We can t just turn it off if the Earth warms too fast for comfort. Once we emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, most of them remain there for decades, continuing to trap heat. If we wait until all the consequences become obvious, it could be too late to do much about them. But we can act now to insure against the risk of disruptive climate changes by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions today. Responding to climate change means thinking not only of the challenges but also of the opportunities.
Environmental citizenship involves voluntarily taking responsible environmental action.
It is important that individual Canadians rise to the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These can lead to comprehensive long-term strategies. The following are three important steps that individuals can take to improve their environmental citizenship. Becoming informed by reading information on climate change is an important first step. Sources of more detailed information are listed in the reference sections of the Primer.