by Emma Bider
The conversation surrounding Canadian seniors and climate change has a very consistent tone. Seniors are vulnerable. They are at high risk when it comes to extreme heat — as we saw in British Columbia this past summer — and are likely to suffer more from air quality issues than others. Seniors will also have a more challenging time getting to safety during an emergency flood, tornado, or other climate-induced weather events. These remain valid concerns, and care for older Canadians is one of the areas that we must seriously invest in. But the fixation on seniors’ vulnerability, especially on the part of gerontologists, politicians, and even family members, puts them squarely in the category of passive victims. This is a disservice to the senior community, who are taking multiple actions to combat climate change. Instead of treating the said community as those without agency, environmental organizations would be wise to include this demographic as agents of change.
Rise of the “Gray Greens”
In September 2021, The Washington Post published a piece about a group of “gray greens”, a group of older climate protesters who were willing to get arrested at a climate protest in London, UK. The seniors who spoke to the newspaper said they feared for their grandchildrens’ futures or felt partially responsible for the current crisis. They stood side by side in civil disobedience with younger generations.
A 2017 article by Dr. Rick Moody in the Public Policy and Aging Report argued that seniors indeed had to face up to the fact that, “They — that is, we — need to acknowledge that responsibility”. But it need not be all guilt and handwringing. Moody points out that seniors have power, including political clout as a demographic that votes in huge numbers. There is also something to be said for experiential knowledge, which younger generations may lack.
In my own work as communications coordinator for Climate Legacy, a Canadian project of the Group of 78, we explicitly work to get seniors connected to climate action. Many of the people I work with have backgrounds in labour organizing and union participation or have been environmentalists for decades. They bring with them a wealth of knowledge about how to organize rallies, be heard by politicians, and write compelling op-eds. David Suzuki — Canada’s most prominent environmentalist — is a senior. There is growing research about seniors’ roles in environmental groups in Australia, the UK, and the US. Sadly, we only have anecdotal evidence in Canada that seniors impact the climate conversation.
Seniors have been on the front line of the Fairy Creek blockade for months, pushing for an end to logging of old growth forests and improving ecosystem protection.
Photo credit: Norman Galimski
It is a shame that there is not more discussion of seniors’ roles in environmental movements in Canada because there is evidence that points to the value of senior climate participation. Many volunteer for community organizations. Take, for example, the Raging Grannies, who remain prominent at protests across the country and organizations explicitly made up of seniors, similar to Grand(m)others Act to Save the Planet, Seniors for Climate Action Now, and Eco-Elders for Climate Action Calgary. Each of these groups is advocating for change at local, provincial, and federal levels. Also, Indigenous elders across Canada are absolutely crucial to environmental stewardship and the maintenance of local ecosystem knowledge. We must follow their lead and encourage the participation of seniors across the country.
In stark contrast to intuition, a 2021 report by HelpAge International found that while climate change was certainly a threat to older populations, getting involved in environmental issues can improve seniors’ psychological and sometimes physical well-being. Seniors can also benefit from volunteering or work that is focused on improving the world, thereby leaving behind a valuable legacy for future generations.
Getting Seniors Involved
Despite the wealth of knowledge, time, and energy that seniors can bring to the table, barriers remain to seniors’ participation in climate work. According to HelpAge, seniors may feel hesitant to get involved because they feel like they lack the scientific expertise or deep knowledge about the issues. They will need — and this is an age-agnostic issue — basic educational training on initiatives and training on how to talk about these issues to others.
“Getting involved in environmental issues can improve seniors’ psychological and sometimes physical well-being.”
Seniors are also less adapted to the Internet and online organizing tools. This has led many to steer clear of organizations that do most of their work online. However, a recent poll has found that 72% of Canadians aged 65 and over feel confident using current technology. But seniors will need more guidance when using tools like Slack and Zoom, or creating graphics online and analyzing web statistics, which are less commonplace abilities. Holding workshops or organizing webinars with groups like Connected Canadians can help seniors learn how to use these unfamiliar online tools. That, and offering alternative modes of engagement will benefit not only seniors but also others who have accessibility concerns.
David Suzuki, one of Canada’s leading environmentalists, is a senior. In 2015, he voiced his support in the Save Ojibway Park movement, to stop the development of big box stores in the vicinity of a unique tall-grass prairie ecosystem only present today in the Ojibway Park area in Windsor-Essex.
Photo credit: Sean Previl
Although seniors are online more than ever before, environmental organizations are not necessarily targeting them for their volunteer opportunities. Working with retiree associations, retirement homes, or other clubs or groups that skew older persons is another way to reach this increasingly climate-aware demographic.
From my own anecdotal experience, I can tell you that seniors are energized and excited to be a part of work that not only directly affects their communities but has global and long-term implications. The perceived passivity of seniors, or presumption that seniors are only victims of climate change, not actors in mitigating it, smacks of ageism when we have so many examples to the contrary. We need everyone on board to end the climate crisis. It’s time we see seniors as vital assets to the cause.
“We need everyone on board to end the climate crisis.”
About The Author
Emma Bider is a student and writer living in Ottawa. She has worked in communications for NGOs and start-ups for the last five years. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and African studies, and a Master’s in anthropology. Her doctoral work explores how local climate action and powerful environmental symbols can affect municipal policy change.
About Climate Legacy
Climate Legacy is a project to engage and mobilize older Canadians in climate action through their voice, their time and their money. Seniors comprise a significant force in combating climate change and are often overlooked in current mobilizing efforts. This is why we are establishing a climate action platform and resource dedicated to older Canadians. Windsor of Change is currently a part of Climate Legacy’s network, that helps encourage more seniors to join the climate movement.