Your call to action really resonates! I’ve been reframing “sustainability” as “resourcefulness” when discussing it in groups and found that it helps people who are normally disinterested digest the concept.
Canada's cancelled carbon tax managed to induce shrill complaints. This, despite the fact that, except for high-income earners, Canadians were more than reimbursed via federal government rebate. The whining persisted nonetheless, including by corporatized mainstream news-media — likely much of the same news outlets that continuously blasted the tax YET ACCEPTED tax dollars to keep themselves employed due to corporate losses.
Ironically, if it wasn't for the corporate welfare subsidization the Liberals gave/give to Postmedia (etcetera) news products, it very well could've been the end of the same 'journalism' constantly critical of the Liberals and especially their carbon tax.
Perhaps similar to some of their American counterparts (e.g. The Wall street Journal), much, if not most, of Canada's mainstream and heavily corporatized news-media are in bed with the fossil fuel industry's interests here.
Most notably, Postmedia — which, among many other publications, owns one of Canada's two national daily newspapers (The National Post) — is on record allying itself with not only the planet’s second most polluting forms of carbon-based “energy” but also THE MOST polluting/dirtiest crude oil, bitumen.
During a presentation, it was stated: “Postmedia and [Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers] will bring energy to the forefront of our national conversation. Together, we will engage executives, the business community and the Canadian public to underscore the ways in which the energy sector powers Canada.”
There's certainly a long way to go in both countries countries before climate-driven governmental initiatives are more widely accepted. These details add interesting color to the challenge - thanks for sharing.
Likely mostly due to Earth’s enormous size, there is a general obliviousness, if not a willful carelessness, towards the vast natural environment. Societally, we still discharge pollutants like it’s all absorbed into the environment without repercussion.
Too many people continue throwing non-biodegradable garbage down a dark chute or flush pollutants down toilet/sink drainage pipes as though they’re inconsequentially dispensing that waste into a black-hole singularity where it’s safely compressed into nothing. And then there are the corporate-scale toxic-contaminant spills in rarely visited wilderness. Out of sight, out of mind.
Also, here in the Far West, if the universal availability of a renewable energy alternative would come at the expense of the traditional ‘energy’ production companies’ large profits, one can expect obstacles, including the political and regulatory sort. If something notably conflicts with corporate big-profit interests, even very progressive motions are greatly resisted, often enough successfully.
There’s a continuance of polluting with a cavalier business-as-usual attitude.
This was especially reflected in the astonishingly entitled and short-sighted selfishness I observed some years ago when a TV news reporter randomly asked a young Vancouverite wearing large sunglasses what he thought of government restrictions on disposable plastic straws. Grinning, he retorted that it is like he’s “living in a nanny state that’s always telling me what I can and cannot do”.
His carelessly entitled mentality revealed why so much gratuitous land-and-sea life-destroying plastic waste eventually finds its way into the natural environment, where there are few, if any, caring souls to immediately see it. Sadly, he’s far from being alone.
Also, obstacles to environmental progress were formidable pre-pandemic; however, Covid-19 not only stalled most projects being undertaken, it added greatly to the already busy landfills and burning centers with disposed masks and other non-degradable biohazard-protective single-use materials.
Clearly, every day of the year needs to be treated as an ‘Earth Day’.
Your call to action really resonates! I’ve been reframing “sustainability” as “resourcefulness” when discussing it in groups and found that it helps people who are normally disinterested digest the concept.
Canada's cancelled carbon tax managed to induce shrill complaints. This, despite the fact that, except for high-income earners, Canadians were more than reimbursed via federal government rebate. The whining persisted nonetheless, including by corporatized mainstream news-media — likely much of the same news outlets that continuously blasted the tax YET ACCEPTED tax dollars to keep themselves employed due to corporate losses.
Ironically, if it wasn't for the corporate welfare subsidization the Liberals gave/give to Postmedia (etcetera) news products, it very well could've been the end of the same 'journalism' constantly critical of the Liberals and especially their carbon tax.
Perhaps similar to some of their American counterparts (e.g. The Wall street Journal), much, if not most, of Canada's mainstream and heavily corporatized news-media are in bed with the fossil fuel industry's interests here.
Most notably, Postmedia — which, among many other publications, owns one of Canada's two national daily newspapers (The National Post) — is on record allying itself with not only the planet’s second most polluting forms of carbon-based “energy” but also THE MOST polluting/dirtiest crude oil, bitumen.
During a presentation, it was stated: “Postmedia and [Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers] will bring energy to the forefront of our national conversation. Together, we will engage executives, the business community and the Canadian public to underscore the ways in which the energy sector powers Canada.”
There's certainly a long way to go in both countries countries before climate-driven governmental initiatives are more widely accepted. These details add interesting color to the challenge - thanks for sharing.
Likely mostly due to Earth’s enormous size, there is a general obliviousness, if not a willful carelessness, towards the vast natural environment. Societally, we still discharge pollutants like it’s all absorbed into the environment without repercussion.
Too many people continue throwing non-biodegradable garbage down a dark chute or flush pollutants down toilet/sink drainage pipes as though they’re inconsequentially dispensing that waste into a black-hole singularity where it’s safely compressed into nothing. And then there are the corporate-scale toxic-contaminant spills in rarely visited wilderness. Out of sight, out of mind.
Also, here in the Far West, if the universal availability of a renewable energy alternative would come at the expense of the traditional ‘energy’ production companies’ large profits, one can expect obstacles, including the political and regulatory sort. If something notably conflicts with corporate big-profit interests, even very progressive motions are greatly resisted, often enough successfully.
There’s a continuance of polluting with a cavalier business-as-usual attitude.
This was especially reflected in the astonishingly entitled and short-sighted selfishness I observed some years ago when a TV news reporter randomly asked a young Vancouverite wearing large sunglasses what he thought of government restrictions on disposable plastic straws. Grinning, he retorted that it is like he’s “living in a nanny state that’s always telling me what I can and cannot do”.
His carelessly entitled mentality revealed why so much gratuitous land-and-sea life-destroying plastic waste eventually finds its way into the natural environment, where there are few, if any, caring souls to immediately see it. Sadly, he’s far from being alone.
Also, obstacles to environmental progress were formidable pre-pandemic; however, Covid-19 not only stalled most projects being undertaken, it added greatly to the already busy landfills and burning centers with disposed masks and other non-degradable biohazard-protective single-use materials.
Clearly, every day of the year needs to be treated as an ‘Earth Day’.
Really appreciate your surprising suggestion! Great idea!