Breezy BC Shellfish Fest, and a care-free Car-Free Day




Isabelle and Deanna enjoying the novelty of lying
 in the street at Car-Free.

 

Isabelle and I attended BC ‘s largest Shellfish Fest in the lovely town of Comox last Saturday. My, but it was a blustery day! We got a workout chasing after brochures and foiling our crafty tent’s repeated escape attempts. However, the wind rather added to the seaside ambiance of the festival, and in no way hampered the enthusiasm of attending shellfish lovers. We enjoyed the delicious smells wafting from the food vendors’ booths and from the cups of contest-winning chowder everyone was carrying around. What a great way to celebrate and appreciate what our coastal waters have to offer, and to bring awareness to how much is at stake! We also really appreciated talking with and learning from the Comox Sierra Club, and the group from Coal Watch about the proposed Raven Coal Mine, and environmental activism. Keep up the great work everyone!

Our dedicated and enthusiastic selves then jumped in the car, zoomed down island, and caught the last ferry to Vancouver (the trip across the Strait was spent performing emergency surgery on our very special Octopus friend).  After a few hours sleep, we were off to Car-Free Vancouver on Main St. Despite some VERY ominous looking clouds at the start of the day, we had a fairly nice afternoon (especially by Juneuary standards!). I don’t know about the other Car-Free venues, but the Main St. crowd was vibrant, diverse and absolutely FULL of energy! It was interesting to discover which issues in the Strait were of most concern to Lower Mainlanders. Not surprisingly, Oil Tankers topped the bill, but ecosystem health, farmed salmon, and toxin reduction were high on the list as well. The day marked the official launch of our Octopus (who is yet to be officially named), and our most successful display to date. Thanks to everyone who came out to chat, participate and buy raffle tickets!

We hope to see you at MEC Bike fest in Vancouver and Cedar Farmer’s Market this weekend. Tourlou/Toodle-oo, until next time!  

                                          -Deanna

Take Heart

After a very severe cardiac arrest in January (see Crossing The Strait of Georgia - A Very Personal Journey), it has taken many months to get back to a semblance of normal (as in before my cardiac arrest) life.
After almost five months and a number of complications I was finally given the all clear to start a cardiac rehabilitation program called "Take Heart" run at the North Ridge Fitness Centre in Nanaimo twice a week. It's a fantastic supervised physical program that will last 3 months in total and is aimed at increasing my cardiovascular capacity and giving me more confidence to resume a normal life.

At the moment one of the activities is to spend time on a treadmill walking at a steadily increasing but still slow pace. While walking I have time to look out the window and contemplate what is happening in the world. Indeed, because I have had a great deal of time resting over the last few months, I've had plenty of opportunity to read and see and hear lots of news, so have much to contemplate.

Maybe it's just my perspective but it appears to me that there has been an inordinate amount of reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet. From extreme weather to oil spills to bill C-38 and more, there seems much to be concerned about at this point in time. More than usual maybe.

There also seems little hope that the concerns of those who care about the long term health of this region and the planet will ever be listened to by big oil and pipeline companies, shipping interests or our federal and provincial governments. Indeed we have been branded as "radicals" on the assumption that's a bad thing, and our access to meager funding gets more hampered every day because of what they say. It seems like science and common sense and a truly healthy planet are no longer valued by these people and short term profits and growth are the only way. Sigh...and I continue plodding on my treadmill!

I suppose if I want to make parallels I could look at the all those environmental threats to our region, such as sewage,pulp and other pollution, habitat destruction, unnecessary resource development and fish farming as being similar to angina (pay attention now!) while Bill C38 is like a heart attack (almost the end!) for our environment.

Fortunately the treadmill has a view. Beyond the roads and the housing developments, the snow capped Coast Mountains are a backdrop to a beautiful blue of Georgia Strait, glistening in the afternoon sun. A lone sailboat slowly glides along near the shoreline making it's way to adventures unknown and further out a tug and barge make its way towards it's southerly destination. Out another window a BC ferry is leaving a wake on it's journey to Horseshoe Bay on the mainland. And maybe, just maybe, I can see the tiny splashes of a pod of Orcas playing in the sun.

As I lookout on the Strait I remember all my own adventures on and around this amazing body of water. Of all the magical encounters with wildlife and the wild places still to be found by most. Of secluded coves and magical beaches. Of the enormous variety of plants and creatures above and below the water. Of rivers and streams that course down from spectacular mountains. Of an energy that changes with the changing moods of the Strait.

I also remember the hundreds, maybe thousands of wonderful people I have met during my years working to protect Georgia Strait and know how they care deeply about this very special part of our planet. And also of the hundreds of thousands of others who I have not met but know also care very deeply.

As I stare out on this biologically, spiritually and economically rich body of water, I know deep in my heart (which beats strongly now)that all is not lost. That there are many people who do care and who do get it. That commonsense and reverence and respect for the natural world has not disappeared. That, in fact, there is plenty of reason for me and everyone to be positive. That the Strait, Canada and the planet can get better, fitter, stronger, and more healthy! It will take some time and some bumps along the way but with determination and patience, anything is possible.

