The Green Gazette - June/July/August 2019 by TheGreenGazette

June/July/August 2019

Nature Trust Hiking with Kids Tsilhqot’in Radio Biking the Puddle Sailing for Good Recycling Aid Program Green Tree Wellness Save the Oceans Kids Climate Strike Off-Grid Paradise Air Pollution Plastics Ban Electric Car Songbird Trade Biodiversity Loss Islands' Undertaker Organic Waste

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Contents Features

World Environment Day Highlights Air Pollution By Erin Hitchcock

Canadian Food for Children

By LeRae Haynes

The Nature Trust of BC

Scenes from the Puddle: Mountain Biking Around Williams Lake

By Jessica Kirby

By Shawn Lewis

Tŝilhqot'in Community Radio – A Tool to Enrich Culture and Communication

By Sage Birchwater

By Chris R. Shepherd

No Time Left to Waste: Managing Your Organic Waste

June/July/August 2019 l Issue #52

Publisher / Lisa Bland Editor-in-Chief Senior Editor Jessica Kirby Contributors Erin Hitchcock, LeRae Haynes, Jessica

Kirby, Terri Smith, Lisa Bland, Shawn Lewis, Sage Birchwater, Chris R. Shepherd, Oliver Berger, Guy Dauncey, Vanessa Moberg, Ryan Elizabeth Cope, Ron Young, Stephanie Bird, Lisa Hilton, Venta Rutkauskas, Nola Daintith, Rodger Hamilton, Leonardo DeGorter, David Suzuki, Tera Grady, Brianna van de Wijngaard, Angela Gutzer, Bill Irwin, Helen Englund, Barbara Schellenberg

Silencing the Songbirds

By Oliver Berger

Also in this Issue: 4. Publisher’s Letter: It's Not Easy Being Green, but What Else is There? 5. New Fall Releases from Rocky Mountain Books 6. The Tears of Cassandra 7. Sailing for Good: Tiny Home on the Big Blue 8. Arts on the Fly's Annual Summer Festival in Beautiful Horsefly, BC 10. Green Business Williams Lake: Frank's Plants and Produce 11. Green Business Quesnel: Green Tree Health and Wellness 13. Save the Oceans, Save Yourself 16. Gridless in Paradise 17. Opinion: Williams Lake Final Destination for CN’s Garbage? 20. Williams Lake City Council to Consider Single-use Plastics Ban 22. Electric Car: So Good So Far 23. The Land and My Body Are Not So Separate 24. Conservation Conversation: The Potato Project 25. Hiking with Kids: Planning Your Backpacking Adventure This Summer 28. Vancouver School Strike for Climate Action 30. Guardian of the Vegetables: Trying to Chill 31. Recipe: Carrot Top Pesto 34. Science Matters: We Must Reverse Biodiversity Loss to Save Ourselves 35. Waste Wise: Banning Plastic Bags – No Easy Solutions 38. Repair Cafe: If It's Broken, Fix It! 39. The Islands and The Undertaker 41. Skywatch 42. Opinion: Why Should We Protect the Horsefly River Watershed? 44. Nourishing Our Children

Advertising Lisa Bland Creative Directors Lisa Bland / Stacey Smith Ad Design Jill Schick / Leah Selk / Stacey Smith Published by Earthwild Consulting Printing Web exPress Inc. Website Design / Rebecca Patenaude Technical Support Cover Photo Kent B Photography

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www.thegreengazette.ca info@thegreengazette.ca The Green Gazette is published by Earthwild Consulting. To subscribe email info@thegreengazette.ca or visit our website at www.thegreengazette.ca © 2019 all rights reserved. Opinions and perspectives expressed in the magazine are those of authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the ownership or management. Reproduction in whole or part without the publisher’s consent is strictly prohibited.

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—

Publisher's Letter —

It's Not Easy Being Green, but What Else is There? Dear readers,

he Cariboo is in full blossom and everywhere we look nature is filling in spaces with a riot of green. The return of warmer temperatures brings into focus the desire to make the most of what the season offers and get out into the great outdoors. Along with the inspiration of summer activities, there’s also the everpresent reminder of challenges we are facing collectively as the season heats up. What will manifest this year as a reflection of increasing temperature extremes and climate instability? How much of BC will burn? How many salmon will survive in the rivers with losses of stream habitat and higher temperatures in spawning grounds? What kind of chemical load are we allowing on the land and onto our food, and ultimately ingesting into our bodies? Where do we draw the line between local economics and healthy airsheds? What can one person do to make a difference, and does it matter? Can we trust those with profit motives to tell the truth or do we need to mobilize into action and look deeper into political and institutional bias? It is daunting to face these complex problems along with the collective losses of our natural world especially when we feel we can’t do much about them. As every year advances we are acutely aware of how little consumptive patterns change even in the face of staggering environmental change. The presence of plastic in every corner of our world is scary when you realize how hard it is to avoid it in everyday life. Despite this, being green and thinking about Lisa Bland Publisher/Editor-in-Chief The Green Gazette

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reducing our impact is no longer considered marginal or impractical. Everyone, everywhere, is wrestling with the issues. Children are taking to the streets with unwavering determination, determined to have a future. It is now time to mobilize, whatever that means individually and collectively. In the Cariboo, many people in the community are actively confronting global issues and attempting to do things differently within their homes and businesses, or through their collective efforts. Sharing knowledge, gaining courage because of what others are doing, and appreciating and celebrating those who go the extra mile to be green all help move the collective forward. In the new magazine format of The Green Gazette, we have moved to a high quality 100% recycled paper and veggie ink and found out the hard way that it’s not that easy to be green and cover costs. Due to the lack of consumer demand for recycled paper, and a struggling magazine industry centered around the cheapest possible bottom line pricing for paper on top of a very tight business margin, we are paying 25% more for going green. We struggled with the ethics of saving the costs and using regular paper but in the end decided that going green is indeed worth it. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right! If everyone decides to push against the grain and do things differently, the momentum will continue, and our collective efforts will make a difference. Going green is not easy, but it is worth it— and we help pave the way for a better future for all. -GG

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Rocky Mountain Books: New Titles Coming This Fall

Take a look at what’s new at Rocky Mountain Books (RMB). From epic bike journeys to environmental manifestos and biographies of First Nations leaders, RMB has something for everyone this fall.

With You by Bike

In a quest to mend their relationship, Katrina and Mike embark on a year-long, 13,000-kilometre cycling tour with the hope of strengthening their commitment to one another.

Paul Preuss: Lord of the Abyss

Following the Good River

Based on recorded interviews and journal entries, this major biography of Cecil Paul (Wa’xaid) is a resounding and timely saga featuring the trials, tribulations, endurance, forgiveness, and survival of one of North American’s more prominent Indigenous leaders.

feel the wild

An intriguing biography of the renowned Austrian alpinist Paul Preuss who achieved international recognition both for his remarkable solo ascents and for his advocacy of an ethically “pure” alpinism.

Feel the Wild is an intimate and powerful story about nature and our relationship with it, told through stunning photography and thought-provoking writing.

Rain Comin’ Down

The Anthropocene Disruption

From one of the world’s foremost authorities on the connections between water, landscape, and our changing climate comes an intimate look at what drives one man’s obsession with the world’s most precious resource.

An important and timely book that addresses the new reality of the Anthropocene and what we should be doing about it.

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 5

The Tears of Cassandra Article by Guy Dauncey

he summer days bring exquisite shades of green. The bees are out, the ants rush around, and the wind rustles quietly in the tops of the trees.Tiny mauve butterflies flit in and out of the flowers.A fresh-baked rhubarb sponge cake sits on the kitchen counter. Life is sensuous, beautiful, and quite frankly, exquisite. And then Cassandra arrives. She of noble Greek ancestry, admired by the god Apollo, she with the golden locks and the long white flowing dress, reading from her list of warnings: “One million species facing extinction, UN Report finds.” “Plummeting insect numbers threaten collapse of nature.” “By 2050, there will be more plastic in the world’s the oceans than fish.” “Do you need more?” she asks, then continues. Her eyes carry sorrow. “Canada warming at twice the rate, climate report finds.” “We have 12 years to limit climate change catastrophe, UN warns.” “I want you to panic, 16-year-old issues climate warning at Davos.” A long time ago in Belgium, there was a similarly beautiful afternoon. The sun warmed the land, the wheat rippled in the fields, and the farmers rested. All was well with the world. When Cassandra arrived, they admired her beauty but paid no heed to her warnings. That was the last time they would see her, for the next day an army of German tanks crashed across the horizon, turning peaceful lives into years of catastrophic pain. In Cassandra’s day there was no social media. She had only her one small voice to warn her fellow Greeks of what was to come. When they ignored her, there was nothing else

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she could do. Troy would fall. People would die. Today, however, she turns to me with a glimpse of hope. “I’m on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Linked-in, Instagram, and YouTube. Do you think it will help? I’ve got more hopeful headlines, too. Do you think something is shifting?” “Unprecedented climate strikes by students around the world to save the planet.” “Extinction Rebellion arrests pass 1,000 on eighth day of protests.” “Ireland becomes the second country to declare a climate and biodiversity emergency.” “Norway plans for all new vehicles to be electric by 2025.” “The Green Wave gathers momentum as Paul Manly sweeps to victory in Ladysmith-Nanaimo.” “You’ve been around a long time,” she said. “What do you think? The Occupy Movement was big, too but it all came to nothing.” “The Occupy Movement had no solutions,” I replied. “All they had was complaints. The student climate protests, the Extinction Rebellion, and the climate emergency movement have armfuls of solutions. The people in government don’t know what to make of them. They are used to setting lazy goals far out in the future. ‘We’ll do this by 2050,’ they say. They’ll be long forgotten in retirement homes by the time 2050 rolls around.” “So this time it will be different?” She looked up at me hopefully with her dark wounded eyes. “It has to. We’ve all got that awful sinking feeling in the pits of our bellies. We read the reports. We know how dire things are going to be if we don’t make radical changes. We’re going to be so seriously screwed – and Nature, too.”

“Oh my,” she responded. “All my life, people have ignored my warnings. The Fall of Troy. The Mongol invasions. The Thirty Years War. Columbus coming to America. The Russian Revolution. I have seen such grief, such awful things. Please tell me this time it’s going to be different.” “I can’t,” I said. “What was it Churchill offered the British when the Nazis had occupied almost all of Europe? Blood, toil, tears, and sweat. But he also offered castiron commitment and practical engagement to the task at hand. That’s what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to articulate the critical actions that can have an impact on the climate and ecological emergencies, the debt and housing crises, and the First Nations crisis. We’ve got to persuade the doubters and deniers, the delayers and blamers that what we’re proposing makes sense. We’ve got to train people to be effective advocates for what’s needed. We’ve got to paint a picture of a new ecological civilization that is so enticing, people will yearn to be part of it. We’ve got to elect mayors and councillors, MLAs, and MPs who will craft the legislation and initiatives that will set us on the path to social justice, economic cooperation, ecological restoration, and climate stability. It’s the task of a lifetime, for all of us.” Cassandra looked at me, her eyes filled with tears, and then she threw her arms around my neck and sobbed her heart out. I held her, gently absorbing her grief. -GG Guy Dauncey worked in the climate solutions trenches for 20 years. He is now deep at work on his new book, The Economics of Kindness: The Birth of a New Cooperative Economy. His website is www.thepracticalutopian.ca

Sailing for Good

—Tiny Home on the Big Blue Article by Vanessa Moberg

The charming 34-ft CAL named For Good sailing through Howe Sound. Photo: Robert Moberg

ow much can go wrong during your first two weeks living aboard a sailboat? A lot. My husband, filmmaker Robert Moberg, and I made a huge leap in April, moving aboard our 34-foot boat we’ve named “For Good”. We’re on a mission to find stories of hope for the Earth in our tiny home on the big blue, a project we’ve dubbed Sailing For Good. We knew it wouldn't be a life of sunbathing and sangria, but we didn’t think the challenges would be huge, immediate, and concurrent. Our first priority was training. On our second day living aboard, the seemingly qualified instructor we’d hired took us out in very strong winds and lumpy seas. Our engine quit, rigging broke, and we lost the use of our mainsail, leaving us no choice but to head for English Bay with only our headsail to get us there, eight hours later. We had no gas for our dinghy’s outboard motor, so we had to row into Vancouver to release our “instructor” from duty. We were up half the night cleaning up the food, equipment, books, and clothes that had been tossed about down below. Lessons learned: watch the weather, vet your hired professionals, always have gas, and batten down the hatches. Because of this first difficult day at sea, we spent an unexpected week anchored in False Creek, giving us a crash course in selfsustainability. Robert already had new solar panels, batteries, and an on-demand water heater installed on the boat, so this definitely helped. Even so, we seemed to experience one mishap after another. A leaky pipe in the galley left two inches of water in our cupboards. We ran out of propane (with the spare tank inoperable) leaving us without the ability to shower, cook, or heat the boat. We transported

the tanks by dinghy to Granville Island then via cab to a propane station, but we ran out of gas for the outboard motor halfway back, leaving Robert to row his boat once again. The unseasonably low temperatures along with incessant rain meant condensation dripped on us while we slept, and we could see our breath when we awoke. Lessons learned: if the pump is acting funny, there’s a leak somewhere, have spare gas AND spare propane, and dry socks are underrated. While Granville Island is a lovely place if you need imported licorice and artisanal leather, it became impractical for us to stay there. We decided to head to Gibson’s, but the strong winds – which were supposed to ease off – persisted as we got underway. Still insecure about our sailing skills, it was a harrowing high seas motor across Burrard Inlet into Howe Sound. With no anchoring skills to speak of, we were quite proud we when we secured ourselves nicely in Gibson’s Harbour. A mysterious sound had us up at 4:30 a.m. and, as a result, we slept in a bit. Thank goodness we did! That morning, around the time we probably would’ve already gone ashore, Robert noticed our boat was almost aground in the receding tide. He frantically pulled us out of harm’s way by hand while I took the helm. As we circled the harbour, Robert called the marina and got us a month’s moorage, giving us time to regroup and find proper training. We continued to lose sleep in Gibson’s as the river otters have taken a liking to running around on our deck at night, and we experienced our first overnight gale. Lessons learned: triple check the wind and tide reports and learn to live with sailboat noises. Just in time for World Ocean's Day on June 8th, Robert and I have finally realized our

dream to live off-grid, at least while we’re not enjoying the respite of marina services. And while we do still need some fuels to get by, we largely rely on the wind, sun, and our own physical labour. Eventually, we’d like to invest in a better battery bank, more electric appliances, and even an electric outboard motor, but one step at a time. We are now in charge of all our own systems – heat, light, power, transportation, fresh water, hot water, waste management, and sewage – meaning just hours into our new life, we were default conservationists to an extreme measure. We’ve found ourselves immediately grateful for the luxurious things we once called “the basics”. And we’ve found the courage to confront the challenges ahead because, let’s face it, most of the things that could happen to us already have. “For Good” Conservation Tip: One of my best friends, a timber cruiser, kept water-filled spray bottles around her camper for washing her face, brushing her teeth, and quick jobs in the kitchen. I’ve been doing this on the sailboat and it uses far less water than turning on the tap. -GG Environmental filmmakers Robert & Vanessa Moberg have embarked on the journey of a lifetime, leaving their home in Williams Lake, BC to set sail on their boat “For Good”. They intend to document stories of hope: the wildlife, coastal communities, and individuals all finding a way to survive and even make a difference despite the bleak realities of climate change and frightfully polluted oceans. To follow their mission: Patreon: patreon.com/sailingforgood, Facebook: @sailingforgood, Instagram: @ sailingforgoodtv, Twitter: @sailing4goodtv, Website: sailingforgood.tv

