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Climate justice representatives will host workshops this weekend
In brief
by Trevor Davis | News Reporter
Critics of carbon trading practices will talk on the University campus today, and the Cascade Power Shift will host environmental workshops throughout the weekend.
Kevin Smith and Tamra Gilbertson, who are both involved with the Durban Group for Climate Justice, will talk today at 1 p.m. in Lawrence 115. The CPS workshops start at 6:30 p.m. today in 180 PLC.
Carbon trading is used to control pollution and offset global warming, Smith said. Governments set a cap on the amount of carbons that can be emitted. Companies that need to increase emissions must buy credits from companies who pollute less.
Smith said the practice is vulnerable to corporate lobbying.
"You hear a lot of propaganda about how well these schemes are working, but our research and experience visiting such projects shows they're really not effective," Smith said, adding the topic is timely because the federal government is considering bills on carbon trading.
The weekend events by CPS will include panel discussions and workshops on topics that include liquefied natural gas, said Monica Vaughan, a spokeswoman for Cascadia Rising Tide.
She said the goal is to educate people on climate change and climate justice. The weekend is a larger effort following last year's similar event held in Seattle.
"It was really a way to kick-start climate and environmental change in the Northwest," Vaughan said.
She said she expects a few hundred people to attend the weekend workshops.
For more information visit www.risingtidenorthamerica.org or www.carbontradewatch.org.
Kevin Smith and Tamra Gilbertson, who are both involved with the Durban Group for Climate Justice, will talk today at 1 p.m. in Lawrence 115. The CPS workshops start at 6:30 p.m. today in 180 PLC.
Carbon trading is used to control pollution and offset global warming, Smith said. Governments set a cap on the amount of carbons that can be emitted. Companies that need to increase emissions must buy credits from companies who pollute less.
Smith said the practice is vulnerable to corporate lobbying.
"You hear a lot of propaganda about how well these schemes are working, but our research and experience visiting such projects shows they're really not effective," Smith said, adding the topic is timely because the federal government is considering bills on carbon trading.
The weekend events by CPS will include panel discussions and workshops on topics that include liquefied natural gas, said Monica Vaughan, a spokeswoman for Cascadia Rising Tide.
She said the goal is to educate people on climate change and climate justice. The weekend is a larger effort following last year's similar event held in Seattle.
"It was really a way to kick-start climate and environmental change in the Northwest," Vaughan said.
She said she expects a few hundred people to attend the weekend workshops.
For more information visit www.risingtidenorthamerica.org or www.carbontradewatch.org.
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