New CRD Parks Long Term Strategy
The CRD is creating a new Long Term Strategy for CRD Regional Parks. The discussions so far include weakening the priority of protecting the parks’ ecological integrity. It is important to let the CRD know that you strongly support protection.
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Royal Bank of Canada Leading Funder of Fossil Fuels
RBC is the biggest funder of fossil fuels in Canada, and fifth in the world. It has poured over $200 billion into fossil fuels since the Paris Accord was signed. RBC is also financing the Coastal GasLink pipeline on Wet’suwet’en territory, as well as... Read more
Communities’ Transition Pathways
Iron & Earth hosted a community conversation in Hinton, Alberta, in January 2022, as part of the Green Resilience Project on the topic of climate change, income security, and community. Participants discussed how the climate increasingly affects their community,... Read more
WHO’s focus on planetary health is timely
Thursday, April 7, is World Health Day. The theme this year is Our Planet, Our Health. WHO wants to “focus global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being.”
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Fairy Creek Defendants Launch Leave to Appeal Application to the Supreme Court of Canada
Applicants seek opportunity to argue that the public interest should be a consideration in court decisions. Lək̓ʷəŋən Territories (Victoria BC), April 5, 2022: Three members of the Fairy Creek forest defenders who are advocating to stop the old-growth logging at... Read moreHousing That Heals The Future – Creative Solutions for a New World
Housing That Heals the Future features nine inspiring interviews on a wide range of projects that are charting the future towards healthier, happier communities. This information rich webinar also includes the incredible new six-minute film, The Animal Forest Campaign... Read more
A progressive tax on all forms of wealth would reduce inequality
A few weeks ago, before Russia invaded Ukraine and began committing war crimes that have shocked the world (in a way that should have but, to our shame, did not shock the world when Russia did the same thing in Chechnya and Syria), I was writing about inequality and health in the context of creating a wellbeing society.
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Exploiting the Ukrainian Crisis
There needs to be a strong counter-argument against the lobby of the oil and gas industry to increase Canada’s production of fossil fuels in response to the Ukrainian crisis. Biden has already promised that the U.S. will send more oil and gas to Europe. Trudeau needs... Read moreSeed the City Youth Program
Seed the City is a program for high school students where they can gain work experience in gardening and farming, earn credits towards graduation, and become part of the local food movement in their city. During this 8-week summer program, students build community and... Read more
CRD Parks Survey is Misleading
The CRD’s Regional Parks Strategic Planning process is underway and the need to ensure biodiversity is the primary objective in our parks can not be understated. The CRD’s current public survey (due April 4th) is open to interpretation and written in a... Read more
Old Growth Forest Government Contact Information
Find your MLA’s email here: https://www.leg.bc.ca/learn-about-us/members Premier John Horgan premier@gov.bc.ca 1-250-387-1715 Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources jonathan.wilkinson@parl.gc.ca 1-604-775-6333 Hon. Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary... Read more
Fridays For Future Canada – Global Climate Strike
Join us for the Global Climate Strike on Friday, March 25, 2022 as we demand policymakers and world leaders to prioritize #PeopleNotProfit! The catastrophic climate scenario that we are living in is the result of centuries of exploitation and oppression through... Read more
28-day Lighter Living Groups (4 April – 2 May) – share or register by 1 April
BCers are invited to join a virtual group of 6-10 people who will come together for 28 days to take daily action on personal sustainability and community engagement. Participation is free and groups are supported by experienced facilitators. We’ll use the... Read more
A Prayer for All the Little Things
This is a short poem to remind us about all the little things that make our hearts sing, a short poem to encourage us to reflect on what we can say and do to leave a better world for all the little things that make our hearts sing.
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Greater Victoria student sustainability contest ($ prizes) – please share!
We welcome all grade 6-12 students in Greater Victoria to participate in the One Planet Living Student Challenge. Thanks for sharing this information with students or teachers in Greater Victoria. Students can enter one of two categories (video or illustration) – to... Read more
Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief’s Met With RBC
In this toolkit, you will find template emails, shareable graphics, quick links and template social media posts to amplify the response from Gidimt’en Checkpoint. WET’SUWET’EN HEREDITARY CHIEF’S MET WITH RBC In this toolkit, you will find template emails, shareable... Read more
Finish Line Close – Stop Old Growth Forest Now
Stop the logging of Old Growth. Save Fairy Creek. Preserve this valuable resource for the benefit of so many, now and into the future. It must happen. We can not lose the Old Growth!