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Arts on the Fly's Annual Summer Festival in Beautiful Horsefly, BC

Arts on the Fly season is upon us. Coming to Horsefly BC, July 12-13 2019. Photo by Nelson Mouellic

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Article By Brandon Hoffman, Artistic Director, Arts on the Fly Festival

rts on the Fly’s annual summer festival is set to fly again, July 12 and 13 in beautiful downtown Horsefly, BC. This year brings a bouquet of exciting new acts to the Cariboo, plus just as many tried-and-true favourites. The Sadies are a good-time rock and roll/ country and western band from Toronto, Ontario. Their collaborations, as well as their accomplishments as an independent barnburning unit, are highly impressive. The Sadies have toured as a backing band for Neko Case, collaborated with Gord Downie and Blue Rodeo, and even backed up Neil Young in the studio. The Sadies will be tearing it up all weekend long, with performances on both Friday, July 12 and Saturday, July 13. Can-rock icon Barney Bentall has been on our wish-list for quite some time. He has

a long and storied history with the Cariboo and is consistently requested by Arts on the Fly friends and family. Barney will be rocking the main stage on night-two of the festival, Saturday, July 13. Also on the roster is Vancouver nu-soul and R&B queen Tonye Aganaba. Tonye is bringing a 12-piece wrecking crew of soul superstars to hit the Fly with deep grooves and vibes for days. With over 30 performers and artists on the schedule this year, Arts on the Fly is excited to bring you the finest in bluegrass, blues, jazz, experimental, and more, from Western Canada and beyond. Tickets are on sale now in Williams Lake at the Bean Counter, The Open Book, Red Shreds, Clarke’s in Horsefly, and from our website. They’re moving fast! Visit www. artsonthefly.com for more information or to reserve your spot. -GG

World Environment Day Highlights Air Pollution

ne of the best ways to challenge climate change is by tackling air pollution, and we all have our own unique roles to play. Whether pledging to stop idling, reducing consumption, or actively pressuring for change there is something each one of us can do and we need to start immediately. On June 5, 1974 the first World Environment Day took place urging governments and organizations to preserve and enhance the environment, deepen environmental awareness, and pursue the determination of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. Since then, World Environment Day has “helped raise awareness and generate political momentum around growing concerns such as the depletion of the ozone layer, toxic chemicals, desertification, and global warming.” It has also encouraged governments and people to take action on other urgent environmental issues, including consumption and national and international environmental policies. This year, on World Environment Day, the focus is on air pollution, with China hosting the day’s celebrations. According to the United Nations about seven million people worldwide die prematurely each year from air pollution, with more than half of these deaths occurring in AsiaPacific. Governments, industry, communities and individuals are being called up to come together to explore renewable energy and

Article by Erin Hitchcock green technologies, as well as to improve air quality in communities around the world. In Williams Lake, Rail Ties - Be Wise is urging the Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Petroleum Resources to disallow rail ties from being burned at Atlantic Power’s biomass plant. Rail ties may be treated with PCP and almost all are treated with creosote. Burning them lets off fumes into our airshed. To read more about this issue visit www. railtiesbewise.ca and to sign the petition please visit: https://you.leadnow.ca/petitions/ don-t-burn-rail-ties-for-energy. Forest fires in recent years have also impacted local air quality and, with climate change, fires are expected to escalate. Vehicle emissions also affect health and climate change. A World Health Organization study published in the journal Lancet Planetary Health points to emissions from cars and trucks being responsible for four million children developing asthma every year. If you own a gas- or diesel-powered vehicle, drive less, carpool, properly maintain your vehicle, and turn off your engine—CO2 emissions could be reduced by 1.4 million tonnes annually if Canadians avoided idling for three minutes each day of the year (visit BC Climate Action toolkit for more info on idling). To take it to the next level, which is urgently needed, pressure governments to take strong action against climate change and air pollution. On Saturday, June 8 a Climate Action March will take place at Boitanio Park in Williams Lake

following World Environment Day on June 5. Air pollution will be the theme; however, other environmental concerns are welcome. Petitions urging local governments to declare a climate emergency are also available online: For the City of Williams Lake, visit http:// chng.it/FkspgDJ7CS. For the Cariboo Regional District, visit http://chng.it/MMkZzMcY4x or contact me to request a paper version at erinhitchcock.cariboo@gmail.com. -GG Erin Hitchcock is a stay-at-home mom with a journalism diploma and 15 years of related experience. She is passionate about organic and plant-based diets, spirituality and reiki, and creating a better future for the Earth.

Lucia Rojas (left) and Nalina Myers-Weber (right) at an Earth Day gathering in Williams Lake, with a sign they created, hoping that adults will help create a world that protects the air we breathe. Photo: Patricia Weber

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 9

Carla Bullinger, Cali the dog, and Frank Wijma in the family greenhouse garden, where vegetables, fruits, vines, and flowers are grown to feed and beautify homes and communities in the Cariboo. Photo: LeRae Haynes —

Green Business Williams Lake —

Frank's Plants and Produce

Seeking Sustainability One Seedling at a Time

t’s been a busy, verdant season at Frank’s Plants and Produce in Horsefly, kicked off by Seedy Saturday, the Mother’s Day build-your-own basket event, and the Williams Lake Farmer’s Market. The home-based greenhouse, growing a wide range of veggies, flowers, shrubs, fruit vines, and herbs, is owned and run by Frank Wijma and his wife Carla Bullinger who work to balance family and running a business, and despite facing hurdles and obstacles are finding joy in every day life. The family’s lifestyle reflects the desire to dial things back and still function, says Wijma. “You need to make a living, but a lot of it is about lowering your expectations of what you need to hang on to,” he said. Born and raised in the Williams Lake area, Wijma spent 25 years away pursuing education and career in places like Yellowknife and Nebraska and working commercial greenhouses in Langley and Abbotsford. “The Cariboo lifestyle brought me back,” he said. “Horsefly is a great community—a great mix of new comers and old timers.” He said one of the things he loves about gardening in the Cariboo is that the climate helps you dial things back. “On the coast

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Article by LeRae Haynes gardening was year-round,” he said. “Here it’s a few months and then you get to do something else the rest of the year. I love the variety.” At Frank’s Plants and Produce, most of the foliage is grown from seed, and some is imported as beautiful seedlings. “Just in veggies last year, we planted 14,000 seeds,” he said. He added that some of the earliest visitors to the greenhouse are the early pollinators, explaining that these include bees, hummingbirds, and at least 30 different kinds of flies. Some of these winged guests, including certain wasps and hornets, prove very useful, wreaking havoc on the aphid population in the greenhouse. There are certainly hurdles to running a home-based greenhouse business. “Long hours for a sustained couple of months is part of it,” he said. “It’s also constant risks from things like heating the greenhouses, weather, and huge competition from automated massive greenhouses with distribution through places like Canadian Tire and Walmart,” he said. �They’re all about prices, and if you’re not competitive, even people who may want to buy responsibly-grown plants without pesticides will buy elsewhere.”

“We live in a wonderful time where we have so many cool things around to make our lives easier. You can live sustainably, or you can enjoy the variety of things available. It’s hard to do both. I think that in its truest sense, sustainability means ‘poverty.’ Living in a shack the size of a shoebox is sustainable, but no one wants to do that,” he added. “One of my favourite aspects of this business is when what I grow is used very locally – not trucked out – just feeding my local community. Now that’s sustainable.” Wijma said he loves watching Horseflinians grow gardens. “I don’t care if they bought plants from me or not. There is local, good food grown right here,” he said. “We have what we need: a simple home and simple belongings. It’s a meaningful life.” For more information about Frank’s Plants and Produce phone (250) 620-0032 or visit him at the Williams Lake Farmer’s Market. -GG LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer, song writer and instigator of lots of music with people of all ages in the community. She fearlessly owns 10 ukuleles, clinging to the belief that you’re not a hoarder if you play them all.

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 11

—

Green Business Quesnel —

Green Tree Health and Wellness Endings and New Beginnings

“

Article by Terri Smith

councils that they not do it all at once. “Pick one or two things to change It was just one of those things where you know that it was meant and try that out first to see how it goes.Once you have a routine, add a to be,” says Marilyn Allin of Green Tree Health and Wellness few more changes.” Changing your whole diet at once is hard on you and with a smile. She describes the whole experience of buying the your body. business 11 years ago and moving out to BC as one of those times For maintaining general good health, she likes intermittent fasting. where, “You just put one foot in front of the other even though you This gives the body a rest from digesting and metabolizing. She has a don’t know where it’s going to take you, and everything falls into place.” product she recommends from a company called Innotech that provides In 2008, Marilyn was living in Ontario feeling like her life was on the electrolytes your body needs for a healthy fast. hold when she Googled, “health food store in BC” and saw that River I ask about other products she carries that she Valley Health Products in Quesnel was for sale. loves the most—I want to know because I am A registered holistic nutritionist (RHN) with one of the people she has been talking about, reflexology (RAF) certification as well, Marilyn the ones with way too much information and had been working in health food stores in complete confusion about what may actually be Ontario for a while, but she wanted a change, helpful. “Serrapeptase,” she says, immediately. as did the owner of what would become Green And then, “Anti-inflammatories are big because Tree. He had been running his business for 12 of arthritis or pulled or strained muscles or years and was ready for something different. food related inflammation or chronic pain, but This is something Marilyn understands well. Serrapeptase can really help.” After 11 wonderfully successful years, Green Serrapeptase, in case you didn’t know, is the Tree is now for sale again. She says it is time for enzyme that helps silkworms break down their something new; she wants to spend more time cocoon when they are ready to emerge. Marilyn with her parents and just see what life has in recommends taking it on an empty stomach store for her next. so it is most effective, and says she is always Her business and industry have changed over available to talk to customers about how to get the years, she says; people in the last decade Photo by Karen Powell, Quesnel Cariboo Observer. the most from this great product. have become ever more aware of GMOs and Marilyn truly loves what she does, but she feels that even when you synthetic supplements and are wanting better products. As a nutritionist, have found your calling it is important to stop before you don’t enjoy it she has also always loved teaching people how to eat properly and to anymore. She says, “It’s time to let someone else step in and give the understand their individual body’s needs, and she has begun to see a place a boost with their own ideas and their new life and new energy greater number of people realizing that they need to be their body’s and new focus,” she says. “Quesnel can only benefit from that.” own representative. She has noticed that many other people here are retiring and moving She also says that while people are becoming more aware of what on to do other things right now. She sees this as a positive thing for our they don’t want, there is such an overwhelming amount of information community, a chance for it to be infused with new life as the younger on the internet that people are left feeling confused and overwhelmed. generation steps forward. She also mentions the trouble of high-profile people promoting a I am excited for her, and I feel like I have met a kindred spirit. As I buy product and having that product become a new fad. For instance, when some Serrapeptase and head out the door, I find myself wishing I had Oprah mentioned drinking oolong tea as an appetite suppressant, there gotten to know her sooner. -GG was suddenly a world-wide shortage of oolong tea. An erstwhile market gardener and mother of goat, Terri lives on a small “People struggle with knowing where to turn or what to do,” she farm near Quesnel, BC. Here she gardens, makes art, writes about local says. “I’m a firm believer in not changing your whole eating program food, teaches workshops, and works at Long Table Grocery as Guardian overnight; it’s overwhelming and frustrating.” When people come to of the Vegetables. her with a new eating plan, be it doctor’s orders or the latest trend, she

