The Quesnel Climate Change Group

Who We Are

The Quesnel Climate Change Group is a collection of local citizens who are concerned about the effects of climate change on our environment and our way of life. Formally, we are a committee of the Baker Creek Enhancement Society. The group was formed in November 2007. Our objectives are to work with local government in developing strategies to reduce our local contribution to climate change, to develop strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change that has already occurred, and to implement these strategies as far as possible.

The Climate Action Charter

The Climate Action Charter is a pledge for communities to take action on Climate Change and significantly reduce carbon emissions by 2012. The agreement between the Government on BC, the Union of BC Municipalities and the signatory local governments has three goals: to measure and report on greenhouse gas emissions for each community, to become carbon neutral by 2012, and to work towards more compact, sustainable communities. Quesnel is one of 133 BC communities signed onto the charter.

Mitigation vs Adaptation

Mitigation: reducing GHG’s
Adaptation: implementing strategies to deal with inevitable CC that will take place even with mitigation

There are two approaches to climate action: mitigation and adaptation. Frequently, mitigation and adaptation are seen as either/or, when in fact they are not mutually exclusive. The best approach to climate action is one that incorporates aspects of both. Examples of mitigation include using less fossil fuel, and reducing garbage (mostly organics) from ending up in landfills. Adaptation could include building dykes in response to rising water levels.

Some actions have both a mitigating effect and are an adaptation to climate change. Planting trees is a great example of this. Trees act as carbon sinks, effectively removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in their tissues. In areas where warming temperatures could have a deleterious effect on the local ecosystem, such as warming stream water, they provide shading and therefore a cooling effect.

Mitigation is important in that it has a global impact. When GHG is released, it does not stay confined to the area. GHG released in Canada does not just affect us, it affects people and the environment in India, the Philippines, and the Antarctic. Conversely, GHG released in China, England, and Australia impacts us in North America just as much as it does there. In Canada, we release about 23 tons of CO2 per capita. The US releases 24 tons per capita, and the UK 11 tons per capita.Places that will be most hard-hit by climate change, such as small coastal nations and sub-Saharan Africa, have some of the lowest GHG emissions per capita.

Taking Action

Individual Action
- Avoid idling your vehicle
- Replace your gas mower with an electric mower, or better yet, a people-powered push reel mower
- Dry your clothes outside on a clothesline, even in the winter clothes can be dried inside on racks, rather than using a dryer. You’ll save money on electricity, and your laundry will smell amazing!
- Recycle!
There are several recycling drop-off points around Quesnel.
Make sure you know your recycling basics, contaminated loads are likely to end up in a landfill.
- Used batteries and paint are also accepted at the city landfill…don’t throw them out with your household garbage.
- Compost your organics. Backyard composting is easy to do, and compost is fantastic for your garden.
- Buy local as much as possible
Quesnel has a great Farmer’s Market, and not just vegetables are for sale. You can pick up baking, honey, and meat, all produced by local people. If you have to buy it in the grocery store, try to buy products that come from BC, or at least Canada. Produce from Mexico and California grows great in the Lower Mainland, and will not have traveled as far to get here. If BC produce is not available, speak to the produce manager and let them know that you would like to see it.
- Buy in-season produce. It is much more likely to be sourced closer to home, and therefore fresher and better quality. If it isn’t in season, it can often be found in the frozen or canned section, and frozen or canned produce is often healthier (it is processed almost as soon as it is harvested) than something that has traveled halfway around the world to get here.
- Try growing your own food. With all that great compost you’ll have, it will be easy. It doesn’t get more local than your own backyard, and growing a garden is a great way for kids to learn about where food comes from and to get them to try new things. Even if you can’t devote a piece of your lawn to a garden, things like tomatoes and lettuce grow well in pots.
- Lower your thermostat, or better yet, install a programmable thermostat set to lower the temperature when you are away from home and at night.
- Turn down your water heater a couple of degrees, take shorter showers, and wash your laundry in cold water.
- Unplug appliances that you aren’t using. Most electronics use electricity even when not in use.
- Take your own shopping bags to the store. Say no to plastic!
- Try to buy items with minimal packaging, especially when that packaging is not recyclable.
- Avoid buying bottled water. Bottled water is more expensive than gasoline, and we have some of the best and safest water in the world (for free!) in British Columbia. Bottled water is unregulated, and is often just tap-water that has gone through an unnecessary additional filtration step. Huge amounts of energy are required to produce one bottle of water.

Community Action

- Encourage local government to adopt individual actions as community or in-house policies.
- Banning bottled water, going Idle Free, recycling and composting programs, are all easy things they can do.
- Join in on community activities such as tree planting, electronics recycling days, etc.
- Start programs at your workplace if they don’t have them. Encourage your co-workers to do their part.
- If you are a student, or know someone who is, start a climate action group at your school.
- There are lots of ideas for schools, contact Jeannine at the Nature Education and Resource Centre for more information.
- Get involved in the local Climate Change Group

Links

Interesting visual representation of greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale