The Green Gazette - November/December 2018 - January 2019 Issue

6/ 2019 UN International Year of Indigenous Languages: Protecting and Preserving - Because languages matter in peace building, cultural preservation, development, and reconciliation, the United Nations declared 2019 an International Year of Indigenous Languages. - by Jessica Kirby 7/ New Paradigm Teas: Lifestyle meets wild-crafted teas in BC wilderness - Borkowski wild-crafts four blends of fragrant teas: Anise Petal, Orange Balm, Mighty Mint, and Lemon Bliss. - by LeRae Haynes 8/ Science Matters: Will the world act on climate change before it’s too late? - When our children and grandchildren and those of us still here in 20 years look back to this time, will we say it was when the world finally got serious about the climate crisis? - by David Suzuki 11/ Guru puja at Gendun Drubpa Buddhist Centre in celebration of Lama Tsong Khapa Day - On December 2 from 1:30–3:00 p.m. Buddhist Centre in Williams Lake will offer a Guru puja. - by Dianne Noort 13/ This Year, Take a Christmas Chill Pill - The results are in: our planet is in rough shape. No, we don't necessarily need the IPCC‘s latest dire report telling us this —we are witness to it with our own eyes every single day. - by Ryan Elizabeth Cope 21/ Incredible Student Effort at the Heart of Annual Medieval Market - Without students involved in the artistic design, music compilation, initial set-up, advertising, and general support, the market would not be able to run. - by the Medieval Market Committee 22/ Legalizing the Green - The federal government‘s decision to legalize the green was founded in many arguments— medicinal properties, lack of science behind the health risks, and a general sense of confidence that a plant around 3 million Canadians are using anyway ought to be legal because that would weaken the black market. - by Jessica Kirby

Publisher / Editor-in-Chief Lisa Bland Senior Editor Jessica Kirby Contributors David Suzuki, LeRae Haynes, Jessica Kirby, Terri Smith, Lisa Bland, Guy Dauncey, Venta Rutkauskas, Sage Birchwater, Ryan Elizabeth Cope, Oliver Berger, Tera Grady, Nicola Finch, Bill Irwin, Barbara Schellenberg, Dr. Katie DeGroot, Kristine Webber, Vanessa Moberg, Alison Main, Dianne Noort, Rebecca Patenaude, Tim Pearson, Pat Teti Advertising Lisa Bland Creative Directors Lisa Bland / Rebecca Patenaude Ad Design Jill Schick / Leah Selk Published by Earthwild Consulting Printing Black Press Ltd. Cover Photo: Winter's Storm - Trumpeter swans watching the winter storms. Photo: Jesaja Class Photography, jesajaclassphotography.com Index Photo: Beloved Amadeus will be missed by all.

Photo: Terri Smith

www.thegreengazette.ca info@thegreengazette.ca TheGreenGazette is published by Earthwild Consulting.

To subscribe email info@thegreengazette.ca or visit our website at www.thegreengazette.ca © 2018-19 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.

19/ Raising Amadeus: Saying goodbye - As I write this, Amadeus is dying. That‘s not how I wanted to begin, but there it is. I just wanted you to know. If you are reading this, chances are he has touched your life in some way and it‘s good to be able to say goodbye. - by Terri Smith

5/ Publisher‘s Letter: Transformation - Turning Fifty - by Lisa Bland 5/ Pro-rep governments look after the environment and the economy better - by Tim Pearson 6/ Bill 49-2018: Professional Governance Act Introduced in BC 9/ Bringing Back the Wildhood - by Kristine Webber 10/ Kindergarteners at Scout Island Nature Centre Learn Outside - by Venta Rutkauskas 13/ Skywatch with Bill Irwin 15/ Waste Wise: Managing Garbage Requires Planning by Tera Grady 16/ No Time Left to Waste: To tree or not to tree? - by Oliver Berger 16/ Rocky Mountain Books Releases Two New Titles 18/ Gluten-Free Goodies - by Dr. Katie DeGroot, ND 18/ Cariboo Growers Co-op Closure Invites New Interest in Local Food Business 23/ The Salvation Army: When giving is a gift to the giver - by LeRae Haynes 24/ A Message to the Climate Choir - by Guy Dauncey

24/ Williams Lake Cross Country Ski Club 25/ Southern Dãkelh Nation Alliance - by Sage Birchwater 25/ WWF Report Reveals Staggering Extent of Human Impact on Planet 26/ Conservation Conversation: Giving the Arctic a voice in the face of climate change - by Vanessa Moberg 26/ Think Global, Shop Local - by Vanessa Moberg 28/ What‘s a Death Doula? - by Nicola Finch 29/ Green Business Feature: Laketown Furnishings - by LeRae Haynes 30/ Pumpkin Rosemary Flatbread - by Pat Teti 31/ Tis the Season: Keeping your pets safe and happy by LeRae Haynes 31 Foster Home for Puppies - by LeRae Haynes 32/ Wireless Wisdom: Unplugging for more than mindfulness - by Alison Main 33/ Nightwish - A Vehicle of Spirit - by Rebecca Patenaude 35/ Nourishing our Children - by Barbara Schellenberg

By Lisa Bland Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief

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ell folks, we’ve finally made it to issue #50 of TheGree nGazette . If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that each step was made possible through the support of the amazing people and businesses of the Cariboo Region, and many others from BC and beyond contributing to a monumental collective effort.

Fifty is an epic number—it's a halfway marker, half of a hundred, half a century, and a turning point. It is a lot of something, and it is significant. Coincidentally, it also happens that I‘ll be turning 50 this December. As I reflect on what turning 50 means to me, I‘m also reflecting on what it means for this labour of love with TheGreenGazette.

Like a river, our lives are an endless stream of events and seasons that flow from birth to death. Our stories pull meaning from the constant flow of events, shaping the intangible into form. We build our lives through stories about where we‘ve come from and where we‘re going, and all of our stories are worth telling. They are sacred.

Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and there‘s something affirming about starting and finishing a story well.

Over the past six and a half years of producing TheGreenGazette, I have changed and grown and experienced losses of family members and loved ones. I have cultivated meaningful relationships with many people and been privileged to experi-

ence a glimpse of passing moments into their world. I‘ve been surprised at the way topics arise just at the right time. At times, I‘ve landed out of my depth or with too many things on my plate. I‘ve learned many things about teamwork, working with volunteers, being accountable, managing stress, and ‗feeling the fear, but doing it anyway‘. I‘ve learned about the sacrifice and commitment to a small business, and that it takes effort to build things that last.

I‘ve also learned that people work very hard at what they care about, and sometimes you can convince them to write stories about those things.

Green living is no longer a marginalized label of the past, but about our collective survival, adaptation, and maturity. As more experiences and areas on our planet are commodified, it‘s harder to remember that many essential and beautiful things in life are simply given to us by the natural world for free. As we hurtle towards the unknown, a code red signal flashing in the background about our carbon footprint, climate change, the loss of our beloved wild companions, or the ailing health of our ecosystems and bodies due to pollution in our food and environment, it‘s hard not become overwhelmed, resigned, and apathetic. The stories people tell about their efforts to live healthy and

By Tim Pearson

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ost British Columbians care deeply about the environment. Perhaps it is because of our jaw-dropping scenery and iconic species, from ancient forests to grizzly bears to salmon and orcas. BC has extraordinary diversity and abundance: it is home to three-quarters of Canada’s mammal and bird species and 70 per cent of its freshwater fish. For generations, we have relied on the natural world for economic resources, recreational opportunities, and the health and stability of communities.

Polling shows we consistently want strong protections for the land, water, and air we depend on for jobs, recreation, and health. We overwhelmingly support the development of clean energy and clean technology, especially among younger British Columbians. We understand the threat that climate change poses and support the need to act, because we are already seeing the impacts of higher CO2 levels in the atmosphere in the form of record-breaking wildfire seasons and ever-dwindling salmon stocks, to name but two examples.

These values are not always reflected in the decisions our governments make, however. This disconnect can mostly be blamed on the way we elect or MLAs. Our current ―first past the post‖ (FPTP) system gives

Image: https://cupe.ca/adopting-proportional -representation-clear-path-forward-fairvoting-system-canada

100 per cent of the power to governments that get less than 50 per cent of the votes over and over again.

This fall, we can choose a new way of voting: proportional representation (PR).

PR will allow the views of British Columbians to be more accurately reflected in who gets elected to make crucial decisions about our future.

Evidence from around the world demonstrates that governments elected using PR score significantly higher on many measures of good environmental stewardship.

Yale University‘s Environmental Performance Index tracks the performance of countries with measures of environmental health, air quality, resource, management, biodiversity, forestry, fisheries, agriculture, and climate change. On average, countries using PR scored six points higher than those using FPTP.

meaningful lives is sometimes the bridge to making the effort ourselves.

Many years ago, I attended a public talk and book signing for The Sacred Balance with David Suzuki. As I stood in front of him, I was overcome by my despair for the planet, and he spoke directly to me and said, ―Gather with others of like mind working together on behalf of our world.‖ He knew that his fight was my fight and that working together to advocate for a better world can help ease feelings of fear, immobilization, and isolation.

The stories and articles we publish in TheGreenGazette might not be investigative journalism, but they represent the hearts of the people who create the fabric of our communities. These stories are about and by real people who live their stories in context with the land and one another. People telling stories about their own lives and experience are the ones we can trust, and they uplift and bring solutions, helping to dissolve polarization and conflict.

At the start of November, on the eve of our 50th issue, news came of the passing of Terri Smith‘s beloved goat, Amadeus, featured in every issue since he was a baby.

Stories of his life, struggles, and victories tugged at our hearts and showed us that life is a journey capable of wonderful transfor-

PR countries were quicker to embrace the need to fight climate change, ratifying the Kyoto protocol faster, and their share of global carbon pollution has declined versus FPTP countries.

Under PR, we would be much more likely to elect governments that reflect voters‘ views on protection of species, genuinely sustainable forestry practices, drinking water quality, and climate action. That‘s because government policies under PR tend to match the views of the ―average‖ voter more than those elected under FPTP. Some will say, ―Ah, but what about the economy? I don‘t want a system that will sacrifice jobs and prosperity to concerns about the environment.‖ PR governments not only do better on the environment, they also do better on economic and fiscal issues. Studies show that PR governments outperform FPTP governments on measures of fiscal responsibility, enjoying more frequent surpluses and lower levels of debt, as well as other measures of economic performance, leading to greater prosperity than governments using our current system.

FPTP also encourages the use of wedge issues to polarize opinion and harvest votes, leading to the ugly polarization we see in the US. That is why many politicians claim voters must ―choose‖ the economy or the environment. If they can get just 40 per cent of voters to believe that, they can win 100

mation. We send our love and empathy to Terri and know Amadeus‘ memory will live on in her stories.

As we turn the corner into the darkness of the winter season, TheGreenGazette has also come to a time of transformation, which involves a story about endings and new beginnings.

As of this issue, we are finished with our newsprint edition and launching into a vibrant new format in February 2019. By combining forces with the talented Jennifer Reed, owner of Spiral Health and Discover Wellness magazine in Quesnel, we are expanding to a full-colour Green Gazette magazine on 100% recycled paper.

We have been busy behind the scenes creating a new, upgraded design, and along with carrying much of the same content and continuing to operate our website and social media, we‘ll also have a few new surprises and ways for the community to get involved, including a professional directory.

It has always been my vision to unite communities across the Cariboo through the topics we care about – healthy living and lifestyles, the environment, sustainable agriculture and ranching, green technology and business – so it makes sense to combine efforts as we move into the next chapter.

A community collective filled with vibrant stories about making a difference and connecting to one another and our Earth is the kind of world I want to live in. I have joked with friends that this all-consuming labour of love is like giving birth each issue to a new creative work, interwoven with the threads of community. Even after all this time, and despite the struggle, it‘s still the world I want to believe in and help create.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey so far. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and see you in 2019!

per cent of the power, and the environment loses, time after time.

That choice is a myth concocted by political insiders to win and keep power, often with the backing of powerful, wealthy interests. We have had decades of governments winning power that way, and yet the rewards of ―choosing‖ the economy have resulted in ever-widening inequality and more and more wealth concentrated in fewer and fewer hands.

The winner-take-all voting system leads to winner-take-all economics. And the environment be damned.

The experience of PR countries shows we can have a vibrant economy, a more equal society, and sound environmental policies. And isn‘t that what the vast majority of British Columbians want?

Tim Pearson is communications director for Sierra Club B.C. ~This letter to the editor originally appeared in the October 11, 2018 edition of The Province To understand more about how Proportional Representation works and videos explaining the three different systems visit https://sierraclub.bc.ca/voteprbc/ Mail your ballot in by Nov. 26 to make sure it gets counted.

By Jessica Kirby, Senior Editor of TheGreenGazette

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ecause languages matter in peace building, cultural preservation, development, and reconciliation the United Nations declared 2019 an International Year of Indigenous Languages. Languages are crucial to the daily lives of people as tools of communication, education, social integration, and development, and they function as ways to record and express individuals’ unique identity, cultural history, traditions, and memories. Languages are immensely valuable and irreplaceable, yet they continue to disappear at an alarming rate.

Around 40 percent of the estimated 6,700 languages spoken globally are in danger of disappearing. Ninety-five per cent of the global population speaks 300 of those 6,700, and the Endangered Languages Project estimates that 90 per cent of languages spoken today will be gone by 2050.

Most of those the languages endangered are Indigenous languages, which puts the cultures and knowledge systems associated with those languages at risk. Indigenous people are often politically and socially isolated within their countries—geographically, historically, and because they hold separate and distinct cultures, languages, and traditions, and endure ongoing forces of colonization.

At the same time, Indigenous communities are environmental stewards. They remain connected to the natural world as an ingrained cultural norm. Within their languages exist complex systems of knowledge and communication that describe the human condition from its origins and connect them to their basic essence. Preservation of Indigenous languages must become a political and social priority and play a key role in peace building and reconciliation. Without

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inister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, George Heyman, has tabled new legislation intended to improve regulation of the qualified professionals who make decisions about British Columbia’s natural resources.

Bill 49 follows a public engagement process to review the Professional Reliance model of decision-making and an independent report and recommendations by noted environmental lawyer Mark Haddock. The government said the goal of the legislation is,― to help strengthen public trust that the health and safety of their communities always come first.‖ Professional associations and industry and community groups involved in the review process were welcomed to Parliament for the first reading of the Bill, which will be debated by the House. Bob Peart, the coordinator of the Professional Reliance Working Group of Concerned Citizens, said, ―We thank the government for taking this first step towards protecting BC‘s natural resource sector by legislating the governance of qualified professionals. The Haddock report shone a spotlight on the myriad ways that the current professional reliance

Adeana Young play Hlaaya in Gwaai Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown’s film Sgaawaay K’uuna - Edge of the Knife. Photo: NiijangXyaalas Productions Copyright: Isuma Distribution International

peace building and reconciliation. Without the unique customs, cultures, and values Indigenous languages encapsulate, the world will be a less vibrant, poorer place.

The area now known as British Columbia has been home to First Nations since time immemorial. Today, there are approximately 200,000 Indigenous people in the region, with 203 distinct First Nations communities, each with unique traditions and history. Among these communities, there are more than 30 different First Nation languages and close to 60 spoken dialects.

Many of these are facing imminent loss, said Tracey Herbert, CEO of First Peoples‘ Cultural Council (FPCC) in British Columbia, in an article for HuffPost Canada. ―The number of fluent speakers is going down,‖ she said, noting only about four per cent of Indigenous people in BC fluently speak their language, and most of those are over the age of 65. ―There‘s a lot of urgency to document these languages and to put that documentation in the hands of communities,‖ she said in the article.

Across First Nations communities, initiatives to preserve languages are growing and inspiring the collective effort towards cultural preservation. An award-winning

film, On the Edge of the Knife, done in the Haida language was just released this summer and has been winning awards worldwide. Co-directed by filmmaker Helen Haig -Brown from the Tsilhqot‘in nation and Haida carver and founding member of the K‘aalts‘idaaK‘ah Storytelling Society, Gwaii Edenshaw, one of the film‘s primary objectives was to encourage youth to keep learning and understand why it is important to resurrect and preserve this language and culture.

On the Edge of the Knife brings attention to the immanent risk of losing the Haida language. Only 20 fluent speakers of the language remain and most of them are over 75. Haida is notoriously difficult to learn because it contains sounds unique to this language. Actors who played in the film attended a two-week camp to study language and pronunciation and to rehearse their lines, and they reported a sense of inspiration at reconnecting with the culture in a profound way.

Haida Gwaii activists are working hard to preserve their language and culture.

Haida is taught in schools and there are adult classes popularly attended. Other activists are creating a permanent record of the language for future generations, but it re-

ways that the current professional reliance regime is failing communities and ecosystems. We strongly encourage the government to implement the report‘s recommendations in their entirety, in a clear and transparent manner, and now await the next steps in the process.‖ The working group is made up of concerned and knowledgeable individuals who reflect the concerns of the public, government professionals, retired professionals, environmental non-governmental organizations, and the labour community regarding the process of professional reliance. Devon Page is one of the group‘s leading members and the executive director of Ecojustice, Canada‘s largest environmental law charity. ―The government‘s new professional reliance legislation is an essential first step, and I applaud them,‖ said Page. ―However, Ecojustice‘s litigation shows that BC‘s environmental laws, particularly our forestry laws, are vague and unenforceable, and mostly serve to hand off control of the forests to the industry. The BC government seems serious about stewarding the province‘s amazing natural environment. They can prove it by restoring our laws.‖

Working group members will be watching and participating in the debate on the Professional Governance Act. Alan Martin is the director of strategic initiatives for the 40,000-member BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF). Martin said, ―The BCWF is pleased with the establishment of an oversight office for professional conduct in the Ministry of Attorney General. The establishment of an independent Natural Resources Practices board to oversee the review, performance, and improvement of resource legislation would be an important next step given the extent of the recommendations in Mr. Haddock‘s report.‖ Scott McCannell, executive director of the Professional Employees Association.

McCannell said, ―We applaud the government‘s interest in considering the shortcomings of professional reliance and taking some initial steps to tackle those; however, without addressing the fact that the professional scientists working for the province were cut by 25 percent, significant shortcomings in monitoring and compliance and enforcement will continue. We need more government scientists looking after the public interest.‖

mains a race against time.

