Local climate program moving to action phase

Submitted by Gisela Ruckert, Transition Kamloops & Jess Payette, Kamloops Food Policy Council

The IPCC report issued a stark warning in its report recently: we need to increase both the pace and the scale of our response to the climate crisis. A collaboration of non-profit groups is determined to contribute to that effort on the local level.

Since January, Transition Kamloops has been partnering with the Kamloops Food Policy Council and the Kamloops Naturalist Club to deliver an ambitious, 3-step climate action program:

1. Learning about the challenges around climate change and solutions that are being implemented around the world;

2. Identifying opportunities for building local resilience;

3. Taking action! Developing and implementing a “madein-Kamloops” plan. The local groups were stunned by the huge response: almost 300 people expressed interest in the program, and over 160 signed up for the 12-week online course. “Those numbers tell us that the last few years of wildfires and floods have already made the consequences of climate change very real for us here in Kamloops—folks are very motivated to do what we can to mitigate further impacts,” says Gisela Ruckert, an organizer with Transition Kamloops. Discussions among program participants have already generated a lot of creative ideas on ways to make a tangible difference in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and also preparing for a more unstable climate here in Kamloops. Those ideas and more will be the topic of discussion on April 29 at a one day community dialogue the organizers are dubbing Action Fest. The event will be a chance for the whole community to select and commit to implementing one or more local resiliencebuilding projects. Details will be available soon on the Transition Kamloops website.

3 Fun And Effective Outdoor Exercises For Seniors

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In addition, a 2022 study published in the journal JAMA Neurology found that people between the ages of 40 and 79 who walked about 9,800 steps per day were 51 percent less likely to develop dementia than people who didn’t walk much at all.

2. Cycling: Riding a bike is both fun and a great form of outdoor exercise. Though many studies regarding the health effects of cycling have looked at the value of riding a bike to work, a scenario that does not apply to retirees, the results of such studies still offer insight into just how valuable it can be to ride a bike. For example, a 2020 study published in the journal The Lancet found that people who cycled to work were 24 percent less likely to die of heart disease and 11 percent less likely to develop cancer. Seniors, whether they are still working or retired, can incorporate cycling into their daily routines and enjoy all the fun and health benefits that riding a bike provides.

3. Hiking: Hiking is a bit more strenuous than walking, particularly when individuals choose to traverse steep and/or rocky terrain. WebMD notes that hiking after age 60 can help people reduce their risk of falls and fractures; lower their risk for a host of ailments, including coronary heart disease, colon cancer and diabetes;

“Everyone who is interested in working on local climate action projects over the next months is invited to come out on April 29 and brainstorm with us,” says Ruckert. “The projects themselves are important, of course, but one of the many co-benefits of this project is strengthening connections between the people in our community. In the end, resilience IS connection. Also, we know that the single biggest power to fight climate change is the power over land use, which is a municipal power so the local level is a really critical place to engage.”

The City of Kamloops already has a Community Climate

Action Plan, with goals to make changes in the transportation sector, in the energy-efficiency of our buildings, and in land-use for example enhancing natural areas to support biodiversity. “We need to make it easier for people’s everyday activities to have a low, or neutral carbon impact,” says Jess Payette of the Kamloops Food Policy Council. “We need to re-localize our food system so everyone can enjoy an abundance of food, without relying on importing crops we can grow ourselves. We need to rethink how we are designing our city so that getting around on transit, foot, or bicycle is the easiest and most pleasant way to travel.

The City plan is a good start, but we need to do more to involve the community.” reduce blood pressure, even in adults who have already been diagnosed with hypertension; and maintain healthy bones and joints. Hiking is not a one-size-fits-all activity, so seniors, especially those who would characterize themselves as novice hikers, are urged to speak with their physicians prior to hiking trails that are not flat.

“It’s not too late to avoid the worst impacts of climate change,” says Ruckert. “But we need to get on it. The longer we delay, the harder and more expensive it gets. We know how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions we just need to get serious about doing it. As Antonio Guterres said, we need to do ‘everything, everywhere, all at once.’” Local champions are stepping up to lead and they’re calling on Kamloopsians to join them.

Seniors can consider these three fun activities and others as they answer the call of the great outdoors. Walking, cycling and hiking offer a great reason to get out of the house and reap the health-related benefits of spending time outside.