Are You Riled Up Yet? - theHumm February 2022

By Chandler Swain

Rick Smith is well known for his work on the impacts of pollution on human health. The research in his book Death by Rubber Ducky was the impetus to get hormone-disrupting carcinogenic chemicals out of baby bottles and kids’ toys. When parents realized that BPA was in the bottles they used every day to feed their vulnerable newborns, they demanded — and got — a foot-dragging federal government to classify the chemical as a toxin to protect Canadians’ health.

It has been proven again and again: if citizens get together to demand action from governments, change will happen. The folks at Climate Network Lanark (CNL) who are working with Lanark County Council to form an aggressive Climate Action Plan tell me that other counties in Eastern Ontario are reaching out to get some guidance to work with their own councils in the hopes of getting the results we aspire to (demand?) here in Lanark.

It has been very inspiring to hear from citizens from neighbouring counties who are determined to get their councils moving on real climate action.

CNL was contacted by JJ Davies, who recently moved to Renfrew County and was interviewed by theHumm for their Hummail e-newsletter and the article on page 14 of this issue. JJ was inspired to try and get her new home county on the path to serious climate action, and in fact presented to Arnprior Municipal Council in late January. She reached out to CNL, and we are now hearing from others who also want to learn how CNL has achieved what it has so far.

Lynn Ovenden is involved with an organization called EcoEast (EcoEst), which is demanding sustainable action in the United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR). UCPR’s council consists of the mayors of the eight municipalities in Prescott-Russell. In the spring of 2021, EcoEast asked residents to help create a climate action plan, which resulted in the UCPR Coalition for Climate Action. They prepared a briefing note and petition with 300 signatures requesting that the county join the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Partners for Climate Protection and commit to planning for climate action. A working group of staff and citizens will develop the plan. In their meeting with UCPR Council in November 2021, EcoEast persuaded the Council to join the program. Because of a lack of staff and experience to undertake a climate action plan, they deferred any decision on who might create a climate action plan. Now in 2022, they continue to meet and build public support for climate action in Prescott Russell. We wish them well as they forge on!

We were further inspired to hear from Michèle Andrews from Sustainable Merrickville-Wolford — an organization founded in the fall of 2019 to coordinate local action to address the climate crisis. In November 2019 they petitioned the United Counties of Leeds & Grenville to declare a Climate Emergency and initiate a Climate Action Plan. There was no interest from the county at that time, though after some pressure from the media and local residents the matter came back to them and they committed to having a Climate Action Plan initiated by June of 2020. The pandemic, along with turnover of the County’s CAO, has sidelined that initiative. The group states that they have been keenly following the impressive work of Climate Network Lanark and are hopeful that when the pandemic winds down and the next municipal election has passed, they will be able to bring this back and point to Lanark as an excellent local model for addressing the crisis.

Meanwhile, Sustainable Merrickville-Wolford has a robust website sustainablemw.org with lots of practical suggestions as to how people can take action. Their plans for 2022 include collaborating with the Chamber of Commerce to bring climate change action to their members, and to bring awareness during the next two elections of the need for all candidates to address the climate crisis, regardless of party affiliation. For more information, people can reach the group at info@sustainablemw.org .

You can see that citizens everywhere are realizing that without solidarity, real movement on climate isn’t going to happen. People-power is needed: RIGHT NOW! No one can remain on the sidelines anymore.

We have written about the CNL survey in this column numerous times, and the response has been inspiring! You can still take the survey: find it on the homepage of climatenetworklanark.ca . We are using the great ideas from the survey, along with tons of citizen action experience, to create change. And while you are there, please sign on to tell the committee developing our Lanark County Community Climate Action Plan that we want to see our Greenhouse Gas emissions cut in half by 2030. This is a critical step to keep from increasing global temperatures over 2°C and falling into climate catastrophe.

Here is another quote from Rick Smith to help sharpen your focus on the fundamental issue of our time: “How many casualties will there be before we finally learn from our mistakes? It’s only through working together that we can protect ourselves and future generations from more unnecessary suffering.”

Realizing that people all over the rural counties in Eastern Ontario are working for Climate Action is very hopeful. Please let us know how you would like to get involved: email climatenetworklanark.ca .

Chris Cavan —Rooted to the Sky - theHumm February 2022

By Sally Hansen

Art… and Soul

Almonte artist Chris Cavan’s exuberant watercolour paintings are a testament to the essential role that trees play in her creativity and overall wellbeing. Trees have sustained and inspired her since she was a young girl, and dominate her art, her poetry and her writings. On the advice of Almonte “Energizer Bunny” and fellow artist Neil Carleton, Chris compiled an extensive binder of her art, photographs and original writings to accompany her recent art exhibit at the Corrid......

Are You Riled Up Yet? - theHumm February 2022