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?’

This Wednesday, October 7, from 11 am to noon, those questions and others will be addressed in this webinar: BC Drawdown and Countdown to Change.

Creatively United for the Planet and Climate and the Arts will be joined by our two partners: Sandi Goldie and Jim Bronson of BC Drawdown and Dr. Trevor Hancock of Conversations for a One Planet Region.

Learn about what's happening in BC's climate action scene and the Global Launch of Countdown coming up this Saturday, October 10, 8 am to 2 pm PT.  

The goal of Countdown is to celebrate the progress of climate solutions and engage all stakeholders (that's all of us!) in cutting greenhouse gas emissions significantly by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050. To get the real flavor of Countdown, watch the original launch video from December of 2019 here.  

With the onset of COVID-19, the global launch is entirely online, but leading up to the next UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, November 2021.

Following the Saturday, October 10th Global Launch of Countdown, Frances Litman of Creatively United and Jon O'Riordan, of Climate and the Arts, will join Jim and Sandi of BC Drawdown for a special TEDx BCDrawdown event to bring you a fabulous group of home-grown BC climate champions, including Seth Klein, Meg Holden, Megan Curran, Guy Dauncey, Dr. Trevor Hancock, and First Nations leaders. We'll end with a panel of awesome local young people, who will wrap things up by offering their perspective on where we're going and how we'll get there.

Click here for free registration and to receive the Countdown video link.

We will explore how individuals can become engaged with local community groups to enlarge their influence both in their communities and with all levels of government. “Think globally but act locally.”

This is a webinar which is not to be missed if you are interested in learning how to become a more effective influencer of change. Special thanks to Udeshi Seneviratne for the poster below:

Last week, we explored the Power of Music with three musicians who specialize in presenting original songs and lyrics that encourage collective action.

Heather Read and Johnny Miller have formed a duo known as Peach and Quiet and will shortly release an album entitled Just Beyond the Shine, which encourages all of us to create a kinder and more sustainable world. 

James Gordon has a remarkably diverse 40 year career releasing over 40 albums and touring extensively around the world. He has written a number of songs promoting the need to use the experience of the pandemic to transform the way we live in more sustainable ways. One of these songs is Moving Up To Awesome.

Creatively United partner, Bob Sandford, Global Water Futures Chair in Water and Climate Security at the United Nations University, Environment and Health, and Jon O’Riordan, founder of the Gail O’Riordan Climate and the Arts Legacy Series co-host this program with Frances Litman, Creatively United for the Planet founder.

DEADLINE EXTENDED
IMPORTANT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK REQUIRED

Esquimalt, BC Council is seeking public input to determine if there is widespread support for a project that would provide an opportunity for this municipality to have one of the first zero waste solutions of its kind in North America.

Although this may not be where you live, your input can make a difference as to the future of waste. The Council needs support to implement this innovative solution.  

Esquimalt declared a climate emergency in 2019 with a target of 30% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. These targets will require a transformation in the way the Township manages its waste. Accordingly the Council is exploring the feasibility of implementing Integrated Resource Management (IRM) through the use of a gasification plant which would turn 91% of the total waste stream into a renewable gas as a heat source for buildings. The balance of the waste stream is in reusable paper, bottles and plastics. IRM means zero waste by eliminating all waste streams from the Township being dumped at the Hartland landfill.

Here's a short video with more information:

This is truly a creative solution, the type of which will be required if more communities are to become carbon neutral in the future. This plant would be one of the first of its kind in North America; it has potential to provide new sources of revenues for Esquimalt and the residual char from the gasifier can absorb large amounts of atmospheric carbon.

The deadline to complete the survey has been extended to this Friday, October 9th. Take the survey here.

IRM is the most important opportunity for Esquimalt to become a leading example of carbon neutrality in the Greater Victoria Region and show the rest of Canada what is possible.

Please be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and subscribe for free to our YouTube channel to see all our videos from 2012 to now.

Season Two Schedule

Click on a presentation title to learn more

October 7, 2020
BC Drawdown and Countdown to Change
Sandi Goldie, Jim Bronson, Dr. Trevor Hancock,

Jon O’Riordan, and Frances Litman

October 14, 2020
Arts of Laughing, Arts of Weeping: Equipment for Earth’s Lovers
Bob Haverluck and Gennadiy Ivanov

October 21, 2020
US Election from a Canadian Perspective
Mace Rosenstein and Bob Sandford

October 28, 2020
Forests and Nature
Kathleen Code and the Ecoforestry Institute Society

November 4, 2020
US Election Results – The Impact on Canadians
Mace Rosenstein and Bob Sandford

November 18, 2020
Treaty Negotiations and Ecosystem Restoration
Kathy Eichenberger, Nathan Matthew, and Kat Harwig

November 25, 2020
Where Do We Go From Here?
Bob Sandford, Jon O’Riordan, Frances Litman, Katia Bannister & Youth Guests

Visit CreativelyUnited.org and subscribe to Creatively United on YouTube
to watch a multitude of engaging and informative videos

from a wide variety of speakers and presenters.

About Creatively United & Our Partners

The Creatively United for the Planet Society is a registered non-profit society. Since 2012, we have brought together more than 10,000 people from throughout the region who care about happy, healthy, and resilient communities. We have done so through seven zero-waste sustainability showcases, numerous community events and educational talks, collaborative partnerships, a video series, and the CreativelyUnited.org free community information network, resource and solutions sharing hub. 

The Gail O'Riordan Climate and the Arts Legacy Fund supported by The Victoria Foundation is dedicated to changing human consciousness towards global environmental change by combining science with the creativity of the performing arts.

The Ecoforestry Institute Society (EIS) is a registered non-profit, charitable society comprised of a volunteer Board and a strong core of community volunteers. Together, we are dedicated to the principles and practices of ecoforestry – demonstrating that we can harvest trees and plants from the forest while maintaining healthy and integrated ecological systems.

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