In the Interior of BC, Sʔímlaʔxʷ Michele Johnson, PhD, an Indigenous language teacher and activist from the Syilx (Okanagan) Nation, is the executive director of a revival project of Nsyilxcn, an Interior Salish language. The Syilx Nation stretches across the Interior Plateau from Revelstoke, BC to northern Washington and includes seven communities in Canada.

With fewer than 50 fluent speakers remaining, the language is in critical danger—but Sʔímlaʔxʷ and her team are doing everything they can to make sure new speakers are created in this generation.

The Syilx Language House, based in Penticton, BC, was formed with the express purpose of creating new Nsyilxcn speakers in the Syilx communities, recording fluent Elders, and making the recordings freely available on its website, www.thelanguagehouse.ca. According to the Language House website, ―learning language strengthens families, community health, the Nation, land-based knowledge, title, and rights. We are the ones to do this for the people-to-be.‖ The non-profit society operates an intense, immersion language program for adults that involves 1,600 hours of sequenced learning, Nsyilxcn curriculum, and Elder recordings. The four-year program is in year four and eight mid-intermediate speakers, a new generation of language warriors, will graduate in June 2019. By September 2019, the group hopes to have 60 new students enrolled at three language houses across the Syilx Nation. The graduates from the four-year program will be teachers of the next cohort. Visitors are welcome to view the program and attend the celebration of the first cohort in June 2019.

Language revival efforts are growing across BC and the rest of Canada in communities through the use of technology, resources, teaching, and immersion techniques. Contribute to the celebration in 2019 and ongoing efforts by learning about Indigenous languages in your community and by finding out how you can be part of the story.

The West Coast Environmental Law Association has been actively promoting progressive law reform for over 40 years in BC and across Canada. Staff lawyer Andrew Gage said, ―The government review of professional reliance resulted in 121 recommendations about how to better regulate industrial activities that affect BC‘s natural heritage. It‘s encouraging that the government has moved so quickly to implement the first two recommendations through Bill 49, but clearly a lot more work needs to be done.‖ This release was originally published on www.whodecidesca.nationbuilder.com Read more: Read the government news release at w w w . n e w s . g o v . b c . c a / releases/2018ENV0078-002045 Read Bill 49: www.leg.bc.ca/parliamentarybusiness/legislation-debatesproceedings/41st-parliament/3rd-session/ bills/first-reading/gov49-1 Haddock Report: www.engage.gov.bc.ca/ app/uploads/sites/272/2018/06/ P r o f e s sional_Reliance_Review_Final_Report.pdf

By LeRae Haynes

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ome of the locally-produced treasures available at the Williams Lake Medieval Market on November 24 and 25 are four beautiful teas grown, harvested, and made

by Callie Borkowski at New Paradigm Teas.

Borkowski wild-crafts four blends of fragrant teas: Anise Petal, Orange Balm, Mighty Mint, and Lemon Bliss.

She became interested in making teas about 14 years ago while living in India. ―I became overwhelmed by the sheer number of people and the chaos and decided it was time for a change. I emailed my mentor, herbalist and homeopath Crystal Slevin. I asked if I could come to her property when I got back and help her with her herbal business. ―I started picking her flowers and blending her teas. I fell in love with her son and have lived here ever since,‖ she said, adding that for the past eight years she has been making her own teas.

The property is 16 km from Horsefly at a place called Goose Lake.

Borkowski seeds plants in the spring and winters them with care. She grows some in her greenhouse and picks some from the wild when they‘re in season and in their perfect potential for being tasty and full of nutrition.

The teas are harvested, dried, blended, and packaged in whole leaf form.―I like showing people that they can have something nutritious that is truly local,‖ she explained.

In the past few years she‘s created better packaging, recycling natural craft paper lined with compostable film. ―The labels are printed on bio stone—it‘s all compostable,‖ said Borkowski. ―My main venue for selling is the Medieval Market. I love it there: love selling direct to people and explaining what‘s in the teas and how they‘re made.‖ She will also meet customers in town to deliver the teas.

The beliefs she holds dear are reflected in her teas and encompass the planetfriendly, off-grid, healthy lifestyle she shares with her partner, Jeremy, and their children. ―Jeremy has lived like this all his life,‖ she said. ―We are in the process of getting a solar system and for now have a generator when we need it,‖ she said.―Our water

Callie Borkowski of New Paradigm Teas creates four nourishing blends of locally, organically grown, and wild-crafted herbal teas. Photos: Leah Selk

is heated through a water coil in our wood cook stove.‖ The family has a large garden and grows as much food as possible. They raise their own meat birds, pigs, and sheep, doing their own humane slaughtering and butchering, and they have laying hens. ―Our animals have a humane life and a humane end,‖ she added.―I feel very good about that.‖ The family includes two daughters, ten and six years old, who are homeschooled. They are involved with the day-to-day running of the household and animal operations.

She said Jeremy works a mill on the property—a home-based business. ―I see our girls developing great life skills, including the ability to observe and be with nature in a respectful way and be in tune with the rhythms and cycles of the seasons and of the Earth,‖ she said. ―They get to see their impact on the environment a lot more, just by being in it and interacting with it on a daily basis.‖ She said the decision to homeschool was a natural one. ―I always knew I wanted to do it; I wanted to give them a different experience in their younger years. There may come a day when they want to try something else in the future, but for now this is good for us,‖ she said. ―There are days when it‘s a challenge but overall it feels good.‖ She explained that they recently became part of the Dis-

tance Education program through School District #27, adding that they‘re enjoying the field trips and interactions.

While her girls enjoy helping with the teas, they also love to play. Sometimes they ride bikes and sometimes they make up games in the forest. ―They‘re getting good at identifying edible and non-edible plants in the woods, and they love eating wild foods like nettles, fiddleheads, and mushrooms. This has fulfilled part of their science curriculum,‖ she said. ―This education is very self directed—they‘re so naturally curious and ask questions all the time.‖ Instead of screen time they‘re getting imaginative play time. ―They have very limited screen time. We teach them about the impact it has on our brains. ―We want this lifestyle to help them develop great life skills, such as problem solving. They see me take apart my propane fridge to fix it, adjust a smoking chimney, fix the pump when it quits— there‘s constant maintenance and they‘re a part of it all,‖ she explained. ―They work hard to get firewood in, growing, harvesting, and canning and fermenting food. They both like cooking, baking, and chopping veggies. They‘re learning now to feed themselves responsibly with a true love for the planet,‖ she said. ―It‘s sometimes hard work, and there are struggles, but it‘s worth it. We‘ve made

this choice to teach our children selfresponsibility and to promote awareness.‖ She said she‘s looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new customers at the Medieval Market, adding that when she puts a package of her tea in people‘s hands it is very meaningful. ―I love helping connect people with things from their local environment,‖ she said. Foods and plants that grow around us are the things our bodies need most.‖ You can find Callie Borokowski on Facebook, email her at newparadigmteas@gmail.com, or phone (250) 2673468.

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer, song writer, community co-ordinator for Success by 6, member of Perfect Match dance band, and instigator of music with kids.

Science Matters:

By David Suzuki

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hen our children and grandchildren and those of us still here in 20 years look back to this time, will we say it was when the world finally got serious about the climate crisis? Or will we mark a tragic time when political and business leaders prioritized short-term economic gain over the future of humanity?

Listening to Canada‘s minister of environment and climate change respond on the radio to the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, ―Global Warming of 1.5°C‖, didn‘t raise my hopes.

Despite outlining good policies such as pricing carbon pollution and phasing out coal power, the government representative who should know the most about climate issues repeated numerous debunked and false talking points.

She floated the excuse for inaction I‘ve been hearing for at least 30 years: ―We aren‘t going to get off fossil fuels overnight.‖ She skirted around a question about the climate impacts of burning the increasing amounts of bitumen government plans to ship to foreign markets. She touted Canada‘s biggest fossil fuel venture, a $40billion, foreign-owned liquefied natural gas project, as a ―climate solution‖ because it could replace coal power. That‘s despite research and advice from scientists about how the project impedes meeting our climate targets, the substantial and underreported release of the potent greenhouse gas methane from LNG and fracking, and the fact that LNG is as likely to slow renewable energy development as to replace coal -fired power.

She also repeated the tired refrain of politicians from across the spectrum, that economic considerations are as important as environmental ones—equating the relatively new, human-created, outdated economic system with the timeless natural

Climate Change Drought by Marion @ pixabay.com

systems on which our health, well-being, and survival depend.

It could be worse. The US president‘s response to the IPCC report was, ―I want to look at who drew it. You know, which group drew it. I can give you reports that are fabulous and I can give you reports that aren‘t so good.‖ Beyond its inarticulate nature, the comment displays a profound lack of understanding of climate change, the IPCC, and the work of climate scientists worldwide whose research informs its reports.

Listening to these politicians could lead people to think global warming isn‘t an urgent challenge or that the science and its well-known, already observable effects are up for debate. The only issues we should be debating are the best ways to confront the crisis.

The IPCC special report, prepared by 91 researchers from 40 countries and based on more than 6,000 scientific resources, is

clear: ―Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C would require rapid, farreaching, and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.‖ Temperatures have already risen close to 1 degree C. The report warns we have about 12 years to act decisively if we are to avoid a dramatic increase in impacts we‘re already experie nc i ng : e xt r e me weather events, droughts, floods, rising sea levels, diminishing polar ice and subsequent feedback loops that accelerate warming, and ecosystem collapse among them.

Those who argue the economy is too important to stop developing and expanding fossil fuel infrastructure – from oilsands to pipelines to deep sea drilling to fracking – ignore the mounting costs of climate disruption and the economic benefits of shifting to cleaner energy. A report by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction found climate-

related disaster losses cost US$2.2 trillion over the past two decades, up from $895 billion over the previous two decades. (It only accounts for official reports and insurance stats, so likely only represents a fraction of the true costs.) Meanwhile, worldwide employment and opportunities in the clean energy sector continue to grow.

The IPCC report lays out numerous solutions, including ―shifting to low- or zero-emission power generation, such as renewables; changing food systems, such as diet changes away from land-intensive animal products; electrifying transport and developing ‗green infrastructure‘, such as building green roofs, or improving energy efficiency by smart urban planning, which will change the layout of many cities.‖ Will we and our elected leaders heed these dire warnings and start facilitating and implementing solutions at the pace required to forestall disaster? Or will we continue to abuse this small planet that gives us life until it‘s too late? It‘s time to decide—and to hold all politicians to account.

David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author, and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. Written with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation senior editor Ian Hanington. Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org.

By Kristine Webber

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et me start by saying I don’t generally align myself with the RV crowd. (Not that there’s anything wrong with RVing; when I go on vacation I prefer to either sleep under the stars or have a soft bed and room service.) So imagine my surprise when I saw the new ad titled, Bring Back the Wildhood, produced by GoRVing Canada and I found myself nodding along.

The ad features parents and grandparents exploring the outdoors with children.

Pure, outdoor adventure where the only devices are the rocks and sticks, and the entertainment is provided by the dramatic life histories of wildlife large and small.

The ad challenges viewers to hit the back roads and reclaim time, time that is gobbled up, seemingly insatiably, by our modern lifestyle. The ad paints a picture of a deliciously simpler time where quality time didn‘t need to be scheduled; it just happened and life‘s stresses floated away on the ripples in the lake.

This is very hopeful. The Bring Back the Wildhood campaign signals an important shift in mainstream thinking about spending time in nature. It‘s cool. Desirable. Fodder for the advertising industry.

No longer just for granola eating greenies like me (and perhaps you). And there are other signals, too, that the movement to reconnect with nature is growing.

Did you know that, in Japan, forest bathing is a thing? Shinrin-yoku – spending

Bird banding with WildResearch at Iona Island Bird Observatory. Photo: Colin McQuillan

time in nature, among the trees and the leaves, with the intention of enveloping oneself in the healing mist of arboreal phytoncides – is a trend for business folks and professionals. Similarly, some North American doctors are prescribing time in nature alongside conventional pharmaceuticals to address conditions such as childhood anxiety, depression, and ADHD. And more learning is taking place outdoors, whether it is through forest and nature schools, which are popping up like mushrooms across Canada, or through conventional schools taking their students outside to study. And all of this is based on sci-

ence. Study after study has shown that we are happier, healthier, and indeed smarter when we spend time in nature.

When Richard Louv‘s book Last Child in the Woods came out in 2005 many were surprised by its immediate, strong appeal, and it continues to engage with its enduring popularity. A New York Times bestseller and recipient of the Audubon Medal for, ―sounding the alarm about the health and societal costs of children‘s isolation from the natural world,‖ Richard Louv has been credited for sparking a growing movement to remedy the modern plague he coined 'nature deficit disorder‘.

Most assuredly a pan flute to the movement, the spark his book lit was able to sustain its flame due to the groundwork of many others. From heavy hitters like Dr. David Suzuki and Robert Bateman to a myriad of grassroots organizations and individuals, many have been working for decades with passion, dedication, and dogged hopefulness to connect children and families with nature.

One such group, NatureKidsBC (www.naturekidsbc.ca), was founded in 2000 by Daphne Solecki and Rob Butler with the vision of helping volunteers start and sustain nature clubs for children and families. Today, nature clubs in 30 communities, including one at Scout Island in Williams Lake, get children and families outdoors exploring, learning about, and taking action for nature.

The RVing ad campaign‘s call to action is ―Let‘s Bring Back Wildhood‖. And while I‘m not rushing out to rent an RV (not that there is anything wrong with that), I am buoyed by thought of more children, parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles spending unplugged time together in nature—and what that connection to nature will inspire.

Kristine Webber, M.Sc., B.Sc.(Agr.), lives at Hedgerow Farm on Mayne Island with her husband and various animal companions, including Scotty the Donkey. Kristine is the former executive director of NatureKidsBC and continues to support the child and nature movement as a volunteer, consultant, and puddle-jumping advocate.

By Venta Rutkauskas

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esearch in education and child development has prompted a wave of publicity for naturebased and forest schools. Experts agree that children thrive in the outdoors, while the benefits attached are academic, social, and personal. Children who learn in the outdoors generally have decreased anxiety and hyper-activity, increased self-confidence, and stronger, healthier bodies. These programs meet curriculum goals in creative and seasonal ways, adding a love and keen perception of the natural world to the child’s toolkit.

Williams Lake is home to the Cariboo‘s first nature kindergarten, now in its third year at the Scout Island Nature Centre. The program balances indoor/outdoor time, offering the students varied learning environments. Marie Sharpe Elementary is the host school, while the Nature K indoor classroom resides in the bottom floor of the Nature Centre. Children visit Marie Sharpe one afternoon per week, to take part in Buddy Reading, use the library, learn First Nations culture, attend special events, and feel a part of a larger school community.

Each morning, most students arrive by bus from Marie Sharpe, and are greeted by their instructors, teacher Kirsten Hamm, and early childhood educator, Tanya Johnson. Students spend the first half of the morning in their outdoor learning groups.

This is the time when they work on projects, explore the local environment, and have a ton of fun. They take their snack

Nature kindergarten students at Scout Island in fall 2018. Photos: Frances McCoubrey

indoors, after which they join in circle time. The indoor classroom has math and literacy centres, arts and crafts, and an extensive library. After lunch, the students will share time between the indoors and outdoors again.

How do you know if Nature K is a good fit for your family? There are several things to consider: Does your child like spending extended periods of time outdoors in all weather conditions?

Can your child respond to ―Stop‖?

Are you able to arrange for your child to have appropriate clothing for all weather conditions?

Dedicated instructors guide the program, balancing the BC curriculum with risk-taking play and exploration. Johnson explains, ―It is incredibly inspiring to be part of a traditional learning environment.

Having the land be the teacher, using all our senses, and combining movement in our learning provides an authentic, reallife, hands-on experience that not only deepens our understanding of the natural world but is a true reflection of BC‘s new curriculum.‖ Nature K encourages supervised rough and tumble play and risky play, both of which develop self-regulation, set safe boundaries, and problem solving.

Choosing nature kindergarten for your child does entail a few extra steps for registration. To register for the 2019/2020 year, you‘ll have to attend one of the mandatory information sessions held at Scout Island Nature Centre at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 15 and Marie Sharpe Elementary School on Thursday January 17, 2019.

These sessions are helpful in outlining the program and allow you to meet the instructors and discover if this is a good fit for you and your child. Applications will be made available to you there.

Second, unless you happen to fall in the Marie Sharpe catchment area, ‗school of

choice‘ forms are needed and will be provided at both sessions. These will need to be signed and dated by your local school in your home catchment. If there is a lot of demand for Nature K, then having these done as soon as registration opens helps secure your child‘s spot (first come, first served). Once the applications are in, you will receive confirmation from the school district in the spring.

From a parent‘s perspective, there is something that sits right with me when the children hike up to their outdoor learning classroom, giggling, sweeping up leaves, and noticing the changes in their local trees and ecosystem each day. They have room to move, stretch, and be themselves, all while the instructors encourage focus, alertness, and order. The children are forming a team out there, each becoming aware of their peers‘ absence, working together on projects; even competitive activities are engaged in with good-natured attitudes.

My daughter is forging adventurous and spirited relationships with her new friends.

For more information, visit http:// www.sd27.bc.ca/outdoor-education/naturekindergarten/, or call Marie Sharpe Elementary at (250) 392-4104.

Venta Rutkauskas is a writer and healer who has made her home in the beautiful Cariboo for over a decade. Her work involves the arts and the ways nature intersects with soul.

By Dianne Noort

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n December 2 from 1:30–3:00 p.m. Gendun Drubpa Buddhist Centre in Williams Lake will offer a puja. We offer various pujas several times a year. Sometimes it is to Medicine Buddha or to Tara. The upcoming puja is a Guru puja.

Puja means ―offering‖ in Sanskrit, and this practice of making offerings can take many forms. We can do them alone or in a group, with or without our teachers. During rituals like pujas we are at our most human. Pujas give us the chance to connect with our big minds and big hearts, even as we are confronted with our impatience, our laziness, our competitive spirit, our jealousy.

