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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday May 14, 2008 - 11 Gaining green power CARRIERS WANTED By Tina Depko OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Some people travel to Brazil for a relaxing vacation at a resort, but Matt Ray Smith went there for Mother Earth. The 24-year-old Oakville resident recently returned from the four-day Global Greens Congress in São Paulo with optimism that society can change its ways to stop global warming. "I really wanted to see how the global movement was working and look at potential solutions," said Smith, who works as a business developer for an Internet marketing company. "We were told that by 2015, greenhouse gases must start to reduce or we are going to hit the tipping point. And while it was scary, the really inspiring part is that we do have the technology, the solutions are out there and it is possible." The international conference drew more than 500 people from close to 90 countries, encompassing Green Party members, scientists, businesspeople, lobbyists and politicians. Smith was one of eight Canadians who went to the conference. Included in that congregation was Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada. "We had some great conversations," he said of meeting May. "I'd seen her before, but never had any personal conversations with her until I was down there. We talked about everything from the next election, to the possibilities of the party. She was very nice and down to earth." The conference featured Matt Ray Smith keynote speakers and brainstorming sessions where green-minded individuals could share ideas on how to address what many consider the growing environmental crisis. Smith said he found initiatives that other countries are undertaking especially fascinating. "Down in Brazil, they are using sugar cane for fuel," he said. "And all over Europe, they are using a lot of wind power. I'm surprised Oakville doesn't have one (a wind turbine) yet." Smith has an avid interest in the environment. He is a member of the Green Party of Ontario, and even ran under the Green banner in the Halton riding for the 2003 provincial election at the tender age of 19. He lost to Conservative Ted Chudleigh, receiving just under 1,300 votes, which was about two per cent of the voter turnout for the riding. Smith said he was happy with that outcome considering many local voters thought he was a treehugging hippie. "There were people who saw me as having a hippie mentality," he said. "But there were also people like this old lady who said she would like to vote for me, but she wanted the Conservatives out. The First-Past-The-Post system worked against us." Smith said that Canada was highlighted at the Brazil conference by several speakers, but usually in a negative light for Prime Minister Stephen Harper's decision to pull the country out of the Kyoto Accord. "At the conference, we spoke a lot about the greenwash that is going on, which is where politicians come up with a lot of rhetoric that sounds good, but in practice, they really aren't doing anything," he said. "Let's look at global warming and Stephen Harper as an example. He said he is going to reduce greenhouse gases by 20 per cent, but this is from 2006 levels and not 1990 levels, which is what Kyoto really called for. This came up a few times at the conference, basically because he embarrassed Canada." Smith said a major message of the conference was the need for Green Party politicians to be elected into provincial and national governments. He predicts the Green Party will see its first member of Parliament in the next election. "We're really optimistic about the next election and there are some great things going on federally with Elizabeth May's strong campaign," Smith said. "The big thing that came from the conference is that we really have to push to get Green people elected and when we get elected, we have to stick to our goals for the environment." The Oakville Beaver The Oakville Beaver is looking for newspaper carriers in your neighbour hood! Support your local carrier Join our carrier club Earn extra money and win prizes Many routes still available Call immediately for more information 905-845-9742