By Lisa Bland Print is not dead, but virgin paper should be. Dear Readers, We’re back, and we are glad to be publishing a summer issue of The Green Gazette. After taking a break because of the economic downturn and COVID’s effect on many businesses (the advertising from which we are 100% funded), producing this issue is a welcome new beginning as the spring blossoms into summer. Many of our favourite writers are back with contributions, and the community support and enthusiasm from new and returning advertisers continues to grow. We genuinely feel we were missed.Much has happened collectively and…
Author: thegreengazette
By Dr. Suzanne SimardPublished May 4, 2021, in Canada by Allen Lane Canada A world-leading expert shares her amazing story of discovering the communication that exists between trees and shares her own story of family and grief. Dr. Suzanne Simard was born and raised in the rainforests of British Columbia and has forged a lifelong relationship of love and respect with the trees. This relationship was the driving force behind her decision to dedicate her life to better understanding the forest and the network that connects the plant life within.With humour, emotion, and the narrative drive of a lifelong storyteller,…
Article by BC Parks Foundation – Lonesome Lake is a place where Grizzly bears gather in autumn to feast on spawning salmon and Steelhead trout, serenaded by a chorus of migratory birds, including Trumpeter swans saved from extinction on these waters.The poetically named Lonesome Lake rests in a dry valley at the wild heart of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park and is an area of exceptional ecological importance. It is part of an area known as the Chilcotin Ark, flanked by the Chilcotin and Coast mountains and graced with endangered old growth stands of Interior Douglas fir.Lonesome Lake feeds the Atnarko, a…
Article by Ron Young – But I still got struck by lightning.Actually, it was a bright day with light drizzle. I was standing in my basement finishing the hook-up of a new Chinook wind generator that I had raised on a 20 meter tower. Before hooking up the wiring I looked outside to check that the windgen blades were motionless and there was no wind because I did not want any current in the wires. The windgen is 46 meters away and connected to an underground cable that runs to my house’s mechanical room where the batteries and inverter are…
Recipe by Jessica Kirby Wheatberries are a delicious, chewy, wholesome grain that make a hearty alternative to couscous or quinoa. They are fibrous and filling, but with a light dressing and some summer herbs can make a great side salad that doubles as a main dish. This recipe has dairy and vegan options and options for adding nuts versus seeds. In our home, serve this up with seasoned tofu or seitan chunks for the three vegetarians and broiled chicken for the meat lover. Enjoy! Ingredients1 1/4 cup wheatberries, dry3 1/2 cups water1/4 cup green onions, chopped1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved1…
Recipe by Jessica Kirby — If I could eat any one thing for the rest of my life it would be street tacos. I make them about a zillion different ways, but this is my favourite for impressing the veggies and meat lovers in my life. For the Tacos 1 can black beans 1 can corn (optional) 6-8 street taco shells, warmed 1 cup cheese, grated or feta, crumbled 1 cup cauli crumble–make fresh (see diretions) or use Big Mountain Foods pre-seasoned ready to eat 1/4 cup water or veggie broth 1 Tbsp chili powder 1 tsp garlic powder 1…
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By Sage Birchwater — Has filmmaker Michael Moore, the darling of the progressive left, gone rogue? His Earth Day, April 22, 2020, release of Planet of the Humans received immediate backlash from the global environmental community. Many were furious at his trashing of the decades-long efforts by the climate change activists to move away from fossil fuel dependency and into more earth-friendly renewable energy sources. The film, directed by Jeff Gibbs and produced by Ozzie Zehner, suggests that green energy is a scam. This message stood the alternative energy movement on its ear. Maybe that was the filmmakers’ intention. Unlike…
By Jonathan Hand — Springtime this year arrived unlike most, flooding our lives with uncertainty as we rallied to mitigate the risks of a global pandemic. While overcoming the many hardships created by COVID-19, we have also begun to see the seeds sowed for the better. Just as winter fades to the promise of spring, adversity is often the starting point for growth and newness. We can understand this same lesson from watching fire sweep the land and create balance in the ecosystem, or fasting in the sweat lodge to pray for clarity and guidance—suffering can bring about a lasting…
“What is happening with Farmers’ Markets in the Cariboo this COVID-19 year?” The short answer is: “Markets are continuing on!” but the reality is a little more complex than that. Four Cariboo farmers’ markets—Williams Lake, McLeese Lake, South Cariboo (100 Mile House), and Harvest (Quesnel)—are members of the B.C. Association of Farmers’ Markets (BCAFM) and as such are under the guidance and regulation of this provincial organization. The BCAFM has worked closely with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control in developing guidelines for the safe operation of farmers’ markets throughout the province. Here are the considerations that markets are…