Ven. Thubten Dondrub, a Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) teacher, explains, ―a puja ceremony involves making offerings of our devotion, faith, and practice and also making actual offerings such as flowers or fruit. We can also do these practices on behalf of other people, or, as is the Tibetan tradition, we can make offerings for the benefit of others who may be experiencing sickness or other problems in their life.‖ Ven. Dondrub also says pujas give us a chance to develop devotion to our teachers in a ritualistic, less intellectual way.

How do you explain something like the Guru Puja – with its focus on intense guru devotion – to newcomers? Ven. Tenzin Nangsel of Mahamudra Centre in New Zealand thinks of it this way: ―… the ritual

Guru Lama Je Tsong Khapa.

Photo: Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition

side of practice can be very off-putting to beginners if they don‘t understand what we‘re trying to do with our minds, the visualizations, and the mind-states we‘re trying to cultivate in the pujas. I try to draw parallels between what we‘re doing in the puja and rituals and [everyday experience we‘re already familiar with].

For example, we‘re all very familiar with traditional ways of welcoming someone we value highly into our homes. We‘d clean and make our home very beautiful.

We‘d prepare delicious food and drinks and attend to everything we could think of to offer them and bring them pleasure.

It‘s the same in a puja. We‘re saying welcome, we‘re so happy you‘ve come.

Please would you like something to eat and drink—we‘ve prepared this for you. Then we‘d settle in for a chat. We tell our guests we‘ve been struggling with a few things (our afflictive emotions) and that sometimes we haven‘t been so skillful—we‘ve harmed ourselves or others and we wish we‘d done things differently. Then we happily tell our guests about the times we were able to be kind and loving, and we say we‘d like to be able to do it more often.

Then we tell them…it would help us if the buddhas could stay and show us how to develop love, compassion, and all the qualities we need to be of real use to other beings.‖ The Guru puja will be chanted as a group prayer practice that incorporates all of the most essential teachings of the Buddha. It lays the whole path to enlightenment on our mindstream, connects us more strongly to our teachers, and allows us to quickly and effectively accumulate merit and purify negative karma.

We unite our minds with the holy mind of the Spiritual Teacher, who is considered the root and life-force of the spiritual path, to receive blessings and prepare our mind for realizations on the path to Enlightenment.

December 2 is a special day in our tradition, called Lama Tsong Khapa Day. Lama Je Tsong Khapa (1357-1419) was

born in Amdo, in northeast Tibet. It is said that miraculous events occurred at his birth. He is, perhaps, best known for founding the Gelug Tradition, to which His Holiness the Dalai Lama belongs. Based on Tsong Khapa‘s teachings, the two distinguishing characteristics of the Gelug tradition are the union of sutra and tantra and the emphasis on vinaya.

Come as an observer or participant in this beneficial practice within a supportive community. You are invited to bring flowers or food offerings for the altar. You may also donate to the puja, online at www.gendundrubpa.org/wish-list. If you care to add names to our prayer list, see www.gendundrubpa.org/pujas-prayers.

Gendun Buddhist Centre is affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). For more information see www.fpmt.org.

By Ryan Elizabeth Cope "I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." ~ Robert Frost

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he results are in: our planet is in rough shape. No, we don't necessarily need the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) latest dire report telling us this—we are witness to it with our own eyes every single day. It is apparent in trash cans stuffed with recyclables, oilslicked waters, water bodies devoid of any life, and the dying coral reefs. This is what conservationists have been shouting from the rooftops since we first figured out that Mother Earth was hurtin’. If anything, the IPCC report that came out this fall did do us a solid: it validated our position. We fight tooth and nail to be validated in this space. Big corporations, big business, even our acquaintances and people we’ve come to see as friends, look at us like we have five heads. ―Good grief,‖ they say. ―You can’t possibly!‖ they also say. ―Why bother?! We are so screwed,‖ seems to be the general sentiment.

But wait just a minute. Yes, the IPCC delivered us with a pretty grim forecast of what‘s to come, but that doesn‘t mean it has to be that way. What I loved about the report, and about all the articles that were published following its debut, was that this is something we have a choice about. I read in a book recently that change is simple, but not easy. So, too, is shifting our lifestyles away from the things that are causing our Blue Planet stress. It sure isn‘t easy to forego plastic packaging, stop the fast-fashion train in its tracks, or hop on the Meatless Monday bandwagon. Those things are all simple changes, but they require us to look up, look around, and physically move to a new way of being.

That‘s hard.

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his edition covers November, December, and January. That is a fair stretch.

After a summer of well-placed, bright planets in the southern skies, this fall will be less spectacular. Mars will still be visible in the southwestern sky well into winter, fading and shrinking as it recedes from its close opposition back in July. Mid -November it‘s apparent diameter will fall below 10 arc seconds, which is quite small.

At high telescopic powers and on a steady night, it is still possible to make out the dark albedo features and polar caps, but it is now as far from us as we are from the sun. The next opposition in 2020 promises more than the recent one. It will be much higher in the sky and it will hopefully be free of the dust storms that afflicted observations of the surface detail this past time.

Jupiter will be in conjunction with the sun in November, re-emerging in the morning sky as the new year approaches.

Two roads diverged in a wood - which path will you take this Christmas?

Photo: Jan Vozenilek

During the holidays, though, I can see no better time to make these changes.

There‘s no time like the present (get it?

Holidays, presents…)! In chatting with friends about this crazy time of year, we were commiserating about the woes of Christmas. It‘s hard to commit to a path of less when everyone around you is panicking about deals, presents, wrapping paper, and stuff. In talking this through, though, we realized that Christmas, and the holidays in general, provide an opportune time for us all to re-evaluate the whole chaotic time, especially considering this latest news from the IPCC report. We need to act immediately, and it requires everyone to join the sustainability kanga line.

Climate change is happening in large part thanks to our consumptive habits: our cars, our food, our clothing, our packaging, our possessions—they all require resources. Resources that, according to many sources, are dwindling. We simply cannot sustain these habits, especially not at the level of Black Friday chaos. It‘s not a question of ―if‖ change is coming to our climate and our communities; it is now a

Saturn will be very low in the southwest as December approaches, heading for its inevitable reunion with the sun and then rebirth in the morning sky. These gas giants are near the low points of their journey through the zodiac, which places them low in the southern sky in the constellations Sagittarius and Scorpius.

Unfortunately, the planet positions in the night sky do not exactly correspond to their namesakes in popular astrology.

Since astrology derives from antiquity and the positions of the zodiacal constellations have shifted since because of the precession of the Earth‘s spin axis, astronomical and astrological positions differ, generally by one constellation. This and other differences make it difficult to merge the two practices, despite their common roots. I am told there are types of astrology, such as Vedic, that correct some of these differences.

matter of ―when.‖ So, we have a choice: do we continue down the well-trodden path of consumerism? Some might say yes and ask if there is really a viable alternative. Certainly, there is, but it is, as Robert Frost so eloquently puts it, ―the road less travelled.‖ This is the hard path. The path where, for the most part, we will not see the end of it in our lifetimes. This is the long, uphill climb with occasional breaks of sunshine and flat-lands and pipeline victories and bag-bans where we rest our weary, wornout legs and tired voices. But it is the path that is so, so worth it, frankly for our sanity alone, but also for all the benefits that come with fighting the good fight.

Think about this: how satisfied are you when gifting a friend something that you took great care and time to put together?

Maybe it was a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies. Maybe it was a beautiful piece of art that only they own. Or perhaps you gifted your pal or loved one an experience: a trip or a night out for some face-toface time. Of course, you might also have purchased something new, but something that you painstakingly took the time to

Nothing I can think of is going to change the fact that Venus will become the morning star in the coming months. Venus and morning coffee, so long as we can afford it.

If you have binoculars, you might want to try locating Uranus, which is in Pisces. It is right at the limit of naked eye visibility in a dark sky, but you will need binoculars and a chart to find it.

Visit www.skyandtelescope.com as a good place to find a chart.

We have a potential naked eye comet passing thru in December. 46P/Wirtanen will be very close to the famous star cluster the Pleiades on December 16. It‘s too early to tell how bright it‘s going to get, but it will be a good one for binos (Christmas is coming).

The Geminids meteor shower will peak under moonless skies this year. It should be good if the weather co-operates.

I don‘t really know what to do about the clouds, except start observing them.

research, finding local vendors and one-ofa-kind uniqueness. Your level of happiness at even orchestrating this gift was probably pretty high: you got excited thinking about their reaction, you got a thrill telling your friends, and tears of happiness seeing their face light up at whatever awesomeness you ended up presenting them. Now think of a time when you bought something from a department store or found a last-minute Secret Santa item that didn‘t totally resonate but was good enough for the office party you were late for. Or think of any time when you bought things, stuff. It gets lost in the memory banks, doesn‘t it? We don‘t keep memories of ―stuff.‖ We keep memories of experiences, stand-out moments.

There is a reason we say ―Merry Christmas:‖ Christmas and the holidays are a time to be, well, merry! Despite the dire warnings the IPCC gives us, we have cause to celebrate. There have been a lot of major victories recently in the world of environmental advocacy and we need to remember those stand-out moments. But we also must remember that to make change, we must be change. If we have any hope of saving our beautiful planet, we must give her a gift, too, and that is to slow down, take care, and give back. As hard as it is to buy less, we must buy less. We must give more.

This Christmas season, we must remember the gifts our planet gives us, day in and day out, and reconsider our Christmas shopping mayhem. When we do this, I think we‘ll find that we‘re happier, healthier, and end up with a brighter outlook on our collective futures… something we all need desperately in this time.

Ryan Elizabeth Cope is a Kelowna, BCbased advocate for plastic-less, healthful living. She has lived and worked in several places on the coasts of both the Atlantic and the Pacific, from Hawaii to Maine. She blogs at Seven in the Ocean (https:// sevenintheocean.com/) where she marries her love of food with her disdain for plastic -wrapped garbage. When not ranting ad nauseum about plastic, she can be found playing with her chickens or concocting fresh juices in her kitchen.

Maybe there will be a new c o l u m n , ―Cloud and Smokewatch,‖ and people will start getting together with their weather have a big Tesla coil for such

stations. I occasions.

If I hear that you haven‘t seen the Pleiades yet, I will summon the gods to cause all cellphones and iPads to lose their lustre and yardlights will fall to the firmament from their perches. It‘s your night sky, too.

The Bells Lake Observatory is out near Horsefly, on Bells lake. For more info contact me at irwin8sound@gmail.com or (250) 620-0596.

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he provincial government has given all Regional Districts in British Columbia the responsibility of solid waste management planning. This means the Cariboo Regional District produces a Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) every 10 years to identify targets for waste reduction and strategies to manage the waste produced in the region.

The last SWMP brought some changes, such as changing several high-use refuse sites to controlled sites and providing household recycling access. Many residents have taken advantage of this access. In 2017, 822 tonnes of household recyclables were collected from the CRD‘s Williams Lake area depots and the City of Williams Lake‘s curbside collection.

That is a lot of material, but when compared to the 10,589 tonnes of garbage sent to the landfill in 2017 from the Williams Lake area, it only amounts to 7 percent.

The ratio is a better, though, when volumes are compared instead of weight. Recyclables diverted in 2017 accounted for 15 to 20 percent of the total waste volume—or 4,644 cubic meters. That is over 40 semitrailers worth of recyclables!

Since there are still a lot of materials in the region‘s waste stream that could be diverted away from our landfills, the next SWMP will identify ways to increase recycling participation. Looking at other examples, most local governments charge for garbage drop off and accept recyclables free. Many also make recycling mandatory and inspect waste by requiring clear garbage bags.

Next year the CRD will carry out waste audits to determine the categories and amounts of divertible waste that are still

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By Tera Grady

being disposed of in CRD landfills. This data will drive the priorities for the next SWMP, so programs can be implemented to effectively reduce the waste disposed of in landfills.

Food and yard green waste typically amounts to 25 to 30 percent of municipal solid waste. The CRD‘s waste audit will provide this data for our region and help us understand what the total benefits and costs would be to divert this organic waste.

When organics are landfilled they produce methane gas, increase landfill leachate production, take up valuable space in the landfill, and cost money to transport.

Additionally, all the nutrients within the food waste are lost when landfilled. These are all good reasons to divert organics, but in a region as large as the CRD with dispersed populations, collection of organics proves to be costly and challenging.

Some of the other waste streams we expect the waste audit to provide data on are textiles, hazardous waste, wood waste, plastics, metals, construction and demolition materials, and other recyclables like electronics, small appliances, and beverage containers.

There are choices and activities that all residents of the CRD could commit to that would greatly reduce the amount and types of waste the region has to manage. Please take responsibility for the waste you and your family generate by following some of the tips below.

1. Say no to single use items, plastic or otherwise.

2. Compost your food and yard waste, either at home or at a local communityrun program.

3. Reduce the amount of plastic packaging you purchase.

4. Recycle.

5. Look for clothing made from natural fibers and make purchases that will last, rather than opting for disposable fashion items.

The CRD will also be looking for your input as we develop our next Solid Waste Management Plan. Stay tuned for more information as we hope to hear from you!

Christmas plastic overwhelm.Photo: www.123rf.com Copyright : Nagy-Bagoly Arpad

By Oliver Berger

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t’ll be a random day at home, a bit chilly outside, and I'll be semi caught-up on typical propertyowner duties. The sun will break through the cloudy or snowy day and I’ll think, ―Now is a good time to get my Christmas tree.‖ I do this in a go-as-you-are fashion, bathrobe, shorts, whatever I am wearing, grabbing my saw before I head out the front door. I'll walk across my driveway and into the ditch by the main road. On the crazy corner where I live there is a small patch of firs, destined for the next mower contract to mulch up for better visibility. A quick two minutes with the saw and one tree is down. It will now live its last days in my living room with random decorations found at the Share Shed or anything around the house with a hook on it. This tree will give us joy until mid-January, or perhaps longer, depending on its resiliency. I love this tradition.

I used to think fake Christmas trees were a good idea. If you consider all the trees cut down every year to be looked at for a few weeks and then thrown away it kind of makes sense to buy something that should last, right?

My eyes were opened once I began working more in depth in the waste world four years ago. I noticed there was always an abundance of fake Christmas trees at our local Share Shed. It doesn't matter what time of year, there is perpetually a couple available.

One year, a Share Shed regular took them home to decorate his front driveway.

With the trees baking in the hot sun, it only took him one summer to realize fake nee-

Trio the Christmas tree stuffy awaits to see if they will suffer the same fate as their artificial tree friends behind them ... will it be another year in the holiday limelight or will it be the infamous landfill graveyard? Photo: Melissa Spitz

dles shed just a quickly as real ones. He brought them all back to the dump.

This year, I decided to bring home some of the Share Shed trees myself and pile them up to get an idea of how many get discarded. What you see in the picture behind me is approximately four to five months‘ worth of unwanted plastic trees, just from one Share Shed in our little town.

I would say on average the Share Shed in Williams Lake receives two to three fake Christmas trees a week.

Now what do I do with them?

Artificial Christmas trees are not recyclable or compostable. They are such an eclectic mix of materials: metals, plastics, light bulbs, wiring, paint, sometimes lead,

and decorations. Worst of all a lot of them contain polyvinyl chloride, aka PVC. PVC is one of the most environmentally offensive forms of non-renewable petroleumderived plastic, also not recyclable.

As time passes, PVC releases dioxins.

These dioxins are seriously toxic. Once they are released into the air or water, they are stored in our fatty tissues. In humans and animals, they cause cancer, neurological damage, and other serious health issues.

From the pile of fake trees in my yard, I will separate what metal I can for recycling to Williams Lake Scrap Metal. The rest of these trees are destined for the landfill, to sit there for the next few generations. Real trees will decompose within three to four

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ooking for something for your holiday reading list? Rocky Mountain Books is pleased to announce the release of two compelling books, Total Transition: The Human Side of the Renewable Energy Revolution, by Sandeep Pai and Savannah Carr-Wilson, and Quenching the Dragon: The Canada-China Water Crisis, by Robert William Sandford.

In Total Transition: The Human Side of the Renewable Energy Revolution, follow the journey of a Canadian and Indian couple as they travel the world to capture the human side of one of the biggest energy transitions of our times—the global shift from fossil fuels to renewables.

In this exciting and provocative new book, readers are taken into the homes of the coal miners who live and work in Jharia, a town in India that has been on fire for the past 100 years due to poor coal mining practices. Life in Jharia is a version of Dante‘s inferno—700,000 people live in the most unimaginable conditions. Yet even though residents of Jharia say they are dying slowly every day, they also say they‘ll never leave. Almost 11,000 kilometres away, in the Canadian oil sands, workers and Indigenous people similarly describe their complex relationship with the industry that employs them. Although fossil fuel extraction is harming the environment and impacting people‘s way of life in

the oil sands region, a much-needed shift to renewable energy could also leave communities without their livelihoods.

Written in the form of a travelogue, Total Transition provides a whirlwind look at the global growth of renewable energy, highlighting exciting developments in solar and wind energy in Canada, India, Africa, and Europe, and discussing hurdles standing in the way of a total transition. Energy experts and leaders of innovative renewable energy projects share hope and opti-

mism about the future of fossil fuel workers and their communities in an increasingly renewable world.

Paperback, $22, Distributed in Canada

by Heritage Group Distribution Find out more: https://rmbooks.com/ book/total-transition/ Rocky Mountain Books is also pleased to announce the release of Quenching the Dragon: The Canada-China Water Crisis,

by Robert William Sandford. In this latest RMB Manifesto, Canadian freshwater ex-

years and will be fuel back to Mother Earth or your backyard.

Sources online state that a single farmed tree can absorb more that one ton of C0 2 throughout its lifetime. I also learned that the Christmas tree farming industry in the US employs over 100,000 people. With numbers like that, they have created acres and acres of a carbon sink purifying air all over the lands. Unbelievably enough it is also stated that real Christmas trees have a recycling rate over 90%. Increasingly, many cities around the world will organize tree pickups so they are composted properly.

When considering what type of tree to go with during your eco-friendly holidays, think local. We are surrounded by thousands of trees. Hydro lines and right-ofways sometimes contain the perfect size and shape of spruce or fir for your living room. These guys are going to get chopped up anyways. One of my friends grabs a Christmas tree from a small herd in the forest, usually picking out the one little fellow that nature would naturally thin out.

