Canada likely won’t supply much leadership even though our Federal Conservative Environment Minister Jim Prentice has dismissed the conspiracy theories attached to the ‘climategate’ allegations and is on record for insisting “global warming is real and Canada needs to cut emissions.” (Dec. 3, Sun Media)
["The environment minister finally looked out his window"]
However, the Danish climate minister is hoping a substantive political pact can be agreed upon at the December meetings, because she is aware that the world’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), mainly from burning fossil fuels, should peak in 2020.
That being said, those who have been watching the global carbon emissions rising fast in recent years will be pleased to know that emissions are set to dip by up to 3% in 2009 because of the recession.
When I read that (Dec. 1, London Free Press via Reuters) a few thoughts tumbled out of my little round head.
For example: While governments discuss cap and trade, what a healthy level of CO2 in the atmosphere might be, who does what by when, every day consumers like you and me have our hands at the switch.
["A hard rains a-gonna fall"; GAH]
We can give new meaning to the word ‘dip’ by reducing our spending just in time for Christmas, the season that in modern, materialistic times has become synonymous in North America with gift-buying blitzkriegs that shock the rest of the known world.
Why, if more of us attempted to pay off debt (rather than add to it) and save money for tough times ahead, then 2010 could be known as the year that GHGs were reduced by 4%.
Now that’s a dip I’d like to be a part of. You?
***
Maybe one of my New Years resolutions should relate to saving a certain amount of money in 2010. (Say, $2,010).
I mean, how exciting would it be to tell readers once per week how my savings account is doing, e.g., “I’m up to 14 bucks!”
It’s got potential!
Well, it’s got something. Right?
.
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