January Newsletter: Sharing Gratitude & Excitement for 2024!
Happy New Year! We hope you had a memorable holiday season and a positive start to 2024. At Be the Change, we are energized and excited for the year ahead!
Be the Change’s Youth Blog Series highlights blogs written by university student interns at Be the Change Earth Alliance. In the blogs, the interns reflect on their experience completing “Action Packs,” which are learning resources that guide students in research, critical thinking and tangible action related to a global sustainability topic.
Action Pack Summary
75% of the world’s mining companies are based in Canada, yet many Canadians are unaware of the profound impacts of the industry on human and natural communities. The All That Glitters Action Pack provides students with key information and engaging activities related to the issue of mining in Canada and abroad.
Upon completing this Action Pack, students will gain greater understanding of the phases of mining as well as the social, environmental and economic costs of various mining methods. The vast extent of physical damages, contamination, safety and human rights risks will be highlighted- with a focus on critically examining how improvements can be made in an industry that very often slips under the radar. Students will learn that it is not just precious gems which are mined; everyday items are made with materials mined from the earth, such as tin, copper, and iron.
This Action Pack focuses on why Canada has developed a strong mining sector, and consequently, why Canada has been involved in various national and international mining-related injustices. From the Barrick Gold Corporation mine in Papua New Guinea associated with fatal shootings and beatings of indigenous women, to the proposed New Prosperity Gold Mine in British Columbia which ignored indigenous land claims and almost destroyed culturally significant Fish Lake, students will take away key examples of Canada’s complicity in mining injustices, and the necessary actions required to prevent them, such as personal vows to sustainably mined goods, and mining-justice advocacy with businesses and governments.
My Reflection
This Action Pack guided me in research into the armed conflicts associated with mining of many diamonds, metals and gemstones. I have committed to never buying jewelry that contains these products. I promised myself to only buy ethically sourced and produced jewelry, prioritizing recycled metals and lab grown diamonds and crystals. I have also chosen to buy items second-hand that use the mined natural resources I have learned about.
I had previously researched ethically made jewelry when I was looking into getting new jewelry. I was shocked to find that the industry was rife with injustice, not only socially, but also environmentally. My research highlighted that even socially responsible mining can come with significant destruction. Moving forward, I feel the need to avoid using mined goods, even if they are fair trade. If I do use products requiring mined materials I wil make sure that they are recycled and also environmentally sustainable.
Happy New Year! We hope you had a memorable holiday season and a positive start to 2024. At Be the Change, we are energized and excited for the year ahead!
As 2023 comes to a close and school winds down for winter break, we’re taking a moment to reflect back over the past year. 2023 was a very regenerative time for BTCEA! We developed and delivered our Climate Action, Resilience, and Emotions (CARE) program in communities on the frontlines of wildfires in our province. And as an organization, we prioritized creating space to discuss what decolonization could look like both internally, and in our programming. Here are the highlights:
Hello,
Dear Be The Change community,
As we approach mid-October, I’m reflecting on the changing seasons, from the warm and active days of summer to the cooler and quieter days of autumn. Personally, I’ve noticed a desire to slow down, take on fewer responsibilities, and stay inside where it’s cozy. Have you felt this way too?
As 21st century humans living in a world that operates under capitalism, white supremacy, and other oppressive systems, we can be made to feel guilt or shame about listening & responding to our needs. We are expected to maintain the same energy and productivity levels throughout the year, no matter how cold or dark the days are, how heavy world events feel, or how much we’re struggling in our personal lives.
This is where the concept of regenerative education comes in. Introduced to the BTCEA team by former staff member Jake, regenerative education calls on us to slow down and turn inward to consider our connection with the natural world. It asks us to examine the living systems that are breaking down due to violent human activity (such as fossil fuel extraction, destruction of Indigenous lands, and human-caused flooding and wildfires) and connect this breakdown with our own high levels of stress.