How Can We Stop The Looming Climate Disaster?
So much has been written about the urgency of the looming climate disaster that I’ll skip straight to the solutions. I am a climate alarmist, just as Churchill was a Nazi alarmist in the 1930s. But I am not a climate doomer. I am of one mind with Paul Hawken, author... Read more
Nature’s Greetings Cards
Saltspring Island author, naturalist and artist Briony Penn, has kindly allowed the Yellow Point Ecological Society to convert some of her beautiful illustrations into greetings cards, which we are selling as a fundraiser for YES. Details here:... Read more
Seven ways to include nature in our economic choices
From nature’s perspective, human civilization has been a disaster. It has caused the loss of 83% of all wild mammals and 50% of plants. Between 1970 and 2016 alone, humans wiped out 68% of the world’s mammals, birds, fish and reptiles. The world’s governments support this destructive activity with subsidies…
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The Great Transition – Which Future Are We Living In?
The Great Transition scenarios, detailed in the 2022 Great Transition essay, stand the test of time. All six are alive and well, not as scenarios but as realities. In the two Conventional World scenarios, market forces still determine almost everything, regardless of... Read more
The October 15th Local Elections
2022 Local Government Elections – Climate Champions Registration Are you a climate champion who is running for council, school board or regional government? We are here to support you, and connect you with a climate group in your municipality. Use this form to... Read more
Local Climate Solutions Papers
On October 15th, candidates from all across BC will be elected to local councils, school districts, and regional districts. The urgency of the climate crisis is such that we need to elect a majority of climate champions on every council, in every regional district,... Read more
Urge the UBCM to Support the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty – Write today, no delay!
On Thursday, September 15th the Union of BC Municipalities will vote on whether to ask the Province of BC to enact a GHG emissions cap for natural gas utilities, and support the objectives of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. A strong YES vote would be a... Read more
Hawai’i Konea – A Story from the Future
It’s sunset, at the end of another beautiful day in Honolulu. The high tide is arguing with the seawall, which was raised another metre last year to protect the Capitol Building – but what’s new? They’re still not on good terms with each other. My name is Ben... Read more
September 30, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Here are some resources to help settlers understand and advance Indigenous Reconciliation: 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a... Read more
Weekly Climate Action – September 7th Deadline
Urgent, before September 7th: FortisBC, the province’s gas utility, tried to sneak one by us From The Wilderness Committee: It split the expansion project at its Tilbury LNG plant in Delta into two. We’ve got until Sept. 7 to tell the province to reject a key part of... Read more
Job Posting: Community Climate Circles Program Coordinator
Are you concerned about the global climate emergency? Do you want to do something about it? Are you looking for a paid contract? If so, read on. Community Climate Circles is a project of the Nanaimo Climate Action Hub. We are working to form Community Climate Circles... Read more
Federal Election 2021 Resources
Guide to a Strong Election Climate Plan, for your websites From Environmental Defence: Let candidates know that if they want your vote, they need to be serious about climate action. We’ve created a guide of key policies to watch for when you’re reading party platforms... Read more
Climate Health, Science and Politics in the Headlines – Early August 2021
Physicians, lawyers call on BC to investigate thousands of Heat Dome injuries From WCEL: The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and West Coast Environmental Law Association today warned that BC’s recent Heat Dome may have caused an estimated five... Read more
An Open Letter from John Cashore to Premier Horgan
John Cashore spent 15 years as the elected MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville, serving as Minister of Environment (1991-1993), Aboriginal Affairs (1993-1998), Labour (1997-1998), and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier (2000-2001). He introduced the “Zero AOX” pulp pollution regulation requiring pulp mills to completely eliminate their organochlorine discharges and has been a tireless advocate for the environment.
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Upcoming Climate Action – Have Your Voice Heard!
July 31 Deadline for Public Input: BC Hydro’s Completely Inadequate 20-year Plan From the BC Climate Alliance: BC Hydro is asking for public input to their draft 20-year Integrated Resource Plan (the 111 page report is here). This plan is completely inadequate for the... Read more
World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency 2021
From World Scientists: In 2019, Ripple and colleagues warned of untold suffering and declared a climate emergency together with more than 11,000 scientist signatories from 153 countries. On the basis of recent trends in planetary vital signs, we reaffirm the climate... Read more
A ‘SLAPP Suit’ – Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation – to protect the Old Growth Forest in Qualicum Beach
In Qualicum Beach, the 200-acre rural Estate Residential forest contains a highly-productive and rare old-growth Coastal Douglas Fir ecosystem, that’s known as the scenic gateway to our village. So when a plan for residential development threatened this iconic treasure, the community rallied.
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Climate Jobs and Opportunities
GoodWork: https://www.goodwork.ca Director, Sustainable Communities at David Suzuki Foundation A rare senior leadership opportunity to join one of Canada’s leading environmental organization and become an agent of... Read more
West Coast Climate Action Network – Seeking Indigenous Engagement
We would be most grateful if you could share the opportunities below with any Indigenous people you know who are engaged in any kind of climate action or initiative. The West Coast Climate Action Network is a new non-profit society: we work to support and promote the... Read more
The Nanaimo Area Land Trust is Calling all Interested Wetlands Stewards!
