ON FIRE Climate Action Campaign
With climate catastrophes erupting daily, hundreds of people from coast to coast visited over 40 MP offices across the country and called on them to take emergency-level action on the climate emergency by stopping fossil fuel expansion and delivering Just Transition... Read moreOne Year Anniversary and Ceremonial Celebration
I am excited to invite you all to this One Year Anniversary & Ceremonial Celebration. This will be a momentous occasion; a time of unity and possibility. By coming from the city a valuable heartfelt connection will be made. It would be wonderful if we could create a glorious convoy from the cities showing our big hearts and supportive presence. Everybody’s face lights up at Fairy Creek when the Shuttle Bus arrives.
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Apple Tree – A Poem
My heart warmed recently when I read Emily Qian’s poem Trees from a Child’s Perspective on this site. In it she honors the tree and wisely likens the tree to parents. It brought to mind the poem I wrote years ago when my father passed. Thanks Emily.
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Salt Spring Island 5G Vote July 27th
The Saltspring Trust will be voting on the Rogers 5G-enabled cell tower proposed for Channel Ridge, Tuesday, July 27. So far, the Trust has received 227 letters opposed to this tower, 72 in favour. We have one last opportunity to ask them to make a decision that truly... Read more
Fostering Behaviour Change – Developing Effective Strategies
Careful strategy development is the cornerstone of effective programs. Too often, behavioral change programs are developed based on hunches rather than reliable information regarding the barriers and benefits to a behavior. Developing effective community-based social... Read more
Why Care? Old Growth Forests in BC on Brink of Extinction: A New Moral Imperative is Upon Us All
Independent researchers tell us that the old growth forests in BC are on the brink of extinction due to continued clearcut logging. Fairy Creek on Vancouver Island is a typical example of how bureaucracies are unable to make the substantial changes needed to prevent... Read more
Shareable Fairy Creek Infographics
What is going on in Fairy Creek? Why do we need to protect old-growth? What are indigenous perspectives on this issue? What can I do? Creatively United has created these free shareable infographics to help spread the world about the old growth logging at Fairy Creek.... Read more
A Message from the Dean of UBC on Old-Growth Forests in BC
Much has been made about the future of old-growth forests in British Columbia. Global media interest is intense, partly because of the coverage of protestors being arrested while demonstrating against the logging of old-growth on southern Vancouver Island. These arrests were made not for demonstrating, which in British Columbia is generally a lawful activity, but for violating an injunction issued by the British Columbia legal system.
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Let’s Flush Out the Real Criminals
First, let me remind you that we are now at around 400 arrests of peaceful, unarmed people doing the job the premier promised to do: protect the very very very last of the old growth. For this week, I want to draw attention to some of the various court cases going on... Read more
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
Oh, Kanata. Time for a New Flag and a New Name?
Last week, the Times Colonist announced that for Canada Day, it would be running a full-page pull-out of the Canadian Indigenous Flag. Designed by the late Curtis Wilson (Mulidzas) of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation near Campbell River, it is a revised maple leaf flag with swimming salmon in the side bars and an orca in the maple leaf.
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Trees from a Child’s Perspective – A poem by Emily Qian
Emily Qian, an 11 year-old BC resident in grade 5, wants people to know “that trees are a priceless treasure. We’ve only been on Earth for a few years, but trees have been here for thousands.” Trees By Emily Qian, Gr. 5 Trees are all long trunks and... Read more
Seasons Cyclical – A Poem
I’m a Delta, BC resident who began writing poetry as a young girl but really connected with it in earnest in my mid-thirties as a way to explore and understand myself and the wider world. Now approaching 60, poetry and the written word continues to inspire me. I... Read more
Stop Subsidies to ‘Corporate Welfare Bums’ That Harm Our Health
The list of unworthy corporate recipients of government (read tax-paying citizens) support is long, but surely right at the top must be the fossil-fuel industry, followed by industries such as mining, forestry, agriculture and fisheries (of which more next week).
