🙂
Trudeau promises rebates as Ottawa moves to levy carbon tax on provinces outside the climate plan
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tasker-carbon-tax-plan-trudeau-1.4874258
Shared via the CBC News Android App

Great news! I hope this passes, and I would love to see it spread further. I believe that there are countless more sustainable options to single use plastic – straws, for example, when needed could be made from something other than plastic.  Hopefully North America will follow soon after. 🙂
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/22/ban-on-plastic-straws-stirrers-and-cotton-buds-pollution-could-come-into-force-by-2019?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_WordPress

Great ideas! I especially like the idea of restaurants offering reusable containers which can be returned at any time. Doesn’t count on customers always having reusable dishes with them when they want to pick something up, so it should have a much higher success rate than other options.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/zero-waste-takeout-1.4867042
Shared via the CBC News Android App

The pledge founder wants to encourage more medical professionals to learn about the power of a plant-based diet.
I love this idea! I would love to see it spread further! 🙂
https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/500-doctors-plant-based-one-week

Follow up from earlier post. Key quotes…

The new research, published in the journal Nature, is the most thorough to date and combined data from every country to assess the impact of food production on the global environment. It then looked at what could be done to stop the looming food crisis.

The researchers found a global shift to a “flexitarian” diet was needed to keep climate change even under 2C, let alone 1.5C. This flexitarian diet means the average world citizen needs to eat 75% less beef, 90% less pork and half the number of eggs, while tripling consumption of beans and pulses and quadrupling nuts and seeds. This would halve emissions from livestock and better management of manure would enable further cuts.
In rich nations, the dietary changes required are ever more stark. UK and US citizens need to cut beef by 90% and milk by 60% while increasing beans and pulses between four and six times.

NOTE: These numbers are only measure to limit increases to 2C, while an increase of 1.5C  is seen as the realistic cap. Therefore, based on my understanding, the percentage decreases listed above are a very conservative estimate, and the 1.5C calculations would require even greater cuts in all areas. Essentially, that amounts to a whole foods, plant-based diet, either completely or nearly completely, for many/most/all people, with the greatest cuts coming from the wealthiest countries.

Prof Peter Smith at the University of Aberdeen, who was also not part of the research team, said: “We know food choices are very personal, and that behaviour change can be difficult to encourage, but the evidence is now unequivocal – we need to change our diets if we are to have a sustainable future. The fact that it will also make us healthier makes it a no-brainer.” (Bold mine.)

………..
Huge reduction in meat-eating ‘essential’ to avoid climate breakdown
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/10/huge-reduction-in-meat-eating-essential-to-avoid-climate-breakdown?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_WordPress

With the latest reports, it is clear, again that climate action can not be delayed. Major changes are needed, and there is very little time left to prevent catastrophic climate change that will seriously limit the quality of life that we pass on to our children and future generations.
Combined from recommendations of others, and a few of my own thoughts, here are my top recommendations (not an exhaustive list) for things that we can all do right now:

• Switch to a whole foods, plant-based diet. Whether you go 100% or just part way, this will help. Cut red meat and processed etc first, then keep going to reduce/eliminate other meat, dairy and eggs. Use local/organic as much as possible, for sourcing food. (Naturally, the further you go, the better, but every step is better than nothing. So, don’t be intimidated by the end goal. Take it one step at a time, and you may surprise yourself with how easy it is to switch!)
  • Let’s imagine switching to plant-based for school cafeterias, church potlucks or any of a variety of other places, in addition to what we do at home.
• Reduce/eliminate single-use plastic etc as much as possible.
• Live simply/downsize in whatever ways work for your household. 🙂
• Transition to more public transit/electric cars and away from gas cars: the sooner the better.
• Seriously support green energy projects (solar panels on your roof, wind farms etc) and help to end support for pipelines/fossil fuels/nuclear etc. Add BullFrog Power (or other similar) to your house etc if you haven’t already.
• Elect goverments that will seriously act on climate change: now, not just at some distant election far off into the future. No other gains that a goverment might offer are worth stalling on climate action. In Canada, supporting proportional representation is likely our best bet to get more Greens elected. (Check LeadNow for more info on PR.)
• Think back to where you were a decade ago, and imagine 10 years in the future: It’s not a long time. Waiting until a different life stage (eg when the kids are grown/when I get a promotion/when…) will likely be too late, and changes will be more expensive than they are now. So, let’s get excited about what we can do together! 🙂

Remember that there are sometimes contradictions that we will face (eg sometimes it’s hard to buy nuts and seeds that aren’t packaged in plastic.)  Also, to be clear, I am not asking anybody to do things that are bad for them. So, if you are allergic to chickpeas, I am not asking you to start eating hummus every day. If you already live in a small space, them I am, naturally, not asking you to downsize.  I do believe, however, that most of us have some space in our lives to make changes – some will be easier and some will be less convenient, but there is lots that we can  and must do. This is about what we can each do – individually and collectively. Let’s focus on what steps we are able to take, and not on what we can’t do. This is achievable, if we all do our best together. 🙂
There’s lots of coverage out there, and I’m not going to list them all here. Here are a couple to start with:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-45775309

“Keeping to the preferred target of 1.5C above pre-industrial levels will mean “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.”

http://gu.com/p/9tfpn