Greenpeace holds retreat to teach people about climate change
A group of socially-conscious Edmontonians have spent a weekend at a Greenpeace retreat where they learned about climate change. The group, aged between 15 and 50, were also given workshops on "non-violent direct action, and art-based resistance." One of the organisers, Bronwen Tucker, said having a "powerful and strong message" was more important than protesting, and making sure everyone understood what climate change really meant, so politicians could be lobbied more effectively.

Greenpeace Edmonton is hosting a camp on climate change this weekend.

The yearly retreat's goal is to teach socially-conscious Edmontonians about climate change, and environmental justice.

Bronwen Tucker, one of the organizers for the weekend of workshops, believes it's important for like-minded people to join together and get educated.

"This weekend is really about getting a strong background for folks, and getting a lot of the folks we work with on the same page. So that we can be a lot stronger in asking the government to really step up on climate change."

The group ranged in age from 15 to 50 and were trained in the tactics of non-violent direct action, and art based resistance.

Tucker says it's not about protesting more, it's about having a powerful, and strong message.

"I think Greenpeace is really associated with direction action and these big stunts," said Tucker. "But there's no point climbing a bridge to hang a banner if you don't know what the right thing to ask on that banner is."

Tucker says despite the recent steps from Alberta's government to reduce their carbon footprint, there's still work to do.

"The climate policy touches a lot of things and that was a good initial first step, but there's a lot of details that need to be flushed out still. So depending on some of the decisions the government makes in the next few months that will really change if we are really being ambitious enough."

Tucker hopes people will leave the retreat with new information and a new passion for saving the planet.