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The Death Of A Tree Equals Paper Money – A Poem
To speak only of beauty and bountiful means Would be the perfect and serene But within this picture of life it seems Are both the best and worst extremes Could there be a place for variance and degree Where one could actually climb the tree Where the almighty dollar... 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
City of Victoria Honorary Citizen Award Call for Nominations
Do you know someone who makes our community a better place? Nominate them for the City of Victoria’s Honorary Citizen Award which celebrates those who have performed outstanding service for the betterment of our community and personal achievements. Nominees must be a... Read more
A Call To Provincial & Federal Governments
British Columbia has the greatest ecological and biological diversity in Canada, from magnificent but highly endangered old-growth temperate rainforests to semi-arid grasslands, from valley-bottom wetlands to high alpine tundra. The BC NDP government can become a... Read more
Guinness World Record with Giki Zero
Giki Zero invites Canadians to join them in setting the Guinness World Records title for the most people pledging climate action in one month! Creatively United supports this Guinness Book of Records Climate Action endeavour led by Jo Hand of Giki Zero, one of our... Read more
Children of the Trees
This past summer I watched two dozen cedars slowly die outside my window in False Creek. In a matter of months, they turned from green to rust, stood like candles ready to be lit on a day of mourning. I watched men climb them with chainsaws, slice them, and feed them to the wood chipper. I sat behind my glass door in vigil.
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GVAT is Hiring!
GVAT is hiring! We are looking to hire a full time administrative and social media associate for approximately 23 weeks beginning on or about July 5, 2021. While there will be opportunities to interact directly with a broad range of people involved in the alliance,... Read more
Save the Old Growth Event – Bus Ride Available
We are organizing a luxury tour bus which has a washroom for Saturday’s event; there is plenty of luggage space to accommodate bikes, camping gear and supplies etc. Please let your friends know that the bus can pick up donations at the pick up points. The cost is $20... Read more
What Happened in Kamloops Was Part of a National Crime
Some may find this column disturbing, as it is about the deaths of Indigenous people a century or more ago. Moreover, in quoting from a 1922 report, some of the words used then (e.g. Indians) are not acceptable today. But it is important to quote verbatim. I am grateful to Andrew Nikiforuk, whose June 2 article in The Tyee reminded me of this story.
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The New Morality and Ecohumanism
THE ISSUE DEFINED Humanity is facing an existential emergency unparalleled in the history of life on earth. Major ecosystems are on the verge of collapse, due to human activities. Citizens are increasingly coming to the realization that human beings are not the centre... Read more
Ending Chronic Homelessness
We can end chronic homelessness in Victoria. It’s going to take the same focused effort that so many have put in over the past year. If close to 600 people can move inside in one year, in the middle of a global health pandemic when everyone is already stretched and stressed, surely we can focus on the people remaining outside and set our sights as a community on what’s known as “functional zero”.
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My Heart is Hopelessly in Love with Everything
As we draw near the Summer Solstice the Sun God is at the height of his virility and the Earth Goddess swells with life. It is a time when we are hopelessly in love with Everything.
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Biggest Issue Since WWII
The more I follow the good things which are being done by various highly focused and well intended groups and individuals in BC and all of Canada, including – but not limited to the Creatively United, it is obvious that there is NO FOCUS ON OVERALL TARGETS for our... Read moreEnlightened Communications – Making All Voices Matter
Season 3 concluded with an all-star panel, featuring bestselling author and award-winning public relations professional, James Hoggan. A tireless advocate for ethics in public discourse and Chair of the David Suzuki…
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Reverie at Wagg Creek
Forest Bathing is a powerful way to connect with Mother Earth and to feel her blessings showering upon you! The next time you are on your favourite forest walk give thanks for all the blessings you have been given by Mother Earth!
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Fostering Behavior Change Minute: How to Select a Behavior to Target
Many of the behaviors that we would like to promote have no outward visibility in our communities. When behaviors such as getting vaccinated are not visible to others, we weaken the likelihood that the action will become normative. Unlike vaccinations, wearing a mask... Read more
Get Growing, Victoria!
