Climate Action Muskoka (CAM) delegated to the Huntsville councillors Wednesday to express community support for real climate action that will drive down fossil fuel pollution. Having been invited to delegate, CAM reviewed why escalating climate impacts require urgent action.
CAM also presented results from two climate surveys – one carried out by the District of Muskoka and the other an International Gallop Poll (see above) – that show citizens are demanding that their governments act to lower climate-heating greenhouse gas emissions and, surprisingly, that they are willing to pay more taxes and even to contribute personal income to get the task done!
Thank you to the 50+ community members who came out to support our delegation.
Climate Action Muskoka, Climate Action Parry Sound and Almaguin Climate Action invite you to join us in Huntsville on Sunday, September 17 at 1:30 pm for a Global March to End Fossil Fuels. We will meet at Flag Park (West Rd., & Centre. St. N.) and together we will march down to River Mill Park. There will be group chants before we set out and some brief speeches at River Mill Park. Bring your End Fossil Fuels signage.
Why Now?
This is part of a global call to action involving thousands of climate action groups worldwide demanding an end to our heavy reliance on fossil fuels. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is hosting a global Climate Ambition Summit in New York City in September in which the “ticket to entry” is tangible action to keep fossil fuels in the ground. Thousands of climate groups worldwide are planning climate strikes on Sept. 15 and marches to end fossil fuels on Sept. 17, including a mass demonstration — March to End Fossil Fuels in New York.
Climate Action Muskoka, Climate Action Parry Sound, Almaguin Climate Action and more than 75 supporters met in the pouring rain at the Flag Park in Huntsville and together marched to River Mill Park on Sunday.
We chanted, we marched, we exchanged ideas, and we, voters and constituents, signed open letters to MP Scott Aitchison and MPP Graydon Smith calling for no new fossil fuel projects, a halt to continued gas expansion in Huntsville, Burk’s Falls and other Ontario communities, investment in community-owned renewables and holding polluters responsible for harms caused to communities.
Thank you to the organizers, and to all of you who came out. This is important work!
Flag Park – photo: Ian HastieOn the March – photo Tamsen TillsonRiver Mill Park – photo: Len Ring
Our MP needs to hear from you! Join us this Wednesday.
HUNTSVILLE: 11 am at MP Scott Aitchison’s office, 1-15 Northland Lane, beside Alban printing and Bowman’s Fuel. (isn’t that ironic?) contact: chrlauffer@outlook.com
PARRY SOUND: 11:30am James/Mary St. Intersection
Bring gas or face masks, signs, and friends as we push our representative to muster up the courage to combat the climate crisis. There are record-breaking wildfires burning from coast-to-coast. We know why those fires are raging and the air is unbreathable. It’s time for our federal leaders to stop fuelling the flames of climate chaos with fossil fuel subsidies.
Almaguin Climate Action (ACA), Climate Action Parry Sound (CAPS) and Climate Action Muskoka (CAM) are demanding:
An immediate end to subsidies, hard caps for oil and gas emissions, no new projects, and no more industry influence over our politics.
Enact a Just Transition: Urgently shift us to 100% renewable energy while generating millions of unionized jobs, following Indigenous leadership, and rapidly decarbonizing in line with climate science.
See and test drive electric vehicles. Get your questions answered.
Bracebridge, April 13, 2023 — Muskoka Conservancy and Climate Action Muskoka proudly announce the first-ever Muskoka EV Show, coming to the Bracebridge Fairgrounds on Saturday, May 27 from 10:00am – 1:00pm.