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Here’s how you can help Ukraine — and the world
I write my weekly columns a week or so before they are published, and submit them five days ahead. So when I wrote my column last week, while there was always the possibility of Russia invading Ukraine, there was still some hope that the Madman of Moscow would not actually do so.
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CRD Parks Survey – FUTURE OF OUR PARKS ON THE LINE!
CRD Parks is NOW seeking public input on a proposed vision, values, mission statement and priorities for our Regional Parks. Recently there has been pressure on the CRD Board to ‘balance’ recreational use with conservation. At a time when biodiversity is globally... Read moreVictoria Action for Just Transition
At the event, the “Ministry of Just Transition” will present a 3-year update on what it has accomplished since its inception in 2022. The climate champions leading the charge will share progress updates on the new programs and institutions they have created by the... Read more
Take a Stand for James Bay’s Cherry Trees
I’m hoping you can help us with this campaign. If you have admired the gorgeous cherry trees on Menzies St. near Niagara, I am sorry to tell you that a developer is going to cut them all down – in order to move the sidewalk over a few feet. And the city... Read more
Highlands community association to host forum on rewilding
The topic of rewilding will be discussed at a forum to be hosted on Zoom by the Highlands District Community Association (HDCA) on March 15 starting at 7:00 pm. As part of the HDCA Speakers’ Series, the Rewilding Forum will feature two local conservation and... Read more
Teal Jones in violation of criteria
A Call for a New Forest Framework in British Columbia Not only do forestry firms acknowledge they permanently destroy majestic old-growth environments, which is NOT sustainable, but they claim they must do so for economic survival. In other words, money trumps the... Read more
Urgent Appeal: Evaluation of Teal Cedar Proposed Management Plan #5
URGENT APPEAL: DUE MARCH 3, Sample Comment LINKS & letters for Comment & Evaluation of Teal Cedar proposed Management Plan #5 for Tree Farm License 46 including Fairy Creek Area
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Increased inequality was a political choice we must reverse
Given the well-documented relationship between high levels of inequality and poor health and social outcomes in high-income countries, which I discussed last week, high levels of inequality cannot be tolerated. But as I also noted last week, the World Inequality Report 2022 states simply: “Inequality is a political choice, not an inevitability.”
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Housing Requires a Balanced Approach
The “build it and they will come” approach is in line with conventional economic thinking: that more tax income will fund affordable housing and the homeless crisis. It’s overlooked that the current approach to development results in related infrastructure and services consuming the increased property tax revenue.
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This song is the result of the convergence of various aspects of my life: a forty-plus-year career in forest fire research, dabbling in writing song lyrics, a love of music and collaborating with others. The lyrics for Tree of Life came about in response to a challenge from a friend to write about a topic I know well: BC’s old growth forests. A local songwriter, Sian Elen, agreed to set the lyrics to music…
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High levels of inequality incompatible with a well-being society
That is also true globally: “Bonds across countries do not work when bonds within them are broken,” noted the UN’s recent report Our Common Agenda. Which brings me to the World Inequality Report 2022, released in December. The report is published by the World Inequality Lab, based in France, whose major funders include the…
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Say NO to selling our precious public school land and stream
Dear friends, neighbours, Lansdowne neighbours, Bower Creek neighbours, fellow concerned citizens, Please sign this petition to communicate to SD61 Trustees your opposition to the sale of school land at Lansdowne Middle School south campus. This land is needed to... Read more
When it comes to health, inequality is inevitable, but inequity isn’t
The World Health Organization’s December 2021 Geneva Charter for Well-being expresses “the urgency of creating sustainable well-being societies, committed to achieving equitable health now and for future generations without breaching ecological limits.” So far, I have mostly focused on the need to stay within ecological boundaries…
Read moreInside the Fight to Save an Ancient Forest (and the Secrets it Holds)
This PBS video is a powerful testament to the courage and tenacity of determined protestors to protect the old growth forests in the Fairy Creek Watershed and surrounding areas in southwest Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The subtitle, “And the Secrets It Holds” is even more powerful for the film illustrates that forests have more to tell us…
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The Postcard Climate Show
Close to 600 artful solutions to the climate crisis by participants from Victoria, British Columbia and abroad will be displayed in The Postcard Climate Show at Gage Gallery, Victoria, BC, from February 22 until March 6, 2022.
