Warning bells

Knox United Church on Pruden Street is getting ready to ring their bell to bring awareness of climate change.

The bell is to be rung at the end of service at 3 p.m. for a total of 350 times on next Sunday. The bell ringing is in coordination with the Copenhagen climate meeting that world leaders are attending to discuss what action is needed to protect the planet from further harm.

Margaret Rusnak was sitting beside her grandson Eric, 12, at Knox United Church on Sunday. They were taking part in the potluck lunch. Rusnak said she would make sure Eric has a turn to ring the bell next Sunday.

Eric said he would do his part to protect the planet by not littering and not getting an environmentally harmful job. He said it was good that the church was bringing awareness by ringing the bell.

Rusnak said while riding in the car Eric notice the plastic Santa’s. He told her they were bad for the environment.

"Canada has a big problem with climate change," Rusnak said. "I looked on the Internet and the Earth is emitting 385 parts per million. The level the Earth can handle is 350 ppm."

Rusnak said she wouldn’t call ringing the bell old fashioned but just a means to bring awareness to the issue.

"People in this neighbourhood are going to ask why that bell is ringing so much," she said.

Rusnak added politicians are trying to find a way to solve the problem but didn’t expect the solution to come from the Copenhagen talks.

Doreen Lankshear-Smith, a minister with Knox United, said it is the firs time the bell would be rung to warn people. She said the teacher at Sunday school picks a new child every week to ring the bell two or three times at the beginning of service.

"We have to save our planet," Lankshear-Smith said. "In olden times, before the sophisticated technology that we have today, people were warned of danger by ringing church bells. Someone thought of ringing the bells to warn everybody of the danger."

Lankshear-Smith said she hoped the Copenhagen discussions would be a big turn around for justice and peace for the planet. Lankshear-Smith said they are bringing awareness for all creatures of Earth.

Lankshear-Smith said the CO2 emissions need to be brought down below 350 ppm. She said the Thunder Bay Council of Clergy is enouraging local churches to participate.

"We in the church believe that the industry and financial concerns are stopping us from going forward. We think Kyoto wasn’t followed through. That was in 1997, I think," she said.

Lankshear-Smith said the economy is important but saving the planet is more so. When asked if people would not understand the meaning behind the bell ringing she said she would rely on the media to educate people on its significance. Click here to submit a letter to the editor.