Callout for Goldstream
Dear Elders for Ancient Trees, Big appreciation to Victoria area Elders for your willingness to turn up to protect Goldstream Park. We’re hoping to build ongoing support that is manageable, given our busy lives. We are proposing the following schedule for Elders for... Read more
New Jersey Says 3 Chemical Makers Agree to ‘Forever Chemical’ Settlement Worth Up To $2B
DuPont and two other companies will pay New Jersey up to $2 billion to settle environmental claims stemming from PFAS, commonly referred to as “forever chemicals,” the companies announced…
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Can Charred Wood Help Nova Scotia Farmers — and the Climate?
In a rolling field in the Annapolis Valley, the soil in one row of grapevines is littered with charred fragments of wood. Those unassuming bits of charred material don’t look like much, but the charcoal-like substance…
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We Can’t Grow Our Way Out of Problems Created by Browth
Mark Carney may not have called his Bill C-5 — now the Building Canada Act — a big, beautiful bill, but it does come out of much the same mould as Trump’s bill. Essentially, it says we can and must grow our way…
Read moreExposing The Dark Reality Of B.C.’s Wolf Cull
In August, we’re launching a powerful media campaign to expose the brutal scale of British Columbia’s wolf cull. Since 2015, more than 2,500 wolves have been killed and over $11.5 million in taxpayer dollars spent—all while critical caribou habitat continues to be... Read more
Exposing Canada’s Deep Water Shame
In June, Pacific Wild released a major two-year investigation uncovering the devastating impact of industrial trawling hidden beneath the surface of B.C.’s coastal waters. Our research found that over the past 13 years, just nine trawlers have collectively fished a... Read more
Save Our Saanich Isn’t Saving Money
I wish I could take credit for the term “Dysfunction-by-the-Sea,” but longtime readers of this newspaper will recognize it was Jack Knox’s acerbic term for Greater Victoria. But while Jack has retired — and is much missed…
Read moreBC Old Growth Forest Update
Dear friends and forest protectors, The Oceanspray (or Ironwood), KÁȾEȽĆ in SENĆOŦEN, is just past its full bloom. It’s strong and enduring. Like us. Strong and enduring and just past our bloom. We are still here, still loving the forests of this land, still working... Read more
As the Cliff Edge Looms, Governments Hit the Accelerator
Some may consider Prime Minister Mark Carney to be an economic guru, but he is either ignorant of or chooses to ignore two fundamental truths in his rush to build the nation by growing the economy.
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Good News For Long-Term Management of Toxic Biosolids
The Peninsula Biosolids Coalition and Biosolids Free BC, with whom Creatively United for the Planet Society has been actively collaborating, congratulates the CRD Board for making a historic decision to thermally convert biosolids into biochar employing the latest... Read more
Heat Dome Anniversary – BC’s Urban Trees Under Threat
June 23 marks the 4th anniversary of the 2021 Heat Dome, an occurrence that most of us remember vividly. What we may not be aware of is that the Chief Coroner of BC investigated the reasons for the 619 resultant, publishing a major Report. One of its key... Read more
Improving Victoria’s Well-Being
This presentation highlights gaps in Victorian wellbeing that a group of Victoria youth have decided could be improved. The 3 suggestions aim to improve nature, transportation, and healthcare. Our group consists of 4 people, Ethan Lin, Beatrice Sharpe, Sebastien... Read more
Biosolids in the CRD Update
In April 2025, the Province of BC approved in principle the CRD’s preferred option for thermal conversion of biosolids into a biochar and non-fossil fuel gas. Until the CRD received this approval, it was reluctant to proceed with adjudicating the Request for Proposals... Read more
B.C.’s Environmental Laws Are Key Public Infrastructure, Not Mere Red Tape
Courtesy of Vancouver Sun Photo: The powers in Bill 15 are akin to a blank cheque for current and future cabinets to rewrite publicly debated and enacted environmental laws in the name of removing so-called red tape, write Andhra Azevedo and Deborah Curran. Photo by... Read moreNew Youth Climate Podcast