We do also have some local Christmas tree growers around and that‘s supporting a local job. Not-for-profit service clubs offer local Christmas trees for sale and some even deliver to your home. Another alternative is to decorate a live indoor plant you already have.

Happy holidays, everyone!

Oliver 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.

pert Robert Sandford takes readers to China and shares what it is like to deal with some of the most intractable freshwater problems in the world.

It all started out innocently enough: an airliner over the Pacific and a flight attendant passing out bottles of water. What those bottles represented, however, was the depth of China‘s notorious bottled-water trade and the short-sightedness of the Government of Canada in declaring Canadian water an agricultural product that can be exported in billions of plastic bottles to China.

Part environmental manifesto, part travelogue, and part diplomatic odyssey, Quenching the Dragon arms readers with vital new perspectives on global hydrology and sustainability in the context of how former and current world leaders frame the most pressing environmental issues of our time. Most tellingly this book points out the remarkable similarities between China and Canada with respect to human rights as they relate to the protection and management of our ever more precious water resources.

Hardcover, $16, Distributed in Canada

by Heritage Group Distribution Find out more: https://rmbooks.com/ book/quenching-the-dragon/ For more info on these and many other titles, visit Rocky Mountain Books at https://rmbooks.com/.

These Cariboo locations are cutting down on their waste by composting or donating their food scraps:

These locations and business are helping the strawless campaign in the Cariboo by only serving straws upon request:

Contact the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society to jump on board.

Who are we missing? Give us a call and show us how your business is helping tackle the worldwide waste problem.

Or ‌tell us how you would like to learn how to help.

Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ccentre@ccconserv.org 250-398-7929 (Tues/Wed) @rattailtrails

By Dr Katie DeGroot, ND

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here is a lot of talk out there about gluten. Some people feel better when they don’t eat it or feel ill when they do. Other times people have been told by their doctor to go gluten-free to improve their health.

But what is gluten, anyway, and how can something so little affect some people so seriously?

Gluten is a protein found within the seeds of three grain species—wheat, barley, and rye. It is also found within any product made from these three ingredients. Gluten is not found within rice, corn, millet, amaranth, quinoa, and similar grains or seeds, so these are considered gluten-free. Oats are sometimes said to contain gluten, but this is not technically true; oats, themselves, do not contain gluten but are frequently processed on the same equipment as wheat, barley, and/or rye. Thus, oats are frequently contaminated with gluten during processing, so assume they contain gluten unless it is specified that they are gluten-free.

The most serious reason some people must avoid gluten is celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which a person‘s immune system reacts abnormally to gluten. When a food containing gluten is eaten, it stimulates that person's immune system and activates an attack against their digestive system.

However, there are other people who do not have celiac disease but still react negatively to gluten-containing foods. This is sometimes called non-celiac gluten sensitivity—it is not an autoimmune condition like celiac disease, but all symptoms improve while following a gluten-free diet.

A major challenge with following a gluten-free diet – for whatever reason – is find-

Fudgy Black Bean Brownies. Photo: Meal Makeover Moms / flickr.com

ing alternate recipes that taste good. Because gluten is such a major component of wheat flour – it is, literally, the glue that holds the baked good together – finding viable baking alternatives can be difficult.

And come the holidays, with all the baked goodies and parties and get-togethers, following a gluten-free diet may seem like an frustrating challenge. So, here are two delish recipes that are both gluten-free and versatile enough to meet most dietary preferences and tastes.

Black Bean Brownies This is a very easy recipe that is not only gluten-free; it contains no grains at all. But to taste it, you wouldn‘t know. I have served these black bean goodies several times and never once been questioned if the main ingredient was anything but flour.

Ingredients 1 540 ml can of black beans, low in salt 3 eggs 2 tablespoon oil, coconut or similar lightflavoured oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, optional 1/2 cup cocoa powder 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 to 3 teaspoons instant coffee, adjusted to taste 1/2 cup chocolate chips Method 1. Drain black beans and rinse thoroughly.

Drip dry, then puree in a food processor or blender. You may need to scrape the edges several times to ensure all the beans are pureed.

2. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla and blend until all ingredients are well mixed.

3. For a Christmassy twist, add some peppermint extract along with the vanilla.

4. In a separate bowl, measure out cocoa powder, sugar, salt, baking powder, and instant coffee, and mix well. Then add to blender and blend until entirely mixed, scraping sides of blender as needed.

5. Finally, add the chocolate chips and blend briefly—long enough to mix the chips throughout the batter but not puree them.

6. Pour batter into greased 8‖x8‖ baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, or until baked through. The finished product will still be moist in the middle, but not wet.

Fruit Crumble Cake This is another very simple, versatile recipe that can be adapted to suit nearly any dietary desire or restriction. It features a crisp, slightly sweet top layer over a naturally sweet fruit bottom. This recipe does require some flour, so you can either use any gluten -free flour (such as millet, rice, or almond

C

ariboo Growers has been the place to go for locally grown meat and produce for many smaller producers in the Cariboo-Chilcotin year-round for ten years.

The store closed its doors on October 31 with a final celebration Harvest Sale enabling the community to enjoy a last feast of excellent local food sold at the Co-op store, operating as a not-for-profit business.

The store was established as an initiative of Interior Health with funding to the Williams Lake Food Policy Council in 2008.

The Growers Co-operative of the CaribooChilcotin was established as the legal entity that would operate the store. Its goal was to provide a marketplace for small farmers and help build the local agriculture community, ultimately strengthening our food security.

In this, the Cariboo Growers store has been a success. Many local community members, businesses, the City of Williams Lake, and the Cariboo Regional District contributed to the store's opening and operation with generous gifts of time, equipment, and supplies.

The Williams Lake Stampede Association gave the store a boost after the 2017 fires and city evacuation, the Red Cross helped, and there have been many other donations over the years. Thank you to all! Your support of the store and local agriculture is appreciated.

Winter months proved to be too big a challenge for the small store. Some producers managed to extend the growing season

Isabella Foote, Lynda Archibald, Francoise Dutoit, Deb Peck, and Brianna van de Wijngaard of the Cariboo Growers Co-op. Photo: Lisa Bland

for fresh greens offering bags of tasty salad mix from late March until November.

Shelves were full of crops such as onions, leeks, carrots, potatoes, and beets. The freezers bulged with meat, fish, berries, and apple juice. But by late winter growers couldn't provide enough to the store. Another challenge was gaining the commitment from co-op members to be involved in the operation of the store—they are all

farmers who have to find extra time and energy to sustain a healthy business.

New growers in the region have begun to produce on a larger scale and as storage and food processing facilities are developed, our region is becoming more food secure. Cariboo Growers Co-op was an important part of the supply chain. The members of Cariboo Growers encourage a new person or group with fresh energy and

flour), or buy a commercially available 1 to 1 gluten-free baking flour (I like Bob‘s Red Mill 1 to 1 All Purpose Baking Flour).

Ingredients Bottom Layer: 6 cups pineapple (or similar fruit) 2 tablespoon corn or tapioca starch 2 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon vanilla 1/8 teaspoon ginger and/or cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon salt Topping: 3/4 cup gluten-free flour 1 cup gluten-free oats 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 to 3 tablespoon brown sugar, to taste 4 tablespoon butter, softened Method 1. In a 9‖x13‖ glass baking dish, layer the fruit so the bottom of the pan is covered by about 1‖ of fruit. If you‘re using canned fruit, add both fruit and juice. If you‘re using fresh fruit, you might need to add a small amount of water to ensure approximately 1 cm of liquid remains at the bottom of the dish.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, corn starch, vanilla, salt, and spices. Mix well, then pour evenly over fruit.

3. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. Then mix in butter until the topping is moistened and the flour turns sticky. Sprinkle this evenly over the fruit until covered.

4. Cook at 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the fruit is soft and bubbling up on the sides of the pan.

5. Enjoy!

Dr Katie DeGroot is a naturopathic doctor who also holds a Master’s of Science in nutrition. She recently opened offices in Williams Lake and 100 Mile House, and is currently accepting new patients at both locations.

ideas to step up to the challenge of providing local food year-round. The store front is available for an exciting new venture, which we hope will display tasty local food products soon. The store's facilities remain in place for a short time and are available for rent or purchase.

The board of directors is confident that, with the right drive and business acumen, a local food retailer could do well in the Williams Lake community, and this would be a great opportunity. The store is turn-key, which would save a new business a lot of time and money getting going, and there is a lot of potential for a diverse business.

There are stainless steel sinks and counters in the store, for example, that could accommodate a certified kitchen space if someone wanted to serve ready-to-eat products.

The board is even willing to consult with a new local food retailer to help them get set up in any way they can, with suppliers, purchasing trends, and any other support they can give to keep the local food movement moving. We look forward to a new business venture in the space that will take the place of Cariboo Growers and continue to bring a wealth of locally diverse food products to the community.

For more information please contact Brianna van de Wijngaard at puddleproduce@gmail.com or (250) 297-0145 or L yn d a Archib ald at fraserbench@xplornet.ca or (250) 297-6326.

By Terri Smith

Photo: Laureen Carruthers

A

s I write this, Amadeus is dying.

That’s not how I wanted to begin, but there it is. I just wanted you to know. If you are reading this, chances are he has touched your life in some way and it’s good to be able to say goodbye.

He‘s gone now. He left late last night. I stayed with him in his nest of hay and blankets and hot water bottles for two days. Our beloved dog, Kasha, stayed with him at night. He was never uncomfortable. He was warm and he slept a lot and when he wasn‘t sleeping he was alert, lying comfortably upright, cuddling with me and keeping me warm as I napped and woke with him in our nest as the rain poured down outside almost ceaselessly for two days and nights. I told him the story of ―The Last Battle,‖ from the Narnia series. It has always been one of my favourites and it talks about what comes after the old Narnia ends and everyone is together in the New Narnia, which is just like the old Narnia only better. ―It‘s like looking out the window of an old house and seeing beautiful green rolling hills and meadows and forest. It's so incredibly beautiful, and then you turn around and catch a glimpse of the same scene in a mirror, and it is somehow even more beautiful and more perfect than what you were just seeing.‖ Yesterday afternoon I told Mom she could go home. She had come to be with me and him. She is so wonderful, my mom. She understands so much how I love him; we are a lot alike. But after a day and a night and with him still hanging on, I found the look of sympathy from Mom made my own pain harder to bear because I didn‘t want her to have to hurt for me. I told Mom I was fine, that I just needed to be alone now, and she understood. We hugged goodbye. She kissed his forehead and she left. I stayed curled up in the hay with him as she drove away. I knew she understood. Some things you need to go through alone.

After she left I stayed with him for another three hours. I read a bit. I tried to sleep. I held him and I cried and I tried to not cry. I talked to him about so many things, about all the joy he has brought to me and to so many others.

Left: Amadeus at two weeks old in 2012. It was the first picture we used for TheGreenGazette and I look like the harried mother of a new baby.

It really was then that I realized his own mother would never take him and that I'd fallen hopelessly in love with my strange and adorable kid.

Middle: Baby Amadeus in his sweater that he had to wear because he wasn't quite ready to be born and arrived with rather less fur than he should have had. Right: Last selfie with Amadeus in October 2018. Amadeus Wolfgang Goatzart-Smith, we will miss you. Photos: Terri Smith

Like when he was still a tiny baby and I brought him a few times to see Grandma at the Senior‘s Village near the end of her life.

She thought he was a lamb. I told her, ―He‘s a goat, Grandma,‖ and she stroked his fur and looked down at him in her lap and laughed, ―Why, you are just like a little goat, aren‘t you?‖ (I think she still didn‘t believe me he wasn‘t a sheep; a sheep made the most sense. After all, who in their right mind raises goats?). She seemed happy holding him, and not only did she love his visits, everyone there who saw him, loved him, completely and immediately. In Williams Lake so many of our elders were ranchers when they were younger and I think many of them missed that connection to animals. Amadeus caused quite a stir every time we came in together, and he happily soaked up all the cuddles as he was passed from person to person, and the smiles and the laughter warmed my heart.

Another time as I carried him in my arms down the street in town, a group of five teenage boys came across our paths.

Before we reached them they were jostling each other and trying to act cool. But as they approached us they saw him and asked, ―What is that?!‖ I said, ―He‘s a little goat.

His mom didn‘t want him so he‘s a bottle baby. Do you want to hold him?‖ And I watched, amazed, as all of them dropped all pretenses and became delighted like little children again. They exclaimed and laughed over him, taking turns holding him and stroking his soft fur.

There are many more examples like this.

Amadeus brought love and delight, and now he is teaching me to let go.

Eventually, as the day turned towards night and he still seemed the same, I wondered what to do. I was beginning to be really cold. He was warm, but I had gotten wet coming and going from his shed, and I was stiff from being curled up in the hay for so long. I cried into his fur and asked aloud, ―What do I do?‖ And the feeling I had was that he wanted me to go. I thought of my own mother, and how when I am really going through something I don‘t really want her with me because to see her in pain over me is harder than dealing with my pain. Earlier in the day our friend Leigh had been out, and she told me that Amadeus was ready to go, but he needed me to let him go. She said he was tired of the sadness. She was right.

He is an animal, and I have put too much humanity onto him. Animals are often better at dying than we are, and they often want to be alone to die. I looked at him and at Kasha and Kasha looked sad and subdued, her oh-so-expressive eyebrows raised at me, and she lay her head on her paws with her nose at Amadeus‘ and sighed. I knew she would stay with him and that he needed to go through this final journey without me.

I kissed his forehead, ―I love you, Amadeus, meinekleineziege,”(it means, ―my little goat‖ in German, and has been my ‗pet‘ name for him since he was tiny). I walked back to the house crying and won-

dering if leaving really was the right thing to do. I came inside and saw a message from earlier from my wonderful friend, Angela, who told me, ―Sometimes people, and I‘m guessing animals, die at that right moment. Sometimes it‘s when no one is there... perhaps he wants to be alone.‖ It felt right. I had a bath to warm up and I cried and I wrote and I thought about how as much as this hurts I wouldn‘t give up one second of the moments I had with him.

He is gone now. But he feels closer to me than ever. He taught us all to love wholeheartedly, and to live in and for the moment. He taught me to appreciate the little things, like the immense happiness that filled me every time I watched him take a drink of water! He won‘t hurt anymore, and I won‘t have to worry for him anymore.

Mark checked on him a few more times.

The second time he was asleep. At around 10 p.m. Mark went out one final time and he was gone.

I went out to him. I kissed his forehead and stroked his fur and said goodbye, and Kasha laid her head against his and I left.

Thank you for being here on this journey with us. Remember him, and be happy with me that we had a silly little goat who was never meant to live as part of our community for six years!

Terri Smith considers herself lucky to have been Amadeus' human mother for these six years. Animals teach us so much and she thanks all of you for taking this journey with her and Amadeus.

(Left) Original artwork by Siobhan Wright, WLSS art teacher. (Right) Medieval Market poster contest finalists from L to R: Nat Kiatsirikulthorn, Jonny Russell, Jay Julius, Sydney Thompson (with winning poster), and teacher, Siobhan Wright holding poster by Rachel Hutter-Tolmie. Photo: Kimberly Nowotny

Submitted by the Medieval Market Committee

―K

ids nowadays.‖ How many of us have heard, or perhaps even uttered this phrase with a tone of frustration or even derision? Although many people argue that ―kids have changed,‖ others truly believe that kids have not changed, but rather the world around them has changed. This is never truer than in the case of the 2018 Medieval Market being held at Lake City Secondary (LCS) in Williams Lake on November 24-25. Back in Medieval times, children would be put to hard service in the houses of other people and would be responsible for cleaning, creating, and cooking. While times have indeed changed and it is true some youth would rather be playing Fortnite than spending a fortnight preparing for the Medieval Market, the students’ involvement in cleaning, creating, and cooking for this artisan showcase exemplifies that the underlying work ethic of youth has not changed much since the Medieval era.

While the Medieval Market is home to an amazing collection of talented musicians and artisans, and is an unparalleled opportunity to immerse oneself in the beauty of the Medieval environment, countless hours of work are needed to ensure that the market lives up to its reputation. Without the involvement and dedication of over 200 students, the market would not be able to thrive as it does each year. Without students involved in the artistic design, music compilation, initial setup, advertising, and general support, the market would not be able to run. From the inception of the official Medieval Market poster, which is designed by art students, to the students who both design and then sell the tickets at the door, and the amazing tapestries that transform an ordinary school environment into a beautiful Medieval showcase, the Medieval Market is truly a student-powered event.

Students assist with the electrical system set up to provide more 90 booths with power and ambient lighting, and they complete all the decorating required to catapult a school into the Medieval Market environ-

ment. Students are on site to help vendors carry truckloads of wares to the appropriate booths. They serve the vendors their ploughman‘s lunch and then sort the waste from the recyclables. Students are also responsible for helping with the preparation, sale, and clean-up of the Medieval Pantry, from which delectable foodstuffs such as cookies, wraps, and soups are sold.

For students who prefer to be less in the wings and more on the stage, they also have the opportunity to display their musical talents as wandering minstrels or by doing a musical set on one of the stages.

The money raised by the market goes directly back into the school as fundraising; students also earn volunteer credits for graduation or financial credit to cover items such as club fees, team expenses, yearbooks, school clothing, and graduation. Every year, money raised through the Medieval Market is used to enrich the students‘ overall school experience. More importantly, the Medieval Market provides students with a situation that allows them to become involved, have a sense of ownership in a pivotal community event, and experience the pride that accompanies a job well done. As well, students garner an appreciation for their building and the effort of the team that makes this market a success with each passing year.

It is definitely true what they say about ―kids nowadays‖; they are forced to adapt and change and evolve, just as their Medie-

val predecessors did, and they are managing to do it with a grace, maturity, and work ethic that has carried forward for centuries.

You are hereby invited to relish the effort of these students while experiencing all that the Medieval Market has to offer.

Come one come all to the Williams Lake Campus of LCS on November 24 and 25 from 10-4 p.m. and prepare to immerse yourself in the music, attire, and food of the Medieval era, while perusing the craftsmanship and artistic expressions of the talented vendors from around the province.