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Save the Oceans, Save Yourself Article by Ryan Elizabeth Cope

une 8 is World Oceans Day. Much like Earth Day, it is a day to truly be celebrated every day one chooses to visit the ocean. But, similarly to Christmas, it’s wonderful to dedicate one entire day to one specific cause. The oceans are certainly worthy of our celebrations. Why? Well, simply put: without our oceans, you wouldn’t be reading this article, this magazine wouldn’t exist, and none of us would be around to be aware of any of this in the first place. The oceans provide us with a space to recreate and the majority of the oxygen we consume as humans. They give us a whole host of marine life to observe, study, and, yes, sometimes eat (dolphin-safe, Ocean Wise, and sustainable, of course!). The oceans are energy powerhouses, something that we have only just begun to dig into. They supply us with some of the world’s most innovative energy solutions, including tidal power and openocean wind farms. While we are not always connected directly to the oceans, one quick visit to the shoreline is all that’s needed to feel the unique energy of the ocean, not found anywhere else. The sound of the crashing waves, the feeling of salt water on our skin, and the observation of marine flora and fauna is a feast for the senses. The oceans help us in more ways than we can possibly imagine. We need our oceans, but they are in peril. According to UNESCO, by the year 2100, we stand to lose more than half of the world’s marine species (flora and fauna) due to extinction. That’s 81 years from now and while many of us currently contributing to and reading The Green Gazette may be long gone by then, anyone born today or onwards

may exist in a world devoid of much of the charismatic mega and micro fauna we have come to know and love. The time is now to protect what we love and preserve it for ourselves and for future generations of oceanloving humans. With our climate in flux and being impacted by human-induced carbon dioxide emissions, so, too, is our ocean impacted. The results are ones we are already witnessing around the world: hotter, dryer summers (more forest fires for interior BC); increased plastic pollution on beaches and in waterways; chemical runoff via agricultural waste; and things like sunscreen melting off our skin every time we take a dip. Conventional sunscreen contains chemical substances known as “oxybenzones” and are the active, chemical filter ingredients purported to keep our skin safe from UV rays. We are only just recently coming to understand that oxybenzones are wildly destructive to coral reef habitat (and human health), which is rather unfortunate considering that the first thing we all do before hitting the beach is lather up on SPF 30. These chemicals, not normally experienced by coral reefs (or humans), disrupt a coral’s reproduction and growth cycle. When a coral’s cycle is disrupted, it triggers a bleaching event, causing it to die. Coral is a living organism and is fundamental to the health of coastal seas—lose the coral and we lose the abundance of marine life that thrives here, including many magnificent tourism snorkeling destinations. As we are already witnessing, places like The Great Barrier Reef and the Hawaiian Islands have all fallen victim to bleaching events. So, what’s an ocean-loving person to do? No need to bury your head in the sand. The next

time you’re about to head off on your coastal vacation, consider the following to tread lightly on this Blue Planet:

• Look for “reef-friendly” sunscreen. Brands such as Tropical Sands, Badger, or Raw Elements are committed to both the health of humans and our oceans. • DIY a picnic lunch instead of buying one ready-made. You’ll be amazed at how much plastic packaging can be saved from this one, tiny step. • Carpool or bike to the beach. It’s not just what we do when we’re in the water that counts. Think of the journey it requires to get to your favourite ocean hangout spot. This World’s Oceans Day, wherever you celebrate, consider the impact our Blue Planet has on your daily life, and the impact you have on its beautiful blue waters. Give thanks for the oceans. They cover 70% of our planet. Much like people, our oceans are a living, breathing organism and just like us, they require nourishment, love, and support in order to survive and thrive. -GG Ryan Elizabeth Cope is a Kelowna, BC-based advocate for plastic-less, healthful living. She blogs at Seven in the Ocean (sevenintheocean. com) where she marries her love of food with her disdain for plastic-wrapped garbage.

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 13

Canadian Food for Children:

Creative Recycling Helps Children Around the World

By LeRae Haynes

illiams Lake volunteers with Canadian Food for Children have taken recycling to a humanitarian level, turning pillow cases and T-shirts into dresses; discarded yarn into pneumonia vests for infants and into leprosy bandages; and tuna cans into candles for light and warmth. Canadian Food for Children works to relieve the suffering of the poor in over two dozen developing countries around the world, including Angola, Columbia, Dominica, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Madagascar, Malawi, Nicaragua, Peru, Philippines, Sierra Leone, St. Lucia, Tanzania, Trinidad, and Zambia. This goes beyond food. They provide things like midwife kits, orphanage boxes, sewing boxes, cleaning kits, leprosy hospital kits, shoe kits, school boxes and backpacks, hospital boxes, hydration kits, baby newborn kits, carpentry kits, as well as gardening and sports equipment. Williams Lake volunteers from a wide range of organizations collect items, donate items, sew, knit, and package items and get them delivered to the Canadian Food for Children regional depot in Penticton. This help is sent to the neediest countries in the world, where there are disasters and where the need is most dire. “This is taking recycling to a new level,” said Canadian Food for Children volunteer Bel Hume.“Instead of sending things to recycling bins, some things can be sent to countries where they can improve lives, where they are loved, appreciated, and used. Nothing is wasted. This is giving things to people who have absolutely nothing, and it fills my heart with joy.” Canadian Food for Children was started by Dr. Andrew Simone and his wife Joan in the 1980s and began with five containers shipped the first year. Last year 225 containers were shipped worldwide. No one, top to bottom, gets paid. No money is spent on administration or advertising; it’s run strictly on donations and by volunteers. “I see the simple joy it gives us as humans,” explained Laura Zimmerman from the Recycle Bin. “It ignites humanity in us, creates fellowship among us, and makes us brothers with people we’ve never met.” Jane Cameron, volunteer for Canadian Food for Children, said it’s contagious. “We keep our tuna cans, and people melt wax into them to ship as candles to use for light and heat,” she said. “It costs too much to send the empty shipping containers back, so they are left behind and used as homes. For people who live in a carboard shack, an iron shipping container heated by tuna tin candles is a mansion.” Andre Bisson from Merritt provides transportation to Penticton once a year to deliver leftovers from the Williams Lake Old Age Pension Organization bi-annual clothing sale at the Seniors Activity Centre. His wife Joan volunteers almost full time. They store and collect items and when the trailer is full, they deliver the load to Penticton. They are truly dedicated to Canadian Food for Children. While they watch TV, Andre knits toques to send, and Joan knits cotton tensor bandages for leprosy patients. Hume explained that items they look for include big coffee cans, clean tuna and salmon cans (not pet food tins), used candle wax, pillow cases, cotton sheets, bed skirts, window toppers, flannel sheets, towels, new toothbrushes, backpacks, wool and yarn, suitcases, pots, pans, household items, cotton fabric, school and office supplies, baby items, sewing supplies, match box toys, toy stuffies, paper, sturdy sandals, and gardening supplies. “When you give these people a pencil, they break it into four pieces and share it,” Hume said. “In some places they trace their foot on a car tire, cut it out, and tie it on their feet. We pray for fresh drinking water for them,” she added. “The water causes so many problems and diseases.” The individuals in Williams Lake who contribute to Canadian Food for Children come from a wide range of organizations and perspectives. “I think what we all appreciate is that this is interdenominational and

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Volunteers with Canadian Food for Children working to improve the lives of children and communities around the world. Photo: Claire Shephard

non-government,” Hume said. “It’s all volunteers caring and coming together because it’s the right thing to do.” For more information about Canadian Food for Children, visit www. canadianfoodforchildren.net. For local information in Williams Lake or the surrounding region about how to donate or how to volunteer, phone Bel Hume at (250) 398-8740. If you are interested in doing some simple sewing, making pillow case dresses, or making baby blankets, she would really like to hear from you. -GG LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer, song writer, and instigator of lots of music with people of all ages in the community. She fearlessly owns 10 ukuleles, clinging to the belief that you’re not a hoarder if you play them all.

The Nature Trust of BC:

Critical Habitat in the Cariboo

Article by Jessica Kirby | Photos by Carleton MacNaughton With files from The Nature Trust of BC and Samantha Penner

he Nature Trust of British Columbia (NTBC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving ecologically significant land across the province for vulnerable wildlife, fish, and plants. Since 1971, it has acquired more than 71,000 hectares (175,000 acres) of critical habitat, and its conservation lands are located on the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the South Okanagan, the Kootenays, the Cariboo, and the Peace River region. Sammy Penner works for NTBC as the group’s Lower Mainland conservation field technician. In the spring and summer, she supervises the Lower Mainland Conservation Youth Crew (CYC), which maintains and monitors 22 properties between Hope and Squamish and the Sunshine Coast. “We hire a crew of university students for field work from May to August, and we are the hands and feet that manage the Nature Trust properties,” she says. “The crew helps with assessing, inventorying, restoring, and monitoring each property depending on specific property requirements.” Scout Island NTBC’s Scout Island property in Williams Lake conserves a marsh and wetland that are a mecca for wildlife, especially birds. Scout Island is managed in partnership with the Williams Lake Field Naturalists and the City of Williams Lake. Scout Island Nature Centre runs environmental education and community programs and there are a series of trails for self-directed nature walks and wildlife viewing platforms. Chilcotin Lake and Marshes NTBC’s Chilcotin Lake and Marshes property northwest of Alexis Creek is a renowned waterfowl staging area due to its shallow nature and abundant vegetation. During fall migration, thousands of ducks and hundreds of Canada geese can be found here. Chilcotin Lake is also one of the two most important feeding lakes for BC’s endangered White pelican. In addition to a wide diversity of bird life, the area provides important moose winter range and supports Steelhead and Chinook salmon. Chilanko Marsh NTBC’s Chilanko Marsh property northwest of Alexis Creek aids in the conservation and restoration of wildlife habitat in the Chilcotin River Plateau. This property forms part of the Chilanko Marsh Wildlife Management, along with adjacent crown land, covering 900 hectares/2,225 acres in total. Situated on a flyway for

Another one of her roles is assisting with checking NTBC properties that range all over BC, including remote or harder to access areas such as in Kitsault, BC. “Each property is unique and has a different management approach,” she says. In the fall and spring, Penner coordinates management projects with the public such as restoration events/projects on various NTBC properties including tree plantings, bird nesting box programs, and shoreline cleanups. “My favourite part of my job is contributing to the stewardship of the land and educating people about the importance of conserving diverse wildlife habitat across our province,” she says. “This is especially important as our climate changes and many species are endangered, such as salmon species. I also am grateful to have the opportunity to work on many beautiful properties with many amazing people.” The Interior and Coastal Mainland Land Manager Carleton MacNaughton monitors NTBC’s conservation lands in the Cariboo each year, including the following key properties in that area. migratory birds, this is one of the most productive wetlands in the entire Cariboo region. White pelicans, Canada geese, Tundra swans, coots, and grebes share the marsh with mallards, pintails, canvasbacks, and others. Tautri Creek NTBC’s Tautri Creek property north of Alexis Creek provides diverse wildlife habitat north of Stum Lake, including excellent moose and waterfowl habitat. It is also a White pelican feeding area, while Stum Lake to the south is the only known White pelican nesting area in the province. “Due to the fires that swept through the area in 2017, and the resulting closures, I had to postpone my usual summer field trip to the Cariboo until October,” says MacNaughton.“We were quite lucky the only Nature Trust property impacted by fire was Tautri Creek.” NTBC works on co-management activities with other organizations including Ducks Unlimited Canadaand naturalist clubs. “We meet many incredible people and collaborate on fun field days and events which are great opportunities for networking,” Penner says. The most important message the public needs to know about NTBC is that it is a non-profit charity and a trusted organization. “We are the largest provincial land trust in BC,” she adds. “We ensure your donation is going to help save endangered ecosystems and wildlife species. Every property is very different—some are remote while others are near communities and highly used, but the concept behind the organization is that the land is there for nature and never will be developed.” If you would like to help The Nature Trust of BC with its conservation projects in the Cariboo and other regions, please visit www.naturetrust.bc.ca or call toll-free at 1-866-288-7878. -GG The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 15

Gridless in Paradise Article by Ron Young

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Off-Grid Donkeys Muffin and Dixie. Of course we have solar; what did you think? Photo: Ron Young

Off the grid” seems like such harsh terminology almost implying an accidental condition. It’s a First World reference that means living without connection to the electricity grid of the industrialized world but in many ways also independent of a lot of other constraints that most of us have become conditioned to in modern society. The reality for most off-grid dwellers is that they have chosen to live a life somewhere that hasn’t been trampled on by the development of properties and regulatory structure. Off grid living has always been a nonconformist choice. In over two decades of designing and installing renewable energy systems I’ve been fortunate to meet some very special off-grid people. Often the factors that determine where we put down roots in a place are prioritized by employment opportunity and affordability sometimes followed by opportunity for community and cultural enrichment. We can become trapped by those choices. People who choose to live off-grid have different priorities including the desire to achieve self-sufficiency, appreciation for the natural world, a longing for solitude, and the chance to seek some degree of excellence and perfection of life’s endeavours. Some of the most fascinating characters I’ve ever met are my off-grid friends and customers. Beth and Gerry Gregg moved to the shore of Konni Lake in the Nemiah Valley about 12 years ago. They purchased a parcel of land right on the lake, sight unseen, but they had recently visited the area and fell in love with its spectacular beauty and pristine wilderness. When they asked me to design an off-grid power system one of the concerns was that it be reliable. Nemiah Valley is about two-and-ahalf hours out of Williams Lake on a good day, and a trip to town was maybe twice a month. The Gregg’s objective was retirement after a lifetime of work, and they were looking for a more serene environment. But serenity doesn’t

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include the constant drone of an internal combustion engine and so instead they opted for solar panels, a wind generator, and a small gas generator for those periods when the batteries needed an additional charge. Their two companion donkeys, Muffin and Dixie, came along for the ride and chickens, a raised bed garden, a solar hot tub, a studio for Beth to do her felting and spinning, a gazebo, and a bathhouse all set the stage for a happy and fulfilling lifestyle. Whenever I had the opportunity to visit Gerry would bring out a couple of frosty mugs from their off-grid refrigeration and filled them with cold beer as good as any I’ve sampled. Gerry’s ability as a carpenter is first rate and with his own sawmill and readily available lumber supply on hand there was no challenge too great. The happy retirees spent many years exploring and fishing the backcountry lakes and lived at one with the wildlife residents. While it’s easy to make it sound idyllic there were always challenges including weather, wildfires, and bugs but none of them insurmountable until unfortunately medical issues brought this 12-year stretch in gridless paradise to an end. My other encounters with off-grid personalities have included a woman living on her own with over two hundred rescue dogs, a man who was a major figure in the Vancouver underworld and whose life ended in a hail of bullets, a family that was seeking fortune with a herd of 1,000 goats, an American couple and their elderly father who were escaping an anticipated Armageddon that would follow 9/11 and

the Iraq war, and many others including those disenchanted with society and/or enchanted with the wilderness. David and Nicola Finch certainly fall into the category of those who are enchanted with the wilderness and who were willing to move there 18 years ago without any firm guarantee of the outcome. They weren’t retired but they also weren’t ranchers, farmers, or loggers and that would certainly appear to narrow the possibilities for employment. As I recall the story, when considering the purchase of the remote meadowland, they looked at each other and said something like, “How will we make a living?” and the answer was, “…we’ll think of something.” Indeed, they did think of something and the meticulously hand-crafted wooden rings David makes have brought happiness to hundreds of customers worldwide. Even though completely off-grid, the wonders of modern technology make it possible for Nicola to connect with the world through their Touch wood rings website (www.touchwoodrings.com) to promote the beautifully crafted rings and provide the Finches with a sustainable income. But this isn’t the whole story for this resourceful couple. Stewardship for the natural world around them has been an important cornerstone of their existence in the remote wildland. More than just passive observers they do everything in their power to ensure the health and safety of the other creatures that share their world. Their photography and journaling will undoubtedly be invaluable as an historical record of the rare and unique environment they have chosen to call home. Off-the-grid certainly is no accidental condition and, in some cases, can be among the most elegant and mindful forms of existence for humans on Planet Earth. -GG Ron Young is a renewable energy professional operating the earthRight Store in Williams Lake since 1993. Ron can be reached at info@ solareagle.com or www.facebook.com/ earthrightsolar.