Greetings friends, Claire here, the Social Media and Community Manager at The Starfish (a youth climate charity dedicated to celebrating and lifting the voices of Canada’s top youth environmentalists). We recently got funding to produce an eight-episode long... Read moreForest Ecosystem Improvement in China
I think you’ll enjoy this story on how China is improving its monoculture forest ecosystem in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The program cost $150 million. If BC just stopped allowing old growth forests to be mowed down, we would achieve a better result... Read more
Gene Miller: Turn Centennial Square Into A World-class Park With Sequoia, Fountain
Gene Miller is the only person we can think of who could write such a biting, funny and true article about what it would mean to Victorians if the city goes ahead with cutting down this beloved tree. “It’s worth wondering how our electeds and our urban design... Read more
Most of the World’s Population Wants Stronger Climate Action
They just don’t realize that they are a majority. The Guardian is joining forces with dozens of newsrooms around the world to launch a year-long exploration of the ‘silent majority’ of people who want to fight climate change The Guardian US is launching a year-long... Read more
Voting for the Ocean, Beaches and Waves
Canada is a water-rich nation: with the longest coastline in the world, a fifth of the world’s freshwater, an incredible diversity of aquatic ecosystems, and some of the planet’s most iconic cold-water surf breaks. From the west coast kelp forests to east coast salt... Read more
Climate Crisis on Track to Destroy Capitalism, Warns Top Insurer
‘Fossil Fuels Are Killing Us’: Scientists Publish Sweeping Review of Industry Harms From Common Dreams: “We’ve got to work fast to end fossil fuel operations near our homes, schools, and hospitals and trade fossil fuel infrastructure for... Read more
Call for an End to the B.C. Wolf Cull
The provincial wolf cull program is unsustainable, unscientific, unethical, and unacceptable to British Columbians. Since 2015 the B.C. government has spent over 11 million tax dollars killing 2,192 wolves. B.C.’s wolf cull program is an ecologically, economically,... Read more
Old Growth Action Calls
Rainbow Eyes Needs our Financial Help Legal Aid is not covering all of Rainbow Eyes’ legal fees for the appeal of her criminal contempt sentence — $7,000 is outstanding. Appeal results come next week, April 9. We know we asked for funds as a special request in March... Read more
Fossil Fuel Nationalism Not a Solution to Tariffs
In response to threats from the Trump regime, Canadians from coast-to-coast have been seized by a fit of nationalism. The fossil fuel industry, bankers, and politicians have swiftly manipulated this to foster a pro-oil and gas narrative in an attempt to resurrect... Read moreWorld Water Day Resource Fair, Film Screening & Expert Dialogue in celebration of UN World Water Day 2025
Our celebrations will begin with a Water Sustainability Resource Fair in the Student Union Building. Then, we’ll gather at Cinecenta for a screening of the new film The Spirit Who Swims (2024). Immediately following the film, Laura Brandes (Communications... Read more
Science Alliance for Forestry Transformation February Newsletter
You have to check out the Hummingbird Collective’s launch of Nature Creative Commons showcasing the Forest Carbon Project. Check out the website for open-access, educational, and visually engaging materials to dispel myths surrounding forests, carbon, and wood... Read more
Simple Everyday Ways to Talk to Your Kids About Giving
Courtesy of Charitable Impact What You’ll Discover in This Blog: Everyday moments are opportunities to talk about giving. You don’t need to be an expert—parenting is about learning as you go, and conversations about generosity can happen naturally in daily life. Car... Read more
BC Old-Growth and Endangered Ecosystems Alert
Endangered Ecosystems Alliance has issued a SEND a MESSAGE action alert to tell the newly re-elected BC NDP government to protect the endangered old-growth forests and ecosystems across BC. Please share:... Read more
We Need To Take Steps To Be Better Ancestors
This month, I turn to an aphorism that became popular in the 1970s — “we do not inherit the Earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children.” Often attributed to Duwamish Chief Seattle in the 19th century and seemingly popularized by American novelist, poet and activist Wendell Berry in the early 1970s, this is…
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Can This ‘Burnt Toast’-like Substance be a Key Tool in the Fight Against Climate Change?