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Shell’s Massive Carbon Capture Plant Is Emitting More Than It’s Capturing
Many fossil fuel companies are championing carbon capture technology as a way to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 in order to continue producing fossil fuels for the market. The federal government has committed to placing a cap on carbon emissions from the oil and... Read more
The Hurricane They Call Lady
I’m a Métis singer/songwriter from Victoria/Vancouver BC. Recently, I’ve been blessed to spend 60 days in my car feeling and learning about homelessness and have now become a humanitarian and advocate for many causes! I recently met a lady in a wheelchair at the... Read more
GDP needs to be replaced with more meaningful indicators
Last week, I described the growing global attention to the concept of a well-being society and economy. The latter has already been the focus of work by several national governments. In particular, New Zealand (Aotearoa) was the first country in the world to develop and present…
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Celebrating World Water Day — Ripples 2022
We wanted to share some exciting news with you in hopes that you may share it to your circles, as well as in any upcoming e-newsletters. POLIS is collaborating with the University of Victoria Sustainability Project, the Canadian Freshwater Alliance, and the Cowichan... Read more
When We Almost Gave Up Until We Caught the Tail of the Rainbow
Dear Friend of the HeArt, Greetings! The year 2020 was grappled with the global pandemic and we were caught in the midst of it when we moved from one island to another – to settle at my mother’s hometown; a farming community located 35 miles from the capital city of... Read more
Happy Lunar New Year!
Happy Lunar New Year ! Let’s spread good fortune and support Asian-owned businesses, Asian artists and BIPOC organizations in 2022 Hi there My name is Ella and I am the social media coordinator for CU I am half-Korean and my step family is Chinese, so I am lucky to... Read more
Well-being society needs a well-being economy
In the face of growing disquiet that our current economic system massively harms Earth’s natural systems while creating excessive inequality and insecurity for many, there is growing interest in the idea of an economy that puts people and planet first.
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Open Letter to Ban Fossil-Fuel Promotion in Schools
The negative effects of fossil fuel extraction and use seriously impact human health and the environment. The Canadian Association of Physicians (CAPE) invites the public to sign an open letter calling on the BC Government to ban fossil-fuel promotion in schools. CAPE... Read moreCoasts, Rivers and Communities
Learn how communities around the world are developing new solutions to mitigate risks by working with nature. Water is the essence of life. Rivers are the arteries of life. Coasts are the gateway to the oceans. All three ecosystems are threatened by the climate crisis — more severe droughts…
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Is the Future Really Friendly for Birds?
Public interest in birds has surged throughout the pandemic. People have discovered the joy of watching birds at their feeders, going for a walk in a nature sanctuary, or simply waking up to their singing. With this increased interest has come a greater understanding... Read more
The Tender Touch of Rising Light
In the Celtic tradition, February 1st marks the celebration of Imbolc, the first stirrings of Spring!
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Phase Out Gas Powered Leaf Blowers
A good guy I know named Francis Landy has created a petition to ban gas-powered leaf blowers in Oak Bay. Please sign and/or share it with others via email, Facebook or any form of social media. This cause is very close to my heart as I’ve been made painfully... Read more
Mark Angelo’s “The Little Creek That Could”
The Little Creek that Could is a children’s story written by Mark Angelo celebrating his life long commitment to bringing degraded urban streams back to life. Mark Angelo is a globally renowned conservationist, teacher and writer who is an Order of Canada recipient... Read moreB.C. Securing Watersheds for a Stronger Future
The BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy today released a Discussion Paper on Watershed Security and and associated Fund to support community engagement in watershed management across the province.
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What is a ‘well-being society’? For starters, one that values planet Earth
In the more than 40 years I have spent working in public health, I have been guided by a key realization and two principles. The realization was that medicine, in which I was trained, while important, is not the main factor that contributes to good health.
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Summary Synthesis of Amitav Ghosh’s The Nutmeg’s Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis
I am now of the view that the scientifically validated discovery of nonhuman sentience and intelligence in the natural world offers the greatest potential for transformation in natural and cultural interpretation and education since the rise of the ecological movement... Read moreHope for Ecosystems
I have recently come across a new source of information, inspiration, and opportunity to act. Endangered Ecosystems Alliance (EEA) is a relatively new non-profit environmental group. They have just been granted charitable tax status. The executive director is Ken Wu. One of the science advisors is Andy MacKinnon. To me, those participants signal knowledge, integrity, courage, and smart ideas.
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