Article Archives - Page 22 of 27 - Creatively United Community

Get, growing Victoria! – This new initiative is operated by the City of Victoria’s Growing in the City program and aims to grow and distribute vegetable and herb seedlings via non-profit organizations to home gardeners, with a focus on supporting communities... Read more

The Greatest Health Scandal of Our Time!

Parents for Safe Schools is an organization of parents, teachers and students that would like to support your decision to bring this extremely important issue to the attention of Parliament, again. Our elected Government Officials and Provincial Health Officer have... Read more

Camas and Beacon Hill Park

Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Nature & Conservation, Review

This is an excellent article from the Beacon Hill archives that describes the Garry oak meadows of Victoria in 1843 and then the human impact of foot traffic by 2005. Please read and pass this bit of history along to all you know. Camas Country By Janis Ringuette... Read more

Book Review: The Legacy of Luna, by Julia Butterfly Hill

Feeling cooped up with the lockdown? Imagine living in a 200-ft-tall redwood tree for more than two years. Twenty years ago, Julia Butterfly Hill did just that, to draw attention to the continued clearcutting of California’s remaining redwood forests.

Manifesto for a Just and Ecological Civilization

Article, Community Trees

We are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel coming out of, at least, phase 1 of the pandemic in Canada. In my idleness, I, along with Penny Joy and a friend, have created the attached manifesto for the post-Covid world, to attempt to unify our various social,... Read more

The Health Costs of Business as Usual

A couple of weeks ago I noted that in addition to COVID-19, other major infectious diseases kill millions of people annually, mostly children, and mostly in low-income countries. But globally, and certainly in high-income countries, infectious diseases are not our major causes of death, disease and injury.

The Cedar Sound Project

A group of young artists in Cedar have started a digital public art project called the Cedar Sound Project. They are calling for submissions from community members of “field recordings”: sound snippets which document a moment in your daily life during... Read more

The Butterflyway Project

Wild pollinators such as butterflies and bees are crucial to human survival. Climate change and widespread pesticide use are compromising their habitat and food sources. The David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Project encourages to people to step up and help our... Read more

Social Tipping Points, Virtuous Cascades

Courtesy of the Times Colonist In a December 2019 interview, Will Steffen, a leading Earth systems scientist and member of the Stockholm Resilience Centre, said: “We need to reach a social tipping point, before we reach a planetary one.” By “a planetary tipping... Read more

Lessons from Pandemics

Article, Featured, Food & Health

“Pandemic-Resilient Community Planning: Practical Ways to Help Communities Prepare for, Respond to, and Recover from Pandemics and Other Economic, Social and Environmental Shocks” Resilience refers to a system’s ability to efficiently absorb shocks. This report... 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

Is social distancing really the best new norm we can come up with?

Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Nature & Conservation

Until we choose to reconnect with the nature within us, we will perpetuate an inhospitable environment for ourselves.

Orca Month 2020

Orca Awareness Month 2020 (June) will be a spontaneous upsurge of creativity spreading the “help whales” message in a time of physical-distancing. We can’t have talks & meetings so will do public art displays. 73 remaining SRKWs have never needed us more.

Solid Waste, Air, and Water Pollution

Article, Zero Waste & Circular Economy

I’m teaching CIVE 410 Solid Waste, Air, and Water Pollution this summer. I am hoping to connect to people working in solid waste, air, and water pollution who may be interested in sharing a short presentation about their work experience with the students.

Donald Trump’s Crime Against Humanity

In cutting funding to the World Health Organization in the midst of a pandemic, U.S. President Donald Trump may think he is attacking a bunch of faceless bureaucrats in Geneva and the World Health Organization’s regional offices around the world.

Time Sensitive! Stop 5G protest, please join

This Saturday, April 25, is the Global Stop 5G Day and I am hoping that you will participate. What we need to do is to make our politicians at every level hear our voices. Instructions; Copy, paste and fill out this non consent form then Fax individually to Justin... Read more

Kindness to Trees in Uplands Park

The classes at Ecole Willows Elementary have been restoring a very unhealthy area in Uplands Park for the past 4 years. It was an area ploughed in the 1850’s to create part of Uplands Farm growing non-native agrarian grasses to feed the cattle. By 2016, there were... Read more

Roar radically forward, not back to a pathological system

In his daily briefing on April 9, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “Our country will come roaring back.” I understand why he might want to reassure people that everything would be fine, that this is just a temporary, if large, disruption to business-as-usual. But it’s much more than that.

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

Classes on Reversing Global Warming

You can join with others who are eager to get into action on projects to reverse global warming! Go to bcdrawdown.org to learn more about the book Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming.

Esquimalt Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Earth Day With Week-Long Online Programming

The Township of Esquimalt is doing Earth Day a little differently this year. Typically the day is marked with a celebration at Highrock Park with a focus on children’s educational activities around sustainability and the natural environment. The traditional format was... Read more

Connections in Kindness Tree Photography

Article, Community Trees

Join us in photographing trees and in connecting our community to the kindness of trees!

