{"id":651,"date":"2014-02-23T18:03:39","date_gmt":"2014-02-23T18:03:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/seas.shuswappassion.ca\/?p=651"},"modified":"2014-02-23T18:03:39","modified_gmt":"2014-02-23T18:03:39","slug":"eco-rap-the-1989-innaugaral-speech-that-began-seas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seas.shuswappassion.ca\/eco-rap-the-1989-innaugaral-speech-that-began-seas","title":{"rendered":"Eco-Rap – The 1989 Innaugaral Speech that began SEAS"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

February. 2, 1989<\/p>\n

Speech to the inaugural meeting of the Shuswap Environmental Action Society<\/p>\n

Eco-rap<\/p>\n

By Jim Cooperman<\/p>\n

We have been told that this is now the Age of Information….with modern technology creating a world of instant communication, super computerization and video wizardry surrounded by a constant media assault to our senses.\u00a0\u00a0Yet despite the glamour of all this\u00a0technological glitz, we live in a society filled with\u00a0environmental and social problems that are inexplicably intertwined.\u00a0\u00a0Most countries, rich and poor, have dwindling resources, are burdened with debt, choked with pollution, saddled with overcrowded cities and are threatened with environmental collapse. Can we depend on our Government leaders or our religious leaders or any of our existing organizations to solve these problems?\u00a0\u00a0Ultimately, the solutions lie within each of us.<\/p>\n

The slogan, Think Globally, Act Locally can only work if those global thoughts can reach the majority of the people.\u00a0\u00a0Now is the time to combine the age of Information with the age of the Environment, to raise the public’s awareness of both the problems and the potential solutions.<\/p>\n

In many ways I feel rather presumptuous addressing you on these issues. I do not consider myself an expert in any environmental field.\u00a0\u00a0Many of you have already made invaluable contributions through other organizations such as SNAG, STRATTA, THE RECYCLING SOCIETY, THE GREEN PARTY and outdoor organizations.\u00a0\u00a0The proposals I am bringing before you are not new.\u00a0\u00a0In many ways, these ideas are similar to work being done by hundreds of alternative organizations throughout North America; from Pollution Probe to Earth Watch to the Western Canada Wilderness Committee.\u00a0\u00a0It is from reading about these other groups, that I\u00a0got the idea that a similar organization is needed here at the\u00a0Shuswap, one that could combine every possible ecological\u00a0concern; to study, to inform and to take action.<\/p>\n

Already I have contacted other environmental groups in BC. The BC Environmental Network is organized by the same group than runs the Valhalla Society in New Denver.\u00a0\u00a0The Network co-ordinates\u00a0the efforts of ecological groups across the province and they sponsor a yearly conference.\u00a0\u00a0Last night Colleen McCrory phoned to let us know that they are very enthusiastic about our plans and that she would be delighted to come and speak to our group.<\/p>\n

S.A.T.I.N., Safe alternatives to Toxic Incineration was formed last year to fight the Lytton waste incinerator that has now been scrapped. They are now involved in trying to force the BC government to place a moratorium on burning in all the waste dumps across the province.\u00a0\u00a0Some of you may have attended the dance that this group held in Kamloops last Nov. Mendel Rubinson\u00a0has offered his band to come and play here in Salmon Arm for a\u00a0benefit for our group.<\/p>\n

For the last three or four years I’ve been researching into and writing about our local history.\u00a0\u00a0Last year, I helped write, edit and publish the Shuswap Chroncles.\u00a0\u00a0Our North Shuswap Historical\u00a0Society is now working on the next edition of the journal.\u00a0\u00a0Early\u00a0this winter I decided I would also like to work on a publication devoted to the environment.\u00a0\u00a0Looking at the newsstand, one can find a magazine devoted to nearly every possible sport, hobby or\u00a0activity. BUT THERE ARE NO PERIODICALS SOLELY CONCERNED WITH THE ENVIRONMENT.\u00a0\u00a0Except for CBC and a few alternative publications that are difficult to find, media is tied to the marketplace and as a result is part of the problem.\u00a0\u00a0We are\u00a0surrounded by radio, TV, newspapers and magazines that are telling us to buy, buy, throw it away and then buy some more.<\/p>\n

We cannot really expect this same media to present an\u00a0alternative way of life, one that is geared to nurturing the earth.\u00a0What I envision is a newspaper that could be called Shuswap\u00a0Eco-watch that would be sent to every household. It would have\u00a0short, informative articles, photos and cartoons relating to all\u00a0the environmental issues from waste disposal to wilderness\u00a0preservation.\u00a0\u00a0Eco-watch could help link up communities\u00a0throughout the Shuswap region, and provide a format for people to\u00a0share their ideas, observations and concerns.<\/p>\n

We are all sick of hearing how we live in a throw-away society, how our forests are being clear-cut at double the rate they are\u00a0growing back, how our lakes and rivers are dying from pollution,\u00a0how our food is full of chemicals that cause cancer and how our\u00a0governments respond only when the problems reach epidemic\u00a0proportions.\u00a0\u00a0We want to find out how these global problems\u00a0relate to us here. We hear on the news how poorly the BC\u00a0forests are being managed…but what we need to find out is what\u00a0Forestry problems exist here at the Shuswap.\u00a0\u00a0We need answers, we\u00a0need to spread the word, we need to take action and We have to\u00a0fight from the grass roots level up.<\/p>\n

It is time we did something – as individuals and as a group.\u00a0\u00a0Tonight we can begin that effort.\u00a0\u00a0We have an agenda\u00a0for this meeting, but the first step is deciding whether or not we want to form a new Environmental Action Society.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

February. 2, 1989 Speech to the inaugural meeting of the Shuswap Environmental Action Society Eco-rap By Jim Cooperman We have been told that this is now the Age of Information….with modern technology creating a world of instant communication, super computerization … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/seas.shuswappassion.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/651"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/seas.shuswappassion.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/seas.shuswappassion.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seas.shuswappassion.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seas.shuswappassion.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=651"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/seas.shuswappassion.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":654,"href":"https:\/\/seas.shuswappassion.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/651\/revisions\/654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/seas.shuswappassion.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seas.shuswappassion.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seas.shuswappassion.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}