Tuesday, October 27, 2009
350 on the beach
Well, a group of local teens managed to get about 300 of us out for a march through the city to the park, then a photo in the dark (from the bridge). Anna and I are two of the little candle lights at the bottom of the '5'.
Does it matter? Damn right it does. We all need to act so that we're acting... and so that our leaders begin to follow.
Does it matter? Damn right it does. We all need to act so that we're acting... and so that our leaders begin to follow.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Oct 24 Day of Action
You probably have heard of the 350 campaign, but if not, here's the poop...
Check out this grassroots movement and do something on October 24th if you can. This song is inspirational too (to me at least).
Happy to hear your comments fellow earthlings...
350.org is an international campaign dedicated to building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis--the solutions that science and justice demand. Our mission is to inspire the world to rise to the challenge of the climate crisis—to create a new sense of urgency and of possibility for our planet. Our focus is on the number 350--as in parts per million, the level scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. But 350 is more than a number--it's a symbol of where we need to head as a planet.
Check out this grassroots movement and do something on October 24th if you can. This song is inspirational too (to me at least).
Happy to hear your comments fellow earthlings...
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Sri Lanka situation desperate ...
Tamils in Sri Lankan CampIf you followed the Sri Lankan conflict at all you'll know that the bloody internal war has finally ended, with a military victory by the government over the Tamil Tigers (and others). You may not know that there are internment camps now, with more than 250,000 Tamil people, including women and children. Ostensibly in place to sort out the 'bad guys' they are putting thousands of innocent people at risk in horrible conditions.
Check this petition out if you have a few moments (Unlock the Camps).
On a related note, a ship with what might be 76 Tamil men aboard, was intercepted before illegally landing on Canada's west coast. The government is crowing about 'not being an easy target for illegal arrivals' and 'being tough on these queue jumpers' blah blah blah. While we don't want economic migrants or other illegal immigrants arriving this way, here is a NOTE TO MINISTER:
Refugees with a well-founded fear of persecution are not queue jumpers and don't have the opportunity to immigrate as others. They arrive illegally sometimes because they are fleeing for safety. International laws protect them.
On a related note, a ship with what might be 76 Tamil men aboard, was intercepted before illegally landing on Canada's west coast. The government is crowing about 'not being an easy target for illegal arrivals' and 'being tough on these queue jumpers' blah blah blah. While we don't want economic migrants or other illegal immigrants arriving this way, here is a NOTE TO MINISTER:
Refugees with a well-founded fear of persecution are not queue jumpers and don't have the opportunity to immigrate as others. They arrive illegally sometimes because they are fleeing for safety. International laws protect them.
These men may or may not have legitimate asylum claims, but let's not be quick to close our sacred doors in fear, and ignore our obligation to review their cases fairly. And for the record... Canada can handle more refugees as well as more immigrants.
Other than our Aboriginal neighbours, that's how we all arrived (or our ancestors).
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Further north...further west
I'm now on Haida Gwaii, a wonderful other-worldly group of islands in the north Pacific. It truly feels like another land, physically and culturally. Here are a few shots, including from the float plane as we flew over here from the mainland.
On an interesting and exciting note, when I arrived at the B&B in Masset, one of the two other guests was David Suzuki. All Canadians will know who I mean and perhaps others as well. He's a renowned scientist, broadcaster (The Nature of Things on television for e.g.) and ardent and annoying-to-those-in-power environmentalist. He gave a great speech in the local church hall and another one over beer back in the B&B.
Dock in Prince Rupert - I got the co-pilot seat
Islands in Hecate Strait - over to Haida Gwaii
Up close on the rainforest floor - I like this one
Old growth forest floor, near site of the Golden Spruce
Looking over the 30 mile North Beach, from the top of Tow Hill (Haida Gwaii)
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Northern Exposure...
I've been traveling too quickly in Northern BC to enjoy the sights enough, as I'm facilitating public meetings once or twice a day and moving between towns daily. The meetings are about the health care system here and are nothing like the tea party meetings my American cousins have to put up with. People here are vocal about how they want things to work, but also appreciative of what they have. (Honestly guys, it is a nice feeling when everyone can get health care with no hassles - from a doc visit through to brain surgery or cancer treatment. No request for money. No pre-authorization. The US is the only developed country in the world without universal health care... but I digress.)
So, meetings aside, here are some shots of sights in the past week. I've seen totem poles in Kitwanga, bears along the Skeena River, pick -up trucks as common as trees and had coffee-swill and one of the best cups of java ever (Mercedes Beans in Hazelton). It's 500,000 square kilometres of land with less than 400,0o0 people. Do the the math...
Next week I'm on Haida Gwaii which will call for more camera action.
Me at the old Hudson Bay Trading Post in Fort St. James. She's an actress, I'm for real...
Gitksan Wet Suwetan people fishing at Moricetown Canyon (see the guy to the left)
The Bulkley River... wayyyy down below me - and I'm leaning over the rail (see below)
One-lane Hagwilget Bridge over the Bulkley River (see above to see below)
Mount something - one of the Seven Sisters near Terrace
From the train window at dusk
Monday, September 21, 2009
North is a state of mind
Click to enlarge ( I live in Nelson in the SE)
I'm back on the road in Northern British Columbia again. This time I'm visiting 18 communities, doing health care consultation with folks . I'll have the camera on the ready and post some photos soon. Last week, while driving at night, a grizzly bear bolted across the road immediately in front of the car - racing along at top grizzly speed. (Sample locations from east to west: Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Prince George, Burns Lake, Smithers, Terrace, Rupert, and over to that island off the west coast.)
North is a relative term. Many people think Canada is in the far north, but almost all its population is further south than Maine or much of UK and Western Europe. We huddle along the 49th parallel with our cousins in the U.S. Many people in Canada call this area I am in now 'the north', yet it's less than midway up.
I worked above the Arctic Circle for six months once - on Baffin Island and the mainland. Now that WAS north. There was six weeks of daylight in the summer and six weeks of total darkness in the winter. (That's when I quit the job and flew home on a jet that landed in the frigid dark morning to carry only me and the flight attendant, wearing pink hot pants and a little bellhop cap - her, not me. This was a long time ago, but even then it was very surreal.)
Anyhow, I'm here, reporting for blogging duty.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Hugfest Nelson
The video clip below is a few months old. Hugfest is one aspect of the work of a group called Inspire Nelson. It's an approach to get people involved in positive action in small ways... that add up. And to track those ways.
The theory is simple - whether it's climate change, human rights, social issues (dare I say 'health care in the US'), it can feel overwhelming and we can tune out or give up taking action. Yest in many many small ways we can not only make a measurable improvement, we can change how we feel about the issue - from powerlessness to hope and energy.
Organizations and other towns have picked up the software and approach and are replicating this project.
Have a look if you want. Check out the RESULTS tab.
The video is amateurish, but fun, and you get to see my main street at least a little. Hope you enjoy it and rush to the nearest human and hug them (with their consent of course...)
Oh yeah, I got two free hugs that day - good ones!
The theory is simple - whether it's climate change, human rights, social issues (dare I say 'health care in the US'), it can feel overwhelming and we can tune out or give up taking action. Yest in many many small ways we can not only make a measurable improvement, we can change how we feel about the issue - from powerlessness to hope and energy.
Organizations and other towns have picked up the software and approach and are replicating this project.
Have a look if you want. Check out the RESULTS tab.
The video is amateurish, but fun, and you get to see my main street at least a little. Hope you enjoy it and rush to the nearest human and hug them (with their consent of course...)
Oh yeah, I got two free hugs that day - good ones!