Marijuana seedlings. Photo: 7raysmarketing, pixabay.com

By Jessica Kirby, Senior Editor of TheGreenGazette

―B

race yourselves: Even friendlier Canadians are coming.‖ The excitement was bristly as this and other tongue-in-cheek memes made the social media rounds in October leading up to Canada’s legalization of marijuana—a landmark accomplishment for weed activists, medical consumers, and recreational users country-wide.

The federal government‘s decision to legalize the green was founded in many arguments—medicinal properties, lack of science behind the health risks, and a general sense of confidence that a plant around 3 million Canadians are using anyway ought to be legal because that would weaken the black market. While scientists, medical professionals, and users chipped in to the lively discussion about marijuana‘s medicinal properties – a discussion far too broad and lengthy for this article – there are indeed some hard numbers rolling in about the anti-black market stance and they aren‘t inspiring.

On October 17 – the day legalization kicked in – only 105 government licensed weed stores were open across Canada. Ontario and Nunavut didn‘t open any stores that day, but their online sales services went live, as did others in various provinces. These 105 stores (and the online services) are required to purchase supply from 129 government licensed suppliers, all of whom were growing like there was no tomorrow leading up to the big day. However, most suppliers ran out of stock on the first day meeting 30 to 60 per cent of the demand. This shortfall is in line with predictions outlined in a study by University of Waterloo and the C.D. Howe Institute that says Canada‘s supply will reach 210 tonnes in the first year after legalization, which is about 400 tonnes short of the anticipated 610-tonne demand.

Glitchy websites, mixed up orders, and a straightforward lack of product were behind the shortage, but it was also somewhat contrived. Bruce Linton, CEO of private supplier Canopy Growth Corp., told CBC News that there was ―too much unknown about the market right now to risk a glut of unused supply, while not yet being nimble

enough to meet demand for the most popular products.‖ Caution is a fair strategy, but Sean Malthouse, a customer in St. John‘s, also spoke to CBC and said supply issues could be the biggest problem the government faces: ―These guys are running out of a lot of stuff here already and if that happens, people are going to go back,‖ he said. ―The dealers are never going to do away if you can‘t supply.‖ By far the biggest argument for legal weed was fuel against the black market. If the government could only regulate the production, composition, sale, and distribution of marijuana, everyone will happily jump on board the legal train and ride right over those shady dealers, right?

Bill Blair, Liberal Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction Minister, estimated the black market weed industry in Canada at $6–8 billion annually and has it pegged as a major component of organized crime. ―The sale of cannabis is the easiest money that organized crime makes,‖ said Blair at a town hall hosted by CBC‘s The Current in Ottawa. ―We have created a new, regulated, safer commodities industry in Canada that employs Canadians, creates jobs, growth, and other opportunities in our communities and by displacing this business from criminal enterprise… we‘re creating a new industry that will actually follow some rules, when there‘s oversight, testing, and accountability.‖ Maybe eventually, but for the moment, with the swell of newness still hovering over Canada like a tsunami, there are a few important factors holding back the sweeping reform of black market weed dealers.

For one thing, the price is higher. The ―street‖ price of a gram of green averages about $8.24, but the government rate, which includes an excise tax, is closer to $10, not including $5–10 (depending on the province ) for online shipping fees.

Then there is the risk of jail time for selling without a licence. With the new regulations comes a potential 14-year jail sentence for anyone selling under the radar.

Instead of rendering black market dealers terrified in their basements, this has caused many small dispensary owners to close their doors, which, combined with the supply shortage from licensed facilities, is feeding a rather exuberant dealer network that is more than happy to fill in the gaps.

Don‘t believe it? Vice.com interviewed a number of black-market sellers for an article it published online in October. In it, pseudonym-wearing ―Frank,‖ a blackmarket dealer from Ontario with connections in BC, said he wasn‘t anticipating any interruption in his $300,000 annual salary because of legalization. In fact, because of the collapse of the ―grey market‖ – privately owned dispensaries – and the uptick of sales through social media, his horizons are looking brighter than ever.

Frank also told Vice.com that the government‘s tracking system for unlicensed dealers is useless because most high rollers are young, white, middle-upper class men who fly under the radar. Ironically, the legality of possession up to an ounce will allow dealers to drive around selling ounces all day, he said, adding: ―These guys are just going to f**king kill it for the next two or three years.‖ The government currently disallows weed lounges, which proponents say give adults a safe place to consume away from children (as is the law in most provinces) and regulations on edibles (besides oil) will not be in place until next year. This leaves a number of players in the lurch, facing at least 12 more months of technically illegal activities while they wait for direction from the feds around what the rules will be.

In the meantime, patients who rely on medical marijuana are watching their dispensaries close and dusting off their address books to find out who is still in the game for a quick, easy, cheap connection.

Did Canada make a mistake legalizing the green? Not at all. The war on drugs in the US, which sees thousands incarcerated for petty drug-related crimes, costs the

Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Cannabis in Canada 1. The federal government legalized non-medical cannabis on October 17, 2018.

2. Cannabis is not legal for everyone. The legal age is 18 or 19 yrs. depending on province or territory.

3. Get informed about where you will be able to legally buy or use cannabis in your province or territory.

4. Learn how to recognize legal cannabis.

5. Make sure you store cannabis securely and away from children.

6. If you plan to use cannabis, learn how to use it safely and know the health effects.

7. Don't travel internationally with cannabis. It will remain illegal to take cannabis across the Canadian border.

8. Don’t drive or work high. As with alcohol, driving while impaired by cannabis is illegal.

9. Under the Cannabis Act, access to cannabis for medical purposes will continue for those who have the authorization of their healthcare practitioner.

10.If you have any other questions, get the facts at Canada.ca/Cannabis, the Government of Canada’s hub for cannabis information.

Find out more at: https://www.canada.ca/en/healthcanada/news/2018/06/top-10-things-you-need-toknow-about-cannabis-in-canada.html

health system millions to treat health risks associated with prohibition, and burdens communities with crime related to black market activity is the longest running failed social experiment in history. There is no doubt Canada got it right—but like many things that look shiny on the shelf and like the work of Einstein on paper, the system will take some work before balance is established and justice for all is restored.

By LeRae Haynes

T

he Salvation Army in Williams Lake, with its ever-expanding array of services and programs in the community, is gearing up for a busy winter season that includes warm clothing, great winter activities, and holiday meals for clients, as well as its annual fundraiser: the Christmas kettles.

Coming in January will be a cooking program, teaching people how to budget, cook, and prepare food—stretching a food hamper, according to Lieutenant Dawn Butt, Salvation Army Williams Lake Corps. ―Also coming soon to the drop-in centre is bingo, with fun trinkets to win,‖ she said. ―And we‘re taking clients skating in November—we‘ve already booked the ice rink and have skates set aside for those who don‘t have them.‖ Clients can stop by the comfortable drop-in centre to watch TV in a home setting, play pool and crib, and work out in the gym. There are snacks and coffee at the counter, with popcorn and a movie offered on Thursdays. ―We have several pool tournaments a week that the clients organize themselves, and every day breakfast and lunch is served upstairs in the dining room,‖ said Butt. ―For our clients, this is their safe place.

They keep order, are very protective of it, and keep it clean. This is their home.

There‘s a good degree of fellowship and camaraderie: a real level of respect in here.‖ Besides the food bank and the thrift store, the Salvation Army also provides showers with clean towels and toiletries for those who need them. ―All are invited to our church services if they would like a further connection,‖ she said. ―We offer limited counselling and have the resources to hook people up with further services as needed.‖ ―Narcotics Anonymous meets here twice a week, open to the public as well as to our clients, and we run ongoing Hepatitis C clinics, too. A street nurse and her team come in and do scans—people can choose to get tested on a one-to-one anonymous basis. The nurse is available during lunch to give out information about flu shots and blood pressure. ―Having a street nurse here is very helpful: she builds relationships with our clients.‖ In 2017, the Salvation Army in Williams Lake served 22,641 meals, handed out 1,290 food hampers from the food bank, and issued 665 Christmas hampers to families. ―For our clients, if you need something like furniture or clothing from the thrift store and it‘s not in your budget this month, we can provide vouchers,‖ she continued. ―This service is used every day.‖ The Salvation Army will have five Angel Trees this coming Christmas season.

Set up at Walmart, Canadian Tire, Winners, Kit and Caboodle, and Realm of Toys, the trees provide an opportunity to provide a gift for a child. Anyone who comes in for a food hamper can register for toys for their children. ―We write these suggestions on a paper angel and they get hung on one of the

Nesika Elementary School students Kody Arsenault, Will Austin, David Pierce, and Quintin Salter were recently rewarded for working hard at school by getting to help pack hampers at the Salvation Army Food Bank. Photo submitted by Salvation Army

trees. A shopper chooses an angel, purchases the toy, and leaves it at the customer service counter,‖ Butt said. ―For me as a parent, the best part of the Angel Tree program is that often my own kids will choose an angel and buy a gift for another child. I know other parents whose kids do that, too. A child gets something for Christmas that they wouldn‘t otherwise receive.‖ Throughout the year the Salvation Army sets aside a lot of donated socks, scarves, hats, and mittens for its clients to use in the winter.

The Christmas kettle drive is the only fundraiser the Salvation Army holds, running for the month of December.

Butt said she started doing kettles when she was 12 years old. ―When you see this changing the lives of volunteers for the better, that‘s a ‗God thing.‘ We don‘t need to get splashy about faith,‖ she added. ―God does all that for us.‖ She said they love donations for the food bank and the thrift store and are deeply, eternally grateful for the volunteers who help at the store, in the food bank, and in the kitchen. Volunteers are always welcome, according to Butt, who said that there are kids groups who come for a tour of the food bank and the facilities. ―School classes get to practice putting food hampers together. Some bring food donations on their field trip, and some do a food drive after their tour,‖ she explained. ―Kids are our future when it comes to supporting the community,‖ said Butt. ―If we don‘t start them volunteering and helping when they‘re young, we miss a huge opportunity to involve them when they‘re older. It‘s so important for kids to give back: it helps them make connections as they get older.‖ She said there are benefits going both ways. ―People find doing a Christmas kettle shift positive and rewarding. I‘ve seen such change in people as they do this. It‘s a word, a smile, a response, and an amazing connection to your community. You hear snippets of people‘s lives and of their stories. That‘s why we do it: it‘s all about building relationships. ―It means the world to see how much clients appreciate what we do, and knowing we‘ve been able to help someone. We all have struggles, and no one is less than the next. Sometimes all it takes is reaching out.

Coming in the door is sometimes the biggest step,‖ she said. ―You‘re here, we say, you came. Let‘s see how we can help.‖ On a personal note, I can say this rings true from the bottom of my heart. A couple of years ago I went through a time of great loss and grief that had me reeling. I looked every day for something that made me ‗sparkle,‘ even for a moment: a hug from a child, a satisfying project completed, visits from my kids, and of course, music.

I looked for ways to bring joy to other people; sometimes that helped the most. A friend told me the Salvation Army was in need of volunteers for the Christmas kettle

drive, so I put in my name as a volunteer.

A nice lady asked me to email her some available time slots I had, so I sent her 12 to choose from. She chose them all! I burst out laughing, and thought, ‗Well, why not?‘" What a gift those shifts were to me.

That holiday season went from something I had been dreading to something I will cherish forever. I invited friends to join me at every kettle and we made music. Guitars, ukuleles, and joyous noisy voices: how wonderful!

We interspersed Christmas tunes with Bob Dylan, Creedance Clearwater Revival, Three Dog Night, and The Band.

We sang about Rudolph, Frosty, and Whiskey in the Jar. Shoppers danced their carts down the aisle and cashiers sang along.

I found the kettles so beneficial that I also arranged to play music at a local church on Christmas Eve and dish out warm food to people in the park Christmas Day with a wonderful group of volunteers.

Singing and making music lifts your heart and makes you feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally with every note, every phrase, every burst of laughter at the kettles. Because who expects a medley with Bob Segar and ―Silent Night‖? I could feel my heart lift, my soul grow stronger, and my spirit start to heal.

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer, song writer, community co-ordinator for Success by 6, member of Perfect Match dance band, and instigator of music with kids.

By Guy Dauncey

I

continue to be obsessed with the urgency of the climate crisis, at the expense of my other main project, the book I’m writing on The Economics of Kindness: The Birth of a New Cooperative Economy. This summer’s forest fires and smoke-filled skies must surely have left many people asking, ―What will it take to finally end the climate delay and start doing something to tackle this growing emergency?‖ Climate denial comes in three shades: red, pink, and purple. Red is full-on denial; it says that it‘s all a hoax. Pink says for sure the climate‘s changing, but we don‘t yet know if humans are causing it. Yes we do, and yes we are. Purple acknowledges that the crisis is real, but finds reasons for not doing anything, apart from a small carbon tax, because (the favourite excuse) it might harm the economy.

In a CBC radio broadcast the other day a commentator said, ―The reason we are not seeing more climate action is because too many people think the solutions will be worse than the impacts.‖ I understand that readers of TheGreenGazette need no persuading about the dangers we face. Far too often am I told, ―You are preaching to the choir.‖ But did you ever listen to a badly-rehearsed choir?

When you are inspired by a wonderful choir, whether a male-voice a-cappella choir, a children‘s choir, or the chorus in Beethoven‘s ―Ninth,‖ they have rehearsed their parts for months, tuning their voices to create harmonious, soul-wrenching music.

So, let us do the same. Let us create soul-wrenching climate music. Our climate chorale, to be shared in public meetings and random encounters all over the province, has six short movements.

The first is about crisis, in the struggling key of C sharp minor. It conveys the dangers we face due to the increasing intensity of forest fires, droughts, storms, deluges, and hurricanes, and the long-term ominous threat of global sea-level rise, inundating – among other parts of the

Photo: Sergey Nivens, Shutterstock photo ID:1080244694

world – large areas of Metro Vancouver.

Famine, drought-related warfare, droughtand flood-fleeing refugees, species extinction, the rapid vanishing of insects—these are all chords in this troubling chorus of collapse.

The second movement changes to a quiet A minor. In contrast to the shock and fear, it paints a musical image of rural calm in which all of our food is being grown organically on rural farms, with no loss of yields, abundantly storing carbon in the soil; all our forests are being managed sustainably using ecoforestry principles, storing yet more carbon; and our cities, towns, and villages are filled with urban greenery, safe separated bike lanes, happy pedestrian spaces, successful green businesses, abundant art, and deep cultural satisfaction.

What‘s not to like?

The third movement is about transportation, in the easy key of C. As well as electric bikes, the buses are also electric, costing more to buy but less to run, with the investment covering itself in the 12year lifetime of the bus; the cars are all electric, too, for by 2025 a new electric car will cost the same as a conventional car

Submitted by the WLCCSC

the challenge of a long climb (with 125 m elevation gain) and some steep downhill sections, the variety in the 28 km of trails at Bull Mountain allows you to choose routes that suit you best.

Park in our large lot, walk a few steps to our warming hut where you can gear up, check the large trail map and thermometer near the fire pit, and head out to enjoy the trails! If you forget to grab a printed trail map from the warming hut, you‘ll appreciate our trail signs and maps located at each trail intersection.

T

he Williams Lake CrossCountry Ski Club is partnered with Recreation Sites and Trails BC (Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations) and maintains and operates the Bull Mountain Cross-Country Ski & Snowshoe area, which is located 16 km north of Williams Lake.

The Bull Mountain trail network includes 28 km of well-groomed trails and cross trails. We groom a wide inside skating lane and two outside classic tracks. We have 3.5 km of lit trails for night skiing, 3km of designated dog trails, and 11 km of snowshoe trails. We offer a wide variety of trails for all skiing abilities. Whether you are wishing for a gentle ski, or a social afternoon with friends on undulating trails, or

and have a range of 400 km with easy recharging everywhere; even the short-haul trucks, ferries, and flights are electric, and as battery technology improves their ranges will increase. What‘s to fear? It‘s a transition, just like the one we made from horses to cars in three short decades from 1890 to 1920.

The fourth movement is about electricity, in the key of F sharp major. It sings of the vast and affordable potential of wind and solar, of our huge geothermal potential, of all the energy we can save when we switch to power-saving lightbulbs and appliances, of the Tesla storage batteries we can use to balance the grid and keep the juice flowing, and of how even when we switch all our transportation to electric, we can still have enough power to keep the lights on. Anything to fear here? No, nothing but inspiration and plenty of jobs.

The fifth movement is about our buildings, in the homely key of G major. It sings of affordable homes built so efficiently to a Passive House standard, costing only 5% more, that they are always warm in winter, cool in summer, and have no heating bills, since they need no external source of heat

Photo courtesy of the Williams Lake Cross Country Ski Club

For more information, check out our website at williamslakecrosscountryskiclub.ca, or visit our Facebook page - Williams Lake Cross Country Ski Club. We welcome new members, day users, and inquiries. Better yet, come and visit us in person at our Open House/Ski Swap at the Williams Lake Public Library Meeting Room November 24, 2018 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

apart from one small heat-recovery ventilator. It sings of the progress in Brussels, Belgium, where every new building, large or small, has been built to this standard since 2015, with much contentment and no complaints.

Our chorus concludes with a powerful call to action in the key of D major, urging us to claim this incredible possibility, this world in which we can yet find harmony with nature and ourselves. It reprises the first movement‘s anguish and fear, and then returns with a 21st century version of Beethoven‘s ―Ode to Joy,‖ urging each of us to do whatever we can to hasten the arrival of this glorious future in which we flourish without destroying forests, assaulting nature, or needing fossil fuels. The program notes urge us to sing of hope, not fear, and they include a list of local groups and resources, and the contact details for your MP, MLA, and municipal councillors, urging you to set up a meeting and talk to them in person about your hopes, your fears, and the crucial need for action in this urgent time of climate crisis.

Guy Dauncey is author of Journey to the Future: A Better World is Possible, set in the year 2032.

See www.thepracticalutopian.ca.

The WL Wanderers leave the Sam Ketcham Complex at 9 a.m. on Tues., Wed., and Thurs. Arrive at 8:45 to get organized and to fill out a membership form and pay the $10 annual fee if you wish to become a member. Once you're a member, you‘ll receive emails with schedule and schedule changes. Updates also avail. on Facebook.

