Dec 8-Global Day of Action to Stop Climate Change-Toronto Events

11am Special UofT Student Feeder March:
Show the world that UofT students are ready to play a leading role in demanding a better future for our planet. Assemble 11am in front of Sidney Smith Hall, 100 St. George Street, with your banners, noise-makers, anything you can bring! We will then march and join the main rally at Dundas Square.

12pm Rally at Dundas Square:
Recognizing that Canada is one of the worst per capita polluters in the world, we call upon our governemnt to enact binding legislation which will halt and reverse our emission of greenhouse gases. As individuals we commit ourselves to conserving energy and reducing waste, but we need a framework wherein we have access to renewable resources, environmentally friendly products, and a system where polluters pay the price for the damage they do to the environment.

1:30pm March for Clean Energy:
A scientific study has been conducted showing that it is possible to meet Ontario's energy needs through wind and solar power, so why is the Ontario government planning to invest billions of dollars in nuclear power plants which will create radioactive waste that will last for 8000 generations. Join us as we march through the streets of Toronto to take the message that 'renewable is doable' to Queen's Park.

2pm Eco-Fair (Debates Room, Hart House, University of Toronto)
Warm up and enjoy complimentary hot meal featuring local food prepared by campus group Hot Yam, while learning about what's happening in the world of environmental activism. Visit and connect with booths from various activist NGOs, volunteer groups, and green businesses.

Climate Change is real and is taking it's toll. In Canada and around the world we've experienced record-breaking heat, increased frequency of droughts and floods, as well as melting permafrost in the Arctic. Globally, the impacts are catastrophic. According to the World Health Organization, earth's warming climate is contributing to more than 150,000 deaths each year, and that number will double by 2030. Millions of people will be displaced by rising ocean levels, millions more will lose access to water and up to 37% of all wildlife will be endangered. Canada will not be immune to the impact.

Despite the gloomy picture, it is not too late. The technology exists to dramatically reverse our emission of greenhouse gases (primarily carbon dioxide) which are driving climate change. We need the political will to take control of our own destiny and not let it be decided for us. The Kyoto Protocol is considered a baby step toward necessary emission reduction. Canada is one of the three largest emitters in the world, and has an international obligation to ensure that once that step is taken, we move beyond it and lower our emissions further.