NEWS RELEASE about Direct ActionEnvironmentTransportation posted on October 6, 2010 by edoherty
PROVINCE PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Oct 6th, 2010
PROVINCE PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
VANCOUVER - The Council of Canadians and GatewaySucks are organizing a mass direct action as part of the ‘10/10/10 Global Work Party’ to highlight climate "crimes" and climate solutions. The action in Bridgeview Neighbourhood of North Surrey will be joining over 5000 actions, which are happening in 180 countries around the world, coordinated by 350.org.
On Sunday October 10th a mass direct action, the 10/10/10 Dig in for Climate Justice will be utilizing pre-load sand for the South Fraser Perimeter Road (freeway). "We are going to be using the sand to raise the dykes in Bridgeview in response to rising sea levels due to climate change," explains Karin Johnson from the Surrey-White Rock-Langley Chapter of the Council of Canadians. "If Gordon Campbell really does recognize the climate crisis, then we assume that this sand was provided to raise dykes, not for highway expansion."
The province is spending an estimated $2 billion dollars on the new freeway over some of the best farmland in the area. "When we should be protecting farmland in order to promote local food production the Province is spending billions to pave over farmland and increasing our dependency on cars and tar sands oil," explains Eric Doherty of GatewaySucks.org. "Freeway expansion is clearly a climate crime. Why not use $2 billion dollars to expand public transit and promote local food production?"
The 10/10/10 Global Day of Action is encouraging the public to take action, and not wait for elected officials to take action on climate change for them. "We decided to take direct action because we can no longer wait for politicians to act. Solutions to the climate crisis will be found if communities challenge destructive federal and provincial infrastructure projects and the politicians supporting these projects." says Paul Cech of the Council of Canadians Vancouver Chapter. "People taking action will highlight what needs to be done. We will demonstrate what real action on climate change looks like. On 10/10/10, we will celebrate climate solutions and send our politicians a clear message: ‘We're getting to work—what about you?’"
"We must stop highway expansion and shift the money to solutions like public transit and electric trains if we are serious about dealing with the climate crisis," says Doherty. “The climate crisis is here, and we're moving sand, not hiding our heads in it like many of our elected representatives."
The 10/10/10 Dig in for Climate Justice starts at 2:00 p.m. Sunday October 10 at Scott Road Skytrain Station (East, Taxi Stand Side). www.dig4justice.org
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Media Inquiries:
Karin Johnson, Council of Canadians Surrey-White Rock-Langley Chapter: 604-710-1551 /
Eric Doherty, GatewaySucks.org: 604 877 1223
Paul Cech, Council of Canadians Vancouver-Burnaby Chapter: 778-288-7696 /
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