SGI Greens April 2023 Newsletter

SGI Greens Newsletter

Greetings!

Welcome to the Earth Day edition of the Saanich-Gulf Islands Greens newsletter!  In here you will find a note from Elizabeth, upcoming Earth Day events and more – just in time for Earth Day, Saturday April 22nd!

Click here for a printer-ready PDF version of this newsletter.

Note from Elizabeth

We are so excited to have the strongest grassroots Green Party engagement for Earth Day ever!

I hope you have your tickets for the movie event at the Star Cinema for Saturday, April 22 – details are below.

I will be in Edmonton for Earth Day, while my amazing Deputy Leader (and hopefully future co-leader) Jonathan Pedneault is in Ukraine.  While meeting with the Greens in Ukraine he confirmed support and solidarity from Canadian Greens.

As you can sense, the Green Party is experiencing a very hopeful turn in our fortunes.  Believe it or not, the Alberta Greens are polling in third place in that province. Sure, at 6% they are well below the neck and neck Alberta UCP and NDP, but Greens are ahead of the Liberal Party in Alberta. I want to do all I can to give them a boost!

I cannot thank you enough for all your help and support. We could not do this without you. I could not do anything without you!  Thank you so very much!

Elizabeth

Focus on Earth Day

We have gathered a selection of local Earth Day activities and I’m sure that there are many, many more to choose from.  Here is what we found, representing most of the areas of our EDA.

Saanich-Gulf Islands Greens

Green Party groups across Canada are hosting events for Earth Day, April 22. In the Saanich-Gulf Islands area, we will observe the day by hosting a compelling film that examines one of the most important issues going on in our province right now. Please join us and learn more about this situation.

Another LNG export terminal has just received environmental approval in Kitimat, BC.  To ship it, we must produce it. And that is a story in itself…

Fracking on Treaty 8 Territory in North Eastern BC has changed the water, the land, and the lives of local communities. Don’t miss the chance to hear their stories in a powerful new documentary by Stand.earth: Fracking The Peace.

Home to the majestic Peace River, this documentary showcases a region of BC that’s been ravaged by more than 25,000 fracking wells. Fracking has threatened the livelihoods, health, and the very water that sustains the life and spirit of the local communities – and it’s way past time something is done about it. Every single one of us contributes to this industrial development through generous subsidies but we need to ask – is this form of energy development necessary for our society?

Explore this issue with the Saanich-Gulf Island Greens on Earth Day, as we host this essential movie, Fracking the Peace at Sidney’s new Star Cinema at 4 pm Saturday, April 22.  There will be a panel afterward, moderated by BC Greens MLA Adam Olsen and including Ben Parfitt (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives) and hydrogeologist Gilles Wendling.  Both men have spoken on panels about this movie previously.

Tickets may be purchased here – advance ticket purchase is recommended as seating may become limited. Students may attend for free – see details with the link above.

Sign the petition now: No more LNG or fracking

Mayne Island

On Saturday April 22nd, the Mayne Island Conservancy will host their Annual General Meeting and Open House Celebration. In addition, the following day they will celebrate Earth Day with the community by holding their Annual Beach Cleanup.  This vital contribution to the health of the Mayne Island shorelines is sponsored by the Conservancy and the Recycling Society. Last year, 583 kg of plastic, styrofoam, tires, and other garbage was removed from beaches around the island!  All are welcome!

More Mayne Island events listings are here.

Pender Island

Please join the 35th Annual Earth Day Clean up. Bring your collected beach and roadside debris down to the drop off site at the Medicine Beach Centre on April 22.

Earth Day is a day to celebrate the wonders of our planet Earth and all the wild and wonderful life it supports.  It is also a day to recognize how human activities are affecting the living things we share the planet with, and a day of worldwide action.  An important action that we can take is to protect marine life and ecosystems by removing the litter and debris found along the roads, pathways, and shorelines of Pender.

More details are here and there are some really interesting Pender Islands Conservancy events listed here.

Saanich

Saanich Earth Day Festival

When: April 22nd, 11 am – 3 pm
Where: 770 Vernon Ave, behind Municipal Hall
Transportation: Come by bike if you can!

Saanich Earth Day will feature live music by local musicians, a vendor village, food trucks, art activities for kids, and interactive elements like a bike skills course. Try an e-bike, learn about new and amazing vegan restaurants, buy a bamboo toothbrush, and get crafty with eco-friendly art activities.

Saanich Peninsula

In celebration of Earth Day, consider supporting the Peninsula Streams Society in their quest to clean up multiple beaches throughout North Saanich and Sidney.

Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm on Saturday April 22nd.  Please come and help if you can.

Note: All participants must pre-register for this event HERE.

Salt Spring Island

On Earth Day weekend, the Salt Spring Island Home and Garden Show will take place at the SSI Farmers Institute featuring many interesting speakers and displays.

The Salt Spring Community Energy Society is organizing a month-long event called Electrify Salt Spring, with events in April and May including Earth Day April 22nd.  One of the two electric school buses will be on display at the event.  Details in Aqua Magazine (page 12) and the SSI Community Energy Society page.

Salt Spring Island Parks and Recreation: Earth Day 2023 in Centennial Park

April 22nd, 11am-3pm at the Gazebo in Centennial Park. After a couple of years hiatus, the annual Earth Day event is back with LIVE music, guest speakers, info booths, face painting and more.

The SSI Greens will be at the event with information about living within our means, all while fostering a cleaner and safer environment. Look for the big Green tent and say hi to our team.

Saturna Island

Saturna Island locals will be enjoying a wine-tasting and Nettlefest (three courses of nettles – yes, really) on Earth Day.

