An Amherstburg woman’s environmental efforts have led to her leading up a local branch of a national organization.
Bille Gardner is leading local efforts for “Seniors for Climate” locally, noting about 25 per cent of the population nationally is age 60 or over. She is encouraging seniors to gather and add their voices to concerns over climate change.
“We must stop burning fossil fuels as fast as we can,” she said.
There is no one body they are focusing on, Gardner added, but want all levels of government to pay attention.
“Seniors for climate is not looking to target any level of government,” said Gardner. “We’re saying ‘leadership, you need to get together.’"
Gardner is one of the seniors making presentations to local groups, with one recent presentation being at Amherstburg Community Services’ “Feast with Friends” luncheon. According to the presentation, it states climate change is affecting people’s health due to extreme heat, wildfires, floods, storms and droughts.
“Action on climate must be intergenerational and intersectional, joining youth, First Nations, the disadvantaged and equity seeking populations,” Gardner’s presentation states.
With Oct. 1 being Canadian Seniors Day, Seniors for Climate is using that day to try and mobilize seniors and attract attention to the climate crisis. The organization is also trying to educate seniors on terms and concepts fundamental to understanding climate change.
Seniors for Climate is also trying to clear up what they believe are misconceptions people might be holding on some basic components on the changing climate.
“We’re just saying later is too late,” she said. “We need to get on this. We’re entering what we call unchartered territory. We haven’t been this warm in 100,000 years.”
Climate change is defined as a change in the temperature and precipitation patterns in a region. Global warming is the increase in the average global temperature.
Gardner said she got involved with Seniors for Climate because the organization did not have a presence below London. She said she has been concerned with the environment since she was 26-years-old and is calling for a sustained effort to deal with the matter.
“Canada is not doing badly but we can do better,” she believed.
Gardner said she is looking for other individuals and groups to speak to. She said “anyplace with a collection of seniors I could speak to” are the audiences she wants to get in front of.
For more information on Seniors for Climate, visit www.seniorsforclimate.org.
Climate change is defined as a change in the temperature and precipitation patterns in a region. Global warming is the increase in the average global temperature.
Gardner said she got involved with Seniors for Climate because the organization did not have a presence below London. She said she has been concerned with the environment since she was 26-years-old and is calling for a sustained effort to deal with the matter.
“Canada is not doing badly but we can do better,” she believed.
Gardner said she is looking for other individuals and groups to speak to. She said “anyplace with a collection of seniors I could speak to” are the audiences she wants to get in front of.
For more information on Seniors for Climate, please visit their website at www.seniorsforclimate.org.
Seniors for Climate chapter started locally
By Ron Giofu
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