To heal the planet, we need to embrace solutions that are already here
On Dec. 2, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres gave an important if somewhat overlooked speech at Columbia University’s World Leaders Forum on the state of the planet. Guterres was blunt: “To put it simply, the state of the planet is broken,” he said. “Humanity is waging war on nature” – and that is “suicidal.”
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Climate Action Update
On November 19, 2020, the Climate Action Program presented an update to Victoria City Council on the progress made to meet our emissions reduction targets and advance the actions outlined in the Climate Leadership Plan which was released in July 2018. Information on... Read more
Money Talks… So Have Your Say!
Many people pay into the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) through paycheque deductions and become beneficiaries of the same when they retire. For those of you that are concerned on where your investments are going, including the CPP where one of the largest pension plans in... Read more
Zero Waste, Circular Economy Possible
The CRD just released its draft solid Waste Management Plan for the Victoria region and wants your feedback. Landfills are not sustainable, produce greenhouse gases and should not be expanded. Other options are available. The CRD needs to do more to move to Zero Waste... Read moreThe SOLUTON for the Season – An Eternal Gift With Special Benefits
A rare opportunity exists to give a beautiful living gift that will not only last lifetimes, supports everyone in our local community and beyond, is convenient, plus is a climate solution in alignment with zero waste. If you are looking for the best Christmas gift,... Read moreWhere Do We Go From Here? – Season 2 Finale
Unlike COVID-19, there is no vaccine for curing the climate crisis. At best, we have to become carbon neutral by mid-century to have any chance of managing this existential threat. In this video, a panel of leading solution…
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THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
This November marks the 4th anniversary since Madame Justice of the BC Supreme Court gave the Ecoforestry Institute Society the right to buy Wildwood, keeping it in the public domain forever. We could not have done it without your unwavering support, your generous donations and your love and hard work. It took hundreds of people three years and a big pot of money to get this done.
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The Climate Vaccine
At present, our planet is doubly afflicted. We have become the most dominant and most dangerous species on Earth. We have only one serious competitor – and that one happens to have been around for more than 2 ½ billion years before the appearance of multi-cellular life and that is the virus and, but for vaccines, it could still win.
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Will the candidate you vote for in next month’s election work to protect Victoria’s trees?
Will the candidate you vote for in next month’s election work to protect Victoria’s trees? Elections provide an opportunity for us to compel our future politicians to focus upon issues of special concern, and to record their stances so that we can hold them to account... Read more
Petition: Ban Landfill Expansion Plans at Hartland Dump
Sign the petition here. Landfills worldwide must be decommissioned and not expanded as we move to a society that embraces zero waste and carbon neutrality in the future. We are living in a climate emergency and other cleaner alternative waste management solutions can... Read more
Creative Community Partnerships Help Reduce Carbon and Waste and Save Natural Spaces
Creatively United is committed to championing solutions at the community level to support a shift to carbon neutrality by 2050. Both the federal and provincial governments in British Columbia are committed to achieving carbon neutrality. A number of local councils... Read moreTreaty Negotiations and Ecosystem Monitoring
Learn from members of one of Canada’s leading international river basin negotiating teams how they are working to restore ecosystem health in the Canadian portion of the Columbia Basin following the damming of the River in…
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New Park for South Jubilee Neighbourhood
A new park has arrived in the South Jubilee neighbourhood thanks to the City’s purchase of a 12,700 square foot parcel of land comprised of a Garry oak meadow at the corner of Leighton Road and Bank Street. The new park is named Agamemnon and Eleni Kasapi Park in recognition of the family’s preservation of the property in its natural state for the benefit of the community.
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US Naval Testing Harmful to Whales
Our Canadian government fails to file any objection to the planned US Naval testing in the habitat of Southern Resident Killer Whales. I have no idea why only the Greens raised this issue in Parliament. Only one news agency, the National Observer, carried any... Read more
Gasification Q and A: What is it and will it solve our waste management and climate challenges?
Since our community meeting with Creatively United for the Planet and other community groups concerned with the CRD’s proposed massive landfill expansion plan at Hartland Landfill (and announced agreement in principle with FortisBC which financially motivates CRD to... Read more
Zero Waste Means Not Expanding Hartland Landfill
A lot of what we acquire — all that “stuff’’ — ends up as solid waste, while inefficient energy use leads to high levels of energy waste. Not only does this contribute to excessive use of resources — with all the pollution and energy use associated with their extraction, processing and distribution — but it fills our landfills and pollutes our local environment or, if we export it, other people’s environment.
