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December/January 2013 - 2014 www.thegreengazette.ca Page TheGreenGazette
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Page 1: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page

TheGreenGazette

Page 2 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 3

TheGreenGazette

Features 05 Christmas Crafting Christmas traditions come in all shapes and sizes ndash big din-ners family hikes dazzling parties hot chocolate around a roaring fire ndash and are essentially the basis of what makes the holidays special - by Jessica Kirby

08 Life with Honey Bees ~ Wersquore in this Together The relationship between humans and honey bees goes back a long way Cave art from an estimated 8000 years ago shows a honey-gatherer risking life and limb in pursuit of a sweet re-ward - by Diane Dunaway

10 Philippines Tragedy Shows Urgency of Warsaw

Climate Summit As people in the Philippines struggle with devastation and death from the worst storm to hit land in recorded history world leaders are meeting in Warsaw Poland to discuss the climate crisis - by David Suzuki 13 CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President of the European Commission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels CETA stands for Comprehen-sive Economic and Trade Agreement and is said by Harper to be the biggest trade deal Canada has ever made even bigger t h a n N A F T A - by Van Andruss

19 Winter Immunity

I live in Prince George and was reading that yoursquore going to focus on the immune system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just wonder what you would recommend for people who get sick all the time - by Ciel Patenaude

28 Composting Continues as Winter Moves In Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their com-post piles around this time of year - by Brianna van de Wijngaard

Contents DecemberJanuary 2013-2014

Publisher Editor-in-Chief

Lisa Bland lisathegreengazetteca

Senior Editor

Jessica Kirby Contributors

David Suzuki LeRae Haynes Jessica Kirby Alix Spiegel Robert L Nichol Julie Andreacutes Ciel Patenaude Van Andruss

Ron Young Lisa Bland Jenna Sipponen Jessica Knodel Jasmin Schellenberg Terri Smith Susan Tritt Ray Grigg

Amanda Nickerson Diane Dunaway Brianna van de Wijngaard Advertising

Lisa Bland Creative Directors

Lisa Bland Teena Clipston Ad Design

Teena Clipston Published by

Earthwild Consulting Printing

Black Press Ltd Cover Photo Credit

Jan Krejza Index Photo

Gunnar Pippel

TheGreenGazette is published by Earthwild Consult-

ing To subscribe call 250-620-3419 To view the

online flipbook visit wwwthegreengazetteca

copy 2013 all rights reserved Opinions and perspectives

expressed in the magazine are those of authors and

do not necessarily represent the views of the owner-ship or management Reproduction in whole or part

without the publisherrsquos consent is strictly prohibited

PO Box 164

Horsefly BC V0L 1L0

250-620-3419

wwwthegreengazetteca infothegreengazetteca

TheGreenGazette

Issue 24

04 Publishers Letter Dreamhealer Quantum realities Despite the laws governing physical matter at the macro level that we accept in our day to day reality on terra firma

quantum physicists have shown that matter does not adhere to these laws at its most basic quantum level - by Lisa Bland

05 Top 10 Tips for a Greener Holiday Season - by Community Futures 06 Volunteering ndash The spirit of giving - by Jessica Kirby

06 Transition Town Group hosts two films and discussion

07 Featured Green Business The season is green at Smashin Smoothies - by LeRae Haynes 11 A Bolt From the Blue AKA the lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo - by Ron Young

11 Commissionerrsquos Fall Report Paints Grim Picture of State of Biodiversity in Canada

12 Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas - by Jenna Sipponen 15 World View Dangerous dog treats - by Robert L ichol

16 Oh nohellip What Will we eat - by Jessica Knodel 17 Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake - by Susan Tritt

18 Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the Season for Sharing and Giving

19 Integrative Health Column Healing from depression - by Ciel Patenaude

21 Giving the Gift of Recycling

22 Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills - by Alix Spiegel PRorg

23 Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants - by Leah Selk 23 TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard 24 Switchbacks - by Julie Andreacutes

25 Poetry Aggie - by Julie Andreacutes 25 Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake - by Amanda ickerson

27 Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat - by LeRae Haynes

28 Hello Bob Sierra BCs new Executive Director - by Ray Grigg 29 Raising Amadeus - by Terri Smith

30 Dourishing our Children - by Jasmin Schellenberg

30 Calendar of Events

31 The Green Collective

Also in this Issue

TheGreenGazette

Page 4 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

D ear Readers

I canrsquot believe wersquove already

entered the heart of winter and

the shortest darkest days of the

year Although itrsquos been fairly moderate so

far it still seems like the change in the

weather dropped in out of the blue The

scramble for winter tires snow shovels

snow scrapers and warm clothing always

comes as a bit of a shock especially when it

dips down below -20 and we quickly find

out just how winterized we are Winter

brings many blessings toomdashdazzling snow

covered peaks crisp sunny days and out-

door activities in the snowy expanse and

the urge to be creative gather and enjoy

quality time with one another The Cariboo

is also home to an impressive network of

artisans crafts people and small businesses

that busily create their wares for the flurry

of craft fairs across the region Support for

the local market economy is noticeable in

the number of people that turn out and itrsquos

hard not to be inspired to join in lsquothe sea-

son of givingrsquo

One of my most enjoyable craft sale

experiences was visiting the Medieval Mar-ket on November 24 With yearly increasing attendance and record numbers there is

nothing that says lsquolocalrsquo and lsquospirit of the seasonrsquo more than this event Whether it was the ambiance created by the beautifully

dressed medieval crafts people the gracious student hosts serving homemade soups and treats the rich colours and textures of hand

woven wool scarves blankets hats gloves fabric art and pottery the scent of fresh ap-ples ground coffee beeswax candles and lavender scented creams the taste of almond

Roca chocolate covered cranberries and wild berry jams or the ongoing line-up of locally talented musicians the two-day event

was a dizzying delight for the senses The friendly market environment definitely pro-vided a jump start into the winter season of

festivities generosity and socializing with friends Winter also marks the time of year

when it is natural to go within and cultivate the imagination artistic creations and dream of the sunrsquos light In many cultures Solstice was a time to celebrate the re-birth of the

light and emergence of the sun from the darkest day and longest night of the year In ancient texts and traditions across the world

including those of the Egyptians Druids Mayans Incas and Greeks reference is made to a spiritual reverence towards the

sun Sun worship in some form is one of the oldest universal themes in spiritual traditions and numerous ancient sites were aligned

with the days of the Solstices and Equinoxes According to cosmologists around 400 million years after the Big Bang the universe first emerged out of darkness Ultra-

violet light was emitted for the first time as clumps of gas collapsed and the first stars

Letter from the Publisher

Lisa Bland PublisherEditor-in-Chief

Dreamhealer Quantum Realities and galaxies were formed Scientists think our solar system and sun were formed as a gigantic cloud of dust rotated and sucked in

material around it and gravity collapsed it and it spun into a flattened spiral The sun was formed as much of the material gathered

in the center Our solar system is estimated to be 46 billion years old and our sun is one of a scattering of more than a 100 billion

stars in the Milky Way galaxy Staring up at the stars in the night sky and basking in the warm glow of the sun is an experience we share with all humans

throughout time There is no denying the power and life giving force the sun feeds our planet nor the degree that we are influenced

by light All living creatures are attuned to cycles of light Just how gases formed into galaxies and birthed stars and planets among

them a perfect blue planet exquisitely bal-anced and inhabited by eventual conscious life is a mystery that many cultures have

pondered Mystics throughout time have suggested that life is multi-dimensional and that there is much more to our world that what we perceive with our five physical

senses Despite the laws governing physical matter at the macro level that we accept in

our day to day reality on terra firma quan-tum physicists have shown that matter does not adhere to these laws at its most basic

quantum level In a theory called the Copen-hagen Interpretation studies show that the act of observing or measuring has an effect

on whether matter exists in wave or particle form a principle known as wave-particle duality At its base quantum theory suggests objective reality does not exist at the quan-

tum level for the act of measuring causes a potential lsquofield of possibilityrsquo to immediately assume one form or another In other studies

it has been shown that photons lsquoorientrsquo to one another in close proximity or become lsquoentangledrsquo remaining oriented to one an-

other regardless of the distance they are separated The International Space Station (ISS)

aims to test the theory definitively by con-ducting an experiment that proves photons remain entangled over great distances (500 km) a theory that Albert Einstein first

coined as lsquospooky action at a dis-tanc e rsquo (R ead mo r e a t http wwwuniversetodaycom101408spooky-

experiment-on-is s -could -p ioneer-new-q uan t um- c ommun ic a t io n s - ne two r k ixzz2m8JVc3VT and httpphysorg

news2013-04-photons-loopholeshtmljCp ) With the scientific demonstration of non-local entanglement and observer-

influenced results in quantum particles itrsquos not hard to see why ideas behind the science of intention quantum mysticism and energy healing continue to gather momentum as

humans question the nature and fabric of commonly held reality While some abruptly turn away from mystical interpretations of

science feeling it wrongly endorses faith healers and spiritual gurus playing on fears to generate cash and take their place in the

spotlight some believe it is only a matter of time when science will catch up to what mystics have always known about the nature

of reality The unfathomable elements at the basis of many non-conventional types of healing seem to suggest transcendence over

basic physical laws and principles Meet Adam Dreamhealer doctor author and en-ergy healer who is working hard to build a

bridge between the two worlds with his be-lief that each side complements and strengthens the other

In the November issue of TheGreen-Gazette I mentioned my opportunity last year to interview Vancouver based Adam

MacLeod otherwise know as Dreamhealer or as coined in a 2003 Rolling Stone article ldquoThe boy with the magic touchrdquo After read-ing a 2003 Globe and Mail article ldquoAll

about Adamrdquo I was struck by the direct and unpretentious way then 16-year-old Adam spoke about ldquoenergy healingrdquo a topic usu-

ally sidelined to the fringes In the article Adam openly shared his experiences sensing energy and auras how he discovered his

healing abilities his belief in intention as a powerful tool anyone can use for healing and that science would eventually explain

his experiences His rise to the international stage occurred that year after contacting rock and roll legend Ronnie Hawkins who had been

diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer Adam offered Hawkins his assistance and after daily scheduled distance energy healing

sessions Hawkinsrsquo cancer disappeared Ed-gar Mitchell retired pilot and NASA astro-naut also received distance energy treat-

ments from Adam for kidney cancer and experienced a complete remission Ten years later Adam now aged 26

holds a degree in molecular biology and biochemistry has recently completed his training as a naturopathic doctor and will be opening a clinic in Vancouver has presented

healing workshops around the world guiding people to access their healing abilities and has written four best-selling books and pro-

duced two DVDs with healing visualiza-tions When I attended his workshop in

person I was immediately struck by how unpretentious Adam seemed on stage Here was not someone cultivating a persona to

charm the audience in fact he seemed and later admitted in a personal interview that he is uncomfortable being in the spotlight What I liked about Adam was the way he

spoke very practically and in a matter of fact way about energy healing and intention and often described his points with biologi-

cal and cellular explanations of body proc-esses and functions such as how DNA can be affected by our intentions

At 16 Adam already had a firm idea of where he was going stating in Rolling Stone that after he graduated he wanted to

become a naturopathic doctor and integrate energy healing with conventional medicine He said ldquoThe medical community and the healing community have the same goal so

why not work together Irsquom very confident that all this can be explained by science and Irsquom determined to prove itrdquo

During his day-long workshop jam-packed with around 400 participants Adamrsquos quotes flash across the screen

ldquoEvery cell in the body responds to the sub-tle energy of lightrdquo ldquoLight co-ordinates all life processesrdquo ldquoIntentions affect things far

beyond our awarenessrdquo and ldquoEveryone takes the limits of hisher perception as the limits of the worldrdquo The take-home message was this everyone can play an active role in

their own healing and be empowered know-ing that their thoughts influence the bodyrsquos biochemistry to assist in the healing process

The mysterious properties and inter-connectedness of light and matter all play a part in the unfolding of our relationship with

ourselves and the cosmos and if there is truth in the new age adage that our thoughts create our reality then our health may be

more in our control than we think In spiri-tual terms one might say ldquoBe mindful of your self-talk itrsquos a conversation with the universerdquo

To find out more about Adamrsquos workshops books and Global Intention Heals Project visit httpdreamhealercom

and httpwwwintentionhealscom Happy winter everyone Donrsquot forget to visit our new website

at wwwthegreengazetteca for local features news headlines our community calendar of events Green Community Collective list-

ings and more Like us on Facebook to re-ceive our regular posts

Adam MacLeod DD aka Dreamhealer at

his Integrative Healing Workshop in

Vancouver BC Photo Lisa Bland

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 5

TheGreenGazette

are shaken Once the baubles are painted re-place the hook and loop and tie ribbon or rafetta around them to finish your master-piece Make it yours Use two colours in each baublemdashone matte and one sparkly or metallic When they swirl together the ef-fect is stunning Try matte green and me-tallic blue with a hint of white or brown for an Earth-like creation Pro tip Direct a little spray glue inside the bauble before sprinkling the glit-ter and it will stick to the inner surface rather than settling on the bottom Wait for this to dry before adding your notions Kindness Ornaments Create a set of or-naments that inspire kindness among your family members In the spirit of Saint Nickolaus legendary saint of doing secre-tive good deeds we made 24 felt hearts that we keep in a basket under the tree and can only be hung in exchange for a good deed When one of us completes a secret helpful deed for someone else in the house one of the ornaments can be hung on the tree Make it yours Our ornaments are made of felt and stuffed with batting but they can be made of or themed in any way you choose I chose hearts because they represent loving acts but if it were up to my husband they would have looked like hockey pucks or my children may have chosen elves or Santas Pro tip Kindness ornaments make a beautiful gift for others wanted to ex-plore a deeper meaning over the holidays Most importantly use what you have and keep it simple Choose natural materials to achieve a calm peaceful look and donrsquot forget texture Layering materi-als creates depth and movement in any crafting project often negating the need for superfluous materials And in the spirit of tradition try to keep it personal Music lovers can create wall sconces or cover baubles with old music sheets and garden-ers can work dried flowers into almost any creationmdashthe possibilities are endless Happy Crafting

By Jessica Kirby Senior Editor of TheGreenGazette

Christmas Crafting

C hristmas tradi-

tions come in all

shapes and sizes

ndash big dinners

family hikes dazzling par-

ties hot chocolate around a

roaring fire ndash and are essen-

tially the basis of what

makes the holidays special

In our house we in-dulge in turkey (cashew loaf for us veg-gies) family and roaring fires but the most treasured tradition for us is crafting Call us crazy but the art of doing things by hand making treasures sharing ideas around the kitchen table is the most poign-ant Christmas experience we share as a family So with focus on the here and now of Christmas itrsquos time to think about beau-tifying your space and your mind-body connection with some elegant eco-friendly and meaningful projects you can do alone with friends or with children Wreaths and garlands au naturale If you live in or near an evergreen forest a world of material awaits Take a long re-laxing walk in the woods and collect boughs pinecones and holly to deck the halls au naturale Twist boughs in a circle shape ndash use heavy wire or anything stiff and circular as a guide if you need it ndash to make a wreath which you can decorate with your woodsy findings or fasten them in a long row to make a garland for the mantle Make it yours Think about fasten-ing objects to your wreath or garland that speak to your familyrsquos interests Try drift-wood seashells or dried flowers for a West Coast theme or bright flowers snowflake shapes autumn leaves and sun shapes to make your wreath a seasonal celebration Pro tip If gold and silver arenrsquot your flavour try bronze spray paint or spray snow to add a more subtle sparkle to your creation Instead of bows try short pieces of branch or driftwood tied with rafetta in the centre or use pinecones Painted glass baubles The possibilities are plentiful when you begin with clear glass globe ornaments found at most craft stores To paint the baubles from the in-side remove the hook and loop from the top of the bauble and pour in about four tablespoons of craft paint Turn the bauble in various directions until the paint spreads over the entire inner surface Add more paint as needed ensuring a generous coat-ing on the glass A more elegant variation is rather than painting sprinkle glitter and winter or Christmas-themed crafting notions inside creating a snow-globe effect that leaves the surface relatively clear unless the baubles

Use what you have Scrap felt childrens blocks

or scrap metal can make lovely Christmas

ornaments with personality

Kindness ornaments Kindness ornaments go on the tree one at a time following a secret good

deed for someone else in the family

Photos Jessica Kirby

Letrsquos all make an effort to recycle everything we can especially at this time of year

when so much gift wrapping and plastic wrapping get thrown in the garbage

Here are some ideas of how to give the gift of recycling back to the environment 1 Instead of giving a store-bought gift how about a gift of a homemade basket of

goodies Family pictures are also a great gift idea All are great delicious and personal gifts with no product packaging waste

2 If you enjoy giving store bought gifts then consider using recycled wrapping paper or cloth gift bags instead of wrapping paper Try using newspapers The Sunday funnies help keep it colorful and fun

3 Buy gifts that donrsquot require wrapping such as gift certificates for a much needed massage for a book store or for dinner at a favorite restaurant The gift of relaxation and experiences will be appreciated after the flurry of the Christ-mas morning chaos Again it reduces the waste packaging is more eco-friendly and lowers the chances that a purchased gift will go unused

4 Recycle your old holiday cards Cut out the pictures to make new cards or gift tags If yoursquore not so crafty and still want to reduce paper waste why not send out electronic greetings cards

5 When buying gifts make sure you check product labels to determine an itemrsquos recyclability and if it is made from recycled materials If you receive electronics at Christmas make sure to take your old electronics and donate them or recycle them at a local designated facility

6 Consider purchasing and serving local bought food at your staff or family Christmas dinner Buying local produce is not only a healthier alternative it helps support your community businesses and local farmers

7 A big contributor to landfill waste is disposable dinnerware For your holiday office party try to find an alternative way to serve food to your guests this year If that is not an option do some research and find a biodegradable product that has the ability to break down safely and relatively quickly

8 Want to save money and energy this holiday season Try putting your tree and outdoor lights on timers Set the timer to have your lights automatically turn on at sunset and turn off overnight and during the day If the timer isnrsquot an option then use the good old fashioned way and unplug them manually Are you are in the market to buy some Christmas lights or replace old ones Then make the switch to LED lights if you havenrsquot done so already

9 After the holidays look for ways to recycle your tree or buy a potted tree that can be replanted after the Christmas season is over Make sure to pre-plan the live tree option because you canrsquot leave them inside to long Too much time in the warmth of the home could prevent them from surviving the replanting proc-ess

10 For those of you who are weighing the choice between buying a live tree versus an artificial tree for environmental concerns make sure to do your research There are many pros and cons to the artificial live tree debate Where the arti-ficial tree might seem on the surface more environmentally friendly it has many negative long-term effects on the environment

Submitted by Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin

Top 10 Tips for a Greener Holiday Season Paint glass

baubles

from the

inside to create

swirling

colour with a hint of

sparkle

Page 6 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

ldquoHooked On Growthrdquo ndash a film from Growthbusters (54 min) Monday January 27 2014 630 pm at Cen-tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall up-stairs) ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo is the quintessential David vs Goliath story starring modern-day filmmaker David Gardner in his autobio-graphical crusade against industrial civiliza-tionrsquos prevailing and largely unquestioned myth that Growth is Good whether referring to populations or economies As he points out infinite growth ultimately doesnrsquot work on a finite planet Things run out Bucking the tide our crusader runs for city council in his hometown of Colorado Springs pointing out to his constituency how continuing development and resource-use actually ends up costing the city more than the increase in revenues

The film is thoroughly sprinkled with experts like Paul Ehrlich (The Population Bomb) Bill McKibben (The End of Nature) Bill Rees (inventor of the Ecological Footprint) Chris Martenson (The Crash Course) and many more Outrageous humour is used to show that the growth imperative needs to be stopped and that in fact it will be stoppedmdasheither voluntarily or when planetary limits slam humans against the wall as happens with any population that overshoots its environmental base ldquoThe cult of endless growth has kept us from seeing clearly the choices in front of us

rdquo - Bill McKibben

Transition Town Group Hosts Two Films Followed By Discussion

ldquoA Fierce Green Fire The battle

for a living planetrdquo (101 min) Monday December 16 630 pm at Cen-tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall up-stairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion Environmentalism is the largest movement the world has ever seen and it may also be the most important in terms of whatrsquos at stake Yet itrsquos not easy being Green Environmentalists have been reviled as much as revered for being killjoys and Cassandras Every battle begins as a lost cause and even the victories have to be fought for again and again Still environmentalism is one of the great social innovations of the twentieth century and one of the keys to how the twenty-first century will unfold It has arisen at a key juncture in history when humans have come to rival the power of nature and as a result will influence how the earth will evolve Writer-director Mark Kitchell efficiently divides the film into five acts Conserva-tion Pollution Alternatives Globalization and Climate Change The film narrated by Robert Redford Ashley Judd and Meryl Streep gives us a sweeping history of the environmental movement by recounting a host of seminal persons and events including Aldo Leopold John Muir Rachael Carson Sierra Club Greenpeace and yes President Nixon to name a few ldquoTRULY RIVETING - Fierce Green Fire is both a cautionary tale and a triumphant onerdquo - The Washington Post

People around the world are trying to power down They are working as whole communities to use less en-ergy and live in greater harmony with the planet and with each other There are dozens of communities and regions in Canada that have become Transition Towns

or are mulling it over For the complete list with links to the website of each visit wwwtransitionnetworkorginitiatives and search on Canada

T here is something about Christ-

mas that brings out the giving spirit in people Despite the com-

mercialization of the holiday the essence of family and togetherness seems to

permeate the season inspiring the desire to

help out give more and share selflessly

According to a Statistics Canada re-port Canada already has an incredibly giving populationmdash$133 million people or 47 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and over volun-teered their time year-round in 2010 provid-ing leadership mentoring driving services help in social services and help in other ac-tivities at a rate equivalent to 11 million full-time jobs The number of people volunteering their time during the Christmas holidays rises between five and 30 per cent depending on the region Eager to help and to get more out of the holidays it is not uncommon for peo-ple to don their aprons at soup kitchens pack hampers at the food bank or drive for an organization that offers safe rides home for party-goers And the effort is appreciated as over the holidays food banks across Canada ex-perience nearly double the number of people accessing services womenrsquos shelters see a 15-25 per cent increase in families seeking services and crisis lines experience up to 30 per cent increase in calls So if yoursquore ready to give a lasting gift over the holidays check out the following opportunities to brighten anotherrsquos day Volunteer The Williams Lake Salvation Army provides food hampers and toys to over 400 families in need throughout the Christmas season The organization is looking for Kettle volunteers to work two-hour minimum shifts taking donations over the holidays and needs individuals to assist in packing hampers On Christmas Day the Salvation Army serves up a Christmas dinner and needs assistance preparing and serving meals and is also looking for a Christmas day entertainer so if your talent is music skit acting or otherwise entertaining consider sharing your time to brighten Christmas for those in need Drivers are also required to take hampers to familiesrsquo houses on Christ-mas Eve and Christmas Day Operation Red Nose operates from November 29 to December 31 in Williams Lake offering a safe ride home and your car delivered at all hours of the night The or-ganization gets extremely busy during Christmas party season and can always use a hand The organization is looking for escort drivers who use their personal vehicles to drive the volunteer driver and the navigator to the location where the client is waiting volunteer drivers who drive the clientrsquos vehi-cles and navigators who ride along with the volunteer driver and client in the clientrsquos vehicle Operation Red Nose can also use headquarters volunteers who look after things like phone operation dispatching or volun-teer training Canadian Mental Health Association ndash Cariboo Chilcotin Branch operates a crisis line that serves individuals in need year round The organization needs volunteers but to help out over the holidays yoursquoll have to plan ahead as training occurs once per week over nine weeks If you already have

Volunteering ndash The spirit of giving By Jessica Kirby

this training consider volunteering or pulling extra shifts over the holidays Donate If yoursquore on a time crunch but would still like to help out consider making a monetary or in-kind donation to an organiza-tion that assists others Operational budgets are extremely difficult to meet and all dona-tions are welcome Consider food clothing toiletries or blankets at the Womenrsquos Emer-gency Shelter or the Salvation Army or bring non-perishable food items to the Salva-tion Army The SPCA is always looking for food and supply donations as well as mone-tary contributions to help provide health ser-vices to pets as they await their forever homes The Cariboo Friendship Society oper-ates a number of services for women and children fleeing abuse and for people suffer-ing from addictions and mental health issues The organizationrsquos needs change and fluctu-ate but itrsquos worth a call to see which items they might need to help run their programs Plan an Event

Creating an opportunity to help out over the holidays is easier than you think Host a potluck or your regular Christmas dinner or party fare and ask everyone to bring a donation to the SPCA or Salvation Army food bank Itrsquos really that simple If you belong to a special interest club or group think about making a collective donation Sewing or knitting groups can or-ganize members to create blankets toques or heavy socks book clubs can donate books to the Emergency Shelter or music clubs can contact the Salvation Army to see about play-ing for an hour to entertain the clients Make it a working affair If the com-pany is having a Christmas party why not work in a couple of hours helping out Meet-ing for dinner Meet two hours earlier and help pack hampers Have everyone bring a food bank or SPCA donation to the Christ-mas Party or auction off the ability to an-tagonize the boss with donations going to the organization of your choice Salvation ArmymdashWilliams Lake 250-305-2492

wwwwlsalvationarmycom

Operation Red ose

wwwoperationnezrougecomenjoin_us

Canadian Mental Health Association ndash

Cariboo Chilcotin

wwwcariboocmhabccaget-involvedvolunteer

Cariboo Friendship Society

250-398-6831 wwwcariboofriendshipsocietyca

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 7

TheGreenGazette

The Season is Green at Smashinrsquo Smoothies

By LeRae Haynes

Featured Green Business

G oing to work every day to a job that is in tune with

your core values is top of the list for Kim Kaytor Her

business Smashin Smoothies has been open now

for nearly a year and she remains committed to envi-

ronmental responsibility and to beautiful nourishing food made

from local organic produce

She says the company offers smoothies juices coffees wraps soups salads full-power orbs energy lsquoballsrsquo a great line of herbal tea granola and special oatmeal and breakfast sand-wiches

ldquoAll our produce ingredients and coffee are organic and as local as possiblerdquo she explains ldquoOur cups are bio-degradable and customers are encouraged to bring their own coffee and smoothie cups We donrsquot use GMO products and local farmers come and pick up our compost or we drop it off at the Potato Houserdquo Committed to Green and dedicated to service and quality local ingredients she says she made a conscious choice to go with higher costs to be more environmentally responsible ldquoThis year has been interesting challenging rewarding and excitingrdquo she says ldquoI love it when people say lsquoIrsquoll bet you donrsquot have anything I can eatrsquo and I say lsquoIrsquoll bet we dorsquordquo Smashin Smoothies can accommodate peoplersquos needs with dairy-free sugar-free glu-

ten-free and vegan options according to Kaytor who says she is glad to see society starting to reflect environmental responsibility and awareness and people starting to be more con-cerned about what they put in their bodies ldquoPeople are starting to care more and it makes me so happy when I can post on our Facebook page that our honey is from our local Bee Happy Honey ndash that we support local producersrdquo she says ldquoI feel that itrsquos part of our obligation as a communityrdquo Smashin Smoothies was in the community over the summer at events like the Friday Farmersrsquo Market and Performances in the Park ldquoWe were lucky that these two events were close to the shop so we could ferry coolers of smoothies and offer healthy nutritious thirst-quenching treatsrdquo she says She also says Green progress often starts with kids ldquoMy youngest employees here are the most environmentally aware We all do our best but they are knowledgeable and insistent about things like recyclingrdquo she adds ldquoMy staff is so awesome I feel that the universe has

blessed me with them ldquoI have this thing that I put a lot of thought into every morning All my staff knows that whenever someone comes in the door I want them to feel better when they leave I want them to have a positive experience in a great atmospheremdashwe even give hugs to some of them No matter who they are or what kind of day theyrsquore having we want them to love being hererdquo she says ldquoItrsquos more than being welcomed we want them to be nourishedrdquo She says some people in the business community have counselled her to rethink the organic aspect of Smashin Smoothies but she has stood her ground with a continued commit-ment to environmental responsibility ldquoWe work really hard to keep our prices reasonable and as people become more and more aware of that when wersquore putting organic goodness in our bodies they see that itrsquos worth itrdquo

Mackenzie Howse Daomi Lomavatu Kim Kaytor River Michalchuk and Emily Cook offer a range of Christ-

mas gift ideas as well as nutritious organic treats to nourish the body and feed the soul Photo LeRae Haynes

MENTION THIS COUPON Its our one-year anniversary

Celebrate with us

December 9 through 21 Get a FREE 12 oz coffee or smoothie

with the purchase of a LARGE beverage

You can give the gift of health this season at Smashin Smoothies with gift cards gift bags gift boxes and boxed 100 certified Pukka herbal teas with delightful blends and fla-vours Smashin Smoothies is located at 102 - 41 7th Avenue north across from Save on Foods For more information call 778-412-2112 or follow on Facebook

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the commu-

nity co-ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator of a lot of musical shenanigans

in Williams Lake including ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo

dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 8 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

T he relationship between hu-

mans and honey bees goes

back a long way Cave art

from an estimated 8000 years

ago shows a honey-gatherer risking life

and limb in pursuit of a sweet reward

Bees and flowers go back even fur-ther in their connection Theyrsquove co-evolved for over 10 million years The flowers benefit from pollination thus pro-creation while the bees are rewarded with pollen and nectar nutritional essentials in their life cycle Of the 20000 bee species now known less than 10 are honey bees Yet after the common fruit fly honey bees are the second most studied insect in biologi-cal research Besides being super cool why would this be Fast forward to modern day agricul-ture Pollination is worth ten times the monetary value of honey An estimated 30 per cent of the food we eat depends on pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male part of a flower to the female part This enables fertilization which results in viable seeds Successful pollination typically increases fruit set resulting in higher yields of better-formed larger more flavourful fruit that ripens faster and keeps longer While bumblebees and other na-tives are excellent pollinators only honey bees can be managed in large enough num-bers to ensure adequate pollination at the critical time for an individual crop bloom We are losing native bees due to habitat destruction insecticides and monoculture crop planting The honey bee (Apis mel-lifera L) has become critical in managed pollination worldwide Given their essential role in food production how can it be that honey bees are in decline Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been in the news since massive die-offs were noted in 2006 And are we any closer to understanding why Is there a so-called silver bullet Alas no What we do know is that CCD is multifactoral death by a thousand cuts Happily a few things have been ruled out including cellphone transmissions and my personal favourite the rapture What is surfacing through research and reports from beekeepers is the story of an insect and really a world under pressure Herersquos where the irony comes in Letrsquos look at three crops blueberries al-monds and corn In our quest for the healthful benefits of antioxidants super protein cheap starch and sugar substitutes plastic alternatives and biofuel among other desirable attributes wersquove created monstrous demands for these commodities To meet these demands conven-tional agriculture has stepped in In British Columbia alone we generated $83 million in gross blueberry sales representing 56 per cent of total Canadian sales in 2010 In California there are 810000 acres of al-mond orchards that require two million honey bee colonies each spring for pollina-tion most of which are trucked in from as far away as Florida These orchards are monoculture moonscapes nothing else

Life with Honey Bees ~ Wersquore in This Together

grows alongside row upon row of these super nut trees And then therersquos corn both sweet and utilitarian (aka cow corn most of which is genetically modified) While corn doesnrsquot require pollination nearly 100 per cent of the seed in North America is treated with neonicotinoids a family of neurotoxins that have recently been impli-cated as harmful to bees and other pollina-tors on a sub-lethal basis Europe placed a three-year moratorium banning neonicoti-noids this year Canadian commercial seed companies are offering non-treated corn and soya seed for the 2014 planting season in response to honey bee poisonings that occurred in Ontario and Quebec last spring Many conventional beekeeping practices have compounded these prob-lems by promoting the prophylactic use of chemical miticides and antibiotics in the management of commercial apiaries These agents often leave residues in the hiversquos beeswax which in turn interact with outside chemicals brought in to the hive by the bees The synergistic effect can be 10 times as powerful and even lethal to the bees To finish the suite of honey bee threats we must mention good olrsquo Varroa mites and other bee pathogens like Nosema plus viruses that are vectored when the beersquos immune system is compro-mised Starvation poor nutrition genetic inbreeding and stress round out the chal-lenges Okay itrsquos time to step away from the cliff Wersquore in this together and there is some silver lining here Stay the course therersquos both hope and things we can do as individuals and communities to turn things around If you watch one TED Talk this winter please set aside time for Dr Marla Spivakrsquos presentation ldquoWhy Bees are Dis-appearingrdquo httpwwwtedcomtalksmarla_spivak_why_bees_are_disappearinghtml

Her take home message is simple and practical plant more flowers for the bees They will offer nutrition and biodi-versity Spivak is one of the true rock stars of the honey bee research world For years at the University of Minnesota shersquos stud-ied and developed a line of bees that have natural hygienic behaviour thus disease resistance Other rock stars worth noting and Googling include Sue Cobey of Washing-ton State University who is importing honey bee germplasm (drone sperm) from isolated pockets in Europe where there are sub-species of honey bees that display de-sirable heritable traits Suersquos specialty is honey bee breeding including artificial insemination She spoke to a captivated audience at the 2013 BC Honey Producers Association conference held in Kelowna last fall httpwsmwsuedusindexphpid=948 One of the best writers about honey bees is Dr Eric Mussen who joined the UC Davis Department of Entomology faculty in 1976 I was fortunate to hear him speak in October at the Western Apiculture Soci-ety (WAS) meeting held in Santa Fe New Mexico Eric is retiring next year he will leave both a formidable legacy and a vast void Pragmatic and brilliant Mussen has lived in the hub of California agriculture development for decades and has seen an array of pesticides come and go Here are links to both his Bee Briefs httpucanr orgsi tes entomologyFacul tyEric_C_MussenBee_Briefs and the WAS

Journal httpucanredusiteswas2WAS_Journal

In BC we have University of British Columbiarsquos (UBC) Dr Leonard Foster one of many prodigies from rocker Dr Mark Winstonrsquos famous and now defunct bee lab at Simon Fraser University Foster and his team at UBC in partnership with Genome BC are spearheading the search to identify honey bee populations that are naturally resistant to pathogens Using sophisticated proteomics they are well on their way to teasing out protein markers associated with Hygienic Behaviour and Varroa Sensitive Hygiene In the foresee-able future queen bee producers will have a tool that helps confirm if their bee stock is hardy and worthy of propagation httpwwwchibiubccafacultyleonard-fosterfoster-labbee-ipm Another exciting trend in apiculture these days is the emergence of urban bee-keeping Kudos go out to Mayor Kerry Cook and the Council of the City of Wil-liams Lake who last September voted unanimously in favour of urban beekeep-ing Hobbyist beekeepers have an impor-tant role to play Not only can they keep the gentle art of beekeeping alive but they can also be stewards to newly developed honey bee genetic stock For sound educational information and inspiration Heather Clay of Vernon BC runs the Urban Bee Network Well qualified Heather is the former Canadian Honey Council CEO and spent years as the apiarist for the province of New Bruns-wick You can learn more about keeping honey bees in cities managing bees on a small scale tips for planting for bees facts about pollination and how to help save our speci a l pol l i na tor s a t ht t p wwwurbanbeenetworkca A word of caution to those who wish to keep bees or are new to beekeep-ing itrsquos very important to learn the basics Sadly many venture in and fold after the first two or three years of keeping bees This makes sense as when you acquire your bees yoursquore benefiting from the knowledge and management of whomever you bought your bees from Many ldquonewbeesrdquo want to keep their bees natu-

(Continued on page 9)

By Diane Dunaway

Woman gathering honey watercolor copy by

F Benitez Mellado of a Mesolithic (c

100008000ndashc 3000 bce) painting in the

Cueva de la Arana near Bicorp Spain in the Museum of Prehistory Valencia Spain

Credit Instituto de Estudios Editoriales Bar-

celona

Credit The Canadian Association of

Professional Apiculturists

A visit in the bee yard in wintertime Photo Diane Dunaway

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 9

TheGreenGazette

rally This is admirable please donrsquot get me wrong However statistically natural too often turns to neglect Itrsquos imperative that a beekeeper can identify diseases and parasites and monitor for them If found then the same beekeeper must decide how to best keep these infestations from killing a colony or worsemdashputting neighbouring apiaries at risk Worker bees can forage as far as five kilometers from their hives drones go even further looking for love Please practice safe beekeeping lsquoNuff said If yoursquod like to create bee habitat in your garden there are several bee-friendly plants that do well in our zone three cli-mate One of the best books on the subject is by Jane Ramsay of Victoria BC ldquoPlants for Beekeeping in Canada and the North-ern USArdquo was first published through the International Bee Research Association (IBRA) Theyrsquore sold out but Ramsay has some of her books for sale Her phone number is 250-598-4415

(Continued from page 8)

What You Can Do to Support

Your Local Honey Bee and Beekeeper bull Buy local honey and hive prod-

ucts at a fair market price

bull Use honey in place of sugar as

your sweetener of choice

bull Learn to love dandelions

bull Add bee-friendly plants to your

garden

bull Differentiate between honey

bees and wasps

bull Provide clean water for bees

and other pollinators

bull Reduce lawn mowing and set

your mower at a higher cutting

level

bull Advocate for bee-friendly by-

laws

bull Educate others about honey

bee pollination a third of our

food supply needs it Pollina-

tion is worth ten times the eco-

nomic value of honey

bull Donrsquot use pesticides if you

must please use fast-acting

short-residual options apply at

dusk when pollinators are least

active

bull Become a beekeeper

Thank You

2013 was a fabulous year for honey bees

in the Cariboo Diane Dunaway harvests

from a leaning tower of honey supers Photo Eddy Bowser

Humankindrsquos relationship with bees has come a long way since the time of honey robbing From rock art to research rock stars wersquove developed an understanding an appreciation and a codependency that isnrsquot about to weaken any time soon

