I’m a creature of logic. I have seen pictures of polar ice caps collapsing and tales of a permanent ice free shipping lane across northern Canada. There is evidence of receding ice in many of the world’s glaciers. Measurements of rising air and ocean temperatures through time and increasing emissions of CO2 and other gases are purported to be raising global temperatures, indicating a changing global climate. To me this means an emerging new world of environmental conditions. What’s to deny?

A recent editorial in the Globe and Mail notes that those denying climate change are having a negative impact on the efforts of various countries, including Canada, in tackling what appears to be a major world problem. In our materialistic society money talks. The thought of taking coercive action against industry or car drivers goes against the grain; it’ll cost money let alone be politically dangerous.

What is the cost of preparing for unusual climatic conditions, said to be due to changing climate, in comparison to the expense of dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the destruction of New Orleans? Or Hurricane Hazel in southern Ontario? One automotive ad ends with “You may pay now or you’ll have to pay later”. This is logical.

Climate change is reality. This century or the next. Scientists are saying that global warming relates closely to CO2 loading in the atmosphere. Whether this is due to mankind’s activities or not, the end result will affect future generations. And it appears to boil down to the use of fossil fuels. These were laid down several

thousands of years ago but have been mined for our industrial

age. Burning these stored energies

creates emissions and the build up of CO2 in the atmosphere. One of our greatest concerns is the proposed development of Alberta’s tar sands to produce oil to meet the needs of the American industry and add to Canada’s prosperity. The tar sands are known to produce particularly ‘dirty’ oil. The supplies of oil, gas and coal are finite and not renewable. We can’t continue indefinitely to depend on these sources of energy. There’s got to be a better way.

Another article has noted the discovery of oil in the Falkland Islands raising the question of sovereignty between Britain and Argentina once again. Undoubtedly we will discover fossil fuels in the Canadian arctic. Who is going to own the arctic? Is our dependence on oil going to be the basis of future wars? What’s the cost of war? And are they necessary?

We are entering a new era in which we will have to depend on natural, non-polluting forms of energy. Their development will undoubtedly be at considerable cost but only initially. There is no shortage of alternatives. Radiation from the sun reaching the earth’s surface is reported to supply more energy in a single hour than mankind currently uses annually.

There are potential sources of renewable oil which will eventually meet our needs for heating, cooling and transportation. There is an almost unlimited supply of marginal land around the world which must eventually be put to work. I have written about the use of tropical tree species such as Jatropha curcas which bear high oil content nuts and others which could be the basis of biomass energy. Canada as a forest nation has a golden opportunity converting wood to a transportation fuel.

There is an urgent need to develop sources of renewable energy so as to reduce air and water temperatures now when they are still possible to control. We must act now so as not to create a much greater dilemma for future generations. It makes much more sense to bite the bullet developing alternative fuels now rather than face much greater pollution problems in the future. It’s called insurance. Is anyone asking why one should put out good money now to buy house insurance when there is no guarantee that our houses will burn down creating greater expense in the future? It is a wise investment which applies even more to promoting the future of mankind hence the lives of our grandchildren and subsequent generations.

It doesn’t make sense to do otherwise.