Chair: President Basil
Anthem: James Burchell
Grace: Alan Meredith
 
Attendance: 22
 (including 4 guests: Rolf Muscatislek, Rotary Club of Granada, Bob Johnston, R.C. of Scarborough, Joan Masson and our speaker, Steve Lee.)
 
Announcements:
 
-James Burchell thanked the members of our club on behalf of his councilor and the mayor for our assistance at the July 1st swearing in ceremony of 94 new citizens from 28 countries with all five of Scarborough’s Rotary banners hanging from the railing above the Scarborough Council Centre mezzanine. James also alerted us to upcoming ceremonies that will be arranged for Scarborough residents to celebrate “Canada 150” next year. (A photo will be attached)
 
-Peter Masson reported on the thank you note received from Lee Soda of Agincourt Community Services for the financial assistance provided for a Syrian Refugee newcomer who is disabled.  Our club provided funds for hygiene products to bridge the gap until he qualifies for disability benefits in December.
 
-Basil reported that the club is looking for a President elect to assume the duties of Incoming President for 2017-18 and for membership development.  Danny Cassidy, who had been nominated for that position has had to decline because of pressing business issues.  Basil has made it clear that he is not prepared to be the first member of the club to be President on three occasions … two is enough, thankyou.
 
-Gordon Brown reminded us of the open house/backyard party planned for Sunday July 24th at 4:00 pm.  Invitations will be sent out and all are asked to respond.  Maddy will announce the designated children’s charity later.
 
-Basil and Rolf exchanged club banners and shared their love for the lovely beaches and spices to be found on the island of Granada.  Rolf has just moved from being an outging ADG to find himself the incoming ADG for his district.  He shared his “constant awe” of Rotary where he makes up at many different clubs around the world sharing our common bond and objects.
 
Marbelous Draw was won, and lost, by Jim Boyko
 
Sgt-at-Arms Kevin Manuel levied some fines and asked for Happy Bucks:
 
- Arthur is happy because he will be travelling to the “excited states” to stay a week with his sister in Ann Arbor Michigan.
 
- James and his wife, Angie, have had a week of celebrations.  Last Monday was their 24th wedding anniversary and his only daughter, Lena-Rose, will turn 23 on Friday.
 
-Gerd was happy to report a successful delivery of a repaired but feisty Snowy Owl to Fort Albany on James Bay.  He departed in his plane with his caged companion at 7:00 am and returned to home base by 6:00 pm. His passenger was released very, very carefully.
 
-Rolf commented on his eleven year old son’s interest in “climatology” and has said he wants to be part of the solution. He will no doubt here more about the presentation that follows today.
 
-Kevin reported on the silence in their home for at least two days after Sharyn was awarded with a Paul Harris Fellowship. She was totally nonplused at the time and couldn’t find the words that she wanted to say.  Now she has recovered and wishes to join us at one of our meetings to express her thanks and gratitude for the honour that the club has bestowed on her.
 
-Dhanni was reminded by Basil that we do have Rotary pins for sale just $5 each since she confessed that she couldn’t find hers today.
 
Program:
Basil introduced our speaker Steve Lee, the founding Executive Director of FES “Foundation for Environmental Stewardship:  Making sustainable development a lifestyle” Basil read some of Steve’s incredible bio to help us understand his accomplishments. He is a climate policy advocate to the United Nations, has been personally trained by former V.P. Al Gore, after graduating from U of T in Physiology and Human biology.  He has been a participant in many international conferences on Climate change and studying its consequences.  Steve considers himself a Voice for the Voiceless Youth who will inherit the world that is now infected by the massive contamination of the earth’s atmosphere (a layer around the planet equivalent to the skin on an apple). We pump the equivalent of the energy produced by 400,000 Hiroshima atomic bombs into our atmosphere every day. That carbon energy amounts to 5 atomic bombs each second of every day fouling our atmosphere.  90 % of that energy is captured by the world’s oceans and thus the warming of the planet through the effect of a heat sink. The impact has been seen worldwide: Pakistan, for example saw 1,500 die of the heat wave last year and their bodies rotted on the streets; this year they planned for 2,500 graves and all were filled as a result of the next heat wave.
 
When the oceans and rivers evaporate it results in widespread drought, desserts expanding and rivers drying up. But what goes up must come down. So the moisture in the atmosphere returns as heavier and stronger downpours. Steve sighted the recent storms that swept through the Philippines and Bangladesh which experienced great loss of life and property.
 
Climate Change changes everything and he recited a long list of its impact. The islands of the Pacific and those of the Caribbean, the mountains of the Himalayas and the Andes, the lives of the indigenous people in the Arctic, and the savannahs of Africa all are affected.
Canada ranks among the top 10 countries in the world emitting greenhouse gases on a per capita basis.  While 79% of Canadians polled believe that the earth is warming, only 44% believe that it is as a result of human activity. But Canadians still think of our country as full of pristine lakes and bountiful forests, of freezing Arctic glaciers and a camp ground available for everyone.  But our Citizenship should include shared values to include: fairness and inclusiveness to all members of society, global citizenship, and solving climate change.
 
Canadian youth are treated as passive learners rather than proactive innovators by their elders when it comes to climate change.  The call to action usually is to turn off the lights, save water and study more about the subject.  The youth are the very ones who will have to inherit the impact of climate change. Thus the 3% Project.
 
The 3% Project.
Over the next two years there will be five national tours across Canada visiting 400 cities and engaging one million young Canadians in high schools and universities.  That one million represents 3% of Canada’s population but 20% of the youth of his generation.  Steve states that his is the final generation that must solve climate change and because it is traditionally so innovative in so many fields it can and must do that.
 
He outlined the process by which student leaders will be indentified in each school, and assemblies arranged in order to heighten awareness of the issues.  They will be urged to commit to a change in their lifestyles. Only by the youth being educated and motivated and committed to address climate change will we achieve change. He shared many examples of friends he has known of become aware of who have suffered the indignities caused by the changing climate.
Several high schools in the Toronto region have been approached and participated in awareness sessions. They have illustrated that change can occur even is small ways.
 
Steve concluded his talk by saying the 3% Project works and can work across the country.  He is committed to be part of the generation to solve the problems of climate change and save humanity.
 
Among questions that came up, Jim Boyko asked how we can solve the climate change problem when we have taken steps to change but other countries have not.  Steve pointed out the need for collective action in dealing with climate change, and sighted the Paris agreement signed by 198 countries last December to limit global warming to under 2 degrees Celsius by the end of this century.  In the past the efforts were hobbled by a lack of political leadership and will and financing to commit to what was needed for significant change to occur.
 
Links to the presentation include the Introduction and Steve Lee’s presentation as well as a power point slide show are attached.
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8qu7f7imcel9cvn/FES%20planet.MP3?dl=0
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3e54xhhhrimjq3k/SteveLee_ClimateChange.pptx?dl=0
 
 
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