Diane Dunaway has kept bees since 1998

A Master Beekeeper she runs close to 100

colonies from her Bee Happy Honey farm

in the Soda Creek valley of the Cariboo

Diane produced and edited BeesCene the BC Honey Producers Association

(BCHPA) quarterly journal for five years

Dedicated to the health and welfare of

honey bees and the environment that sup-

ports them she advocates for organic inte-

grated pest management methods Recently

she became a BCHPA Certified Instructor

of Introductory Beekeeping through a

partnership with the BC Ministry of Agri-

culture Apiculture Branch When shersquos not

chasing swarms around the countryside

Diane can be found at home with Dave

her husband of 22 years and their menag-

erie of rescue animals

Page 10 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Philippines Tragedy Shows Urgency of Warsaw Climate Summit

Science Matters

A s people in the Philippines struggle with devastation and death from

the worst storm to hit land in re-

corded history world leaders met

in Warsaw Poland to discuss the climate

crisis ldquoWhat my country is going through as

a result of this extreme climate event is mad-

ness The climate crisis is madnessrdquo Yeb Sano lead negotiator for the Philippines told

the opening session of the U climate sum-

mit which ran until ovember 22 ldquoWe can

stop this madness Right here in Warsawrdquo

Given the slow progress at the 18 meetings held since 1992 ndash when countries from around the world joined the United Na-tions Framework Convention on Climate Change ndash itrsquos hard not to be pessimistic Can-ada in particular has been repeatedly singled out among the close to 200 member countries for obstructing progress and not doing enough to address climate change at home But as scientific evidence continues to build and impacts ndash from extreme weather to melting Arctic ice ndash continue to worsen with costs mounting daily the impetus to resolve the problem is growing Wersquore exhausting Earthrsquos finite resources and pushing global ecosystems to tipping points beyond which addressing pollution and climate issues will become increasingly difficult and costly The only hindrance to developing a fair ambitious and legally binding climate plan for the world is lack of political will Part of the problem is that much of the world is tied to the fossil fuel economy and the rush is on to get as much oil coal and gas out of the ground and to market while people are still willing to pay for it and burn it up Wersquore wasting precious resources in the name of quick profits instead of putting them to better use than propelling often solo occupants in large metal vehicles and instead of making them last while we shift to cleaner energy sources But therersquos cause for hope Solutions are available Governments just have to dem-onstrate courage and leadership to put us on a path to a healthier future For example a recent report by energy consulting firm ECOFYS titled ldquoFeasibility of GHG emissions phase-out by mid-centuryrdquo shows itrsquos technically and economically feasi-ble to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to zero from 90 per cent of current sources

with readily available technology It shows we could phase out almost all net emissions by 2050 by innovating further In doing so we could likely meet the agreed-upon goal of lim-iting global average temperature increases to below 2 degrees C and wersquod stand a 50 per cent chance of staying below 15 degrees C by the end of the century All of this would have the added benefit of reducing ldquowater air and soil pollution associated with traditional en-ergy generationrdquo The report echoes the David Suzuki Foundationrsquos findings regarding Canadarsquos potential to meet its current and forecasted demand for fuel and electricity with existing supplies of solar wind hydroelectric and biomass energy Whether or not any of this is politically feasible is another question But the longer we delay the more difficult and expensive it will get Polling research also shows Canadians expect our government to be a constructive global citizen on climate action A recent Leger Marketing survey sponsored by Canada 2020 and the University of Montreal found the majority of Canadians understand that human activity is contributing to climate change and believe the federal government should make addressing the issue a high priority Of those polled 76 per cent said Canada should sign an international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions with most supporting this even if China does not sign The poll also found majority support for a carbon tax as one way to combat climate change especially if the money generated is used to support renewable energy develop-ment Although BC has recently stepped back from previous leadership on climate change its carbon tax is one example among many local governments doing more than the federal government to address climate change We and our leaders at all political lev-els ndash local national and international ndash must do everything we can to confront the crisis As Mr Sano told delegates in Warsaw ldquoWe can-not sit and stay helpless staring at this interna-tional climate stalemate It is now time to take action We need an emergency climate path-wayrdquo With contributions from David Suzuki Founda-

tion senior editor Ian Hanington Learn more at wwwdavidsuzukiorg

By David Suzuki

Debris lines the streets of Tacloban Leyte island

Photo Eoghan Rice - Troacutecaire Caritas

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 11

TheGreenGazette

Copyright 2013 Petar Meseldzija

wwwpetarmeseldzijaartcom wwwpetarmeseldzijablogspotnl Petar Meseldžija is widely acknowledged as one of the leading artists in the field of contemporary

fantastic art His style resembles artists like Rembrandt Frank Frazetta and Alan Lee He does illus-trations and paintings for publishers various clients and private collectors from around the world

By Ron Young

o matter how well you think

you are prepared for the un-

expected there is always the

ldquobolt from the bluerdquo that

thing that occurs that you didnrsquot expect or

plan for also known as the unknown un-

known Itrsquos such a commonplace refer-

ence in the aerospace industry unknown

unknowns are abbreviated as lsquounk-unkrsquo

Donald Rumsfeld made the concept infa-

mous during the Iraq war in the state-

ment ldquoThere are hellip unknown un-

knownsmdashthere are things we do not know

we donrsquot knowrdquo

Well I had an encounter with unk-unks during a recent snowstorm and power outage and Irsquom sure I was grunting unk but also uncle many times that weekend When the power goes out and you have a battery back up system as I do you hardly notice especially if itrsquos relatively short-term We get power from BC Hydro but we also have solar and wind generated power that is stored in a battery When the battery is fully charged from wind or solar (PV) then the system automatically switches designated loads to run off the stored energy until the battery is depleted In this way we can run household lights and appliances for many hours a day exclu-sively from renewable energy sources and reduce our carbon footprint while lowering our BC Hydro bill But it seems that when one thing goes wrong Murphyrsquos Law dictates that the wrong thing the problem must bring friends to the party Not only did the power go off which is an eventuality I was pre-pared for but also the snow came down one icy little flake after another until over 50 cm of accumulated chaos had arrived in record time And then to finish off the threesome the pump that supplies our house with water from the creek well quit working Water isnrsquot something you can do without for long and having had the occa-sional water problem in the past I put a cou-ple of five gallon jugs of water aside for emergencies But you can go through ten gallons of water really quickly in a two-person household Even if you are prudent about when you flush the toilet (which in an older toilet can use nearly five gallons per flush) you will still need several gallons for cooking drinking and washing An added source for clean water is your hot water tank which you can drain making sure you first turn off the breaker so the heating ele-ments donrsquot switch on in an empty tank and quickly burn out Well after an entire weekend of problem-solving it put me in mind of think-ing ahead and preparing for possible emer-gencies While I donrsquot want to become fix-

A Bolt From the Blue AKA The lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo ated on the subject I have to remind myself to pay attention to have lsquosituational aware-nessrsquo as it is called in the military Itrsquos win-tertime and if yoursquore going to travel winter roads what will you do if you have a break-down Many of us in the rural Cariboo live in areas without cell coverage so while hav-ing a cellphone is a good idea it isnrsquot a panacea Having clothes and shoes that are suitable for walking some distance in cold weather is essential gear Having a source of heat is a great idea such as hand warmers or a small beeswax candle Beeswax burns significantly hotter and longer than other wax and a single candle can be a lifesaver Other simple things that are often over-looked in winter vehicles are a portable shovel a length of strong rope in case you need towing a set of battery starter cables and a good flashlight Throw in a couple of energy bars for good measure Household preparedness is another matter The world we live in nowadays seems to be more volatile and unpredictable than it ever was So we have to think in terms of streams of essentials that make up our daily lives Then think of what steps we will take if any of those streams are di-verted or interrupted The aforementioned water is one essentialmdashfood heat commu-nications and energy to power lights and some basic appliances are other essentials A good backup plan is to create a small safety margin in each of those critical streams that will help us bridge unexpected events In the energy department which is my area of expertise I would suggest a good minimum strategy is to have a deep cycle battery with a small invertercharger that keeps the battery charged when itrsquos not needed When the power goes out this sys-tem will power some lights a cellphone charger a TV or computer or even a mi-crowave There are all-in-one battery packs with built-in inverters available at hardware stores but they are light duty and useful mainly for some lights A proper back-up power system will have at least 200 amp hours of battery capacity with a minimum 1000-watt inverter and a built in charger Itrsquos inexpensive to add a solar panel to this combination that can also recharge the bat-tery While itrsquos not reasonable or realistic to try to have a back-up plan that covers all possible emergencies you can take impor-tant steps towards insuring your familyrsquos safety and comfort in case of unexpected events You will find that the more you think about this and take small measures the more you begin to see the bigger picture and learn effective strategies There will always be unknown unknowns

unk-unk n especially in engineering something such as a problem that has not been and could not have been imagined or anticipated an unknown unknown Ron Young a Renewable Energy specialist

owns the earthRight store in Williams Lake

established in 1993 A series of articles on

the basics of solar energy can be found at

his website wwwsolareaglecom

Copyright Ron Young 2013

Federal Environment Commissionerrsquos Fall

Report Paints Grim Picture of State of

Biodiversity in Canada

Environmental conservation in Canada has reached a new low according to a report from the office of the federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development released on November 5 Citing ldquodeteriorating biodiversity conditions in all of the main types of ecosystems in Canadardquo interim environment commissioner Neil Maxwell called on federal depart-ments to seek ldquoground-breakingrdquo new approaches to ldquobreak the pattern of unfulfilled commitments and responsibilitiesrdquo Elizabeth May leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands expressed gratitude for the commissionerrsquos diligent research stating ldquoThe deep cuts to Parks Canada are clearly causing serious problems in maintaining ecological in-tegrity in parks while across the federal government there is a disturbing failure to fulfill statutory responsibilities for species at riskrdquo The Green Party leader also emphasized the need to implement and provide fund-ing for more stringent environmental monitoring standards while echoing the commis-sionerrsquos call for a more collaborative and integrated approach to supporting biodiversity one that would take into account all aspects of an ecosystem The report which examined the work of Environment Canada the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Parks Canada in protecting Canadarsquos natural environment found that over 70 per cent of national wildlife areas had ldquoless than adequate ecological integrityrdquo and that over 90 per cent ldquodid not have adequate management plansrdquo ldquoThe threats to bird populations are alarmingrdquo remarked Andrew Park environ-ment critic for the Green Party of Canada ldquoWe are losing the scientific capacity to moni-tor species as their numbers plummetrdquo The report states that according to Environment Canadarsquos own estimates fewer than half of the Bird Conservation Region Strategies it committed to completing by 2010 had been finished and ldquomonitoring for 30 per cent of the bird species in Canada is insuf-ficient to determine whether they are at riskrdquo httpelizabethmaympcanewspublicationspress-releases20131106federal-environment-commissioners-fall-report-paints-grim-picture-of-state-of-biodiversity-in-canada

Page 12 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A round Christmas time

therersquos an extremely notice-

able buzz in the air Yoursquore

excited for the holidays time

off school and time off work This buzz

in the air could be a couple of different

things added together plus the crazy

holiday rush We all have to admit that

in some way we do love Christmas holi-

days For some the meaning of Christ-

mas is to uphold the family traditions

And yet for others it is a wonderful time

to create new family traditions

However therersquos something about that time of year that Irsquom sure oth-ers have noticed It is something that gets more intimidating every year like an enormous snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger This is called consumerismmdashthe ongoing want to buy buy buy Consumerism goes on through-out the year but I find at Christmas time it is at its worst

Typically consumerism is the term used to describe what humans do Humans no longer know how to be re-sourceful so we purchase goods to fulfill our needs As you know this is a large cause of many negative things that are happening to this world right now Sure we like to buy presents here and there Where do you cross the line and when do you realize you donrsquot need to purchase some items Making a decision like this is extremely difficult especially with advertisements telling you what to do And Christmas time may be a difficult time to restrain from buying many items because theyrsquore for people you love The holidays are supposed to be relaxing and de-stressing They have however turned into something quite the opposite

Itrsquos hard to think about ways to reduce how much you consume and the holidays make it ten times more difficult The media concentrates on focusing your money and attention on to certain sub-jects Since when was Christmas only about buying presents for people Where did the peace and joy go As the holidays roll on by take note of the ads you see around yourself Take note of the overall message that theyrsquore displaying to you Yoursquoll find that they all point toward the holidays but then relate it to whatever product they are trying to sell you For example ldquoGetting your Christmas feast absolutely perfect is what matters most Thatrsquos why we came up with the perfect oven to satisfy your needsrdquo

Yoursquoll find Christmas turns into an excuse for extra media to be stuffed in to every single eye and ear you could possibly have There is a point at which it turns into too much People donrsquot realize how much the media impacts our buying choices and Christmas turns into just another giant shopping spree

It is certainly a proven fact that people spend more at Christmas time Studies have shown that 12 per cent of people are committed to spend more this

Christmas than last Christmas Will that number grow and what impact will that have on us More spending does mean more consuming more waste and more stuff we donrsquot need I know yoursquore proba-bly thinking ldquoWell how do I celebrate Christmas as well as lessen how much I consumerdquo

Well ladies and gentleman the answer lies in buying local and support-ing small companies By purchasing gifts made locally you diminish the distance it travels to get to your shopping bag It isnrsquot hard to find locals selling interest-ing unique and often handmade items This Christmas I challenge you to think more about what yoursquore buying and where it came from

The next time you find yourself crammed into a store think about this Stop and take a glance at the people bus-tling about Look at their faces Do they look like theyrsquore having a fun time Or do they look stressed Oh Look over there at that little boy he has stars in his eyes as he stares into the fake branches of that plastic Christmas tree No he doesnrsquot believe in the magic of Santa but in the magic of daddyrsquos wallet

What has this society made of Christmas when the only thing people focus on is getting copious amounts of gifts We need to be aware of this during the holiday season Also we need to be careful the rest of the year Be mindful of your spending choices and donrsquot let the media control your decisions That way the negative buzz in the air wonrsquot affect you as much at Christmas time Most of all I wish you a joyous holiday season Namaste Jenna Sipponen is in Grade 12 and lives

in a cute little valley called the Simil-

kameen Her hobbies include procrasti-

nating theatre and yoga in random

places

Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas

By Jenna Sipponen

Photo Rapid Eye Media

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 13

TheGreenGazette

O n October 18 after four years

of negotiations Prime Minis-

ter Stephen Harper and Presi-

dent of the European Com-

mission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a

ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels

CETA stands for Comprehensive Eco-

nomic and Trade Agreement and is said

by Harper to be the biggest trade deal

Canada has ever made even bigger than

AFTA

Typical of the Harper government this enormously significant agreement

was signed before anyone had a chance to view it It is still obscure just what on the

whole we are being committed to but the following contents have leaked into view

The main thrust of the deal is aimed at giving international corporations even greater powers over Canadian rules and

regulations than they already possess un-der NAFTA In effect according to this

deal foreign corporations are to be treated equally as domestic companies in Canada

breaking down all former impediments to corporate domination If you look into the

matter you find that CETA has very little to do with expanding ldquofree traderdquo and

everything to do with giving international corporations ever greater power to over-

ride domestic authority Thus we are being robbed of Cana-

dian sovereignty by contracts to which we

are not privy which no sensible citizen would agree to sign and which if politi-

cians were honest would prevent them from ever being elected

Below are some of the particulars

Public Procurement CETA will ban government at all levels from ldquobuy localrdquo policies as harmful to the level

playing field urged by international corpo-rations As Murray Dobbins tells us in an article in Canadian Dimensions ldquoThe

procurement provisions ndash giving EU cor-porations unobstructed access to the pub-

lic spending of municipalities schools boards hospitals universities and crown

corporations ndash is especially threatening given the critical role such public spend-

ing plays in a time of virtually zero pri-vate investment The strategic use of pub-

lic spending for economic development and support for local businesses or sectors (such as green energy) would also be ef-

fectively banned Others worry that if the EU gets its procurement deal the US will

want similar treatmentmdashan even greater threat given its proximity to Canadardquo

Under this new procurement regime the privatization of local services becomes

far more likely water electricity transit medical services postal service all man-

ner of social services Huge water compa-nies like Nestle Veolia Environment and

Suez are rubbing their hands in anticipa-tion

On the other hand in bold contrast to

Canadarsquos part the European Union has negotiated a blanket exemption to protect

their water energy and public services including health care Why donrsquot we get

the same

CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Pharmaceuticals As part of the

deal European pharmaceutical corpora-

tions already immensely wealthy are seeking to extend their monopolies on

patent drugs delaying for an even longer term the introduction of cheaper generic

drugs for Canadian citizens On the other hand there is no indication that the EU will make any changes to its own patent

system This delay alone is estimated to cost our economy from $800 million to

$16 million annually Making under-the-table deals is bad enough but making bad

deals is even worse And what has patent extensions got to do with free trade any-

way

Investor Rights This term refers to giving foreign corporations based in Can-ada the right to sue our government for public policies that affect the maximiza-

tion of their profits Already Canada is facing nearly $25 billion worth of corpo-

rate lawsuits under NAFTArsquos investment protection chapter including one from an

oil and gas company against Quebecrsquos moratorium on fracking and another

against Canada by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly demanding a $100 mil-

lion for ldquoexpropriationrdquo because the courts refused to grant a drug patentmdashand this on

the grounds it did not satisfy conditions set down by Canadian law Rather than free trade the Investor State Settlement Proc-

ess is more about the elimination of public interest policies instituted to protect con-

sumer health safety privacy and envi-ronmental values

By the same negative token Cana-dian companies will not hesitate to sue

Europe for completely legitimate public decisions for example instituting regula-

tions for mining companies or stricter environmental rules qualifying the sales of oil and gas

In all official discussion of CETA two issues are conspicuously missing One

is the Environment issue and the other is Native Rights Already NAFTA plus the

Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 and the suppression of science in the ministries

have seriously hampered our ability to respond with intelligence to environmental

changes By now it would be tiresome to la-

bour the point that the natural world is in

decline You can no longer read about wild animals to your children without

warning of their impending extinction Soon enough we are told the ocean will

be dead from acidification and whatrsquos left on land besides humans will be insects

dogs cats and farm animals spawned un-der factory conditions Global warming is

threatening to eliminate even these Yet all we hear from Stephen Harper in his

cheery speech celebrating CETA is a $12 billion boost to our economy and the 100000 cars a year Canadian automakers

will export to Europe (hopefully burning tar sands oil)

But we all know therersquos no wisdom in putting dollars over health over life

Native issues consultation and land development rights do not arise in

CETArsquos consciousness Indigenous people

simply donrsquot exist in a landscape of Big Money Neither apparently does the Ca-

nadian Parliament whose opinions are not solicited and for whom there is no oppor-

tunity for debate The question then arises what can

be done to block this diabolical plan Again Murray Dobbins is informa-

tive We are reminded that Harper ldquois

constrained in what he can do by the con-stitutional division of powers which gives

the provinces so much political authority The really big social items on the political

agenda ndash health education social services ndash are matters of provincial jurisdiction To

be sure he can severely damage all of these by destroying the decades-old prin-

ciple of universality and by slashing fed-eral funding But he canrsquot get rid of them The provinces also have a mandate on

protecting the environment and regarding labour rights and most working Canadi-

ans are in sectors that come under provin-cial jurisdiction Lastly the third level of

government (the municipality) is also a creature of the provinces While munici-

palities depend on the federal government for financial help Ottawa has no political

authority over themrdquo Since Neo-liberal provincial govern-

ments have regularly shown obedience to the federal government their opposition to CETA is undependable Only munici-

pal governments have shown strong resis-tance Thanks to the good work of the

Council of Canadians some 80 munici-palities have called either for complete

exclusion or passed resolutions expressing concern Most of these are in BC and On-

tario and include large populations like Toronto Hamilton Mississauga and Vic-

toria As for opposition to CETA by the

general public no one can predict how

that will go As it happens we are neither informed nor consulted on issues pertain-

ing to important economic affairs Be-sides most of us are so wrapped up in the

scramble to service our debts and eke a little fun out of life we lack the surplus

energy to assert our broader interests The CETA agreement is not a done

deal Itrsquos a ldquotentativerdquo agreement and de-spite Harperrsquos and Barrosorsquos signatures it

will need ratification Even so it will not come into force until 2015 The least we can demand is that the agreement be made

public Contact your MP and your MLA and insist that he or she obtain by what-

ever means the full text and proceed to educate their constituency as to its pros

and cons For the contents of this essay I have de-

pended largely on the Council of Canadi-ans (wwwcanadiansorg) and Murray

Dobbinrsquos article ldquoCETA Can Harperrsquos Trojan Horse be Stoppedrdquo (wwwcanadiandimensioncom

articles4966)

Van Andruss is editor of the magazine

Lived Experience He enjoys the biore-

gional life and community in historic

Moha outside of Lillooet BC

By Van Andruss

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel

Barroso signed a free-trade accord last week Dow negotiations must proceed on a

prickly side deal Photo Georges Gobet

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 2: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 2 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 3

TheGreenGazette

Features 05 Christmas Crafting Christmas traditions come in all shapes and sizes ndash big din-ners family hikes dazzling parties hot chocolate around a roaring fire ndash and are essentially the basis of what makes the holidays special - by Jessica Kirby

08 Life with Honey Bees ~ Wersquore in this Together The relationship between humans and honey bees goes back a long way Cave art from an estimated 8000 years ago shows a honey-gatherer risking life and limb in pursuit of a sweet re-ward - by Diane Dunaway

10 Philippines Tragedy Shows Urgency of Warsaw

Climate Summit As people in the Philippines struggle with devastation and death from the worst storm to hit land in recorded history world leaders are meeting in Warsaw Poland to discuss the climate crisis - by David Suzuki 13 CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President of the European Commission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels CETA stands for Comprehen-sive Economic and Trade Agreement and is said by Harper to be the biggest trade deal Canada has ever made even bigger t h a n N A F T A - by Van Andruss

19 Winter Immunity

I live in Prince George and was reading that yoursquore going to focus on the immune system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just wonder what you would recommend for people who get sick all the time - by Ciel Patenaude

28 Composting Continues as Winter Moves In Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their com-post piles around this time of year - by Brianna van de Wijngaard

Contents DecemberJanuary 2013-2014

Publisher Editor-in-Chief

Lisa Bland lisathegreengazetteca

Senior Editor

Jessica Kirby Contributors

David Suzuki LeRae Haynes Jessica Kirby Alix Spiegel Robert L Nichol Julie Andreacutes Ciel Patenaude Van Andruss

Ron Young Lisa Bland Jenna Sipponen Jessica Knodel Jasmin Schellenberg Terri Smith Susan Tritt Ray Grigg

Amanda Nickerson Diane Dunaway Brianna van de Wijngaard Advertising

Lisa Bland Creative Directors

Lisa Bland Teena Clipston Ad Design

Teena Clipston Published by

Earthwild Consulting Printing

Black Press Ltd Cover Photo Credit

Jan Krejza Index Photo

Gunnar Pippel

TheGreenGazette is published by Earthwild Consult-

ing To subscribe call 250-620-3419 To view the

online flipbook visit wwwthegreengazetteca

copy 2013 all rights reserved Opinions and perspectives

expressed in the magazine are those of authors and

do not necessarily represent the views of the owner-ship or management Reproduction in whole or part

without the publisherrsquos consent is strictly prohibited

PO Box 164

Horsefly BC V0L 1L0

250-620-3419

wwwthegreengazetteca infothegreengazetteca

TheGreenGazette

Issue 24

04 Publishers Letter Dreamhealer Quantum realities Despite the laws governing physical matter at the macro level that we accept in our day to day reality on terra firma

quantum physicists have shown that matter does not adhere to these laws at its most basic quantum level - by Lisa Bland

05 Top 10 Tips for a Greener Holiday Season - by Community Futures 06 Volunteering ndash The spirit of giving - by Jessica Kirby

06 Transition Town Group hosts two films and discussion

07 Featured Green Business The season is green at Smashin Smoothies - by LeRae Haynes 11 A Bolt From the Blue AKA the lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo - by Ron Young

11 Commissionerrsquos Fall Report Paints Grim Picture of State of Biodiversity in Canada

12 Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas - by Jenna Sipponen 15 World View Dangerous dog treats - by Robert L ichol

16 Oh nohellip What Will we eat - by Jessica Knodel 17 Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake - by Susan Tritt

18 Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the Season for Sharing and Giving

19 Integrative Health Column Healing from depression - by Ciel Patenaude

21 Giving the Gift of Recycling

22 Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills - by Alix Spiegel PRorg

23 Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants - by Leah Selk 23 TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard 24 Switchbacks - by Julie Andreacutes

25 Poetry Aggie - by Julie Andreacutes 25 Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake - by Amanda ickerson

27 Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat - by LeRae Haynes

28 Hello Bob Sierra BCs new Executive Director - by Ray Grigg 29 Raising Amadeus - by Terri Smith

30 Dourishing our Children - by Jasmin Schellenberg

30 Calendar of Events

31 The Green Collective

Also in this Issue

TheGreenGazette

Page 4 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

D ear Readers

I canrsquot believe wersquove already

entered the heart of winter and

the shortest darkest days of the

year Although itrsquos been fairly moderate so

far it still seems like the change in the

weather dropped in out of the blue The

scramble for winter tires snow shovels

snow scrapers and warm clothing always

comes as a bit of a shock especially when it

dips down below -20 and we quickly find

out just how winterized we are Winter

brings many blessings toomdashdazzling snow

covered peaks crisp sunny days and out-

door activities in the snowy expanse and

the urge to be creative gather and enjoy

quality time with one another The Cariboo

is also home to an impressive network of

artisans crafts people and small businesses

that busily create their wares for the flurry

of craft fairs across the region Support for

the local market economy is noticeable in

the number of people that turn out and itrsquos

hard not to be inspired to join in lsquothe sea-

son of givingrsquo

One of my most enjoyable craft sale

experiences was visiting the Medieval Mar-ket on November 24 With yearly increasing attendance and record numbers there is

nothing that says lsquolocalrsquo and lsquospirit of the seasonrsquo more than this event Whether it was the ambiance created by the beautifully

dressed medieval crafts people the gracious student hosts serving homemade soups and treats the rich colours and textures of hand

woven wool scarves blankets hats gloves fabric art and pottery the scent of fresh ap-ples ground coffee beeswax candles and lavender scented creams the taste of almond

Roca chocolate covered cranberries and wild berry jams or the ongoing line-up of locally talented musicians the two-day event

was a dizzying delight for the senses The friendly market environment definitely pro-vided a jump start into the winter season of

festivities generosity and socializing with friends Winter also marks the time of year

when it is natural to go within and cultivate the imagination artistic creations and dream of the sunrsquos light In many cultures Solstice was a time to celebrate the re-birth of the

light and emergence of the sun from the darkest day and longest night of the year In ancient texts and traditions across the world

including those of the Egyptians Druids Mayans Incas and Greeks reference is made to a spiritual reverence towards the

sun Sun worship in some form is one of the oldest universal themes in spiritual traditions and numerous ancient sites were aligned

with the days of the Solstices and Equinoxes According to cosmologists around 400 million years after the Big Bang the universe first emerged out of darkness Ultra-

violet light was emitted for the first time as clumps of gas collapsed and the first stars

Letter from the Publisher

Lisa Bland PublisherEditor-in-Chief

Dreamhealer Quantum Realities and galaxies were formed Scientists think our solar system and sun were formed as a gigantic cloud of dust rotated and sucked in

material around it and gravity collapsed it and it spun into a flattened spiral The sun was formed as much of the material gathered

in the center Our solar system is estimated to be 46 billion years old and our sun is one of a scattering of more than a 100 billion

stars in the Milky Way galaxy Staring up at the stars in the night sky and basking in the warm glow of the sun is an experience we share with all humans

throughout time There is no denying the power and life giving force the sun feeds our planet nor the degree that we are influenced

by light All living creatures are attuned to cycles of light Just how gases formed into galaxies and birthed stars and planets among

them a perfect blue planet exquisitely bal-anced and inhabited by eventual conscious life is a mystery that many cultures have

pondered Mystics throughout time have suggested that life is multi-dimensional and that there is much more to our world that what we perceive with our five physical

senses Despite the laws governing physical matter at the macro level that we accept in

our day to day reality on terra firma quan-tum physicists have shown that matter does not adhere to these laws at its most basic

quantum level In a theory called the Copen-hagen Interpretation studies show that the act of observing or measuring has an effect

on whether matter exists in wave or particle form a principle known as wave-particle duality At its base quantum theory suggests objective reality does not exist at the quan-

tum level for the act of measuring causes a potential lsquofield of possibilityrsquo to immediately assume one form or another In other studies

it has been shown that photons lsquoorientrsquo to one another in close proximity or become lsquoentangledrsquo remaining oriented to one an-

other regardless of the distance they are separated The International Space Station (ISS)

aims to test the theory definitively by con-ducting an experiment that proves photons remain entangled over great distances (500 km) a theory that Albert Einstein first

coined as lsquospooky action at a dis-tanc e rsquo (R ead mo r e a t http wwwuniversetodaycom101408spooky-

experiment-on-is s -could -p ioneer-new-q uan t um- c ommun ic a t io n s - ne two r k ixzz2m8JVc3VT and httpphysorg

news2013-04-photons-loopholeshtmljCp ) With the scientific demonstration of non-local entanglement and observer-

influenced results in quantum particles itrsquos not hard to see why ideas behind the science of intention quantum mysticism and energy healing continue to gather momentum as

humans question the nature and fabric of commonly held reality While some abruptly turn away from mystical interpretations of

science feeling it wrongly endorses faith healers and spiritual gurus playing on fears to generate cash and take their place in the

spotlight some believe it is only a matter of time when science will catch up to what mystics have always known about the nature

of reality The unfathomable elements at the basis of many non-conventional types of healing seem to suggest transcendence over

basic physical laws and principles Meet Adam Dreamhealer doctor author and en-ergy healer who is working hard to build a

bridge between the two worlds with his be-lief that each side complements and strengthens the other

In the November issue of TheGreen-Gazette I mentioned my opportunity last year to interview Vancouver based Adam

MacLeod otherwise know as Dreamhealer or as coined in a 2003 Rolling Stone article ldquoThe boy with the magic touchrdquo After read-ing a 2003 Globe and Mail article ldquoAll

about Adamrdquo I was struck by the direct and unpretentious way then 16-year-old Adam spoke about ldquoenergy healingrdquo a topic usu-

ally sidelined to the fringes In the article Adam openly shared his experiences sensing energy and auras how he discovered his

healing abilities his belief in intention as a powerful tool anyone can use for healing and that science would eventually explain

his experiences His rise to the international stage occurred that year after contacting rock and roll legend Ronnie Hawkins who had been

diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer Adam offered Hawkins his assistance and after daily scheduled distance energy healing

sessions Hawkinsrsquo cancer disappeared Ed-gar Mitchell retired pilot and NASA astro-naut also received distance energy treat-

ments from Adam for kidney cancer and experienced a complete remission Ten years later Adam now aged 26

holds a degree in molecular biology and biochemistry has recently completed his training as a naturopathic doctor and will be opening a clinic in Vancouver has presented

healing workshops around the world guiding people to access their healing abilities and has written four best-selling books and pro-

duced two DVDs with healing visualiza-tions When I attended his workshop in

person I was immediately struck by how unpretentious Adam seemed on stage Here was not someone cultivating a persona to

charm the audience in fact he seemed and later admitted in a personal interview that he is uncomfortable being in the spotlight What I liked about Adam was the way he

spoke very practically and in a matter of fact way about energy healing and intention and often described his points with biologi-

cal and cellular explanations of body proc-esses and functions such as how DNA can be affected by our intentions

At 16 Adam already had a firm idea of where he was going stating in Rolling Stone that after he graduated he wanted to

become a naturopathic doctor and integrate energy healing with conventional medicine He said ldquoThe medical community and the healing community have the same goal so

why not work together Irsquom very confident that all this can be explained by science and Irsquom determined to prove itrdquo

During his day-long workshop jam-packed with around 400 participants Adamrsquos quotes flash across the screen

ldquoEvery cell in the body responds to the sub-tle energy of lightrdquo ldquoLight co-ordinates all life processesrdquo ldquoIntentions affect things far

beyond our awarenessrdquo and ldquoEveryone takes the limits of hisher perception as the limits of the worldrdquo The take-home message was this everyone can play an active role in

their own healing and be empowered know-ing that their thoughts influence the bodyrsquos biochemistry to assist in the healing process

The mysterious properties and inter-connectedness of light and matter all play a part in the unfolding of our relationship with

ourselves and the cosmos and if there is truth in the new age adage that our thoughts create our reality then our health may be

more in our control than we think In spiri-tual terms one might say ldquoBe mindful of your self-talk itrsquos a conversation with the universerdquo

To find out more about Adamrsquos workshops books and Global Intention Heals Project visit httpdreamhealercom

and httpwwwintentionhealscom Happy winter everyone Donrsquot forget to visit our new website

at wwwthegreengazetteca for local features news headlines our community calendar of events Green Community Collective list-

ings and more Like us on Facebook to re-ceive our regular posts

Adam MacLeod DD aka Dreamhealer at

his Integrative Healing Workshop in

Vancouver BC Photo Lisa Bland

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 5

TheGreenGazette

are shaken Once the baubles are painted re-place the hook and loop and tie ribbon or rafetta around them to finish your master-piece Make it yours Use two colours in each baublemdashone matte and one sparkly or metallic When they swirl together the ef-fect is stunning Try matte green and me-tallic blue with a hint of white or brown for an Earth-like creation Pro tip Direct a little spray glue inside the bauble before sprinkling the glit-ter and it will stick to the inner surface rather than settling on the bottom Wait for this to dry before adding your notions Kindness Ornaments Create a set of or-naments that inspire kindness among your family members In the spirit of Saint Nickolaus legendary saint of doing secre-tive good deeds we made 24 felt hearts that we keep in a basket under the tree and can only be hung in exchange for a good deed When one of us completes a secret helpful deed for someone else in the house one of the ornaments can be hung on the tree Make it yours Our ornaments are made of felt and stuffed with batting but they can be made of or themed in any way you choose I chose hearts because they represent loving acts but if it were up to my husband they would have looked like hockey pucks or my children may have chosen elves or Santas Pro tip Kindness ornaments make a beautiful gift for others wanted to ex-plore a deeper meaning over the holidays Most importantly use what you have and keep it simple Choose natural materials to achieve a calm peaceful look and donrsquot forget texture Layering materi-als creates depth and movement in any crafting project often negating the need for superfluous materials And in the spirit of tradition try to keep it personal Music lovers can create wall sconces or cover baubles with old music sheets and garden-ers can work dried flowers into almost any creationmdashthe possibilities are endless Happy Crafting

By Jessica Kirby Senior Editor of TheGreenGazette

Christmas Crafting

C hristmas tradi-

tions come in all

shapes and sizes

ndash big dinners

family hikes dazzling par-

ties hot chocolate around a

roaring fire ndash and are essen-

tially the basis of what

makes the holidays special

In our house we in-dulge in turkey (cashew loaf for us veg-gies) family and roaring fires but the most treasured tradition for us is crafting Call us crazy but the art of doing things by hand making treasures sharing ideas around the kitchen table is the most poign-ant Christmas experience we share as a family So with focus on the here and now of Christmas itrsquos time to think about beau-tifying your space and your mind-body connection with some elegant eco-friendly and meaningful projects you can do alone with friends or with children Wreaths and garlands au naturale If you live in or near an evergreen forest a world of material awaits Take a long re-laxing walk in the woods and collect boughs pinecones and holly to deck the halls au naturale Twist boughs in a circle shape ndash use heavy wire or anything stiff and circular as a guide if you need it ndash to make a wreath which you can decorate with your woodsy findings or fasten them in a long row to make a garland for the mantle Make it yours Think about fasten-ing objects to your wreath or garland that speak to your familyrsquos interests Try drift-wood seashells or dried flowers for a West Coast theme or bright flowers snowflake shapes autumn leaves and sun shapes to make your wreath a seasonal celebration Pro tip If gold and silver arenrsquot your flavour try bronze spray paint or spray snow to add a more subtle sparkle to your creation Instead of bows try short pieces of branch or driftwood tied with rafetta in the centre or use pinecones Painted glass baubles The possibilities are plentiful when you begin with clear glass globe ornaments found at most craft stores To paint the baubles from the in-side remove the hook and loop from the top of the bauble and pour in about four tablespoons of craft paint Turn the bauble in various directions until the paint spreads over the entire inner surface Add more paint as needed ensuring a generous coat-ing on the glass A more elegant variation is rather than painting sprinkle glitter and winter or Christmas-themed crafting notions inside creating a snow-globe effect that leaves the surface relatively clear unless the baubles

Use what you have Scrap felt childrens blocks

or scrap metal can make lovely Christmas

ornaments with personality

Kindness ornaments Kindness ornaments go on the tree one at a time following a secret good

deed for someone else in the family

Photos Jessica Kirby

Letrsquos all make an effort to recycle everything we can especially at this time of year

when so much gift wrapping and plastic wrapping get thrown in the garbage

Here are some ideas of how to give the gift of recycling back to the environment 1 Instead of giving a store-bought gift how about a gift of a homemade basket of

goodies Family pictures are also a great gift idea All are great delicious and personal gifts with no product packaging waste

2 If you enjoy giving store bought gifts then consider using recycled wrapping paper or cloth gift bags instead of wrapping paper Try using newspapers The Sunday funnies help keep it colorful and fun

3 Buy gifts that donrsquot require wrapping such as gift certificates for a much needed massage for a book store or for dinner at a favorite restaurant The gift of relaxation and experiences will be appreciated after the flurry of the Christ-mas morning chaos Again it reduces the waste packaging is more eco-friendly and lowers the chances that a purchased gift will go unused

4 Recycle your old holiday cards Cut out the pictures to make new cards or gift tags If yoursquore not so crafty and still want to reduce paper waste why not send out electronic greetings cards

5 When buying gifts make sure you check product labels to determine an itemrsquos recyclability and if it is made from recycled materials If you receive electronics at Christmas make sure to take your old electronics and donate them or recycle them at a local designated facility

6 Consider purchasing and serving local bought food at your staff or family Christmas dinner Buying local produce is not only a healthier alternative it helps support your community businesses and local farmers

