Who and What for May 2

I just listened to part of the program but felt their was a crucial point to be made. David Suzuki is a scientist and must know the importance of stating the facts. To make his point about man's crowning achievement was developing the abstract notion of future. He is right but every single statement he made about early man was false. I am n denier but too often hear proponents playing fast and loose with the facts. Al Gore may be a hero of the movement but much The Inconvenient Truth was hyperbole. If you don't want Exxon doing major damage,get your facts straight!
an

Those looking on line for David Besmogis will have better luck looking for Bezmozgis.

On Friday, May 1, 2009, CBC Radio's "The Current" interviewed British economist and author Lord Nicholas Stern on his latest book "The Global Deal". Lord Stern commented that by 2050 Canada must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from the current 20 tonnes per capita to a global average 2 tonnes per capita. This action will contribute to avoiding irreversible and devastating climate change.

In 2007, Prof. Robert Evans, of UBC, published the book "Fueling our Future" in which he argued for rapid electrification of our transportation system.

In 2008, Prof. Anthony Perl, of SFU, published the book "Transport Revolutions" which also advocated investment in electric infrastrucutre.

So, Shelagh, we know why we need to act, we know what has to be done; and we know when the transition has to be completed. Why no action?

In his helpful book, Richard Heinberg sets out three ways to respond to the challenges of global climate change and peak oil: (1) the Last Man Standing, (2) Wait for the Magic Elixir, and (3) Powerdown.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is on the waiting for the magic elixir path. He is hoping that "carbon capture and storage" can be developed in order to save us. He is in denial. He is simply delaying real action.

Heinberg argues that we should be on the "powerdown" path to prepare for the future. This path is essentially what is recommended by Evans and Perl.

In his darkly insightful dystopian book "Endgame", author Derrick Jensen argues that we have in fact to discard "hope" in order to advance into "action".

At the end of your interview with David Suzuki I was left without any sense of his "Big Picture" in his latest book. I look forward to reading the book to hopefully learn of Dr. Suzuki's "big solution" to the challenges posed by the "Big Picture". It will take much more than using transit and compact fluorescent bulbs to make the huge transformation to a low-carbon economy.

We can and we must make the transformation. There are many, many activists and concerned Canadians who are lobbying our politicians for action. The current recession my simply be an initial response to peaking oil production. The responses by the Harper government need to prepare Canadians and our economy for a sustainable, low-carbon future.