Seniors in Guelph made themselves loud and clear: address the climate crisis so the future generations can live better lives long after they are gone.
About 150 people, primarily senior citizens, gathered in Market Square Tuesday to call for action to address climate change.
The event was organized by Seniors for Climate, and was one of more than 60 such events being held across Canada on National Seniors Day.
The hour-long rally began with a walk from St. George’s Square and the covered bridge near Royal City Park.
Many who took part brought signs and instruments.
“There’s always solidarity in numbers to learn about what we can do as seniors to address climate,” said Gina Lammel, the chair of the local Seniors for Climate Action Now (SCAN).
“Some things were very small, and some things were bigger.”
David Douglas, a professor emeritus at the University of Guelph, said we are leaving our Earth in grave peril, and we need to start the process of recouping and repairing the planet.
“Let’s think about the people in our everyday life, the people we meet daily in the grocery store, in the cafe and elsewhere, and let’s remind them of the need for all of us to reset our lives, to be much more selective in our consumption, to get away from plastic and the throwaway economy to recycle and reuse, reduce and so on,” he said.
“Let’s not shy away, if I could put it bluntly, from being a bloody nuisance. If that’s how we’re remembered, not bad.”
John Lawson, a co-founder of SCAN in Guelph, said the burning of fossil fuels needs to be addressed now.
“We know that we have the answers and the technology to turn this thing around now,” he said. “All we’re missing is the political will to do that.”
He called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to not back down on climate commitments, and for the federal Conservatives to have a “science-based plan” to meet the climate emergency.
Lawson then asked for “no more tunnel vision” from Premier Doug Ford, which generated laughs from the crowd, an obvious quip on last week’s provincial announcement to explore adding a tunnel under the 401.
Lammel pointed out seniors are a powerful demographic, as they tend to vote in larger numbers.
“We’ve got two elections coming up, and we’re just encouraging seniors to actually make the climate crisis an election issue,” she said.
“Ask politicians what their platforms are, where they stand and what they’re planning to actually do about the climate crisis.”
She said we’re seeing too many climate disasters on a daily basis in the news – “my daily dose of doom and gloom,” she said – and we need to have a changing mindset and change our habits to help. Because later is too late.
A number of others spoke during the event, which also featured musical performances from local songwriter James Gordon and the Raging Grannies.
The plan is to hold the event annually at Market Square.