Opinion: Williams Lake Final Destination for CN’s Garbage? Article by Stephanie Bird, on behalf of Rail Ties Be Wise, Williams Lake

ho stands to gain if rail ties are burned at the biomass power generator in Williams Lake? Certainly, Canadian National Railway (CN) will benefit. The company would have a simple solution to its problem—the trackside accumulation of waste rail ties between here and Québec. And Boston-based Atlantic Power will benefit also, as there can’t be too much (if any) cost in accessing this waste. Perhaps the company’s profit margin would grow? In a 2015 survey from the Railway Tie Association, three contractors reported paying tipping fees to facilities that dispose of rail ties, in the range of US $15 to US $25 a ton. Atlantic Power wants to burn at least 200,000 tonnes of rail ties every year. We know for sure that the citizens of Williams Lake will not benefit from this project. We know that the City is building a fire guard around its perimeter and there is a lot of woody debris that could feed the biomass plant from this fire guard zone. However, rail ties are much more dangerous. Emissions from burning them would contain sulphur dioxide, which is currently absent in our air, and higher concentrations of PM 2.5. Both of these are hazardous to the health of the very young, the very old, and those who have respiratory illnesses.

The geography of Williams Lake presents an additional problem. Our valley experiences air inversions, where weather traps pollutants in our airshed on a regular basis throughout the year. The testing that was done to approve the burning of rail ties did not account for this inconsistency in saturation of pollutants. To make matters worse, at the end of the process the toxic ash will be stored near town and potentially seep into ground water. Williams Lake doesn’t need the reputation of being polluted with rail tie emissions. Nowhere else in Western Canada burns rail ties. The only other place in Canada that has burned rail ties is Trois-Riveries, Québec, and they do not confirm whether they continue to do so. How will this activity affect our ability to attract doctors, teachers, or other professionals? What about the retired couples that are leaving Vancouver and looking for new homes? Will Williams Lake be able to attract and retain people to keep this community healthy and active? Fortunately, British Columbia is subject to a Clean Energy Act. This act exists to protect the environment from the types of electricity generation that are not sustainable, or that pollute the surrounding area. This is where Rail Ties Be Wise is focused today. After almost three years of fighting this plan

with the Environmental Appeal Board and making modest gains, we are hoping that Energy Minister Michelle Mungall will reject this project on the basis that it violates the mandate of the Clean Energy Act. Certainly, as was decided in Oregon and Washington State, burning rail ties is not clean, especially in a municipality that is tucked into a valley bottom, using a biomass burner that was not designed for this purpose. At a time when we experience annual forest fires and the resultant smoke keeps us from participating in outdoor activity, we don’t need additional PM 2.5 or new pollutants like sulphur dioxide in the air we breathe. We encourage all residents to ask that the Minister of Energy, Mines, and Petroleum Resources Michelle Mungall refuse to allow this to happen to us. Sign our the petition linked on the Rail Ties Be Wise Facebook page or send an email to Michelle Mungall at: EMPR.minister@gov.bc.ca. Follow our FB page for updates and visit our website at railtiesbewise.ca for background info. Let’s preserve our health and our healthy outdoor reputation. -GG

Blue sky through the aspen at Scout Island in Williams Lake. Photo: Frances McCoubrey

TheGreenGazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 17

Photo by Kent B Photography

Scenes from the Puddle:

Mountain Biking Around Williams Lake

Article by Shawn Lewis | Photos by Scott Horley

illiams Lake, aka the Puddle, is not unique in being home to great mountain biking. Sure, we have been dubbed the Shangri-La of mountain biking by Bike Magazine, and most recently called “BC’s Best Adventure Town,” by Explore magazine, but we live in a beautiful province filled with amazing sites and really good trails, just about everywhere. There are a couple of things that separate us from the crowd though; first, the sheer size of our entire trail system—180 plus trails, four networks, and over 350 kms of single track. Second, the ease that one can access the three networks that surround Williams Lake. All three local trail networks are less than a ten-minute ride from almost anywhere in town. Described as “diverse, evolving, gritty, inclusive” and “pretty fuc#ing fun,” the riding

scene around the Puddle is easy to get involved with. Whether you’ve always wanted to check out the region, live here and want to learn more, or spend a lot of time riding, once the snow is gone it’s time to hit the trails around the puddle. You can usually ride Fox Mountain. in early spring. Then, as the weather warms, the Westysde followed by the Southsyde open up and the riding goes till it snows! To find out more about the following featured trails, contact the Williams Lake Cycling Club at puddlebike@gmail.com or check out www. ridethecariboo.com, or visit the local Williams Lake bikeshops: Barking Spider (1024 Broadway Ave. S.) and Red Shreds (95 1st Ave. S.). For access to trailhead info, current trail conditions and real time GPSing while you ride, check out www.trailforks.com.

Southsyde, Dick’s Trail

Although not indicative of the entire trail, this picture (above right) captures the crux: a technical downhill rock section that involves smart line choice, commitment to that choice, and just letting it run! With a northern exposure, carpets of green moss cover large areas of rock as the trail ultimately leads you into the heart of the Southsyde network.

Pablo Mountain “Boulderdash”

Driving southwest towards Sheep Creek Bridge from Williams Lake, you can see the scree field on the left as you look up to the top of Pablo Mountain. Looking north from the top, with Highway 20 and the Fraser River in the background, Boulderdash trail follows a ribbon of white created when the surrounding rock was flipped over. Not for the faint of heart nor beginner, Boulderdash is an uncompromising natural black diamond trail as difficult to get to as it is to ride. The trail was featured on the 2003 TV series, “Drop In.” Photo on bottom left.

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Hillbilly Deluxe Trail, Fox Mountain Trail Network

One of the original trails in the Fox Mountain network, Hillbilly Deluxe, was built in the late 90s. Originally featuring sketchy stunts made from branches, small trees, and scrap wood, this trail was challenging. Built along a meandering shallow gulley, the upper portion of trail banks up and down the gulley’s sides, carving a dirt line through the forest littered with technical trail features (TTF). In 2004, the Ministry of Forests (MOF) declared the trail too risky and had the TTFs removed. This became the catalyst for the formation of the William Lake Cycling Club. In 2005, MOF provided $1,000 worth of local rough cut 4x4’ timbers to the rebuilding of these stunts. Pictured to the left is one of the favourites.

Westsyde, Snakes and Ladders

This trail itself is iconic. Built in the late 90s, it featured skinnies, long stunts, teeter totters, and more, and was a must stop for mountain bike touring companies passing through Williams Lake. Over time the trail changed and evolved, always with the theme within the board game, Snakes and Ladders. In 2011, it was recognized that this trail merited a serious rebuild. With support and partnerships with local groups and organizations, over two km of new trail was built, ending in the Williams Lake River Valley. The entire trail received a face lift, with new stunts and features including the still infamous, “Sky Berms”. These two elevated and massive towering wooden berms are among the highlights of this trail, as well as a 15-meter-long suspension bridge and many other TTFs, including the one pictured to the left.

Desous Mountain, Shiny Badger, and So Long, both backside trails

Once a diamond in the rough, Desous Mountain is rugged and long. The network began in the90s with a few trails on the front side, and later a few down the backside towards the Fraser River. It is now a polished gem of a network. Located 30 minutes from town, Desous Mountain has 1000 m of vertical and includes four new front side trails, plus the original four—three backside downhill lines, and a new backside climbing line, “Shiny Badger, Hidden Canyon.” Add a spacious campground with a unique outhouse and Desous has become the diamond of Shreddy’s eye. With epic views of the Fraser River looking north and south and the granite slabs on the cliffs of Desous, the sights are breathtaking. The 11km climbing line, Shiny Badger, provides new access from either side, eliminating the necessity of a shuttle. Desous is truly a world class destination for mountain biking. -GG Shawn Lewis has been president of the WL Cycling club since 2008, and he loves to ride, build, and maintain trails, and get outdoors. Build trails, ride bikes!

TheGreenGazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 19

Williams Lake City Council to Consider Single-use Plastics Ban By Erin Hitchcock

can’t remember when I first learned about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, but I remember the sheer shock and disbelief at how so much plastic could end up in the ocean. Why had no one done anything about it? While attempts are being made to do that, successful results remain to be seen. And the plastics keep flowing in. A dump truck full of plastic is released into the oceans each minute, according to a study from the World Economic Forum. Mistaking plastics for food, deceased whales and turtles continue to wash up on the shore, with their stomachs full of grocery bags, drink bottles, straws, containers, and Styrofoam. Birds pick up plastics and feed them to their chicks. Canadian Wildlife Service researchers have even found seabird eggs in the High Arctic containing plastic contaminants, as well as plastic-making chemicals in the eggs of Northern fulmars in the Canadian Arctic. From the Mariana Trench to the summit of Mount Everest, plastic can be found. However, collective change has begun and that includes the absolute necessity of refusing these plastics to begin with. Last year for World Environment Day, United Nations SecretaryGeneral António Guterres called for a rejection of single-use plastic and a refusal for what can’t be reused. The European Union will see a single-use plastics ban come into force by 2021 and will include everything from checkout bags to cutlery, straws, and stirrers. In July 2018, Victoria became the first BC community to ban plastic shopping bags after winning a BC Supreme Court battle with the Canadian Plastic Bag Association. The court ruled municipalities can implement single-use plastic bylaws because they have the power to regulate business transactions and are responsible for managing waste. Following the court decision, many other BC communities have signed onto a single-use plastics ban in some form. It’s difficult to keep track of the

plastics have inflictedonour natural world, but growing momentum but some municipalities we have the capabilities and the responsibility include Vancouver, Surrey, Kamloops, Tofino, to do something about it. -GG Ucluelet, Qualicum Beach, Saanich, and Erin Hitchcock is a stay-at-home mom with Salmon Arm. a journalism diploma and 15 years of related In the US, numerous cities now have singleexperience. She is passionate about organic use plastic bans, and Maine recently became and plant-based diets, spirituality and reiki, and the first state to ban Styrofoam cups and creating a better future for the Earth. containers. The BC government itself recently gave first reading to a bill to ban the bag across the province. Knowing that it is possible for our community to do our part, in April I started a The Plastic Bag— petition to Williams Lake City Council to ban A Brief History single-use plastics. At the time of writing this, 1933, polyethylene is created by I have gathered almost 750 online signatures, accident at an English chemical plant plus an estimated 200 on paper copies. and is initially used in secret by the Williams Lake City Counsellor Craig Smith has British military during World War II. expressed his support for a ban. While working 1965, a Swedish company patents the on his MBA, he learned much about the plastic polyethylene bag that quickly begins crisis and how the majority of plastic in the to replace cloth. Fourteen years world isn’t recycled, instead ending up in later, it controls 80 per cent of the landfills, in the ocean, and on the landscape. bag market in Europe and becomes widely introduced in the US. On Tuesday, July 9, together we expect to present information to his colleagues at a Williams Lake Committee of the Whole 1982, Safeway and Kroger meeting and stress the need for our switch to plastics bags, with more community to help address the global plastic stores doing the same—by the end of crisis by banning single-use plastics. It is my the decade almost all paper bags are replaced. hope–and that of the nearly 1,000 petition signers–that council will later agree to a ban 1997, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch that includes more than just bags but other is discovered by sailor and researcher single-use plastics, even if they can’t all be Charles Moore. regulated at once. Understandably, businesses 2002, Bangladesh becomes the first and residents would need to be given suitable country to implement a ban on thin time to choose alternatives, which do exist. plastic bags after realizing they were It wasn’t until the 1960s when plastic started clogging drainage systems. to become widely used. It might take a bit of 2011, one million bags are consumed learning for everyone to remember to bring every minute globally. in their own bags, reusable containers, travel cups, and reusable straws but it’s a small hassle compared to the disaster plastics are causing. 2017, Kenya bans plastic bags Other alternatives can include edible cutlery 2018, #BeatPlasticPollution is chosen and containers and those that can truly be as the theme of World Environment composted in household systems. Day—companies and governments Humans are responsible for the plague around the word continue to announce pledges to tackle plastic waste.

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Summarized from the United Nations

Tel: 250-395-4545 Fax: 1-877-606-5385 spellizzari@telus.net

Stephen Pellizzari NOTARY PUBLIC

Cariboo Mall 575 Alder Avenue Box 2105, 100 Mile House, BC V0K 2E0

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 21

Electric Car—So Good So Far Article by Lisa Hilton

As our eight-year-old zips around the yard on his little electric dirt bike, courtesy of Canadian Tire, I can’t help but ponder the future of electric travel.