7 A big contributor to landfill waste is disposable dinnerware For your holiday office party try to find an alternative way to serve food to your guests this year If that is not an option do some research and find a biodegradable product that has the ability to break down safely and relatively quickly

8 Want to save money and energy this holiday season Try putting your tree and outdoor lights on timers Set the timer to have your lights automatically turn on at sunset and turn off overnight and during the day If the timer isnrsquot an option then use the good old fashioned way and unplug them manually Are you are in the market to buy some Christmas lights or replace old ones Then make the switch to LED lights if you havenrsquot done so already

9 After the holidays look for ways to recycle your tree or buy a potted tree that can be replanted after the Christmas season is over Make sure to pre-plan the live tree option because you canrsquot leave them inside to long Too much time in the warmth of the home could prevent them from surviving the replanting proc-ess

10 For those of you who are weighing the choice between buying a live tree versus an artificial tree for environmental concerns make sure to do your research There are many pros and cons to the artificial live tree debate Where the arti-ficial tree might seem on the surface more environmentally friendly it has many negative long-term effects on the environment

Submitted by Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin

Top 10 Tips for a Greener Holiday Season Paint glass

baubles

from the

inside to create

swirling

colour with a hint of

sparkle

Page 6 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

ldquoHooked On Growthrdquo ndash a film from Growthbusters (54 min) Monday January 27 2014 630 pm at Cen-tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall up-stairs) ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo is the quintessential David vs Goliath story starring modern-day filmmaker David Gardner in his autobio-graphical crusade against industrial civiliza-tionrsquos prevailing and largely unquestioned myth that Growth is Good whether referring to populations or economies As he points out infinite growth ultimately doesnrsquot work on a finite planet Things run out Bucking the tide our crusader runs for city council in his hometown of Colorado Springs pointing out to his constituency how continuing development and resource-use actually ends up costing the city more than the increase in revenues

The film is thoroughly sprinkled with experts like Paul Ehrlich (The Population Bomb) Bill McKibben (The End of Nature) Bill Rees (inventor of the Ecological Footprint) Chris Martenson (The Crash Course) and many more Outrageous humour is used to show that the growth imperative needs to be stopped and that in fact it will be stoppedmdasheither voluntarily or when planetary limits slam humans against the wall as happens with any population that overshoots its environmental base ldquoThe cult of endless growth has kept us from seeing clearly the choices in front of us

rdquo - Bill McKibben

Transition Town Group Hosts Two Films Followed By Discussion

ldquoA Fierce Green Fire The battle

for a living planetrdquo (101 min) Monday December 16 630 pm at Cen-tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall up-stairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion Environmentalism is the largest movement the world has ever seen and it may also be the most important in terms of whatrsquos at stake Yet itrsquos not easy being Green Environmentalists have been reviled as much as revered for being killjoys and Cassandras Every battle begins as a lost cause and even the victories have to be fought for again and again Still environmentalism is one of the great social innovations of the twentieth century and one of the keys to how the twenty-first century will unfold It has arisen at a key juncture in history when humans have come to rival the power of nature and as a result will influence how the earth will evolve Writer-director Mark Kitchell efficiently divides the film into five acts Conserva-tion Pollution Alternatives Globalization and Climate Change The film narrated by Robert Redford Ashley Judd and Meryl Streep gives us a sweeping history of the environmental movement by recounting a host of seminal persons and events including Aldo Leopold John Muir Rachael Carson Sierra Club Greenpeace and yes President Nixon to name a few ldquoTRULY RIVETING - Fierce Green Fire is both a cautionary tale and a triumphant onerdquo - The Washington Post

People around the world are trying to power down They are working as whole communities to use less en-ergy and live in greater harmony with the planet and with each other There are dozens of communities and regions in Canada that have become Transition Towns

or are mulling it over For the complete list with links to the website of each visit wwwtransitionnetworkorginitiatives and search on Canada

T here is something about Christ-

mas that brings out the giving spirit in people Despite the com-

mercialization of the holiday the essence of family and togetherness seems to

permeate the season inspiring the desire to

help out give more and share selflessly

According to a Statistics Canada re-port Canada already has an incredibly giving populationmdash$133 million people or 47 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and over volun-teered their time year-round in 2010 provid-ing leadership mentoring driving services help in social services and help in other ac-tivities at a rate equivalent to 11 million full-time jobs The number of people volunteering their time during the Christmas holidays rises between five and 30 per cent depending on the region Eager to help and to get more out of the holidays it is not uncommon for peo-ple to don their aprons at soup kitchens pack hampers at the food bank or drive for an organization that offers safe rides home for party-goers And the effort is appreciated as over the holidays food banks across Canada ex-perience nearly double the number of people accessing services womenrsquos shelters see a 15-25 per cent increase in families seeking services and crisis lines experience up to 30 per cent increase in calls So if yoursquore ready to give a lasting gift over the holidays check out the following opportunities to brighten anotherrsquos day Volunteer The Williams Lake Salvation Army provides food hampers and toys to over 400 families in need throughout the Christmas season The organization is looking for Kettle volunteers to work two-hour minimum shifts taking donations over the holidays and needs individuals to assist in packing hampers On Christmas Day the Salvation Army serves up a Christmas dinner and needs assistance preparing and serving meals and is also looking for a Christmas day entertainer so if your talent is music skit acting or otherwise entertaining consider sharing your time to brighten Christmas for those in need Drivers are also required to take hampers to familiesrsquo houses on Christ-mas Eve and Christmas Day Operation Red Nose operates from November 29 to December 31 in Williams Lake offering a safe ride home and your car delivered at all hours of the night The or-ganization gets extremely busy during Christmas party season and can always use a hand The organization is looking for escort drivers who use their personal vehicles to drive the volunteer driver and the navigator to the location where the client is waiting volunteer drivers who drive the clientrsquos vehi-cles and navigators who ride along with the volunteer driver and client in the clientrsquos vehicle Operation Red Nose can also use headquarters volunteers who look after things like phone operation dispatching or volun-teer training Canadian Mental Health Association ndash Cariboo Chilcotin Branch operates a crisis line that serves individuals in need year round The organization needs volunteers but to help out over the holidays yoursquoll have to plan ahead as training occurs once per week over nine weeks If you already have

Volunteering ndash The spirit of giving By Jessica Kirby

this training consider volunteering or pulling extra shifts over the holidays Donate If yoursquore on a time crunch but would still like to help out consider making a monetary or in-kind donation to an organiza-tion that assists others Operational budgets are extremely difficult to meet and all dona-tions are welcome Consider food clothing toiletries or blankets at the Womenrsquos Emer-gency Shelter or the Salvation Army or bring non-perishable food items to the Salva-tion Army The SPCA is always looking for food and supply donations as well as mone-tary contributions to help provide health ser-vices to pets as they await their forever homes The Cariboo Friendship Society oper-ates a number of services for women and children fleeing abuse and for people suffer-ing from addictions and mental health issues The organizationrsquos needs change and fluctu-ate but itrsquos worth a call to see which items they might need to help run their programs Plan an Event

Creating an opportunity to help out over the holidays is easier than you think Host a potluck or your regular Christmas dinner or party fare and ask everyone to bring a donation to the SPCA or Salvation Army food bank Itrsquos really that simple If you belong to a special interest club or group think about making a collective donation Sewing or knitting groups can or-ganize members to create blankets toques or heavy socks book clubs can donate books to the Emergency Shelter or music clubs can contact the Salvation Army to see about play-ing for an hour to entertain the clients Make it a working affair If the com-pany is having a Christmas party why not work in a couple of hours helping out Meet-ing for dinner Meet two hours earlier and help pack hampers Have everyone bring a food bank or SPCA donation to the Christ-mas Party or auction off the ability to an-tagonize the boss with donations going to the organization of your choice Salvation ArmymdashWilliams Lake 250-305-2492

wwwwlsalvationarmycom

Operation Red ose

wwwoperationnezrougecomenjoin_us

Canadian Mental Health Association ndash

Cariboo Chilcotin

wwwcariboocmhabccaget-involvedvolunteer

Cariboo Friendship Society

250-398-6831 wwwcariboofriendshipsocietyca

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 7

TheGreenGazette

The Season is Green at Smashinrsquo Smoothies

By LeRae Haynes

Featured Green Business

G oing to work every day to a job that is in tune with

your core values is top of the list for Kim Kaytor Her

business Smashin Smoothies has been open now

for nearly a year and she remains committed to envi-

ronmental responsibility and to beautiful nourishing food made

from local organic produce

She says the company offers smoothies juices coffees wraps soups salads full-power orbs energy lsquoballsrsquo a great line of herbal tea granola and special oatmeal and breakfast sand-wiches

ldquoAll our produce ingredients and coffee are organic and as local as possiblerdquo she explains ldquoOur cups are bio-degradable and customers are encouraged to bring their own coffee and smoothie cups We donrsquot use GMO products and local farmers come and pick up our compost or we drop it off at the Potato Houserdquo Committed to Green and dedicated to service and quality local ingredients she says she made a conscious choice to go with higher costs to be more environmentally responsible ldquoThis year has been interesting challenging rewarding and excitingrdquo she says ldquoI love it when people say lsquoIrsquoll bet you donrsquot have anything I can eatrsquo and I say lsquoIrsquoll bet we dorsquordquo Smashin Smoothies can accommodate peoplersquos needs with dairy-free sugar-free glu-

ten-free and vegan options according to Kaytor who says she is glad to see society starting to reflect environmental responsibility and awareness and people starting to be more con-cerned about what they put in their bodies ldquoPeople are starting to care more and it makes me so happy when I can post on our Facebook page that our honey is from our local Bee Happy Honey ndash that we support local producersrdquo she says ldquoI feel that itrsquos part of our obligation as a communityrdquo Smashin Smoothies was in the community over the summer at events like the Friday Farmersrsquo Market and Performances in the Park ldquoWe were lucky that these two events were close to the shop so we could ferry coolers of smoothies and offer healthy nutritious thirst-quenching treatsrdquo she says She also says Green progress often starts with kids ldquoMy youngest employees here are the most environmentally aware We all do our best but they are knowledgeable and insistent about things like recyclingrdquo she adds ldquoMy staff is so awesome I feel that the universe has

blessed me with them ldquoI have this thing that I put a lot of thought into every morning All my staff knows that whenever someone comes in the door I want them to feel better when they leave I want them to have a positive experience in a great atmospheremdashwe even give hugs to some of them No matter who they are or what kind of day theyrsquore having we want them to love being hererdquo she says ldquoItrsquos more than being welcomed we want them to be nourishedrdquo She says some people in the business community have counselled her to rethink the organic aspect of Smashin Smoothies but she has stood her ground with a continued commit-ment to environmental responsibility ldquoWe work really hard to keep our prices reasonable and as people become more and more aware of that when wersquore putting organic goodness in our bodies they see that itrsquos worth itrdquo

Mackenzie Howse Daomi Lomavatu Kim Kaytor River Michalchuk and Emily Cook offer a range of Christ-

mas gift ideas as well as nutritious organic treats to nourish the body and feed the soul Photo LeRae Haynes

MENTION THIS COUPON Its our one-year anniversary

Celebrate with us

December 9 through 21 Get a FREE 12 oz coffee or smoothie

with the purchase of a LARGE beverage

You can give the gift of health this season at Smashin Smoothies with gift cards gift bags gift boxes and boxed 100 certified Pukka herbal teas with delightful blends and fla-vours Smashin Smoothies is located at 102 - 41 7th Avenue north across from Save on Foods For more information call 778-412-2112 or follow on Facebook

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the commu-

nity co-ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator of a lot of musical shenanigans

in Williams Lake including ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo

dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 8 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

T he relationship between hu-

mans and honey bees goes

back a long way Cave art

from an estimated 8000 years

ago shows a honey-gatherer risking life

and limb in pursuit of a sweet reward

Bees and flowers go back even fur-ther in their connection Theyrsquove co-evolved for over 10 million years The flowers benefit from pollination thus pro-creation while the bees are rewarded with pollen and nectar nutritional essentials in their life cycle Of the 20000 bee species now known less than 10 are honey bees Yet after the common fruit fly honey bees are the second most studied insect in biologi-cal research Besides being super cool why would this be Fast forward to modern day agricul-ture Pollination is worth ten times the monetary value of honey An estimated 30 per cent of the food we eat depends on pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male part of a flower to the female part This enables fertilization which results in viable seeds Successful pollination typically increases fruit set resulting in higher yields of better-formed larger more flavourful fruit that ripens faster and keeps longer While bumblebees and other na-tives are excellent pollinators only honey bees can be managed in large enough num-bers to ensure adequate pollination at the critical time for an individual crop bloom We are losing native bees due to habitat destruction insecticides and monoculture crop planting The honey bee (Apis mel-lifera L) has become critical in managed pollination worldwide Given their essential role in food production how can it be that honey bees are in decline Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been in the news since massive die-offs were noted in 2006 And are we any closer to understanding why Is there a so-called silver bullet Alas no What we do know is that CCD is multifactoral death by a thousand cuts Happily a few things have been ruled out including cellphone transmissions and my personal favourite the rapture What is surfacing through research and reports from beekeepers is the story of an insect and really a world under pressure Herersquos where the irony comes in Letrsquos look at three crops blueberries al-monds and corn In our quest for the healthful benefits of antioxidants super protein cheap starch and sugar substitutes plastic alternatives and biofuel among other desirable attributes wersquove created monstrous demands for these commodities To meet these demands conven-tional agriculture has stepped in In British Columbia alone we generated $83 million in gross blueberry sales representing 56 per cent of total Canadian sales in 2010 In California there are 810000 acres of al-mond orchards that require two million honey bee colonies each spring for pollina-tion most of which are trucked in from as far away as Florida These orchards are monoculture moonscapes nothing else

Life with Honey Bees ~ Wersquore in This Together

grows alongside row upon row of these super nut trees And then therersquos corn both sweet and utilitarian (aka cow corn most of which is genetically modified) While corn doesnrsquot require pollination nearly 100 per cent of the seed in North America is treated with neonicotinoids a family of neurotoxins that have recently been impli-cated as harmful to bees and other pollina-tors on a sub-lethal basis Europe placed a three-year moratorium banning neonicoti-noids this year Canadian commercial seed companies are offering non-treated corn and soya seed for the 2014 planting season in response to honey bee poisonings that occurred in Ontario and Quebec last spring Many conventional beekeeping practices have compounded these prob-lems by promoting the prophylactic use of chemical miticides and antibiotics in the management of commercial apiaries These agents often leave residues in the hiversquos beeswax which in turn interact with outside chemicals brought in to the hive by the bees The synergistic effect can be 10 times as powerful and even lethal to the bees To finish the suite of honey bee threats we must mention good olrsquo Varroa mites and other bee pathogens like Nosema plus viruses that are vectored when the beersquos immune system is compro-mised Starvation poor nutrition genetic inbreeding and stress round out the chal-lenges Okay itrsquos time to step away from the cliff Wersquore in this together and there is some silver lining here Stay the course therersquos both hope and things we can do as individuals and communities to turn things around If you watch one TED Talk this winter please set aside time for Dr Marla Spivakrsquos presentation ldquoWhy Bees are Dis-appearingrdquo httpwwwtedcomtalksmarla_spivak_why_bees_are_disappearinghtml

Her take home message is simple and practical plant more flowers for the bees They will offer nutrition and biodi-versity Spivak is one of the true rock stars of the honey bee research world For years at the University of Minnesota shersquos stud-ied and developed a line of bees that have natural hygienic behaviour thus disease resistance Other rock stars worth noting and Googling include Sue Cobey of Washing-ton State University who is importing honey bee germplasm (drone sperm) from isolated pockets in Europe where there are sub-species of honey bees that display de-sirable heritable traits Suersquos specialty is honey bee breeding including artificial insemination She spoke to a captivated audience at the 2013 BC Honey Producers Association conference held in Kelowna last fall httpwsmwsuedusindexphpid=948 One of the best writers about honey bees is Dr Eric Mussen who joined the UC Davis Department of Entomology faculty in 1976 I was fortunate to hear him speak in October at the Western Apiculture Soci-ety (WAS) meeting held in Santa Fe New Mexico Eric is retiring next year he will leave both a formidable legacy and a vast void Pragmatic and brilliant Mussen has lived in the hub of California agriculture development for decades and has seen an array of pesticides come and go Here are links to both his Bee Briefs httpucanr orgsi tes entomologyFacul tyEric_C_MussenBee_Briefs and the WAS

Journal httpucanredusiteswas2WAS_Journal

In BC we have University of British Columbiarsquos (UBC) Dr Leonard Foster one of many prodigies from rocker Dr Mark Winstonrsquos famous and now defunct bee lab at Simon Fraser University Foster and his team at UBC in partnership with Genome BC are spearheading the search to identify honey bee populations that are naturally resistant to pathogens Using sophisticated proteomics they are well on their way to teasing out protein markers associated with Hygienic Behaviour and Varroa Sensitive Hygiene In the foresee-able future queen bee producers will have a tool that helps confirm if their bee stock is hardy and worthy of propagation httpwwwchibiubccafacultyleonard-fosterfoster-labbee-ipm Another exciting trend in apiculture these days is the emergence of urban bee-keeping Kudos go out to Mayor Kerry Cook and the Council of the City of Wil-liams Lake who last September voted unanimously in favour of urban beekeep-ing Hobbyist beekeepers have an impor-tant role to play Not only can they keep the gentle art of beekeeping alive but they can also be stewards to newly developed honey bee genetic stock For sound educational information and inspiration Heather Clay of Vernon BC runs the Urban Bee Network Well qualified Heather is the former Canadian Honey Council CEO and spent years as the apiarist for the province of New Bruns-wick You can learn more about keeping honey bees in cities managing bees on a small scale tips for planting for bees facts about pollination and how to help save our speci a l pol l i na tor s a t ht t p wwwurbanbeenetworkca A word of caution to those who wish to keep bees or are new to beekeep-ing itrsquos very important to learn the basics Sadly many venture in and fold after the first two or three years of keeping bees This makes sense as when you acquire your bees yoursquore benefiting from the knowledge and management of whomever you bought your bees from Many ldquonewbeesrdquo want to keep their bees natu-

(Continued on page 9)

By Diane Dunaway

Woman gathering honey watercolor copy by

F Benitez Mellado of a Mesolithic (c

100008000ndashc 3000 bce) painting in the

Cueva de la Arana near Bicorp Spain in the Museum of Prehistory Valencia Spain

Credit Instituto de Estudios Editoriales Bar-

celona

Credit The Canadian Association of

Professional Apiculturists

A visit in the bee yard in wintertime Photo Diane Dunaway

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 9

TheGreenGazette

rally This is admirable please donrsquot get me wrong However statistically natural too often turns to neglect Itrsquos imperative that a beekeeper can identify diseases and parasites and monitor for them If found then the same beekeeper must decide how to best keep these infestations from killing a colony or worsemdashputting neighbouring apiaries at risk Worker bees can forage as far as five kilometers from their hives drones go even further looking for love Please practice safe beekeeping lsquoNuff said If yoursquod like to create bee habitat in your garden there are several bee-friendly plants that do well in our zone three cli-mate One of the best books on the subject is by Jane Ramsay of Victoria BC ldquoPlants for Beekeeping in Canada and the North-ern USArdquo was first published through the International Bee Research Association (IBRA) Theyrsquore sold out but Ramsay has some of her books for sale Her phone number is 250-598-4415

(Continued from page 8)

What You Can Do to Support

Your Local Honey Bee and Beekeeper bull Buy local honey and hive prod-

ucts at a fair market price

bull Use honey in place of sugar as

your sweetener of choice

bull Learn to love dandelions

bull Add bee-friendly plants to your

garden

bull Differentiate between honey

bees and wasps

bull Provide clean water for bees

and other pollinators

bull Reduce lawn mowing and set

your mower at a higher cutting

level

bull Advocate for bee-friendly by-

laws

bull Educate others about honey

bee pollination a third of our

food supply needs it Pollina-

tion is worth ten times the eco-

nomic value of honey

bull Donrsquot use pesticides if you

must please use fast-acting

short-residual options apply at

dusk when pollinators are least

active

bull Become a beekeeper

Thank You

2013 was a fabulous year for honey bees

in the Cariboo Diane Dunaway harvests

from a leaning tower of honey supers Photo Eddy Bowser

Humankindrsquos relationship with bees has come a long way since the time of honey robbing From rock art to research rock stars wersquove developed an understanding an appreciation and a codependency that isnrsquot about to weaken any time soon

Diane Dunaway has kept bees since 1998

A Master Beekeeper she runs close to 100

colonies from her Bee Happy Honey farm

in the Soda Creek valley of the Cariboo

Diane produced and edited BeesCene the BC Honey Producers Association

(BCHPA) quarterly journal for five years

Dedicated to the health and welfare of

honey bees and the environment that sup-

ports them she advocates for organic inte-

grated pest management methods Recently

she became a BCHPA Certified Instructor

of Introductory Beekeeping through a

partnership with the BC Ministry of Agri-

culture Apiculture Branch When shersquos not

chasing swarms around the countryside

Diane can be found at home with Dave

her husband of 22 years and their menag-

erie of rescue animals

Page 10 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Philippines Tragedy Shows Urgency of Warsaw Climate Summit

Science Matters

A s people in the Philippines struggle with devastation and death from

the worst storm to hit land in re-

corded history world leaders met

in Warsaw Poland to discuss the climate

crisis ldquoWhat my country is going through as

a result of this extreme climate event is mad-

ness The climate crisis is madnessrdquo Yeb Sano lead negotiator for the Philippines told

the opening session of the U climate sum-

mit which ran until ovember 22 ldquoWe can

stop this madness Right here in Warsawrdquo

Given the slow progress at the 18 meetings held since 1992 ndash when countries from around the world joined the United Na-tions Framework Convention on Climate Change ndash itrsquos hard not to be pessimistic Can-ada in particular has been repeatedly singled out among the close to 200 member countries for obstructing progress and not doing enough to address climate change at home But as scientific evidence continues to build and impacts ndash from extreme weather to melting Arctic ice ndash continue to worsen with costs mounting daily the impetus to resolve the problem is growing Wersquore exhausting Earthrsquos finite resources and pushing global ecosystems to tipping points beyond which addressing pollution and climate issues will become increasingly difficult and costly The only hindrance to developing a fair ambitious and legally binding climate plan for the world is lack of political will Part of the problem is that much of the world is tied to the fossil fuel economy and the rush is on to get as much oil coal and gas out of the ground and to market while people are still willing to pay for it and burn it up Wersquore wasting precious resources in the name of quick profits instead of putting them to better use than propelling often solo occupants in large metal vehicles and instead of making them last while we shift to cleaner energy sources But therersquos cause for hope Solutions are available Governments just have to dem-onstrate courage and leadership to put us on a path to a healthier future For example a recent report by energy consulting firm ECOFYS titled ldquoFeasibility of GHG emissions phase-out by mid-centuryrdquo shows itrsquos technically and economically feasi-ble to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to zero from 90 per cent of current sources

with readily available technology It shows we could phase out almost all net emissions by 2050 by innovating further In doing so we could likely meet the agreed-upon goal of lim-iting global average temperature increases to below 2 degrees C and wersquod stand a 50 per cent chance of staying below 15 degrees C by the end of the century All of this would have the added benefit of reducing ldquowater air and soil pollution associated with traditional en-ergy generationrdquo The report echoes the David Suzuki Foundationrsquos findings regarding Canadarsquos potential to meet its current and forecasted demand for fuel and electricity with existing supplies of solar wind hydroelectric and biomass energy Whether or not any of this is politically feasible is another question But the longer we delay the more difficult and expensive it will get Polling research also shows Canadians expect our government to be a constructive global citizen on climate action A recent Leger Marketing survey sponsored by Canada 2020 and the University of Montreal found the majority of Canadians understand that human activity is contributing to climate change and believe the federal government should make addressing the issue a high priority Of those polled 76 per cent said Canada should sign an international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions with most supporting this even if China does not sign The poll also found majority support for a carbon tax as one way to combat climate change especially if the money generated is used to support renewable energy develop-ment Although BC has recently stepped back from previous leadership on climate change its carbon tax is one example among many local governments doing more than the federal government to address climate change We and our leaders at all political lev-els ndash local national and international ndash must do everything we can to confront the crisis As Mr Sano told delegates in Warsaw ldquoWe can-not sit and stay helpless staring at this interna-tional climate stalemate It is now time to take action We need an emergency climate path-wayrdquo With contributions from David Suzuki Founda-

tion senior editor Ian Hanington Learn more at wwwdavidsuzukiorg

By David Suzuki

Debris lines the streets of Tacloban Leyte island

Photo Eoghan Rice - Troacutecaire Caritas

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 11

TheGreenGazette

Copyright 2013 Petar Meseldzija

wwwpetarmeseldzijaartcom wwwpetarmeseldzijablogspotnl Petar Meseldžija is widely acknowledged as one of the leading artists in the field of contemporary

fantastic art His style resembles artists like Rembrandt Frank Frazetta and Alan Lee He does illus-trations and paintings for publishers various clients and private collectors from around the world

By Ron Young

o matter how well you think

you are prepared for the un-

expected there is always the

ldquobolt from the bluerdquo that

thing that occurs that you didnrsquot expect or

plan for also known as the unknown un-

known Itrsquos such a commonplace refer-

ence in the aerospace industry unknown

unknowns are abbreviated as lsquounk-unkrsquo

Donald Rumsfeld made the concept infa-

mous during the Iraq war in the state-

ment ldquoThere are hellip unknown un-

knownsmdashthere are things we do not know

we donrsquot knowrdquo

Well I had an encounter with unk-unks during a recent snowstorm and power outage and Irsquom sure I was grunting unk but also uncle many times that weekend When the power goes out and you have a battery back up system as I do you hardly notice especially if itrsquos relatively short-term We get power from BC Hydro but we also have solar and wind generated power that is stored in a battery When the battery is fully charged from wind or solar (PV) then the system automatically switches designated loads to run off the stored energy until the battery is depleted In this way we can run household lights and appliances for many hours a day exclu-sively from renewable energy sources and reduce our carbon footprint while lowering our BC Hydro bill But it seems that when one thing goes wrong Murphyrsquos Law dictates that the wrong thing the problem must bring friends to the party Not only did the power go off which is an eventuality I was pre-pared for but also the snow came down one icy little flake after another until over 50 cm of accumulated chaos had arrived in record time And then to finish off the threesome the pump that supplies our house with water from the creek well quit working Water isnrsquot something you can do without for long and having had the occa-sional water problem in the past I put a cou-ple of five gallon jugs of water aside for emergencies But you can go through ten gallons of water really quickly in a two-person household Even if you are prudent about when you flush the toilet (which in an older toilet can use nearly five gallons per flush) you will still need several gallons for cooking drinking and washing An added source for clean water is your hot water tank which you can drain making sure you first turn off the breaker so the heating ele-ments donrsquot switch on in an empty tank and quickly burn out Well after an entire weekend of problem-solving it put me in mind of think-ing ahead and preparing for possible emer-gencies While I donrsquot want to become fix-

A Bolt From the Blue AKA The lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo ated on the subject I have to remind myself to pay attention to have lsquosituational aware-nessrsquo as it is called in the military Itrsquos win-tertime and if yoursquore going to travel winter roads what will you do if you have a break-down Many of us in the rural Cariboo live in areas without cell coverage so while hav-ing a cellphone is a good idea it isnrsquot a panacea Having clothes and shoes that are suitable for walking some distance in cold weather is essential gear Having a source of heat is a great idea such as hand warmers or a small beeswax candle Beeswax burns significantly hotter and longer than other wax and a single candle can be a lifesaver Other simple things that are often over-looked in winter vehicles are a portable shovel a length of strong rope in case you need towing a set of battery starter cables and a good flashlight Throw in a couple of energy bars for good measure Household preparedness is another matter The world we live in nowadays seems to be more volatile and unpredictable than it ever was So we have to think in terms of streams of essentials that make up our daily lives Then think of what steps we will take if any of those streams are di-verted or interrupted The aforementioned water is one essentialmdashfood heat commu-nications and energy to power lights and some basic appliances are other essentials A good backup plan is to create a small safety margin in each of those critical streams that will help us bridge unexpected events In the energy department which is my area of expertise I would suggest a good minimum strategy is to have a deep cycle battery with a small invertercharger that keeps the battery charged when itrsquos not needed When the power goes out this sys-tem will power some lights a cellphone charger a TV or computer or even a mi-crowave There are all-in-one battery packs with built-in inverters available at hardware stores but they are light duty and useful mainly for some lights A proper back-up power system will have at least 200 amp hours of battery capacity with a minimum 1000-watt inverter and a built in charger Itrsquos inexpensive to add a solar panel to this combination that can also recharge the bat-tery While itrsquos not reasonable or realistic to try to have a back-up plan that covers all possible emergencies you can take impor-tant steps towards insuring your familyrsquos safety and comfort in case of unexpected events You will find that the more you think about this and take small measures the more you begin to see the bigger picture and learn effective strategies There will always be unknown unknowns

unk-unk n especially in engineering something such as a problem that has not been and could not have been imagined or anticipated an unknown unknown Ron Young a Renewable Energy specialist

owns the earthRight store in Williams Lake

established in 1993 A series of articles on

the basics of solar energy can be found at

his website wwwsolareaglecom

Copyright Ron Young 2013

Federal Environment Commissionerrsquos Fall

Report Paints Grim Picture of State of

Biodiversity in Canada

Environmental conservation in Canada has reached a new low according to a report from the office of the federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development released on November 5 Citing ldquodeteriorating biodiversity conditions in all of the main types of ecosystems in Canadardquo interim environment commissioner Neil Maxwell called on federal depart-ments to seek ldquoground-breakingrdquo new approaches to ldquobreak the pattern of unfulfilled commitments and responsibilitiesrdquo Elizabeth May leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands expressed gratitude for the commissionerrsquos diligent research stating ldquoThe deep cuts to Parks Canada are clearly causing serious problems in maintaining ecological in-tegrity in parks while across the federal government there is a disturbing failure to fulfill statutory responsibilities for species at riskrdquo The Green Party leader also emphasized the need to implement and provide fund-ing for more stringent environmental monitoring standards while echoing the commis-sionerrsquos call for a more collaborative and integrated approach to supporting biodiversity one that would take into account all aspects of an ecosystem The report which examined the work of Environment Canada the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Parks Canada in protecting Canadarsquos natural environment found that over 70 per cent of national wildlife areas had ldquoless than adequate ecological integrityrdquo and that over 90 per cent ldquodid not have adequate management plansrdquo ldquoThe threats to bird populations are alarmingrdquo remarked Andrew Park environ-ment critic for the Green Party of Canada ldquoWe are losing the scientific capacity to moni-tor species as their numbers plummetrdquo The report states that according to Environment Canadarsquos own estimates fewer than half of the Bird Conservation Region Strategies it committed to completing by 2010 had been finished and ldquomonitoring for 30 per cent of the bird species in Canada is insuf-ficient to determine whether they are at riskrdquo httpelizabethmaympcanewspublicationspress-releases20131106federal-environment-commissioners-fall-report-paints-grim-picture-of-state-of-biodiversity-in-canada

Page 12 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A round Christmas time

therersquos an extremely notice-

able buzz in the air Yoursquore

excited for the holidays time

off school and time off work This buzz

in the air could be a couple of different

things added together plus the crazy

holiday rush We all have to admit that

in some way we do love Christmas holi-

days For some the meaning of Christ-

mas is to uphold the family traditions

And yet for others it is a wonderful time

to create new family traditions

However therersquos something about that time of year that Irsquom sure oth-ers have noticed It is something that gets more intimidating every year like an enormous snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger This is called consumerismmdashthe ongoing want to buy buy buy Consumerism goes on through-out the year but I find at Christmas time it is at its worst

Typically consumerism is the term used to describe what humans do Humans no longer know how to be re-sourceful so we purchase goods to fulfill our needs As you know this is a large cause of many negative things that are happening to this world right now Sure we like to buy presents here and there Where do you cross the line and when do you realize you donrsquot need to purchase some items Making a decision like this is extremely difficult especially with advertisements telling you what to do And Christmas time may be a difficult time to restrain from buying many items because theyrsquore for people you love The holidays are supposed to be relaxing and de-stressing They have however turned into something quite the opposite

Itrsquos hard to think about ways to reduce how much you consume and the holidays make it ten times more difficult The media concentrates on focusing your money and attention on to certain sub-jects Since when was Christmas only about buying presents for people Where did the peace and joy go As the holidays roll on by take note of the ads you see around yourself Take note of the overall message that theyrsquore displaying to you Yoursquoll find that they all point toward the holidays but then relate it to whatever product they are trying to sell you For example ldquoGetting your Christmas feast absolutely perfect is what matters most Thatrsquos why we came up with the perfect oven to satisfy your needsrdquo

Yoursquoll find Christmas turns into an excuse for extra media to be stuffed in to every single eye and ear you could possibly have There is a point at which it turns into too much People donrsquot realize how much the media impacts our buying choices and Christmas turns into just another giant shopping spree

It is certainly a proven fact that people spend more at Christmas time Studies have shown that 12 per cent of people are committed to spend more this

Christmas than last Christmas Will that number grow and what impact will that have on us More spending does mean more consuming more waste and more stuff we donrsquot need I know yoursquore proba-bly thinking ldquoWell how do I celebrate Christmas as well as lessen how much I consumerdquo

Well ladies and gentleman the answer lies in buying local and support-ing small companies By purchasing gifts made locally you diminish the distance it travels to get to your shopping bag It isnrsquot hard to find locals selling interest-ing unique and often handmade items This Christmas I challenge you to think more about what yoursquore buying and where it came from

The next time you find yourself crammed into a store think about this Stop and take a glance at the people bus-tling about Look at their faces Do they look like theyrsquore having a fun time Or do they look stressed Oh Look over there at that little boy he has stars in his eyes as he stares into the fake branches of that plastic Christmas tree No he doesnrsquot believe in the magic of Santa but in the magic of daddyrsquos wallet

What has this society made of Christmas when the only thing people focus on is getting copious amounts of gifts We need to be aware of this during the holiday season Also we need to be careful the rest of the year Be mindful of your spending choices and donrsquot let the media control your decisions That way the negative buzz in the air wonrsquot affect you as much at Christmas time Most of all I wish you a joyous holiday season Namaste Jenna Sipponen is in Grade 12 and lives

in a cute little valley called the Simil-

kameen Her hobbies include procrasti-

nating theatre and yoga in random

places

Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas

By Jenna Sipponen

Photo Rapid Eye Media

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 13

TheGreenGazette

O n October 18 after four years

of negotiations Prime Minis-

ter Stephen Harper and Presi-

dent of the European Com-

mission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a

ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels

CETA stands for Comprehensive Eco-

nomic and Trade Agreement and is said

by Harper to be the biggest trade deal

Canada has ever made even bigger than

AFTA

Typical of the Harper government this enormously significant agreement

was signed before anyone had a chance to view it It is still obscure just what on the

whole we are being committed to but the following contents have leaked into view

The main thrust of the deal is aimed at giving international corporations even greater powers over Canadian rules and

regulations than they already possess un-der NAFTA In effect according to this

deal foreign corporations are to be treated equally as domestic companies in Canada

breaking down all former impediments to corporate domination If you look into the

matter you find that CETA has very little to do with expanding ldquofree traderdquo and

everything to do with giving international corporations ever greater power to over-

ride domestic authority Thus we are being robbed of Cana-

dian sovereignty by contracts to which we

are not privy which no sensible citizen would agree to sign and which if politi-

cians were honest would prevent them from ever being elected

Below are some of the particulars

Public Procurement CETA will ban government at all levels from ldquobuy localrdquo policies as harmful to the level

playing field urged by international corpo-rations As Murray Dobbins tells us in an article in Canadian Dimensions ldquoThe

procurement provisions ndash giving EU cor-porations unobstructed access to the pub-

lic spending of municipalities schools boards hospitals universities and crown

corporations ndash is especially threatening given the critical role such public spend-

ing plays in a time of virtually zero pri-vate investment The strategic use of pub-

lic spending for economic development and support for local businesses or sectors (such as green energy) would also be ef-

fectively banned Others worry that if the EU gets its procurement deal the US will

want similar treatmentmdashan even greater threat given its proximity to Canadardquo

Under this new procurement regime the privatization of local services becomes

far more likely water electricity transit medical services postal service all man-

ner of social services Huge water compa-nies like Nestle Veolia Environment and

Suez are rubbing their hands in anticipa-tion

On the other hand in bold contrast to

Canadarsquos part the European Union has negotiated a blanket exemption to protect

their water energy and public services including health care Why donrsquot we get

the same

CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Pharmaceuticals As part of the

deal European pharmaceutical corpora-

tions already immensely wealthy are seeking to extend their monopolies on

patent drugs delaying for an even longer term the introduction of cheaper generic

drugs for Canadian citizens On the other hand there is no indication that the EU will make any changes to its own patent

system This delay alone is estimated to cost our economy from $800 million to

$16 million annually Making under-the-table deals is bad enough but making bad

deals is even worse And what has patent extensions got to do with free trade any-

way

Investor Rights This term refers to giving foreign corporations based in Can-ada the right to sue our government for public policies that affect the maximiza-

tion of their profits Already Canada is facing nearly $25 billion worth of corpo-

rate lawsuits under NAFTArsquos investment protection chapter including one from an

oil and gas company against Quebecrsquos moratorium on fracking and another

against Canada by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly demanding a $100 mil-

lion for ldquoexpropriationrdquo because the courts refused to grant a drug patentmdashand this on

the grounds it did not satisfy conditions set down by Canadian law Rather than free trade the Investor State Settlement Proc-

ess is more about the elimination of public interest policies instituted to protect con-

sumer health safety privacy and envi-ronmental values

By the same negative token Cana-dian companies will not hesitate to sue

Europe for completely legitimate public decisions for example instituting regula-

tions for mining companies or stricter environmental rules qualifying the sales of oil and gas

