Local ecologist questions commitment to environmental movement

SACKVILLE, N.B. - Canadians are riding the wave of a new environmental movement, but a local ecologist is questioning whether the renewed interest will last and if its really making a difference.

Ramsey Hart, a local environmentalist and part-time instructor at Mount Allison University, says Canadians are being showered with information from the media on a daily basis on the impacts of climate change and various environmental-related topics, leading to renewed commitments for greater action.

And Canadians are, for the first time in about 15 or 20 years, putting environment back at the top of their personal agendas.

The freak weather occurrences such as Hurricane Katrina, Juan, White Juan, and milder starts to our winters - as well as last years Al Gore hit An Inconvenient Truth have also provided even more awareness into the global effects of greenhouse gas emissions.

But what we have to be asking ourselves here is Is it working? he told members of EOS Eco-Energy during the groups annual general meeting last Wednesday. Certainly people are more aware, theres no question about that. People are thinking about it; but is it actually making a difference in anything?

Are people changing somewhat and are they looking differently at how they consume, about what kind of products they choose to buy or what kind of home theyre going to build or car theyre going to buy? I think the evidence on that is much shakier.

Hart also cautioned EOS members to be aware this renewed environmental spirit will need to be measured carefully.

Is this just a brief blip or a fad or a trend; or are we starting to see the booming of a second wave of concrete environmentalism that could perhaps last much longer than that initial phase from the 70s through to the 80s?

Hart, also the manager of outreach and communication at Cape Jourimain Nature Centre, explained the environmental movement started over 30 years ago.

Were not the first people to be raising these questions, he said, noting the first environmental movement is believed to have originated on Earth Day in 1970.

In fact, he said, the environmental movement of that time launched an impressive reign of environmental improvements and regulations including the first protected species act, clean air act and water pollution control.

Most of our significant environmental legislation came about shortly after the birth of the environmental movement. And we seem to be seeing a bit of a renaissance of that . . .

He wonders though if todays environmentalists are doing enough to make a difference and whether this new tide of change can be sustained.

Some people say the way weve been going isnt working, he said, pointing to a published article The Death of Environmentalism, which indicates that despite more than 30 years of environmentalism, North Americans are losing the battle.

Clearly, though we started getting the environmental message back in the late 60s and early 70s, we havent necessarily taken it to heart quite enough . . . this reactionary issue-by-issue approach that we seem to be taking in the environmental movement isnt really getting us anywhere.

Environmentalists may need to rethink what the environmental movement is about and create a positive vision for society, suggested Hart, adding people will feel they are part of something bigger if they have concrete ways to participate in that long-term vision.

EOS, Hart believes, could take a leadership role in this new approach.

EOS is well-positioned and in a tremendous position to work on this new age of environmental thinking, he said.