“The future is electric, and the faster we can get there the better,” said Peter Love, an energy consultant and Muskoka Conservancy board member who instigated the idea. “Muskoka is well-positioned to be a leader in this revolution.” “Private vehicles are responsible for almost 70% of all community greenhouse gas emissions in Muskoka,” said Lesley Hastie, lead event organizer for Climate Action Muskoka. “Switching to electric promises to make a huge difference here. People are excited to see and test drive and learn about electric vehicles. The Muskoka EV Show will help them make that move.” The show—so far—includes:
New EVs from Cavalcade Ford, Tesla, Muskoka Nissan and Hyundai of Muskoka
New electric bikes from 171 Electric Bike Company
An electric launch conversion from Stan Hunter Boatbuilder
Park-and-Display area with electric cars and bikes and their owners, ready to answer your questions. Some may opt to take visitors for a ride along or a test drive.
Presentations and information from the Electric Vehicle Society, enVgo, Lakeland Solutions, PlugNDrive, reThinkgreen, and keynote speaker Steve Lapp, an expert on EVs and low carbon energy technology system design and education.
Admission is free. Donations appreciated. Bring your own water bottle
Learn about electric vehicles and find out what EV ownership is really like. Test drive an electric vehicle and see for yourself how well they perform. Visit climateactionmuskoka.org for further details. If you have an electric vehicle or are an electric vehicle dealer interested in participating in the show, or if you are available to volunteer, contact Lesley Hastie at climateactionmuskoka@gmail.com. Muskoka Conservancy is a charitable organization that works to conserve and protect natural spaces in Muskoka for future generations. Climate Action Muskoka is an inclusive, non-partisan grassroots group whose mission is to collaborate with individuals, businesses, groups and all levels of government to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis
TLDSB Superintendent of Education Jay MacJanet receives a delivery of bookmarks and curriculum. Left to right: Tamsen Tillson, Sue McKenzie, Len Ring, Jay MacJanet, Janet Libke, Linda Mathers and Joanne Garvey.
You have no doubt heard of Climate Action Muskoka’s Community Carbon Challenge, an initiative to highlight and promote everyday actions that we can all take to reduce our carbon footprint to achieve a 50% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030. This week, in partnership with the Retired Teachers of Ontario RTOERO, District 46 Muskoka, Community Carbon Challenge-inspired curriculum along with CCC bookmarks are being delivered to all Muskoka students in grades 4-6 in the Trillium Lakelands District School Board, Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board, and every private school.
A downloadable PDF of this curriculum is free to access
Know a teacher who might be interested? Please share!
“We hope that students will take the ideas home and encourage their families to take up the Challenge to reduce their GHG emissions”, says CAM member, Len Ring.
A study of youth around the globe, released in Britain last September prior to the global COP26 Climate Summit, reveals that young people are feeling helplessness and despair about the climate crisis. It identified the source of their anxiety as adults not taking the actions required to protect their future. Source.
The bookmark project in Muskoka provides the opportunity to enhance family discussions that focus on solutions, starting with individual actions.
This month, in a collaborative event with Seniors for Climate Action Now! and Climate Action Muskoka, EH! will host Jack Gibbons from The Ontario Clean Air Alliance.
Under the Ford government plans, gas plants will be used to replace aging nuclear reactors and meet new demands for electricity from electric vehicles and home heating. But this will result in soaring greenhouse gas emissions at a time when we should be doing everything we can to combat climate change. Gibbons will lay out an alternative plan for getting Ontario to a zero-carbon electricity grid by 2030.
According to Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), the greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution from Ontario’s gas-fired power plants will increase by 375% by 2030 and by more than 600% by 2040 as the province uses fossil gas to replace aging nuclear reactors and to meet growing demand for electricity driven by population growth and the increased electrification of homes, buildings and transportation systems. If this occurs, Ontario will lose almost half (48%) of the pollution reduction benefits that it achieved by phasing-out its dirty coal plants.
While they talk, our world burns. Climate Action Muskoka, COP26 Climate Strike, Saturday November 6, at the G8 flag park in Huntsville.
COP26 Climate Strike, Saturday November 6, at the G8 flag park in Huntsville. Click the arrow to play the Slide show! More pictures on Facebook: Climate Action Muskoka and Instagram @climateactionmuskoka
