Manitoba Election Issue – Climate Change

by George Klassen

Climate change is becoming more and more evident in Canada and worldwide. This summer alone, we have witnessed that change in floods, droughts, extreme weather events, rising sea levels, melting of permafrost, ocean warming, and wild fires, to name a few.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has reported that human actions, specifically the burning of fossil fuels, are causing much of the climate change that we are experiencing.

There are many things we can do as individuals to minimize climate change and to adapt to climate change. These include things like:

- Build or renovate houses to reduce energy consumption;

- Choose electricity as the building heating source;

- Capture energy by wind, solar and geothermal systems;

- Adjust our diet by eating less meat and by growing our own food or buying locally;

- Reduce our vehicle travel, drive electric vehicles or bike;

- Use battery-powered lawn mowers and other small machines

In addition to individual efforts, we need policy makers to recognize our climate emergency and take actions to assist in our efforts.

The 2023 Manitoba general election is on October 3. Manitoba needs leaders whose policies, laws, and budgets consider climate change. Lawn signs help to highlight election issues.

Consider Climate, Manitoba (In all policy decisions, all the time)

Lawn signs with the above non-partisan message can be ordered online from www.considerclimatemb.ca. Donations are optional. Signs like this one highlight that consideration for our environment is a priority not limited to one party in particular, but something that concerns all of us.