Biochar is a charcoal – like substance derived from thermally processing woody material, sewage sludge and biosolids. Bio-char can be used for a range of uses such a adding nutrients to soil, strengthening asphalt and concrete and storing large amounts of... Read more
Fossil Fuel Companies Funding and Supplying Misleading Climate Education to Canadian Schools
Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat | February 18, 2025 — Amid concerns about rising misinformation, disinformation and corporate influence, a new report by the Canadian Association... Read more
CRD Biosolids Update
On Wednesday, February 19, the CRD Environmental Services Committee reviewed an academic literature review of toxic chemicals embedded in biosolids produced by the Greater Victoria sewage Treatment plant and processed at the Hartland landfill. The review was ordered... Read more
BCCIC’s 2025 Booklist: Pathways to Planetary & Collective Healing
A microscope reveals what was always there. As more people become personally affected by crises, they are looking at issues once seen as distant and distinct now coming into sharp focus as deeply interconnected. With rising food insecurity, femicide, wildfires,... Read more
There Is Only One Earth — Deal With It
I have spent much of my life working as an educator, whether as a professor teaching graduate students or as an in international consultant working with communities, organizations and governments around the world. Over the years…
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Fairy Creek Updates 2025
Even though it’s not as big a topic in the news these days, there are still some major updates on Fairy Creek that you should know: • Climate activists and land defenders are still facing legal issues. Zain Haq, a climate activist married to a Canadian citizen, was... Read more
Let’s Force the City to Re-Examine Retrofitting the Crystal Pool
Replacing the Crystal Pool is a wasteful, uncreative solution to problems that could be addressed through a less costly retrofit. FINALLY, on New Year’s Eve I was able to do my one-kilometre swim again at the Crystal Pool after its 6 weeks of maintenance. I miss the... Read moreWhy I’m Voting NO in Crystal Pool Referendum
On Feb 8 the city of Victoria is asking residents to vote YES or NO to borrowing $189 million to replace Crystal Pool and for your preferred location: the current pool site in Central Park (NORTH) and right next to it over top of the Steve Nash basketball court,... Read more
Crystal Pool Referendum — Vote YES! to a Retrofit, Vote NO! to a Replacement
Some of the reasons to say NO to the demolition of Crystal Pool: With 25% tariffs coming, the Globe & Mail (Jan 30, 2025) cautions, “Now is not the time to borrow.” To demolish the pool, the City is asking to borrow over $160 million. Building materials, such as... Read more
Survey: Financing Conservation on Private Land in the Capital Region
Here’s an easy-to-do survey that I hope you will complete and share with your contacts. It involves rating your support for a series of statements on a 5-point scale. It comes from the Coastal Douglas-Fir Conservation Partnership and pertains to support for... Read more
“Clean Energy” Comes at a Cost
In my local area in Courtenay BC, ozone damage is very severe because we live near the BC Hydro power station on the Puntledge River. I have spoken with the local authorities about the tree deaths along the river which is exacerbating the soil erosion caused by high... Read more
Submit to Ripples Youth Art Zine
Learn more about Ripples, a youth arts zine released annually for World Water Day! Ripples is brought to life by works of art, poetry, and photography, created by kids and youth (between the ages of 6-25) from across BC.
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City Needs to Rethink Priorities
Two death knells for any city are the loss of urban trees/green space and the arts. People are attracted to Victoria, BC’s downtown area because of its inherent natural and architectural beauty and the vibrancy of the wide variety of art-based programming... Read moreSue Big Oil Sooner!
Let’s lobby municipalities to sue Big Oil. We are more than 3/5ths there to reach the half million residents involved needed to support a suit fought all the way to the Supreme Court. Read more
Why Women Are Key To Solving The Climate Crisis
There’s no denying women are leading the fight to save our planet. In every society worldwide, women and girls are responding more effectively in times of crisis and actively working towards creating a more just and sustainable future for all. Yet, gender inequalities... Read more
Toxic Biosolids Promoted as Fertilizer
This article from the New York Times highlights the growing and inevitable public health and environmental harms associated with the land application of biosolids that contain PFAS and other toxic chemicals, and the EPAs associated liability in encouraging the use of... Read more
Towards A Well-Being Society and a Healthy One Planet Community
Throughout my career I have focused on the well-being of people in our communities and around the world, and on the state of the Earth’s ecological systems, which are the bedrock of our well-being.
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The UDI Successfully Lobbied the Government Against Environmental Streamside Protection Regulation
The UDI successfully lobbied the government against environmental streamside protection regulation. This ‘achievement’ by the UDI took place about 2 decades ago. Despite numerous indications to suggest lobbying activity at all levels of government, the UDI does not... Read more
How to Reduce Holiday Waste: 50+ Eco-friendly Tips
As someone who has been involved in the world of social media storytelling for environmental causes for over a decade, there is one piece of content that I always look forward to seeing circulate at this time of year: an image from Toronto artist Sarah Lazarovic... Read more
The Little Town That Could
It is the year 2019. The skies are clear with white low clouds. A climate emergency has been declared in the small town of View Royal, but little did the town know that it would lead the way for climate actions across British Columbia in the years to come.
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