Rain or shine, climate change civic action planned for Grizzly Plaza

By David F. Rooney

The North Columbia Environmental Society is planning a civic action for Grizzly Plaza at 11 a.m. Saturday to demand action on climate change.

The demonstration is planned to coincide with 2,000 similar protests planned for 172 countries around the world. It will proceed rain or shine. All Revelstokians concerned about climate change are invited to attend.

“We’re calling it climate change education,” NCES President Sarah Newton said Friday. ” We are joining hundreds of other groups around the globe that are sending a message to our government that we want firm action on Climate Change at the upcoming Copenhagen summit.”

She said Revelstoke’s demonstrators will link arms or hold hands to form a giant 350 and then write postcards to Prime Minister Stephen Harper asking “that our government go to the crucial climate change negotiations in Copenhagen in December.”

Saturday is being called “International Day of Climate Action” by a group calling itself 350.org, which was was founded by American Bill McKibben, who wrote three books: Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future, The Bill McKibben Reader and Fight Global Warming Now. The group’s website, which is at www.350.org, claims “350 is the most important number in the world — it’s what scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.”

Newton said the NCES will have a booth in front of the Modern Bakery from 9:30 am until 11:45 am.

“We will have postcards (showing glaciers near Revelstoke), more information, and very stunning graphics of local climate change,” she said.