Times are changing and none too soon. I am not alone in my feeling of urgency. I especially appreciate a letter to the editor in the Globe and Mail (Bruce Mohan, Vancouver, Sept.29, 2009), "…..the world is not nearly frightened enough about environmental degradation and so little is being done.". A significant indication of change has been the major shift in U.S. politics now that the Washington oil barons have been replaced. Barack Obama is certainly talking about new funding for alternative, non polluting energy generation.

My concern is a government in Ottawa that fits into the category "so little is being done". I tend to think of the band leader that got lost making a turn while the parade continued forward. The attitude just two years ago was 'What crisis' and now our leaders are scurrying to find the right route so as to appear to be leading the parade. Nevertheless there remains much to be done from a national perspective.

Luckily the rest of the parade appears to know the route better than the leaders. I am pleased to drive west from Shelburne to witness many farmlands with windmills. Electricity has become a farm product, a financial boon to landowners, adding to the energy equation and benefiting both the community and the nation. Private enterprise is picking up the ball and running with it supported by Queen's Park leadership. In fact a new era is falling into place with the parade being led by provincial governments.

Another major shift is occurring in the media. Nowadays I find many new articles in the newspaper pertaining to initiatives being made in the environmental field. European governments are taking the matter seriously with great strides being made in solar, wind and nuclear energy. An article on Denmark, a country now committed providing 20% wind energy and counting. The nation is booming economically with the manufacture and sale of wind power technology. With GDP escalating, global warming emissions have decreased by 13%. If only we had that kind of leadership.

The rest of the world is thinking seriously about wind. A short article in the business section of the Globe Oct 2nd reported on the opening of a wind farm in Texas, claimed to be the world's largest (What else would one expect from Texas) producing electricity from 627 wind turbines over an area of 100,000 acres. Another note on Oct 3rd refers to negotiations for permission to build off shore wind farms in Lake Erie to eventually provide power for 2 million people.

A recent Globe and Mail supplemental section concentrated on global progress in harnessing wind power. Another article described a solar energy initiative by administrators of a girl's dormitory at U of T which will eventually and substantially reduce consumption of electricity. Tidal energy has been written up and almost daily we receive ads for converting to geothermal. I am currently moving a mountain of firewood into our 'wood' room where it will be handy to the fireplace in the cold months ahead.

Biomass heating fuel for Canadian homes is not as prominent a topic in the media despite the fact that wood remains the world's largest source of biomass. It provides the principle cooking and heating fuel in many developing countries. Natural Resources Canada notes about 1.5 million Canadians use wood for home heating, a growing industry in our area. Though supplies ran out last fall we had no difficulty finding 3 bush cords despite late ordering this fall.

Canada is a forest nation and wood supply as an energy source has great potential for meeting home heating needs at least in southern Ontario. Despite CO2 production wood contains little sulfur, hence providing a less serious source of global warming emissions. Many rural landowners have treed 'back 40s' capable of supplying potential remunerative farm products if properly managed.

Globally society is finally recognizing that alternatives to diminishing fossil fuels are increasingly available, important especially in a northern country. As other nations move forward we at least can take some consolation in the fact that Canada is slowly starting to show signs of ensuring that we 'keep the home fires burning'.