In all official discussion of CETA two issues are conspicuously missing One

is the Environment issue and the other is Native Rights Already NAFTA plus the

Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 and the suppression of science in the ministries

have seriously hampered our ability to respond with intelligence to environmental

changes By now it would be tiresome to la-

bour the point that the natural world is in

decline You can no longer read about wild animals to your children without

warning of their impending extinction Soon enough we are told the ocean will

be dead from acidification and whatrsquos left on land besides humans will be insects

dogs cats and farm animals spawned un-der factory conditions Global warming is

threatening to eliminate even these Yet all we hear from Stephen Harper in his

cheery speech celebrating CETA is a $12 billion boost to our economy and the 100000 cars a year Canadian automakers

will export to Europe (hopefully burning tar sands oil)

But we all know therersquos no wisdom in putting dollars over health over life

Native issues consultation and land development rights do not arise in

CETArsquos consciousness Indigenous people

simply donrsquot exist in a landscape of Big Money Neither apparently does the Ca-

nadian Parliament whose opinions are not solicited and for whom there is no oppor-

tunity for debate The question then arises what can

be done to block this diabolical plan Again Murray Dobbins is informa-

tive We are reminded that Harper ldquois

constrained in what he can do by the con-stitutional division of powers which gives

the provinces so much political authority The really big social items on the political

agenda ndash health education social services ndash are matters of provincial jurisdiction To

be sure he can severely damage all of these by destroying the decades-old prin-

ciple of universality and by slashing fed-eral funding But he canrsquot get rid of them The provinces also have a mandate on

protecting the environment and regarding labour rights and most working Canadi-

ans are in sectors that come under provin-cial jurisdiction Lastly the third level of

government (the municipality) is also a creature of the provinces While munici-

palities depend on the federal government for financial help Ottawa has no political

authority over themrdquo Since Neo-liberal provincial govern-

ments have regularly shown obedience to the federal government their opposition to CETA is undependable Only munici-

pal governments have shown strong resis-tance Thanks to the good work of the

Council of Canadians some 80 munici-palities have called either for complete

exclusion or passed resolutions expressing concern Most of these are in BC and On-

tario and include large populations like Toronto Hamilton Mississauga and Vic-

toria As for opposition to CETA by the

general public no one can predict how

that will go As it happens we are neither informed nor consulted on issues pertain-

ing to important economic affairs Be-sides most of us are so wrapped up in the

scramble to service our debts and eke a little fun out of life we lack the surplus

energy to assert our broader interests The CETA agreement is not a done

deal Itrsquos a ldquotentativerdquo agreement and de-spite Harperrsquos and Barrosorsquos signatures it

will need ratification Even so it will not come into force until 2015 The least we can demand is that the agreement be made

public Contact your MP and your MLA and insist that he or she obtain by what-

ever means the full text and proceed to educate their constituency as to its pros

and cons For the contents of this essay I have de-

pended largely on the Council of Canadi-ans (wwwcanadiansorg) and Murray

Dobbinrsquos article ldquoCETA Can Harperrsquos Trojan Horse be Stoppedrdquo (wwwcanadiandimensioncom

articles4966)

Van Andruss is editor of the magazine

Lived Experience He enjoys the biore-

gional life and community in historic

Moha outside of Lillooet BC

By Van Andruss

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel

Barroso signed a free-trade accord last week Dow negotiations must proceed on a

prickly side deal Photo Georges Gobet

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 3: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 3

TheGreenGazette

Features 05 Christmas Crafting Christmas traditions come in all shapes and sizes ndash big din-ners family hikes dazzling parties hot chocolate around a roaring fire ndash and are essentially the basis of what makes the holidays special - by Jessica Kirby

08 Life with Honey Bees ~ Wersquore in this Together The relationship between humans and honey bees goes back a long way Cave art from an estimated 8000 years ago shows a honey-gatherer risking life and limb in pursuit of a sweet re-ward - by Diane Dunaway

10 Philippines Tragedy Shows Urgency of Warsaw

Climate Summit As people in the Philippines struggle with devastation and death from the worst storm to hit land in recorded history world leaders are meeting in Warsaw Poland to discuss the climate crisis - by David Suzuki 13 CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President of the European Commission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels CETA stands for Comprehen-sive Economic and Trade Agreement and is said by Harper to be the biggest trade deal Canada has ever made even bigger t h a n N A F T A - by Van Andruss

19 Winter Immunity

I live in Prince George and was reading that yoursquore going to focus on the immune system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just wonder what you would recommend for people who get sick all the time - by Ciel Patenaude

28 Composting Continues as Winter Moves In Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their com-post piles around this time of year - by Brianna van de Wijngaard

Contents DecemberJanuary 2013-2014

Publisher Editor-in-Chief

Lisa Bland lisathegreengazetteca

Senior Editor

Jessica Kirby Contributors

David Suzuki LeRae Haynes Jessica Kirby Alix Spiegel Robert L Nichol Julie Andreacutes Ciel Patenaude Van Andruss

Ron Young Lisa Bland Jenna Sipponen Jessica Knodel Jasmin Schellenberg Terri Smith Susan Tritt Ray Grigg

Amanda Nickerson Diane Dunaway Brianna van de Wijngaard Advertising

Lisa Bland Creative Directors

Lisa Bland Teena Clipston Ad Design

Teena Clipston Published by

Earthwild Consulting Printing

Black Press Ltd Cover Photo Credit

Jan Krejza Index Photo

Gunnar Pippel

TheGreenGazette is published by Earthwild Consult-

ing To subscribe call 250-620-3419 To view the

online flipbook visit wwwthegreengazetteca

copy 2013 all rights reserved Opinions and perspectives

expressed in the magazine are those of authors and

do not necessarily represent the views of the owner-ship or management Reproduction in whole or part

without the publisherrsquos consent is strictly prohibited

PO Box 164

Horsefly BC V0L 1L0

250-620-3419

wwwthegreengazetteca infothegreengazetteca

TheGreenGazette

Issue 24

04 Publishers Letter Dreamhealer Quantum realities Despite the laws governing physical matter at the macro level that we accept in our day to day reality on terra firma

quantum physicists have shown that matter does not adhere to these laws at its most basic quantum level - by Lisa Bland

05 Top 10 Tips for a Greener Holiday Season - by Community Futures 06 Volunteering ndash The spirit of giving - by Jessica Kirby

06 Transition Town Group hosts two films and discussion

07 Featured Green Business The season is green at Smashin Smoothies - by LeRae Haynes 11 A Bolt From the Blue AKA the lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo - by Ron Young

11 Commissionerrsquos Fall Report Paints Grim Picture of State of Biodiversity in Canada

12 Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas - by Jenna Sipponen 15 World View Dangerous dog treats - by Robert L ichol

16 Oh nohellip What Will we eat - by Jessica Knodel 17 Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake - by Susan Tritt

18 Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the Season for Sharing and Giving

19 Integrative Health Column Healing from depression - by Ciel Patenaude

21 Giving the Gift of Recycling

22 Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills - by Alix Spiegel PRorg

23 Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants - by Leah Selk 23 TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard 24 Switchbacks - by Julie Andreacutes

25 Poetry Aggie - by Julie Andreacutes 25 Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake - by Amanda ickerson

27 Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat - by LeRae Haynes

28 Hello Bob Sierra BCs new Executive Director - by Ray Grigg 29 Raising Amadeus - by Terri Smith

30 Dourishing our Children - by Jasmin Schellenberg

30 Calendar of Events

31 The Green Collective

Also in this Issue

TheGreenGazette

Page 4 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

D ear Readers

I canrsquot believe wersquove already

entered the heart of winter and

the shortest darkest days of the

year Although itrsquos been fairly moderate so

far it still seems like the change in the

weather dropped in out of the blue The

scramble for winter tires snow shovels

snow scrapers and warm clothing always

comes as a bit of a shock especially when it

dips down below -20 and we quickly find

out just how winterized we are Winter

brings many blessings toomdashdazzling snow

covered peaks crisp sunny days and out-

door activities in the snowy expanse and

the urge to be creative gather and enjoy

quality time with one another The Cariboo

is also home to an impressive network of

artisans crafts people and small businesses

that busily create their wares for the flurry

of craft fairs across the region Support for

the local market economy is noticeable in

the number of people that turn out and itrsquos

hard not to be inspired to join in lsquothe sea-

son of givingrsquo

One of my most enjoyable craft sale

experiences was visiting the Medieval Mar-ket on November 24 With yearly increasing attendance and record numbers there is

nothing that says lsquolocalrsquo and lsquospirit of the seasonrsquo more than this event Whether it was the ambiance created by the beautifully

dressed medieval crafts people the gracious student hosts serving homemade soups and treats the rich colours and textures of hand

woven wool scarves blankets hats gloves fabric art and pottery the scent of fresh ap-ples ground coffee beeswax candles and lavender scented creams the taste of almond

Roca chocolate covered cranberries and wild berry jams or the ongoing line-up of locally talented musicians the two-day event

was a dizzying delight for the senses The friendly market environment definitely pro-vided a jump start into the winter season of

festivities generosity and socializing with friends Winter also marks the time of year

when it is natural to go within and cultivate the imagination artistic creations and dream of the sunrsquos light In many cultures Solstice was a time to celebrate the re-birth of the

light and emergence of the sun from the darkest day and longest night of the year In ancient texts and traditions across the world

including those of the Egyptians Druids Mayans Incas and Greeks reference is made to a spiritual reverence towards the

sun Sun worship in some form is one of the oldest universal themes in spiritual traditions and numerous ancient sites were aligned

with the days of the Solstices and Equinoxes According to cosmologists around 400 million years after the Big Bang the universe first emerged out of darkness Ultra-

violet light was emitted for the first time as clumps of gas collapsed and the first stars

Letter from the Publisher

Lisa Bland PublisherEditor-in-Chief

Dreamhealer Quantum Realities and galaxies were formed Scientists think our solar system and sun were formed as a gigantic cloud of dust rotated and sucked in

material around it and gravity collapsed it and it spun into a flattened spiral The sun was formed as much of the material gathered

in the center Our solar system is estimated to be 46 billion years old and our sun is one of a scattering of more than a 100 billion

stars in the Milky Way galaxy Staring up at the stars in the night sky and basking in the warm glow of the sun is an experience we share with all humans

throughout time There is no denying the power and life giving force the sun feeds our planet nor the degree that we are influenced

by light All living creatures are attuned to cycles of light Just how gases formed into galaxies and birthed stars and planets among

them a perfect blue planet exquisitely bal-anced and inhabited by eventual conscious life is a mystery that many cultures have

pondered Mystics throughout time have suggested that life is multi-dimensional and that there is much more to our world that what we perceive with our five physical

senses Despite the laws governing physical matter at the macro level that we accept in

our day to day reality on terra firma quan-tum physicists have shown that matter does not adhere to these laws at its most basic

quantum level In a theory called the Copen-hagen Interpretation studies show that the act of observing or measuring has an effect

on whether matter exists in wave or particle form a principle known as wave-particle duality At its base quantum theory suggests objective reality does not exist at the quan-

tum level for the act of measuring causes a potential lsquofield of possibilityrsquo to immediately assume one form or another In other studies

it has been shown that photons lsquoorientrsquo to one another in close proximity or become lsquoentangledrsquo remaining oriented to one an-

other regardless of the distance they are separated The International Space Station (ISS)

aims to test the theory definitively by con-ducting an experiment that proves photons remain entangled over great distances (500 km) a theory that Albert Einstein first

coined as lsquospooky action at a dis-tanc e rsquo (R ead mo r e a t http wwwuniversetodaycom101408spooky-

experiment-on-is s -could -p ioneer-new-q uan t um- c ommun ic a t io n s - ne two r k ixzz2m8JVc3VT and httpphysorg

news2013-04-photons-loopholeshtmljCp ) With the scientific demonstration of non-local entanglement and observer-

influenced results in quantum particles itrsquos not hard to see why ideas behind the science of intention quantum mysticism and energy healing continue to gather momentum as

humans question the nature and fabric of commonly held reality While some abruptly turn away from mystical interpretations of

science feeling it wrongly endorses faith healers and spiritual gurus playing on fears to generate cash and take their place in the

spotlight some believe it is only a matter of time when science will catch up to what mystics have always known about the nature

of reality The unfathomable elements at the basis of many non-conventional types of healing seem to suggest transcendence over

basic physical laws and principles Meet Adam Dreamhealer doctor author and en-ergy healer who is working hard to build a

bridge between the two worlds with his be-lief that each side complements and strengthens the other

In the November issue of TheGreen-Gazette I mentioned my opportunity last year to interview Vancouver based Adam

MacLeod otherwise know as Dreamhealer or as coined in a 2003 Rolling Stone article ldquoThe boy with the magic touchrdquo After read-ing a 2003 Globe and Mail article ldquoAll

about Adamrdquo I was struck by the direct and unpretentious way then 16-year-old Adam spoke about ldquoenergy healingrdquo a topic usu-

ally sidelined to the fringes In the article Adam openly shared his experiences sensing energy and auras how he discovered his

healing abilities his belief in intention as a powerful tool anyone can use for healing and that science would eventually explain

his experiences His rise to the international stage occurred that year after contacting rock and roll legend Ronnie Hawkins who had been

diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer Adam offered Hawkins his assistance and after daily scheduled distance energy healing

sessions Hawkinsrsquo cancer disappeared Ed-gar Mitchell retired pilot and NASA astro-naut also received distance energy treat-

ments from Adam for kidney cancer and experienced a complete remission Ten years later Adam now aged 26

holds a degree in molecular biology and biochemistry has recently completed his training as a naturopathic doctor and will be opening a clinic in Vancouver has presented

healing workshops around the world guiding people to access their healing abilities and has written four best-selling books and pro-

duced two DVDs with healing visualiza-tions When I attended his workshop in

person I was immediately struck by how unpretentious Adam seemed on stage Here was not someone cultivating a persona to

charm the audience in fact he seemed and later admitted in a personal interview that he is uncomfortable being in the spotlight What I liked about Adam was the way he

spoke very practically and in a matter of fact way about energy healing and intention and often described his points with biologi-

cal and cellular explanations of body proc-esses and functions such as how DNA can be affected by our intentions

At 16 Adam already had a firm idea of where he was going stating in Rolling Stone that after he graduated he wanted to

become a naturopathic doctor and integrate energy healing with conventional medicine He said ldquoThe medical community and the healing community have the same goal so

why not work together Irsquom very confident that all this can be explained by science and Irsquom determined to prove itrdquo

During his day-long workshop jam-packed with around 400 participants Adamrsquos quotes flash across the screen

ldquoEvery cell in the body responds to the sub-tle energy of lightrdquo ldquoLight co-ordinates all life processesrdquo ldquoIntentions affect things far

beyond our awarenessrdquo and ldquoEveryone takes the limits of hisher perception as the limits of the worldrdquo The take-home message was this everyone can play an active role in

their own healing and be empowered know-ing that their thoughts influence the bodyrsquos biochemistry to assist in the healing process

The mysterious properties and inter-connectedness of light and matter all play a part in the unfolding of our relationship with

ourselves and the cosmos and if there is truth in the new age adage that our thoughts create our reality then our health may be

more in our control than we think In spiri-tual terms one might say ldquoBe mindful of your self-talk itrsquos a conversation with the universerdquo

To find out more about Adamrsquos workshops books and Global Intention Heals Project visit httpdreamhealercom

and httpwwwintentionhealscom Happy winter everyone Donrsquot forget to visit our new website

at wwwthegreengazetteca for local features news headlines our community calendar of events Green Community Collective list-

ings and more Like us on Facebook to re-ceive our regular posts

Adam MacLeod DD aka Dreamhealer at

his Integrative Healing Workshop in

Vancouver BC Photo Lisa Bland

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 5

TheGreenGazette

are shaken Once the baubles are painted re-place the hook and loop and tie ribbon or rafetta around them to finish your master-piece Make it yours Use two colours in each baublemdashone matte and one sparkly or metallic When they swirl together the ef-fect is stunning Try matte green and me-tallic blue with a hint of white or brown for an Earth-like creation Pro tip Direct a little spray glue inside the bauble before sprinkling the glit-ter and it will stick to the inner surface rather than settling on the bottom Wait for this to dry before adding your notions Kindness Ornaments Create a set of or-naments that inspire kindness among your family members In the spirit of Saint Nickolaus legendary saint of doing secre-tive good deeds we made 24 felt hearts that we keep in a basket under the tree and can only be hung in exchange for a good deed When one of us completes a secret helpful deed for someone else in the house one of the ornaments can be hung on the tree Make it yours Our ornaments are made of felt and stuffed with batting but they can be made of or themed in any way you choose I chose hearts because they represent loving acts but if it were up to my husband they would have looked like hockey pucks or my children may have chosen elves or Santas Pro tip Kindness ornaments make a beautiful gift for others wanted to ex-plore a deeper meaning over the holidays Most importantly use what you have and keep it simple Choose natural materials to achieve a calm peaceful look and donrsquot forget texture Layering materi-als creates depth and movement in any crafting project often negating the need for superfluous materials And in the spirit of tradition try to keep it personal Music lovers can create wall sconces or cover baubles with old music sheets and garden-ers can work dried flowers into almost any creationmdashthe possibilities are endless Happy Crafting

By Jessica Kirby Senior Editor of TheGreenGazette

Christmas Crafting

C hristmas tradi-

tions come in all

shapes and sizes

ndash big dinners

family hikes dazzling par-

ties hot chocolate around a

roaring fire ndash and are essen-

tially the basis of what

makes the holidays special

In our house we in-dulge in turkey (cashew loaf for us veg-gies) family and roaring fires but the most treasured tradition for us is crafting Call us crazy but the art of doing things by hand making treasures sharing ideas around the kitchen table is the most poign-ant Christmas experience we share as a family So with focus on the here and now of Christmas itrsquos time to think about beau-tifying your space and your mind-body connection with some elegant eco-friendly and meaningful projects you can do alone with friends or with children Wreaths and garlands au naturale If you live in or near an evergreen forest a world of material awaits Take a long re-laxing walk in the woods and collect boughs pinecones and holly to deck the halls au naturale Twist boughs in a circle shape ndash use heavy wire or anything stiff and circular as a guide if you need it ndash to make a wreath which you can decorate with your woodsy findings or fasten them in a long row to make a garland for the mantle Make it yours Think about fasten-ing objects to your wreath or garland that speak to your familyrsquos interests Try drift-wood seashells or dried flowers for a West Coast theme or bright flowers snowflake shapes autumn leaves and sun shapes to make your wreath a seasonal celebration Pro tip If gold and silver arenrsquot your flavour try bronze spray paint or spray snow to add a more subtle sparkle to your creation Instead of bows try short pieces of branch or driftwood tied with rafetta in the centre or use pinecones Painted glass baubles The possibilities are plentiful when you begin with clear glass globe ornaments found at most craft stores To paint the baubles from the in-side remove the hook and loop from the top of the bauble and pour in about four tablespoons of craft paint Turn the bauble in various directions until the paint spreads over the entire inner surface Add more paint as needed ensuring a generous coat-ing on the glass A more elegant variation is rather than painting sprinkle glitter and winter or Christmas-themed crafting notions inside creating a snow-globe effect that leaves the surface relatively clear unless the baubles

Use what you have Scrap felt childrens blocks

or scrap metal can make lovely Christmas

ornaments with personality

Kindness ornaments Kindness ornaments go on the tree one at a time following a secret good

deed for someone else in the family

Photos Jessica Kirby

Letrsquos all make an effort to recycle everything we can especially at this time of year

when so much gift wrapping and plastic wrapping get thrown in the garbage

Here are some ideas of how to give the gift of recycling back to the environment 1 Instead of giving a store-bought gift how about a gift of a homemade basket of

goodies Family pictures are also a great gift idea All are great delicious and personal gifts with no product packaging waste

2 If you enjoy giving store bought gifts then consider using recycled wrapping paper or cloth gift bags instead of wrapping paper Try using newspapers The Sunday funnies help keep it colorful and fun

3 Buy gifts that donrsquot require wrapping such as gift certificates for a much needed massage for a book store or for dinner at a favorite restaurant The gift of relaxation and experiences will be appreciated after the flurry of the Christ-mas morning chaos Again it reduces the waste packaging is more eco-friendly and lowers the chances that a purchased gift will go unused

4 Recycle your old holiday cards Cut out the pictures to make new cards or gift tags If yoursquore not so crafty and still want to reduce paper waste why not send out electronic greetings cards

5 When buying gifts make sure you check product labels to determine an itemrsquos recyclability and if it is made from recycled materials If you receive electronics at Christmas make sure to take your old electronics and donate them or recycle them at a local designated facility

6 Consider purchasing and serving local bought food at your staff or family Christmas dinner Buying local produce is not only a healthier alternative it helps support your community businesses and local farmers

7 A big contributor to landfill waste is disposable dinnerware For your holiday office party try to find an alternative way to serve food to your guests this year If that is not an option do some research and find a biodegradable product that has the ability to break down safely and relatively quickly

8 Want to save money and energy this holiday season Try putting your tree and outdoor lights on timers Set the timer to have your lights automatically turn on at sunset and turn off overnight and during the day If the timer isnrsquot an option then use the good old fashioned way and unplug them manually Are you are in the market to buy some Christmas lights or replace old ones Then make the switch to LED lights if you havenrsquot done so already

9 After the holidays look for ways to recycle your tree or buy a potted tree that can be replanted after the Christmas season is over Make sure to pre-plan the live tree option because you canrsquot leave them inside to long Too much time in the warmth of the home could prevent them from surviving the replanting proc-ess

10 For those of you who are weighing the choice between buying a live tree versus an artificial tree for environmental concerns make sure to do your research There are many pros and cons to the artificial live tree debate Where the arti-ficial tree might seem on the surface more environmentally friendly it has many negative long-term effects on the environment

Submitted by Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin

Top 10 Tips for a Greener Holiday Season Paint glass

baubles

from the

inside to create

swirling

colour with a hint of

sparkle

Page 6 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

ldquoHooked On Growthrdquo ndash a film from Growthbusters (54 min) Monday January 27 2014 630 pm at Cen-tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall up-stairs) ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo is the quintessential David vs Goliath story starring modern-day filmmaker David Gardner in his autobio-graphical crusade against industrial civiliza-tionrsquos prevailing and largely unquestioned myth that Growth is Good whether referring to populations or economies As he points out infinite growth ultimately doesnrsquot work on a finite planet Things run out Bucking the tide our crusader runs for city council in his hometown of Colorado Springs pointing out to his constituency how continuing development and resource-use actually ends up costing the city more than the increase in revenues

The film is thoroughly sprinkled with experts like Paul Ehrlich (The Population Bomb) Bill McKibben (The End of Nature) Bill Rees (inventor of the Ecological Footprint) Chris Martenson (The Crash Course) and many more Outrageous humour is used to show that the growth imperative needs to be stopped and that in fact it will be stoppedmdasheither voluntarily or when planetary limits slam humans against the wall as happens with any population that overshoots its environmental base ldquoThe cult of endless growth has kept us from seeing clearly the choices in front of us

rdquo - Bill McKibben

Transition Town Group Hosts Two Films Followed By Discussion

ldquoA Fierce Green Fire The battle

for a living planetrdquo (101 min) Monday December 16 630 pm at Cen-tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall up-stairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion Environmentalism is the largest movement the world has ever seen and it may also be the most important in terms of whatrsquos at stake Yet itrsquos not easy being Green Environmentalists have been reviled as much as revered for being killjoys and Cassandras Every battle begins as a lost cause and even the victories have to be fought for again and again Still environmentalism is one of the great social innovations of the twentieth century and one of the keys to how the twenty-first century will unfold It has arisen at a key juncture in history when humans have come to rival the power of nature and as a result will influence how the earth will evolve Writer-director Mark Kitchell efficiently divides the film into five acts Conserva-tion Pollution Alternatives Globalization and Climate Change The film narrated by Robert Redford Ashley Judd and Meryl Streep gives us a sweeping history of the environmental movement by recounting a host of seminal persons and events including Aldo Leopold John Muir Rachael Carson Sierra Club Greenpeace and yes President Nixon to name a few ldquoTRULY RIVETING - Fierce Green Fire is both a cautionary tale and a triumphant onerdquo - The Washington Post

People around the world are trying to power down They are working as whole communities to use less en-ergy and live in greater harmony with the planet and with each other There are dozens of communities and regions in Canada that have become Transition Towns

or are mulling it over For the complete list with links to the website of each visit wwwtransitionnetworkorginitiatives and search on Canada

T here is something about Christ-

mas that brings out the giving spirit in people Despite the com-

mercialization of the holiday the essence of family and togetherness seems to

permeate the season inspiring the desire to

help out give more and share selflessly

According to a Statistics Canada re-port Canada already has an incredibly giving populationmdash$133 million people or 47 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and over volun-teered their time year-round in 2010 provid-ing leadership mentoring driving services help in social services and help in other ac-tivities at a rate equivalent to 11 million full-time jobs The number of people volunteering their time during the Christmas holidays rises between five and 30 per cent depending on the region Eager to help and to get more out of the holidays it is not uncommon for peo-ple to don their aprons at soup kitchens pack hampers at the food bank or drive for an organization that offers safe rides home for party-goers And the effort is appreciated as over the holidays food banks across Canada ex-perience nearly double the number of people accessing services womenrsquos shelters see a 15-25 per cent increase in families seeking services and crisis lines experience up to 30 per cent increase in calls So if yoursquore ready to give a lasting gift over the holidays check out the following opportunities to brighten anotherrsquos day Volunteer The Williams Lake Salvation Army provides food hampers and toys to over 400 families in need throughout the Christmas season The organization is looking for Kettle volunteers to work two-hour minimum shifts taking donations over the holidays and needs individuals to assist in packing hampers On Christmas Day the Salvation Army serves up a Christmas dinner and needs assistance preparing and serving meals and is also looking for a Christmas day entertainer so if your talent is music skit acting or otherwise entertaining consider sharing your time to brighten Christmas for those in need Drivers are also required to take hampers to familiesrsquo houses on Christ-mas Eve and Christmas Day Operation Red Nose operates from November 29 to December 31 in Williams Lake offering a safe ride home and your car delivered at all hours of the night The or-ganization gets extremely busy during Christmas party season and can always use a hand The organization is looking for escort drivers who use their personal vehicles to drive the volunteer driver and the navigator to the location where the client is waiting volunteer drivers who drive the clientrsquos vehi-cles and navigators who ride along with the volunteer driver and client in the clientrsquos vehicle Operation Red Nose can also use headquarters volunteers who look after things like phone operation dispatching or volun-teer training Canadian Mental Health Association ndash Cariboo Chilcotin Branch operates a crisis line that serves individuals in need year round The organization needs volunteers but to help out over the holidays yoursquoll have to plan ahead as training occurs once per week over nine weeks If you already have

Volunteering ndash The spirit of giving By Jessica Kirby

this training consider volunteering or pulling extra shifts over the holidays Donate If yoursquore on a time crunch but would still like to help out consider making a monetary or in-kind donation to an organiza-tion that assists others Operational budgets are extremely difficult to meet and all dona-tions are welcome Consider food clothing toiletries or blankets at the Womenrsquos Emer-gency Shelter or the Salvation Army or bring non-perishable food items to the Salva-tion Army The SPCA is always looking for food and supply donations as well as mone-tary contributions to help provide health ser-vices to pets as they await their forever homes The Cariboo Friendship Society oper-ates a number of services for women and children fleeing abuse and for people suffer-ing from addictions and mental health issues The organizationrsquos needs change and fluctu-ate but itrsquos worth a call to see which items they might need to help run their programs Plan an Event

Creating an opportunity to help out over the holidays is easier than you think Host a potluck or your regular Christmas dinner or party fare and ask everyone to bring a donation to the SPCA or Salvation Army food bank Itrsquos really that simple If you belong to a special interest club or group think about making a collective donation Sewing or knitting groups can or-ganize members to create blankets toques or heavy socks book clubs can donate books to the Emergency Shelter or music clubs can contact the Salvation Army to see about play-ing for an hour to entertain the clients Make it a working affair If the com-pany is having a Christmas party why not work in a couple of hours helping out Meet-ing for dinner Meet two hours earlier and help pack hampers Have everyone bring a food bank or SPCA donation to the Christ-mas Party or auction off the ability to an-tagonize the boss with donations going to the organization of your choice Salvation ArmymdashWilliams Lake 250-305-2492

wwwwlsalvationarmycom

Operation Red ose

wwwoperationnezrougecomenjoin_us

Canadian Mental Health Association ndash

Cariboo Chilcotin

wwwcariboocmhabccaget-involvedvolunteer

Cariboo Friendship Society

250-398-6831 wwwcariboofriendshipsocietyca

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 7

TheGreenGazette

The Season is Green at Smashinrsquo Smoothies

By LeRae Haynes

Featured Green Business

G oing to work every day to a job that is in tune with

your core values is top of the list for Kim Kaytor Her

business Smashin Smoothies has been open now

for nearly a year and she remains committed to envi-

ronmental responsibility and to beautiful nourishing food made

from local organic produce

She says the company offers smoothies juices coffees wraps soups salads full-power orbs energy lsquoballsrsquo a great line of herbal tea granola and special oatmeal and breakfast sand-wiches

ldquoAll our produce ingredients and coffee are organic and as local as possiblerdquo she explains ldquoOur cups are bio-degradable and customers are encouraged to bring their own coffee and smoothie cups We donrsquot use GMO products and local farmers come and pick up our compost or we drop it off at the Potato Houserdquo Committed to Green and dedicated to service and quality local ingredients she says she made a conscious choice to go with higher costs to be more environmentally responsible ldquoThis year has been interesting challenging rewarding and excitingrdquo she says ldquoI love it when people say lsquoIrsquoll bet you donrsquot have anything I can eatrsquo and I say lsquoIrsquoll bet we dorsquordquo Smashin Smoothies can accommodate peoplersquos needs with dairy-free sugar-free glu-

ten-free and vegan options according to Kaytor who says she is glad to see society starting to reflect environmental responsibility and awareness and people starting to be more con-cerned about what they put in their bodies ldquoPeople are starting to care more and it makes me so happy when I can post on our Facebook page that our honey is from our local Bee Happy Honey ndash that we support local producersrdquo she says ldquoI feel that itrsquos part of our obligation as a communityrdquo Smashin Smoothies was in the community over the summer at events like the Friday Farmersrsquo Market and Performances in the Park ldquoWe were lucky that these two events were close to the shop so we could ferry coolers of smoothies and offer healthy nutritious thirst-quenching treatsrdquo she says She also says Green progress often starts with kids ldquoMy youngest employees here are the most environmentally aware We all do our best but they are knowledgeable and insistent about things like recyclingrdquo she adds ldquoMy staff is so awesome I feel that the universe has

blessed me with them ldquoI have this thing that I put a lot of thought into every morning All my staff knows that whenever someone comes in the door I want them to feel better when they leave I want them to have a positive experience in a great atmospheremdashwe even give hugs to some of them No matter who they are or what kind of day theyrsquore having we want them to love being hererdquo she says ldquoItrsquos more than being welcomed we want them to be nourishedrdquo She says some people in the business community have counselled her to rethink the organic aspect of Smashin Smoothies but she has stood her ground with a continued commit-ment to environmental responsibility ldquoWe work really hard to keep our prices reasonable and as people become more and more aware of that when wersquore putting organic goodness in our bodies they see that itrsquos worth itrdquo

Mackenzie Howse Daomi Lomavatu Kim Kaytor River Michalchuk and Emily Cook offer a range of Christ-

mas gift ideas as well as nutritious organic treats to nourish the body and feed the soul Photo LeRae Haynes

MENTION THIS COUPON Its our one-year anniversary

Celebrate with us

December 9 through 21 Get a FREE 12 oz coffee or smoothie

with the purchase of a LARGE beverage

You can give the gift of health this season at Smashin Smoothies with gift cards gift bags gift boxes and boxed 100 certified Pukka herbal teas with delightful blends and fla-vours Smashin Smoothies is located at 102 - 41 7th Avenue north across from Save on Foods For more information call 778-412-2112 or follow on Facebook

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the commu-

nity co-ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator of a lot of musical shenanigans

in Williams Lake including ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo

dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 8 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

T he relationship between hu-

mans and honey bees goes

back a long way Cave art

from an estimated 8000 years

ago shows a honey-gatherer risking life

and limb in pursuit of a sweet reward

Bees and flowers go back even fur-ther in their connection Theyrsquove co-evolved for over 10 million years The flowers benefit from pollination thus pro-creation while the bees are rewarded with pollen and nectar nutritional essentials in their life cycle Of the 20000 bee species now known less than 10 are honey bees Yet after the common fruit fly honey bees are the second most studied insect in biologi-cal research Besides being super cool why would this be Fast forward to modern day agricul-ture Pollination is worth ten times the monetary value of honey An estimated 30 per cent of the food we eat depends on pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male part of a flower to the female part This enables fertilization which results in viable seeds Successful pollination typically increases fruit set resulting in higher yields of better-formed larger more flavourful fruit that ripens faster and keeps longer While bumblebees and other na-tives are excellent pollinators only honey bees can be managed in large enough num-bers to ensure adequate pollination at the critical time for an individual crop bloom We are losing native bees due to habitat destruction insecticides and monoculture crop planting The honey bee (Apis mel-lifera L) has become critical in managed pollination worldwide Given their essential role in food production how can it be that honey bees are in decline Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been in the news since massive die-offs were noted in 2006 And are we any closer to understanding why Is there a so-called silver bullet Alas no What we do know is that CCD is multifactoral death by a thousand cuts Happily a few things have been ruled out including cellphone transmissions and my personal favourite the rapture What is surfacing through research and reports from beekeepers is the story of an insect and really a world under pressure Herersquos where the irony comes in Letrsquos look at three crops blueberries al-monds and corn In our quest for the healthful benefits of antioxidants super protein cheap starch and sugar substitutes plastic alternatives and biofuel among other desirable attributes wersquove created monstrous demands for these commodities To meet these demands conven-tional agriculture has stepped in In British Columbia alone we generated $83 million in gross blueberry sales representing 56 per cent of total Canadian sales in 2010 In California there are 810000 acres of al-mond orchards that require two million honey bee colonies each spring for pollina-tion most of which are trucked in from as far away as Florida These orchards are monoculture moonscapes nothing else

Life with Honey Bees ~ Wersquore in This Together

grows alongside row upon row of these super nut trees And then therersquos corn both sweet and utilitarian (aka cow corn most of which is genetically modified) While corn doesnrsquot require pollination nearly 100 per cent of the seed in North America is treated with neonicotinoids a family of neurotoxins that have recently been impli-cated as harmful to bees and other pollina-tors on a sub-lethal basis Europe placed a three-year moratorium banning neonicoti-noids this year Canadian commercial seed companies are offering non-treated corn and soya seed for the 2014 planting season in response to honey bee poisonings that occurred in Ontario and Quebec last spring Many conventional beekeeping practices have compounded these prob-lems by promoting the prophylactic use of chemical miticides and antibiotics in the management of commercial apiaries These agents often leave residues in the hiversquos beeswax which in turn interact with outside chemicals brought in to the hive by the bees The synergistic effect can be 10 times as powerful and even lethal to the bees To finish the suite of honey bee threats we must mention good olrsquo Varroa mites and other bee pathogens like Nosema plus viruses that are vectored when the beersquos immune system is compro-mised Starvation poor nutrition genetic inbreeding and stress round out the chal-lenges Okay itrsquos time to step away from the cliff Wersquore in this together and there is some silver lining here Stay the course therersquos both hope and things we can do as individuals and communities to turn things around If you watch one TED Talk this winter please set aside time for Dr Marla Spivakrsquos presentation ldquoWhy Bees are Dis-appearingrdquo httpwwwtedcomtalksmarla_spivak_why_bees_are_disappearinghtml

Her take home message is simple and practical plant more flowers for the bees They will offer nutrition and biodi-versity Spivak is one of the true rock stars of the honey bee research world For years at the University of Minnesota shersquos stud-ied and developed a line of bees that have natural hygienic behaviour thus disease resistance Other rock stars worth noting and Googling include Sue Cobey of Washing-ton State University who is importing honey bee germplasm (drone sperm) from isolated pockets in Europe where there are sub-species of honey bees that display de-sirable heritable traits Suersquos specialty is honey bee breeding including artificial insemination She spoke to a captivated audience at the 2013 BC Honey Producers Association conference held in Kelowna last fall httpwsmwsuedusindexphpid=948 One of the best writers about honey bees is Dr Eric Mussen who joined the UC Davis Department of Entomology faculty in 1976 I was fortunate to hear him speak in October at the Western Apiculture Soci-ety (WAS) meeting held in Santa Fe New Mexico Eric is retiring next year he will leave both a formidable legacy and a vast void Pragmatic and brilliant Mussen has lived in the hub of California agriculture development for decades and has seen an array of pesticides come and go Here are links to both his Bee Briefs httpucanr orgsi tes entomologyFacul tyEric_C_MussenBee_Briefs and the WAS

Journal httpucanredusiteswas2WAS_Journal

In BC we have University of British Columbiarsquos (UBC) Dr Leonard Foster one of many prodigies from rocker Dr Mark Winstonrsquos famous and now defunct bee lab at Simon Fraser University Foster and his team at UBC in partnership with Genome BC are spearheading the search to identify honey bee populations that are naturally resistant to pathogens Using sophisticated proteomics they are well on their way to teasing out protein markers associated with Hygienic Behaviour and Varroa Sensitive Hygiene In the foresee-able future queen bee producers will have a tool that helps confirm if their bee stock is hardy and worthy of propagation httpwwwchibiubccafacultyleonard-fosterfoster-labbee-ipm Another exciting trend in apiculture these days is the emergence of urban bee-keeping Kudos go out to Mayor Kerry Cook and the Council of the City of Wil-liams Lake who last September voted unanimously in favour of urban beekeep-ing Hobbyist beekeepers have an impor-tant role to play Not only can they keep the gentle art of beekeeping alive but they can also be stewards to newly developed honey bee genetic stock For sound educational information and inspiration Heather Clay of Vernon BC runs the Urban Bee Network Well qualified Heather is the former Canadian Honey Council CEO and spent years as the apiarist for the province of New Bruns-wick You can learn more about keeping honey bees in cities managing bees on a small scale tips for planting for bees facts about pollination and how to help save our speci a l pol l i na tor s a t ht t p wwwurbanbeenetworkca A word of caution to those who wish to keep bees or are new to beekeep-ing itrsquos very important to learn the basics Sadly many venture in and fold after the first two or three years of keeping bees This makes sense as when you acquire your bees yoursquore benefiting from the knowledge and management of whomever you bought your bees from Many ldquonewbeesrdquo want to keep their bees natu-

