Creative Solutions for Changing Times |
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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, increasingly damaging flooding, sea level rise and strengthening hurricanes. On Wednesday, January 26th, from 10:30 am to noon PT, we will share how communities around the world are developing new solutions to mitigate risks by working with nature. Senior governments are increasingly earmarking funding and resources to support these community based efforts. We will illustrate some of these innovative solutions in British Columbia, Lake Winnipeg and on the coast of Norfolk and Suffolk in the UK. Artists are playing an increasingly important role in motivating communities with inspiring art and words. Their inspiration is integral to the successes we will champion in this empowering webinar. Unable to make this free webinar? A free replay link will be provided to all registrants. |
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Sam Baardman is a lens-based artist, singer-songwriter living in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
A major emphasis of Sam's photography has been the River on the Run Project, an artist collective focused on creating multi-media work based on their shared experience of living within the unique watershed of Lake Winnipeg and the Red River. A veteran of the Canadian folk music scene, Sam was a familiar figure in folk venues and festivals across Canada throughout the mid 1990s and early 2000s. In that time he released two successful independent albums, toured across the country, and built a dedicated, enthusiastic audience. He is currently recording a new album for release in early 2022. |
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Sharon Bleese, a specialist in crisis communications and management, works with coastal and estuarine communities across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex in England as the facilitation lead in coastal zone management. In 2014, Sharon joined East Suffolk Council, rapidly expanding her knowledge of coastal change as part of the coastal management team. In 2016, she became Coastal Manager (South) for the newly formed Coastal Partnership East, the coastal management partnership for North Norfolk District Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council and East Suffolk Council. She is also lead officer for the Beach and Water Safety Group of the Local Government Coastal Special Interest Group. Sharon is passionate about working collaboratively and co-creatively with communities, partners and organizations to build a long-term sustainable future for the coast. |
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Manitoba artist/author/educator, Bob Haverluck, will share an illustrated reading from his forthcoming book, The Court Case of the Creatures. The story unfolds in a world of mega hydro dams such as Site C, Muskrat Falls and in this story, the Nelson River projects. There is a great storm, a tempest that casts Raven, Coyote, a boat load of resource developers, a retired judge, and a canoe of First Nations children and elders upon an island. Bear and Otter make a citizen’s arrest of the developers. The judge agrees to hear their case. The Children are the jury along with The River and others. The Creator insists that voices of animals and earth shall forever be heard. So a tempest and a trial. But of course, there are complications in the seriously funny, tragic comical business that unfolds. Creatively United first introduced Bob Haverluck to our webinar audiences in October 2020, for the presentation The Arts of Laughing, the Arts of Weeping: Equipment for Earth’s Lovers. |
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Coree Tull is a lead advisor for the CodeBlue BC campaign, a community of 24,000 British Columbians from all walks of life and every corner of our province.
CodeBlue BC has a plan to secure and sustain BC's fresh water sources forever by:
1. Getting tough on water wasters and polluters.
2. Making big industrial users pay to clean up the damage they've done and restore our watersheds.
3. Giving local people the power and resources to restore and manage their local water sources.
Coree is also the Director of Government Relations and Engagement for the BC Freshwater Legacy Initiative. Coree has been leading and specializing in issue-based and electoral campaigns to grow public awareness for over a decade. She believes passionately about engaging community members to be collaborative stakeholders in the decisions that impact their social, economic and environmental health and wellness.
Learn how individual and community engagement can, and does, make a difference. |
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Canada Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act
Submitted by the Westcoast Climate Action Network (WECAN) |
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Our government needs to hear from you. A crucial opportunity exists for public input about Canada's climate targets and the plan to reach them. The federal government’s online consultation for 2030 climate targets closes this Thursday, January 13th. The consultation was launched quietly in December. This current consultation is administered by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. "This Act establishes a legally binding process to set five-year national emissions-reduction targets for 2030, 2035, 2040, and 2045, as well as develop credible, science-based emissions-reduction plans to achieve each target." Here are three options for taking part in the consultation: 1. If you don’t have time to make a direct submission, send a message through Leadnow’s website. 2. Even better, use this helpful toolkit developed by Climate Messengers Canada: Environment Minister’s Public Consultations Toolkit. You can also find it at Climate Messengers Canada’s website. The toolkit gives you sample answers as well as background information – so you can tailor it to how much time you have and your key concerns. (Keep in mind that you don’t have to answer every consultation question.) 3. If you don’t need any help with your submission, here’s the consultation website: Engagement on Canada’s 2030 Emission Reduction Plan – Public Submission Portal.
This consultation could be a turning point where Canada finally takes action to tackle the climate emergency. If we don’t make our voices heard before the deadline, the government will have a mandate to listen to the powerful fossil fuel lobby, which has been mobilizing to stack the results in their favour.