Even dirt biking has gone electric. Our Nissan Leaf electric car pictured in the background. Photo: Lisa Hilton

s our eight-year-old zips around the yard on his little electric dirt bike, courtesy of Canadian Tire, I can’t help but ponder the future of electric travel. It seems that the electric travel industry took a hundred-year hiatus, but since the turn of the millennia, it’s come sizzling back with a vengeance. Consider a company like Tesla Motors, incorporated in 2003 and thus fulfilling the dream of a fully electric sports car. Now, a mere 16 years later, they produce affordable family vehicles that can beat many gas-tanked vehicles for range, and as for fuel efficiency, they are a dream on a whole other level. They have developed fully electric semi-trucks, and just this year revealed the Roadster 2, which reaches 60 mph in 1.9 seconds, making it the fastest production car ever. About 10 years ago we were in need of a new vehicle and we chose to buy a Mazda 5. At that time, it was the most fuel efficient, affordable vehicle available in Canada that could fit our growing family. Then about five years ago we began looking at electric options again and realized that many second-hand Nissan Leafs were not only cheaper; they also provided us with everything else we were looking for in a vehicle. In the summertime our Leaf's fuel costs us about a tenth of what our gasoline powered vehicles would cost, and that’s with a really

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fuel-efficient gas vehicle. I can only imagine how much we’re saving compared to a gasguzzling truck. In the winter we lose some range, so we estimate that we’re paying about a fifth mid-winter, rather than a tenth, but even at -30 degrees C we can still make the 50km round-trip to home, so we’re still smiling. We no longer have oil changes. The only maintenance seems to be changing the tires over for winter and, in future, the brakes when needed. From a maintenance perspective this car has been a dream, which is a huge draw for me. On a larger global scale, it’s been impressive to watch countries like Japan, Germany, and France developing their electric bullet trains for public transit. The Shinkansen trunkline is a network of high-speed electric railway lines that traverse a 387.5 km section of the Tōhoku line in Japan. As of 2014, after 50 years of operating and transporting 10 billion passengers, there has never been a passenger fatality caused by a derailment or collision. Their maximum operating speed is 320 km/h, or 200 mph. That’s a tad faster than the skytrain in Vancouver, not to mention a lot more extensive. But hey, at least we have 79.6 km of public electric transport in a province that produces close to 95 percent of its energy from renewables. Perhaps we are a province that needs more development and infrastructure in this area.

Thankfully, on a nation-wide level, PetroCanada is stepping up to the plate. The gas station company is planning to install a network of 50 level 3 (or 3+) charging stations at key Petro-Can locations from Nova Scotia to British Columbia. Most electric vehicles can achieve at least an 80 percent charge within half an hour from a level 3 charger, so Tesla owners will soon be able to traverse the country at record speeds.It’s hopeful to see a 44-year-old gas company that’s as adept at stepping into the future of energy as any avid environmentalist. It is my hope that, as a society, we can join what appears to be a positive movement in the right direction. We can’t really argue the fact that, when time and circumstance permits, travelling by pedal-bike or by foot is the vastly superior mode of travel for both our bodies and the planet. But when a steel-horse is required, the electric variety, whether it be a train, car, or semi-truck, might just come in at a very close second. (The song “Electric Car,” by They Might Be Giants is a fun little gem to share with the youngsters in your life. The title of this article is a line from the song.) -GG Lisa Hilton was born and raised in Williams Lake. Passionate about her family, her community, and the environment, she actively looks for sustainable solutions in her everyday life.

The Land and My Body Are Not So Separate

Article by Venta Rutkauskas

ummer beckons us to explore a landscape at the peak of its fertility while around the province, arts and culture events sprout and blossom into fruitful exchanges of energy. Music festivals, art walks, markets, and more, set themselves against the backdrop of British Columbia’s inspired terrain. It’s a time to revel in and celebrate the landscape, while the arts provide a passage into human ingenuity. The art experience is imbued with the sights, sounds, and smells of the environment, joining with the subject matter to create a synthesis perhaps unimagined by its creator. It’s that moment when the moon rises above the stage at a festival, dripping ethereal light; or the sculpture surprises you on the path between galleries. I’ve become curious about the ways our bodies move through various spaces, and the powerful effect nature and creativity have on our beings. The land and my body are not so separate. Have you also felt this? When I perceive the mountains, beautiful and ancient figures lay there in repose, their curved hips and sloped abdomens risen from the valley. I recognize us in them. Their beauty awakens within me a deep knowing. In recent months, as I moved through landscape, I carried questions about the ways in which humanity has brought the physical environment into art practices, whether through pattern, natural materials, or the infinite colour palette witnessed. Our senses feast on the stimulus, lured back to the wild by the richness offered. Struck by the overwhelming awe I experience while engaging with the beauty of nature, I was also amazed by the human impacts that are enmeshed with that beauty. When I looked more closely, I couldn’t escape our human impression upon the environment. The ways in which we intersect with this environment are varied. Sometimes, the evidence is a trail system scratched into the surface of the mountain. Other times, its pointed presence rears up like a razor wire snake, half-buried and perilous to passers by. Metal garbage and industry populate the wild places, to say nothing of plastic… traces left by humans who claim territory with flagpoles of homesteads and cut blocks. Our presence creates a patchwork on the landscape, seen as beautiful parcels of cultivated fields, or roads, or gashes left by extraction. My body merges with the landscape, and yet in the curves of my fingers, in the tread of my footsteps, I sense the complicated relationship we now have with our Earth, as the force of so much change. Alive to this tension, my words and my creative practice contain at once the deep reverence for the gifts of such beauty, alongside an ache and urgency sensed in my blood and bones. I want to celebrate our artistic legacy, like music under the stars among my community, and I need to do it in a way

Industry and human impact at the interface of the natural landscape. How do we find our place within it? Photo: Venta Rutkauskas

that acknowledges how heavy my human impact can be on the space around me. I’m inspired by the movement at many arts festivals, introducing a ‘leave no trace’ philosophy to the patrons, building into the experience an awareness of how much you leave behind or use up when you travel. Initiatives like mobile composters, on site at last year’s ArtsWells festival (operated by one of our community’s most treasured conservationists, The Mary Forbes of Potato House fame), demonstrate technology’s constructive role in softening our footprint. That inherent human need to celebrate in community with arts and nature as the stage can serve as a powerful catalyst for our whole beings. We can grow inspired by conversation, bird call, a painting, a song, or a star, and seek to engage with the complex issues we face, harnessing the creative forces required in facing them. Our bodies belong to the wild, like the figures of the reposing mountain people, and through art and contemplation, we develop a language that can grapple with the knotty and perplexing place we inhabit today. From my perch on the mountain, I hope to see you dancing under the stars or writing a love poem to a tree. Let’s absorb the potent nectar that flows when our bodies are engaged in creative acts in the natural world. -GG Venta Rutkauskas is the co-ordinator for the Community Arts Council of Williams Lake (CACWL). She is an advocate and lover of the arts and has taught drama and written plays for young children. She is also passionate about the healing arts. Visit www.williamslakecommunityartscouncil.com to learn more about CACWL and local artists.

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 23

Conservation Conversation: The Potato Project

Article by Nola Daintith and Rodger Hamilton

CCCS members gleaning potatoes at Silver Birch Farm along the Fraser River. Photo: Vanessa Moberg

or the last three years, two very generous market gardeners near Soda Creek, north of Williams Lake, have opened their potato patches and other vegetable fields in the fall to the Cariboo-Chilcotin Conservation Society (CCCS). Members of the CCCS along with friends, students, and assorted dogs have spent an enjoyable day or two gleaning potatoes, carrots, squash, and other veggies, but mostly potatoes—and a lot of potatoes! The idea behind the gleaning project was to collect the last of the crops (that were likely too expensive to harvest and market) and store them into the winter for community organizations to distribute to clients who might not otherwise have access to healthy, homegrown food. And, what better place to store them than in the renovated cold-storage area in the basement of the Potato House in Williams Lake. This year the potato project will be a little more hands-on for the CCCS. Thanks to Puddle Produce Farm in Soda Creek, the CCCS will have its own potato field to prepare, plant, tend, and harvest. So, while the CCCS is busy in its potato patch, why not consider joining the volunteers in planning or creating your own backyard patch? According to a favourite gardening source, West Coast Seeds (westcoastseeds. com), potatoes are important to the selfsufficient gardener, easy to grow, and highly nutritious, and there is a variety for every use in the kitchen. They recommend the heirloom

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variety Sieglinde or German butter potato. If you are lucky, you may be able to find some “Cariboo” variety seed potatoes, but not commercially. According to an article in The Tyee, titled “The Potato Underground,” the Cariboo was a popular variety in the 1960s and 70s, but it was decertified for seed production in 1976 because the vines tangled up in commercial potato harvesters. You may be able to beg a few off someone who has been growing them locally and, according to some, they are well worth trying to find—a beautiful white potato with pink eyes, good size, and excellent for keeping. The Cariboo region has a rich farming history that stretches back to the gold rush and it gained a reputation for producing quality potatoes. In the years after World War Two, there were 35 seed potato growers between McLeese Lake and Hixon. The Cariboo potato was bred at the federal Potato Research Centre in New Brunswick, but it got its name because it did unusually well in the tough climate of central BC. Raising enough potatoes to last the winter takes a lot of garden space, and potatoes are readily available all year long. But, growing new potatoes is a whole different and delicious story, and they are easily grown in small gardens or containers. New potatoes are just a potato that is harvested early, approximately seven or eight weeks after planting, when the tubers are small and very tender with thin skins. For new potatoes look for a variety that

is described as having a “waxy texture” such as Russian banana fingerlings, a variety that has been grown in BC for over 90 years. New potatoes aren’t meant for storage, but who can resist eating those gems right away? Growing up on the prairies with a big prairie garden we grew enough potatoes to last well into winter, but we always sacrificed a few hills for a family favourite of boiled new potatoes with butter, fresh chives, and dill. Potatoes like a rich, slightly acid soil and a good supply of water. We have a small backyard garden and potatoes that we have grown have been scabby, but edible. Scab is most severe in warm, dry, alkaline soils, which are very common in this area. This spring, I think we will follow the advice in The Vegetable Gardener’s Container Bible and try our luck at growing some new potatoes in large containers where we can control soil pH and moisture. To get our full potato fix, we will also be regulars at the Farmer’s Market where we know we can buy really nice potatoes from dedicated and hard-working local farmers. -GG For more than 20 years, the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society has been working with the community to maintain and enhance the health of the environment as the basis of a strong economy and vital society. For more info about their programs contact www.ccconserv. org. Nola and Rodger are gardeners in Williams Lake whose backyard vegetable garden is spilling over into the front yard.

Hiking with Kids:

Planning Your Backpacking Adventure This Summer

Article by Jessica Kirby

here certainly are things harder to do with children–grocery shopping, eating in a fancy restaurant, sleeping through the night–but backpacking doesn’t have to be one of them. With adequate planning and a few creative tricks it can be a marvelous way to get out into the wilderness with the family, burn off some energy, and learn an important lesson about doing a lot with very little. Last summer my husband and I took our children on their first ever selfsustained backpacking trip, to Keeha Bay on the West Coast of Vancouver Island near Bamfield. The hiking part is only 3 km, but it is gnarly, wet, and so muddy—the twisted, rain forest roots and lush greenery are like something out of a fantasy movie. The bay is a vast swath of white sand and glorious sea caves and very few, if any, other campers. We went with another, extremely experienced hiking family who gave us some great tips before and during our trip, and have the whole hiking with kids thing successfully dialled in. Overall the trip was a raging success, but there were certainly things I wish I’d done differently. Read on for my list of top hiking with kids tips, which may be obvious to the experienced but will be helpful for those just starting out. Things we did right: Pre-trip planning. We involved the kids in all the YouTube videos on how to pack a backpack, what to bring, and how to set up a functional camp. We set up the camp in the living room and tried dehydrated food in advance. Surprise is not your friend when it comes to backbacking gear and supplies. Our kids (eight and twelve) packed and carried their own gear, plus one Ziploc back of general items (i.e., one carried the kitchen bag and the other carried the camp set-up bag.) This gave them a true sense of adventure, got them excited about going, and was a self-correcting mechanism against packing too much. We chose a manageable location. Our friends chose this as a good, difficult but short trip to break into backpacking and they were right. The kids managed the terrain like pros, but having only 3 km to go in each direction meant they stayed motivated the entire way. We went with amazing people. Our friends have been hiking with their kids for four or five years, and we have known them for over a decade, so the company was great and their advice super helpful. Our kids felt the same way, especially with their kids with whom they have been lifelong friends. I’ll know better next time: The kids, especially my oldest, had a hard time with rations. Unlike at home where the fridge is a 24-hour drive-thru of delights, in the wilderness you pack what you need for each day and that’s it. They had to resist the urge to go through the supplies like locusts and there was a bit of drama about who was eating whose granola bars. Next time, I will pack extra and put each kid’s food in separate Zip-locs, labelled by the day, so they can clearly see what they have and the smartest way to ration it. Keep warm at night. Although the days were toasty hot, the nights grew chilly and because I wasn’t sure if the kids would love backpacking, I went cheap on the sleeping bags. Big mistake. I’ve since bought liners for each and have learned an emergency blanket between the bag and ground can be a great, albeit crinkly, makeshift solution. Keeping busy was easy–someone brought a football, so we drew a field in the sand and the kids ran plays well into the night – but our kids spend a lot of time in the woods already playing and riding their bikes. I would suggest families new to backpacking with kids spend some time outdoors with no distractions to get the kids’ creative juices flowing. It might seem strange at first, but the moment your children build a fort or create a game using logs and seaweed, you will know the wilderness has done its duty. Have fun out there! -GG

Jack Borzel, Ryland Borzel, Keana Kirby, and Kaeden Kirby take a break from beach football on Keeha Bay, West Coast Vancouver Island. Photo: Jessica Kirby

