NEW Salt Spring Island Climate Actions Progress Report March 2012
2012 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING and Presentation
Tuesday April 3 at 7:00 PM at the Lions Hall
Everyone welcome
Sarah Webb will present “Accelerating Climate Action in the Capital Region – An exploration of the issues and approaches for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for climate change.” Sarah Webb is an infectiously energetic speaker, sustainability activist, and champion of “future friendly” communities. She currently leads the CRD Climate Action Program, supporting the 13 local governments and three electoral areas in the region in developing and implementing emissions reduction and adaptation strategies.
The presentation is part of the Annual General Meeting of the Salt Spring Island Climate Action Council Society. Everyone is welcome and admission is free. The formal part of the meeting will be very short.
Climate Action Salt Spring—Highlights from the 2011 Salt Spring Island Climate Action Plan
Fifteen percent by 2015
Ways to meet the Salt Spring climate action challenge
Our climate is changing. We must learn to change with it. All over the world, communities are reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change and are preparing for the inevitable changes ahead.
As an island community, we are particularly vulnerable. We depend on fossil fuels for transportation, including the ferries that bring us—and everything we need—here. We rely on imported food. We are vulnerable to severe weather events like windstorms and storm surges. Hotter, drier summers pose greater risks of devastating forest fires. Sea level rise will affect our shorelines and low-lying buildings.
Like every B.C. community, Salt Spring has targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our official community plan. We’re going for reductions, over 2007 levels, of at least 15 per cent by 2015; 40 per cent by 2O2O; and 85 per cent by 2050.
To help meet those targets, islanders working together under the umbrella of the Salt Spring Island Climate Action Council have drafted the Salt Spring Climate Action Plan. It is part of an ongoing community-wide initiative to reduce Salt Spring’s carbon footprint.
Meeting the goal
The Salt Spring Climate Action Plan shows that we can reach our 2015 target of at least 15 per cent reductions through small changes to our driving and grocery shopping habits, changes such as:
Eliminating one trip in five
- Buying less junk food and processed food
- Giving someone a ride one trip in four
- Eating meat and dairy free one meal a week
- Driving smart, no idling
- Buying more local and regional organic Food
Everyone is invited to adapt these suggestions to fit their own circumstances. Getting our carbon footprint under control depends on individuals and families, groups and organizations, businesses, institutions and local government getting the message and pitching in. Will you help meet the challenge?
Groups like Transition Salt Spring, the Transportation Commission and Island Pathways, the Salt Spring Island Agricultural Alliance and Island Natural Growers are already working on their own programs for greenhouse gas reduction and are increasing community resilience to climate change.
By coming together and supporting one another’s efforts we can and will meet our responsibilities in the face of climate change. The Climate Action Council invites you to share your plans and successes. Climate Action Council members are available to discuss the Climate Action Plan with island groups and organizations.
