Getting Started

You've all heard the news. Climate change is happening and we of the human species are the cause. We're responsible for the heating of the planet due largely to choices we make everyday.

We insist on driving around in large metal containers, and we insist on having our clothes dry instantaneously, and we can't imagine wearing a sweater in the house even in deepest, darkest winter.

Although some will deny it and try to make you feel better about your role (oh the earth had a warming period followed by an mini ice-age during the medieval era. It's natural. You are not the cause," they'll say) the scientific consensus is in.

Undeniably, human activity spews greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere making climate change and its effects felt everywhere in the world. Yes kids. For once, we can say "We're all in this together."

However as Environment Hamilton's new climate change project manager I have the privilege of letting you in on a secret. Yes the problems are enormous , the predicament we are in is dire (increasingly so) but...we have the power to change they way we interact with the environment. And every single person can do something.

And that's exactly what I'm here to tell you. Your actions do count.

Hamilton Climate Challenge is going to help you on your merry environmentally-sound way. We have all kinds of ways to assist you in reducing your carbon footprint; (and a big footprint it is: an average Canadian stomps out 19 tonnes of co2 per year while a British or French person emits around half of that amount. Not so dainty!)

In the upcoming days, we'll be launching our canvass- to take place in Hamilton neighbourhoods July 12th 2007 ( following a press conference at City Hall). We'll be dropping of pledge forms in your letter boxes, and giving you a chance to look it over.

From little baby steps like hanging out you washing on the line and changing your light bulbs to tougher actions like leaving the car at home one journey a week, pledgers will have an opportunity to actually do something about the climate chaos issue as well as gain themselves some goodies for their efforts.

When we come back to pick up your pledge (or you can mail them into us) we will be loaded down with beautiful eat local maps that show you all the 50 spots in Hamilton where you can get local produce- as well as energy saving kits worth over $35 dollars each.

We will also come bearing our Environment Hamilton Newsletter with updates and information on how you can become more active around climate change, eat local, transit etc issues.

Please keep checking back to get the most recent news and also ideas, tools and things you can do to make Hamilton a life sustaining community.

Cheers to a habitable world!

Beatrice Ekwa Ekoko