(Continued on page 9)

By Diane Dunaway

Woman gathering honey watercolor copy by

F Benitez Mellado of a Mesolithic (c

100008000ndashc 3000 bce) painting in the

Cueva de la Arana near Bicorp Spain in the Museum of Prehistory Valencia Spain

Credit Instituto de Estudios Editoriales Bar-

celona

Credit The Canadian Association of

Professional Apiculturists

A visit in the bee yard in wintertime Photo Diane Dunaway

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 9

TheGreenGazette

rally This is admirable please donrsquot get me wrong However statistically natural too often turns to neglect Itrsquos imperative that a beekeeper can identify diseases and parasites and monitor for them If found then the same beekeeper must decide how to best keep these infestations from killing a colony or worsemdashputting neighbouring apiaries at risk Worker bees can forage as far as five kilometers from their hives drones go even further looking for love Please practice safe beekeeping lsquoNuff said If yoursquod like to create bee habitat in your garden there are several bee-friendly plants that do well in our zone three cli-mate One of the best books on the subject is by Jane Ramsay of Victoria BC ldquoPlants for Beekeeping in Canada and the North-ern USArdquo was first published through the International Bee Research Association (IBRA) Theyrsquore sold out but Ramsay has some of her books for sale Her phone number is 250-598-4415

(Continued from page 8)

What You Can Do to Support

Your Local Honey Bee and Beekeeper bull Buy local honey and hive prod-

ucts at a fair market price

bull Use honey in place of sugar as

your sweetener of choice

bull Learn to love dandelions

bull Add bee-friendly plants to your

garden

bull Differentiate between honey

bees and wasps

bull Provide clean water for bees

and other pollinators

bull Reduce lawn mowing and set

your mower at a higher cutting

level

bull Advocate for bee-friendly by-

laws

bull Educate others about honey

bee pollination a third of our

food supply needs it Pollina-

tion is worth ten times the eco-

nomic value of honey

bull Donrsquot use pesticides if you

must please use fast-acting

short-residual options apply at

dusk when pollinators are least

active

bull Become a beekeeper

Thank You

2013 was a fabulous year for honey bees

in the Cariboo Diane Dunaway harvests

from a leaning tower of honey supers Photo Eddy Bowser

Humankindrsquos relationship with bees has come a long way since the time of honey robbing From rock art to research rock stars wersquove developed an understanding an appreciation and a codependency that isnrsquot about to weaken any time soon

Diane Dunaway has kept bees since 1998

A Master Beekeeper she runs close to 100

colonies from her Bee Happy Honey farm

in the Soda Creek valley of the Cariboo

Diane produced and edited BeesCene the BC Honey Producers Association

(BCHPA) quarterly journal for five years

Dedicated to the health and welfare of

honey bees and the environment that sup-

ports them she advocates for organic inte-

grated pest management methods Recently

she became a BCHPA Certified Instructor

of Introductory Beekeeping through a

partnership with the BC Ministry of Agri-

culture Apiculture Branch When shersquos not

chasing swarms around the countryside

Diane can be found at home with Dave

her husband of 22 years and their menag-

erie of rescue animals

Page 10 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Philippines Tragedy Shows Urgency of Warsaw Climate Summit

Science Matters

A s people in the Philippines struggle with devastation and death from

the worst storm to hit land in re-

corded history world leaders met

in Warsaw Poland to discuss the climate

crisis ldquoWhat my country is going through as

a result of this extreme climate event is mad-

ness The climate crisis is madnessrdquo Yeb Sano lead negotiator for the Philippines told

the opening session of the U climate sum-

mit which ran until ovember 22 ldquoWe can

stop this madness Right here in Warsawrdquo

Given the slow progress at the 18 meetings held since 1992 ndash when countries from around the world joined the United Na-tions Framework Convention on Climate Change ndash itrsquos hard not to be pessimistic Can-ada in particular has been repeatedly singled out among the close to 200 member countries for obstructing progress and not doing enough to address climate change at home But as scientific evidence continues to build and impacts ndash from extreme weather to melting Arctic ice ndash continue to worsen with costs mounting daily the impetus to resolve the problem is growing Wersquore exhausting Earthrsquos finite resources and pushing global ecosystems to tipping points beyond which addressing pollution and climate issues will become increasingly difficult and costly The only hindrance to developing a fair ambitious and legally binding climate plan for the world is lack of political will Part of the problem is that much of the world is tied to the fossil fuel economy and the rush is on to get as much oil coal and gas out of the ground and to market while people are still willing to pay for it and burn it up Wersquore wasting precious resources in the name of quick profits instead of putting them to better use than propelling often solo occupants in large metal vehicles and instead of making them last while we shift to cleaner energy sources But therersquos cause for hope Solutions are available Governments just have to dem-onstrate courage and leadership to put us on a path to a healthier future For example a recent report by energy consulting firm ECOFYS titled ldquoFeasibility of GHG emissions phase-out by mid-centuryrdquo shows itrsquos technically and economically feasi-ble to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to zero from 90 per cent of current sources

with readily available technology It shows we could phase out almost all net emissions by 2050 by innovating further In doing so we could likely meet the agreed-upon goal of lim-iting global average temperature increases to below 2 degrees C and wersquod stand a 50 per cent chance of staying below 15 degrees C by the end of the century All of this would have the added benefit of reducing ldquowater air and soil pollution associated with traditional en-ergy generationrdquo The report echoes the David Suzuki Foundationrsquos findings regarding Canadarsquos potential to meet its current and forecasted demand for fuel and electricity with existing supplies of solar wind hydroelectric and biomass energy Whether or not any of this is politically feasible is another question But the longer we delay the more difficult and expensive it will get Polling research also shows Canadians expect our government to be a constructive global citizen on climate action A recent Leger Marketing survey sponsored by Canada 2020 and the University of Montreal found the majority of Canadians understand that human activity is contributing to climate change and believe the federal government should make addressing the issue a high priority Of those polled 76 per cent said Canada should sign an international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions with most supporting this even if China does not sign The poll also found majority support for a carbon tax as one way to combat climate change especially if the money generated is used to support renewable energy develop-ment Although BC has recently stepped back from previous leadership on climate change its carbon tax is one example among many local governments doing more than the federal government to address climate change We and our leaders at all political lev-els ndash local national and international ndash must do everything we can to confront the crisis As Mr Sano told delegates in Warsaw ldquoWe can-not sit and stay helpless staring at this interna-tional climate stalemate It is now time to take action We need an emergency climate path-wayrdquo With contributions from David Suzuki Founda-

tion senior editor Ian Hanington Learn more at wwwdavidsuzukiorg

By David Suzuki

Debris lines the streets of Tacloban Leyte island

Photo Eoghan Rice - Troacutecaire Caritas

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 11

TheGreenGazette

Copyright 2013 Petar Meseldzija

wwwpetarmeseldzijaartcom wwwpetarmeseldzijablogspotnl Petar Meseldžija is widely acknowledged as one of the leading artists in the field of contemporary

fantastic art His style resembles artists like Rembrandt Frank Frazetta and Alan Lee He does illus-trations and paintings for publishers various clients and private collectors from around the world

By Ron Young

o matter how well you think

you are prepared for the un-

expected there is always the

ldquobolt from the bluerdquo that

thing that occurs that you didnrsquot expect or

plan for also known as the unknown un-

known Itrsquos such a commonplace refer-

ence in the aerospace industry unknown

unknowns are abbreviated as lsquounk-unkrsquo

Donald Rumsfeld made the concept infa-

mous during the Iraq war in the state-

ment ldquoThere are hellip unknown un-

knownsmdashthere are things we do not know

we donrsquot knowrdquo

Well I had an encounter with unk-unks during a recent snowstorm and power outage and Irsquom sure I was grunting unk but also uncle many times that weekend When the power goes out and you have a battery back up system as I do you hardly notice especially if itrsquos relatively short-term We get power from BC Hydro but we also have solar and wind generated power that is stored in a battery When the battery is fully charged from wind or solar (PV) then the system automatically switches designated loads to run off the stored energy until the battery is depleted In this way we can run household lights and appliances for many hours a day exclu-sively from renewable energy sources and reduce our carbon footprint while lowering our BC Hydro bill But it seems that when one thing goes wrong Murphyrsquos Law dictates that the wrong thing the problem must bring friends to the party Not only did the power go off which is an eventuality I was pre-pared for but also the snow came down one icy little flake after another until over 50 cm of accumulated chaos had arrived in record time And then to finish off the threesome the pump that supplies our house with water from the creek well quit working Water isnrsquot something you can do without for long and having had the occa-sional water problem in the past I put a cou-ple of five gallon jugs of water aside for emergencies But you can go through ten gallons of water really quickly in a two-person household Even if you are prudent about when you flush the toilet (which in an older toilet can use nearly five gallons per flush) you will still need several gallons for cooking drinking and washing An added source for clean water is your hot water tank which you can drain making sure you first turn off the breaker so the heating ele-ments donrsquot switch on in an empty tank and quickly burn out Well after an entire weekend of problem-solving it put me in mind of think-ing ahead and preparing for possible emer-gencies While I donrsquot want to become fix-

A Bolt From the Blue AKA The lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo ated on the subject I have to remind myself to pay attention to have lsquosituational aware-nessrsquo as it is called in the military Itrsquos win-tertime and if yoursquore going to travel winter roads what will you do if you have a break-down Many of us in the rural Cariboo live in areas without cell coverage so while hav-ing a cellphone is a good idea it isnrsquot a panacea Having clothes and shoes that are suitable for walking some distance in cold weather is essential gear Having a source of heat is a great idea such as hand warmers or a small beeswax candle Beeswax burns significantly hotter and longer than other wax and a single candle can be a lifesaver Other simple things that are often over-looked in winter vehicles are a portable shovel a length of strong rope in case you need towing a set of battery starter cables and a good flashlight Throw in a couple of energy bars for good measure Household preparedness is another matter The world we live in nowadays seems to be more volatile and unpredictable than it ever was So we have to think in terms of streams of essentials that make up our daily lives Then think of what steps we will take if any of those streams are di-verted or interrupted The aforementioned water is one essentialmdashfood heat commu-nications and energy to power lights and some basic appliances are other essentials A good backup plan is to create a small safety margin in each of those critical streams that will help us bridge unexpected events In the energy department which is my area of expertise I would suggest a good minimum strategy is to have a deep cycle battery with a small invertercharger that keeps the battery charged when itrsquos not needed When the power goes out this sys-tem will power some lights a cellphone charger a TV or computer or even a mi-crowave There are all-in-one battery packs with built-in inverters available at hardware stores but they are light duty and useful mainly for some lights A proper back-up power system will have at least 200 amp hours of battery capacity with a minimum 1000-watt inverter and a built in charger Itrsquos inexpensive to add a solar panel to this combination that can also recharge the bat-tery While itrsquos not reasonable or realistic to try to have a back-up plan that covers all possible emergencies you can take impor-tant steps towards insuring your familyrsquos safety and comfort in case of unexpected events You will find that the more you think about this and take small measures the more you begin to see the bigger picture and learn effective strategies There will always be unknown unknowns

unk-unk n especially in engineering something such as a problem that has not been and could not have been imagined or anticipated an unknown unknown Ron Young a Renewable Energy specialist

owns the earthRight store in Williams Lake

established in 1993 A series of articles on

the basics of solar energy can be found at

his website wwwsolareaglecom

Copyright Ron Young 2013

Federal Environment Commissionerrsquos Fall

Report Paints Grim Picture of State of

Biodiversity in Canada

Environmental conservation in Canada has reached a new low according to a report from the office of the federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development released on November 5 Citing ldquodeteriorating biodiversity conditions in all of the main types of ecosystems in Canadardquo interim environment commissioner Neil Maxwell called on federal depart-ments to seek ldquoground-breakingrdquo new approaches to ldquobreak the pattern of unfulfilled commitments and responsibilitiesrdquo Elizabeth May leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands expressed gratitude for the commissionerrsquos diligent research stating ldquoThe deep cuts to Parks Canada are clearly causing serious problems in maintaining ecological in-tegrity in parks while across the federal government there is a disturbing failure to fulfill statutory responsibilities for species at riskrdquo The Green Party leader also emphasized the need to implement and provide fund-ing for more stringent environmental monitoring standards while echoing the commis-sionerrsquos call for a more collaborative and integrated approach to supporting biodiversity one that would take into account all aspects of an ecosystem The report which examined the work of Environment Canada the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Parks Canada in protecting Canadarsquos natural environment found that over 70 per cent of national wildlife areas had ldquoless than adequate ecological integrityrdquo and that over 90 per cent ldquodid not have adequate management plansrdquo ldquoThe threats to bird populations are alarmingrdquo remarked Andrew Park environ-ment critic for the Green Party of Canada ldquoWe are losing the scientific capacity to moni-tor species as their numbers plummetrdquo The report states that according to Environment Canadarsquos own estimates fewer than half of the Bird Conservation Region Strategies it committed to completing by 2010 had been finished and ldquomonitoring for 30 per cent of the bird species in Canada is insuf-ficient to determine whether they are at riskrdquo httpelizabethmaympcanewspublicationspress-releases20131106federal-environment-commissioners-fall-report-paints-grim-picture-of-state-of-biodiversity-in-canada

Page 12 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A round Christmas time

therersquos an extremely notice-

able buzz in the air Yoursquore

excited for the holidays time

off school and time off work This buzz

in the air could be a couple of different

things added together plus the crazy

holiday rush We all have to admit that

in some way we do love Christmas holi-

days For some the meaning of Christ-

mas is to uphold the family traditions

And yet for others it is a wonderful time

to create new family traditions

However therersquos something about that time of year that Irsquom sure oth-ers have noticed It is something that gets more intimidating every year like an enormous snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger This is called consumerismmdashthe ongoing want to buy buy buy Consumerism goes on through-out the year but I find at Christmas time it is at its worst

Typically consumerism is the term used to describe what humans do Humans no longer know how to be re-sourceful so we purchase goods to fulfill our needs As you know this is a large cause of many negative things that are happening to this world right now Sure we like to buy presents here and there Where do you cross the line and when do you realize you donrsquot need to purchase some items Making a decision like this is extremely difficult especially with advertisements telling you what to do And Christmas time may be a difficult time to restrain from buying many items because theyrsquore for people you love The holidays are supposed to be relaxing and de-stressing They have however turned into something quite the opposite

Itrsquos hard to think about ways to reduce how much you consume and the holidays make it ten times more difficult The media concentrates on focusing your money and attention on to certain sub-jects Since when was Christmas only about buying presents for people Where did the peace and joy go As the holidays roll on by take note of the ads you see around yourself Take note of the overall message that theyrsquore displaying to you Yoursquoll find that they all point toward the holidays but then relate it to whatever product they are trying to sell you For example ldquoGetting your Christmas feast absolutely perfect is what matters most Thatrsquos why we came up with the perfect oven to satisfy your needsrdquo

Yoursquoll find Christmas turns into an excuse for extra media to be stuffed in to every single eye and ear you could possibly have There is a point at which it turns into too much People donrsquot realize how much the media impacts our buying choices and Christmas turns into just another giant shopping spree

It is certainly a proven fact that people spend more at Christmas time Studies have shown that 12 per cent of people are committed to spend more this

Christmas than last Christmas Will that number grow and what impact will that have on us More spending does mean more consuming more waste and more stuff we donrsquot need I know yoursquore proba-bly thinking ldquoWell how do I celebrate Christmas as well as lessen how much I consumerdquo

Well ladies and gentleman the answer lies in buying local and support-ing small companies By purchasing gifts made locally you diminish the distance it travels to get to your shopping bag It isnrsquot hard to find locals selling interest-ing unique and often handmade items This Christmas I challenge you to think more about what yoursquore buying and where it came from

The next time you find yourself crammed into a store think about this Stop and take a glance at the people bus-tling about Look at their faces Do they look like theyrsquore having a fun time Or do they look stressed Oh Look over there at that little boy he has stars in his eyes as he stares into the fake branches of that plastic Christmas tree No he doesnrsquot believe in the magic of Santa but in the magic of daddyrsquos wallet

What has this society made of Christmas when the only thing people focus on is getting copious amounts of gifts We need to be aware of this during the holiday season Also we need to be careful the rest of the year Be mindful of your spending choices and donrsquot let the media control your decisions That way the negative buzz in the air wonrsquot affect you as much at Christmas time Most of all I wish you a joyous holiday season Namaste Jenna Sipponen is in Grade 12 and lives

in a cute little valley called the Simil-

kameen Her hobbies include procrasti-

nating theatre and yoga in random

places

Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas

By Jenna Sipponen

Photo Rapid Eye Media

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 13

TheGreenGazette

O n October 18 after four years

of negotiations Prime Minis-

ter Stephen Harper and Presi-

dent of the European Com-

mission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a

ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels

CETA stands for Comprehensive Eco-

nomic and Trade Agreement and is said

by Harper to be the biggest trade deal

Canada has ever made even bigger than

AFTA

Typical of the Harper government this enormously significant agreement

was signed before anyone had a chance to view it It is still obscure just what on the

whole we are being committed to but the following contents have leaked into view

The main thrust of the deal is aimed at giving international corporations even greater powers over Canadian rules and

regulations than they already possess un-der NAFTA In effect according to this

deal foreign corporations are to be treated equally as domestic companies in Canada

breaking down all former impediments to corporate domination If you look into the

matter you find that CETA has very little to do with expanding ldquofree traderdquo and

everything to do with giving international corporations ever greater power to over-

ride domestic authority Thus we are being robbed of Cana-

dian sovereignty by contracts to which we

are not privy which no sensible citizen would agree to sign and which if politi-

cians were honest would prevent them from ever being elected

Below are some of the particulars

Public Procurement CETA will ban government at all levels from ldquobuy localrdquo policies as harmful to the level

playing field urged by international corpo-rations As Murray Dobbins tells us in an article in Canadian Dimensions ldquoThe

procurement provisions ndash giving EU cor-porations unobstructed access to the pub-

lic spending of municipalities schools boards hospitals universities and crown

corporations ndash is especially threatening given the critical role such public spend-

ing plays in a time of virtually zero pri-vate investment The strategic use of pub-

lic spending for economic development and support for local businesses or sectors (such as green energy) would also be ef-

fectively banned Others worry that if the EU gets its procurement deal the US will

want similar treatmentmdashan even greater threat given its proximity to Canadardquo

Under this new procurement regime the privatization of local services becomes

far more likely water electricity transit medical services postal service all man-

ner of social services Huge water compa-nies like Nestle Veolia Environment and

Suez are rubbing their hands in anticipa-tion

On the other hand in bold contrast to

Canadarsquos part the European Union has negotiated a blanket exemption to protect

their water energy and public services including health care Why donrsquot we get

the same

CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Pharmaceuticals As part of the

deal European pharmaceutical corpora-

tions already immensely wealthy are seeking to extend their monopolies on

patent drugs delaying for an even longer term the introduction of cheaper generic

drugs for Canadian citizens On the other hand there is no indication that the EU will make any changes to its own patent

system This delay alone is estimated to cost our economy from $800 million to

$16 million annually Making under-the-table deals is bad enough but making bad

deals is even worse And what has patent extensions got to do with free trade any-

way

Investor Rights This term refers to giving foreign corporations based in Can-ada the right to sue our government for public policies that affect the maximiza-

tion of their profits Already Canada is facing nearly $25 billion worth of corpo-

rate lawsuits under NAFTArsquos investment protection chapter including one from an

oil and gas company against Quebecrsquos moratorium on fracking and another

against Canada by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly demanding a $100 mil-

lion for ldquoexpropriationrdquo because the courts refused to grant a drug patentmdashand this on

the grounds it did not satisfy conditions set down by Canadian law Rather than free trade the Investor State Settlement Proc-

ess is more about the elimination of public interest policies instituted to protect con-

sumer health safety privacy and envi-ronmental values

By the same negative token Cana-dian companies will not hesitate to sue

Europe for completely legitimate public decisions for example instituting regula-

tions for mining companies or stricter environmental rules qualifying the sales of oil and gas

In all official discussion of CETA two issues are conspicuously missing One

is the Environment issue and the other is Native Rights Already NAFTA plus the

Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 and the suppression of science in the ministries

have seriously hampered our ability to respond with intelligence to environmental

changes By now it would be tiresome to la-

bour the point that the natural world is in

decline You can no longer read about wild animals to your children without

warning of their impending extinction Soon enough we are told the ocean will

be dead from acidification and whatrsquos left on land besides humans will be insects

dogs cats and farm animals spawned un-der factory conditions Global warming is

threatening to eliminate even these Yet all we hear from Stephen Harper in his

cheery speech celebrating CETA is a $12 billion boost to our economy and the 100000 cars a year Canadian automakers

will export to Europe (hopefully burning tar sands oil)

But we all know therersquos no wisdom in putting dollars over health over life

Native issues consultation and land development rights do not arise in

CETArsquos consciousness Indigenous people

simply donrsquot exist in a landscape of Big Money Neither apparently does the Ca-

nadian Parliament whose opinions are not solicited and for whom there is no oppor-

tunity for debate The question then arises what can

be done to block this diabolical plan Again Murray Dobbins is informa-

tive We are reminded that Harper ldquois

constrained in what he can do by the con-stitutional division of powers which gives

the provinces so much political authority The really big social items on the political

agenda ndash health education social services ndash are matters of provincial jurisdiction To

be sure he can severely damage all of these by destroying the decades-old prin-

ciple of universality and by slashing fed-eral funding But he canrsquot get rid of them The provinces also have a mandate on

protecting the environment and regarding labour rights and most working Canadi-

ans are in sectors that come under provin-cial jurisdiction Lastly the third level of

government (the municipality) is also a creature of the provinces While munici-

palities depend on the federal government for financial help Ottawa has no political

authority over themrdquo Since Neo-liberal provincial govern-

ments have regularly shown obedience to the federal government their opposition to CETA is undependable Only munici-

pal governments have shown strong resis-tance Thanks to the good work of the

Council of Canadians some 80 munici-palities have called either for complete

exclusion or passed resolutions expressing concern Most of these are in BC and On-

tario and include large populations like Toronto Hamilton Mississauga and Vic-

toria As for opposition to CETA by the

general public no one can predict how

that will go As it happens we are neither informed nor consulted on issues pertain-

ing to important economic affairs Be-sides most of us are so wrapped up in the

scramble to service our debts and eke a little fun out of life we lack the surplus

energy to assert our broader interests The CETA agreement is not a done

deal Itrsquos a ldquotentativerdquo agreement and de-spite Harperrsquos and Barrosorsquos signatures it

will need ratification Even so it will not come into force until 2015 The least we can demand is that the agreement be made

public Contact your MP and your MLA and insist that he or she obtain by what-

ever means the full text and proceed to educate their constituency as to its pros

and cons For the contents of this essay I have de-

pended largely on the Council of Canadi-ans (wwwcanadiansorg) and Murray

Dobbinrsquos article ldquoCETA Can Harperrsquos Trojan Horse be Stoppedrdquo (wwwcanadiandimensioncom

articles4966)

Van Andruss is editor of the magazine

Lived Experience He enjoys the biore-

gional life and community in historic

Moha outside of Lillooet BC

By Van Andruss

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel

Barroso signed a free-trade accord last week Dow negotiations must proceed on a

prickly side deal Photo Georges Gobet

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 4: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 4 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

D ear Readers

I canrsquot believe wersquove already

entered the heart of winter and

the shortest darkest days of the

year Although itrsquos been fairly moderate so

far it still seems like the change in the

weather dropped in out of the blue The

scramble for winter tires snow shovels

snow scrapers and warm clothing always

comes as a bit of a shock especially when it

dips down below -20 and we quickly find

out just how winterized we are Winter

brings many blessings toomdashdazzling snow

covered peaks crisp sunny days and out-

door activities in the snowy expanse and

the urge to be creative gather and enjoy

quality time with one another The Cariboo

is also home to an impressive network of

artisans crafts people and small businesses

that busily create their wares for the flurry

of craft fairs across the region Support for

the local market economy is noticeable in

the number of people that turn out and itrsquos

hard not to be inspired to join in lsquothe sea-

son of givingrsquo

One of my most enjoyable craft sale

experiences was visiting the Medieval Mar-ket on November 24 With yearly increasing attendance and record numbers there is

nothing that says lsquolocalrsquo and lsquospirit of the seasonrsquo more than this event Whether it was the ambiance created by the beautifully

dressed medieval crafts people the gracious student hosts serving homemade soups and treats the rich colours and textures of hand

woven wool scarves blankets hats gloves fabric art and pottery the scent of fresh ap-ples ground coffee beeswax candles and lavender scented creams the taste of almond

Roca chocolate covered cranberries and wild berry jams or the ongoing line-up of locally talented musicians the two-day event

was a dizzying delight for the senses The friendly market environment definitely pro-vided a jump start into the winter season of

festivities generosity and socializing with friends Winter also marks the time of year

when it is natural to go within and cultivate the imagination artistic creations and dream of the sunrsquos light In many cultures Solstice was a time to celebrate the re-birth of the

light and emergence of the sun from the darkest day and longest night of the year In ancient texts and traditions across the world

including those of the Egyptians Druids Mayans Incas and Greeks reference is made to a spiritual reverence towards the

sun Sun worship in some form is one of the oldest universal themes in spiritual traditions and numerous ancient sites were aligned

with the days of the Solstices and Equinoxes According to cosmologists around 400 million years after the Big Bang the universe first emerged out of darkness Ultra-

violet light was emitted for the first time as clumps of gas collapsed and the first stars

Letter from the Publisher

Lisa Bland PublisherEditor-in-Chief

Dreamhealer Quantum Realities and galaxies were formed Scientists think our solar system and sun were formed as a gigantic cloud of dust rotated and sucked in

material around it and gravity collapsed it and it spun into a flattened spiral The sun was formed as much of the material gathered

in the center Our solar system is estimated to be 46 billion years old and our sun is one of a scattering of more than a 100 billion

stars in the Milky Way galaxy Staring up at the stars in the night sky and basking in the warm glow of the sun is an experience we share with all humans

throughout time There is no denying the power and life giving force the sun feeds our planet nor the degree that we are influenced

by light All living creatures are attuned to cycles of light Just how gases formed into galaxies and birthed stars and planets among

them a perfect blue planet exquisitely bal-anced and inhabited by eventual conscious life is a mystery that many cultures have

pondered Mystics throughout time have suggested that life is multi-dimensional and that there is much more to our world that what we perceive with our five physical

senses Despite the laws governing physical matter at the macro level that we accept in

our day to day reality on terra firma quan-tum physicists have shown that matter does not adhere to these laws at its most basic

quantum level In a theory called the Copen-hagen Interpretation studies show that the act of observing or measuring has an effect

on whether matter exists in wave or particle form a principle known as wave-particle duality At its base quantum theory suggests objective reality does not exist at the quan-

tum level for the act of measuring causes a potential lsquofield of possibilityrsquo to immediately assume one form or another In other studies

it has been shown that photons lsquoorientrsquo to one another in close proximity or become lsquoentangledrsquo remaining oriented to one an-

other regardless of the distance they are separated The International Space Station (ISS)

aims to test the theory definitively by con-ducting an experiment that proves photons remain entangled over great distances (500 km) a theory that Albert Einstein first

coined as lsquospooky action at a dis-tanc e rsquo (R ead mo r e a t http wwwuniversetodaycom101408spooky-

experiment-on-is s -could -p ioneer-new-q uan t um- c ommun ic a t io n s - ne two r k ixzz2m8JVc3VT and httpphysorg

news2013-04-photons-loopholeshtmljCp ) With the scientific demonstration of non-local entanglement and observer-

influenced results in quantum particles itrsquos not hard to see why ideas behind the science of intention quantum mysticism and energy healing continue to gather momentum as

humans question the nature and fabric of commonly held reality While some abruptly turn away from mystical interpretations of

science feeling it wrongly endorses faith healers and spiritual gurus playing on fears to generate cash and take their place in the

spotlight some believe it is only a matter of time when science will catch up to what mystics have always known about the nature

of reality The unfathomable elements at the basis of many non-conventional types of healing seem to suggest transcendence over

basic physical laws and principles Meet Adam Dreamhealer doctor author and en-ergy healer who is working hard to build a

bridge between the two worlds with his be-lief that each side complements and strengthens the other

In the November issue of TheGreen-Gazette I mentioned my opportunity last year to interview Vancouver based Adam

MacLeod otherwise know as Dreamhealer or as coined in a 2003 Rolling Stone article ldquoThe boy with the magic touchrdquo After read-ing a 2003 Globe and Mail article ldquoAll

about Adamrdquo I was struck by the direct and unpretentious way then 16-year-old Adam spoke about ldquoenergy healingrdquo a topic usu-

ally sidelined to the fringes In the article Adam openly shared his experiences sensing energy and auras how he discovered his

healing abilities his belief in intention as a powerful tool anyone can use for healing and that science would eventually explain

his experiences His rise to the international stage occurred that year after contacting rock and roll legend Ronnie Hawkins who had been

diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer Adam offered Hawkins his assistance and after daily scheduled distance energy healing

sessions Hawkinsrsquo cancer disappeared Ed-gar Mitchell retired pilot and NASA astro-naut also received distance energy treat-

ments from Adam for kidney cancer and experienced a complete remission Ten years later Adam now aged 26

holds a degree in molecular biology and biochemistry has recently completed his training as a naturopathic doctor and will be opening a clinic in Vancouver has presented

healing workshops around the world guiding people to access their healing abilities and has written four best-selling books and pro-

duced two DVDs with healing visualiza-tions When I attended his workshop in

person I was immediately struck by how unpretentious Adam seemed on stage Here was not someone cultivating a persona to

charm the audience in fact he seemed and later admitted in a personal interview that he is uncomfortable being in the spotlight What I liked about Adam was the way he

spoke very practically and in a matter of fact way about energy healing and intention and often described his points with biologi-

cal and cellular explanations of body proc-esses and functions such as how DNA can be affected by our intentions

At 16 Adam already had a firm idea of where he was going stating in Rolling Stone that after he graduated he wanted to

become a naturopathic doctor and integrate energy healing with conventional medicine He said ldquoThe medical community and the healing community have the same goal so

why not work together Irsquom very confident that all this can be explained by science and Irsquom determined to prove itrdquo

During his day-long workshop jam-packed with around 400 participants Adamrsquos quotes flash across the screen

ldquoEvery cell in the body responds to the sub-tle energy of lightrdquo ldquoLight co-ordinates all life processesrdquo ldquoIntentions affect things far

beyond our awarenessrdquo and ldquoEveryone takes the limits of hisher perception as the limits of the worldrdquo The take-home message was this everyone can play an active role in

their own healing and be empowered know-ing that their thoughts influence the bodyrsquos biochemistry to assist in the healing process

The mysterious properties and inter-connectedness of light and matter all play a part in the unfolding of our relationship with

ourselves and the cosmos and if there is truth in the new age adage that our thoughts create our reality then our health may be

more in our control than we think In spiri-tual terms one might say ldquoBe mindful of your self-talk itrsquos a conversation with the universerdquo

To find out more about Adamrsquos workshops books and Global Intention Heals Project visit httpdreamhealercom

and httpwwwintentionhealscom Happy winter everyone Donrsquot forget to visit our new website

at wwwthegreengazetteca for local features news headlines our community calendar of events Green Community Collective list-

ings and more Like us on Facebook to re-ceive our regular posts

Adam MacLeod DD aka Dreamhealer at

his Integrative Healing Workshop in

Vancouver BC Photo Lisa Bland

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 5

TheGreenGazette

are shaken Once the baubles are painted re-place the hook and loop and tie ribbon or rafetta around them to finish your master-piece Make it yours Use two colours in each baublemdashone matte and one sparkly or metallic When they swirl together the ef-fect is stunning Try matte green and me-tallic blue with a hint of white or brown for an Earth-like creation Pro tip Direct a little spray glue inside the bauble before sprinkling the glit-ter and it will stick to the inner surface rather than settling on the bottom Wait for this to dry before adding your notions Kindness Ornaments Create a set of or-naments that inspire kindness among your family members In the spirit of Saint Nickolaus legendary saint of doing secre-tive good deeds we made 24 felt hearts that we keep in a basket under the tree and can only be hung in exchange for a good deed When one of us completes a secret helpful deed for someone else in the house one of the ornaments can be hung on the tree Make it yours Our ornaments are made of felt and stuffed with batting but they can be made of or themed in any way you choose I chose hearts because they represent loving acts but if it were up to my husband they would have looked like hockey pucks or my children may have chosen elves or Santas Pro tip Kindness ornaments make a beautiful gift for others wanted to ex-plore a deeper meaning over the holidays Most importantly use what you have and keep it simple Choose natural materials to achieve a calm peaceful look and donrsquot forget texture Layering materi-als creates depth and movement in any crafting project often negating the need for superfluous materials And in the spirit of tradition try to keep it personal Music lovers can create wall sconces or cover baubles with old music sheets and garden-ers can work dried flowers into almost any creationmdashthe possibilities are endless Happy Crafting

By Jessica Kirby Senior Editor of TheGreenGazette

Christmas Crafting

C hristmas tradi-

tions come in all

shapes and sizes

ndash big dinners

family hikes dazzling par-

ties hot chocolate around a

roaring fire ndash and are essen-

tially the basis of what

makes the holidays special

In our house we in-dulge in turkey (cashew loaf for us veg-gies) family and roaring fires but the most treasured tradition for us is crafting Call us crazy but the art of doing things by hand making treasures sharing ideas around the kitchen table is the most poign-ant Christmas experience we share as a family So with focus on the here and now of Christmas itrsquos time to think about beau-tifying your space and your mind-body connection with some elegant eco-friendly and meaningful projects you can do alone with friends or with children Wreaths and garlands au naturale If you live in or near an evergreen forest a world of material awaits Take a long re-laxing walk in the woods and collect boughs pinecones and holly to deck the halls au naturale Twist boughs in a circle shape ndash use heavy wire or anything stiff and circular as a guide if you need it ndash to make a wreath which you can decorate with your woodsy findings or fasten them in a long row to make a garland for the mantle Make it yours Think about fasten-ing objects to your wreath or garland that speak to your familyrsquos interests Try drift-wood seashells or dried flowers for a West Coast theme or bright flowers snowflake shapes autumn leaves and sun shapes to make your wreath a seasonal celebration Pro tip If gold and silver arenrsquot your flavour try bronze spray paint or spray snow to add a more subtle sparkle to your creation Instead of bows try short pieces of branch or driftwood tied with rafetta in the centre or use pinecones Painted glass baubles The possibilities are plentiful when you begin with clear glass globe ornaments found at most craft stores To paint the baubles from the in-side remove the hook and loop from the top of the bauble and pour in about four tablespoons of craft paint Turn the bauble in various directions until the paint spreads over the entire inner surface Add more paint as needed ensuring a generous coat-ing on the glass A more elegant variation is rather than painting sprinkle glitter and winter or Christmas-themed crafting notions inside creating a snow-globe effect that leaves the surface relatively clear unless the baubles

Use what you have Scrap felt childrens blocks

or scrap metal can make lovely Christmas

ornaments with personality

Kindness ornaments Kindness ornaments go on the tree one at a time following a secret good

deed for someone else in the family

Photos Jessica Kirby

Letrsquos all make an effort to recycle everything we can especially at this time of year

when so much gift wrapping and plastic wrapping get thrown in the garbage

Here are some ideas of how to give the gift of recycling back to the environment 1 Instead of giving a store-bought gift how about a gift of a homemade basket of

goodies Family pictures are also a great gift idea All are great delicious and personal gifts with no product packaging waste

2 If you enjoy giving store bought gifts then consider using recycled wrapping paper or cloth gift bags instead of wrapping paper Try using newspapers The Sunday funnies help keep it colorful and fun

3 Buy gifts that donrsquot require wrapping such as gift certificates for a much needed massage for a book store or for dinner at a favorite restaurant The gift of relaxation and experiences will be appreciated after the flurry of the Christ-mas morning chaos Again it reduces the waste packaging is more eco-friendly and lowers the chances that a purchased gift will go unused

4 Recycle your old holiday cards Cut out the pictures to make new cards or gift tags If yoursquore not so crafty and still want to reduce paper waste why not send out electronic greetings cards

5 When buying gifts make sure you check product labels to determine an itemrsquos recyclability and if it is made from recycled materials If you receive electronics at Christmas make sure to take your old electronics and donate them or recycle them at a local designated facility

6 Consider purchasing and serving local bought food at your staff or family Christmas dinner Buying local produce is not only a healthier alternative it helps support your community businesses and local farmers

7 A big contributor to landfill waste is disposable dinnerware For your holiday office party try to find an alternative way to serve food to your guests this year If that is not an option do some research and find a biodegradable product that has the ability to break down safely and relatively quickly

8 Want to save money and energy this holiday season Try putting your tree and outdoor lights on timers Set the timer to have your lights automatically turn on at sunset and turn off overnight and during the day If the timer isnrsquot an option then use the good old fashioned way and unplug them manually Are you are in the market to buy some Christmas lights or replace old ones Then make the switch to LED lights if you havenrsquot done so already

9 After the holidays look for ways to recycle your tree or buy a potted tree that can be replanted after the Christmas season is over Make sure to pre-plan the live tree option because you canrsquot leave them inside to long Too much time in the warmth of the home could prevent them from surviving the replanting proc-ess

10 For those of you who are weighing the choice between buying a live tree versus an artificial tree for environmental concerns make sure to do your research There are many pros and cons to the artificial live tree debate Where the arti-ficial tree might seem on the surface more environmentally friendly it has many negative long-term effects on the environment