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We Are an Ocean Province, Let’s Act Like One
What do people think of when they think of British Columbia? Chances are they think of the mountains, the forests, the coast with its salmon and orca, and Indigenous people and cultures. Indeed we are an ocean province, with a 25,000-kilometre-long coastline.
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A Zero Waste Response for Regional Tree Protection
“The natural world is the larger sacred community to which we belong. To be alienated from this community is to become destitute in all that makes us human. To damage this community is to diminish our own existence.” — Thomas Berry Thank you everyone for your interest... Read more
Hartland Waste Management Plan – Send This Letter to the CRD
Send this letter to: Denise Blackwell, CRD Board Vice-Chair (dblackwell@crd.bc.ca) Susan Brice, Director (sbrice@crd.bc.ca) Barbara Desjardins, Director (bdesjardins@crd.bc.ca) Fred Haynes, Director (fhaynes@crd.bc.ca) Lisa Helps, Director (lhelps@crd.bc.ca) Mike... Read more
The Blessed Unrest and the Public Good in BC
We, meaning government, First Nations, communities, scientists, academics, non-government organizations, industry and citizens, must find a way to pool our collective efforts to responsibly steward the precious natural resources given to us. Blessed Unrest – that’s... Read more
Tree Seedlings Available Nov 2-6
The District of Central Saanich, thanks to the generous donation of Mosaic Forest Management, will be giving out 100 Douglas Fir seedlings the week of November 2 to 6, 2020. The seedlings will be available outside Municipal Hall, at 1903 Mt Newton Cross Road, from 9... Read moreAn Appreciation for Trees
The Vancouver Island branch of the Royal Commonwealth Society hosts this Trees for Life video discussion to highlight the role trees play in our lives, communities, and the longevity of our planet. Join Dr. John Innes (Dean, Faculty of Forestry, UBC), Sarah Abbott... Read moreThe Call for a New Forest Framework
What’s wrong with how forestry is practised in BC today? Why are old growth forests so precious? What are the solutions and implementation timelines? Join Kathy Code, of the Ecoforestry Institute Society, and Jonathan…
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Our Fisheries are as Badly Managed as our Forests
Courtesy of the Times Colonist Photo: A fishing boat passes a Canadian Coast Guard helicopter near Fisherman’s Wharf by Darren Stone Here is an astounding statistic: Of the roughly 196,000 tonnes of wild seafood harvested by B.C. fishers in 2018, worth about $476... Read more
Our Forests Are More Than Mere Resources
Courtesy of the Times Colonist Photo of Francis King Regional Park, Darren Stone – Times Colonist Last week, I explored how poorly governments of all stripes have been, at all levels, in protecting nature — and thus in protecting us. British Columbia is renowned... Read more
A Surprising Note of Advice for Voters from The Economist
The primary American research body tracking Global Warming and its affects, NOAA, just noted that September was the warmest September since modern records began in 1880. Seven of the warmest Septembers since 1880 have occurred in the past 7 years. So far, 2020 is the... Read moreArts of Laughing, Arts of Weeping: Equipment for Earth’s Lovers
Bob Haverluck, a Manitoba artist-educator and theologian who works with community groups using the arts, especially comedy to help engage issues of violence against the earth and her creatures; and Gennadiy Ivanov, a…
Read moreCreeks and Communities
This video demonstrates how a small group of individuals can can make an impact to tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis by restoring ecosystem function in creeks within communities. The individuals are associated with Aqua-tex Scientific Consulting Ltd., This... Read moreCountdown TEDxBCDrawdown
This special TEDx event, co-produced by Creatively United in partnership with BC Drawdown, features an incredible line up of inspirational solutions and talks by a variety of BC climate champions, including: Seth Klein, Meg…
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OUR PARKS – The Ultimate Essential Service
Our parks and protected areas and their ecosystems that keep us fed, sheltered and alive are the ultimate essential service. They are at risk. The upcoming election in BC is your opportunity to get them on the “Build Back Better” agenda.
Read moreBC Drawdown and Countdown to Change
Many people who are concerned about the oncoming climate crisis and loss of biodiversity ask the following questions: “What can one person do? What can one community do?” These questions and others are addressed in this…
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Counting Down the Climate Clock
Bear with me, there are plenty of numbers here, but they are vitally important and in essence quite simple, with profound implications for our climate and energy policies, and I have not seen the implications for Canada presented as I do here.