Now as I continue my rehabilitation, my program does more than give me hope for my own physical well being. It enables me to truly "Take Heart" for now and for the future.

Making a splash at World Oceans Day in Victoria

GSA's summer students, Isabelle (left) and
 Deanna (right), with the orange octopus

The first year of World Oceans Day in Victoria was a success! It was good to get down to Victoria and raise awareness about the issues in the Strait of Georgia. Although a lot of the people that approached us were tourists, they had a strong interest in knowing more about the place they were visiting. Their enthusiasm was contagious! We enjoyed making friends with the other exhibitors and sampling the many fine products of the Bastion Square Market (Peppers and sauces and baked goods, oh my!). Thank you to all the lovely vendors, exhibitors and visitors who bought raffle tickets, and to the Maritime Museum and Oceans Network Canada for organizing the event! Here's hoping World Ocean Day 2013 is even better and that our friend, the orange dancing octopus returns. All in all, it was a fabulous way to kick off our summer outreach tour!

Stay tuned, we will be at the BC Shellfish Festival in Comox on Saturday June 16 and at Car Free Day on Main Street in Vancouver on Sunday June 17. We hope to see you there! To keep up on where we will be this summer, check out our event page.

Down at the Dock: Maple Bay Marina Wooden Boat Festival

Clean Marine BC eco-certification flag

flying at Maple Bay Marina

Photo: Michelle Young

Maple Bay Marina’s Wooden Boat Festival took place last weekend at one of GSA’s seven Clean Marine BC eco-rated marinas. The first thing I saw as I arrived was thousands of juvenile salmon in the bay; what a fitting way to start the festival. It seemed a testament to the fact that we can coexist in harmony with nature if we respect the marine environment and allow ecosystems to thrive as we strive to minimize our impact. That is exactly what Clean Marine BC is all about!

I arrived early so I had a wander around the docks. Few things make me happier than the ocean and boats, so it was a great pleasure to see the many well cared for wooden boats entered into the festival. Meeting Carol and Dave Messier of Maple Bay Marina was also special, as they are fantastic hosts and make every effort to employ environmental best practices at their marina, and to share green boating information with their guests.

Wooden Boats at Maple Bay Marina
Photo: Michelle Young

Many people who stopped by our booth were interested in learning about the sewage vessel regulations that came into effect earlier in May. Some expressed frustration that the government is targeting recreational boaters while the capital of our province, Victoria, continues to pump raw sewage into the ocean. We couldn’t agree more about Victoria, which will have treatment within about six years, however each individual can make a difference and it is critical as we utilize our waters that we take the greatest care to minimize any harm we might cause. Others were concerned that they would like to comply with the regulations, however there are not enough pump out facilities available, making it an extreme inconvenience, or even worse, requiring them to burn extra fuel to make it to one of the few pump outs.

The loophole of being allowed to pump within 3 miles of shore, or within 1 mile in certain circumstances, is a necessary step towards full protection of our waters, as it will help protect near-shore habitat and the coves and bays that boaters love to anchor in. However it is critical that the necessary infrastructure be put in place to allow boaters to pump out without having to go too far out of our way while doing our part for the environment we love so much.

Visit our website to learn more about the new sewage vessel regulations. You can also find out more about our Clean Marine BC marina eco-rating and green boating program. Happy and green boating!

June 4th: Silence is not an option

And the bad news just keeps coming.

First came the outright attacks on environmental groups, trying to marginalize their efforts to give voice to citizens’ concerns over oil and gas development projects

Then came the omnibus budget, which is pushing through massive de-regulations of environmental protection laws, without proper consultation or discussion, or using sound scientific reasoning for proposing the changes.  That budget also included money specifically targeting environmental charities and their ability to engage in advocacy.

Then the announcements: closure of the federal oil response centre in Vancouver, closure of the Coast Guards Station in Kitsilano, and closure of the marine pollution research unit at the Institute of Ocean Sciences, including letting go the government’s leading killer whale toxicologist.

If there was any doubt that the federal government was abandoning its role as steward of the environment, those doubts are gone.  What is clear now is that to this government, our rivers, oceans, lands and the wildlife that call them home are simply impediments to resource development, and they must be removed.

The government uses words like ‘modernization’ and ‘efficiency’, however, the truth is each of these actions is making it easier for oil, gas and mining development to happen quickly, leaving decisions in the hands of politicians, not the scientists and experts who really have the knowledge to make reasoned decisions.  And some of the impacts of these rushed and reckless decisions will be left to future generations to clean up.

In recent memory, there has never been such an open attack by our federal government on our environment and the civil society that is its voice.  And that is why there has never been a more important time for us to speak up.  So on June 4th Georgia Strait Alliance is joining organizations, businesses, unions, bloggers and individuals from across the country to “Black Out, Speak Out”.

On that day, when you visit our website, you won’t have access to the hundreds of pages of information to help you understand the threats to the Strait, and the solutions we are working on to protect our waters.  On that day, our online voice will be silenced, but your voice will not. 

Our land, water and air are all threatened by the latest federal budget.

All our voices are at risk.

Silence is not an option.

For more information on how you can take part and take action, please visit www.blackoutspeakout.ca