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 25

Tŝilhqot’in Community Radio

A Tool to Enrich Culture and Communication

ŝilhqot’in Community Radio 104.5 FM will celebrate its official launch on Aboriginal Day, June 21. The event will occur simultaneously in the six Tŝilhqot’in communities of Tl’eŝqox, Yuneŝit’in, Tl’etinqox, ʔEŝdilagh, Tŝi Deldel, and Xeni Gwet’in, as well as in Williams Lake at 79 Third Avenue North. For nearly two years now Tŝilhqot’in Community Radio has been gaining momentum and putting the pieces together to become an important voice for the nation and broader indigenous community. “We were inspired by the success of Nuxalk Radio 91.1 FM in Bella Coola as a tool to keep their language and culture alive,” says Graham Gillies, director of radio operations. “Every day they repeat the Nuxalk language over the radio waves.” Spencer Siwallace of Nuxalk Radio travelled to Williams Lake to mentor the Tŝilhqot’in Community Radio team. Gillies says Tŝilhqot’in Radio conducted a pilot broadcast in October 2017 using two-watt transmitters in two communities, Tŝi Deldel and Tl’etinqox. “We wanted to see how it would work on the landscape,” says Gillies They got permission to broadcast from the regulator, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), and in April 2018 they received funding from Industry Canada to go ahead with the project. Four more two-watt transmitters were installed in the remaining Tŝilhqot’in communities of Xeni Gwet’in, ʔEŝdilagh, Tl’eŝqox and Yuneŝit’in, and two additional staff position were filled: Crystal Rain Harry as community radio coordinator, and Riley Myers as technical assistant. Aaron Plahn also works with the team as language app developer. The plan now is to upgrade to 30-watt transmitters in all six communities and the Williams Lake base station to improve the quality and range of the broadcast, Gillies says. After the launch you will be able to listen to Tŝilhqot’in Community Radio online at www. tsilhqotinradio.com. The mission statement of the radio network is to support the revitalization and restoration of the Tŝilhqot’in language and culture while building on the need to discuss relevant Indigenous issues on a shareable platform. “The radio will foster a feeling of connection between the six communities and reach many Tŝilhqot’in members who live off-reserve,” Gillies says. One of the great benefits of the community broadcasting service is the opportunity to create a repository for valuable cultural and historical knowledge. Contributors Maria

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Article by Sage Birchwater

Tŝilhqot’in Communities. Image: Tŝilhqot’in National Government

Myers, Tracy Elkins, Mary Setah, Tina Setah, and Bella Alphonse have stepped forward to record old stories and translations for the radio audience. Alphonse is one of the foremost Tŝilhqot’in language specialists. She says radio fits in nicely with the ancient tradition of storytelling. “Traditionally stories were told in the evening once all the daily work had been accomplished,” she says. “In the daytime there was no time to tell stories.” She says in accordance with the ancient protocol, stories need to be told and passed down. “Behind every story there’s a teaching,” says Alphonse, who has received training for interviewing and recording people’s stories and entering them into the computer database. “I have all the equipment to interview anyone for the radio,” she says. One of Alphonse’s special projects is recording and translating the stories of Livingston Ferrand from his book, Traditions of the Chilcotin Indians published in 1900. “These were stories my grandmother Mabel told me when we were growing up,” said Alphonse. Equally exciting is the work of Maria Myers translating and reading the stories of her mother Helena William Myers and other elders. Maria, who played a major role in her filmmaker daughter Helen Haig Brown’s

award-winning film The Legacy, brings her mother’s transcribed stories into the studio and reads them over and over, working with Aaron Plahn until they are radio-ready.“Then I read it for the broadcast,” she says. Maria says people across Tŝilhqot’in territory have their own stories and different versions of the same story. “Different people remember different details,” she says. “The stories told by Elizabeth Jeff from Redstone are different from stories told by my mom, who grew up in Xeni Gwet’in. One story about the loon, I learned the Dakelh had that same story.” There’s something powerful and exciting about hearing the Tŝilhqot’in language spoken over the radio waves. By recording these stories and encouraging other Tŝilhqot’in speakers to step forward to share stories of their own, Gillies sees the potential of establishing an historic interactive data base that will be a lasting legacy for the Tŝilhqot’in Nation. There is an urgent need for more conversation and education around issues like reconciliation and Indigenous land title. Tŝilhqot’in Community Radio provides that platform. -GG Sage is a freelance writer and lives in Williams Lake with his partner, Caterina. He has been enjoying the rich cultural life that is the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast since 1973.

We invite you to shop local. The character of our region is largely shaped by the unique businesses and entrepreneurs that are at the heart of our vibrant communities. Visit our community webpages to enjoy all the Cariboo has to offer by discovering our locally owned, independent businesses.

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 27

Vancouver School Strike for Climate Action Article & Photos by Leonardo DeGorter At the recent Vancouver rally, David Suzuki showed up and addressed the crowd at one point, making an emotional speech. Among other things, he called attention to how politics and corporate agendas have played down the scientific facts about climate change and cited the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change Report (IPCC) from October 2018, and how it’s still possible to revert course and avoid climate chaos, but only if we, in an unprecedented event, act decisively on changing our ways. At the event, hope and optimism were well balanced with the sense of urgency of this crisis. -GG Leonardo DeGorter is a documentary photographer focused on conservation and environmental issues. His work can be seen on www.leonardodegorter.com Hundreds of youth took to the streets of Vancouver on May 3, during a school strike for the climate. Despite the traffic disruption, many drivers were sympathetic with the movement, honking their horns and waving at the crowd.

ancouver students walked out of their schools on May 3 for the fourth time since December. The school strike for climate action has a clear goal: address world leaders to take action against climate change in order to avoid its worst consequences. By fighting for a better future at an early age, students are helping to spread an obvious message: climate change is a time sensitive crisis that demands immediate action from policy makers. On May

3, thousands of students joined the movement across Canada. This unlikely movement of students trying to wake up our so-called leaders to scientific facts regarding our urgent crisis was started last year by Greta Thunberg, a 15-year-old Swedish student. At the time, she started a one-girl strike for climate action outside the Swedish parliament building. From that first lonely day, the movement grew rapidly, now reaching hundreds of cities across the globe.

David Suzuki made an emotional speech, based on science and the political facts that lead the world, and Canada, to its current environmental crisis.

Tŝilhqot’in Nation Deliver Historic Statement to the United Nations

hief Joe Alphonse of Tl’etinqox, Chief Francis Laceese of Tl’esqox, Chief Jimmy Lulua of XeniGwet’in, and Chief Otis Guichon of TsiDeldel attended the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in New York City to represent the Tŝilhqot’in Nation while Chief Russell Myers Ross of Yunesit’in and Chief Roy Stump of ?Esdilagh remained back home to look after the interests of their communities and the Nation. On May 2, 2019, at the Permanent Forum, the chiefs and cultural ambassador of the Tŝilhqot’in Nation were invited to take the floor of the United Nations. Chief Joe Alphonse, tribal chair of the Tŝilhqot’in National Government, presented to the Permanent Forum and hundreds of visiting Indigenous Nations, countries, and UN delegates. “We are Tŝilhqot’in. We will stand together, we

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will fight together, and we will never settle for anything less than full recognition of our rights, our title, our jurisdiction, and our authority in our homeland,” said Chief Alphonse. He further shared how the Tŝilhqot’inwar chiefs of 1864 continue to guide and give strength to the Tŝilhqot’in as they seek to implement their 2014 Supreme Court of Canada title victory, and to secure recognition of title and jurisdiction to their territory. Chief Francis Laceese of Tl’esqox explained that Tŝilhqot’in culture is most powerfully expressed through traditional values like the drum song, and invited PeyalLaceese, a Tŝilhqot’in youth and cultural ambassador, to take the floor. Peyal shared with the UN the same drum song that rang through the Parliament of Canada in March 2018, when Prime Minister Trudeau delivered a statement of exoneration to the Tŝilhqot’in War Chiefs of

1864, bringing those assembled on the floor of the UN to their feet. -GG Photo: Tŝilhqot’in National Government

The Tŝilhqot’in Chiefs in New York City for the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). Left to Right: Chief Francis Laceese of Tl’esqox, Chief Jimmy Lulua of Xeni Gwet’in, Chief Otis Guichon of Tsi Deldel, and Chief Joe Alphonse of Tl’etinqox.

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 29

Guardian of the Vegetables: —

Local Food Quesnel —

Trying to Chill Article by Terri Smith

Ali and John in front of Long Table Grocery's innovative but awkward, converted cooler trailers. Photo: Terri Smith

et’s talk refrigeration and climate change. At the start of April, the federal government awarded multibillion-dollar company Loblaws $12 million to upgrade the company’s coolers in an effort to meet Canada’s emission targets. Just let that sink in for a minute. This amount is a drop in the bucket for Loblaws, but money that could help countless small, green businesses across Canada. I didn’t know anything about Galen Weston, chairman of Loblaws, and I mostly don’t shop at any of the stores owned by Loblaws anyway (Real Canadian Superstore, Extra Foods, and Shoppers Drug Mart are the ones we have in Quesnel) so this is a story I had to look into when I heard about it a few weeks ago. And the more I looked into it, the more I was left feeling cold. This man is one of the top three richest people in Canada, and according to The Georgia Straight, his company made a gross

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profit of $13.5 billion in 2018. In spite of this gross amount of money, the Weston family claimed that paying a living wage of $15/hour to employees would just be too expensive and they fought hard against it when Alberta and Ontario made plans to institute a living wage last year. This is also the same company that admitted to being involved in the bread price-fixing scandal that went on for 14 years and which, according to Macleans, may have cost Canadians $400 each. The National Post also mentions more than $435 million dollars in taxes Loblaws may have evaded between 2000 and 2013.While the corporation was cleared of all charges of tax evasion last fall, they are currently appealing the judge’s decision that they pay back $368 million. So, this company managed to avoid paying hundreds of millions in taxes, but now they are being given $12 million of our tax money?

What?! Why? I watched an interview with Canada’s environment minister Catherine McKenna and it was painful. She stammered through it looking like the proverbial deer in the headlights. She claims that the $12 million awarded to Loblaws will help the giant reduce its overall emissions by 23% in the next three years. Sounds pretty helpful. Fairly helpful. Probably better than nothing. Part of me thinks perhaps I should just be happy that emissions are being cut no matter how unfair it seems that a company as rich as Loblaws is being handed so much money to do so. But, as The Globe and Mail points out, why give money to a giant corporation to do something they would probably have to do anyway? Changing over to more energy efficient refrigeration units is something that will save this company a ton of money and if the proposed carbon tax does happen, the incentive to do so would already be huge.

Carrot Top Pesto

Back at Long Table Grocery in Quesnel, I walk past our two broken, second-hand coolers and enter our innovative, but comparatively tiny and incredibly awkward, walk-in cooler-trailer and I am angered all over again. It is places like Long Table and other small, local food stores that will truly make a difference in the world that we hope is to come. A tiny fraction of $12 million could go so far towards helping so many places like this succeed. Just as I believe small-scale, mixed farms can save the world, I also believe small-scale, diverse businesses like Long Table are a part of that picture. The existence of this place helps dozens of other small businesses and farms, and together we all build a web of resilient local businesses and people that have a much smaller carbon footprint. The Canadian Low Carbon Energy Fund contains over $2 billion that the federal government is allocating to help fight climate change. Most of the money is going to oil companies and other massive corporations. I think the reason this makes me so angry is that these companies being awarded the money are the biggest polluters to begin with. They also already have the money to make the biggest changes. Until the world gets its priorities straight, you and I can do our tiny part by shopping local and helping small, green business any way we can. That sounds both trite and defeatist. It might be. Avoid Loblaws’ stores, shop local, budget so that you can make good choices. It is possible. Full disclosure: I only made $13,000 in wages last year, and I still eat organic and local. I really love the life I am living. It is possible to live well and choose well even with less. Make good choices as if your life depended on it. Because it quite literally does, and so does the life of your children and this planet. -GG

From the Long Table Grocery Kitchen

An erstwhile market gardener and mother of goat, Terri lives on a small farm near Quesnel, BC. Here she gardens, makes art, writes about local food, teaches workshops, and works at Long Table Grocery as Guardian of the Vegetables.

Carrot tops are usually not considered food, except maybe for bunnies and goats. But did you know that you can eat them, too? For years, there has been a pervasive myth out there telling us that carrot tops are toxic. They are not. Let us put that notion to rest once and for all: Carrot tops are not toxic. In fact, they are good for you. This myth may have started because the carrot’s cousin, the parsnip, a fellow umbelliferae, does have toxic foliage. Carrots, however, are safe to eat from tip to top. At Long Table Grocery, we like to encourage people to try out veggies they’ve never tried before and also to try parts of a veggie they may never have tried before. As local carrots become available, we encourage you to try out this recipe. It can also help stretch out the amount of basil you have on hand for making pesto (and I often don’t have enough basil when I’m making pesto.) Do be sure your carrot tops are from a good source and do wash them first. Happy eating! Yield: 310g 120 g

nuts or seeds of choice*

25 g

garlic cloves

120 ml

olive oil

25 g

carrot tops

15 g

basil, washed (a bit of parsley works nicely too)

30 ml

lemon juice

1/4 tsp

salt

1. Pulse the nuts/seeds, garlic, and 2/3 of the olive oil in a food processor 2. Add carrot tops, basil, salt, lemon juice, remaining olive oil, and nutritional yeast, or grated parmesan cheese (optional) * Pine nuts are traditional, but pumpkin seeds or pistachios are my favourite. Really, anything goes–almonds, hemp seeds, etc. Toast them gently for a more complex flavour (except hemp seeds, which should never be heated as it damages their fragile oils). Recipe by Jessica Golden, Registered Holistic Nutritionist The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 31

Silencing the Songbirds

Southeast Asia’s Illegal and Unsustainable Trade is Pushing a Multitude of Songbird Species Towards Extinction. Article by Chris R. Shepherd

aving birds around is something most Canadians take for granted. Spring, especially, is full of bird songs as the migrants return and mating season’s singing rituals commence. However, in some parts of the world, these songs are being silenced by the illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade. Globally, the illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth between US$7 billion and US$23 billion annually. While its clandestine nature makes accurate valuation impossible, it is considered the fourth most lucrative global crime after drugs, humans, and arms. It is recognized as a major threat to biodiversity, often acting in concert with habitat loss and hunting, compounded by unchecked demand, weak legislation, lax enforcement, public indifference, and widespread corruption—and it is pushing a multitude of birds towards imminent extinction. At current rates of over-harvesting and habitat conversion, it is estimated that onethird of Southeast Asia’s bird species will be extinct by 2100, with at least 50% representing global extinctions. Of the approximately 850 species of bird native to Southeast Asia, more than 50 are assessed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Birdsare traded for meat, for their parts used in traditional medicines, and as cagebirds. Among the birds in trade are the songbirds. Desired for their remarkable singing abilities, colourful plumage, and increasing rarity, Southeast Asian songbirds are trapped in the millions from the wild and traded on both a national and international scale. Despite many species being afforded legal protection by national laws and regulatory policies in some countries, enforcement efforts are often lacking, allowing the songbird trade to continue unhindered. Enforcement takes a backseat, often because the authorities lack the necessary knowledge and awareness. Although sellers are often found to be aware of the illegality of their actions, they are not deterred by any threat of prosecution. The fascination with songbirds is deeply ingrained in various Asian cultures and involves hundreds of species. Throughout the region, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore, songbird competitions, where birds are judged on their singing abilities, are highly popular. Songbirds, especially rare species or those extraordinarily attractive, are