Learning to grow food at home contributes enormously to food security and our community resilience, and the City of Victoria is responding to a renewed interest in learning to garden. Get Growing, Victoria! provides food seedlings and garden materials to citizens in... Read more
Harvest & Volunteer Coordinator
LifeCycles is seeking a staff person to support harvest coordination, distribution and volunteer training for the LifeCycles Fruit Tree and Farm Gleaning Projects as well as manage volunteers for the broader organization. The successful candidate will work as part of... Read more
Greater Victoria Naturehood
Greater Victoria NatureHood, a Nature Canada initiative, has launched Nature in the City: Guide to Many Adventures map! The map’s design tells stories of urban habitats, captivating species and local parks to explore. Detailed environmental information is woven... Read more
Artist Brings Personal Social Justice Stories to Light
I was recently gifted a copy of Olga Campbell’s multi-award winning book, A Whisper Across Time, a stunning tribute to her family’s story of the Holocaust told through a sumptuous collection of prose, art and poetry. Olga is a Vancouver writer and artist whose... Read more
Creating Well-Being, from the Personal to the Planetary
In 1948, the World Health Organization defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.” I find it a good and simple definition. One of its strengths is that it fully recognises both mental and social well-being, with the latter inevitably bringing in our relationships with others — our families, communities and society as a whole.
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Children of the Trees – An Essay
Children of the Trees engages with language, naming, chopping trees, disappearing words, and what might be a better stance to engage with living beings. Love as methodology. The call for saving old growth trees and forests is growing in BC. Join the fight.
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Deadline for Public Input on $35 Million Loan
The Township of Esquimalt is proposing to take out a loan for $35 million in order to construct a new Public Safety Building. In these challenging times, when funding is required for better access to public services and the need for climate education, mitigation and... Read more
Tuesdays for Trees Campaign
Tuesdays for Trees is a campaign devised by the Climate Action Research Team of Greater Victoria Acting Together. The idea is to have something happen every Tuesday to raise public awareness and pressure decision makers regarding the importance of trees and forests in... Read more
Share Your Concerns with Key Government Officials
The squeaky wheel gets the grease and that’s particularly true when governments are also faced with corporate pressures. Here is a list of some of the key people to share your concerns with: Find your MLA’s email here:... Read more
Celebrating Mothers of the World
We enjoy thanking our mothers on Mothers’ Day, but on the second Sunday in May we can also celebrate more than our own mothers; we can give thought to all the women – many anonymous – whose mothering has benefited humanity as a whole.
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How do we evolve a regenerative bioregional culture in the Salish Sea? – May Day Murmuration
I am in Olympia, Washington and my personal focus is on local government reform and restoration infrastructure to support the evolution of regenerative bioregional culture. I’d like to work with you on the development of a network of Public Interest Science and Design... Read more
Community-Based Social Marketing (CBSM)
Some thirty years ago, I coined the phrase “community-based social marketing” to describe a merger of knowledge between the fields of psychology and social marketing. I elected to call this amalgamation community-based social marketing for several reasons.
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Reform To Transform Campaign Launch
Climate Education Reform BC has just launched our official Reform To Transform Campaign!! We are a student-led organization advocating for a justice-driven Climate Change Education in British Columbia’s K-12 system. We are presenting the BC Ministry of Education 6... Read more
We’re More Powerful Than We Think
Reading this I was reminded of a dance protest that I was in a few weeks back in front of the Legislature protesting the Fairy Creek issue as well as old-growth forest logging in the province. Fifty people, all six feet apart and masked, danced a specific routine to... Read more
May All Our Words and Actions be Shaped Like Compassion
When we give a tree all our attention, when we listen intently, there is much we can learn about living in community and caring for one another.
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Memo to John Horgan: Don’t Blow it for the Next Generation
I was struck by the immense irony of John Horgan’s recent exhortation to young people not to blow it for the rest of us with respect to COVID. The irony, of course, is that he and his government are blowing it for the younger generation by continuing to treat the environment as a resource for industrial activity and failing to protect species at risk.
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Earth Week 2021 Events Roundup
Since 2012, more than 10,000 people have attended Creatively United’s live zero-waste Earth Day events. Now, every day is Earth Day on CreativelyUnited.org’s free community solutions sharing hub where people can post and see events, information, resources,... Read more
Meaningful Action for Earth Day
Why have a special day to celebrate and care for the Earth? Shouldn’t we do that every day? Well, as organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970 realized, it’s an opportunity to raise awareness about climate issues, get on the political agenda, and create... Read more