Darrin Gavey recording Episode 1 of his new Climate Change Report, Where We Are Today, hosted by Saugeen Shores own Small Star Network.

Hub Staff

A new climate change report has teamed up with Saugeen Shores' Small Star Network to bring you climate change news and topics from here and around the world.

Darrin Gavey, host of the report said he believes the topic needs to be talked about and that people have an ear for it right now.

"I think there's a platform for it," said Gavey when we sat down with him and Small Star Network's Brad Smith last month.

"I run into lots of people who are kind of losing their minds over [climate change] and don't know what to do," Gavey said. "And then there's other people too who want to brush it off because it's easier, it's easier just to ignore things that are stressing you out, especially things that are complicated and you can't digest," he said.

The Report, of which there are currently five episodes uploaded to the network's YouTube channel, aims to cover topics such as the science, economics and politics of climate change, technological innovation, ethical investing, as well as local, regional and world news and initiatives.

Gavey comes to the table with a keen interest in the topic and plenty of research.

Consumption and general waste is one of the biggest factors contributing to climate change, said Gavey, and changing our habits is one of the most impactful things we can do as individuals.

"There's 370 million people between Canada and the United States who are consuming at the highest level in the world," he said.

Gavey also touched on the devastating effects of the textile industry and the fact that as a society most of the things we purchase are considered disposable. "There's no point in fixing anything," said Gavey.

In addition to Gavey sharing his own research on the matter, he wants to use the channel as an avenue to share what is happening locally. "So if there's a tree planting effort going on locally, I can bring someone on and interview them," he said.

"I'd like it to be a platform where you can use it to [promote local initiatives] because I don't think there's any chance we are really going to make meaningful change unless you can motivate large masses of people," said Gavey. "It's got to be attacked from like 40 different areas and a lot of that is going to require a mobilization of the masses," he said.

Using the example of a local tree planting event, Small Star's Brad Smith talked about the power of one person. "If you can influence one extra person to go to that event, it might be the first time they ever volunteered to do anything, that could change their life," said Smith.

The pair talked about the challenge of mobilizing people in Saugeen Shores because of the fact that while populations are being devastated around the world, it is likely to be some time before people in Saugeen Shores are personally impacted by climate change.

"Unfortunately here it's just going to be prices," said Gavey. "We're not going to run out of water like other places are, I mean we'll have droughts where food will go low for a year but not like where people are dying in the streets and killing each other over food, we're last at the end of the line for that," he said.

"That's partially why we're responsible for taking action now," he continued. "Because we're causing it. We're consuming more than anybody but we're going to be the last affected," he said.

Gavey remarked on the irony that a lot of the same people who are against any climate change action are also anti immigration. "Nothing is going to cause more immigration than climate change," he said.

"Each person has a huge influence," added Smith. "People think these big companies have all the power, it's actually the people that own shares that have the power," he said. "If you're a shareholder, like many people in Saugeen Shores, why are you empowering the system that is literally destroying the planet," he said.

Smith added that his vision for Small Star Network is that it becomes a platform where people like Gavey can share their passion and knowledge for a particular topic and welcomes anyone with an interest in hosting their own show to contact Small Star at brad@smallstar.ca.

To view or subscribe to Small Star Network and the Saugeen Shores Climate Change Report, visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIH7kHCBaP6s3TjYYx3aaUQ.