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also frequently kept as status symbols. Indonesia is at the centre of this conservation crisis, having more species of songbirds threatened by illegal and unsustainable trade than any other country. Already, many endemic species have been pushed to the edge, with only a mere handful of individuals left in existence, such as the Black-winged myna Acridotheresmelanopterus, the Javan green magpie Cissathalassina, the Rufous-fronted laughing thrush Garrulaxrufifrons, and the Niashill myna Gracularobusta. Some species, such as the Javan pied starling Sturnus jalla, are believed extinct in the wild and remain only in the hands of collectors and traders. In 2015, the Southeast Asian Songbird Crisis Summit was heldin Singapore, gathering experts to address the crisis with utmost urgency. The summit saw the formation of the Southeast Asian Songbird Working Group, which would devise a Southeast Asian songbird action plan. In 2016, the Conservation Strategy for Southeast Asian Songbirds in Tradewas launched, which included a list of high priority species and necessary actions to stave off their extinction—some of these numbered fewer than 100 individuals. In 2017, the IUCN SSC Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group (ASTSG) was formed to further elevate efforts. Made up of experts from conservation organizations, academia, zoological institutions, and enforcement agencies,it is tasked with conducting research on the taxonomy and wild populations, monitoring trade, lobbying for enhanced protection and effective enforcement, establishing and expanding ex situ assurance and breeding colonies, and developing education and community outreach. In early 2019, the ASTSG met for the first time since its formation to identify immediate priorities for the more than 40 species listed as priority species that will likely vanish if actions are not taken. The Monitor Conservation Research Society (Monitor), established in 2017, has joined this effort to protect songbirds from extinction. Through its Asian songbird programme, Monitor aims to put the Southeast Asian Songbird Conservation Action Plan into motion by concentrating on trade, legislation and enforcement. By continuing extensive research in key countries within Southeast Asia, Monitor seeks to gather much needed trade data—the lack of evidence and information is the greatest

obstacle to legally protecting these species. Finally, to ultimately eliminate or significantly reduce the illegal and unsustainable trade in songbirds, government buy-in in the countries in question is essential. Monitor and partners will use evidence obtained through research on the trade to assist and lobby governments in key countries to increase their enforcement efforts, improve existing laws and policies and provide effective protective measures to commercially traded species. Through these efforts, it is hoped the songs of all Southeast Asia’s songbird species will be heard in the wilds forever. -GG Dr. Chris R. Shepherd is a vice-chair of the IUCN SSC Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group and is the executive director of the Monitor Conservation Research Society (Monitor). Having worked on wildlife trade issues for more than 25 years, Dr. Shepherd focuses largely on lesser known species and species groups threatened by trade, such as the songbirds.

Black-winged starlings are in high demand in Indonesia, and as a result, very few are left. Enforcement efforts in the bird markets are needed to end the trade in these Critically Endangered birds. Photo: Chris R. Shepherd / Monitor

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—

Science Matters —

We Must Reverse Biodiversity Loss to Save Ourselves

e should appreciate nature for its own sake. After all, we’re part of it. We must also recognize that nature gives us what we need to stay healthy and survive. What we do to nature, we do to ourselves. Healthy oceans and the plankton they support give us most of the oxygen we breathe and provide food for much of humanity. Trees sequester carbon, produce oxygen, filter contaminants in air and water, and prevent erosion and flooding. Polar ice caps regulate global temperatures and ocean currents. From the smallest microbes to the largest mammals, biodiverse animal life keeps natural systems in balance, ensuring that everything in the food web – including us – can find sustenance. Nature’s interconnections are so wonderfully complex that we’re still a long way from fully understanding them and from knowing what the consequences of a seemingly small impact on one part of an ecosystem will have on the entire system. We can be certain, though, that we’re putting all the systems that make human societies possible in great peril. We also know that the main barriers to implementing the many available and emerging solutions are lack of political will and imagination and the refusal of so many people to even acknowledge the problems we’ve created. We’ve known for decades about climate change’s devastating effects, but the fossil fuel industry has convinced politicians and media that its enormous profits are more important than life itself. Now, the world’s leading scientists are warning that human behaviour is destroying the biodiversity on which human and other life depends at a terrifyingly rapid rate.

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Article by David Suzuki “We are eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health, and quality of life worldwide,” said Robert Watson, chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. The warning comes in “the most thorough planetary health check ever undertaken,” an 1,800-page assessment involving three years of research by 455 scientists and diplomats from 50 countries, who looked at more than 15,000 academic studies, along with reports from Indigenous communities dealing daily with the crises. The IPBES Global Assessment found, among other things, that one million of Earth’s estimated eight million plant and animal species (including 5.5 million insect species) are at risk of extinction, threequarters of terrestrial and two-thirds of marine environments have been “severely altered,” and, since 1700, more than 85 per cent of wetlands have been lost—all because of human activity. The major causes include changes in land and sea use, direct exploitation of organisms, climate change, pollution, and invasive alien species, driven by increasing human populations, consumption, and technological change. Loss of forest cover, wetlands, insect populations, biodiversity, and more is having devastating impacts on food security, climate change adaptation, and global economies. More than US$577 billion in global crops are at risk from pollinator loss alone. The scientists offer a range of solutions and argue it’s not too late to save ourselves from catastrophe with “transformative changes across economic, social, political, and

technological factors.” But, as with climate disruption, we’ve already wasted a lot of time through political intransigence, denial, fear of change, and lack of foresight. Now, people – especially young people, who are inheriting this mess – are demanding action. From student climate strikes to Extinction Rebellion to calls for a “green new deal,” people are letting those in the corridors of power know that time is running out and the status quo is unsustainable. Is anyone listening? Some signs are promising. Biodiversity loss is on the G8 agenda for the first time, and countries from China to the UK have started looking into solutions. But in Canada, we can’t even get politicians to agree on a climate solution as basic as putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions, and the current US administration appears to reject any environmental protections. Now, younger, more caring voices are starting to drown out the bleating of those who stand in the way of change. Many people are doing their part—driving and flying less, eating less meat, reducing and recycling, paying attention to the impacts of their consumer choices, and more. Most importantly, they’re taking to the streets and polling booths to demand progress. Solutions are available. We must put all our efforts into reversing course now. -GG David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author, and cofounder of the David Suzuki Foundation. Written with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation senior editor, Ian Hanington. Learn more at https://www.davidsuzuki.org

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 35

Banning Plastic Bags: No Easy Solutions Part of the Cariboo Regional District's Solid Waste Info Series: Waste Wise Article by Tera Grady

Scatter in the Cariboo Region. Almost all scatter (wind-blown material) is made of plastic and easily 90 percent of it is plastic bags. Photo: Tera Grady

ans on plastic bags are a hot topic in BC, lately. Several municipalities across the province are working on bylaws to ban single-use plastic bags and the City of Victoria has been leading the way. Its ban came into effect mid-2018. It was not an easy task, though. The City was taken to court by the Canadian Plastic Bag Association with the argument that BC municipalities do not have authority to regulate the environment. In the end, the BC Supreme Court ruled in favour of the City stating that municipalities have the authority to regulate business transactions such as providing a plastic bag to a customer. Unlike municipalities, Regional Districts do not have the same authority under the Community Charter to regulate businesses, so Regional Districts do not have any of the same tools to ban plastic bags. Plastic bags cause a lot of environmental challenges. While plastics in the ocean may be one of the main drivers for plastic bag ban trends, plastic bags cause other problems, as

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well. Plastic bags are not allowed into curbside recycling programs, as they cause endless amounts of operational issues in the recycling sorting facilities. They can only be recycled at depots, which means many end up in the garbage because not everyone chooses or has the ability to take items to a depot. When plastic bags end up in landfills, that causes problems, too. For instance, the landfills in the Cariboo are exposed to wind and accessible to birds, which leads to a lot of scatter (wind-blown material). Almost all scatter is made of plastic and easily 90 percent of it is plastic bags. The above photo illustrates just how bad it can be. Scatter is cleaned up regularly at the landfills but can travel quickly and can negatively affect fish and wildlife in our region. When considering plastic bag bans, we also need to think about the cause and effect of the ban. Banning plastic check-out bags would certainly reduce the scatter at landfills and keep many bags out of the environment. However, if paper bags replace plastic

check-out bags, there would be an increase in the carbon footprint associated with the paper bags. If reusable bags replace the plastic check-out bags but are not used more than 100 times, are not made of recycled/ reused materials, or are not recyclable, then more waste would be created compared to plastic bags being used. Most bylaws require businesses to charge for paper or reusable bags to limit their distribution and prevent increased greenhouse house gases or waste generation. There certainly is a lot to consider. The best thing individuals can do is to limit their use of plastic bags by remembering to bring their own reusable ones, and to recycle all the plastic bags they end up with. Learn more by following us on Facebook at facebook.com/caribooregion or visiting us online at cariboord.ca. For more information on the Waste Wise Program, call 250-398-7929. You can also find more details on Waste Wise activities and events at ccconserv.org. -GG

—

No Time Left To Waste —

Managing Your Organic Waste Article & Photos by Oliver Berger micro-organisms. A healthy lawn will actually be a carbon sink, absorbing carbon dioxide and creating oxygen. When you are stuck with heavier materials such as dimensional lumber or tree branches, any of our local depots accepts these materials, which are then chipped and burned for hog fuel at Williams Lake’s energy plant. The regional district also has wood scavenging permits available so you can source free materials for your new garden bed, dog house, or tree fort. Farmers and agriculturists around the world are rethinking the way they manage their soils, and so should all of us with our small patches of ground. Just like every drop in the pond makes a ripple all the way across the water, we can make an impact by finding new ways to divert organic waste, connecting with our neighbours and our communities. Everyone knows somebody who has chickens. Instead of just talking the talk, start walking the walk. -GG The magic composting show... turning food waste into nutritious soil.

ver half of the waste in our society is organic leftovers we can re-purpose to make valuable additions back into our everyday lives. I get asked a lot why we cannot have organics diversion bins in our city or the Cariboo region. The answer for this is the cost. When handling organic waste, you haul around much more product than you are finished with, because most of it is water. In reality, for every 100kg of organic waste you move, you will have 20kg of finished soil amendment to potentially sell. That is a tough profit margin. I think it is great that we do not have curbside organics collection. It forces us to think of alternatives. Most of the food we throw away is what it is called ‘avoidable food waste,’ meaning we could have most likely eaten that food if we did not let it spoil. This is when I like to drop the hint … if there is one thing you can do to prevent unnecessary food waste and save money, please take the time to learn how to cook. When it comes to unavoidable food waste or other organic leftovers there are many options other than the black garbage bin. The Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society has collaborated with restaurants and businesses in Williams Lake, connecting them with local farmers. They are accepting forms of food waste that work for their livestock. Together they divert hundreds of kilograms of potential garbage from the landfill to eager and hungry mouths of pigs and chickens alike. This program is

a great addition to the already established connections some local farmers have made. Currently at the Potato House Sustainability Project, where I volunteer a lot of my time, we have a very successful composting program on the go for those people who cannot compost in their backyards. Restaurants, businesses, schools, apartment dwellers, and the elderly use this valuable option. I turn the piles, adding nutrient-rich leaves and spade-shovel love with each scoop. Once the pile has had the time to cure (six to nine months), I can run it through my brand, new sieve, which I love, by the way. The end result is a beautiful, moist, and nutritious soil amendment; we call it… The Original Black Gold. Healthy soils are one of the main solutions we can easily work on for the health of our planet. The amount of life in one tablespoon of soil far surpasses the number of humans that have ever walked on Planet Earth. There is a whole world underground that needs respect. Green lawns, for instance, are one of the largest crops in North America. We waste huge amounts of water and energy creating our stigmatic, prideful green lawns. When I am asked about what to do with grass clippings, the answer is simple. Just mulch them back into your lawn. Fresh grass clippings are very nitrogen rich and that’s exactly what kind of fertilizer most people buy to put on their lawns. Simply put, do us a favour and just use the fertilizer nature gave you for free. A healthy lawn with colourful diversity is more likely to retain water, creating a vibrant ecosystem, benefiting small critters and

Oliver Berger has a 37-year degree in life, starting out in the Spokin Lake area, spending adolescence in Williams Lake, and then venturing throughout the world on a quest of always learning new things. His priorities include dedication to and education about waste management.

Waste is just ‘wasted opportunities'. One way to make your organic waste circular is to turn it into some real black gold!

