XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, ab.politics   
   XPost: ont.politics, sk.politics, man.politics   
   From: "@nyet.ca   
      
     	   
   The Blue Dot Tour: It's about all of us   
      
   You are here, so be there.   
      
   A now-famous 1972 photo of Earth taken by Apollo 17 astronauts from   
   45,000 kilometres away became known as "the blue marble". The late   
   scientist Carl Sagan described a 1990 picture taken from six billion   
   kilometres away by the unmanned Voyager 1 as a "pale blue dot".   
      
   The vision of Earth from a distance has profoundly moved pretty much   
   anyone who has ever seen it. "When we look down at the earth from space,   
   we see this amazing, indescribably beautiful planet," International   
   Space Station astronaut Ron Garan said. "It looks like a living,   
   breathing organism. But it also, at the same time, looks extremely   
   fragile." Referring to the atmosphere, Garan added "it's really sobering   
   ... to realize that that little paper-thin layer is all that protects   
   every living thing on Earth."   
      
   Many astronauts report a deep feeling of connection that transcends   
   borders and worldly conflict — referred to by some as the "overview   
   effect". Apollo 14's Edgar Mitchell said, "You develop an instant global   
   consciousness, a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the   
   state of the world, and a compulsion to do something about it. From out   
   there on the moon, international politics look so petty."   
      
   How can anyone who has even seen a photo of the Earth treat our small   
   blue home with disdain and carelessness? How can anyone fail to   
   recognize how precious and finite the resources, especially water, are —   
   and that we must share and care for what we have?   
      
   The "blue marble" photo from Apollo 17, the last manned lunar mission,   
   catalyzed the global environmental movement. Now, as people around the   
   world compete for air, water and land — not just with each other, but   
   with corporations bent on profit at any cost — we need a resurgence in   
   action to care for our small blue planet.   
      
   That's why I'm about to embark on what will likely be my last national   
   tour.   
    From September 24 to November 9, I'm crossing the country, from St.   
   John's, Newfoundland, to Victoria, B.C., with 20 stops along the way.   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
   The plan is to work with Canadians from all walks of life to protect the   
   people and places we love. It's the most important thing I've ever done.   
      
   And it's going to be fun! Because they care deeply about our country and   
   the planet, many friends are joining me along the way, including Feist,   
   Neil Young, the Barenaked Ladies, Margaret Atwood, Kinnie Starr, Raine   
   Maida, Grimes, Danny Michel, Stephen Lewis, Bruce Cockburn, Robert   
   Bateman, Shane Koyczan and many more.   
      
   The goal of the Blue Dot Tour is to work with community leaders and   
   groups, local governments, First Nations, musicians, writers, legal   
   experts and — we hope — you on local, regional and national initiatives   
   to ensure all Canadians have access to clean water, fresh air and   
   healthy food.  Ultimately, we'd like to see the right to a healthy   
   environment enshrined in the Canadian Constitution's Charter of Rights   
   and Freedoms.   
      
   That may seem like a challenge, but it's not unusual.  More than half   
   the world's nations — at least 110 — have environmental rights in their   
   constitutions. Not having them is a strange oversight in a country like   
   Canada, where our clean air and water, spectacular nature and abundant   
   wildlife and resources instill a sense of pride and make us the envy of   
   people around the world.   
      
   Maybe we take our good fortune for granted. But we shouldn't. Already,   
   environmental hazards contribute to about 36,000 premature deaths in   
   Canada a year, and half of us live in areas where we're exposed to   
   unsafe air pollution levels. Pollution costs Canada about $100 billion a   
   year, and many people suffer from illnesses like asthma and heart   
   disease because of environmental contamination.   
      
   As the rush to extract, transport and sell fossil fuels while there's   
   still a market heats up, it will only get worse — unless we all pitch   
   in. It's not about getting in the way of industry or progress; it's   
   about building a conversation about the kind of country we want. And   
   it's about ensuring that our economic activity creates more benefits   
   than harm to people and the natural systems that keep us healthy and alive.   
      
   We hope you'll join us. Visit BlueDot.ca for more information and tour   
   dates in your area.   
      
   By David Suzuki with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation Senior   
   Editor Ian Hanington.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)