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Creatively United Solutions Hub |
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Indigenous Perspectives on Climate Action
Wednesday, January 12, 4 pm PT |
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Featuring guest presenters Pansy Wright-Simms, a member of the Luutkudziiwus of the Gitxsan Nation, and Leona Humchitt, Councillor and Climate Action Coordinator, Heiltsuk Nation. Learn more and registration here. |
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Getting Into Action: 5-Session Climate Solutions Course
Wednesdays, January 12 – February 9, 6:30 - 8 pm PT |
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A free online course that supports participants in identifying, supporting, and initiating climate change solutions at the household, community, and policy levels. Participants will explore Project Drawdown climate solutions, be mentored by experienced climate leaders, develop personal climate action plans, network and connect with other course participants, and join a community of course alumni doing exciting climate work across BC and Canada. Register for free here. |
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Switch It Up BC!
Wednesday, January 19, Noon PT |
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Join Jonathan Ho and James Glave as they introduce the new Switch It Up BC! campaign, working to raise awareness of the climate and health risks of residential natural gas, and the availability of healthy non-polluting 100% electric heating and cooking technologies. Many British Columbians are unaware of the climate impacts of their own homes. Make informed decisions about how you heat and cool your house and cook your meals. Register here for free. |
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How Climate Groups can Influence Local Government Wednesday, January 19, 7pm PT |
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This first of four Round Tables will focus on empowering the community to become engaged at the local level. Topics will include lobbying, relationship-building with like-minded groups and individuals, and understanding how to work with council members and staff. Featuring presenters Alex Lidstone (Climate Caucus); Sebastian Sadja (President of Force of Nature, a grassroots nonprofit group with the goal to transform the Lower Mainland into Canada’s first ever zero carbon metropolis), and Ben Geselbracht (Nanaimo City Council and a long-time climate activist). Register here for free. |
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FLIP Summit for Future Leaders in Politics
Wednesday, January 22, 6 am - 2 pm PT |
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FLIP 2.0 will offer emerging and aspiring leaders from all backgrounds the opportunity to learn from former and current decision-makers, Parliamentary Interns and expert guests through a variety of fireside chats, workshops, and panel discussions. Speakers include: Interim Leader of the Green Party of Canada Dr. Amita Kuttner, former CPC Deputy Leader Lisa Raitt, Nunavut MP Lori Idlout, former Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson, Shadow Minister for the Environment and Climate Change Dan Albas, Kitchener Centre MP Mike Morrice, Lead Now's Sonia Thoroux, Burnaby Councilor Alison Gu, Dr. Hayden King of Yellowknife and many more.
Click here for registration info. |
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Are you passionate about the environment? Do you like to craft or make art? Victoria's Gage Gallery, 19 Bastion Square, invites you to become part of a creative community vision: What change would you like to see in society toward a climate-friendly future? Or what steps would you be personally willing to take? Draw, write, stitch, paint or collage your idea on a postcard and deliver it to the Gage Gallery to be part of THE POSTCARD CLIMATE SHOW, a showcase of community ideas about climate sustainability and a willingness to act. Deadline for Submissions: January 28, 2022
Exhibition: February 22 – March 6, 2022 Learn more here |
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Share an Article, Ideas, Info and Resources |
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Don’t Look Up Film Review
by Jonathan O'Riordan With more than 80 million views since its release on December 24th, the film Don't Look Up has become one of the top three films ever shown on Netflix. It is a brilliant parody on our inability as a global community to focus on... Read More |
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Summary Synthesis of Finding the Mother Tree by Robert W. Sandford I have been struggling since the beginning of the pandemic to find meaning in, and to give value to this transformational moment in the human journey. At last, after many months, I have got as far as an outline, at least, for a personal approach to dealing with the accelerating… Read More |
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Creatively United for the Planet is a registered non-profit society. Since 2012, we have been leading, convening and amplifying ways to share how collectively we can reduce our ecological footprint and implement long-term sustainability solutions. Our mandate is to foster conversations, connections and create collaborative opportunities that bring individuals and organizations together in support of achieving common sustainability goals and accelerating climate action. Creatively United is a member of the Westcoast Climate Action Network and works collaboratively with numerous community organizations and in partnership with the Gail O'Riordan Climate and the Arts Legacy Fund, supported by The Victoria Foundation. The Gail O'Riordan Climate and the Arts Legacy Fund is dedicated to changing human consciousness towards global environmental change by combining science with the creativity of the performing arts. |
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Healthy, happy communities begin from the ground up. Help us inspire generations to protect and preserve the natural world and confront climate change, so families, communities and nature can prosper together. |
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