Submitted by Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin

Top 10 Tips for a Greener Holiday Season Paint glass

baubles

from the

inside to create

swirling

colour with a hint of

sparkle

Page 6 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

ldquoHooked On Growthrdquo ndash a film from Growthbusters (54 min) Monday January 27 2014 630 pm at Cen-tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall up-stairs) ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo is the quintessential David vs Goliath story starring modern-day filmmaker David Gardner in his autobio-graphical crusade against industrial civiliza-tionrsquos prevailing and largely unquestioned myth that Growth is Good whether referring to populations or economies As he points out infinite growth ultimately doesnrsquot work on a finite planet Things run out Bucking the tide our crusader runs for city council in his hometown of Colorado Springs pointing out to his constituency how continuing development and resource-use actually ends up costing the city more than the increase in revenues

The film is thoroughly sprinkled with experts like Paul Ehrlich (The Population Bomb) Bill McKibben (The End of Nature) Bill Rees (inventor of the Ecological Footprint) Chris Martenson (The Crash Course) and many more Outrageous humour is used to show that the growth imperative needs to be stopped and that in fact it will be stoppedmdasheither voluntarily or when planetary limits slam humans against the wall as happens with any population that overshoots its environmental base ldquoThe cult of endless growth has kept us from seeing clearly the choices in front of us

rdquo - Bill McKibben

Transition Town Group Hosts Two Films Followed By Discussion

ldquoA Fierce Green Fire The battle

for a living planetrdquo (101 min) Monday December 16 630 pm at Cen-tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall up-stairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion Environmentalism is the largest movement the world has ever seen and it may also be the most important in terms of whatrsquos at stake Yet itrsquos not easy being Green Environmentalists have been reviled as much as revered for being killjoys and Cassandras Every battle begins as a lost cause and even the victories have to be fought for again and again Still environmentalism is one of the great social innovations of the twentieth century and one of the keys to how the twenty-first century will unfold It has arisen at a key juncture in history when humans have come to rival the power of nature and as a result will influence how the earth will evolve Writer-director Mark Kitchell efficiently divides the film into five acts Conserva-tion Pollution Alternatives Globalization and Climate Change The film narrated by Robert Redford Ashley Judd and Meryl Streep gives us a sweeping history of the environmental movement by recounting a host of seminal persons and events including Aldo Leopold John Muir Rachael Carson Sierra Club Greenpeace and yes President Nixon to name a few ldquoTRULY RIVETING - Fierce Green Fire is both a cautionary tale and a triumphant onerdquo - The Washington Post

People around the world are trying to power down They are working as whole communities to use less en-ergy and live in greater harmony with the planet and with each other There are dozens of communities and regions in Canada that have become Transition Towns

or are mulling it over For the complete list with links to the website of each visit wwwtransitionnetworkorginitiatives and search on Canada

T here is something about Christ-

mas that brings out the giving spirit in people Despite the com-

mercialization of the holiday the essence of family and togetherness seems to

permeate the season inspiring the desire to

help out give more and share selflessly

According to a Statistics Canada re-port Canada already has an incredibly giving populationmdash$133 million people or 47 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and over volun-teered their time year-round in 2010 provid-ing leadership mentoring driving services help in social services and help in other ac-tivities at a rate equivalent to 11 million full-time jobs The number of people volunteering their time during the Christmas holidays rises between five and 30 per cent depending on the region Eager to help and to get more out of the holidays it is not uncommon for peo-ple to don their aprons at soup kitchens pack hampers at the food bank or drive for an organization that offers safe rides home for party-goers And the effort is appreciated as over the holidays food banks across Canada ex-perience nearly double the number of people accessing services womenrsquos shelters see a 15-25 per cent increase in families seeking services and crisis lines experience up to 30 per cent increase in calls So if yoursquore ready to give a lasting gift over the holidays check out the following opportunities to brighten anotherrsquos day Volunteer The Williams Lake Salvation Army provides food hampers and toys to over 400 families in need throughout the Christmas season The organization is looking for Kettle volunteers to work two-hour minimum shifts taking donations over the holidays and needs individuals to assist in packing hampers On Christmas Day the Salvation Army serves up a Christmas dinner and needs assistance preparing and serving meals and is also looking for a Christmas day entertainer so if your talent is music skit acting or otherwise entertaining consider sharing your time to brighten Christmas for those in need Drivers are also required to take hampers to familiesrsquo houses on Christ-mas Eve and Christmas Day Operation Red Nose operates from November 29 to December 31 in Williams Lake offering a safe ride home and your car delivered at all hours of the night The or-ganization gets extremely busy during Christmas party season and can always use a hand The organization is looking for escort drivers who use their personal vehicles to drive the volunteer driver and the navigator to the location where the client is waiting volunteer drivers who drive the clientrsquos vehi-cles and navigators who ride along with the volunteer driver and client in the clientrsquos vehicle Operation Red Nose can also use headquarters volunteers who look after things like phone operation dispatching or volun-teer training Canadian Mental Health Association ndash Cariboo Chilcotin Branch operates a crisis line that serves individuals in need year round The organization needs volunteers but to help out over the holidays yoursquoll have to plan ahead as training occurs once per week over nine weeks If you already have

Volunteering ndash The spirit of giving By Jessica Kirby

this training consider volunteering or pulling extra shifts over the holidays Donate If yoursquore on a time crunch but would still like to help out consider making a monetary or in-kind donation to an organiza-tion that assists others Operational budgets are extremely difficult to meet and all dona-tions are welcome Consider food clothing toiletries or blankets at the Womenrsquos Emer-gency Shelter or the Salvation Army or bring non-perishable food items to the Salva-tion Army The SPCA is always looking for food and supply donations as well as mone-tary contributions to help provide health ser-vices to pets as they await their forever homes The Cariboo Friendship Society oper-ates a number of services for women and children fleeing abuse and for people suffer-ing from addictions and mental health issues The organizationrsquos needs change and fluctu-ate but itrsquos worth a call to see which items they might need to help run their programs Plan an Event

Creating an opportunity to help out over the holidays is easier than you think Host a potluck or your regular Christmas dinner or party fare and ask everyone to bring a donation to the SPCA or Salvation Army food bank Itrsquos really that simple If you belong to a special interest club or group think about making a collective donation Sewing or knitting groups can or-ganize members to create blankets toques or heavy socks book clubs can donate books to the Emergency Shelter or music clubs can contact the Salvation Army to see about play-ing for an hour to entertain the clients Make it a working affair If the com-pany is having a Christmas party why not work in a couple of hours helping out Meet-ing for dinner Meet two hours earlier and help pack hampers Have everyone bring a food bank or SPCA donation to the Christ-mas Party or auction off the ability to an-tagonize the boss with donations going to the organization of your choice Salvation ArmymdashWilliams Lake 250-305-2492

wwwwlsalvationarmycom

Operation Red ose

wwwoperationnezrougecomenjoin_us

Canadian Mental Health Association ndash

Cariboo Chilcotin

wwwcariboocmhabccaget-involvedvolunteer

Cariboo Friendship Society

250-398-6831 wwwcariboofriendshipsocietyca

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 7

TheGreenGazette

The Season is Green at Smashinrsquo Smoothies

By LeRae Haynes

Featured Green Business

G oing to work every day to a job that is in tune with

your core values is top of the list for Kim Kaytor Her

business Smashin Smoothies has been open now

for nearly a year and she remains committed to envi-

ronmental responsibility and to beautiful nourishing food made

from local organic produce

She says the company offers smoothies juices coffees wraps soups salads full-power orbs energy lsquoballsrsquo a great line of herbal tea granola and special oatmeal and breakfast sand-wiches

ldquoAll our produce ingredients and coffee are organic and as local as possiblerdquo she explains ldquoOur cups are bio-degradable and customers are encouraged to bring their own coffee and smoothie cups We donrsquot use GMO products and local farmers come and pick up our compost or we drop it off at the Potato Houserdquo Committed to Green and dedicated to service and quality local ingredients she says she made a conscious choice to go with higher costs to be more environmentally responsible ldquoThis year has been interesting challenging rewarding and excitingrdquo she says ldquoI love it when people say lsquoIrsquoll bet you donrsquot have anything I can eatrsquo and I say lsquoIrsquoll bet we dorsquordquo Smashin Smoothies can accommodate peoplersquos needs with dairy-free sugar-free glu-

ten-free and vegan options according to Kaytor who says she is glad to see society starting to reflect environmental responsibility and awareness and people starting to be more con-cerned about what they put in their bodies ldquoPeople are starting to care more and it makes me so happy when I can post on our Facebook page that our honey is from our local Bee Happy Honey ndash that we support local producersrdquo she says ldquoI feel that itrsquos part of our obligation as a communityrdquo Smashin Smoothies was in the community over the summer at events like the Friday Farmersrsquo Market and Performances in the Park ldquoWe were lucky that these two events were close to the shop so we could ferry coolers of smoothies and offer healthy nutritious thirst-quenching treatsrdquo she says She also says Green progress often starts with kids ldquoMy youngest employees here are the most environmentally aware We all do our best but they are knowledgeable and insistent about things like recyclingrdquo she adds ldquoMy staff is so awesome I feel that the universe has

blessed me with them ldquoI have this thing that I put a lot of thought into every morning All my staff knows that whenever someone comes in the door I want them to feel better when they leave I want them to have a positive experience in a great atmospheremdashwe even give hugs to some of them No matter who they are or what kind of day theyrsquore having we want them to love being hererdquo she says ldquoItrsquos more than being welcomed we want them to be nourishedrdquo She says some people in the business community have counselled her to rethink the organic aspect of Smashin Smoothies but she has stood her ground with a continued commit-ment to environmental responsibility ldquoWe work really hard to keep our prices reasonable and as people become more and more aware of that when wersquore putting organic goodness in our bodies they see that itrsquos worth itrdquo

Mackenzie Howse Daomi Lomavatu Kim Kaytor River Michalchuk and Emily Cook offer a range of Christ-

mas gift ideas as well as nutritious organic treats to nourish the body and feed the soul Photo LeRae Haynes

MENTION THIS COUPON Its our one-year anniversary

Celebrate with us

December 9 through 21 Get a FREE 12 oz coffee or smoothie

with the purchase of a LARGE beverage

You can give the gift of health this season at Smashin Smoothies with gift cards gift bags gift boxes and boxed 100 certified Pukka herbal teas with delightful blends and fla-vours Smashin Smoothies is located at 102 - 41 7th Avenue north across from Save on Foods For more information call 778-412-2112 or follow on Facebook

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the commu-

nity co-ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator of a lot of musical shenanigans

in Williams Lake including ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo

dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 8 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

T he relationship between hu-

mans and honey bees goes

back a long way Cave art

from an estimated 8000 years

ago shows a honey-gatherer risking life

and limb in pursuit of a sweet reward

Bees and flowers go back even fur-ther in their connection Theyrsquove co-evolved for over 10 million years The flowers benefit from pollination thus pro-creation while the bees are rewarded with pollen and nectar nutritional essentials in their life cycle Of the 20000 bee species now known less than 10 are honey bees Yet after the common fruit fly honey bees are the second most studied insect in biologi-cal research Besides being super cool why would this be Fast forward to modern day agricul-ture Pollination is worth ten times the monetary value of honey An estimated 30 per cent of the food we eat depends on pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male part of a flower to the female part This enables fertilization which results in viable seeds Successful pollination typically increases fruit set resulting in higher yields of better-formed larger more flavourful fruit that ripens faster and keeps longer While bumblebees and other na-tives are excellent pollinators only honey bees can be managed in large enough num-bers to ensure adequate pollination at the critical time for an individual crop bloom We are losing native bees due to habitat destruction insecticides and monoculture crop planting The honey bee (Apis mel-lifera L) has become critical in managed pollination worldwide Given their essential role in food production how can it be that honey bees are in decline Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been in the news since massive die-offs were noted in 2006 And are we any closer to understanding why Is there a so-called silver bullet Alas no What we do know is that CCD is multifactoral death by a thousand cuts Happily a few things have been ruled out including cellphone transmissions and my personal favourite the rapture What is surfacing through research and reports from beekeepers is the story of an insect and really a world under pressure Herersquos where the irony comes in Letrsquos look at three crops blueberries al-monds and corn In our quest for the healthful benefits of antioxidants super protein cheap starch and sugar substitutes plastic alternatives and biofuel among other desirable attributes wersquove created monstrous demands for these commodities To meet these demands conven-tional agriculture has stepped in In British Columbia alone we generated $83 million in gross blueberry sales representing 56 per cent of total Canadian sales in 2010 In California there are 810000 acres of al-mond orchards that require two million honey bee colonies each spring for pollina-tion most of which are trucked in from as far away as Florida These orchards are monoculture moonscapes nothing else

Life with Honey Bees ~ Wersquore in This Together

grows alongside row upon row of these super nut trees And then therersquos corn both sweet and utilitarian (aka cow corn most of which is genetically modified) While corn doesnrsquot require pollination nearly 100 per cent of the seed in North America is treated with neonicotinoids a family of neurotoxins that have recently been impli-cated as harmful to bees and other pollina-tors on a sub-lethal basis Europe placed a three-year moratorium banning neonicoti-noids this year Canadian commercial seed companies are offering non-treated corn and soya seed for the 2014 planting season in response to honey bee poisonings that occurred in Ontario and Quebec last spring Many conventional beekeeping practices have compounded these prob-lems by promoting the prophylactic use of chemical miticides and antibiotics in the management of commercial apiaries These agents often leave residues in the hiversquos beeswax which in turn interact with outside chemicals brought in to the hive by the bees The synergistic effect can be 10 times as powerful and even lethal to the bees To finish the suite of honey bee threats we must mention good olrsquo Varroa mites and other bee pathogens like Nosema plus viruses that are vectored when the beersquos immune system is compro-mised Starvation poor nutrition genetic inbreeding and stress round out the chal-lenges Okay itrsquos time to step away from the cliff Wersquore in this together and there is some silver lining here Stay the course therersquos both hope and things we can do as individuals and communities to turn things around If you watch one TED Talk this winter please set aside time for Dr Marla Spivakrsquos presentation ldquoWhy Bees are Dis-appearingrdquo httpwwwtedcomtalksmarla_spivak_why_bees_are_disappearinghtml

Her take home message is simple and practical plant more flowers for the bees They will offer nutrition and biodi-versity Spivak is one of the true rock stars of the honey bee research world For years at the University of Minnesota shersquos stud-ied and developed a line of bees that have natural hygienic behaviour thus disease resistance Other rock stars worth noting and Googling include Sue Cobey of Washing-ton State University who is importing honey bee germplasm (drone sperm) from isolated pockets in Europe where there are sub-species of honey bees that display de-sirable heritable traits Suersquos specialty is honey bee breeding including artificial insemination She spoke to a captivated audience at the 2013 BC Honey Producers Association conference held in Kelowna last fall httpwsmwsuedusindexphpid=948 One of the best writers about honey bees is Dr Eric Mussen who joined the UC Davis Department of Entomology faculty in 1976 I was fortunate to hear him speak in October at the Western Apiculture Soci-ety (WAS) meeting held in Santa Fe New Mexico Eric is retiring next year he will leave both a formidable legacy and a vast void Pragmatic and brilliant Mussen has lived in the hub of California agriculture development for decades and has seen an array of pesticides come and go Here are links to both his Bee Briefs httpucanr orgsi tes entomologyFacul tyEric_C_MussenBee_Briefs and the WAS

Journal httpucanredusiteswas2WAS_Journal

In BC we have University of British Columbiarsquos (UBC) Dr Leonard Foster one of many prodigies from rocker Dr Mark Winstonrsquos famous and now defunct bee lab at Simon Fraser University Foster and his team at UBC in partnership with Genome BC are spearheading the search to identify honey bee populations that are naturally resistant to pathogens Using sophisticated proteomics they are well on their way to teasing out protein markers associated with Hygienic Behaviour and Varroa Sensitive Hygiene In the foresee-able future queen bee producers will have a tool that helps confirm if their bee stock is hardy and worthy of propagation httpwwwchibiubccafacultyleonard-fosterfoster-labbee-ipm Another exciting trend in apiculture these days is the emergence of urban bee-keeping Kudos go out to Mayor Kerry Cook and the Council of the City of Wil-liams Lake who last September voted unanimously in favour of urban beekeep-ing Hobbyist beekeepers have an impor-tant role to play Not only can they keep the gentle art of beekeeping alive but they can also be stewards to newly developed honey bee genetic stock For sound educational information and inspiration Heather Clay of Vernon BC runs the Urban Bee Network Well qualified Heather is the former Canadian Honey Council CEO and spent years as the apiarist for the province of New Bruns-wick You can learn more about keeping honey bees in cities managing bees on a small scale tips for planting for bees facts about pollination and how to help save our speci a l pol l i na tor s a t ht t p wwwurbanbeenetworkca A word of caution to those who wish to keep bees or are new to beekeep-ing itrsquos very important to learn the basics Sadly many venture in and fold after the first two or three years of keeping bees This makes sense as when you acquire your bees yoursquore benefiting from the knowledge and management of whomever you bought your bees from Many ldquonewbeesrdquo want to keep their bees natu-

(Continued on page 9)

By Diane Dunaway

Woman gathering honey watercolor copy by

F Benitez Mellado of a Mesolithic (c

100008000ndashc 3000 bce) painting in the

Cueva de la Arana near Bicorp Spain in the Museum of Prehistory Valencia Spain

Credit Instituto de Estudios Editoriales Bar-

celona

Credit The Canadian Association of

Professional Apiculturists

A visit in the bee yard in wintertime Photo Diane Dunaway

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 9

TheGreenGazette

rally This is admirable please donrsquot get me wrong However statistically natural too often turns to neglect Itrsquos imperative that a beekeeper can identify diseases and parasites and monitor for them If found then the same beekeeper must decide how to best keep these infestations from killing a colony or worsemdashputting neighbouring apiaries at risk Worker bees can forage as far as five kilometers from their hives drones go even further looking for love Please practice safe beekeeping lsquoNuff said If yoursquod like to create bee habitat in your garden there are several bee-friendly plants that do well in our zone three cli-mate One of the best books on the subject is by Jane Ramsay of Victoria BC ldquoPlants for Beekeeping in Canada and the North-ern USArdquo was first published through the International Bee Research Association (IBRA) Theyrsquore sold out but Ramsay has some of her books for sale Her phone number is 250-598-4415

(Continued from page 8)

What You Can Do to Support

Your Local Honey Bee and Beekeeper bull Buy local honey and hive prod-

ucts at a fair market price

bull Use honey in place of sugar as

your sweetener of choice

bull Learn to love dandelions

bull Add bee-friendly plants to your

garden

bull Differentiate between honey

bees and wasps

bull Provide clean water for bees

and other pollinators

bull Reduce lawn mowing and set

your mower at a higher cutting

level

bull Advocate for bee-friendly by-

laws

bull Educate others about honey

bee pollination a third of our

food supply needs it Pollina-

tion is worth ten times the eco-

nomic value of honey

bull Donrsquot use pesticides if you

must please use fast-acting

short-residual options apply at

dusk when pollinators are least

active

bull Become a beekeeper

Thank You

2013 was a fabulous year for honey bees

in the Cariboo Diane Dunaway harvests

from a leaning tower of honey supers Photo Eddy Bowser

Humankindrsquos relationship with bees has come a long way since the time of honey robbing From rock art to research rock stars wersquove developed an understanding an appreciation and a codependency that isnrsquot about to weaken any time soon

Diane Dunaway has kept bees since 1998

A Master Beekeeper she runs close to 100

colonies from her Bee Happy Honey farm

in the Soda Creek valley of the Cariboo

Diane produced and edited BeesCene the BC Honey Producers Association

(BCHPA) quarterly journal for five years

Dedicated to the health and welfare of

honey bees and the environment that sup-

ports them she advocates for organic inte-

grated pest management methods Recently

she became a BCHPA Certified Instructor

of Introductory Beekeeping through a

partnership with the BC Ministry of Agri-

culture Apiculture Branch When shersquos not

chasing swarms around the countryside

Diane can be found at home with Dave

her husband of 22 years and their menag-

erie of rescue animals

Page 10 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Philippines Tragedy Shows Urgency of Warsaw Climate Summit

Science Matters

A s people in the Philippines struggle with devastation and death from

the worst storm to hit land in re-

corded history world leaders met

in Warsaw Poland to discuss the climate

crisis ldquoWhat my country is going through as

a result of this extreme climate event is mad-

ness The climate crisis is madnessrdquo Yeb Sano lead negotiator for the Philippines told

the opening session of the U climate sum-

mit which ran until ovember 22 ldquoWe can

stop this madness Right here in Warsawrdquo

Given the slow progress at the 18 meetings held since 1992 ndash when countries from around the world joined the United Na-tions Framework Convention on Climate Change ndash itrsquos hard not to be pessimistic Can-ada in particular has been repeatedly singled out among the close to 200 member countries for obstructing progress and not doing enough to address climate change at home But as scientific evidence continues to build and impacts ndash from extreme weather to melting Arctic ice ndash continue to worsen with costs mounting daily the impetus to resolve the problem is growing Wersquore exhausting Earthrsquos finite resources and pushing global ecosystems to tipping points beyond which addressing pollution and climate issues will become increasingly difficult and costly The only hindrance to developing a fair ambitious and legally binding climate plan for the world is lack of political will Part of the problem is that much of the world is tied to the fossil fuel economy and the rush is on to get as much oil coal and gas out of the ground and to market while people are still willing to pay for it and burn it up Wersquore wasting precious resources in the name of quick profits instead of putting them to better use than propelling often solo occupants in large metal vehicles and instead of making them last while we shift to cleaner energy sources But therersquos cause for hope Solutions are available Governments just have to dem-onstrate courage and leadership to put us on a path to a healthier future For example a recent report by energy consulting firm ECOFYS titled ldquoFeasibility of GHG emissions phase-out by mid-centuryrdquo shows itrsquos technically and economically feasi-ble to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to zero from 90 per cent of current sources

with readily available technology It shows we could phase out almost all net emissions by 2050 by innovating further In doing so we could likely meet the agreed-upon goal of lim-iting global average temperature increases to below 2 degrees C and wersquod stand a 50 per cent chance of staying below 15 degrees C by the end of the century All of this would have the added benefit of reducing ldquowater air and soil pollution associated with traditional en-ergy generationrdquo The report echoes the David Suzuki Foundationrsquos findings regarding Canadarsquos potential to meet its current and forecasted demand for fuel and electricity with existing supplies of solar wind hydroelectric and biomass energy Whether or not any of this is politically feasible is another question But the longer we delay the more difficult and expensive it will get Polling research also shows Canadians expect our government to be a constructive global citizen on climate action A recent Leger Marketing survey sponsored by Canada 2020 and the University of Montreal found the majority of Canadians understand that human activity is contributing to climate change and believe the federal government should make addressing the issue a high priority Of those polled 76 per cent said Canada should sign an international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions with most supporting this even if China does not sign The poll also found majority support for a carbon tax as one way to combat climate change especially if the money generated is used to support renewable energy develop-ment Although BC has recently stepped back from previous leadership on climate change its carbon tax is one example among many local governments doing more than the federal government to address climate change We and our leaders at all political lev-els ndash local national and international ndash must do everything we can to confront the crisis As Mr Sano told delegates in Warsaw ldquoWe can-not sit and stay helpless staring at this interna-tional climate stalemate It is now time to take action We need an emergency climate path-wayrdquo With contributions from David Suzuki Founda-

tion senior editor Ian Hanington Learn more at wwwdavidsuzukiorg

By David Suzuki

Debris lines the streets of Tacloban Leyte island

Photo Eoghan Rice - Troacutecaire Caritas

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 11

TheGreenGazette

Copyright 2013 Petar Meseldzija

wwwpetarmeseldzijaartcom wwwpetarmeseldzijablogspotnl Petar Meseldžija is widely acknowledged as one of the leading artists in the field of contemporary

fantastic art His style resembles artists like Rembrandt Frank Frazetta and Alan Lee He does illus-trations and paintings for publishers various clients and private collectors from around the world

By Ron Young

o matter how well you think

you are prepared for the un-

expected there is always the

ldquobolt from the bluerdquo that

thing that occurs that you didnrsquot expect or

plan for also known as the unknown un-

known Itrsquos such a commonplace refer-

ence in the aerospace industry unknown

unknowns are abbreviated as lsquounk-unkrsquo

Donald Rumsfeld made the concept infa-

mous during the Iraq war in the state-

ment ldquoThere are hellip unknown un-

knownsmdashthere are things we do not know

we donrsquot knowrdquo

Well I had an encounter with unk-unks during a recent snowstorm and power outage and Irsquom sure I was grunting unk but also uncle many times that weekend When the power goes out and you have a battery back up system as I do you hardly notice especially if itrsquos relatively short-term We get power from BC Hydro but we also have solar and wind generated power that is stored in a battery When the battery is fully charged from wind or solar (PV) then the system automatically switches designated loads to run off the stored energy until the battery is depleted In this way we can run household lights and appliances for many hours a day exclu-sively from renewable energy sources and reduce our carbon footprint while lowering our BC Hydro bill But it seems that when one thing goes wrong Murphyrsquos Law dictates that the wrong thing the problem must bring friends to the party Not only did the power go off which is an eventuality I was pre-pared for but also the snow came down one icy little flake after another until over 50 cm of accumulated chaos had arrived in record time And then to finish off the threesome the pump that supplies our house with water from the creek well quit working Water isnrsquot something you can do without for long and having had the occa-sional water problem in the past I put a cou-ple of five gallon jugs of water aside for emergencies But you can go through ten gallons of water really quickly in a two-person household Even if you are prudent about when you flush the toilet (which in an older toilet can use nearly five gallons per flush) you will still need several gallons for cooking drinking and washing An added source for clean water is your hot water tank which you can drain making sure you first turn off the breaker so the heating ele-ments donrsquot switch on in an empty tank and quickly burn out Well after an entire weekend of problem-solving it put me in mind of think-ing ahead and preparing for possible emer-gencies While I donrsquot want to become fix-

A Bolt From the Blue AKA The lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo ated on the subject I have to remind myself to pay attention to have lsquosituational aware-nessrsquo as it is called in the military Itrsquos win-tertime and if yoursquore going to travel winter roads what will you do if you have a break-down Many of us in the rural Cariboo live in areas without cell coverage so while hav-ing a cellphone is a good idea it isnrsquot a panacea Having clothes and shoes that are suitable for walking some distance in cold weather is essential gear Having a source of heat is a great idea such as hand warmers or a small beeswax candle Beeswax burns significantly hotter and longer than other wax and a single candle can be a lifesaver Other simple things that are often over-looked in winter vehicles are a portable shovel a length of strong rope in case you need towing a set of battery starter cables and a good flashlight Throw in a couple of energy bars for good measure Household preparedness is another matter The world we live in nowadays seems to be more volatile and unpredictable than it ever was So we have to think in terms of streams of essentials that make up our daily lives Then think of what steps we will take if any of those streams are di-verted or interrupted The aforementioned water is one essentialmdashfood heat commu-nications and energy to power lights and some basic appliances are other essentials A good backup plan is to create a small safety margin in each of those critical streams that will help us bridge unexpected events In the energy department which is my area of expertise I would suggest a good minimum strategy is to have a deep cycle battery with a small invertercharger that keeps the battery charged when itrsquos not needed When the power goes out this sys-tem will power some lights a cellphone charger a TV or computer or even a mi-crowave There are all-in-one battery packs with built-in inverters available at hardware stores but they are light duty and useful mainly for some lights A proper back-up power system will have at least 200 amp hours of battery capacity with a minimum 1000-watt inverter and a built in charger Itrsquos inexpensive to add a solar panel to this combination that can also recharge the bat-tery While itrsquos not reasonable or realistic to try to have a back-up plan that covers all possible emergencies you can take impor-tant steps towards insuring your familyrsquos safety and comfort in case of unexpected events You will find that the more you think about this and take small measures the more you begin to see the bigger picture and learn effective strategies There will always be unknown unknowns

unk-unk n especially in engineering something such as a problem that has not been and could not have been imagined or anticipated an unknown unknown Ron Young a Renewable Energy specialist

owns the earthRight store in Williams Lake

established in 1993 A series of articles on

the basics of solar energy can be found at

his website wwwsolareaglecom

Copyright Ron Young 2013

Federal Environment Commissionerrsquos Fall

Report Paints Grim Picture of State of

Biodiversity in Canada

Environmental conservation in Canada has reached a new low according to a report from the office of the federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development released on November 5 Citing ldquodeteriorating biodiversity conditions in all of the main types of ecosystems in Canadardquo interim environment commissioner Neil Maxwell called on federal depart-ments to seek ldquoground-breakingrdquo new approaches to ldquobreak the pattern of unfulfilled commitments and responsibilitiesrdquo Elizabeth May leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands expressed gratitude for the commissionerrsquos diligent research stating ldquoThe deep cuts to Parks Canada are clearly causing serious problems in maintaining ecological in-tegrity in parks while across the federal government there is a disturbing failure to fulfill statutory responsibilities for species at riskrdquo The Green Party leader also emphasized the need to implement and provide fund-ing for more stringent environmental monitoring standards while echoing the commis-sionerrsquos call for a more collaborative and integrated approach to supporting biodiversity one that would take into account all aspects of an ecosystem The report which examined the work of Environment Canada the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Parks Canada in protecting Canadarsquos natural environment found that over 70 per cent of national wildlife areas had ldquoless than adequate ecological integrityrdquo and that over 90 per cent ldquodid not have adequate management plansrdquo ldquoThe threats to bird populations are alarmingrdquo remarked Andrew Park environ-ment critic for the Green Party of Canada ldquoWe are losing the scientific capacity to moni-tor species as their numbers plummetrdquo The report states that according to Environment Canadarsquos own estimates fewer than half of the Bird Conservation Region Strategies it committed to completing by 2010 had been finished and ldquomonitoring for 30 per cent of the bird species in Canada is insuf-ficient to determine whether they are at riskrdquo httpelizabethmaympcanewspublicationspress-releases20131106federal-environment-commissioners-fall-report-paints-grim-picture-of-state-of-biodiversity-in-canada

Page 12 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A round Christmas time

therersquos an extremely notice-

able buzz in the air Yoursquore

excited for the holidays time

off school and time off work This buzz

in the air could be a couple of different

things added together plus the crazy

holiday rush We all have to admit that

in some way we do love Christmas holi-

days For some the meaning of Christ-

mas is to uphold the family traditions

And yet for others it is a wonderful time

to create new family traditions

However therersquos something about that time of year that Irsquom sure oth-ers have noticed It is something that gets more intimidating every year like an enormous snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger This is called consumerismmdashthe ongoing want to buy buy buy Consumerism goes on through-out the year but I find at Christmas time it is at its worst

Typically consumerism is the term used to describe what humans do Humans no longer know how to be re-sourceful so we purchase goods to fulfill our needs As you know this is a large cause of many negative things that are happening to this world right now Sure we like to buy presents here and there Where do you cross the line and when do you realize you donrsquot need to purchase some items Making a decision like this is extremely difficult especially with advertisements telling you what to do And Christmas time may be a difficult time to restrain from buying many items because theyrsquore for people you love The holidays are supposed to be relaxing and de-stressing They have however turned into something quite the opposite

Itrsquos hard to think about ways to reduce how much you consume and the holidays make it ten times more difficult The media concentrates on focusing your money and attention on to certain sub-jects Since when was Christmas only about buying presents for people Where did the peace and joy go As the holidays roll on by take note of the ads you see around yourself Take note of the overall message that theyrsquore displaying to you Yoursquoll find that they all point toward the holidays but then relate it to whatever product they are trying to sell you For example ldquoGetting your Christmas feast absolutely perfect is what matters most Thatrsquos why we came up with the perfect oven to satisfy your needsrdquo

Yoursquoll find Christmas turns into an excuse for extra media to be stuffed in to every single eye and ear you could possibly have There is a point at which it turns into too much People donrsquot realize how much the media impacts our buying choices and Christmas turns into just another giant shopping spree

It is certainly a proven fact that people spend more at Christmas time Studies have shown that 12 per cent of people are committed to spend more this

Christmas than last Christmas Will that number grow and what impact will that have on us More spending does mean more consuming more waste and more stuff we donrsquot need I know yoursquore proba-bly thinking ldquoWell how do I celebrate Christmas as well as lessen how much I consumerdquo

Well ladies and gentleman the answer lies in buying local and support-ing small companies By purchasing gifts made locally you diminish the distance it travels to get to your shopping bag It isnrsquot hard to find locals selling interest-ing unique and often handmade items This Christmas I challenge you to think more about what yoursquore buying and where it came from

The next time you find yourself crammed into a store think about this Stop and take a glance at the people bus-tling about Look at their faces Do they look like theyrsquore having a fun time Or do they look stressed Oh Look over there at that little boy he has stars in his eyes as he stares into the fake branches of that plastic Christmas tree No he doesnrsquot believe in the magic of Santa but in the magic of daddyrsquos wallet

What has this society made of Christmas when the only thing people focus on is getting copious amounts of gifts We need to be aware of this during the holiday season Also we need to be careful the rest of the year Be mindful of your spending choices and donrsquot let the media control your decisions That way the negative buzz in the air wonrsquot affect you as much at Christmas time Most of all I wish you a joyous holiday season Namaste Jenna Sipponen is in Grade 12 and lives

in a cute little valley called the Simil-

kameen Her hobbies include procrasti-

nating theatre and yoga in random

places

Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas

By Jenna Sipponen

Photo Rapid Eye Media

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 13

TheGreenGazette

O n October 18 after four years

of negotiations Prime Minis-

ter Stephen Harper and Presi-

dent of the European Com-

mission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a

ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels

CETA stands for Comprehensive Eco-

nomic and Trade Agreement and is said

by Harper to be the biggest trade deal

Canada has ever made even bigger than

AFTA

Typical of the Harper government this enormously significant agreement

was signed before anyone had a chance to view it It is still obscure just what on the

whole we are being committed to but the following contents have leaked into view

The main thrust of the deal is aimed at giving international corporations even greater powers over Canadian rules and

regulations than they already possess un-der NAFTA In effect according to this

deal foreign corporations are to be treated equally as domestic companies in Canada

breaking down all former impediments to corporate domination If you look into the

matter you find that CETA has very little to do with expanding ldquofree traderdquo and

everything to do with giving international corporations ever greater power to over-

ride domestic authority Thus we are being robbed of Cana-

dian sovereignty by contracts to which we

are not privy which no sensible citizen would agree to sign and which if politi-

cians were honest would prevent them from ever being elected

Below are some of the particulars

Public Procurement CETA will ban government at all levels from ldquobuy localrdquo policies as harmful to the level

playing field urged by international corpo-rations As Murray Dobbins tells us in an article in Canadian Dimensions ldquoThe

procurement provisions ndash giving EU cor-porations unobstructed access to the pub-

lic spending of municipalities schools boards hospitals universities and crown

corporations ndash is especially threatening given the critical role such public spend-

ing plays in a time of virtually zero pri-vate investment The strategic use of pub-

lic spending for economic development and support for local businesses or sectors (such as green energy) would also be ef-

fectively banned Others worry that if the EU gets its procurement deal the US will

want similar treatmentmdashan even greater threat given its proximity to Canadardquo

Under this new procurement regime the privatization of local services becomes

far more likely water electricity transit medical services postal service all man-

ner of social services Huge water compa-nies like Nestle Veolia Environment and

Suez are rubbing their hands in anticipa-tion

On the other hand in bold contrast to

Canadarsquos part the European Union has negotiated a blanket exemption to protect

their water energy and public services including health care Why donrsquot we get

the same

CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Pharmaceuticals As part of the

deal European pharmaceutical corpora-

tions already immensely wealthy are seeking to extend their monopolies on

patent drugs delaying for an even longer term the introduction of cheaper generic

drugs for Canadian citizens On the other hand there is no indication that the EU will make any changes to its own patent

system This delay alone is estimated to cost our economy from $800 million to

$16 million annually Making under-the-table deals is bad enough but making bad

deals is even worse And what has patent extensions got to do with free trade any-

way

Investor Rights This term refers to giving foreign corporations based in Can-ada the right to sue our government for public policies that affect the maximiza-

tion of their profits Already Canada is facing nearly $25 billion worth of corpo-

rate lawsuits under NAFTArsquos investment protection chapter including one from an

oil and gas company against Quebecrsquos moratorium on fracking and another

against Canada by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly demanding a $100 mil-

lion for ldquoexpropriationrdquo because the courts refused to grant a drug patentmdashand this on

the grounds it did not satisfy conditions set down by Canadian law Rather than free trade the Investor State Settlement Proc-

ess is more about the elimination of public interest policies instituted to protect con-

sumer health safety privacy and envi-ronmental values

By the same negative token Cana-dian companies will not hesitate to sue

Europe for completely legitimate public decisions for example instituting regula-

tions for mining companies or stricter environmental rules qualifying the sales of oil and gas

In all official discussion of CETA two issues are conspicuously missing One

is the Environment issue and the other is Native Rights Already NAFTA plus the

Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 and the suppression of science in the ministries

have seriously hampered our ability to respond with intelligence to environmental

changes By now it would be tiresome to la-

bour the point that the natural world is in

decline You can no longer read about wild animals to your children without

warning of their impending extinction Soon enough we are told the ocean will

be dead from acidification and whatrsquos left on land besides humans will be insects

dogs cats and farm animals spawned un-der factory conditions Global warming is

threatening to eliminate even these Yet all we hear from Stephen Harper in his

cheery speech celebrating CETA is a $12 billion boost to our economy and the 100000 cars a year Canadian automakers

will export to Europe (hopefully burning tar sands oil)