Thurs., Nov. 8 - Lyne Creek to Soda Creek Band Office hike Tues., Nov. 13 - Old Cabin walk Wed., Nov. 14 - Bull Mtn. Forestry walk Thurs., Nov. 15 - Dog Gone Trail walk Tues., Nov. 20 - Spanish /Shuttlebunny Trails hike Wed., Nov. 21 - Borland Creek walk Thurs., Nov. 22 - South Lakeside trail Tues., Nov. 27 - Bond Lake walk Wed., Nov. 28 - Snap/Berracouga Trails Thurs., Nov. 29 - Kitchen Sink/Bellie Acres Trails All activities are subject to change according to weather conditions.

By Sage Birchwater

T

he Southern Dãkelh Nation Alliance (SDNA) is poised to expand its capacity to manage its traditional lands and resources in co-operation with the federal and provincial governments.

The Alliance, based in the Carrier Chilcotin Tribal Council CCTC offices in Williams Lake, was formalized in April 2017 when Lhoosk‘uz Dené Nation, Lhtako Dené Nation, Nazko First Nation, and Ulkatcho First Nation made the decision to band together to work as a Nation to advance their Aboriginal title and rights and to bring benefits to their communities.

Historically, the Southern Dãkelh Nation occupied a wide swath of Central British Columbia from the Alberta border to the Central Coast. The Nuxalk-Dãkelh Grease Trail followed by Alexander Mackenzie in 1793 served as a primary link uniting the four Nations between the Fraser River and the tidewater of the Pacific.

In July 2018, the SDNA signed a Foundation Framework Agreement with the Province of British Columbia, and a Memorandum of Understanding with Canada for recognition of rights and reconciliation.

Shawn Holte, lead negotiator for the SDNA, says the Dãkelh name for the two agreements is Hubulhsooninats‘ Uhoot‘ Alh, meaning ―Together we will fix it.‖ Holte says that the negotiations with the two senior levels of government have been very positive. ―Now the work is starting,‖ he says.

Chief Liliane Squinas-Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation, Chief Betty Cahoose-Ulkatcho First Nation, Chief Clifford Lebrun-Lhtako Dené Nation, and Chief Stuart Alec-Nazko First Nation signing the Memorandum of Understanding on July 22, 2018 with Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations. Photo: Tammy Keith

The agreements provide multi-year economic certainty for SDNA to hire professionals and engage members of the four communities. One of their goals is to build capacity both internally and with non-First Nations neighbours to develop a land and resource stewardship plan.

Holte explains that SDNA‘s goal is to effectively and sustainably manage the natural resources and land base across Southern Dãkelh Territory.

This process will involve collecting data such as traditional land use occupancy information and engaging with members, Dãkelh knowledge holders, and language speakers.

T

he Facts Populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians have, on average, declined in size by 60 percent in just over 40 years.

The biggest drivers of current biodiversity loss are overexploitation and agriculture, both linked to continually increasing human consumption.

Given the interconnectivity between the health of nature, the well-being of people, and the future of our planet, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) urges the global community to unite for a global deal for nature and people to reverse the trend of biodiversity loss.

Humanity and the way we feed, fuel, and finance our societies and economies is pushing nature and the services that power and sustain us to the brink, according to WWF‘s ―Living Planet Report 2018.‖ The report presents a sobering picture of the impact of human activity on the world‘s wildlife, forests, oceans, rivers, and climate, underlining the rapidly closing window for action and the urgent need for the global community to collectively rethink and redefine how we value, protect, and restore nature.

The ―Living Planet Report 2018‖ presents a comprehensive overview of the state of our natural world, through multiple indicators including the Living Planet Index (LPI), which examines trends in global wildlife abundance. Tracking 16,704 populations of 4,005 vertebrate species, the LPI finds that global populations of mammals,

World on the edge of a cliff.

Photo:123rf.com, Stephanos Christodoulou

birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians have declined, on average, by 60 percent between 1970 and 2014, the most recent year with available data.

The top threats to species identified in the report are directly linked to human activities, including habitat loss and degradation and overexploitation of wildlife. ―This report sounds a warning shot across our bow,‖ says Carter Roberts, president and CEO of WWF-US. ―Natural systems essential to our survival – forests, oceans, and rivers – remain in decline.

Wildlife around the world continue to dwindle. It reminds us we need to change course. It‘s time to balance our consumption with the needs of nature, and to protect the only planet that is our home.‖ Over recent decades, human activity has also severely impacted the habitats and natural resources wildlife and humanity depend on, such as oceans, forests, coral reefs, wetlands, and mangroves. The Earth is estimated to have lost about half of its shallow water corals in the past 30 years

The SDNA is seeking out good people who want to work with them to realize the vision and goals set out in their agreements with Canada and the Province. ―It‘s a chance for professionals to further their careers and work with other professionals on staff,‖ says Holte. ―We need the best people. We want to capitalize on the great work that‘s been done, and being done, and take it to the next level.‖ To date, the SDNA has hired land and resource officer Karen Kubiski, who is a vegetation ecologist, and are in the process of hiring a traditional land use (TLU) social scientist and an accounting assistant. The SDNA team also includes Executive Assis-

and 20 percent of the Amazon has disappeared in just 50 years. ―From rivers and rainforests, to mangroves and mountainsides, across the planet our work shows that wildlife abundance has declined dramatically since 1970,‖ says professor Ken Norris, director of science at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the organization responsible for providing the LPI. ―The statistics are scary, but all hope is not lost,‖ he says. ―We have an opportunity to design a new path forward that allows us to co-exist sustainably with the wildlife we depend upon. Our report sets out an ambitious agenda for change. We are going to need your help to achieve it.‖ The ―Living Planet Report 2018‖ also focuses on the value of nature to people‘s health and that of our societies and economies. Globally, nature provides services worth around $125 trillion a year, while also helping ensure the supply of fresh air, clean water, food, energy, medicines, and more.

A roadmap for action on nature - for 2020 and beyond Evidence shows that the two agendas for the environment and human development must converge if we are to build a sustainable future for all. The ―Living Planet Report 2018‖ highlights the opportunity the global community has to protect and restore nature leading up to 2020, a critical year when leaders are expected to review the progress made on landmark multilateral pacts to solve global challenges

tant Tammy Keith and Business Officer Ray Joubert.

Job opportunities remain for a human resource administrator, communications officer, geospatial analyst, and stewardship forester. ―We‘re currently in year two of our five -year Strategic Plan,‖ Holte says. ―The four communities are committed to working together for the interest of their members and future generations.‖ The SDNA connects with community members and provides updates twice a year in sessions held in Nazko, Ulkatcho, and Quesnel. The most recent community update meetings were held this past September.

The chiefs of the four bands are the directors of the SDNA, Holte says. They are Chief Betty Cahoose of Ulkatcho First Nation, Chief Stuart Alec of Nazko First Nation, Chief Clifford Lebrun of Lhtako Dené Nation, and Chief Liliane Squinas of Lhoosk‘uz Dené Nation.

To learn more about the Southern Dãkelh Nation Alliance, please visit www.dakelh.ca.

This article was previously published

by Black Press on Oct 26, 2018. Reprinted with permission from the author.

Sage Birchwater moved to the CaribooChilcotin in 1973. He spends his time freelancing, authoring books, and with Caterina, hanging out with their dog and cat, gardening, and being part of the rich cultural life that is the Cariboo-Chilcotin Coast.

including the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Hope is not lost, but urgent action is needed. Recent population increases in giant pandas, mountain gorillas, and the critically endangered dolphins of the Mekong River show that sustained conservation efforts work. National-level action like the US Endangered Species Act, which since enacted in 1973, has helped an estimated 99 percent of listed species avoid extinction, demonstrates what is possible when wildlife conservation and biodiversity are prioritized. A global deal for nature, similar to the Paris Climate Agreement, can ensure that effective conservation methods continue, and more ambitious goals are set.

WWF is calling on people, businesses, and governments to mobilize and deliver on a comprehensive framework agreement for nature and people under the CBD. This can galvanize public and private action to protect and restore global biodiversity and nature and bend the curve on the devastating trends highlighted in the report.

The ―Living Planet Report 2018‖ is the 12th edition of WWF's biennial flagship publication. Through indicators such as the LPI, the Species Habitat Index (SHI), the IUCN Red List Index (RLI), and the Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII), as well as Planetary Boundaries and the Ecological Footprint, the report paints a singular disturbing picture: human activity is pushing the planet‘s natural systems that support life on Earth to the edge.

By Vanessa Moberg, CCCS Coordinator

I

n August, my husband Robert and I were thrilled to receive an invitation from Adventure Canada to act as media team for the ―Into the Northwest Passage‖ voyage.

What an exquisite place the Arctic is!

The vistas are infinitely stark, yet stunning at the same time. Upon first glance, the mountains and valleys seem equally devoid of all life. Yet, as we strolled through these valleys and bent down to look, we found lush, miniature worlds of diverse plant life – the tiniest lichens, flowers, and fungi – all of which persist despite the harshest conditions on Earth.

Swimming through the turquoise oceans or flying through the sapphire skies, there was a tremendous array of wildlife: polar bears, bowhead whales, humpbacks, orcas, narwhal, walrus, seals, and many species of seabirds.

We were probably most affected by the Inuit. As we walked through Qikiqtarjuaq, a tiny community of 600 off of eastern Baffin Island, a group of girls gathered around me, played with my hair, touched my face, discussed my freckles, and asked politely to play with my camera. These were some of the warmest, most welcoming people we‘ve ever met, despite the untold hardships they‘ve suffered as a result of colonialism.

The Arctic also gave us a rare opportunity to witness climate change up close.

The most obvious evidence came in a Greenlandic community called Ilulissat.

Adjacent to the town, one of the fastest and most active ice streams in the world flows down from the Jakobshavn glacier. One of only a few places where the Greenland ice sheet reaches the sea, it produces ten percent of Greenland‘s calf ice and contrib-

By Vanessa Moberg

I

guess by now you’ve heard that Amazon’s Jeff Bezos is the richest man in modern history. It seems that online shopping is here to stay, and retail operations everywhere are struggling to survive. Whoever thought Sears would shut down? It’s ironic, really, considering it was the original mail -order company. Heck, I’m still mourning the loss of Blockbuster video. The act of going to the store, browsing the aisles genre by genre, and picking out your snack was all part of the Friday night experience.

A few years ago, it was thought that online shopping had a lower carbon footprint than brick and mortar stores. Studies have suggested that driving your car to the store to buy one item is far less efficient than having one truck delivering many packages to multiple households. However, I‘ve been reading lately that it may not necessarily be that simple.

As Miguel Jaller wrote on December

Left: Three humpbacks surface at the ice fields in Ilulissat, Greenland. Right: Ilulissat Icefjord from Jakobshavn Glacier, Greenland.

Photos: Vanessa Moberg

utes to sea level rise. It has been studied for 250 years, has helped us understand climate change, and has earned itself UNESCO World Heritage status.

It is impossible to capture this vast icefield photographically, even with the widest of lenses. And its power was humbling—due to unpredictable calving ice, there were signs on a nearby beach indicating extreme danger from potential tsunami waves. Because of the rich mineral content of the glacial till coming down with the ice, the areas directly around the icefields create rich feeding grounds giving us some amazing humpback viewing opportunities.

Maybe due to the acoustics of the deep underwater walls of ice, we were able to hear them talking to each other—just magical. Days after leaving Ilulissat, we were still sailing among its massive bergs, many of them far larger than I‘d ever seen in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Back in the Canadian Arctic, we learned how climate change is affecting wildlife and people. We were told that polar bears – the poster children of climate change – are suffering increased emaciation, decreased reproductive output, increased cannibalism, and more frequent den collapses, which kill mother and cubs inside. With sea ice moving out earlier in the season – an average of 18 days earlier in Hudson Bay – certain seabirds are being forced to change their diets completely.

The early disappearance of sea ice also means orcas are moving farther north – we saw a large pod at Cape Hay – so narwhal predation has increased.

The Inuit are also victims of climate change, possibly more so than most other people on the planet. They report that people are falling through ice and dying where they never used to before. The nowvulnerable narwhal is a vital food source for the most remote Arctic communities.

Melting permafrost is affecting hunting routes and infrastructure. Some Inuit communities are even being relocated. During one particularly slippery walk at Sirmilik National Park, we learned firsthand that permafrost becomes very muddy when it melts and this will affect Arctic animal migrations.

This trip was inarguably enriching and remarkable, but Robert and I – along with most people aboard the ship – were acutely aware of our expedition‘s carbon impact.

For its part, Adventure Canada works closely and earnestly with many non-profit organizations such as Students on Ice, the Inuit Heritage Trust, Project North, and the Explorers Club. The organization also applies a ―Discovery Fund‖ fee to each traveller‘s tour cost which, according to the website, ―directly assists local and national organizations involved with social and economic community development along with environmental and wildlife preserva-

tion‖. On our trip, there was even a citizen science program where passengers carried rulers and cameras with them to document plastic pollution found along the beaches.

Plastic was indeed found, even in the remotest fjords.

Adventure Canada also hires qualified interpreters for each trip—this particular expedition included a marine biologist, seabird specialist, botanist, naturalist, archaeologist, geologists, and culturalists.

These professionals give lectures on various environmental topics. This expedition was an Arctic immersion, truly calling upon us to pay attention.

When I asked one of the geologists, John England, how he personally reconciles the carbon impact of these expeditions, he said it‘s about giving the Arctic a voice, so we can bear witness to the impacts of climate change. As Adventure Canada puts it, its team is ―fostering a new generation of polar stewards,‖ and Robert and I would now count ourselves firmly among them.

21, 2017 in a vox.com article, the final stretch of the distribution chain – the one reaching our home – is nowadays being serviced by delivery trucks, which are larger than cars, less fuel-efficient, and contribute to heavier traffic congestion in residential areas, noise pollution, and air pollution. And even if delivery trucks did have a lower carbon footprint than driving to the store ourselves, any gains are completely negated when we choose the ―rush‖ shipping option (which usually means multiple shipments) or opt to return a purchase.

Then there‘s the practice of driving to a store to ―shop‖ (ask questions, try things on) and then going home to order the product online anyway. I‘ll exclaim a hearty ―ouch!‖ on behalf of small retailers everywhere, which brings me to the socioeconomic impacts of online shopping. Our local businesses are employers and taxpayers, and quite often support our town with charitable causes, volunteerism, and creating a sense of community through events and promotions. They may not have the same unlimited selection that can be found

online, but many local businesses are happy to special order something for you if they don‘t have it. This usually involves a more consolidated shipping option than having single packages delivered to the home.

As the retail world rapidly restructures before our eyes, we do see a silver lining—it‘s known as the main street movement. People are growing weary of their gadgets and craving real-life experiences. At some point, the match.com emails have to evolve into a real-life café conversation.

People are desperate to connect. They are happily visiting smaller shops to experience more personalized service. They feel good about shopping local and supporting the local economy. They embrace the culture that radiates from the carefully curated storefronts. Downtowns are a reflection of who we are as a community and, all across the world, main streets are enjoying a resurgence.

So, if you‘d like to consume with a conscience this Christmas season, we rec-

ommend taking a whole day to do all your shopping at once. Park your car and walk from shop to shop. There are seven free City parking lots in the downtown: First Avenue South and Yorston, Second Avenue North and Proctor, Third Avenue North and Cameron, Third Avenue South by Paradise Cinemas, Yorston Street by Joey‘s Grill, MacKenzie Avenue by Oliver‘s Pub, and one in Spirit Square.

If you‘d really like to reduce your impact, walk or bike to the downtown. There are bike racks on First Avenue, Third Avenue, and Oliver Street.

This Christmas, give the Earth – and your community – the gift of shopping local.

Vanessa was living and working in Newfoundland & Labrador until a Cariboo man, local filmmaker Robert E. Moberg, stole her heart in 2014. Interested and involved in environmental causes all of her life, she was tickled to be offered the position of Coordinator with the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society in late 2016.

Vanessa Moberg is the marketing director at the Downtown Williams Lake Business Improvement Association. She is a conservationist who also happens to hold a business degree. Her two passions intersect in the shop local movement.

By Nicola Finch

M

ost of us are familiar with the role and function of a birth doula, but you may be hearing another term that is not so familiar. Death doulas are people who serve the dying and their families.

It is a relatively new title, and some practitioners prefer to soften the description by calling themselves end of life doulas. In a few words, a death doula or end of life doula provides non-medical care and support to the dying person and the people who love them throughout the dying process and often beyond, guiding the family through a home funeral or assisting with the complexities of 'what's next' when someone we love has died.

Death doulas often work with dying people on their advance care plans and their legacy projects and can facilitate difficult conversations with family and loved ones.

A death doula is there to empower the dying person to achieve the best death possible. Doulas also work to empower our communities with knowledge and the understanding that we as the family (whoever we call family) have the right and the skills to care for our own at the end.

In the last century, death in the dominant North American culture has become removed from our lives. Many of us have never seen a dead body or witnessed a loved one dying. Or, if we have been at the bedside of a dying person, often the body is whisked away to be tended to by hospital personnel and funeral industry professionals. Most of these professionals are lovely,

caring people or they wouldn't be in this line of work, but they are 'professionals,' and they are strangers to our dead.

Death doulas want to return the natural and inevitable process of dying and death into our everyday lives and into the hands those who have always loved us.

There are different schools of thought on how we move forward with this work.

Wherever possible, death doulas are working with, not against, the long-established businesses and organizations who currently serve the dying such as funeral directors and hospice organizations.

As yet, there are no accrediting bodies for death doulas in Canada or the US. Some groups are working hard to change that.

Other doula organizations feel that it is the right and responsibility of people to care for their loved ones within their own family and community without adding yet another layer of ‗professionalism.‘

There are trained doulas who choose to offer their services only to family and friends. Others will volunteer in their communities, and some prefer to set up private practice where they will charge for their services to the dying and their families.

There are hundreds of reputable resources available online, including individuals, organizations, schools, and training.

Cariboo Community Deathcaring Network in Williams Lake is working to increase death literacy in the region and to encourage each other as we build an holistic community deathcaring network in the Cariboo. Angela Gutzer and I, the two founding members, are trained as death doulas.

