Alberni Valley AV Times
Supporting the Alberni Valley and West Coast of Vancouver Island since 1948
November 5th 2002

This is the Only Earth we have

Editor:
When the Kyoto Protocol was negotiated by 160 nations in Japan in 1997, the industrial nations were required to reduce their green house gasses by five percent below the 1990 level.
Higher polluting countries were to cut by six percent (Canada) or seven percent (United States) below the 1990 level of pollution.
Basically these were token cuts to acknowledge the extreme dangers threatened by intense heat stress, drastic drought, forest fires, flooding, lower water levels, increased air pollution, erosion of permafrost, depletion of fish species, mammals, birds, and reptiles.
the World Wildlife Fund has estimated that one-third of the natural world has been destroyed by humans over the past three decades. (CCPA Monitor, Oct./02)
Yet the western world threatens destruction of the Middle East by another war. There is really no other planet to which we can migrate. So the Kyoto Protocol had better get wheels on.
We all have seen, and are hearing of, effects of climate change in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Indonesia, and Australia-despite what Linda McQuaig refers to as "the cult of impotence," and some call fatalism.
Instead of trying to shout at disaster, why not start with the Kyoto Protocol to develop alternative technologies and eco-industries? Serious suggestions have been made, like bio thermal production, solar cell manufacture, submarine windmills (1) tidal wave and wind power construction and hydrogen generation for example.
We know that Kyoto is just a start between now and 2010 on green house gas reduction. But the federal government MUST coordinate domestic implementation for Canada. some provinces may say they cannot afford to cooperate.
They cannot afford not to.

(1) http:\\www.marineturbines.com

Sue Frazer

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