Eighty days ago, 17-year-old Malkolm Boothroyd got on his bicycle and left his driveway in Whitehorse, Yukon.
He rode for more than two months, joined by people like Martina Nowak of Victoria, who believed in the same cause he did.
Yesterday, dozens of cyclists — some riding 6,000 kilometres across Canada as a part of the Pedal for the Planet campaign — arrived on Parliament Hill to share their message with the country’s decision makers.
“We’re hoping for urgent federal action on climate change,” said event co-ordinator Mike Buckthought of the Sierra Club Canada.
While the Hill was the final stop for the ride, participants also rode to embassies to highlight some of the actions that countries are taking to tackle the climate crisis.
“For example, Costa Rica is going carbon neutral by the year 2021, and the European Union has set a target to reduce greenhouse gases by 20 per cent by the year 2020,” Buckthought said.
“Canada is really not doing as much as other countries, unfortunately. The Canadian government has said it will reduce emissions by three per cent by 2020, but that’s far from what we need.”
Scientists have said emissions have to be reduced 80 to 90 per cent by 2050.
“If we don’t take action now, the consequences will be devastating,” Buckthought said. “We will see millions of people suffering from droughts around the world, famine, increasing temperatures and extreme weather events.”
People can call, write or email their MPs or senators to tell them they want Bill C-311 — which will ensure that Canada commits to reducing emissions and follows the recommendations of climate scientists — passed, said Sierra Club of Canada executive director Stephen Hazell.
“With headwinds, mosquitos and eight days of rain,” the ride was difficult at times, said Boothroyd, “but what kept us going is the belief that we can make a change.”