By Lisa Bland, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, The Green Gazette – Dear Readers, What a crazy past few months we’ve been through! The collective landscape is dramatically different than it was when the spring Green Gazette went to press in early March. Like many people and businesses, at first, we weren’t sure how to proceed. Once the initial chaos and letting go of the old way of doing things passed—along with a time of adjustment and reflection—a path tentatively emerged as we got on top of COVID-19 cases and BC gradually re-opened. Here at The Green Gazette, we’re pleased to be back with…
Nicola Finch, Cariboo Community Natural Burial Association — In many respects, our new reality feels like a return to an old way of being with a slower, gentler focus on family and community and on the world under our feet—the natural, physical world. We have seen a swift shift back to basics, working with our hands, growing and preparing our own food, mending our own clothes, offering what we have to those who need it, reaching out with our hearts, and pressing in on what really matters. We are being encouraged to stay home. We are being asked to limit…
By Chris R. Shepherd — Illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade poses an urgent threat to an increasingly long list of animal species around the world. In many cases, it is the primary threat, though this is often not recognized or addressed. Trafficking, in combination with habitat loss and other threats, has led to population declines for a variety of species, and sadly, the extinction of some. Many more will become extinct soon if current trends continue. Few people realize the scale of the illegal trade—it is comparable to the global trade in drugs, arms, and humans, and worth billions of…
By Danielle Goward, R.H.N & C.P.T & P.P.N.S — During this global pandemic, our health has become a huge concern and a hot topic. This has led to some people panic-buying natural health products and supplements and home gym equipment, creating a record-breaking boom in the health and fitness industry. As a registered holistic nutritionist and certified personal trainer, I have been advising my clients to keep it simple and get creative with their food and activity. Eating a rainbow every day is one way to ensure that your body is receiving immune boosting antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Here in…
WildSafeBC is the provincial leader in preventing conflict with wildlife through collaboration, education, and community solutions, and it is delivered by the BC Conservation Foundation in communities across BC. Mareike Moore is the new WildSafeBC Cariboo Coordinator and is excited to be delivering WildSafeBC’s program initiatives in new and innovative ways during the COVID-19 pandemic. These programs include door-to-door information delivery campaigns, garbage tagging, and webinar delivery of the highly requested WildSafe Ranger Program for school-aged children and Wildlife Awareness and Safety Education sessions. While the weather is getting better and people are spending more time outside, it is also…
There are four general ways we can observe the stars. Ideally, starting with your naked eye. In the Cariboo, when it’s good, it’s good, and we can easily get to a dark place where stars of 6th magnitude, unheard of in the city or suburbs, are visible. Next up is binoculars, where an order of magnitude more stars are visible and faint fuzzy objects can reveal some detail. Then we can graduate to using a telescope. Following the above progression is the best approach and would allow you to get the most out of using a scope. There is another…
By Oliver Berger — Wow, what a crazy past few months! At first, I was sad to see our Share Sheds close, along with the best Salvation Army (Williams Lake) in British Columbia—a serious gold mine for reusables. Then, all my class presentations got cancelled as schools closed their doors to students. No more garbage talks with the kids. Ugh, what was happening around me? I could not even take my reusable mug to get a to-go coffee anymore! Many efforts to curb single-use products and promote sharing with reusing and repurposing came to a grinding halt. What was a…
By Terri Smith – A few months ago, our world still felt ‘normal.’ My poignant ‘before’ moment happened the weekend before spring break at a show our performance art group was putting on in Prince George. We were in the dressing room of the PG Playhouse putting on our costumes. I remember looking around at our troupe, these people I love so much, and feeling so grateful for the life I was living. I thought back to four years ago when I first began performing and how it had felt like I had run away to join the circus. I…
By LeRae Haynes | Photos by Grant Hill — Grant Hill from Pause to Feather Creations promotes wildlife awareness and conservation with passion, creativity, and a heartfelt belief that you should never, ever take the presence of wildlife for granted. One of the ways he does this is by making bird houses, nature and wildlife prints with barn wood frames, bird feeders, bat houses, butterfly houses, lady bug houses, bee houses, squirrel feeders, saw whet owl houses, and suet feeders. Three years ago, he left the corporate world of industrial cleaning supplies. There was a big conflict between that and what…