Investing in eco-friendly industries will mean a better environment for Albertans and tens of thousands of new jobs, says the associate director of The Sierra Club Prairie organization.
“A greener, cleaner, more just future is here now, just waiting for us,” said Sheryle Carlson in Red Deer on Thursday. “We can ensure that we still maintain integrity of our eco systems and have more and better jobs for Albertans. We can have both.”
Carlson is on an Alberta-wide tour, entitled RePower Alberta, to inspire communities to move towards a green economy. Red Deer was the sixth stop.
“We don’t want to rely on the boom and bust of fossil fuels anymore,” said Carlson. “We need to join the world in one of the biggest growing industries and diversify our economy.”
Sierra Club Prairie and Greenpeace, project partners of RePower Alberta, are pressing the provincial government to create a green energy strategy. These jobs include areas of energy efficiency, transit and high-speed rail, and renewable energy development.
“We’re the only province without a green energy strategy,” Carlson said. “They have to be leaders and set forth policies to help guide and support this industry.”
RePower Alberta is urging Albertans to push the government for a change in thinking. Alberta is the only province that doesn’t offer subsidies to wind power. “We were once leaders in wind energy 15 years ago and now we’re only utilizing one per cent of our wind potential in Alberta,” Carlson said.
ReThink Red Deer, a group committed to environmental initiatives, hosted Carlson at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre. Ron Besuijen, owner of Home Synergy, a renewable energy consulting business, presented on available technologies for community-supported energy projects.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com