​National Seniors for Climate Day of Action

October 1st is the United Nations International Day of Older Persons, and in Canada, Seniors for Climate are raising their voices – in webinars, marches, and gatherings of all kinds to say we want climate action now. Across Canada, 55 communities, including in New Brunswick, have signed up. In Fredericton, three activities are planned:

1. Join us Tuesday, October 1 at the New Brunswick Legislature from 11 a.m. to noon. Bring a chair (rocking chairs welcome!) and hear songs from the Raging Grannies, join in making a pledge to future generations, and hear how climate change affects older people and what we can do about it. We want to fill the Legislature lawn. Everyone is welcome. Car pool from wherever you are like Moncton is planning.

 

1. At 4 p.m. we will host a webinar where you will learn how climate change affects the health and safety of older people. This webinar is hosted by the New Brunswick Environment Network and the Fredericton Stepping Stone Senior Centre. Everyone is welcome. Register here.

 

1. The Conservation Council of New Brunswick will release a case study on the experience of a New Brunswick senior living in an energy inefficient home and what can be done about it.

To learn more about what’s happening in your community and how you can participate, check out this Seniors for Climate online map. You will find planned activities and contact information for New Brunswick communities. If you live somewhere without a planned activity, join your neighbours! Fredericton looks forward to seeing you at the Legislature and everyone is welcome to join the webinar.
Why is October 1st so important? We are facing unnatural disasters – new and escalating levels of record-shattering heat, wildfires, and floods. Extreme weather events put our health and quality of life at risk, especially older people who have less capacity to cope with overheated homes, power outages, and evacuations.
These unsafe extremes are mostly caused by burning oil, gas and coal pouring heat-trapping pollution into the air. It’s been happening since coal first powered ships, but really ramped up after World War ll to power growing economies and population. Now those Baby Boom Babies are Baby Boom Seniors. An unstable climate is not safe for us and not what we want to pass on to our children and grandchildren.
There are affordable and healthy solutions to climate change beneficial to all. First, we need to stop burning fossil fuels and switch to renewable energy and use clean electricity to power our lives. Second, we need to retrofit our homes and buildings so they use less energy and save us money. We want heat pumps for all and electric school buses for our grandchildren. Third, we need to help communities prepare for the extreme events already happening.
Time is running out. We need to act now, and seniors do something more reliably than others: WE VOTE. Many of us are also fortunate enough to have spending power to support solutions and the energy transition. We have time to advocate for change and to be part of a broad-based and deep-rooted movement – so that our kids and our grandkids inherit a better world. Join us now, because later really is too late.