But we all know therersquos no wisdom in putting dollars over health over life

Native issues consultation and land development rights do not arise in

CETArsquos consciousness Indigenous people

simply donrsquot exist in a landscape of Big Money Neither apparently does the Ca-

nadian Parliament whose opinions are not solicited and for whom there is no oppor-

tunity for debate The question then arises what can

be done to block this diabolical plan Again Murray Dobbins is informa-

tive We are reminded that Harper ldquois

constrained in what he can do by the con-stitutional division of powers which gives

the provinces so much political authority The really big social items on the political

agenda ndash health education social services ndash are matters of provincial jurisdiction To

be sure he can severely damage all of these by destroying the decades-old prin-

ciple of universality and by slashing fed-eral funding But he canrsquot get rid of them The provinces also have a mandate on

protecting the environment and regarding labour rights and most working Canadi-

ans are in sectors that come under provin-cial jurisdiction Lastly the third level of

government (the municipality) is also a creature of the provinces While munici-

palities depend on the federal government for financial help Ottawa has no political

authority over themrdquo Since Neo-liberal provincial govern-

ments have regularly shown obedience to the federal government their opposition to CETA is undependable Only munici-

pal governments have shown strong resis-tance Thanks to the good work of the

Council of Canadians some 80 munici-palities have called either for complete

exclusion or passed resolutions expressing concern Most of these are in BC and On-

tario and include large populations like Toronto Hamilton Mississauga and Vic-

toria As for opposition to CETA by the

general public no one can predict how

that will go As it happens we are neither informed nor consulted on issues pertain-

ing to important economic affairs Be-sides most of us are so wrapped up in the

scramble to service our debts and eke a little fun out of life we lack the surplus

energy to assert our broader interests The CETA agreement is not a done

deal Itrsquos a ldquotentativerdquo agreement and de-spite Harperrsquos and Barrosorsquos signatures it

will need ratification Even so it will not come into force until 2015 The least we can demand is that the agreement be made

public Contact your MP and your MLA and insist that he or she obtain by what-

ever means the full text and proceed to educate their constituency as to its pros

and cons For the contents of this essay I have de-

pended largely on the Council of Canadi-ans (wwwcanadiansorg) and Murray

Dobbinrsquos article ldquoCETA Can Harperrsquos Trojan Horse be Stoppedrdquo (wwwcanadiandimensioncom

articles4966)

Van Andruss is editor of the magazine

Lived Experience He enjoys the biore-

gional life and community in historic

Moha outside of Lillooet BC

By Van Andruss

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel

Barroso signed a free-trade accord last week Dow negotiations must proceed on a

prickly side deal Photo Georges Gobet

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 5: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 5

TheGreenGazette

are shaken Once the baubles are painted re-place the hook and loop and tie ribbon or rafetta around them to finish your master-piece Make it yours Use two colours in each baublemdashone matte and one sparkly or metallic When they swirl together the ef-fect is stunning Try matte green and me-tallic blue with a hint of white or brown for an Earth-like creation Pro tip Direct a little spray glue inside the bauble before sprinkling the glit-ter and it will stick to the inner surface rather than settling on the bottom Wait for this to dry before adding your notions Kindness Ornaments Create a set of or-naments that inspire kindness among your family members In the spirit of Saint Nickolaus legendary saint of doing secre-tive good deeds we made 24 felt hearts that we keep in a basket under the tree and can only be hung in exchange for a good deed When one of us completes a secret helpful deed for someone else in the house one of the ornaments can be hung on the tree Make it yours Our ornaments are made of felt and stuffed with batting but they can be made of or themed in any way you choose I chose hearts because they represent loving acts but if it were up to my husband they would have looked like hockey pucks or my children may have chosen elves or Santas Pro tip Kindness ornaments make a beautiful gift for others wanted to ex-plore a deeper meaning over the holidays Most importantly use what you have and keep it simple Choose natural materials to achieve a calm peaceful look and donrsquot forget texture Layering materi-als creates depth and movement in any crafting project often negating the need for superfluous materials And in the spirit of tradition try to keep it personal Music lovers can create wall sconces or cover baubles with old music sheets and garden-ers can work dried flowers into almost any creationmdashthe possibilities are endless Happy Crafting

By Jessica Kirby Senior Editor of TheGreenGazette

Christmas Crafting

C hristmas tradi-

tions come in all

shapes and sizes

ndash big dinners

family hikes dazzling par-

ties hot chocolate around a

roaring fire ndash and are essen-

tially the basis of what

makes the holidays special

In our house we in-dulge in turkey (cashew loaf for us veg-gies) family and roaring fires but the most treasured tradition for us is crafting Call us crazy but the art of doing things by hand making treasures sharing ideas around the kitchen table is the most poign-ant Christmas experience we share as a family So with focus on the here and now of Christmas itrsquos time to think about beau-tifying your space and your mind-body connection with some elegant eco-friendly and meaningful projects you can do alone with friends or with children Wreaths and garlands au naturale If you live in or near an evergreen forest a world of material awaits Take a long re-laxing walk in the woods and collect boughs pinecones and holly to deck the halls au naturale Twist boughs in a circle shape ndash use heavy wire or anything stiff and circular as a guide if you need it ndash to make a wreath which you can decorate with your woodsy findings or fasten them in a long row to make a garland for the mantle Make it yours Think about fasten-ing objects to your wreath or garland that speak to your familyrsquos interests Try drift-wood seashells or dried flowers for a West Coast theme or bright flowers snowflake shapes autumn leaves and sun shapes to make your wreath a seasonal celebration Pro tip If gold and silver arenrsquot your flavour try bronze spray paint or spray snow to add a more subtle sparkle to your creation Instead of bows try short pieces of branch or driftwood tied with rafetta in the centre or use pinecones Painted glass baubles The possibilities are plentiful when you begin with clear glass globe ornaments found at most craft stores To paint the baubles from the in-side remove the hook and loop from the top of the bauble and pour in about four tablespoons of craft paint Turn the bauble in various directions until the paint spreads over the entire inner surface Add more paint as needed ensuring a generous coat-ing on the glass A more elegant variation is rather than painting sprinkle glitter and winter or Christmas-themed crafting notions inside creating a snow-globe effect that leaves the surface relatively clear unless the baubles

Use what you have Scrap felt childrens blocks

or scrap metal can make lovely Christmas

ornaments with personality

Kindness ornaments Kindness ornaments go on the tree one at a time following a secret good

deed for someone else in the family

Photos Jessica Kirby

Letrsquos all make an effort to recycle everything we can especially at this time of year

when so much gift wrapping and plastic wrapping get thrown in the garbage

Here are some ideas of how to give the gift of recycling back to the environment 1 Instead of giving a store-bought gift how about a gift of a homemade basket of

goodies Family pictures are also a great gift idea All are great delicious and personal gifts with no product packaging waste

2 If you enjoy giving store bought gifts then consider using recycled wrapping paper or cloth gift bags instead of wrapping paper Try using newspapers The Sunday funnies help keep it colorful and fun

3 Buy gifts that donrsquot require wrapping such as gift certificates for a much needed massage for a book store or for dinner at a favorite restaurant The gift of relaxation and experiences will be appreciated after the flurry of the Christ-mas morning chaos Again it reduces the waste packaging is more eco-friendly and lowers the chances that a purchased gift will go unused

4 Recycle your old holiday cards Cut out the pictures to make new cards or gift tags If yoursquore not so crafty and still want to reduce paper waste why not send out electronic greetings cards

5 When buying gifts make sure you check product labels to determine an itemrsquos recyclability and if it is made from recycled materials If you receive electronics at Christmas make sure to take your old electronics and donate them or recycle them at a local designated facility

6 Consider purchasing and serving local bought food at your staff or family Christmas dinner Buying local produce is not only a healthier alternative it helps support your community businesses and local farmers

7 A big contributor to landfill waste is disposable dinnerware For your holiday office party try to find an alternative way to serve food to your guests this year If that is not an option do some research and find a biodegradable product that has the ability to break down safely and relatively quickly

8 Want to save money and energy this holiday season Try putting your tree and outdoor lights on timers Set the timer to have your lights automatically turn on at sunset and turn off overnight and during the day If the timer isnrsquot an option then use the good old fashioned way and unplug them manually Are you are in the market to buy some Christmas lights or replace old ones Then make the switch to LED lights if you havenrsquot done so already

9 After the holidays look for ways to recycle your tree or buy a potted tree that can be replanted after the Christmas season is over Make sure to pre-plan the live tree option because you canrsquot leave them inside to long Too much time in the warmth of the home could prevent them from surviving the replanting proc-ess

10 For those of you who are weighing the choice between buying a live tree versus an artificial tree for environmental concerns make sure to do your research There are many pros and cons to the artificial live tree debate Where the arti-ficial tree might seem on the surface more environmentally friendly it has many negative long-term effects on the environment

Submitted by Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin

Top 10 Tips for a Greener Holiday Season Paint glass

baubles

from the

inside to create

swirling

colour with a hint of

sparkle

Page 6 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

ldquoHooked On Growthrdquo ndash a film from Growthbusters (54 min) Monday January 27 2014 630 pm at Cen-tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall up-stairs) ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo is the quintessential David vs Goliath story starring modern-day filmmaker David Gardner in his autobio-graphical crusade against industrial civiliza-tionrsquos prevailing and largely unquestioned myth that Growth is Good whether referring to populations or economies As he points out infinite growth ultimately doesnrsquot work on a finite planet Things run out Bucking the tide our crusader runs for city council in his hometown of Colorado Springs pointing out to his constituency how continuing development and resource-use actually ends up costing the city more than the increase in revenues

The film is thoroughly sprinkled with experts like Paul Ehrlich (The Population Bomb) Bill McKibben (The End of Nature) Bill Rees (inventor of the Ecological Footprint) Chris Martenson (The Crash Course) and many more Outrageous humour is used to show that the growth imperative needs to be stopped and that in fact it will be stoppedmdasheither voluntarily or when planetary limits slam humans against the wall as happens with any population that overshoots its environmental base ldquoThe cult of endless growth has kept us from seeing clearly the choices in front of us

rdquo - Bill McKibben

Transition Town Group Hosts Two Films Followed By Discussion

ldquoA Fierce Green Fire The battle

for a living planetrdquo (101 min) Monday December 16 630 pm at Cen-tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall up-stairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion Environmentalism is the largest movement the world has ever seen and it may also be the most important in terms of whatrsquos at stake Yet itrsquos not easy being Green Environmentalists have been reviled as much as revered for being killjoys and Cassandras Every battle begins as a lost cause and even the victories have to be fought for again and again Still environmentalism is one of the great social innovations of the twentieth century and one of the keys to how the twenty-first century will unfold It has arisen at a key juncture in history when humans have come to rival the power of nature and as a result will influence how the earth will evolve Writer-director Mark Kitchell efficiently divides the film into five acts Conserva-tion Pollution Alternatives Globalization and Climate Change The film narrated by Robert Redford Ashley Judd and Meryl Streep gives us a sweeping history of the environmental movement by recounting a host of seminal persons and events including Aldo Leopold John Muir Rachael Carson Sierra Club Greenpeace and yes President Nixon to name a few ldquoTRULY RIVETING - Fierce Green Fire is both a cautionary tale and a triumphant onerdquo - The Washington Post

People around the world are trying to power down They are working as whole communities to use less en-ergy and live in greater harmony with the planet and with each other There are dozens of communities and regions in Canada that have become Transition Towns

or are mulling it over For the complete list with links to the website of each visit wwwtransitionnetworkorginitiatives and search on Canada

T here is something about Christ-

mas that brings out the giving spirit in people Despite the com-

mercialization of the holiday the essence of family and togetherness seems to

permeate the season inspiring the desire to

help out give more and share selflessly

According to a Statistics Canada re-port Canada already has an incredibly giving populationmdash$133 million people or 47 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and over volun-teered their time year-round in 2010 provid-ing leadership mentoring driving services help in social services and help in other ac-tivities at a rate equivalent to 11 million full-time jobs The number of people volunteering their time during the Christmas holidays rises between five and 30 per cent depending on the region Eager to help and to get more out of the holidays it is not uncommon for peo-ple to don their aprons at soup kitchens pack hampers at the food bank or drive for an organization that offers safe rides home for party-goers And the effort is appreciated as over the holidays food banks across Canada ex-perience nearly double the number of people accessing services womenrsquos shelters see a 15-25 per cent increase in families seeking services and crisis lines experience up to 30 per cent increase in calls So if yoursquore ready to give a lasting gift over the holidays check out the following opportunities to brighten anotherrsquos day Volunteer The Williams Lake Salvation Army provides food hampers and toys to over 400 families in need throughout the Christmas season The organization is looking for Kettle volunteers to work two-hour minimum shifts taking donations over the holidays and needs individuals to assist in packing hampers On Christmas Day the Salvation Army serves up a Christmas dinner and needs assistance preparing and serving meals and is also looking for a Christmas day entertainer so if your talent is music skit acting or otherwise entertaining consider sharing your time to brighten Christmas for those in need Drivers are also required to take hampers to familiesrsquo houses on Christ-mas Eve and Christmas Day Operation Red Nose operates from November 29 to December 31 in Williams Lake offering a safe ride home and your car delivered at all hours of the night The or-ganization gets extremely busy during Christmas party season and can always use a hand The organization is looking for escort drivers who use their personal vehicles to drive the volunteer driver and the navigator to the location where the client is waiting volunteer drivers who drive the clientrsquos vehi-cles and navigators who ride along with the volunteer driver and client in the clientrsquos vehicle Operation Red Nose can also use headquarters volunteers who look after things like phone operation dispatching or volun-teer training Canadian Mental Health Association ndash Cariboo Chilcotin Branch operates a crisis line that serves individuals in need year round The organization needs volunteers but to help out over the holidays yoursquoll have to plan ahead as training occurs once per week over nine weeks If you already have

Volunteering ndash The spirit of giving By Jessica Kirby

this training consider volunteering or pulling extra shifts over the holidays Donate If yoursquore on a time crunch but would still like to help out consider making a monetary or in-kind donation to an organiza-tion that assists others Operational budgets are extremely difficult to meet and all dona-tions are welcome Consider food clothing toiletries or blankets at the Womenrsquos Emer-gency Shelter or the Salvation Army or bring non-perishable food items to the Salva-tion Army The SPCA is always looking for food and supply donations as well as mone-tary contributions to help provide health ser-vices to pets as they await their forever homes The Cariboo Friendship Society oper-ates a number of services for women and children fleeing abuse and for people suffer-ing from addictions and mental health issues The organizationrsquos needs change and fluctu-ate but itrsquos worth a call to see which items they might need to help run their programs Plan an Event

Creating an opportunity to help out over the holidays is easier than you think Host a potluck or your regular Christmas dinner or party fare and ask everyone to bring a donation to the SPCA or Salvation Army food bank Itrsquos really that simple If you belong to a special interest club or group think about making a collective donation Sewing or knitting groups can or-ganize members to create blankets toques or heavy socks book clubs can donate books to the Emergency Shelter or music clubs can contact the Salvation Army to see about play-ing for an hour to entertain the clients Make it a working affair If the com-pany is having a Christmas party why not work in a couple of hours helping out Meet-ing for dinner Meet two hours earlier and help pack hampers Have everyone bring a food bank or SPCA donation to the Christ-mas Party or auction off the ability to an-tagonize the boss with donations going to the organization of your choice Salvation ArmymdashWilliams Lake 250-305-2492

wwwwlsalvationarmycom

Operation Red ose

wwwoperationnezrougecomenjoin_us

Canadian Mental Health Association ndash

Cariboo Chilcotin

wwwcariboocmhabccaget-involvedvolunteer

Cariboo Friendship Society

250-398-6831 wwwcariboofriendshipsocietyca

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 7

TheGreenGazette

The Season is Green at Smashinrsquo Smoothies

By LeRae Haynes

Featured Green Business

G oing to work every day to a job that is in tune with

your core values is top of the list for Kim Kaytor Her

business Smashin Smoothies has been open now

for nearly a year and she remains committed to envi-

ronmental responsibility and to beautiful nourishing food made

from local organic produce

She says the company offers smoothies juices coffees wraps soups salads full-power orbs energy lsquoballsrsquo a great line of herbal tea granola and special oatmeal and breakfast sand-wiches

ldquoAll our produce ingredients and coffee are organic and as local as possiblerdquo she explains ldquoOur cups are bio-degradable and customers are encouraged to bring their own coffee and smoothie cups We donrsquot use GMO products and local farmers come and pick up our compost or we drop it off at the Potato Houserdquo Committed to Green and dedicated to service and quality local ingredients she says she made a conscious choice to go with higher costs to be more environmentally responsible ldquoThis year has been interesting challenging rewarding and excitingrdquo she says ldquoI love it when people say lsquoIrsquoll bet you donrsquot have anything I can eatrsquo and I say lsquoIrsquoll bet we dorsquordquo Smashin Smoothies can accommodate peoplersquos needs with dairy-free sugar-free glu-

ten-free and vegan options according to Kaytor who says she is glad to see society starting to reflect environmental responsibility and awareness and people starting to be more con-cerned about what they put in their bodies ldquoPeople are starting to care more and it makes me so happy when I can post on our Facebook page that our honey is from our local Bee Happy Honey ndash that we support local producersrdquo she says ldquoI feel that itrsquos part of our obligation as a communityrdquo Smashin Smoothies was in the community over the summer at events like the Friday Farmersrsquo Market and Performances in the Park ldquoWe were lucky that these two events were close to the shop so we could ferry coolers of smoothies and offer healthy nutritious thirst-quenching treatsrdquo she says She also says Green progress often starts with kids ldquoMy youngest employees here are the most environmentally aware We all do our best but they are knowledgeable and insistent about things like recyclingrdquo she adds ldquoMy staff is so awesome I feel that the universe has

blessed me with them ldquoI have this thing that I put a lot of thought into every morning All my staff knows that whenever someone comes in the door I want them to feel better when they leave I want them to have a positive experience in a great atmospheremdashwe even give hugs to some of them No matter who they are or what kind of day theyrsquore having we want them to love being hererdquo she says ldquoItrsquos more than being welcomed we want them to be nourishedrdquo She says some people in the business community have counselled her to rethink the organic aspect of Smashin Smoothies but she has stood her ground with a continued commit-ment to environmental responsibility ldquoWe work really hard to keep our prices reasonable and as people become more and more aware of that when wersquore putting organic goodness in our bodies they see that itrsquos worth itrdquo

Mackenzie Howse Daomi Lomavatu Kim Kaytor River Michalchuk and Emily Cook offer a range of Christ-

mas gift ideas as well as nutritious organic treats to nourish the body and feed the soul Photo LeRae Haynes

MENTION THIS COUPON Its our one-year anniversary

Celebrate with us

December 9 through 21 Get a FREE 12 oz coffee or smoothie

with the purchase of a LARGE beverage

You can give the gift of health this season at Smashin Smoothies with gift cards gift bags gift boxes and boxed 100 certified Pukka herbal teas with delightful blends and fla-vours Smashin Smoothies is located at 102 - 41 7th Avenue north across from Save on Foods For more information call 778-412-2112 or follow on Facebook

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the commu-

nity co-ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator of a lot of musical shenanigans

in Williams Lake including ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo

dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 8 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

T he relationship between hu-

mans and honey bees goes

back a long way Cave art

from an estimated 8000 years

ago shows a honey-gatherer risking life

and limb in pursuit of a sweet reward

Bees and flowers go back even fur-ther in their connection Theyrsquove co-evolved for over 10 million years The flowers benefit from pollination thus pro-creation while the bees are rewarded with pollen and nectar nutritional essentials in their life cycle Of the 20000 bee species now known less than 10 are honey bees Yet after the common fruit fly honey bees are the second most studied insect in biologi-cal research Besides being super cool why would this be Fast forward to modern day agricul-ture Pollination is worth ten times the monetary value of honey An estimated 30 per cent of the food we eat depends on pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male part of a flower to the female part This enables fertilization which results in viable seeds Successful pollination typically increases fruit set resulting in higher yields of better-formed larger more flavourful fruit that ripens faster and keeps longer While bumblebees and other na-tives are excellent pollinators only honey bees can be managed in large enough num-bers to ensure adequate pollination at the critical time for an individual crop bloom We are losing native bees due to habitat destruction insecticides and monoculture crop planting The honey bee (Apis mel-lifera L) has become critical in managed pollination worldwide Given their essential role in food production how can it be that honey bees are in decline Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been in the news since massive die-offs were noted in 2006 And are we any closer to understanding why Is there a so-called silver bullet Alas no What we do know is that CCD is multifactoral death by a thousand cuts Happily a few things have been ruled out including cellphone transmissions and my personal favourite the rapture What is surfacing through research and reports from beekeepers is the story of an insect and really a world under pressure Herersquos where the irony comes in Letrsquos look at three crops blueberries al-monds and corn In our quest for the healthful benefits of antioxidants super protein cheap starch and sugar substitutes plastic alternatives and biofuel among other desirable attributes wersquove created monstrous demands for these commodities To meet these demands conven-tional agriculture has stepped in In British Columbia alone we generated $83 million in gross blueberry sales representing 56 per cent of total Canadian sales in 2010 In California there are 810000 acres of al-mond orchards that require two million honey bee colonies each spring for pollina-tion most of which are trucked in from as far away as Florida These orchards are monoculture moonscapes nothing else

Life with Honey Bees ~ Wersquore in This Together

grows alongside row upon row of these super nut trees And then therersquos corn both sweet and utilitarian (aka cow corn most of which is genetically modified) While corn doesnrsquot require pollination nearly 100 per cent of the seed in North America is treated with neonicotinoids a family of neurotoxins that have recently been impli-cated as harmful to bees and other pollina-tors on a sub-lethal basis Europe placed a three-year moratorium banning neonicoti-noids this year Canadian commercial seed companies are offering non-treated corn and soya seed for the 2014 planting season in response to honey bee poisonings that occurred in Ontario and Quebec last spring Many conventional beekeeping practices have compounded these prob-lems by promoting the prophylactic use of chemical miticides and antibiotics in the management of commercial apiaries These agents often leave residues in the hiversquos beeswax which in turn interact with outside chemicals brought in to the hive by the bees The synergistic effect can be 10 times as powerful and even lethal to the bees To finish the suite of honey bee threats we must mention good olrsquo Varroa mites and other bee pathogens like Nosema plus viruses that are vectored when the beersquos immune system is compro-mised Starvation poor nutrition genetic inbreeding and stress round out the chal-lenges Okay itrsquos time to step away from the cliff Wersquore in this together and there is some silver lining here Stay the course therersquos both hope and things we can do as individuals and communities to turn things around If you watch one TED Talk this winter please set aside time for Dr Marla Spivakrsquos presentation ldquoWhy Bees are Dis-appearingrdquo httpwwwtedcomtalksmarla_spivak_why_bees_are_disappearinghtml

Her take home message is simple and practical plant more flowers for the bees They will offer nutrition and biodi-versity Spivak is one of the true rock stars of the honey bee research world For years at the University of Minnesota shersquos stud-ied and developed a line of bees that have natural hygienic behaviour thus disease resistance Other rock stars worth noting and Googling include Sue Cobey of Washing-ton State University who is importing honey bee germplasm (drone sperm) from isolated pockets in Europe where there are sub-species of honey bees that display de-sirable heritable traits Suersquos specialty is honey bee breeding including artificial insemination She spoke to a captivated audience at the 2013 BC Honey Producers Association conference held in Kelowna last fall httpwsmwsuedusindexphpid=948 One of the best writers about honey bees is Dr Eric Mussen who joined the UC Davis Department of Entomology faculty in 1976 I was fortunate to hear him speak in October at the Western Apiculture Soci-ety (WAS) meeting held in Santa Fe New Mexico Eric is retiring next year he will leave both a formidable legacy and a vast void Pragmatic and brilliant Mussen has lived in the hub of California agriculture development for decades and has seen an array of pesticides come and go Here are links to both his Bee Briefs httpucanr orgsi tes entomologyFacul tyEric_C_MussenBee_Briefs and the WAS

Journal httpucanredusiteswas2WAS_Journal

In BC we have University of British Columbiarsquos (UBC) Dr Leonard Foster one of many prodigies from rocker Dr Mark Winstonrsquos famous and now defunct bee lab at Simon Fraser University Foster and his team at UBC in partnership with Genome BC are spearheading the search to identify honey bee populations that are naturally resistant to pathogens Using sophisticated proteomics they are well on their way to teasing out protein markers associated with Hygienic Behaviour and Varroa Sensitive Hygiene In the foresee-able future queen bee producers will have a tool that helps confirm if their bee stock is hardy and worthy of propagation httpwwwchibiubccafacultyleonard-fosterfoster-labbee-ipm Another exciting trend in apiculture these days is the emergence of urban bee-keeping Kudos go out to Mayor Kerry Cook and the Council of the City of Wil-liams Lake who last September voted unanimously in favour of urban beekeep-ing Hobbyist beekeepers have an impor-tant role to play Not only can they keep the gentle art of beekeeping alive but they can also be stewards to newly developed honey bee genetic stock For sound educational information and inspiration Heather Clay of Vernon BC runs the Urban Bee Network Well qualified Heather is the former Canadian Honey Council CEO and spent years as the apiarist for the province of New Bruns-wick You can learn more about keeping honey bees in cities managing bees on a small scale tips for planting for bees facts about pollination and how to help save our speci a l pol l i na tor s a t ht t p wwwurbanbeenetworkca A word of caution to those who wish to keep bees or are new to beekeep-ing itrsquos very important to learn the basics Sadly many venture in and fold after the first two or three years of keeping bees This makes sense as when you acquire your bees yoursquore benefiting from the knowledge and management of whomever you bought your bees from Many ldquonewbeesrdquo want to keep their bees natu-

(Continued on page 9)

By Diane Dunaway

Woman gathering honey watercolor copy by

F Benitez Mellado of a Mesolithic (c

100008000ndashc 3000 bce) painting in the

Cueva de la Arana near Bicorp Spain in the Museum of Prehistory Valencia Spain

Credit Instituto de Estudios Editoriales Bar-

celona

Credit The Canadian Association of

Professional Apiculturists

A visit in the bee yard in wintertime Photo Diane Dunaway

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 9

TheGreenGazette

rally This is admirable please donrsquot get me wrong However statistically natural too often turns to neglect Itrsquos imperative that a beekeeper can identify diseases and parasites and monitor for them If found then the same beekeeper must decide how to best keep these infestations from killing a colony or worsemdashputting neighbouring apiaries at risk Worker bees can forage as far as five kilometers from their hives drones go even further looking for love Please practice safe beekeeping lsquoNuff said If yoursquod like to create bee habitat in your garden there are several bee-friendly plants that do well in our zone three cli-mate One of the best books on the subject is by Jane Ramsay of Victoria BC ldquoPlants for Beekeeping in Canada and the North-ern USArdquo was first published through the International Bee Research Association (IBRA) Theyrsquore sold out but Ramsay has some of her books for sale Her phone number is 250-598-4415

(Continued from page 8)

What You Can Do to Support

Your Local Honey Bee and Beekeeper bull Buy local honey and hive prod-

ucts at a fair market price

bull Use honey in place of sugar as

your sweetener of choice

bull Learn to love dandelions

bull Add bee-friendly plants to your

garden

bull Differentiate between honey

bees and wasps

bull Provide clean water for bees

and other pollinators

bull Reduce lawn mowing and set

your mower at a higher cutting

level

bull Advocate for bee-friendly by-

laws

bull Educate others about honey

bee pollination a third of our

food supply needs it Pollina-

tion is worth ten times the eco-

nomic value of honey

bull Donrsquot use pesticides if you

must please use fast-acting

short-residual options apply at

dusk when pollinators are least

active

bull Become a beekeeper

Thank You

2013 was a fabulous year for honey bees

in the Cariboo Diane Dunaway harvests

from a leaning tower of honey supers Photo Eddy Bowser

Humankindrsquos relationship with bees has come a long way since the time of honey robbing From rock art to research rock stars wersquove developed an understanding an appreciation and a codependency that isnrsquot about to weaken any time soon

Diane Dunaway has kept bees since 1998

A Master Beekeeper she runs close to 100

colonies from her Bee Happy Honey farm

in the Soda Creek valley of the Cariboo

Diane produced and edited BeesCene the BC Honey Producers Association

(BCHPA) quarterly journal for five years

Dedicated to the health and welfare of

honey bees and the environment that sup-

ports them she advocates for organic inte-

grated pest management methods Recently

she became a BCHPA Certified Instructor

of Introductory Beekeeping through a

partnership with the BC Ministry of Agri-

culture Apiculture Branch When shersquos not

chasing swarms around the countryside

Diane can be found at home with Dave

her husband of 22 years and their menag-

erie of rescue animals

Page 10 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Philippines Tragedy Shows Urgency of Warsaw Climate Summit

Science Matters

A s people in the Philippines struggle with devastation and death from

the worst storm to hit land in re-

corded history world leaders met

in Warsaw Poland to discuss the climate

crisis ldquoWhat my country is going through as

a result of this extreme climate event is mad-

ness The climate crisis is madnessrdquo Yeb Sano lead negotiator for the Philippines told

the opening session of the U climate sum-

mit which ran until ovember 22 ldquoWe can

stop this madness Right here in Warsawrdquo

Given the slow progress at the 18 meetings held since 1992 ndash when countries from around the world joined the United Na-tions Framework Convention on Climate Change ndash itrsquos hard not to be pessimistic Can-ada in particular has been repeatedly singled out among the close to 200 member countries for obstructing progress and not doing enough to address climate change at home But as scientific evidence continues to build and impacts ndash from extreme weather to melting Arctic ice ndash continue to worsen with costs mounting daily the impetus to resolve the problem is growing Wersquore exhausting Earthrsquos finite resources and pushing global ecosystems to tipping points beyond which addressing pollution and climate issues will become increasingly difficult and costly The only hindrance to developing a fair ambitious and legally binding climate plan for the world is lack of political will Part of the problem is that much of the world is tied to the fossil fuel economy and the rush is on to get as much oil coal and gas out of the ground and to market while people are still willing to pay for it and burn it up Wersquore wasting precious resources in the name of quick profits instead of putting them to better use than propelling often solo occupants in large metal vehicles and instead of making them last while we shift to cleaner energy sources But therersquos cause for hope Solutions are available Governments just have to dem-onstrate courage and leadership to put us on a path to a healthier future For example a recent report by energy consulting firm ECOFYS titled ldquoFeasibility of GHG emissions phase-out by mid-centuryrdquo shows itrsquos technically and economically feasi-ble to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to zero from 90 per cent of current sources

with readily available technology It shows we could phase out almost all net emissions by 2050 by innovating further In doing so we could likely meet the agreed-upon goal of lim-iting global average temperature increases to below 2 degrees C and wersquod stand a 50 per cent chance of staying below 15 degrees C by the end of the century All of this would have the added benefit of reducing ldquowater air and soil pollution associated with traditional en-ergy generationrdquo The report echoes the David Suzuki Foundationrsquos findings regarding Canadarsquos potential to meet its current and forecasted demand for fuel and electricity with existing supplies of solar wind hydroelectric and biomass energy Whether or not any of this is politically feasible is another question But the longer we delay the more difficult and expensive it will get Polling research also shows Canadians expect our government to be a constructive global citizen on climate action A recent Leger Marketing survey sponsored by Canada 2020 and the University of Montreal found the majority of Canadians understand that human activity is contributing to climate change and believe the federal government should make addressing the issue a high priority Of those polled 76 per cent said Canada should sign an international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions with most supporting this even if China does not sign The poll also found majority support for a carbon tax as one way to combat climate change especially if the money generated is used to support renewable energy develop-ment Although BC has recently stepped back from previous leadership on climate change its carbon tax is one example among many local governments doing more than the federal government to address climate change We and our leaders at all political lev-els ndash local national and international ndash must do everything we can to confront the crisis As Mr Sano told delegates in Warsaw ldquoWe can-not sit and stay helpless staring at this interna-tional climate stalemate It is now time to take action We need an emergency climate path-wayrdquo With contributions from David Suzuki Founda-

tion senior editor Ian Hanington Learn more at wwwdavidsuzukiorg

By David Suzuki

Debris lines the streets of Tacloban Leyte island

Photo Eoghan Rice - Troacutecaire Caritas

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 11

TheGreenGazette

Copyright 2013 Petar Meseldzija

wwwpetarmeseldzijaartcom wwwpetarmeseldzijablogspotnl Petar Meseldžija is widely acknowledged as one of the leading artists in the field of contemporary

fantastic art His style resembles artists like Rembrandt Frank Frazetta and Alan Lee He does illus-trations and paintings for publishers various clients and private collectors from around the world

By Ron Young

o matter how well you think

you are prepared for the un-

expected there is always the

ldquobolt from the bluerdquo that

thing that occurs that you didnrsquot expect or

plan for also known as the unknown un-

known Itrsquos such a commonplace refer-

ence in the aerospace industry unknown

unknowns are abbreviated as lsquounk-unkrsquo

Donald Rumsfeld made the concept infa-

mous during the Iraq war in the state-

ment ldquoThere are hellip unknown un-

knownsmdashthere are things we do not know

we donrsquot knowrdquo

Well I had an encounter with unk-unks during a recent snowstorm and power outage and Irsquom sure I was grunting unk but also uncle many times that weekend When the power goes out and you have a battery back up system as I do you hardly notice especially if itrsquos relatively short-term We get power from BC Hydro but we also have solar and wind generated power that is stored in a battery When the battery is fully charged from wind or solar (PV) then the system automatically switches designated loads to run off the stored energy until the battery is depleted In this way we can run household lights and appliances for many hours a day exclu-sively from renewable energy sources and reduce our carbon footprint while lowering our BC Hydro bill But it seems that when one thing goes wrong Murphyrsquos Law dictates that the wrong thing the problem must bring friends to the party Not only did the power go off which is an eventuality I was pre-pared for but also the snow came down one icy little flake after another until over 50 cm of accumulated chaos had arrived in record time And then to finish off the threesome the pump that supplies our house with water from the creek well quit working Water isnrsquot something you can do without for long and having had the occa-sional water problem in the past I put a cou-ple of five gallon jugs of water aside for emergencies But you can go through ten gallons of water really quickly in a two-person household Even if you are prudent about when you flush the toilet (which in an older toilet can use nearly five gallons per flush) you will still need several gallons for cooking drinking and washing An added source for clean water is your hot water tank which you can drain making sure you first turn off the breaker so the heating ele-ments donrsquot switch on in an empty tank and quickly burn out Well after an entire weekend of problem-solving it put me in mind of think-ing ahead and preparing for possible emer-gencies While I donrsquot want to become fix-

A Bolt From the Blue AKA The lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo ated on the subject I have to remind myself to pay attention to have lsquosituational aware-nessrsquo as it is called in the military Itrsquos win-tertime and if yoursquore going to travel winter roads what will you do if you have a break-down Many of us in the rural Cariboo live in areas without cell coverage so while hav-ing a cellphone is a good idea it isnrsquot a panacea Having clothes and shoes that are suitable for walking some distance in cold weather is essential gear Having a source of heat is a great idea such as hand warmers or a small beeswax candle Beeswax burns significantly hotter and longer than other wax and a single candle can be a lifesaver Other simple things that are often over-looked in winter vehicles are a portable shovel a length of strong rope in case you need towing a set of battery starter cables and a good flashlight Throw in a couple of energy bars for good measure Household preparedness is another matter The world we live in nowadays seems to be more volatile and unpredictable than it ever was So we have to think in terms of streams of essentials that make up our daily lives Then think of what steps we will take if any of those streams are di-verted or interrupted The aforementioned water is one essentialmdashfood heat commu-nications and energy to power lights and some basic appliances are other essentials A good backup plan is to create a small safety margin in each of those critical streams that will help us bridge unexpected events In the energy department which is my area of expertise I would suggest a good minimum strategy is to have a deep cycle battery with a small invertercharger that keeps the battery charged when itrsquos not needed When the power goes out this sys-tem will power some lights a cellphone charger a TV or computer or even a mi-crowave There are all-in-one battery packs with built-in inverters available at hardware stores but they are light duty and useful mainly for some lights A proper back-up power system will have at least 200 amp hours of battery capacity with a minimum 1000-watt inverter and a built in charger Itrsquos inexpensive to add a solar panel to this combination that can also recharge the bat-tery While itrsquos not reasonable or realistic to try to have a back-up plan that covers all possible emergencies you can take impor-tant steps towards insuring your familyrsquos safety and comfort in case of unexpected events You will find that the more you think about this and take small measures the more you begin to see the bigger picture and learn effective strategies There will always be unknown unknowns

unk-unk n especially in engineering something such as a problem that has not been and could not have been imagined or anticipated an unknown unknown Ron Young a Renewable Energy specialist

owns the earthRight store in Williams Lake

established in 1993 A series of articles on

the basics of solar energy can be found at

his website wwwsolareaglecom

Copyright Ron Young 2013

Federal Environment Commissionerrsquos Fall

Report Paints Grim Picture of State of

Biodiversity in Canada

Environmental conservation in Canada has reached a new low according to a report from the office of the federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development released on November 5 Citing ldquodeteriorating biodiversity conditions in all of the main types of ecosystems in Canadardquo interim environment commissioner Neil Maxwell called on federal depart-ments to seek ldquoground-breakingrdquo new approaches to ldquobreak the pattern of unfulfilled commitments and responsibilitiesrdquo Elizabeth May leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands expressed gratitude for the commissionerrsquos diligent research stating ldquoThe deep cuts to Parks Canada are clearly causing serious problems in maintaining ecological in-tegrity in parks while across the federal government there is a disturbing failure to fulfill statutory responsibilities for species at riskrdquo The Green Party leader also emphasized the need to implement and provide fund-ing for more stringent environmental monitoring standards while echoing the commis-sionerrsquos call for a more collaborative and integrated approach to supporting biodiversity one that would take into account all aspects of an ecosystem The report which examined the work of Environment Canada the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Parks Canada in protecting Canadarsquos natural environment found that over 70 per cent of national wildlife areas had ldquoless than adequate ecological integrityrdquo and that over 90 per cent ldquodid not have adequate management plansrdquo ldquoThe threats to bird populations are alarmingrdquo remarked Andrew Park environ-ment critic for the Green Party of Canada ldquoWe are losing the scientific capacity to moni-tor species as their numbers plummetrdquo The report states that according to Environment Canadarsquos own estimates fewer than half of the Bird Conservation Region Strategies it committed to completing by 2010 had been finished and ldquomonitoring for 30 per cent of the bird species in Canada is insuf-ficient to determine whether they are at riskrdquo httpelizabethmaympcanewspublicationspress-releases20131106federal-environment-commissioners-fall-report-paints-grim-picture-of-state-of-biodiversity-in-canada

