Just the Tip of the Iceberg...

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Sunday January 27, 2008 · 3:57 PM PST

2008/01/27 · 15:57

I feel helpless when asked to describe Antarctica. It is the command centre of our world's ecosystems, yet the slightest mention of the word 'Antarctica' renders your mind to a place seemingly farther and more foreign to humankind than the moon. Only through poetry could anyone even begin to do it justice. A summary of the experience is just the tip of the ice berg, but I have a feeling might be worth it.

zcaron

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Friday December 07, 2007 · 1:27 PM PST

2007/12/07 · 13:27

I saunter into my favourite cafe in La Paz, Bolivia: La Terraza - where I know I can get a salad fit for a giant that is delicious, clean and cheap. I'm relieved that no one is smoking and I take a seat in the corner, yet quickly move to window seat, "Much better for people watching!" I joke with the couple at the neighbouring table.

We begin to chat. "We’ve been coming here for 14 years," the couple explains, as they tell stories of their lovely family and their experiences throughout a decade of changes in La Paz. "Wow, that's incredible," I gush in awe. "What a place to be." They offer travel advice of beautiful Incan ruins and luscious gardens, and then, "Have you been to Chacaltaya?" they ask me. "Yes - actually! I've written about that glacier. You must have seen major changes in the last 14 years of coming here..." as my tone drops and I subconsciously shake my head a little. "Chacaltaya?" the woman asks, as if we might not be talking about the same glacier. "The glacier just nearby - it's beautiful."

"When was the last time you were there?" I ask.

zcaron

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Sunday February 04, 2007 · 2:13 PM PST

2007/02/04 · 14:13

Two prominent climate crusaders were nominated last week for candidates for the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize: Sheila Watts-Cloutier of Canada and Al Gore of the United States.

"The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded for work in a wide range of fields including advocacy of human rights, mediation of international conflicts, and arms control."

But wait a minute - Is climate change related to human rights? Mediating international conflicts? And what about arms control?? Does this even make sense to link these issues?

I personally can’t think of anything more rational.

Climate Change: Defining a Generation

zcaron

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Saturday January 27, 2007 · 6:14 PM PST

2007/01/27 · 18:14

Sometimes it’s hard to realize that you are on the verge of something. Often it's difficult to understand that you're balancing on the edge. And most of the time it's hard to predict that one specific issue will define the period of your lifetime.

But today these are all clear to me: climate change is quickly becoming, and will be, the defining issue of our generation.

There's more...

The U.N. Nitty Gritty: Report Back from the United Nations Climate Change Conference

zcaron

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Monday December 11, 2006 · 10:25 AM PST

2006/12/11 · 10:25

Countries from around the world come together annually to discuss one of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change. This year, the United Nations Climate Change Conference—where all the details of the Kyoto Protocol are hashed out—is in Nairobi, Kenya. This is my second time attending a UN climate conference, but my first time experiencing such a deep sense of frustration. From dawn to dusk each day it seems we aren’t getting anywhere; when we go home at night, driving past the slums of the city and hearing stories of drought from farmers directly affected by climate change, I wonder if the connection between the hardships of developing countries and the luxuries of the industrialized countries will be made with the urgency required.

zcaron

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Saturday November 11, 2006 · 6:03 AM PST

2006/11/11 · 06:03

For the first time in the history of international climate negotiations, the Canadian government has removed all youth positions on the official negotiating team attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The Minister of the Environment officially selects this team. Read More

Setting the Stage, Kenya Style

zcaron

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Wednesday November 08, 2006 · 6:18 AM PST

2006/11/08 · 06:18

It's a beautiful 20 degrees (C) here in Gigiri, a subset of the busy city of Nairobi. The United Nations is always a world of itself - and so not really reflecting the reality of what Kenya really is. Though one characteristic that rings true throughout is the genuine openness and hospitality of Kenyans. They smile more. They laugh more. They seem more relaxed. I think they even walk a little slower. To add, this year there are no official meetings allowed past 6 pm; whereas before the limit was 9 or later. It has set the stage for a - hopefully - steady and productive 2 weeks of negotiations. Read More

What Do Our Choices Mean?

zcaron

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Thursday August 17, 2006 · 8:56 AM PDT

2006/08/17 · 08:56

May 13, 2006

I have been through anxiety attacks before. Mostly concerning a final exam worth half my mark the next day, or perhaps a solo violin performance, or maybe meeting a child-hood idol. But I have never experienced anxiety when booking travel - until yesterday.

Here I am booking travel with a group to a conference on sustainable solutions and all 15 other members from my region decided to hop on a plane. I am shocked, but then I start thinking about our ability to carbon offset and think of all the times I have flown before, and start to think that it's really not a big deal if I fly again this time.

Then the voice in the back of my head starts yelling at me and telling me I am a hypocrite for working to slow climate change while flying to a conference on sustainable solutions when I could be part of a sustainable solution by taking the train instead. Long story short, I decide to take the total of 44 hours on a train and miss two days of classes in order to attend what I hope to be a very educational experience. Why did I feel this way? Read More

Within Borders, Beyond Borders

zcaron

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Wednesday August 16, 2006 · 12:45 PM PDT

2006/08/16 · 12:45

Climate change knows no boundaries. Nor should its solutions. Climate change is affecting people around the world, and so the world (and especially youth) must unite to address this issue. Do we do this through Kyoto? Do we tackle it through our federal governments? Are we more effective as an international movement? Or, closer to home, as a Canada-US movement? How about a strictly national movement?

Some movements move quickly, like the Canada-US love affair. And the hype is already up and running within the US. And now there's also a movement stirring in Canada. It might be a little late, and it might seem a little scattered, but it's starting to come alive.

[Read full article at www.itsgettinghotinhere.org/424 ] Read More

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Just the Tip of the Iceberg...

Saying Goodbye to a New Friend

Nobel Prize for a Noble Cause

Climate Change: Defining a Generation

The U.N. Nitty Gritty: Report Back from the United Nations Climate Change Conference

Youth Excluded from Canadian Delegation to International Climate Talks

Setting the Stage, Kenya Style

What Do Our Choices Mean?

Within Borders, Beyond Borders