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Fairy Creek Blockade- Call to Action!
This is a call for forest defenders from all nations to support and participate in the grassroots non-violent direct action campaign to protect the last ancient temperate rainforests, currently active on unceded Pacheedaht territory, so-called Vancouver island, B.C.... Read moreAwaken Forest Ballet
If you love our forests and trees, please share this special short film produced by Creatively United in collaboration with Ballet Victoria. Awaken, an exquisitely intimate performance inspired by the soft whispers of the forest, features original music composed, sung and orchestrated by Canada’s multi award-winning legend, Ann Mortifee, in collaboration with former Chilliwack band member, Ed Henderson (guitar), and Finn Manniche (cello).
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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 more
South Island Climate Action Network 2020
SI-CAN is a network of local climate action teams and individuals who meet monthly to share ideas and strategize on how to move the dial on climate action within their local municipalities. We unite when needed to amplify our collective voice. If interested in joining... Read more
Social, Not Ecological Factors Control Our Population
In his 2016 book The Serengeti Rules, Sean Carroll tells us Charles Elton, the 1920s pioneering ecologist, identified four factors that control animal numbers: predators, pathogens, parasites and food supply. Two weeks ago I likened these to the Bible’s four horsemen of the apocalypse.
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50-Year-Old Sci-Fi Novel Eerily Prescient
Contemplating an orange-red noon-day sun almost obscured by the smoke clouds roiling in from America, burning to the south, brought vividly to mind The Sheep Look Up by British author John Brunner, an eerily prescient science fiction novel I read almost 50 years ago.
Read moreThe Transformational Moment: What Have We Learned So Far?
Three of Canada’s foremost practitioners in reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, Merrell-Ann Phare, Michael Miltenberger, and professional planner, project manager, capacity developer and engagement…
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Highlands Community Association Loses Stop-Work Request on Contentious Strip Mine
The BC Supreme Court has denied a stay application filed last month by the Highlands District Community Association (HDCA) to prevent OK Industries Ltd. (OKI) from starting work on a rock quarry in this rural residential community before its day in court.
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BC Government Fails to Defer Road Building and Logging into Fairy Creek Old Growth Watershed
The forest defenders blocking road and logging access to Fairy Creek are devastated that it was not included in the government’s announcement of deferrals of forest areas of the province.
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Commitment to a Shift to Ecoforestry in British Columbia: Protect Fairy Creek Watershed
One of the main ways we can help create the change we want to see, is to send letters and call our elected officials. The more people who do this, the better. To simplify this process, we have drafted this letter which we invite you to cut, paste and share by email and on social media by sharing this post.
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Old Growth Logging Must Stop Now!
Direct action – that’s what’s happening at Fairy Creek near Port Renfrew right now as concerned citizens establish a presence to protect the last intact tributary on the San Juan River and one of the few pockets of ancient forest in the region. The Fairy Creek... Read more
Fairy Creek Update
The blockades are still up at Fairy Creek, one of the last remaining unlogged old growth valleys and watersheds in southern BC. One of our camps now has an Elder tent and Elder Bill Jones, spent the night on the blockade on his land the other night. We are meeting to... Read more
The Four Horsemen of Ecology: Regulating Population Size
According to the Book of Revelation in the New Testament, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are conquest, war, famine and death, while in the Old Testament’s Book of Ezekiel they are sword, famine, wild beasts and pestilence or plague. (Sometimes, apparently, conquest is interpreted as pestilence or plague.)
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Ecocide Petition Timely
Here is a petition submitted by New Brunswick Green MP, Jenica Atwin, for the federal government to declare its support for an amendment to the Rome Statute to include ecocide as a crime (alongside war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity, the crime of... Read moreSeason Two Launch: The Barn’s Burnt Down
Award-winning author and philosopher, Dr. Kathleen Dean Moore, launches Season Two of Creative Solutions for a New World – Climate and Artist Series with an inspiring and creative presentation, entitled The Barns Burnt Down…
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Celebrate With Trees – Planting Parties & Celebrations
Do celebrations such as birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries immediately turn your thoughts to the need to buy a gift or hand-out a wish list? As my 70th birthday approached in the spring of 2019, I started looking for a gift idea that would benefit our Mother... Read more
Stop Using Taxpayers’ Money to Fund Pollution
In May, The World Health Organization released its “Manifesto for a healthy and green COVID-19 recovery.” It is in many ways an astonishing document, because it speaks briefly and plainly to the many global problems we face and how we need to respond.
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