Report from the trenches; Climate change canvass

To date we have delivered and received approximately 150 Kits and pledges. This number may not seem substantial, but with the limited resources available to the project, including a serious lack of volunteers, transportation and the added pressure of the summer heat, I would say that it is definitely a start.

The most frustrating thing for me, as a summer student, working full-time on this project is the potential benefit that this campaign could produce for Hamilton, potential that is currently going to waste. I have been out canvassing the streets everyday and I see how Hamiltonians react to Environment Hamilton knocking on their door: they thank us for making the effort, for pounding the pavement and physically bringing the issues to their doorstep.

The reactions are extremely positive and supportive, and this is where my frustrations lie: we just don't have enough volunteers to get to more houses. If we had even ten more people than we have today we could canvas two whole neighbourhoods at once!

"they thank us for making the effort, for pounding the pavement and physically bringing the issues to their doorstep"

Canvassing can be an intimidating job, I myself was only new to the role last summer when I worked full-time on the Transit-Survey in the North End of Hamilton. But, speaking from experience, when all you are doing is asking for people to consider simple lifestyle changes, changes in the daily lives of Hamiltonians that will ultimately benefit themselves financially and ethically, and giving away free stuff in return, you will not get turned away.

This phase of the project is slowly coming to an end, with only two full weeks of daily canvassing left, we want to make those final days count. To do this we are launching a canvassing blitz so to speak, to really spread the word to as many people as we can, I am challenging YOU, to take some time in the next two weeks and come and join our team of volunteers.

We need to prove to Hamilton that it is Our Climate, Our Community, and Our Challenge!

Heather Alexander