Time for Canada to Catch Up!

New Youth Action Centre launched for youth and people of all ages to support clean energy development in Canada

Wildcanada.net Action Alert
Thursday, September 30, 2004

Wildcanada.net has recently partnered with the Sierra Youth Coalition, Canada’s national environmental youth organization, to support the efforts of thousands of students who are urging Canadians and Canadian leaders to stop being “fooled by fossil fuels”. Canadians are being fooled that our economy and lifestyle depend on the use of fossil fuels, when in fact there are ample clean, renewable and sustainable energy sources and technologies available. Youth are challenging the use of fossil fuels and nuclear energy and are calling for significant investment in clean energy.

The Sierra Youth Coalition and Wildcanada.net are now asking Canadians and people from around the world to let decision makers know that Canada needs to catch up and implement clean renewable energy now. Take action at our new Youth Action Centre at www.syc-cjs.org/takeaction and urge federal and provincial governments to set ambitious targets for clean electricity production.

Canadian youth are urging the federal and provincial governments to set a clean and renewable energy target for electricity production of 10% by 2012 and 20% by 2020 in Canada. Nuclear energy and large hydro projects (greater than 10 Mega Watts) are not considered sustainable energy sources.

Canada currently lags behind many developed nations who have set ambitious Clean Energy Targets. Every EU country, Australia, Japan and 17 American states all have targets. Just this year, the UK announced they have increased their goal to 20% renewable energy sources by 2010. Denmark has already achieved 15% of total energy production through wind energy.

Take action! Urge Canadian decision makers to adopt a 20% by 2020 target by visiting www.syc-cjs.org/takeaction.

Why does Canada lag so far behind?

The Canadian government continues to promote and support unsustainable energy projects instead of investing in renewable energy technologies. The MacKenzie Gas project is an example, which proposes to build a pipeline through Canada’s sensitive northern ecosystems for the sole purpose of fueling the Athabasca Tar Sands in Northern Alberta - Canada’s dirtiest and most inefficient energy project.

Energy production doesn’t need to have a high impact on people’s health and the health of our wildlife and wildlands. We are entering a new energy paradigm. If Canada is committed to combating climate change and meeting our Kyoto promises, a shift away from fossil fuels to clean sustainable energy is essential. The Canadian government must invest in sustainable energy projects and needs an ambitious renewable energy target to work towards.

Take action now at www.syc-cjs.org/takeaction and send a clear message to federal and provincial governments that Canadians are serious about fighting climate change and investing in clean renewable energy immediately.

	Send a Letter - Urge federal and provincial governments to invest in clean energy now! Tell your friends about this new Youth Action Centre. Support efforts to protect threatened ecosystems across Canada.

	So Close! Help us reach 4K in September! At the beginning of September I challenged you to help Wildcanada.net beat our August donation level of $4,000. Well, you responded, and now we’re so close! To date we’ve raised $2,306 in September. Can you help push us over the top? We need to raise $1,694 to beat August. I know we can do it. You can be a part of the effort by visiting our secure donation page. If this seems like an arbitrary number to you, well, it is, and it isn’t. Every day Wildcanada.net’s operations cost about $1,000 CND. If we raise $4,000/month or more from you, our Network Participants, that means about 20% of our revenue is coming from the people we are helping protect Canada’s wildlands and wildlife. That’s an important milestone for Wildcanada.net. It means we’re becoming more “self sufficient,” relying less and less on foundation grants for our revenue. August was the first month in our 4-year history that we did that! Please help us continue the trend in September. Visit www.wildcanada.net/donate to donate online, or find mailing information. It makes a really big difference to us! P.S. Talking about our 4-year history, Wildcanada.net celebrated our 4th birthday on September 15th! We share this celebration with nearly 30,000 people across Canada and in 65 countries around the world who are part of this effort to protect Canada’s wildlands and wildlife!

All images copyright Wildcanada.net the Sierra Youth Coalition