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 37

Repair Cafe: If It's Broken, Fix It! Article by Brianna van de Wijngaard | Photo by Pat Teti

he Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society (CCCS) hosted its first ever Repair Café on Saturday, May 11 at the Potato House in Williams Lake. The weather was perfect, and it was heartwarming to see how many people love to use and share skills that are almost becoming a lost art. The Repair Café concept itself is not new. The first Repair Café happened in Amsterdam on October 18, 2009 and they continue today

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in countries all around the world. The idea is pretty simple, but with multiple benefits: you bring the thing you think is broken and work with Repair Café volunteers on how it might be fixed. Often, it can be fixed, and it is simply a lack of knowledge and skill to get the job done. This not only reduces the waste of having discarded the item and the waste created producing the replacement that is inevitably purchased; it also increases the abilities of those who attend to fix items in the future and creates new connections and friendships. In a town as friendly and resourceful as Williams Lake, the CCCS thought the event would be a great fit. The idea of a Repair Café also combats planned obsolescence, which is the theory that some products are manufactured to either break down within a certain period of time, and/or intentionally made difficult to repair. When you dig into the theory of planned or built-in obsolescence, you find some pretty crazy details that make you feel duped enough to want to fix that ratty yet comfortable sweater, if only entirely out of principle. In short, those reading this can be sure that the

theory of planned obsolescence is, for the most part, true. But we cannot blame manufacturers alone for this practice: consumers who desire new items for reasons other than necessity are also to blame. Perhaps the one light at the end of the tunnel is that many retro or refurbished household items are cool again, and they are also often easier to repair. And there are quality and well-made products out there that are worth investing in, if we are willing to use them for the long haul. But with manufacturers responding to the consumer’s desire for the latest and greatest, in many instances there is no way around it. The right to choose and produce products that last and do not sacrifice the environment is exercised less than it ever has. So, we encourage folks to learn a lost skill, save some dough, and keep wearing their favourite sweater for another 10 years. Follow our facebook page @CCCSociety to find out about our next Repair Café or check out our Waste Wise page at www.ccconserv.org to find our Repair-It brochure, a guide to many local businesses providing repair services. -GG

The Islands and The Undertaker Article By Angela Gutzer

he islands of Haida Gwaii had been calling me back after seven years. A local told me that it’s a sign you will live here if, when you are leaving the island you see a whale on your way out. It happened to her and she never looked back. On the ferry seven years ago, after a visit to Haida Gwaii I asked for a whale sighting on my way home, uninformed of the consequences. Far in the distance I saw a whale tail, but I questioned the vision wondering if my eyes had seen correctly. I know I will be coming back but will I stay? Only the ocean and the whale knows. I recently travelled there as a veterinary locum for Dr. Dane Richardson. Of course, like everything else on the island, the hospital was a wonderful place to work and was family oriented. It is located on the Richardson Ranch in Tlell, where Polled Herefords play by the ocean—I’m serious; they have toys! Each day a wonderful lunch was made by the matriarch of the family, Alice. Alice and I had wonderful conversations. She used to be responsible for the Tlell cemetery, now taken care of by her daughter-in-law, Penny. We talked about what a death doula was and, lo and behold, George Westwood came up in conversation. I had never heard of this man, but I was eager to meet with him as he was known to the locals as the undertaker. Before I met George Westwood, I did some research. Since 1991, he was helping families with death by explaining the bureaucratic paperwork, arranging casket building, meeting with gravediggers,transporting remains, and helping with the funeral service—all done as a volunteer service. There was no other option as there were no funeral homes on the island. Someone had filed a complaint against George through Consumer Protection BC (CPBC) stating he was acting as a funeral director without proper licensing. In December 2014 he was sent a letter by CPBC issuing a warning and information as to about how to proceed lawfully. To end the story gracefully, George was brought into the legislation and given the okay to continue his services by Justice Minister Suzanne Anton. He was thanked for his continued support for the community (2017). Because of this event, there is hope that the laws will change regarding rural funeral services. Yay, George! His lovely home was nestled between the ocean and the Tlell River and conveniently right down the road from where I was staying. After our warm greeting he took me directly to the ocean where the wind made our eyes fill with tears. I was brought right into dreamland looking into his expressive blue eyes with long wayward white eyebrows typical of his kin, the Scots. He spoke poetically and masterfully

George Westwood, Haida Gwaii. Photo: John Lehman/Globe and Mail-CP

about his upbringing, how he came to be the undertaker, the moon, religion. I listened avidly as the waves crashed and his words turned into stories bringing me to another realm of imagination. We strolled around his expansive yard meeting the dogs, ducks, and geese. Although the sound of the ocean was loud, the cacophony of sound from the geese superseded the crashing waves. We settled into the living room with a glass of wine shared with his lovely wife, Heidi. He spoke humbly and with emotion about his adoption into the Haida Nation, wearing regalia gifted to him when brought to the legislation for an apology. He invited me to stay for supper and I obliged although embarrassed for I did not offer anything and he delivered one of his famous quotes: “Burying the dead is one of the basic obligations of humanity … to feed, to give drink, to clothe, and to shoe. To visit, to console the sick, poor, and afflicted and to bury the dead. That’s all that’s requested of us; the rest is either trim or greed.”

The basic theme brought out from the evening is that death is a community effort here on the island. Everyone volunteers. There are no charges for a gravesite nor the digging. The only charge is if you require transport (low fee) with the island hearse. If you choose cremation the closest available is in Terrace requiring fees along that route. The motto of Haida Gwaii Funeral Services is, “Non moralis ad lucre mortise.” In George’s words, “It’s not good to get fat off the dead.” George and I talked until late into the night. His dedication and courage are of considerable honour. -GG Over the next year Angela will be focusing on transitioning from the veterinary world into death doula services. She is interested in home funerals and Green burials in respect to both animals and people and is one of the co-organizers of the Cariboo Community Deathcaring Network helping the community with their needs relating to death and dying.

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 39

40 | June/July/August 2019

Skywatch with Bill Irwin

y the time this issue comes out, the summer season will be rolling in. The smoke of recent years has taken its toll of some of the prime observing time for most casual observers. That is August and September, when nights are dark enough and warm enough. The sun is the dominant astronomical object of summer, of course. It is a little over 100 times farther away than it is big, so something like one-foot ball a hundred feet away and Earth is about a hundred times smaller in diameter, a small pea size. The light from the sun takes eight minutes to get here, assuming there are no construction delays. It takes me a lot longer than that to answer an email or write Skywatch. The sun is heading into solar minimum in the summer. There are longer periods with no sunspot activity and auroras will be less frequent. “Spaceweather” will be quieter. There still is a chance of a solar flare directing its energy earthward by fortunate chance, however. During the summer you can get fascinated with astronomical dimensions. The size and distance between galaxies in the local group is comparable to the size and distance between cities in central BC, scaled way up, of course. Since the sun and stars radiate light and heat

in all directions, the intensity drops off with the square of the distance, the so-called inverse square law. You can impress your friends at your next campfire by proving it. If you double your distance from the fire, you will get four times as cold. Because Mars is the square root of two times farther than Earth, a solar panel will put out half of what it did on Earth. What do you care? You would be light there and be able to jump over cars. Jupiter and Saturn will dominate the southern sky this summer, being in Scorpius and Sagittarius, respectively. We owe a lot to big Jove. It stands out there at five times the Earth-Sun distance and gobbles up space debris with its powerful gravitational field, debris that might otherwise make its way into the inner solar system. The sun will be about ten times weaker there by guess what law? No real business opportunities in solar there. A lot of panels for just one episode of Star Trek. Even though there is a lot we could be worrying about down here on Earth, the stars change little during a human lifetime. There is a serenity to being out under the stars at night that surpasses even the most difficult math lessons in Starwatch. So as usual, the Bells Lake Observatory, near Horsefly, BC is open to the public, and even if you get here late, it’s a long time to the next millisecond for both astronomers and drummers alike. Contact me at irwin8sound@gmail.com. -GG

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Opinion: Why Should We Protect the Horsefly River Watershed? Article by Helen Englund | Photo by Ivan Hardwick

he Horsefly River watershed is located 75 km southeast of Williams Lake in the Cariboo Region of BC and encompasses approximately 286,000 hectares. The river is approximately 98 km in length and drains into Quesnel Lake. The lake feeds the Quesnel River, which meets the Fraser River in the community of Quesnel. The land features numerous landscape types and ranges in elevation from approximately 800 m in the Village of Horsefly to 2,500 m in the headwater area. For more than 150 years the watershed has been developed by forestry, agriculture, lodges, mining, trapping, recreational users, and individual homeowners. The Horsefly River watershed has historic importance, being founded by the gold rush in 1859. People from all over Western Canada come to take pictures and witness the impressive Sockeye salmon run, which is on the scale of the Adams River run. From a fisheries perspective the watershed is known for its world-famous sport fishery of Rainbow trout, and as one of the largest producers of Sockeye salmon in the world. The Horsefly River is a nursery and produces about 75% of the large Rainbow trout for the Quesnel Lake sport fishery, which can produce trophy size fish over 20 pounds. Horsefly River Sockeye salmon during the peak cycle year are an important contributor to the overall Fraser River catch. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has determined that Horsefly coho and Chinook salmon are Threatened, and Sockeye salmon are Endangered. In 2017, COSEWIC determined that a number of Fraser River sockeye populations, the Quesnel sockeye run included, were Endangered and proposed them for special protection through the Species at Risk Act (SARA). COSEWIC’s reason for the designation was that the population faces a number of threats in both fresh water and marine areas

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Sockeye in the spawning channel Horsefly River.

that are causing habitat quality to decline. A potential new threat to the population is the failure of a mining tailings pond that drained into Quesnel Lake in 2014. They have declined consistently since 2000. In 2019, COSEWIC identified 16 runs of Chinook salmon that had conservation problems and needed special protection. Of the 16, 13 were in the Fraser River. Of those 13, seven were Endangered, four were Threatened (Horsefly chinook run), one was of Special concern, and one was considered Not at risk. COSEWIC reports these species will be considered for SARA listing later this year.

Fisheries Sensitive Watershed Designation

The Horsefly River shows how challenging it can be to designate Fisheries Sensitive Watersheds (FSW). The Horsefly River system with some of the highest fish values in BC, and its sensitivities to development were recognized as a priority for conservation as far back as 1996 in the Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan (CCLUP). Subsequent assessments support this ranking. It has also been subject to extensive forest development, particularly in sub-basins within the larger watershed that were subject to salvage logging postmountain pine beetle attack. Government began the process of designating the Horsefly River watershed a FSW in 2000. While the designation had broad support from First Nations and non-forestry stakeholders, forest licensees’ concerns about impacts to timber supply led to a difficult and protracted process. It was in June 2018 that the order was finalized and signed off by the regional executive director of the Ministry of Forest, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development (FLNROR). However, in the interim, forestry activities continue without strategic objectives to manage rate of development, potentially increasing the risk to fish habitats. Forest licensees have

two years from June 2018 to incorporate the FSW designation into their FSPs, and it may take longer before forestry activities are fully consistent with the FSW order. The Horsefly River watershed is in trouble: stream degradation and cumulative effects such as climate change, historic low water flows, increased water temperatures, and siltation have resulted in river closures. Hydrological studies going back about 25 years on this watershed have warned people but have been ignored. During the 2017 and 2018 extensive forest fires, Horsefly was affected but didn’t burn. Now we are seeing the last remaining standing timber around us being treated to non-stop logging.

Not Against Logging

We need logging so that people can raise their families here and keep communities strong. However, it needs to be done in a more environmentally and sustainable way, so that all of us now and future generations can live, work, and play here. This is the time for us all to do our parts to advocate for healthy ecosystems everywhere. Contact logging companies, ask for their site plans, and raise your concerns. Ask questions about road building and de-activation, wildlife corridors or winter ranges, retention areas around small and large streams, ponds, and lakes, or anything else. -GG Helen Englund is a resident of beautiful Horsefly, BC. She loves the outdoors but is concerned with logging practices within the Horsefly River watershed. She wants to share what she has learned and encourages others to do the same on any issue they feel strongly about.To find out more about issues in the Horsefly watershed or to get involved, contact Helen at hrenglund@gmail.com or visit the Horsefly River Roundtable facebook page or website at www.horseflyriver.ca.

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 43

Nourishing Our Children Six Healthy Food Tips for Your Kids This Summer By Barbara Schellenberg

ith the school year winding down and the summer holidays sparkling on the horizon it’s a good time to start laying the foundation for the summer months. Kids do a big part of their growing in the summer months, they are also often more active and that means it is crucial to keep up proper nutrition during this time. Summer means you are out of the dayto-day school-year routine, which makes it a perfect time to mix things up, introduce them to new foods, and focus on better eating for your family for the long term. Here are some good things to start with: • Switch your salt: Buy un-refined sea salt— Redmond or another full mineral mined salt or pink Himalayan salt. Using good salt is perhaps the easiest way to boost the nutrients in your food. Use your white salt to do a fun play dough project with the kids!

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• Upgrade your sweeteners: Simply discard any synthetic sweeteners and white sugar (white sugar is even dangerous for humming birds). Replace with raw local honey, pure maple syrup, and organic unrefined cane sugar. All of these sweeteners are full of micronutrients and make sweet treats more nourishing. • Include probiotics daily: Live foods help with digestion and assimilation of nutrients and are amazing for developing the palate. Check out www.wildfermentation.com for endless ideas, recipes, and articles on the benefits of live probiotics. • Buy organic and local produce, grains, and legumes whenever possible: You will notice a difference in how they taste, and you will also be serving up more nutritional value. • Animal protein and fats: Buying high quality animal products really pays off. Find a local farmer who sells barnyard fresh

eggs—make a new friend and get better quality food. Source grass-fed and, ideally, organic meat products and dairy. •Broaden the spectrum of carbohydrates you cook with: Wheat and potatoes are still the most common carbohydrates eaten by most families. Experiment with different varieties of rice, millet, and quinoa as well as things like sweet potatoes, purple sweet potatoes, yucca root, and taro root. Each are rich in minerals and can help reduce risk of developing allergies or sensitivities simply because a diverse diet means we have less chance of overexposure to any one food. Use this summer to create better food habits! For “Nourishing our Children” newsletters of the past visit www.thegreengazette.ca. -GG

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 45

Directory Listings Active Living

Health / Wellness

Central Cariboo Land Services, Williams Lake Providing personal property appraisal Services. Equipment Valuations for Industrial, Farm, Logging, Ranch, home etc. Estates, Insurance, Settlements. Kaelan Kohlen, CPPAG | 250-302-9421

46 | June/July/August 2019

Directory Listings

Williams Lake Water Factory, Williams Lake - Friendly atmosphere. Pet friendly. Easy in and out parking lot. Open 8:30-5:30 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Saturday, closed Sunday and Stat. Holidays. Distributor for ‘Oddball Organics.’ Come get your Garlic On! 955 South Mackenzie Ave., Williams Lake | 250-398-5201 | Find us on Facebook!

The Green Gazette www.thegreengazette.ca | 47

48 | June/July/August 2019