2007 PARKLAND INSTITUTE/ALBERTAVIEWS STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST

Students registered in any high school, under graduate or graduate program within Alberta are invited to write an essay of approximately 1000 words on the following topic:

In recent years, North Americans have earned a reputation around the world for wasteful and excessive consumption. Canada now tops all countries in the world in per capita output of greenhouse gases (GHG). Alberta, despite having only 10% of Canada's population, contributes fully 25% of Canada's GHG emissions.

There is global scientific consensus that climate change is now impacting the world at an alarming rate, and many communities around Alberta are now starting to feel the impacts of climate change on their community’s health, the availability of water, and the coming pine beetle infestation.

The scope of Alberta’s current GHG emissions is such that individual action alone will be insufficient to make a significant difference. Given that we need concrete government policy with clear timelines to address this issue, what steps should the Government of Alberta take today to bring this problem under control?

Students should feel free to write about any aspect of government policy with a potential impact on GHG emissions and the environment.

The student with the best essay in each of the three categories will receive $500, and one of the three winning essays will be published in Alberta Views Magazine.

Educators are encouraged to assign the essay as classwork.

Deadline: May 31, 2007.

Electronic submissions are appreciated.

Parkland Institute
11045 Saskatchewan Drive
Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1
Ph. (780) 492-8558 Fax: (780) 492-8738
Email: parkland@ualberta.ca
web: www.ualberta.ca/parkland

See last year's topic and winners here