Fridays for the Future

I went down to St. George's Square at noon today and saw an interesting collection of animals out protesting the climate emergency. I saw

A very warm-looking porcupine.

(All photos by Bill Hulet.)

A butterfly (I suspect she was chilly.)

A shy rabbit

A very funky frog.

An ambitious Great Blue Heron

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I also saw a fair number of cold people out there supporting these animals. 

There were signs.

And there were speeches. 

"Elizabeth" from Fossil Free Guelph.

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Today's article is a little different. I generally write feature stories or opinion pieces. But I was kinda "burnt out" today, so I thought I'd do something a little different and just did some straight reporting. (Or at least as much as I'm capable of doing.) Anyway, if you like what I do consider subscribing. You can do it at Patreon or Paypal. Even as little as $1/month is appreciated. 

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One of the people making speeches mentioned "climate anxiety". Indeed, the day before I'd heard an elected official mention that that he'd never heard of that before (I had). I noticed a person in the crowd that I know is a well-respected therapist. I asked her how common the problem is. 

Linda Reith, Guelph therapist. 

I think many people who are suffering from anxiety---which is at epidemic levels now---don't identify it as a result of living in an unsustainable way. They take it personally, they blame themselves for their own anxiety. When in fact it's the only way to feel given what's going on here. Knowledgeable people---who are moving through denial and learning about the planetary crisis---they call it "eco-anxiety", but all of us are feeling it. It's just a case of knowing enough to name it that. 

I also saw someone holding a Labour Council flag. I asked him "What do you think when you hear arguments about the pipeline and that there aren't going to be any good jobs if we leave the oil in the ground?"

Mark Berardine, trade union guy.

If you are a union person in Alberta that might be true, but that's a very short-sighted view of the world. And you're denying climate change, you're denying science. I think the broader union movement has realized we've got to change the way capitalism is working because it's not working for the majority of the world's people or the world itself. We need to reach out, we need to say "If we're going to stop those pipelines how are we going to let people have good jobs?" And good jobs everywhere, for everyone---we need that.

I just came from the Ontario Federation of Labour's big convention and there were a lot of resolutions, a lot of motions, and you could see that people know that there's a limit to what people can do in Canada without tackling this thing on a world-wide scale. We've got to support a carbon tax, we've got to support energy that's not oil-based, and, we need to invest in people to ensure that they are able to have a good living---in this country and everywhere else in the world. 

I also saw a fellow that I've known for a long time and who is a dedicated cyclist. He's also been involved and done his bit for the environment for decades. I asked him what he's seen change in the last few years. 

Albert Dejong

In terms of what people do? 

I think that the level of concern is ahead of the people's inclination to get active and take action. I think a lot of people are still trapped in their way of living, and they find it hard to do things differently. 

I find myself so often thinking it's just hopeless. We have an intensive green movement in Guelph, but lots of those people go to cottages in Florida and Cuba for their holidays. Life sorta goes on---and we do this. 

Right? 

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Furthermore, I say onto you the Climate Emergency must be dealt with!