This was the second time I witnessed “A Vision of Students Today” (video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o). It draws an image with little hope; and, it never fails, every, single, time, to be disheartening. This is not simply of the problems we see today  that was written and flashed on-screen but rather the reality that there are students who lead such a lifestyle. Really, it is heart-breaking.

As a student, being surrounded by masses of students, staff, faculty members daily, over time it becomes easy to forget that I am part of a select, privileged few and that there are millions of individuals globally who lack access to education and remain illiterate which further isolates these individuals from accessing the proper information needed to help enhance their livelihoods (Humanium, Right to Education, http://www.humanium.org/en/world/right-to-education/). When thinking of such a disparity that exists in a world that is becoming more urban and globalized each day, it disillusions hopes of achieving global literary, global food security, global sustainability – they begin to sound ever more altruistic in a society that seems to favor individualism.

Take for example on December 9th when Prime Minister Stephen Harper answered that under current “conditions” that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the oil and gas sector will not be regulated and that his party is committed in reducing GHGs while “preserving, protecting, and growing Canadian jobs” (article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stephen-harper-says-oil-and-gas-regulations-now-would-be-crazy-1.2866306).

From my perspective, the current “conditions” is the fact that climate change is indeed happening and part of what contributes to this is the quarter of Canada’s carbon pollution that derives from the oil and gas sector of which its GHG emissions have yet to be regulated. This pollution is thus externalized and contributes to the global problem of climate change.

Is this not being complicit?

Evidence of complicity is all around us but as in any situation, there is always hope.

If the higher level of government is unwilling to take on the task of pursuing the definition of sustainability as stated in the Bruntland Report (1987) to “…meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs…” then it is up to the cities, the towns, the communities to take action. While the act of one individual may no longer suffice, the actions of communities have the power to generate change in a larger scale – creating a “ripple effect”, so to speak. Such actions are already taking place such as Vancouver’s “Greenest City 2020 Action Plan” and UBC’s “Zero Waste Action Plan” in collaboration with the University Neighborhoods Association. While changes may not be immediate and methods remain imperfect, steps are being taken, and the process to mitigate climate change and challenge environmental issues are being initiated.

And this gives me hope to hope.