Angela is transitioning from her 11-year career as a veterinarian to pursue her passion for holistic deathcaring of people and pets. Angela has a particular interest in guiding families through the home funeral process. She completed ITM‘s extensive Contemplative End of Life Care Program. (http://itmworld.org/ceolc).

I bring my online expertise to the Network along with decades of involvement with deathcaring, personally and professionally, with a particular interest in death literacy through education. I took my death doula training at Douglas College taught by the co-founder of the End of Life Doula Association of Canada. ( https:// www.douglascollege.ca/programs-courses/ continuing-education/health/end-of-lifedoula) Angela and I would be happy to answer your questions about all things dying and death related. What we don't know, we will find out or direct you to local resources.

Our Cariboo Community Deathcaring Network is hosting regular Death Cafés in

Williams Lake as well as planning workshops, festivals, and a Death Symposium for the coming year. We are a new group and reaching out to connect with others who are interested in rekindling a culture that recognizes and responds to death and dying in natural and meaningful ways.

We invite you to join the conversation.

Death Café, Wednesday, November 21 at the Hobbit House in Williams Lake 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Advance Care Planning Workshop, Saturday, November 24 from 1 to 4 p.m. in Williams Lake, Open Studio at the Central Cariboo Arts Centre. Advance care planning is a process that supports you and your family in preparing to make decisions about your future health care. Join us for this workshop and learn how to make your own advance care plan.

Follo w u s on Faceboo k at www.facebook.com/CCDCNetwork/ for updates.

Visit our website at deathtalk.strikingly.com Contact Nicola@deathtalk.ca or angela.gutzer77@gmail.com Nicola Finch lives off-grid in a remote area west of Williams Lake. She and her husband are co-owners of Touch Wood Rings.

They offer custom handcrafted wooden rings including wooden memorial rings inlaid with the ashes of a loved one. Nicola’s passion is holistic end-of-life care, from the work of death doulas to Green burials. She is a founding member of the Cariboo Community Deathcaring Network.

Contact nicola@deathtalk.ca or find her on Facebook @greenburialbc @touchwoodringsand @CCDCNetwork.

By LeRae Haynes

L

aketown Furnishings in Williams Lake represents the best of small -town businesses, providing stellar customer service, supporting a vibrant, diverse community, and working to protect the planet.

The store opened its doors in Williams Lake in June 1971. Current owner Bob Sunner grew up in the store and said when he and his brother were very young they played tag in the store and a lamp got broken. ―I‘m still paying it off,‖ he said.

After finishing school in Vancouver in 1991, Sunner returned to Williams Lake to work in the store to help out his dad, who wasn‘t feeling well. And he‘s been here ever since.

Over the years he said he‘s seen big changes in the community. ―Small business owner-operators are getting older now, and a lot of young people leave the small business community to take jobs in resource industries because they pay so well,‖ he explained. ―It can be very challenging to attract young people to small business. We made the decision to bring in families from out of the country to settle in Williams Lake and go to work.‖ Thanks to their efforts, these young families have become part of the community. Hard-working young people have been trained to provide excellent customer

Bob Sunner of Laketown Furnishings believes in investing in people and local, sustainably sourced BC and Canadian products. Photo: Lisa Bland

service while making Williams Lake a more vibrant and diverse community.

Another change he has seen is people becoming more environmentally conscious, caring about how the products they buy are made and where they‘re from—a true concern for social conscience and for the footprint left behind.

―We buy our products from places throughout BC and Canada, including 100 Mile House, Quebec, Abbotsford, Ontario, Vancouver, and Winnipeg,‖ said Sunner. ―This leaves behind a lower carbon footprint. We know who built these products and know the labour force was not exploited or mistreated—they receive a decent wage. This also keeps the money local and going back into our own economy.‖ He said people are starting to realize that they support their local economy when they support their local businesses. ―When they spend their money strategically, local businesses hire more people and create more prosperity,‖ he added. ―They‘re also worried about child labour and workplace safety, as well as regulations regarding building products. In Canada, we‘re subject to higher standards and are subject to environmental protection and consumer safety.‖ From the beginning, Laketown has been ahead of the curve, seeking out Canadian products, which are higher quality.

Sunner explained that box stores, by contrast, import foreign-made products, which they can sell less expensively with mini-

mum conversation required with customers. ―They don‘t want to invest in employee product knowledge when marketing is simple: three hours training is enough. ―Our staff is trained to design a piece of furniture with a customer no matter how long it takes. You can choose your own couch or chair covering with hundreds of choices—leather or fabric.‖ He said you can choose your own foam density, with the assurance that most of the foams are bio-foams, which are soy based, reducing the use of petroleum products. ―We believe in ‗renewable,‘‖ he said.

Product training is constant and ongoing at Laketown, and they stand behind every product they sell. ―We believe in investing in our people and are with you for the entire life of the product you purchase, whether you need to replace or repair. We believe that a good quality product is when you want to replace it, not that you have to,‖ he continued. ―Reducing our footprint on the planet will ensure that future generations enjoy a bright future.‖ Sunner is immersed in the volunteer community, including Community Policing, Citizens on Patrol, Toastmasters, and the Williams Lake Business Improvement Association. ―It‘s important to me to volunteer because it builds a better community,‖ he said.―I enjoy the positive energy of fellow volunteers and interacting with friends and neighbours.‖ ―I believe that many volunteer activities offer opportunities for personal growth not available in everyday life.‖ Stop by Laketown Furnishings for many green choices in furniture, kitchen ware, bedding, large and small applicances, and other specialty items. Laketown Furnishing carries eco-products such as organic latex mattresses, duvet inserts, Canadian goose down duvets and pillows, as well as BC made couches and wood furniture. For more information, visit www.laketownfurnishings.com, stop by 99 2nd Ave North, or phone (250) 392-6933.

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer, song writer, community co-ordinator for Success by 6, member of Perfect Match dance band, and instigator of music with kids.

By Pat Teti

I

t’s the peak of autumn squash season as I write this, but you might be reading it when most pumpkins are in landfills and scarce on store shelves. Fortunately, they preserve well by freezing and canning so if you’re lucky, you’ve got some that you’ve put away. Otherwise, you can try this recipe with storebought canned pumpkin and make a mental note to buy some for cooking next fall.

For years I thought of pumpkins only as a craft medium for Halloween sculpting.

Now, after a number of kitchen experiments, I see jack o‘lanterns as a waste of food. Baked pumpkin is delicious added to soups, sauces, and bread and it‘s easy to make. I‘ve read that regular pumpkins aren‘t as good to eat as smaller ―specialty‖ varieties, but the ones I‘ve bought at Save On Foods from Horsting Farms have always been delicious. Just rinse the outside, cut in half, scoop out the seeds, and bake at 325 degrees F until soft—about an hour.

The seeds can be prepared separately after removing them from the other pulpy stuff by baking them for about a half hour at 250 degrees F then coating them with a bit of oil and salt. I like using a pumpkin with a diameter less than 10 inches so it will fit flat side down on an oiled cookie sheet. You can bake a larger pumpkin by cutting it in smaller pieces. When cool, scoop the flesh out of the shell with a large spoon, including the watery liquid that comes out in baking. Mash it like potatoes and freeze what you don‘t need in small plastic bags.

You‘ll find an amazing number of

L: Pumpkin pita and flatbreads. R: Reheating pumpkin pitas in a wood stove. Photos: Pat Teti

You‘ll find an amazing number of pumpkin recipes on the internet. Just search for ―pumpkin cookies‖ or pumpkin anything, including bread, soup, casserole, cake, or soufflé. If you like to experiment, they can be substituted for other starchy vegetables in most recipes. For example, how about pumpkin with cranberries instead of mashed potatoes at Christmas dinner?

Here‘s a recipe that I found online and modified. One of the things I like about it is that the only source of water is what‘s in the pumpkin. The result is a surprisingly soft dough that‘s easy to knead and has an undiluted pumpkin flavour.

If you want to make this as a quickbread there are plenty of recipes on the internet but, I like this yeasted version with a long, slow ferment.

Ingredients (Makes 16) For the initial mix 3 cups of pumpkin, mashed or pureed

3 cups whole wheat flour ¼ cup vegetable oil 1/8 teaspoon yeast, for 2- to 3-day ferment or ½ package yeast for a one-day ferment Method Mix, cover, and let sit at room temperature for 2–3 days if using the lesser amount of yeast or for 10 minutes if using the greater amount.

For baking day 1 tsp salt 2 Tablespoons rosemary, chopped 1 cup whole wheat flour 2 cups unbleached flour, for kneading *This could be whole wheat flour, but kneading is easier when the dough is finished with unbleached.

Method Add salt, rosemary, and one cup flour to the initial ferment dough. Knead until combined, using as much of the extra two cups

as necessary to create a smooth, elastic dough. Place in an oiled bowl and cover.

Let it rise for a couple of hours.

If you want to make skillet flatbread, pre -heat one or two skillets (cast iron is best) or a griddle to medium. If you want to make pitas, preheat your oven to 500 degrees F. Turn dough out onto a floured surface.

Roll into a uniform log, cut in half, and set one aside. There‘s nothing special about rolling out into a log and dividing. It‘s just a way of getting uniform pieces of dough.

With the first half-log, keep cutting in halves until there are eight pieces. Flour the freshly cut ends to keep them from sticking.

Using flour to keep from sticking, roll out each flat with a rolling pin to about 1/8inch thickness. For skillet flats, start them one at a time and keep them going because they will be fast. You don‘t need oil or cornmeal on the skillet. When it looks done on the bottom, just a couple minutes, flip it over and do the other side until it looks done. You can do them on high heat to speed them up if you‘re careful.

For pitas, roll out two at a time and place on a lightly dusted (flour or cornmeal) cookie sheet. Bake until they inflate which should take only a few minutes. If you have a convection oven you should be able to bake four at a time using two cookie sheets.

After you try these, you‘ll wonder why anyone would waste a pumpkin by carving it into a jack-o‘-lantern.

Pat Teti was a research scientist with the BC government for 18 years and has always enjoyed making things.

By LeRae Haynes

S

haring a fun holiday season with your four-legged loved ones can be a true delight. It’s the season of giving, celebration with family and friends, great food, outdoor adventures, and social festivities.

It can also be a time of potential mishaps for pets. According to Dr. Anna Ree, veterinarian at Animal Care Hospital in Williams Lake, taking extra care and precaution can help make the season fun, safe, and comfortable for all creatures in the household.

Regardless of the soulful pleading expressions your dog may adopt to cajole some Christmas dinner delights out of you, sharing ‗people‘ food with them is less than ideal. ―That delicious turkey, ham, etcetera, is actually pretty high in fat and can cause inflammat ion of t heir pancreas (pancreatitis),‖ says Dr. Ree. ―This can result in vomiting, diarrhea, and even a trip to your local vet for treatment, getting in the way of holiday plans. Instead, treat your furry friend to those treats made specifically with them in mind.‖ She adds that food hazards also lurk on decorated coffee tables and countertops. ―Keep all those seasonal desserts such as chocolate and cookies, away from your pets as these can make them sick, too,‖ she suggests. ―And when the garbage goes out, make sure Fido doesn‘t attempt a last-ditch effort to retrieve things like scraps and bones, as these items could become foreign bodies in

Dr. Anna Ree is pictured here with her beloved dogs, Kipper and Dixie. Photo: LeRae Haynes

his intestine that require removal.‖ Even holiday home décor, including Christmas trees, can present hazards. Ree suggests that trees be securely placed in a stand, and that overly-rambunctious pets may need to be kept out of that room as long as the Christmas tree is up. ―Cats love to play with string, especially when it‘s shiny tinsel hanging from a tree,‖ she says.―This is a hazard, as they can eat it, creating an intestinal linear foreign body that can strangulate their intestines, requiring emergency surgery.‖ The holiday season is a time for everyone (and their dog) to gather together. For pets that are meeting for the first time, it is

By LeRae Haynes

S

ometimes the best way for a puppy to get a great start in life is to be taken in by a loving foster family. It takes a unique volunteer to open their home and their heart to a batch of puppies who many not make it without them.

Nancy Jalbert is that kind of volunteer.

She and her children have provided a foster home, mostly for dogs, for the Williams Lake SPCA for six years.

Foster families give pets the best start in life.

Photo: flickr.com, Maltesito yasmapaz & ace_heart

In a way, she got started fostering puppies because her children love them. ―I told them that it would be nice to foster puppies because then we‘d always have them around. And this way, my kids weren‘t always asking for a puppy,‖ she said with a smile.

The very first foster she took was a mom with nine pups who were about a week old. ―The biggest litter I took in was

15 puppies,‖ said Jalbert. ―I keep them until they‘re at least eight weeks old and sometimes longer. I keep them until they‘re ready to be spayed or neutered and then adopted.‖ She said they foster animals that are too young to be in a shelter, explaining that a shelter is not a great atmosphere for a young pup. ―It‘s better to grow up with a family,‖ Jalbert said. ―I usually take on a mom with puppies or a mom about to give birth.‖ ―I really like the fact that I can help out.

Some of these puppies got dropped off on the side of the road, or their mom got hit by a car. A lot of these puppies wouldn‘t make it without foster care.‖ Jalbert takes the bigger batches of puppies, sometimes providing back-to-back

important to allow them to meet in a safe way, says Ree. For example, if two new dogs are meeting, place them both on leashes and have a barrier between them, like a baby gate. ―Do this in a quiet place, away from the holiday crowd,‖ she says. ―If they seem to get along, great! You can ‗upgrade‘ to removing the barrier. As long as they appear to be comfortable with each other, you can increase access, but new dogs should always be supervised. ―Remember that dogs can be territorial on home turf, and in this case, it‘s best to ensure everyone has their own separate space,‖ she explains.

foster care. Sometimes she bring a batch of puppies to the shelter and picks up another one to take home. ―I like dogs; I have three of my own who are well-trained, well-socialized. They really like the fosters, too, and are a big help with the pups with no mom,‖ she explained. ―The mama dogs are pretty protective of their puppies for the first week.

Then they come around quickly and start playing with my dogs. And then the puppies join in: they all play.‖ Her foster environment and her heartfelt care give puppies a great start in life. ―We live in the country, and the puppies get used to kids, chickens, horses, and

She states that it is also important to remember that not all pets like to be surrounded by holiday guests, and that it‘s a good idea to let your visitors know how to greet your animals if they are shy or nervous around people. ―You can allow these pets a safe place they can escape to during busy visiting times, or even keep them separate from all the hustle and bustle if they are too anxious and cannot be supervised all the time,‖ she says.―If you know your animals don‘t get along well with others, it may be wise to kindly ask your guests to not bring their pets along.‖ And it isn‘t just the Christmas season that gives us the opportunity to make sure our pets are safe and happy. Winter itself can present some challenges for both people and pets, and cold weather should be considered in relation to the type or breed of your pet, says Ree. ―A short-haired Chihuahua obviously cannot tolerate winter the same way a thick -coated Great Pyrenees can. Consider protective boots for sensitive paws and reduce outdoor time for susceptible pets,‖ she suggests. ―For outside pets, they need access to shelter, like a house from straw bales, and fresh, unfrozen water. This concept also applies to our livestock.‖ LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer, song writer, community co-ordinator for Success by 6, member of Perfect Match dance band, and instigator of music with kids.

other dogs. They get used to seeing and smelling these things and become socialized: you don‘t want a dog to chase horses and eat chickens,‖ she added.

There are special challenges to fostering in the cold winter months, and Jalbert makes sure her fosters are as warm, protected, and comfortable as her own dogs, placing heat lamps and twice as much hay in the pen to keep them warm.

Fostering with Jalbert gives the puppies a good start as a family pet. Over the years she has been thanked by people who‘ve adopted the puppies, saying it was the best dog they ever had.

By Alison Main

T

he digital world has taken over our lives. There are millions of apps to explore, snaps to share, friends to ―Like,‖ emojis to text, and emails to follow us wherever we roam. Undoubtedly, this communication stream increases our productivity. But what are the consequences of this wirelessly interconnected world—not just for our social selves, but for our physical bodies, as well?

Sabine El Gemayel created the award winning documentary film Generation Zapped with this exact question in mind.

Through expert interviews, scientific research, and revealing personal stories, her film delves into the productive conveniences and inconvenient truths of our modern, wireless technologies, and what we can do to protect ourselves.

El Gemayel didn‘t just wake up one morning and frantically pitch her devices and wi-fi router out the window. Rather, like most individuals who find themselves on an exploratory path, hers was a gradual movement toward wireless enlightenment. ―In 2012, a well-intentioned colleague gave me a sticker for my phone, to protect me from cellphone radiation,‖ she recounts. ―At the time, this sticker seemed somewhat ridiculous to me. How could a person get a brain tumour from a cellphone? How could a sticker protect me? It sounded like an urban legend.‖ El Gemayel did not take the word ―radiation‖ lightly. Never a blind adopter of new-fangled gadgets nor a teller of tall tales, she started researching the science behind cellphone radiation. Among countless studies and expert reports, she discovered that in 2011, the World Health Organization‘s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified radiofrequency microwave radiation as a Class 2B Possible Carcinogen, the same category as lead and asbestos. ―The more I read, the more concerned I became,‖ she says. ―Not only for my children‘s screen time and media content, but about the electromagnetic source of their screen time.‖ A mother of three, El Gemayel had always taken great care to surround her family with the most natural, organic products, from food to cleaning supplies to bath soaps. She started to see that electromagnetics should be a vital part of this holistically healthy picture.

El Gemayel soon realized her own blatantly pervasive usage of wireless tech wasn‘t aligned with her parental views on safety. So, she started reducing exposures daily, for herself and her kids. Philosophically, she adheres to the precautionary principle, ―If you don‘t know for certain if something is safe or unsafe, you use precaution until it reveals itself to be one or the other.‖ Despite her own awakening, El Gemayel discovered that people around her were not so keen to share in her digital disconnect. She became ―the worst mom ever,‖ unrelenting when her sixth grader

Images: www.generationzapped.com

implored for a smartphone as a graduation present. And when sharing tips to reduce exposure with her Prius-driving, Klean Kanteen-toting organic mom friends, she was met with rebuffed and uninformed responses, such as: ―Cellphones wouldn‘t be on the market if they were harmful‖ or, ―There isn‘t enough research yet to prove wi-fi is harmful.‖ With mounting frustrations, El Gemayel hit stumbling blocks even within her own kids‘ middle school system. Her mind reeled to witness the administration handing out wireless tablets to each young student, while the curriculum navigated over to digital dependence to meet the new requirements of the common core program.

