A New Year: Determined Action! Lanark County Creates Its Climate Action Plan - theHumm January 2022
A New Year: Determined Action! Lanark County Creates Its Climate Action Plan - theHumm January 2022
By Chandler Swain
Ahhh, good old January. Our time-honoured month to make clear, focused goals. It’s very common to do this on a personal basis, wanting to improve our health and wellbeing and initiate or complete projects and plans. But the wider view of this concept includes setting goals for our community: most specifically in this very challenging time, those that address the Climate Crisis.
We are all aware of the crisis that is looming if we don’t take the steps necessary to make our county — Lanark County — resilient and sustainable very quickly. We are reminded daily of what’s in store if we don’t get very serious about reining in Climate Change. We are confronted with news stories of climate disasters everywhere. These apparently are only a rehearsal of what we’ll experience more and more if the planet continues to warm unabated.
In preparing to write about this, I wanted to know what other counties around Ontario were doing to address the Climate Crisis. Under the Federation of Canadian Municipalities is a program called Partners for Climate Protection. Starting back in 1994, Canadian cities developed Climate Action Plans (CAP). Now, out of some 3600 municipalities in Canada, more than 400 either have or are developing CAPs. At the encouragement of Climate Network Lanark, Lanark County is one of those — and the only rural one in this stretch of Eastern Ontario.
It’s pretty impressive to have a look at what some of these municipalities (for instance: Durham, Wellington-Grey, Greater Sudbury and Thunder Bay) have included in their plans, including ones similar to Lanark County and Smiths Falls in their urban/rural mix. I was so impressed with how they had come up with their plans; in particular, incorporating a lot of community input and engagement.
Lanark County and Smiths Falls are in the midst of developing their Climate Action Plan for us, and are looking at a long list of actions and innovative projects.
As part of the plan, they have to set two targets to reduce local Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) over the next ten years, through to 2029. The first is a corporate target for reducing emissions from the County’s own assets such as their roads, buildings and fleet; and the second is a community target for reducing emissions by all the residents, businesses and community organizations in Lanark County and Smiths Falls.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says we must cut our GHGs in half by 2030 if we are to avoid the calamity of the world warming by more than 1.5–2 degrees — the “1.5 to Stay Alive” slogan. The federal government has committed to cutting Canada’s GHGs by 40-45% by 2030. Lanark County has chosen to set a corporate target of a 20% reduction, with a statement to try to surpass that. The target for the community is to be set in February.
Setting targets is important. An aspirational target can drive innovation, drive goals that leap over incremental change — setting a “man on the moon” type of target. Or they can be safe, bureaucratic goals.
To date there has been no consultation with Lanark County and Smiths Falls residents on what the community target should be. There will be a community consultation on the draft report in May, but that will be after the target has been set.
Climate Network Lanark (CNL) sits on the County committee that is overseeing the development of the plan. We’re inviting you, the public, to tell us what message you want us to take to the committee about the community target.
An inspiring note here is that Lanark County’s Tay Valley Township set targets for its own Climate Action Plan of a 55% reduction for its corporate assets and of a 45% reduction for the community at large, from 2018 to 2028. More details on this plan can be found at calendar.tayvalleytwp.ca .
Serious climate activists around the world have made it clear that where there is a will there is a way — and if governments act ambitiously much can be accomplished. It is also clear that citizens everywhere want their governments to lead on Climate Action! CNL has received hundreds of responses to its Climate Survey, which can be found at climatenetworklanark.ca . We can now state without a doubt that the citizens of Lanark County want their local governments to be ambitious with their CAP and that they are ready to participate to make it happen!
CNL is asking you to support our request to cut emissions from the community in half in our County’s plan. We want to take this request from our citizens forward to the committee overseeing the development of the plan.
You can show your support by going to climatenetworklanark.ca and clicking on Support a 50% Emissions Reduction. We will collect all the names and present them to the Climate Action Committee as evidence that citizens support the committee and Lanark County Council in taking big steps for climate action.
There is a truly hopeful note at the end of a short Ted Talk presented by leading Canadian climate activist Tzeporah Berman at the recent United Nations climate change summit in Edinburgh. It’s entitled “The bad math of the fossil fuel industry”, and is worth watching to get your “engaged citizen of Planet Earth energy” revved up!
Jack Stekelenburg — “Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood?” - theHumm January 2022
By Sally Hansen
Art… and Soul
Ten years ago I wrote that “Renfrew metal sculptor Jack Stekelenburg enjoys challenging our preconceptions of art. Following in the footsteps of his philosophical and artistic mentors, he creates art as an unconscious, unscripted, wordless act of emotional expression. He also plays and experiments and grows as an artist.”
Sixteen years ago the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau inspired a construction worker from Renfre......
Pop, Pivots & Pirouettes Folkus presents The Pairs & Tragedy Ann,In-Person and Virtually! - theHumm January 2022
By Sandy Irvin
With excitement and joy, Folkus planned their 20th season this fall. We’re still hoping for joy, and we’re pivoting and pirouetting and taking all the precautions we can to ensure a safe and beautiful evening together. We really wanted to put Tragedy Ann and The Pairs on our stage because they absolutely love to sing, and they bring a delightful energy to the stage.
One of the things we really miss is gathering together. But some of us still aren’t ready to. And that’s ok. To make sure that peo......
** CANCELLED ** The Snow Moon Festival - theHumm January 2022
By Kris Riendeau
From the organizers of the Snow Moon Festival: "Unfortunately, after much discussion, we've made the difficult decision to postpone the festival to (February 4) 2023."
