Heating without fossil fuels
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Heating without fossil fuels

As humans continue to use fossil fuels, carbon dioxide will continue to accumulate in the earth’s atmosphere, intensifying the impacts of climate change. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution atmospheric CO2 levels have increased by 50 percent (from 280 ppm to 420 ppm today). For the sake of a livable future world, we must…

Our human insignificance and the One who makes us matter
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Our human insignificance and the One who makes us matter

“As long as we are not quite sure we are unworthy, God will keep narrowing us in until he gets us alone.” Oswald Chambers There’s a kind of loneliness that almost befriends you. A kind that wraps around me, scarf-like, as I ski across the fields. The snow is much like I imagine manna would…

Beware the chickadee
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Beware the chickadee

Albert and Marjorie bought a house in a subdivision and perhaps didn’t read the fine print. Their small back yard was shaded, so they made very neat gardening beds in the front yard to grow their organic vegetables. Neighbours complained, citing a subdivision ordinance that front yards must have x-amount of lawn and the rest…

Ponce de Leon and Me
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Ponce de Leon and Me

“Explore” comes from Latin, “to cry out.” It is the surprise and joy of discovery, the cry of Eureka! Being an explorer ties into my life metaphor of pilgrimage. Lately, I have been exploring Venice, Florida as I begin retirement. I’ve walked, biked and done a little boating. In Punta Gorda I discovered a statue…

Blackbirds in February
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Blackbirds in February

There are three small trees in my garden and none of them is large enough for a bird’s nest, but whenever there is a flutter, I find I freeze and hope because February brings blackbird weather and blackbird song. Growing up in Ontario, the first redwing blackbirds were an early sign of spring. I remember…

Coal and the greatest commandment
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Coal and the greatest commandment

Larry was the last holdout. Years ago, the local coal company had purchased mineral rights from the inhabitants of Kayford mountain to blow it apart – to tap the coal seams and bleed the mountain of its precious payload. One by one, Larry’s neighbours had sold their rights and moved – driven away in some…

Nothing is more important than stopping climate change
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Nothing is more important than stopping climate change

A pair of activists recently threw soup at a famous painting by Van Gogh. A week later, protesters threw mashed potatoes at a painting by Claude Monet. The reason for these actions? The protestors wanted to see if the protection of art is more vital than the protection of our climate. Whether you agree with…

Muscular Ecological Hope
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Muscular Ecological Hope

We are living in high-stake times. Recent studies indicate that young people are especially aware of this. As many as 60 percent of youth and young adults are extremely worried about climate change and more than half report feeling anxious, angry, powerless and even guilty about the state of the environment. The scariest part is…

‘Bees for Peace’
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‘Bees for Peace’

All humanity has this in common: we rely on plants to provide us with nutrients. We also, by extension, rely on the creatures that help our plants flower. Bees play a vital role in pollinating our fruits and vegetables. In short, we all need bees. This simple fact is what fueled Carrie Dohe to start…

Net zero ethics
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Net zero ethics

Last month, world leaders convened in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, for COP27. COPs have been held annually since 1995 by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This year’s was the fifth to be hosted in an African nation. Africa is increasingly the focus in climate related news, and not for the normal reasons. Last…

Redeeming Waste: Art from Everest
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Redeeming Waste: Art from Everest

It’s early morning near Namache, Nepal, October 13, 2022. Mount Everest and surrounding mountains of the Khumbu Region provide a stunning backdrop that seems almost surreal. In the distance, collar bells are heard as cows and yaks walk the footpaths. Nearby, prayer flags flap in the stiff breeze. Coffee in hand, he walks to the…

Cathedral Grove
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Cathedral Grove

“Mount Doug is a good short hike. If it’s a clear day you should be able to see the Olympic mountains in Washington,” Meghan texted me. “You’ll find lots of arbutus trees – a rare species only on Vancouver Island and parts of Vancouver. They have funky multicolour bark and look almost biblical.” I’m writing…