As other parents in town extolled the praises of technological innovation in the schools, El Gemayel remained concerned for her kids‘ safety in a classroom that exposed them to radiofrequency radiation,

seven hours a day, five days a week, 10 months a year, for 13 years of their education.

El Gemayel started exploring international radiofrequency safety guidelines and noticed some countries were already taking precaution in their schools. In 2015, the French Assembly passed a law that prohibits wi-fi in nurseries and requires elementary schools to turn off access points in classrooms when not in use. El Gemayel says, ―I understand the cost effectiveness of a wireless classroom versus a wired classroom, but we need to consider that the associated health costs of a wireless education system may be too high.‖ She is particularly concerned for the post-millennial generation, those who grew up with tablets in their hands and wi-fi routers in their homes. This age group spends most of their time immersed in radiofrequency hotspots, as that has always been their norm. Boys carry transmitting cellphones in their pants pockets, unaware that research indicates radiofrequency damages sperm and affects fertility. Girls tuck their wireless phones in their bras, not realizing the rise in breast cancer among young women has skyrocketed since 2010.

A documentary that was four-years in the making, Generation Zapped brings to light the massive body of peer-reviewed research on wireless radiofrequency radiation and suggests simple solutions to reduce exposure. Currently available for community screenings, and on DVD avail-

able at Amazon, iTunes, and more, El Gemayel wants her film to spark a global conversation about the safety of wireless technology.

Many incremental steps brought her to the release of this documentary. But it was also a passion to reveal a public health issue that often gets swept under a rug. As El Gemayel expresses, ―My friends weren‘t taking me seriously. My kids weren‘t taking me seriously. My husband who works in IT wasn‘t taking me seriously.

So, I decided to make a documentary about the health impacts of wireless technologies, so the whole world would take me seriously.‖ The world should take El Gemayel seriously. Her award-winning documentary presents the hard science and sobering facts of wireless radiation in an understandable and accessible manner. Her interviews with internationally respected scientists, researchers, advocates, and public policy officials speak with resounding authority. Covering a wide gamut of issues related to wireless technology, from its murky regulatory history to cellphone safety right-to-know politics, and from brain cancer to electro-sensitivity, El Gemayel‘s film is a critical wake-up call for anyone in any generation.

Engage with the Generation Zapped community. Follow Generation Zapped on Facebook and Instagram @generationzappedthemovie or on Twitter @GenZapFilm to receive weekly tips on how to reduce your exposure in your everyday life. Interact with the hashtag # G e n Z a p p e d .

G o t o www.generationzapped.com to watch the trailer, order the DVD, and sign up for the mailing list to receive updates on screenings. Generation Zapped is available on iTunes with Spanish, German, and French subtitles.

Alison Main is a freelance writer with an expertise in environmental health, electromagnetic safety, natural building, and tech addiction. She has been published in Paleo Magazine, Best Self Magazine, Craftsmanship Magazine, Notre Dame Magazine, News of Pelham, JolieTalks.com, and NaturalHealth365.com. You can connect with Alison on her website at www.alisonmain.me. She is based in Virginia.

By Rebecca Patenaude ―Those who find beauty in all of nature will find themselves at one with the secrets of life itself‖ ~ L. Wolfe Gilbert

S

ince I was a young child, I had a deep sense of connection and an inherent fascination with the manifestations of the natural world. The experience of external wilderness has gradually evolved into experiencing an internal wilderness of body, mind, and spirit.

One of my deepest inspirations is the music and emotional journey of listening to the music of Nightwish, the most successful symphonic metal band from Finland. The music transports me far beyond the material to the ethereal.

In July 1996, around a campfire on an island in the middle of Lake Pyhäjärvi, Kitee, Tuomas Holopainen had an idea of a solo project that would play atmospheric ―mood music.‖ Since the band formed over 20 years ago in the sleepy town of Kitee, it has become a success on the world stage, spawning a worldwide commercial behemoth. The band combines classical music with power metal, strong vocals full of emotion, and beautiful poetic lyrics.

Nightwish is the brainchild of Tuomas Holopainen, the founder, composer, and keyboardist for the band. He has composed all the music and lyrics since the beginning. The music is an embodiment of his life and art and he has profound views on the power of music, its purpose, its source, and all that shapes our lives. The music comes from the love and devotion of the exploration of life and love on earth.

In April 2018, my sister, Jenn, and I had the pleasure of attending Nightwish’s ―Decades: World Tour‖ in Vancouver, BC at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. I also arranged an interview with Holopainen. I was euphoric to meet with him in person.

He was humble, real, down to earth, and good-natured. Our time was brief, but I was so focused on his words that everything in the room disappeared. We could have been in a forest by a lake. Meeting with him reminded me of the vibrancy that connects us all. ―Many people don‘t realize this, but this is not a dream come true,‖ Holopainen shared. ―I never wanted to be a musician. I never dreamed of the kind of life I have at the moment. I wanted to be a biologist. I studied at Kupio for a year, and then music took over and I kind of realized that it was my forte and it‘s what I wanted to do—to give meaning to myself and to the world through music. I had the realization that I could actually influence the world in a positive way.‖ We talked about his childhood, his connection to nature, and what kind of an impact it has had on writing and lyric development. We also discussed the storytelling that plays a part in his creative process. ―Our environment and where we grow up really modify what we become, what we like, and what we are, and I have lived in the same little rural city of Kitee all my life,‖ Holopainen said. ―It is very deep in my blood, this place. The first house we lived in was in the middle of nowhere, in the woods, with a lake about half a mile

Left: Tuomas Holopainen of Nightwish in concert in Vancouver, BC at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Photo: Jenn Young Right:: Tuomas Holopainen. Photo: http://nightwish.com/en/media/photos/on-the-road-hellip/tours-1999-2000 Below: Tuomas Holopainen, composer and dreamer. Photograph by Natali Karppinen, www.natalikarppinen.com

away. I really got into nature and was not the most social guy in my school. Yet, I was also not lonely. I enjoyed solitude and long walks in the woods. I was part of the Boy Scouts, a nature club, and a bird watching club. Nature and the natural sciences had a big influence on me, and because I was brought up in this environment, nature had a big impact on the art I do, as well.‖ ―If I was brought up in Helsinki or Vancouver or New York I would possibly not think and feel the same way about the world,‖ Holopainen said. ―If I had been a city boy I may not have had such a connection to nature. I would maybe see the world differently and have done something different. I have nothing but good memories of my childhood, and I‘m still inspired to this day. Maybe I got lucky.‖ Holopainen‘s connection to and understanding about nature inspired the deep concepts around evolution and our global biological inheritance on their latest album, Endless Forms Most Beautiful. The album features song titles such as ―Shudder Before the Beautiful,‖ ―My Walden,‖ and ―The Greatest Show on Earth‖. The lyrics tie in with some of Charles Darwin‘s and Richard Dawkins‘ theories and have sparked people‘s interest in tangible ways. ―After writing ‗The Greatest Show on Earth‘,‖ Holopainen said, ―on the tour, we autographed countless Origin of Species and Richard Dawkins books. The music

has sparked something in people and they are asking, ‗What is life and evolution?

What is nature?‘‖ In the song, ―The Greatest Show on Earth,‖ Richard Dawkins is heard speaking a widely quoted passage by Charles Darwin, in On the Origin of Species: ―There is a grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.‖ I asked Holopainen how he feels about all the touring and being in big cities and huge crowds, and whether he is still able to feel connected to nature and recharge. ―I like that things change,‖ Holopainen said. ―I love that things go in cycles. If I were a hermit in my house in the middle of the woods 24 /7, all year round, I wouldn‘t see people. I wouldn‘t have the experience of big cities and concerts, which I also enjoy. So, in a sense I have the perfect job.

I can be home for a year writing new songs and then go on tour, which is a whole different circus. I am absorbed in the experience and meeting new people, playing live, interacting with the audience, and constant socializing. It is very draining but also gives me a lot, and I know that in about 21/2 weeks I get to go back home to a horse, two cats, and my wife, so I like that things change.‖

I asked what advice he would give to the readers and young artists that want to follow their dreams. ―It is really important to follow your dreams but even more important to try to do actual things to realize them,‖ Holopainen said. ―Many people stay in the dreaming and wishing state, and they don‘t try to do something. Every New Year‘s Eve, my wife and I create an actual physical treasure map of the things that we want to achieve. Maybe it‘s during the year or within the next five years. Every year we say,' Okay, we conquered that island!‘ Things such as when we finally got the horse we wanted so much or produced the Nightwish movie. And there‘s still some bigger dreams yet to be conquered. So, the map is on our wall to remind us of our ultimate bucket list and when we‘re lying on our death bed, there won‘t be a single thing left on that map.‖ ―We try to give listeners a sensation of awe and beauty through our music, because not only do we need to preserve this planet, but we also need to remember the reasons why. We have to remind people of the beauty and that we need to take action.‖ To learn more about the band and its music, visit www.nightwish.com. For the full interview visit www.evirdesign.ca.

Rebecca Patenaude is a long-time resident of the Cariboo and makes her home in Horsefly, BC. She has a passion for nature, music and philosophy, as well as science and technology. Rebecca is the owner of EVIR Design, a freelance web and desktop publishing company.

Your Green Shopping Directory

Distribution Details

Green Locations TheGreenGazette can be found in print at the fine locations below, as well as online at www.thegreengazette.ca or by subscription .

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Bean Counter Bistro & Coffee Bar, (250) 305-2326 180B 3rd Ave. North, Williams Lake Organic Coffee, Fair Trade, Local Foods

The Gecko Tree (250) 398-8983 54 N. MacKenzie Ave. Williams Lake Serving healthy, local foods

Big Bear Ranch (250) 620-3353 Steffi, Florian, and Rainer Krumsiek Grass fed & grass finished beef and lamb, pasture raised heritage pork. Animal Welfare Approved. www.bigbearranch.com

The Hobbit House (250) 392-7599 71 First Ave. South, Williams Lake Juice Bar, Natural Products, Essential Oils, Teas, Crystals, Gemstones, and more.

Canadian Tire (250) 392-3303 1050 South Lakeside Dr., Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives, Renewable Energy Solutions, and Organic Cleaning Products.

KiNiKiNiK Restaurant, Gift shop, Store & Accommodations (250) 394-6000 Redstone BC. Serving all organic meals with Demeter certified organic Pasture to Plate meats. kinikinik@pasturetoplate.ca

Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society (250) 398-7929 Unit 102-197 2nd Ave. North, Williams Lake Programs include Water Wise, Waste Wise, Sustainable Living, and Watershed Health. ccentre@ccconserv.org, www.ccconserv.org

New Paradigm Teas (250) 267-3468 Four Nourishing blends of locally, organically grown and wildcrafted herbal teas. newparadigmteas@gmail.com

Cariboo Growers Coop (778) 412-2667 3rd & Oliver St., Williams Lake. 100% Natural & Organic Foods, Non-Profit Farmer’s Coop

Potato House Sustainable Community Society (250) 855-8443 The Potato House Project is a friendly bastion of doing, sharing, learning and playing.

Springhouse Gardens and Grass Fed-Finished Beef Debbie Irvine B.Sc. (Agr.) RHN (250) 392-9418 Organically grown market garden veggies; Grass fed/ finished beef - no hormones, no GMOs. springhousedebbie@gmail.com

Scout Island Nature Centre & Williams Lake Field Naturalists (250) 398-8532 Nature on the city’s doorstep. Bird sanctuary, trails, Nature House, natural history programs for kids. www.scoutislandnaturecentre.ca www.williamslakefieldnaturalists.ca

earthRight Solar 1 (877) 925-2929 3rd & Borland, Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions, Eco-Friendly Products, Composting Toilets Flying Coyote Ranch (250) 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef. No shots, no hormones, organic fertilizer. By the quarter or side, hamburger.

Sta-Well Health Foods (250) 392-7022 79D 3rd Ave. North, Williams Lake Organic Foods, Water Distillers, Natural Medicines, Emergency Freeze Dried Foods.

Touch Wood Rings and Touch Wood Memorial Rings Custom handcrafted wooden rings since 2002. nicola@touchwoodrings.com www.touchwoodrings.com www.memorialrings.ca Williams Lake Food Policy Council (250) 302-5010 Building a strong local food economy and promoting a healthy and sustainable community. www.facebook.com/WLFPC foodpolicycouncil@hotmail.com Windy Creek Farm (250) 296-3256 Miocene, BC Grass Fed Beef. No hormones, antibiotics or vaccines. www.grassfedbeefbc.ca

100 Mile House Donex Visitors Centre Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat. Foods Nuthatch Books Rise & Grind Coffee House Safeway Save-On-Foods A&W 108 Mile House 108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket 150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall Husky Station Marshall‘s 150 Mile Store Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading Mclean Trading Bella Coola Coast Mountain Lodge Kopas Store Valley Inn & Restaurant Clinton Clinton Coffee House Dog Creek Mount View Handy Mart Red Dog Pub/Liquor Store Hanceville Lee‘s Corner Store Horsefly Clarke‘s General Store Post Office Horsefly Hardware Horsefly Service Station LacLaHache Race Trac Gas Lac La Hache Bakery Red Crow Cafe McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station The Oasis Motel Cafe Nimpo Lake Nimpo Lake General Store Prince George Books and Co. University of Northern BC College of New Caledonia Quesnel The Green Tree Barkerville Brewing Bliss Cafe Booster Juice Carryall Books Holistic Health Care Clinic Karin‘s European Deli Granville‘s Coffee Shop Quesnel Bakery Quiznos Safeway Save On Foods Tourism Info Center Redstone Kinikinik

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By Barbara Schellenberg HEALTHY SNACKS AND WHY School Snack Bars (Makes 12 bars) Ingredients 2 cups rolled oats 1/2 cup rolled oats, blended to a coarse powder in food processor 1/2 cup raisins, finely chopped 3/4 cup coconut, shredded 1/2 cup dates, finely chopped 2 tablespoons wheat germ 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg 2 egg whites 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla Method Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Combine the rolled oats, processed oats, coconut, raisins, dates, wheat germ, and salt. Then in a separate dish, whisk the egg and egg whites with a fork and add the maple syrup and vanilla. Pour the egg mixture over the oat mixture and combine well with a spoon.

Coat an 8x11 inch baking dish with butter or fat. Press the oat mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the edges of the granola patty become lightly browned. Allow to cool for five minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, cut the patty into twelve equal bars.

sweet potato mash on top evenly and bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes.

Enjoy!

NUTRIENT DENSE MEAL Sweet-Potato Chicken Pie (Serves 6) Ingredients 4 tablespoons chicken fat 1 large onion, chopped 2 large carrots, cubed 600g leftover roast chicken, shredded 2 cups organic frozen peas 2 cups organic frozen corn kernels 2 tablespoons flour or corn flour 1 cup chicken broth 1 organic bouillon cube 3 large or 6 medium sweet potatoes, boiled Method Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sautée the onion and carrots in 2 tablespoons of chicken fat. Remove from heat and stir in the chicken, peas, and corn.

To make the gravy, melt 1 tablespoon chicken fat in a small saucepan and mix in the flour/corn flour. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring constantly until thickened. Finally add the bouillon cube to season.

In a bowl mash the peeled, boiled sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon chicken fat and a little salt to taste.

Assembly Spread the chicken vegetable mixture into an 8x11 inch c a s s e r o le dish. Pour the gravy evenly over top. Spread the

MYTHS UNVEILED Organic, pasture-raised chicken is very expensive.

I recently set out to debunk this myth. I used two broiler chickens—one natural free range from the health food store and one fully grown, grass-fed, organic chicken from Pasture to Plate.

For the natural bird I paid $17.55 ($11.99/kg). For the P2P bird I paid $53.45 ($19.99/kg). From the natural bird I got 711g meat, 0g rendered fat, 416g bones (3cups gelatinous broth), 23% shrinkage, 50% meat yield.

From the P2P bird I got 1.464kg meat, 110g rendered fat, 515g bones (4cups gelatinous broth), 22% shrinkage, 70% meat yield.

How I Use a Pasture to Plate Chicken Roast Chicken Dinner serves 6: ~600g roast chicken, with roasted potatoes and salad.

Hearty Chicken Vegetable Soup with leftovers serves 12: 4 cups gelatinous broth, ~400g chicken, lots of chopped vegetables using a little of the fat to sautée the vegetables before adding chicken and broth.

Chicken Rice Bowls serves 6: ~300g chicken added to sautéed vegetables in black bean sauce, steamed rice. I cook my rice first in a little chicken fat; then I add the less gelatinous second boiling of the bones, which is rich in minerals but not as flavourful.

Light Lunch Chicken Salad serves 4: ~200g chicken, dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese, salad greens, shredded carrots, shredded beets, toasted pecans, and honeycitrus vinaigrette.

One Pasture to Plate chicken yields 28 servings for my family. That‘s $1.90 per serving.

How I used the Natural Chicken Roast Chicken Dinner serves 6: ~600g roast chicken, with roasted potatoes and salad.

Hearty Chicken Vegetable Soup serves 4: 3 cups gelatinous broth, ~100g chicken, lots of chopped vegetables. A much less meaty soup, but I used a bit more concentration of broth to enrich it a bit.

The natural chicken yielded 10 servings. That‘s $1.75 per serving.

In the end, the high quality, organic, pastured chicken cost only $1.50/kg more than the natural bird from the health food store. That‘s only 15 cents more a serving.

WALK THROUGH YOUR PANTRY: GET RID OF: Processed oil like corn or canola oil.

REPLACE WITH: Learn to save and utilize all the beautiful natural fats rendered from your meat while cooking. Keep a little jar beside your stove and carefully scoop excess fat into it. I use this fat every day for cooking. Instead of buying frying oils I simply use the leftover rendered fats, which not only saves me money but makes sure we get all the good fats from the highquality meats we buy.

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