Month: November 2016

Five ‘Environmental Rights’ Questions with Kelcie Miller-Anderson

Posted on by Jacob Marchel

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Photo Credit: Alberta Oil Magazine: http://www.albertaoilmagazine.com/2016/07/kelcie-miller-anderson/
Photo Credit: Alberta Oil Magazine: http://www.albertaoilmagazine.com/2016/07/kelcie-miller-anderson/

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Kelcie Miller-Anderson

Founder at MycoRemedy

Canadas Top 20 Under 20,

Next 36 2016 Cohort

1) What would having constitutional environmental rights (e.g. the right to clean air, clean water, safe food, to access nature, etc.) mean to you, and/or your organization? 

“Access to a healthy environment is something I think that everyone deserves, having constitutional environmental rights are a fantastic first step in making this access a reality for all. I think we as a province, our communities, government, and industry, are already moving in the right direction to securing a healthy and sustainable future for Alberta’s ecosystems,

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][and] having these constitutional rights in place are only going to further motivate and drive the creation of new clean technologies, and [improve] our current industries to lessen and ultimately reverse their impacts.”

2) What do you think people in Edmonton can and/or should do to further the cause of environmental rights?

“I think an important first step is to show the value [that] environmental rights have to our community and [the] commitment we have to them.[….] I believe we can show this by actively engaging in sustainable practices and making an effort to focus on being good environmental stewards as a community. If these rights are ever going to be ensured, it’s not going to just be the responsibility of the government, it’s also important for our communities to be actively engaged[.] [I]f we can show we are taking the first step to help secure environmental rights we will be able to lead by example [and] highlight their importance to the government.”

3) What are you (or your organization/business/group) doing to further the cause of environmental rights? (i.e. either directly or indirectly)

“Environmental rights aren’t going to be achieved by governmental regulations alone. Myself and my organization, MycoRemedy, are committed to creating access to healthy ecosystems, by creating new, low­ impact, natural technologies that can remediate and restore polluted soils and environments. Industry plays such an important role in our province, both socially and economically, and its important we are able to support both the industry and the environment at the same time. [The] way to create a prosperous future for Alberta, with a strong economy and healthy environment, is through environmental innovations and solutions that support both industry and ecosystems.”

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4) 110 nations around the world recognize their citizens’ right to a healthy environment. Why do you think Canada hasn’t done this yet? (i.e. what do you think are the biggest obstacles in the way?)

“I don’t think [it’s] that Canada as a nation does not recognize or value the right to healthy environment, and I think that perhaps in the future this will come. Canada is ahead of many nations in terms of its environmental regulations set out to —

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Photo Credit: MycoRemedy logo taken from LinkedIn website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sns-technologists/comments?topic=6146154063961612288&type=U&scope=1240063&stype=C&a=CBrH&showModal=true
Photo Credit: MycoRemedy logo taken from: http://www.mycoremedy.com/

 

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]– protect our environment, however we also have an economy that is very dependent on resources. Although it’s the responsibility of the government to protect our environment, it’s also their responsibility to protect our industry sectors, jobs, and our economy. I think the big challenge at this point is our technology isn’t quite at the point to eliminate and minimize the environmental impacts of industry, but the government is actively encouraging the implementation and development of environmental solutions to green our industries, and I think they have helped us come a long way.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column][vc_column_text]

5) Would you be willing to sign the ‘Blue Dot Pledge”, joining the over 100,000 Canadians, and declare that you “[b]elieve every Canadian deserves the right to a healthy environment”? .

Yes.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]You can find out more about Ms. Miller-Anderson’s work at http://www.mycoremedy.com/. 

~ Jacob Marchel[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Five ‘Environmental Rights’ Questions with Pam Wight

Posted on by Jacob Marchel

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”458″ img_size=”568 x 568″ onclick=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ el_class=”Photo provided by Pamela Wight”][vc_column_text]Photo Credit: Photo provided by Pam Wight[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Pam Wight

Executive Director, Edmonton and Area Land Trust

https://www.ealt.ca

1) What would having constitutional environmental rights (e.g. the right to clean air, clean water, safe food, to access nature, etc.) mean to you, and/or your organization?

Most of my life I’ve been involved in environmental conservation and other aspects of sustainability (e.g., sustainable livelihoods, resource management, maintaining local cultures) in many countries. Having constitutional environmental rights shows that as a society, we want to treat the Earth like we’re planning to stay, and that we understand they’re an extension of other human rights. Other rights are dependent on a sustainable environment. The Rights of Nature were recognised 8 years ago, taking the concept of Environmental Rights to its logical conclusion. The Edmonton and Area Land Trust (EALT) as a nature conservancy could be a positive force in implementation and awareness.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]2) What do you think people in Edmonton can and/or should do to further the cause of environmental rights?

Edmontonians can do many things for the environment: personal actions at home; advocating for environmental rights in social media; and influencing others – via politicians, friends, colleagues. And of course they can they can support organisations like EALT whose mandate is to protect the environment in perpetuity, by volunteering, stewarding, or other support. Everyone can take such actions, work with environmental organisations, advocate and influence – and enjoy the environment they are stewarding, as well!

Some provinces already have provincial bills of environmental rights. Edmontonians can support declarations of support for environmental rights and also take concrete personal actions.

3) What are you (or your organization/business/group) doing to further the cause of environmental rights?

EALT works on the land, boots on the ground, securing and stewarding natural areas forever. We do this for the benefit of citizens, wildlife, clean water and air, and all the services (which are often forgotten) that the environment provides (e.g., cleaning, pollinating, flood mitigation). EALT’s lands directly support breathable clean air, clean water, biodiversity, fertile soils, homes for wildlife, and access to nature for all.

More than this, we educate citizens on environmental topics via mainstream media articles, brochures, presentations, workshops, youth work, and partnerships. We also have developed the Earth Ambassador Award, since Edmonton has no environmental awards.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]4) 110 nations around the world recognize their citizens’ right to a healthy environment. Why do you think Canada hasn’t done this yet? 

Canada is vast, and we take our environment for granted, thinking it has almost unlimited resources. Yet human impact is visible everywhere.

We’re resource rich, and focus on environmental resources (to exploit), rarely on environmental services.

Governments have focused on ‘growth’ rather than development, but growth is not sustainable, and shouldn’t be a goal.

Governments tended to view the economy as the pre-eminent sector, rather than built on the environment. They organize in activity silos (departments) instead of having an integrated, overarching vision. This separates environment from other sectors, and masks the fact that a healthy environment is interconnected and fundamental to all other sectors.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_gallery interval=”0″ images=”455″ img_size=”471 × 204″][vc_column_text]Photo Credit: Logo taken from EALT’s website at: https://www.ealt.ca[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]5) Would you be willing to sign the ‘Blue Dot Pledge” ( http://bluedot.ca/join-us/), joining the over 100,000 Canadians, and declare that you “[b]elieve every Canadian deserves the right to a healthy environment”?

I already did so!

You can find out more about Pam Wight’s work at the Edmonton & Area Land Trust at https://www.ealt.ca, and stay up-to-date on their activities by following them on Twitter @EdAreaLandTrust. 

~ Jacob Marchel[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]