Township of Esquimalt Recruiting Members For Vacancies On Commissions & Committees

The Township is looking for enthusiastic individuals interested in serving the community as a member of the Advisory Planning Commission, Design Review Committee, Environmental Advisory Committee, or Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee are encouraged to apply.... Read more

Helping Those in Need

The City of Victoria’s Business Hub staff have compiled a comprehensive list of resources for businesses at victoria.ca/bizresources. Donate to Boxes of Hope. Every $10 donated provides a warm, healthy meal to someone in need and supports the local restaurant... Read more

A Tale of Two Futures: Lets Choose the Right One This Time

Because of Covid-19 we stand yet again at a crossroads of history. Too often in my lifetime we have stood at this same crossroads, and each time we have taken the wrong path. Will we get it right this time?

Online Educational Resources To Connect Kids With Nature

Take a breather and connect with nature! Check out the Sierra Club’s Google Classroom (code XULWFC2) and website for tons of fun nature-based activities for the whole family! These new resources are not only helpful for parents, but for caregivers and educators... Read more

Cabin Fever?

‘Cabin fever’ is a common expression referring to negative emotions and distress related to confinement and isolation, such as irritability, hopelessness, lack of focus, and even simple boredom. It is not a disease and not dangerous in and of itself, but our mental... Read more

Pleas For Urban Nearby-Nature

Can we call city parks, even large uncultivated ones, “natural”? Given that over half of humanity now lives in cities, and that by 2050 an estimated 68% will, preservation of large urban green spaces is the only way most kids will grow up without “NDD”

Change & Creativity: Creating Possibilities out of Chaos & Uncertainty

In this article I share some tools and strategies to support you to embrace change during times of chaos and uncertainty that are underpinned by the belief that “embracing change is a creative process that opens us up to new possibilities”.

Resilience Means Bouncing Forward, Not Back to the Way We Were Before

This concern with the need to protect and restore the economy plays into a narrative about resilience, usually framed as the ability of people and communities to recover, to bounce back to where they were before the event ever happened.

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

Habitat Loss Is the Pan-demic

It seems amazing that medical and political officials obsess about social distancing but have NOTHING to say about the cause of the pandemic – i.e. nothing about addiction to animal products. (Telling us don’t go outside, but keep buying meat?!?)

Challenges and Solutions for Engaging Youth in Agriculture

Article, Food & Health, Nature & Conservation

Shelter Farm, a social enterprise operated by The Port Alberni Shelter Society. The farm grows vegetables that provide a source of nutrition for our clients and are sold to local markets. Shelter Farm is also home to the Market Gardener Program.

Gardening Resources

The Compost Education Centre has moved all their gardening workshops online. Many of them are free! Check them out here: https://www.compost.bc.ca/education/workshop-series/ Linda Gilkenson’s Gardening Tips! You can receive tips by email from this west coast... Read more

Essential Services in BC during COVID-19 Crisis

Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Food & Health

The Government of BC has confirmed a list of essential services, and some non profits are included in this list. “Essential services are those daily services essential to preserving life, health, public safety and basic societal functioning. They are the... Read more

Volunteers Needed to Help Feed Community Members Most in Need

We are reaching out in hopes that you can help us. We are trying to identify community partners to help us coordinate meal distribution sites to feed our community members most in need. The Downtown Victoria Business Association (DVBA) is working with the Coalition to... Read more

A Different Perspective on COVID-19

Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Video

There is no question COVID-19 is a serious issue. If we did nothing, hundreds of thousands of Canadians, especially older people, might die and the health care system would be overwhelmed, jeopardizing the health of many other people with other health problems.

Social Change Requires an Open Mind

This is a video I created out of a PowerPoint presentation created by a social change movement that I’m part of. I invite you to take the time to watch it. I hope it sheds light on my state of agitation, and why you too might be frustrated with the widespread inertia... Read more

Neighbourhood Markets Open During Pandemic!

Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Food & Health

The coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, and while many despair and are living in fear, we attempt to ease their burden by bringing a little hope and peace in providing free produce and groceries.

BC Mines Act Permit Q-8-121 “Climate Change is not relevant!”

The Highlands District Community Association (HDCA) has learned that the BC Government had Permitted a proposed strip mine in the District of the Highlands. This approval came three years after the application, yet only a few hours after the Government had declared a... Read more

Laid Off and Looking For Work? Chamber Job Board Lists Employers Looking For Workers

Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Food & Health

After mandated restaurant closures today (now take out and delivery only) we know there will be more people looking for work. Pharmacies, grocery stores, island health and others are hiring right now. At time of this writing there are 37 jobs listed on the Jobs Board... Read more

Spread Compassion – Stop Diseases

This short report describes the special problems that contagious diseases such as COVID-19 present to people experiencing homelessness, and the organizations that serve them. Homeless people tend to be vulnerable to infections due to a combination daily stress, poor... Read more

Keeping Yourself Strong and Healthy in this COVID-19 Time

Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Food & Health

I have been reading the news more than I ever have in my entire lifetime for the past couple of months. When the virus first erupted in Wuhan, I was away on Orcas Island with friends. We were all sitting around discussing what was happening and the initial numbers-... 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.

Mountain Mover