Canadians can take action Environmental Change today

By Bilaal Rajan

The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark (Cop15) this December 2009 is a great opportunity for Canada to show the rest of the world how serious we. as Canadians, are about climate change and what we are prepared to do in order to reverse its devastating impact on our ecosystems.

There is a great deal of concern from scientists and other policy experts, however, that Canada is not pulling its weight to stop climate change. A recent study by German insurance company Allianz SE and the global conservation group WWF puts Canada at the bottom of the list for having one of the world’s largest per capita emissions and failing to implement any program to change this.

I am afraid that this kind of inaction will damage Canada’s reputation as a forward-thinking and progressive country. The fact is that we have a highly-educated workforce and a strong entrepreneurial spirit that can help move us away from fossil fuels and towards more environmentally-friendly forms of energy. Not only will this create tens of thousands of new jobs, but will put Canada on track to reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

At Cop15 this December, Canada has the opportunity to lead the world and show how environmental sustainability and economic strength can go hand in hand. But this won’t happen unless we let our elected leaders know how we really feel about this most important issue.

I am urging each and every one of you to write letters to your members of parliament (MPs) today and tell them to step up and take action on the environment right now. I wrote to several MPs and even members of the Ontario Provincial Parliament. It takes very little time. And don’t forget to write to Prime Minister Harper as well. My friends at Roots and Shoots have produced a document that lists all the emails of MPs on the Environment Committee, among others available here.

Please forward this message to as many friends and family as possible so they can get involved too! Time on the environment is running short. But if we send enough letters, it will force them to act on climate change. Thank you for making a difference, and happy writing!

Bilaal Rajan is a Canadian fundraiser, motivational speaker, author and founder of Hands for Help. He has raised over $5 million for various causes and is the youngest Ambassador ever for UNICEF, worldwide. Visit bilaalrajan.com for further details on his work.