March 20 and the trees are budding

March 20 and the trees are budding, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

It's eerie how spring has taken hold so early. Temperatures this week have been more like early summer than late winter. Temperature records have been shattered. The trees are taking advantage of the warmth to open up their buds.

It's bizarre to see people in shorts and tshirts, some in sandals in March. Usually there is still snow on the ground and while daytime temperatures are above freezing, nights are usually below. Average daytime temperature for yesterday was 4C (about 9F) Yesterday it was 24C (about 75F). Climate change? I just read an article about the dates trees bloom here. the trend over the past 15 years has been a shift of two weeks earlier than in the past. I don't know how people can still say climate change isn't happening.

Climate Change

Climate Change, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photo: December 14, 2001

Still no real snow. And I'm angry. The Harper Government puts economy before everything. Short term solutions for long term disaster. They have backed out of the Kyoto Accord, try to say that the tar sands are not only ethical but environmentally OK. It is an embarrassement to be Canadian.

November was unseasonably warm. December has been unseasonably warm. And this is no longer an anomaly. We have had several of the warmest years in a century just in the last decade. The climate IS changing, whether Harper wants to acknowledge it or not. And we all have to do something to pull in the reins before massive flooding leads to economic hardships in many parts of the world, before climate change leads to drought in other parts of the world. There was a time that Canada led, not just followed. Canada could be an example to others. Instead - if the US isn't on board we won't be either.

Sure, I want people to have jobs. But we have to start thinking longer term than the next quarter of the year. If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem. Let your MPs know you are not happy.

Day 351: Inuit Sculpture

Day 351: Inuit Sculpture, originally uploaded by susanvg.

The Copenhagen talks are going on about climate change. Politicians are haggling about carbon credits. Instead of taking a leading role, our prime minister prefers to be a follower, reducing targets to those of the US to accommodate the oil sands - the dirtiest process for extracting oil.

This is an Inuit sculpture of a polar bear. How long will these majestic creatures be able to exist if the arctic seas open up? How long will the Inuit people be able to live in the lifestyle of their ancestors?

I had a tshirt which had the Native American proverb, ""We do not inherit the earth from out parents. We borrow it from our children." printed on it. We are stealing our children's future by making decisions based on short term gain - propping up the economy. What kind of Earth will we be giving our children?

We cannot wait to act. Each and every one of us has to be willing to change our lifestyles, even if in only small ways, to become better caretakers of the Earth so we can look honestly in our children's eyes and say that we have cherished and nurtured the planet they entrusted us with.