One thing is certain in these uncertain times — creativity is alive and flourishing in our area! Local venues have expanded patios, poured out into parking spaces, and even used hula hoops to socially-distance audience members keen to keep on experiencing the joys of live performances. Now that winter is upo......
Meet the Artist —Mireille Asselin, Soprano - theHumm January 2022
Internationally acclaimed soprano and Almonte resident Mireille Asselin returned home briefly after performing the role of Amore in the Vancouver Opera’s production of Glück’s Orfeo ed Euridice, before setting off again to perform as a soloist in Handel’s masterpiece Messiah with the Rhode Island Symphony Orchestra. Mireille will be performing with pianist Frédéric Lacroix and violinist/violist Brenna Hardy-Kavanagh on January 16 at the Almonte Old Town Hall, in a ......
Bane of All Things — a Début Novel - theHumm January 2022
By John Pigeau
Growing up, Leo Valiquette was fond of fantastical stories. The Star Wars saga, Tolkien’s Middle Earth books, and classics like Charlotte’s Web — these were the made-up worlds Leo liked to inhabit. Later, in high school, he liked to make up stories and was admittedly “a Dungeon & Dragons nerd.” At some point, he fashioned himself a decent writer, too. Now, many years on, he has realized a lifelong dream and published his first novel, an epic fantasy called Bane ......
Carleton Place Library Reopens to the Public - theHumm January 2022
After a year-long renovation, the Carleton Place Public Library is open to the public again!
The updated interior features new meeting rooms, a laptop bar, new shelving and flooring throughout, energy-saving LED lighting, and fun reading cubbies for kids.
“The new interior is vibrant, accessible and welcoming,” explains library CEO Meriah Caswell. “We are thrilled to be able to welcome the community back to their library and want to thank everyone for their patience and understanding during......
Almonte Lectures - theHumm January 2022
By Glenda Jones
Resolved: that the winter of 2022 will continue to provide interesting events.
Almonte Lectures almontelectures.net continues to live up to that resolution. The live-streamed editions held on the last Friday evening of each month have proven very popular, with up to one hundred participants tuning in every session.
The winter series will kick off on January 28 with Kris Riendeau’s presentation on the history and value of community theatre. Well-known as the editor of theHumm, Kris has been on the stage at the Almont......
A New Year: Determined Action! Lanark County Creates Its Climate Action Plan - theHumm January 2022
By Chandler Swain
Ahhh, good old January. Our time-honoured month to make clear, focused goals. It’s very common to do this on a personal basis, wanting to improve our health and wellbeing and initiate or complete projects and plans. But the wider view of this concept includes setting goals for our community: most specifically in this very challenging time, those that address the Climate Crisis.
We are all aware of the crisis that is looming if we don’t take the steps necessary to make our county — Lanark Count......
Birdhouse Bonanza 2022 - theHumm January 2022
By Glenda Jones and Barb Carroll
Good news! The second annual online birdhouse auction, code name Birdhouse Bonanza, is coming in the last two weeks of April, 2022. This year’s proceeds will go to the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust mmlt.ca to enable them to continue improving the High Lonesome Nature Reserve off Carbine Road in Pakenham. It is fitting that the MMLT is dedicating this event to the memory of the late Michael Macpherson who loved High Lonesome and worked diligently to protect this site during his lifetime.
The improvements at High Lonesome will include:
......
Not In My Back Yard? An Ode to Community Gardens - theHumm January 2022
By David Hinks
A community garden for every neighbourhood? There are many reasons why folks are turning their thoughts towards growing a few potatoes and carrots: global supply chain disruptions, extreme weather events, organic food untainted by chemicals, local food insecurity, just looking for a healthy outdoor activity, higher costs in the grocery store, more time on our hands for home projects, and the need to find something healthy for the kids to do are only a few!
So why grow food in a community ......
Mary Berry Comes to Carroll Side Road - theHumm January 2022
By Glenda Jones
Mary Berry, that paragon of pastry and smiling tourist guide, has chosen to visit our humble home for an upcoming “Notflix” series. It’s a little intimidating to think we’ll be up there with the Downton Abbey castle, but hey, this is our castle, so I’m sure I can haul out the stops to make her stay the epitome of elegance and social grace.
She arrived last Friday as it began to snow. Her limo pulled up and TV crews, cameras, cables and lights were everywhere as the three dogs exploded out the d......
Arts CP Call for Artists - theHumm January 2022
Arts Carleton Place is looking for between 40 and 55 talented artists for their spring Fine Art Show & Sale. Taking place at the Carleton Place Arena from April 30 to May 1, this year’s show ......
Virtual Caregiver Training - theHumm January 2022
A free five-week virtual Practical Caregiver Training Course is being offered to people living in Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Counties. The goal is to make the caregiving experience safer and les......
Apr 20 Perth Trashure Hunt Clean-up
Apr 20 Solitary Man
Apr 27 Festival of the Maples
Apr 27 The Moth Project
May 4 - 5 Spring Fine Art Show
May 4 Outskirts
May 5 Music at Mera: The Andrew Collins Trio
May 11 - 12 Art in the Attic
May 11 Engelbert Humperdinck & Tom Jones Tribute
May 16 MMLT Talk & AGM
- IS THIS A PROTEST?
- A Classic Whodunnit Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee at Studio Theatre
- Readers, Writers, and Poets
- Celebrate Indigenous Culture in CP
- Celebrate the ClassicsWith the Arnprior Choir
- 4F Auction Concoction Food, Fun, Fashion & Favourites
- Cheerfully Made Spring Market
- Electrify to Decarbonize Lanark
- Volunteer Forum
- Frankenstein Comes to The Station Theatre
