Reflecting Together on the Past & Future of Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek
Please consider filling out this survey below (use a computer rather than a phone to be certain to save your answers). Aysha Emmerson is a brave young student at Harvard doing ambitious undergraduate research. Her invitation: Hello! My name is Aysha Emmerson. I am... Read more
Preserving Privacy
Should we be paying more attention to the cumulative loss of privacy resulting from widespread CCTV surveillance? Privacy is a civil liberties issue. Are we vigilant enough about surveillance-creep, and its threat to privacy rights?
Read moreA Small Media Victory + Ancient Forest Futures
I was just complaining yesterday that no media had taken up my press release regarding the mural. I had really hoped that the concept would be shared more widely in the mainstream press: “The characters are from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, says... Read more
Social-housing crisis stems from 1993 federal cuts
This week, I will begin to explore our “Five Big Ideas” in more detail, from the perspective of human wellbeing and its achievement within the Earth’s ecological boundaries. These ideas are intended to provide a balanced and holistic perspective and be implemented together. We want to create a city-region that…
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Public health plays key role in urban planning
In November 2021, the City of Ottawa completed the process of revising its official plan. My attention was drawn to Ottawa’s plan through a recent news posting by the Canadian Public Health Association, which focused on the role of public health in the development of the new plan.
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Let’s stop calling people ‘bums’ or ‘undesirables’
I have had it with letters to the editor that seem to be trying harder and harder to be nastier and nastier about people who are, for whatever reason, down on their luck and living on the street. Too often, recently, I have seen references to such people as “bums,” or worse, “undesirables.”
Read moreOne Planet Celebration Event
For those that missed the One Planet Celebration Event, please check out the recording! We profiled some of the amazing work that you are all doing, featured and awarded the winners of our One Planet Student Challenge, and heard congratulatory remarks from the... Read more
The Transformational Moment: Summer Solstice Dispatch
I wish to offer that two great societal forces seem to be cancelling each other out in terms of moving society forward during this critical moment. The first of these forces are those of hope and gratitude and promise for a better future; and the second those... Read more
Call for Mural Artists and Selection Committee for Saanich’s Mural Project
The 2022 Community Canvas Mural Project aims to add vibrancy to Saanich this summer with three mural opportunities in public parks. Find more information on the project website: 2022 Community Canvas Mural Project | District of Saanich Information on the Call to... Read more
The Scope of Hope
Question: Is there room for hope in the modern world? I’m a Delta, BC resident who writes poetry as a way to explore and understand myself and the wider world. My love of trees, the environment, poetry and the written word continue to inspire me.
Read moreWe are looking for the next Artist in Residence for the City of Victoria!
The Artist in Residence program gives a professional artist the opportunity to work collaboratively with the community, City staff, and the Art in Public Places Committee to identify and develop an art plan over a two-year term. The program is open to mid-career... Read moreVoices in Nature Event: June 1 – 18
Pacific Opera, in collaboration with Creatively United and the Gail O’Riordan Climate and the Arts Legacy Fund, are presenting a series of free outdoor performances in a variety of Greater Victoria parks during the month of June. Experience nature and live... Read more
We’re All In This Together… Now What? – Season 4 Finale
We’re All in This Together… Now What?, the final webinar of Creatively United’s Climate and Artists fourth season, explores how we can collectively reduce our carbon footprint by 40% by 2030 and transformatively shift to healthier…
Read moreMy Heart is Hopelessly in Love with Everything
There comes a day in Spring, when there is dancing, in the hearts of everything…
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Polarization: Enemy of Peace and Prosperity
How to deal with Freedom of Speech and Liars I am a dual citizen, born and raised in New England, the son of French Canadian grandparents and, since 1980, I am a Canadian citizen living on beautiful Vancouver Island. I love my dual heritage, warts and all. I am... Read moreThe Loss of the Middle Class – Interview with Thomas Homer-Dixon
Are we moving to a wholly elitist society, where the poverty line will expand out to absorb those who were considered the “middle class?”
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MP National Day of Action to End Fossil Fuel Subsidies
MPs from across most of the political parties have come together to organize a National Day of Action to End Fossil Fuel Subsidies on Tuesday, May 3rd. For context, MP Laurel Collins introduced a study on fossil fuel subsidies at the Environment Committee and wants to... Read more
Stewardship Award
All of us can contribute to a healthy environment in our communities. CENiC—the Citizens’ Environment Network in Colwood—is celebrating the efforts of some of the community leaders who are showing the way. Colwood residents Abby and Roger St. Pierre were recently... Read moreTransformational Possibilities
Do you feel paralyzed when you can’t see a solution or a way forward with the seemingly endless bad news? Creatively United’s founder and webinar host, Frances Litman, is dedicated to showcasing and sharing positive solutions that offer transformational... Read more
Amplifying Youth Voices in the Fight Against Climate Change
The 10 year anniversary of Creatively United for the Planet’s first Earth Day event was celebrated with an incredible panel of youth voices that featured five young Canadian changemakers working in creative ways to help amplify youth voices…
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Calling all Volunteers for the Esquimalt Farmers Market
We are seeking more volunteers, especially for our Monday markets at Gorge Park! Volunteering is a great way to get involved to help develop a more sustainable food system and help create a vibrant farmers market and community gathering space. We could always use... Read more
Celebrating 10 Years – A Look Back to 2012
Thank you to everyone who has lent their support, time, and talent to Creatively United over the years! It takes a village! Photos by: Matthew Davies, Mo Parker, Melawend Photography, Daniel Etiene, and Frances... Read more
Are our governments dangerous radicals or merely mad?
Right now, globally, we have experienced global warming of about 1.1 C, and we saw last summer here in B.C. what that can mean. Two recent reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change paint a grim picture.
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Speeding development of non-profit housing is good for health
Housing is fundamental to health. That should not be a surprise, especially in a country with Canada’s climate. The health impacts of being homeless or living in poor-quality housing are well understood, and must be obvious to anyone. But it is not just homelessness that is a concern — there is a much larger problem of affordability. Lack of affordable housing can markedly affect people’s physical, mental and social wellbeing.
Read moreWorth More Standing Anthology Launch Event
Join Christine Lowther, Tofino’s Poet Laureate for the launch of Worth More Standing: Poets and Activists Pay Homage to Trees Anthology. About this event The launch of Worth More Standing: Poets and Activists Pay Homage to Trees will open at 12:30 p.m. and the... 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.
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
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
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
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
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.”
Read moreTree of Life
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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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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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 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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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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