It’s also the date of the 7th annual Wetland Project broadcast in celebration of amazing soundscape recordings.  It is a multipart, multidisciplinary study of an environmental soundscape and not to be missed! Check the website and have a listen. To view the events program, click here.

Creatively United Community – Local and Regional Earth Day Events

The Creatively United website holds a wealth of local and regional information about programs and events.  Their Events Page holds the key to what’s happening to celebrate and honour Earth Day – be sure to check it out!  You can sign up for their newsletter here.

Saanich-Gulf Islands EDA report

We are now at the end of the slow time of year, with little activity so far this year, so we are looking ahead to what is to come.

Earth Day on April 22nd, will be busy across Canada for the GPC, as Elizabeth May put out a call to action to the EDAs. In SGI, we will be hosting the film, Fracking the Peace at the new Star Cinema in Sidney, and on Salt Spring Island, there will be an SGI Green tent set up at the CRD Parks and Recreation Fair. Full details are listed elsewhere in this newsletter.

Our events team is beginning the planning for the annual summer picnic, which will be held at Centennial Park in Central Saanich again in the month of August.

Elizabeth will be at the Victoria Day parade on May 22 this year and we hope to see you all there. Expect sunshine and good vibes!

BC Greens News and Events

Saanich North and the Islands Greens: Voices of Saanich and the Islands- A special evening online with Dr. Martin Wale, Saturna Island Marine Research and Education Society.

Tuesday April 25th @ 7 pm:  Join the SAN-RA Greens as they host a presentation and panel discussion about the fascinating local islands’ work documenting whale habitat in the Salish Sea.

RSVP here to receive the Zoom link.

Note: BC Greens Events listings can be found HERE.

Gardening – Gary and Nancy

As gardeners, we can be a lot like farmers – that is, we like to complain about the weather. If April has felt colder than normal to you, you would be right because we are about 2.5°C below the average high temperature for the first half of April and 1.8°C below the average low temperature. And last April was not much better. We remember last year getting off to a rather slow start but then it turned out to be a good year for the garden. So no panic yet, we just need to wait for Spring to really come and not just for the pretty flowers.

As a result of all this cold weather, our greenhouse is stuffed with starts that would usually be out in our “hoop house” by now if not actually in the garden. Some of them should be out in the garden, but we are turning out to be fair-weather gardeners in our older age so we are not wanting to be out in the garden when the temperatures are single digits, and that lower limit seems to be creeping higher every year.

We haven’t looked at what starts are being sold at nurseries and roadside stands, so unless you started your own seeds you are limited to what is available. However, there is a lot that can go into the garden now including arugula, beets, broccoli, cabbage cauliflower, carrots, celery, cilantro, kale, lettuce, mustard greens, onions, parsley, peas, radish, spinach and chard. If you are direct planting, we like to wait until the soil is a bit warmer to encourage germination, but some of these crops can tolerate cooler soil and still germinate in time (especially arugula, brassicas, lettuce, peas, onions and spinach). And if your garden (or you) is not quite ready or you don’t have the time or energy to get out there and plant right now, with the exception of spinach, all of the crops we mentioned can be planted all through the spring and many even well into the summer (for a fall and even winter harvest). So get your garden going when you can, but don’t give up because you think you are too late. It isn’t a race.

Nancy & Gary Searing

Of Interest

Actions You Can Take to Support Old Growth Ecosystems

**Demand that the NDP government celebrate forest companies that decide not to log old-growth trees, rather than penalize them financially.

** Help save these two Old Growth species:

Spotted Owl: Sign the petition asking the federal government to pass an emergency order to save the Spotted Owl. (BC has no species-at-risk legislation.)  Maybe the Spotted Owl’s right to survive can save some forest. For further action, check out Spotted Owl coverage under “In the News” below. Phone and write the responsible/irresponsible Ministers (see action #1 above).

Specklebelly Lichen: Sign the petition to the federal government by May 16, 2023 to protect the Specklebelly Lichen, which is extremely rare and endangered. This petition will be presented on the floor of the House of Commons by Elizabeth May. For more on this unique lichen, check out  this Focus article, Artist finds new population of rare imperilled lichen at Fairy Creek and this National Observer article, The tiny lichen that could stop Teal-Jones from logging Fairy Creek.

The Rocky Path Towards Climate Accountability in BC

Next week: A webinar on why we took the B.C. government to court and what is needed to achieve climate accountability in B.C.  This event will be hosted by Sierra Club BC and Ecojustice.

Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. PT.

Register for the webinar here.

One Planet Student Challenge:

Got a teen at home? The One Planet Student Challenge is being led by the not-for-profit ‘think and do tank’, OneEarth Living, in partnership with the City of Victoria, the Capital Regional District (CRD), and District of Saanich. Middle school students are invited to submit illustrations and secondary school students are invited to submit videos or illustrations in English or French. Hurry, though. Contest closes April 28!

Join the City Nature Challenge!

Join nature lovers across the capital region in celebrating local species and ecosystems by participating in the 2023 City Nature Challenge. Over a four day period, April 28 through May 1, photograph and document local biodiversity in the capital region using the free iNaturalist website or app, and help to build a record of the nature that surrounds us. More than 400 cities around the world will be participating in the City Nature Challenge this year, as a global celebration of biodiversity in and around urban areas.

Habitat Acquisition Trust Plant Salvage Training – April 29

The HAT is hosting training for volunteers, landowners, and restoration practitioners to learn how to safely and effectively salvage native plants in areas slated for development. Registration required.