Since its establishment in 2006, the Climate Reality Project has trained over 10,000 climate leaders representing more than 125 countries. We at Below2°C are proud to be members of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps and Climate Reality Canada with close to 1,000 members.
Climate change is not abstract. We cannot just look away. The climate crisis is now a living reality and our world is in danger. The more people know, the more they will see what has to be done. It’s time to speak up with one voice, the voice of reality.
Climate Leaders
What Is Climate Reality?
Live Webcast: https://www.24hoursofreality.org/
Date: December 4-5
Hashtag: #24HoursofReality
You’ve seen the headlines and witnessed today’s reality: Fossil fuels are creating a climate crisis all around the Earth. Hurricanes hitting harder. Wildfires burning hotter. Temperatures going up, up, up. You know we must change. But here’s the good news: we can change. And we will change. People like you all around the world are standing with business, community, and government activists everywhere to make climate solutions a reality.
On December 4-5, we’re bringing the world together for one full day to tell this incredible story with the global broadcast event 24 Hours of Reality: Be the Voice of Reality. Former US Vice President Al Gore will host a star-studded event that will broadcast around the world. (Above text from The Climate Reality Project).
There are many ways to get involved. If you want to solve this crisis once and for all, if you want to stand up to make a difference, if you want a better future for your children and grandchildren, then JOIN US. And invite members of your family, your friends, your work colleagues, your neighbors, to tune in and add their voices. You can also share the broadcast on your social media network by visiting https://24hoursofreality.org/stream.
Do You Want A Revolution?
I want to make something perfectly clear: I am not trying to save the world. The world is not going to be the same – in a much worse state that we can ever imagine. I am a educator, a teacher, a researcher, a lecturer, and a very concerned citizen. I want to let people know what is coming in the future and very soon, unfortunately. I want people to be prepared and not to be caught unguarded. We cannot ignore what our politicians, our corporations, our “I don’t care attitude” people are doing. Those who understand what is happening are best prepared for the new but frightening world about to be set upon us.
Remember World War II? Canada was in a depression. The war actually mobilize both the government and Canadians to become productive to meet the needs to defeat the enemy: Hitler (and later, Japan) The war helped Canadians come out of a depression and created a healthy economy.
We are facing a similar situation. Our economy is faltering. Too much debt, little employment, and an economy dependant so much on two sectors: the oil industry and agriculture.
We are also facing two major crises: climate change and peak oil. There are others but my main focus will be addressing these two problems with a possible (hopefully) a feasible and sustainable solution. And this solution may reduce the dire consequences of other crises as we will see. But we must act now!
When Hitler attacked one European nation after another, it was a clear sweep for him. But the Canadian government was sensing an attack on our freedoms and democracy. Very quickly, Canadians got involved in the war effort. Not only joining the armed, naval and air forces, but on the homefront, Canadians start working on producing the machinery needed to support our troops oversea. People were finding work in factories, in transportation, in telecommunications. People were employed fighting for a cause.
We have some new causes worth fighting for. Our economy is about to lose to two enemies, which we seem to have little control over: climate change and peak oil. Both are global problems in scope but Albertans can make a major change that may reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels adds to the global warming very quickly and also leads to the end of cheap, inexpensive oil that we have grown accustomed to. (and it will soon end).
We need a revolution – – one which will make Alberta a major economy with a diversified backbone. One that will make us self-sufficient – providing our basic needs and be a forerunner for others in the new world.
What is the next revolution? To become self-sufficient, reduce our reliance on the fossil fuels and conserve energy as much as we can. The answer may be in a crop that has been around for thousands of years – hemp!.
And, to be able to make this work, we need to address the interests of two major pillars in Alberta: the fossil-fuel industry and the energy sector. By growing hemp and producing fuel, we will be able to meet our transportation needs, heating and electrical needs which could put Alberta in the lead.
Hemp is so valuable. There is a potential market of 25, 000 products that can be produced and will help us “to be weaned off” our dependency on fossil fuels. The fossil fuel industry could help transform their present infrastructure to help process hemp into many fine, useful products. The farmers can grow the cash crop for processing. Hemp helps to make the soil more fertile, can grow very quickly (2 or 3 crops during a growing season), has no need for fertilizers or pesticides, grows well ins semi-arid dry conditions (little need for irrigation), Thus, through crop rotation, help their other crops grow better and more efficient without the need for expensive fertilizers and pesticides.
The products can be distributed world-wide putting Alberta as a major distribution and marketing global center. This can only be a win-win situation, Hemp is environmentally friendly, easy to grow and has a very low carbon footprint, No need to pursue the expensive, controversial tar sands. The oil, gas and energy sectors can be (very cheaply) made into the processing plants, the farmers can grow the hemp, and retailers could market these products for the consumers in their stores.
The Internet has some valuable sources of information about hemp and its usefulness. One website you can go to is: theconversation.com>is-industrial-hemp-the-ultimate-energy-crop?
Lorne Benedict
(403) 819-9556