The wetlands of Nanaimo are a precious ecological resource. To understand their natural values they need to be properly mapped, classified and monitored. This wetlandkeepers course will give you the tools to help steward our local wetlands. Sign up now for the 2021... Read moreWelcome to the Koksilah Watershed
The Koksilah Working Group is a group of community volunteers who address concerns about the impacts of land use and climate change on their local water and environment on Vancouver Island, Canada. It was established in 2015 by the Cowichan Station Area Association,... Read more
Are you concerned about the climate crisis?
We are looking for eight guinea-pigs. Of the human variety. Might you be one? I am part of a new group called the Nanaimo Community Climate Connectors. We share a deep concern about the growing climate emergency, which is threatening our whole world, and the future of... Read more
Can you support the Yellow Point Ecological Society?
Once a year, we put out an appeal for financial support – by Becoming a Member – here! https://yellowpointecologicalsociety.ca/join-us/ Some of our initiatives cost us nothing, but we have costs to keep our various technologies going, and some of our new... Read more
Fifty Ways to Bring More Urgency to BC’s Climate Action Plans
“We are facing a disaster of unspoken suffering for enormous amounts of people, so please, treat the climate crisis like the acute crisis it is, and give us a future.” – Greta Thunberg For years, Guy Dauncey has tirelessly warned of the urgency of tackling the climate... Read moreA New Ecological Civilization – The Economics of Kindness
This World Unity Week webinar features eco-futurist and author Guy Dauncey and Creatively United for the Planet founder and host Frances Litman. The new economy must create new jobs in a clean and green transition to renewable energy to flatten the carbon emissions... Read moreWhat would it take to Build a Truly Resilient Local Food System?
Best-selling author, seed saving guru and food security expert, Carolyn Herriot, and Victoria, BC, community gardening advocate, Gary MacDougall, will share tips on how to grow healthy food that rebuilds soil, prevents erosion, and draws down CO2 in the ground as... Read more
Who Are We? Where are we Going? Some Reflections in this COVID-19 Time
Who are we? And where are we going on this tiny planet of ours, this bright sparkle of life in a Universe so ridiculously vast? It’s a question worth exploring, if you have five minutes in your busy COVID day. Almost all scientists assume that the Universe is a... Read more
Rebuilding BC: A Portfolio of Possibilities
In early May I was approached by the Green Technology Education Centre, based in Vancouver, and invited to join its Council for the New Green Economy, to help design a positive green recovery for BC. This we have done. The result was published last week as Rebuilding... Read moreFood! Deep Roots Farm How-To Videos with Golden-Rose Gardiner and Carolyn Herriot
Yellow Point’s own Goldenrose and Carolyn are making short videos on What to Plant at the End of April (early May), How to grow Potatoes, How to Pot on Tomatoes, How to Pot on Cabbage, and a new one each week. They are all... Read more
Wolves: The Takaya Legacy
Takaya led a remarkable life for a wolf. His adventuresome spirit brought him to an unlikely place. His calm demeanour, fabulous good looks, resilience and intelligence brought him fame. For many years he lived alone on Discovery Island, off Victoria, until he swam... Read more
When Climate Met COVID
We face not one but three simultaneous inter-connected crises: the COVID-19 Emergency, the Climate and Biodiversity Emergency, and the Crisis of Capitalism. We urgently need connected constructive responses. When you recall the movie When Harry Met Sally, your horny... Read more
15 Questions on Emergency Food and Farming Planning for British Columbia
Our food chain in BC is hugely dependent on imports, making it extremely vulnerable. On Vancouver Island, 95% of our food arrives on the ferry. BC has tens of thousands of acres of farmland that are lying fallow, or growing hay for horses that serve no agricultural... Read more
50 Ways to Stay SANE During the Coronavirus Pandemic
How can we stay strong during this crisis? With love, careful planning, and care for others – and total lockdown. When we emerge, huge numbers of people will hopefully want a more caring, cooperative approach to life, and a new kind of economy, based less on greed, selfishness and the destruction of Nature, and more on the economics of kindness.
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Waste Land: Climate Anxiety Haunted House Brings New Art Form to Victoria
This is brilliant. If you live in Victoria, seize the chance to visit before it closes on Sunday! – Guy Dauncey — This is the first time that a home slated for the wrecking ball has been used as an exhibition space in Victoria. Aryze Development has given... Read more
Six Green New Deals: How Do They Compare?
I spent this week digging into six different Green New Deals, to see how they compare, policy-by-policy. Five American, one European. The Canadian versions are seemingly not ready yet. Here’s my results. I hope you find them helpful! Read more
BC’s Climate Intentions Papers: A Timid Response – and the Twelve Solutions We Really Need
I wish I didn’t have to write this. I count myself a friend of the NDP/Green Alliance, and I had high hopes for the government’s new climate action plans. BC’s Ministry of Environment has published a series of Clean Growth Intentions Papers, with a deadline for public feedback of August 24th, in the heart of this fire and smoke-filled summer.
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Summer Reading – Journey to the Future
If you are wondering about a great summer read, can I gently suggest this for your consideration? I spent over three years years crafting this positive, uplifting vision of a future in which we tackle our many problems successfully and begin to build an ecotopia right... Read moreWatch: New Interview with Frances Litman about Creatively United
Airing this week! Television host/author, Guy Dauncey, discusses what it takes to step out of your comfort zone and become a leader with Frances Litman, founder of Creatively United for the... Read moreWatch: Change the World with Guy Dauncey
Have a concern for the future? Do you want to build a better world? Join host Guy Dauncey and meet inspiring individuals who are motivated to make meaningful changes in our community. Change the World host Guy Dauncey discusses new economics and a community economy... Read more