Page 12 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A round Christmas time

therersquos an extremely notice-

able buzz in the air Yoursquore

excited for the holidays time

off school and time off work This buzz

in the air could be a couple of different

things added together plus the crazy

holiday rush We all have to admit that

in some way we do love Christmas holi-

days For some the meaning of Christ-

mas is to uphold the family traditions

And yet for others it is a wonderful time

to create new family traditions

However therersquos something about that time of year that Irsquom sure oth-ers have noticed It is something that gets more intimidating every year like an enormous snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger This is called consumerismmdashthe ongoing want to buy buy buy Consumerism goes on through-out the year but I find at Christmas time it is at its worst

Typically consumerism is the term used to describe what humans do Humans no longer know how to be re-sourceful so we purchase goods to fulfill our needs As you know this is a large cause of many negative things that are happening to this world right now Sure we like to buy presents here and there Where do you cross the line and when do you realize you donrsquot need to purchase some items Making a decision like this is extremely difficult especially with advertisements telling you what to do And Christmas time may be a difficult time to restrain from buying many items because theyrsquore for people you love The holidays are supposed to be relaxing and de-stressing They have however turned into something quite the opposite

Itrsquos hard to think about ways to reduce how much you consume and the holidays make it ten times more difficult The media concentrates on focusing your money and attention on to certain sub-jects Since when was Christmas only about buying presents for people Where did the peace and joy go As the holidays roll on by take note of the ads you see around yourself Take note of the overall message that theyrsquore displaying to you Yoursquoll find that they all point toward the holidays but then relate it to whatever product they are trying to sell you For example ldquoGetting your Christmas feast absolutely perfect is what matters most Thatrsquos why we came up with the perfect oven to satisfy your needsrdquo

Yoursquoll find Christmas turns into an excuse for extra media to be stuffed in to every single eye and ear you could possibly have There is a point at which it turns into too much People donrsquot realize how much the media impacts our buying choices and Christmas turns into just another giant shopping spree

It is certainly a proven fact that people spend more at Christmas time Studies have shown that 12 per cent of people are committed to spend more this

Christmas than last Christmas Will that number grow and what impact will that have on us More spending does mean more consuming more waste and more stuff we donrsquot need I know yoursquore proba-bly thinking ldquoWell how do I celebrate Christmas as well as lessen how much I consumerdquo

Well ladies and gentleman the answer lies in buying local and support-ing small companies By purchasing gifts made locally you diminish the distance it travels to get to your shopping bag It isnrsquot hard to find locals selling interest-ing unique and often handmade items This Christmas I challenge you to think more about what yoursquore buying and where it came from

The next time you find yourself crammed into a store think about this Stop and take a glance at the people bus-tling about Look at their faces Do they look like theyrsquore having a fun time Or do they look stressed Oh Look over there at that little boy he has stars in his eyes as he stares into the fake branches of that plastic Christmas tree No he doesnrsquot believe in the magic of Santa but in the magic of daddyrsquos wallet

What has this society made of Christmas when the only thing people focus on is getting copious amounts of gifts We need to be aware of this during the holiday season Also we need to be careful the rest of the year Be mindful of your spending choices and donrsquot let the media control your decisions That way the negative buzz in the air wonrsquot affect you as much at Christmas time Most of all I wish you a joyous holiday season Namaste Jenna Sipponen is in Grade 12 and lives

in a cute little valley called the Simil-

kameen Her hobbies include procrasti-

nating theatre and yoga in random

places

Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas

By Jenna Sipponen

Photo Rapid Eye Media

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 13

TheGreenGazette

O n October 18 after four years

of negotiations Prime Minis-

ter Stephen Harper and Presi-

dent of the European Com-

mission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a

ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels

CETA stands for Comprehensive Eco-

nomic and Trade Agreement and is said

by Harper to be the biggest trade deal

Canada has ever made even bigger than

AFTA

Typical of the Harper government this enormously significant agreement

was signed before anyone had a chance to view it It is still obscure just what on the

whole we are being committed to but the following contents have leaked into view

The main thrust of the deal is aimed at giving international corporations even greater powers over Canadian rules and

regulations than they already possess un-der NAFTA In effect according to this

deal foreign corporations are to be treated equally as domestic companies in Canada

breaking down all former impediments to corporate domination If you look into the

matter you find that CETA has very little to do with expanding ldquofree traderdquo and

everything to do with giving international corporations ever greater power to over-

ride domestic authority Thus we are being robbed of Cana-

dian sovereignty by contracts to which we

are not privy which no sensible citizen would agree to sign and which if politi-

cians were honest would prevent them from ever being elected

Below are some of the particulars

Public Procurement CETA will ban government at all levels from ldquobuy localrdquo policies as harmful to the level

playing field urged by international corpo-rations As Murray Dobbins tells us in an article in Canadian Dimensions ldquoThe

procurement provisions ndash giving EU cor-porations unobstructed access to the pub-

lic spending of municipalities schools boards hospitals universities and crown

corporations ndash is especially threatening given the critical role such public spend-

ing plays in a time of virtually zero pri-vate investment The strategic use of pub-

lic spending for economic development and support for local businesses or sectors (such as green energy) would also be ef-

fectively banned Others worry that if the EU gets its procurement deal the US will

want similar treatmentmdashan even greater threat given its proximity to Canadardquo

Under this new procurement regime the privatization of local services becomes

far more likely water electricity transit medical services postal service all man-

ner of social services Huge water compa-nies like Nestle Veolia Environment and

Suez are rubbing their hands in anticipa-tion

On the other hand in bold contrast to

Canadarsquos part the European Union has negotiated a blanket exemption to protect

their water energy and public services including health care Why donrsquot we get

the same

CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Pharmaceuticals As part of the

deal European pharmaceutical corpora-

tions already immensely wealthy are seeking to extend their monopolies on

patent drugs delaying for an even longer term the introduction of cheaper generic

drugs for Canadian citizens On the other hand there is no indication that the EU will make any changes to its own patent

system This delay alone is estimated to cost our economy from $800 million to

$16 million annually Making under-the-table deals is bad enough but making bad

deals is even worse And what has patent extensions got to do with free trade any-

way

Investor Rights This term refers to giving foreign corporations based in Can-ada the right to sue our government for public policies that affect the maximiza-

tion of their profits Already Canada is facing nearly $25 billion worth of corpo-

rate lawsuits under NAFTArsquos investment protection chapter including one from an

oil and gas company against Quebecrsquos moratorium on fracking and another

against Canada by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly demanding a $100 mil-

lion for ldquoexpropriationrdquo because the courts refused to grant a drug patentmdashand this on

the grounds it did not satisfy conditions set down by Canadian law Rather than free trade the Investor State Settlement Proc-

ess is more about the elimination of public interest policies instituted to protect con-

sumer health safety privacy and envi-ronmental values

By the same negative token Cana-dian companies will not hesitate to sue

Europe for completely legitimate public decisions for example instituting regula-

tions for mining companies or stricter environmental rules qualifying the sales of oil and gas

In all official discussion of CETA two issues are conspicuously missing One

is the Environment issue and the other is Native Rights Already NAFTA plus the

Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 and the suppression of science in the ministries

have seriously hampered our ability to respond with intelligence to environmental

changes By now it would be tiresome to la-

bour the point that the natural world is in

decline You can no longer read about wild animals to your children without

warning of their impending extinction Soon enough we are told the ocean will

be dead from acidification and whatrsquos left on land besides humans will be insects

dogs cats and farm animals spawned un-der factory conditions Global warming is

threatening to eliminate even these Yet all we hear from Stephen Harper in his

cheery speech celebrating CETA is a $12 billion boost to our economy and the 100000 cars a year Canadian automakers

will export to Europe (hopefully burning tar sands oil)

But we all know therersquos no wisdom in putting dollars over health over life

Native issues consultation and land development rights do not arise in

CETArsquos consciousness Indigenous people

simply donrsquot exist in a landscape of Big Money Neither apparently does the Ca-

nadian Parliament whose opinions are not solicited and for whom there is no oppor-

tunity for debate The question then arises what can

be done to block this diabolical plan Again Murray Dobbins is informa-

tive We are reminded that Harper ldquois

constrained in what he can do by the con-stitutional division of powers which gives

the provinces so much political authority The really big social items on the political

agenda ndash health education social services ndash are matters of provincial jurisdiction To

be sure he can severely damage all of these by destroying the decades-old prin-

ciple of universality and by slashing fed-eral funding But he canrsquot get rid of them The provinces also have a mandate on

protecting the environment and regarding labour rights and most working Canadi-

ans are in sectors that come under provin-cial jurisdiction Lastly the third level of

government (the municipality) is also a creature of the provinces While munici-

palities depend on the federal government for financial help Ottawa has no political

authority over themrdquo Since Neo-liberal provincial govern-

ments have regularly shown obedience to the federal government their opposition to CETA is undependable Only munici-

pal governments have shown strong resis-tance Thanks to the good work of the

Council of Canadians some 80 munici-palities have called either for complete

exclusion or passed resolutions expressing concern Most of these are in BC and On-

tario and include large populations like Toronto Hamilton Mississauga and Vic-

toria As for opposition to CETA by the

general public no one can predict how

that will go As it happens we are neither informed nor consulted on issues pertain-

ing to important economic affairs Be-sides most of us are so wrapped up in the

scramble to service our debts and eke a little fun out of life we lack the surplus

energy to assert our broader interests The CETA agreement is not a done

deal Itrsquos a ldquotentativerdquo agreement and de-spite Harperrsquos and Barrosorsquos signatures it

will need ratification Even so it will not come into force until 2015 The least we can demand is that the agreement be made

public Contact your MP and your MLA and insist that he or she obtain by what-

ever means the full text and proceed to educate their constituency as to its pros

and cons For the contents of this essay I have de-

pended largely on the Council of Canadi-ans (wwwcanadiansorg) and Murray

Dobbinrsquos article ldquoCETA Can Harperrsquos Trojan Horse be Stoppedrdquo (wwwcanadiandimensioncom

articles4966)

Van Andruss is editor of the magazine

Lived Experience He enjoys the biore-

gional life and community in historic

Moha outside of Lillooet BC

By Van Andruss

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel

Barroso signed a free-trade accord last week Dow negotiations must proceed on a

prickly side deal Photo Georges Gobet

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 6: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 6 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

ldquoHooked On Growthrdquo ndash a film from Growthbusters (54 min) Monday January 27 2014 630 pm at Cen-tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall up-stairs) ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo is the quintessential David vs Goliath story starring modern-day filmmaker David Gardner in his autobio-graphical crusade against industrial civiliza-tionrsquos prevailing and largely unquestioned myth that Growth is Good whether referring to populations or economies As he points out infinite growth ultimately doesnrsquot work on a finite planet Things run out Bucking the tide our crusader runs for city council in his hometown of Colorado Springs pointing out to his constituency how continuing development and resource-use actually ends up costing the city more than the increase in revenues

The film is thoroughly sprinkled with experts like Paul Ehrlich (The Population Bomb) Bill McKibben (The End of Nature) Bill Rees (inventor of the Ecological Footprint) Chris Martenson (The Crash Course) and many more Outrageous humour is used to show that the growth imperative needs to be stopped and that in fact it will be stoppedmdasheither voluntarily or when planetary limits slam humans against the wall as happens with any population that overshoots its environmental base ldquoThe cult of endless growth has kept us from seeing clearly the choices in front of us

rdquo - Bill McKibben

Transition Town Group Hosts Two Films Followed By Discussion

ldquoA Fierce Green Fire The battle

for a living planetrdquo (101 min) Monday December 16 630 pm at Cen-tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall up-stairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion Environmentalism is the largest movement the world has ever seen and it may also be the most important in terms of whatrsquos at stake Yet itrsquos not easy being Green Environmentalists have been reviled as much as revered for being killjoys and Cassandras Every battle begins as a lost cause and even the victories have to be fought for again and again Still environmentalism is one of the great social innovations of the twentieth century and one of the keys to how the twenty-first century will unfold It has arisen at a key juncture in history when humans have come to rival the power of nature and as a result will influence how the earth will evolve Writer-director Mark Kitchell efficiently divides the film into five acts Conserva-tion Pollution Alternatives Globalization and Climate Change The film narrated by Robert Redford Ashley Judd and Meryl Streep gives us a sweeping history of the environmental movement by recounting a host of seminal persons and events including Aldo Leopold John Muir Rachael Carson Sierra Club Greenpeace and yes President Nixon to name a few ldquoTRULY RIVETING - Fierce Green Fire is both a cautionary tale and a triumphant onerdquo - The Washington Post

People around the world are trying to power down They are working as whole communities to use less en-ergy and live in greater harmony with the planet and with each other There are dozens of communities and regions in Canada that have become Transition Towns

or are mulling it over For the complete list with links to the website of each visit wwwtransitionnetworkorginitiatives and search on Canada

T here is something about Christ-

mas that brings out the giving spirit in people Despite the com-

mercialization of the holiday the essence of family and togetherness seems to

permeate the season inspiring the desire to

help out give more and share selflessly

According to a Statistics Canada re-port Canada already has an incredibly giving populationmdash$133 million people or 47 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and over volun-teered their time year-round in 2010 provid-ing leadership mentoring driving services help in social services and help in other ac-tivities at a rate equivalent to 11 million full-time jobs The number of people volunteering their time during the Christmas holidays rises between five and 30 per cent depending on the region Eager to help and to get more out of the holidays it is not uncommon for peo-ple to don their aprons at soup kitchens pack hampers at the food bank or drive for an organization that offers safe rides home for party-goers And the effort is appreciated as over the holidays food banks across Canada ex-perience nearly double the number of people accessing services womenrsquos shelters see a 15-25 per cent increase in families seeking services and crisis lines experience up to 30 per cent increase in calls So if yoursquore ready to give a lasting gift over the holidays check out the following opportunities to brighten anotherrsquos day Volunteer The Williams Lake Salvation Army provides food hampers and toys to over 400 families in need throughout the Christmas season The organization is looking for Kettle volunteers to work two-hour minimum shifts taking donations over the holidays and needs individuals to assist in packing hampers On Christmas Day the Salvation Army serves up a Christmas dinner and needs assistance preparing and serving meals and is also looking for a Christmas day entertainer so if your talent is music skit acting or otherwise entertaining consider sharing your time to brighten Christmas for those in need Drivers are also required to take hampers to familiesrsquo houses on Christ-mas Eve and Christmas Day Operation Red Nose operates from November 29 to December 31 in Williams Lake offering a safe ride home and your car delivered at all hours of the night The or-ganization gets extremely busy during Christmas party season and can always use a hand The organization is looking for escort drivers who use their personal vehicles to drive the volunteer driver and the navigator to the location where the client is waiting volunteer drivers who drive the clientrsquos vehi-cles and navigators who ride along with the volunteer driver and client in the clientrsquos vehicle Operation Red Nose can also use headquarters volunteers who look after things like phone operation dispatching or volun-teer training Canadian Mental Health Association ndash Cariboo Chilcotin Branch operates a crisis line that serves individuals in need year round The organization needs volunteers but to help out over the holidays yoursquoll have to plan ahead as training occurs once per week over nine weeks If you already have

Volunteering ndash The spirit of giving By Jessica Kirby

this training consider volunteering or pulling extra shifts over the holidays Donate If yoursquore on a time crunch but would still like to help out consider making a monetary or in-kind donation to an organiza-tion that assists others Operational budgets are extremely difficult to meet and all dona-tions are welcome Consider food clothing toiletries or blankets at the Womenrsquos Emer-gency Shelter or the Salvation Army or bring non-perishable food items to the Salva-tion Army The SPCA is always looking for food and supply donations as well as mone-tary contributions to help provide health ser-vices to pets as they await their forever homes The Cariboo Friendship Society oper-ates a number of services for women and children fleeing abuse and for people suffer-ing from addictions and mental health issues The organizationrsquos needs change and fluctu-ate but itrsquos worth a call to see which items they might need to help run their programs Plan an Event

Creating an opportunity to help out over the holidays is easier than you think Host a potluck or your regular Christmas dinner or party fare and ask everyone to bring a donation to the SPCA or Salvation Army food bank Itrsquos really that simple If you belong to a special interest club or group think about making a collective donation Sewing or knitting groups can or-ganize members to create blankets toques or heavy socks book clubs can donate books to the Emergency Shelter or music clubs can contact the Salvation Army to see about play-ing for an hour to entertain the clients Make it a working affair If the com-pany is having a Christmas party why not work in a couple of hours helping out Meet-ing for dinner Meet two hours earlier and help pack hampers Have everyone bring a food bank or SPCA donation to the Christ-mas Party or auction off the ability to an-tagonize the boss with donations going to the organization of your choice Salvation ArmymdashWilliams Lake 250-305-2492

wwwwlsalvationarmycom

Operation Red ose

wwwoperationnezrougecomenjoin_us

Canadian Mental Health Association ndash

Cariboo Chilcotin

wwwcariboocmhabccaget-involvedvolunteer

Cariboo Friendship Society

250-398-6831 wwwcariboofriendshipsocietyca

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 7

TheGreenGazette

The Season is Green at Smashinrsquo Smoothies

By LeRae Haynes

Featured Green Business

G oing to work every day to a job that is in tune with

your core values is top of the list for Kim Kaytor Her

business Smashin Smoothies has been open now

for nearly a year and she remains committed to envi-

ronmental responsibility and to beautiful nourishing food made

from local organic produce

She says the company offers smoothies juices coffees wraps soups salads full-power orbs energy lsquoballsrsquo a great line of herbal tea granola and special oatmeal and breakfast sand-wiches

ldquoAll our produce ingredients and coffee are organic and as local as possiblerdquo she explains ldquoOur cups are bio-degradable and customers are encouraged to bring their own coffee and smoothie cups We donrsquot use GMO products and local farmers come and pick up our compost or we drop it off at the Potato Houserdquo Committed to Green and dedicated to service and quality local ingredients she says she made a conscious choice to go with higher costs to be more environmentally responsible ldquoThis year has been interesting challenging rewarding and excitingrdquo she says ldquoI love it when people say lsquoIrsquoll bet you donrsquot have anything I can eatrsquo and I say lsquoIrsquoll bet we dorsquordquo Smashin Smoothies can accommodate peoplersquos needs with dairy-free sugar-free glu-

ten-free and vegan options according to Kaytor who says she is glad to see society starting to reflect environmental responsibility and awareness and people starting to be more con-cerned about what they put in their bodies ldquoPeople are starting to care more and it makes me so happy when I can post on our Facebook page that our honey is from our local Bee Happy Honey ndash that we support local producersrdquo she says ldquoI feel that itrsquos part of our obligation as a communityrdquo Smashin Smoothies was in the community over the summer at events like the Friday Farmersrsquo Market and Performances in the Park ldquoWe were lucky that these two events were close to the shop so we could ferry coolers of smoothies and offer healthy nutritious thirst-quenching treatsrdquo she says She also says Green progress often starts with kids ldquoMy youngest employees here are the most environmentally aware We all do our best but they are knowledgeable and insistent about things like recyclingrdquo she adds ldquoMy staff is so awesome I feel that the universe has

blessed me with them ldquoI have this thing that I put a lot of thought into every morning All my staff knows that whenever someone comes in the door I want them to feel better when they leave I want them to have a positive experience in a great atmospheremdashwe even give hugs to some of them No matter who they are or what kind of day theyrsquore having we want them to love being hererdquo she says ldquoItrsquos more than being welcomed we want them to be nourishedrdquo She says some people in the business community have counselled her to rethink the organic aspect of Smashin Smoothies but she has stood her ground with a continued commit-ment to environmental responsibility ldquoWe work really hard to keep our prices reasonable and as people become more and more aware of that when wersquore putting organic goodness in our bodies they see that itrsquos worth itrdquo

Mackenzie Howse Daomi Lomavatu Kim Kaytor River Michalchuk and Emily Cook offer a range of Christ-

mas gift ideas as well as nutritious organic treats to nourish the body and feed the soul Photo LeRae Haynes

MENTION THIS COUPON Its our one-year anniversary

Celebrate with us

December 9 through 21 Get a FREE 12 oz coffee or smoothie

with the purchase of a LARGE beverage

You can give the gift of health this season at Smashin Smoothies with gift cards gift bags gift boxes and boxed 100 certified Pukka herbal teas with delightful blends and fla-vours Smashin Smoothies is located at 102 - 41 7th Avenue north across from Save on Foods For more information call 778-412-2112 or follow on Facebook

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the commu-

nity co-ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator of a lot of musical shenanigans

in Williams Lake including ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo

dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 8 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

T he relationship between hu-

mans and honey bees goes

back a long way Cave art

from an estimated 8000 years

ago shows a honey-gatherer risking life

and limb in pursuit of a sweet reward

Bees and flowers go back even fur-ther in their connection Theyrsquove co-evolved for over 10 million years The flowers benefit from pollination thus pro-creation while the bees are rewarded with pollen and nectar nutritional essentials in their life cycle Of the 20000 bee species now known less than 10 are honey bees Yet after the common fruit fly honey bees are the second most studied insect in biologi-cal research Besides being super cool why would this be Fast forward to modern day agricul-ture Pollination is worth ten times the monetary value of honey An estimated 30 per cent of the food we eat depends on pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male part of a flower to the female part This enables fertilization which results in viable seeds Successful pollination typically increases fruit set resulting in higher yields of better-formed larger more flavourful fruit that ripens faster and keeps longer While bumblebees and other na-tives are excellent pollinators only honey bees can be managed in large enough num-bers to ensure adequate pollination at the critical time for an individual crop bloom We are losing native bees due to habitat destruction insecticides and monoculture crop planting The honey bee (Apis mel-lifera L) has become critical in managed pollination worldwide Given their essential role in food production how can it be that honey bees are in decline Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been in the news since massive die-offs were noted in 2006 And are we any closer to understanding why Is there a so-called silver bullet Alas no What we do know is that CCD is multifactoral death by a thousand cuts Happily a few things have been ruled out including cellphone transmissions and my personal favourite the rapture What is surfacing through research and reports from beekeepers is the story of an insect and really a world under pressure Herersquos where the irony comes in Letrsquos look at three crops blueberries al-monds and corn In our quest for the healthful benefits of antioxidants super protein cheap starch and sugar substitutes plastic alternatives and biofuel among other desirable attributes wersquove created monstrous demands for these commodities To meet these demands conven-tional agriculture has stepped in In British Columbia alone we generated $83 million in gross blueberry sales representing 56 per cent of total Canadian sales in 2010 In California there are 810000 acres of al-mond orchards that require two million honey bee colonies each spring for pollina-tion most of which are trucked in from as far away as Florida These orchards are monoculture moonscapes nothing else

Life with Honey Bees ~ Wersquore in This Together

grows alongside row upon row of these super nut trees And then therersquos corn both sweet and utilitarian (aka cow corn most of which is genetically modified) While corn doesnrsquot require pollination nearly 100 per cent of the seed in North America is treated with neonicotinoids a family of neurotoxins that have recently been impli-cated as harmful to bees and other pollina-tors on a sub-lethal basis Europe placed a three-year moratorium banning neonicoti-noids this year Canadian commercial seed companies are offering non-treated corn and soya seed for the 2014 planting season in response to honey bee poisonings that occurred in Ontario and Quebec last spring Many conventional beekeeping practices have compounded these prob-lems by promoting the prophylactic use of chemical miticides and antibiotics in the management of commercial apiaries These agents often leave residues in the hiversquos beeswax which in turn interact with outside chemicals brought in to the hive by the bees The synergistic effect can be 10 times as powerful and even lethal to the bees To finish the suite of honey bee threats we must mention good olrsquo Varroa mites and other bee pathogens like Nosema plus viruses that are vectored when the beersquos immune system is compro-mised Starvation poor nutrition genetic inbreeding and stress round out the chal-lenges Okay itrsquos time to step away from the cliff Wersquore in this together and there is some silver lining here Stay the course therersquos both hope and things we can do as individuals and communities to turn things around If you watch one TED Talk this winter please set aside time for Dr Marla Spivakrsquos presentation ldquoWhy Bees are Dis-appearingrdquo httpwwwtedcomtalksmarla_spivak_why_bees_are_disappearinghtml

Her take home message is simple and practical plant more flowers for the bees They will offer nutrition and biodi-versity Spivak is one of the true rock stars of the honey bee research world For years at the University of Minnesota shersquos stud-ied and developed a line of bees that have natural hygienic behaviour thus disease resistance Other rock stars worth noting and Googling include Sue Cobey of Washing-ton State University who is importing honey bee germplasm (drone sperm) from isolated pockets in Europe where there are sub-species of honey bees that display de-sirable heritable traits Suersquos specialty is honey bee breeding including artificial insemination She spoke to a captivated audience at the 2013 BC Honey Producers Association conference held in Kelowna last fall httpwsmwsuedusindexphpid=948 One of the best writers about honey bees is Dr Eric Mussen who joined the UC Davis Department of Entomology faculty in 1976 I was fortunate to hear him speak in October at the Western Apiculture Soci-ety (WAS) meeting held in Santa Fe New Mexico Eric is retiring next year he will leave both a formidable legacy and a vast void Pragmatic and brilliant Mussen has lived in the hub of California agriculture development for decades and has seen an array of pesticides come and go Here are links to both his Bee Briefs httpucanr orgsi tes entomologyFacul tyEric_C_MussenBee_Briefs and the WAS

Journal httpucanredusiteswas2WAS_Journal

In BC we have University of British Columbiarsquos (UBC) Dr Leonard Foster one of many prodigies from rocker Dr Mark Winstonrsquos famous and now defunct bee lab at Simon Fraser University Foster and his team at UBC in partnership with Genome BC are spearheading the search to identify honey bee populations that are naturally resistant to pathogens Using sophisticated proteomics they are well on their way to teasing out protein markers associated with Hygienic Behaviour and Varroa Sensitive Hygiene In the foresee-able future queen bee producers will have a tool that helps confirm if their bee stock is hardy and worthy of propagation httpwwwchibiubccafacultyleonard-fosterfoster-labbee-ipm Another exciting trend in apiculture these days is the emergence of urban bee-keeping Kudos go out to Mayor Kerry Cook and the Council of the City of Wil-liams Lake who last September voted unanimously in favour of urban beekeep-ing Hobbyist beekeepers have an impor-tant role to play Not only can they keep the gentle art of beekeeping alive but they can also be stewards to newly developed honey bee genetic stock For sound educational information and inspiration Heather Clay of Vernon BC runs the Urban Bee Network Well qualified Heather is the former Canadian Honey Council CEO and spent years as the apiarist for the province of New Bruns-wick You can learn more about keeping honey bees in cities managing bees on a small scale tips for planting for bees facts about pollination and how to help save our speci a l pol l i na tor s a t ht t p wwwurbanbeenetworkca A word of caution to those who wish to keep bees or are new to beekeep-ing itrsquos very important to learn the basics Sadly many venture in and fold after the first two or three years of keeping bees This makes sense as when you acquire your bees yoursquore benefiting from the knowledge and management of whomever you bought your bees from Many ldquonewbeesrdquo want to keep their bees natu-

(Continued on page 9)

By Diane Dunaway

Woman gathering honey watercolor copy by

F Benitez Mellado of a Mesolithic (c

100008000ndashc 3000 bce) painting in the

Cueva de la Arana near Bicorp Spain in the Museum of Prehistory Valencia Spain

Credit Instituto de Estudios Editoriales Bar-

celona

Credit The Canadian Association of

Professional Apiculturists

A visit in the bee yard in wintertime Photo Diane Dunaway

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 9

TheGreenGazette

rally This is admirable please donrsquot get me wrong However statistically natural too often turns to neglect Itrsquos imperative that a beekeeper can identify diseases and parasites and monitor for them If found then the same beekeeper must decide how to best keep these infestations from killing a colony or worsemdashputting neighbouring apiaries at risk Worker bees can forage as far as five kilometers from their hives drones go even further looking for love Please practice safe beekeeping lsquoNuff said If yoursquod like to create bee habitat in your garden there are several bee-friendly plants that do well in our zone three cli-mate One of the best books on the subject is by Jane Ramsay of Victoria BC ldquoPlants for Beekeeping in Canada and the North-ern USArdquo was first published through the International Bee Research Association (IBRA) Theyrsquore sold out but Ramsay has some of her books for sale Her phone number is 250-598-4415

(Continued from page 8)

What You Can Do to Support

Your Local Honey Bee and Beekeeper bull Buy local honey and hive prod-

ucts at a fair market price

bull Use honey in place of sugar as

your sweetener of choice

bull Learn to love dandelions

bull Add bee-friendly plants to your

garden

bull Differentiate between honey

bees and wasps

bull Provide clean water for bees

and other pollinators

bull Reduce lawn mowing and set

your mower at a higher cutting

level

bull Advocate for bee-friendly by-

laws

bull Educate others about honey

bee pollination a third of our

food supply needs it Pollina-

tion is worth ten times the eco-

nomic value of honey

bull Donrsquot use pesticides if you

must please use fast-acting

short-residual options apply at

dusk when pollinators are least

active

bull Become a beekeeper

Thank You

2013 was a fabulous year for honey bees

in the Cariboo Diane Dunaway harvests

from a leaning tower of honey supers Photo Eddy Bowser

Humankindrsquos relationship with bees has come a long way since the time of honey robbing From rock art to research rock stars wersquove developed an understanding an appreciation and a codependency that isnrsquot about to weaken any time soon

Diane Dunaway has kept bees since 1998

A Master Beekeeper she runs close to 100

colonies from her Bee Happy Honey farm

in the Soda Creek valley of the Cariboo

Diane produced and edited BeesCene the BC Honey Producers Association

(BCHPA) quarterly journal for five years

Dedicated to the health and welfare of

honey bees and the environment that sup-

ports them she advocates for organic inte-

grated pest management methods Recently

she became a BCHPA Certified Instructor

of Introductory Beekeeping through a

partnership with the BC Ministry of Agri-

culture Apiculture Branch When shersquos not

chasing swarms around the countryside

Diane can be found at home with Dave

her husband of 22 years and their menag-

erie of rescue animals

Page 10 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Philippines Tragedy Shows Urgency of Warsaw Climate Summit

Science Matters

A s people in the Philippines struggle with devastation and death from

the worst storm to hit land in re-

corded history world leaders met

in Warsaw Poland to discuss the climate

crisis ldquoWhat my country is going through as

a result of this extreme climate event is mad-

ness The climate crisis is madnessrdquo Yeb Sano lead negotiator for the Philippines told

the opening session of the U climate sum-

mit which ran until ovember 22 ldquoWe can

stop this madness Right here in Warsawrdquo

Given the slow progress at the 18 meetings held since 1992 ndash when countries from around the world joined the United Na-tions Framework Convention on Climate Change ndash itrsquos hard not to be pessimistic Can-ada in particular has been repeatedly singled out among the close to 200 member countries for obstructing progress and not doing enough to address climate change at home But as scientific evidence continues to build and impacts ndash from extreme weather to melting Arctic ice ndash continue to worsen with costs mounting daily the impetus to resolve the problem is growing Wersquore exhausting Earthrsquos finite resources and pushing global ecosystems to tipping points beyond which addressing pollution and climate issues will become increasingly difficult and costly The only hindrance to developing a fair ambitious and legally binding climate plan for the world is lack of political will Part of the problem is that much of the world is tied to the fossil fuel economy and the rush is on to get as much oil coal and gas out of the ground and to market while people are still willing to pay for it and burn it up Wersquore wasting precious resources in the name of quick profits instead of putting them to better use than propelling often solo occupants in large metal vehicles and instead of making them last while we shift to cleaner energy sources But therersquos cause for hope Solutions are available Governments just have to dem-onstrate courage and leadership to put us on a path to a healthier future For example a recent report by energy consulting firm ECOFYS titled ldquoFeasibility of GHG emissions phase-out by mid-centuryrdquo shows itrsquos technically and economically feasi-ble to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to zero from 90 per cent of current sources

with readily available technology It shows we could phase out almost all net emissions by 2050 by innovating further In doing so we could likely meet the agreed-upon goal of lim-iting global average temperature increases to below 2 degrees C and wersquod stand a 50 per cent chance of staying below 15 degrees C by the end of the century All of this would have the added benefit of reducing ldquowater air and soil pollution associated with traditional en-ergy generationrdquo The report echoes the David Suzuki Foundationrsquos findings regarding Canadarsquos potential to meet its current and forecasted demand for fuel and electricity with existing supplies of solar wind hydroelectric and biomass energy Whether or not any of this is politically feasible is another question But the longer we delay the more difficult and expensive it will get Polling research also shows Canadians expect our government to be a constructive global citizen on climate action A recent Leger Marketing survey sponsored by Canada 2020 and the University of Montreal found the majority of Canadians understand that human activity is contributing to climate change and believe the federal government should make addressing the issue a high priority Of those polled 76 per cent said Canada should sign an international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions with most supporting this even if China does not sign The poll also found majority support for a carbon tax as one way to combat climate change especially if the money generated is used to support renewable energy develop-ment Although BC has recently stepped back from previous leadership on climate change its carbon tax is one example among many local governments doing more than the federal government to address climate change We and our leaders at all political lev-els ndash local national and international ndash must do everything we can to confront the crisis As Mr Sano told delegates in Warsaw ldquoWe can-not sit and stay helpless staring at this interna-tional climate stalemate It is now time to take action We need an emergency climate path-wayrdquo With contributions from David Suzuki Founda-

tion senior editor Ian Hanington Learn more at wwwdavidsuzukiorg

By David Suzuki

Debris lines the streets of Tacloban Leyte island

Photo Eoghan Rice - Troacutecaire Caritas

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 11

TheGreenGazette

Copyright 2013 Petar Meseldzija

wwwpetarmeseldzijaartcom wwwpetarmeseldzijablogspotnl Petar Meseldžija is widely acknowledged as one of the leading artists in the field of contemporary

fantastic art His style resembles artists like Rembrandt Frank Frazetta and Alan Lee He does illus-trations and paintings for publishers various clients and private collectors from around the world

By Ron Young

o matter how well you think

you are prepared for the un-

expected there is always the

ldquobolt from the bluerdquo that

thing that occurs that you didnrsquot expect or

plan for also known as the unknown un-

known Itrsquos such a commonplace refer-

ence in the aerospace industry unknown

unknowns are abbreviated as lsquounk-unkrsquo

Donald Rumsfeld made the concept infa-

mous during the Iraq war in the state-

ment ldquoThere are hellip unknown un-

knownsmdashthere are things we do not know

we donrsquot knowrdquo

Well I had an encounter with unk-unks during a recent snowstorm and power outage and Irsquom sure I was grunting unk but also uncle many times that weekend When the power goes out and you have a battery back up system as I do you hardly notice especially if itrsquos relatively short-term We get power from BC Hydro but we also have solar and wind generated power that is stored in a battery When the battery is fully charged from wind or solar (PV) then the system automatically switches designated loads to run off the stored energy until the battery is depleted In this way we can run household lights and appliances for many hours a day exclu-sively from renewable energy sources and reduce our carbon footprint while lowering our BC Hydro bill But it seems that when one thing goes wrong Murphyrsquos Law dictates that the wrong thing the problem must bring friends to the party Not only did the power go off which is an eventuality I was pre-pared for but also the snow came down one icy little flake after another until over 50 cm of accumulated chaos had arrived in record time And then to finish off the threesome the pump that supplies our house with water from the creek well quit working Water isnrsquot something you can do without for long and having had the occa-sional water problem in the past I put a cou-ple of five gallon jugs of water aside for emergencies But you can go through ten gallons of water really quickly in a two-person household Even if you are prudent about when you flush the toilet (which in an older toilet can use nearly five gallons per flush) you will still need several gallons for cooking drinking and washing An added source for clean water is your hot water tank which you can drain making sure you first turn off the breaker so the heating ele-ments donrsquot switch on in an empty tank and quickly burn out Well after an entire weekend of problem-solving it put me in mind of think-ing ahead and preparing for possible emer-gencies While I donrsquot want to become fix-

A Bolt From the Blue AKA The lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo ated on the subject I have to remind myself to pay attention to have lsquosituational aware-nessrsquo as it is called in the military Itrsquos win-tertime and if yoursquore going to travel winter roads what will you do if you have a break-down Many of us in the rural Cariboo live in areas without cell coverage so while hav-ing a cellphone is a good idea it isnrsquot a panacea Having clothes and shoes that are suitable for walking some distance in cold weather is essential gear Having a source of heat is a great idea such as hand warmers or a small beeswax candle Beeswax burns significantly hotter and longer than other wax and a single candle can be a lifesaver Other simple things that are often over-looked in winter vehicles are a portable shovel a length of strong rope in case you need towing a set of battery starter cables and a good flashlight Throw in a couple of energy bars for good measure Household preparedness is another matter The world we live in nowadays seems to be more volatile and unpredictable than it ever was So we have to think in terms of streams of essentials that make up our daily lives Then think of what steps we will take if any of those streams are di-verted or interrupted The aforementioned water is one essentialmdashfood heat commu-nications and energy to power lights and some basic appliances are other essentials A good backup plan is to create a small safety margin in each of those critical streams that will help us bridge unexpected events In the energy department which is my area of expertise I would suggest a good minimum strategy is to have a deep cycle battery with a small invertercharger that keeps the battery charged when itrsquos not needed When the power goes out this sys-tem will power some lights a cellphone charger a TV or computer or even a mi-crowave There are all-in-one battery packs with built-in inverters available at hardware stores but they are light duty and useful mainly for some lights A proper back-up power system will have at least 200 amp hours of battery capacity with a minimum 1000-watt inverter and a built in charger Itrsquos inexpensive to add a solar panel to this combination that can also recharge the bat-tery While itrsquos not reasonable or realistic to try to have a back-up plan that covers all possible emergencies you can take impor-tant steps towards insuring your familyrsquos safety and comfort in case of unexpected events You will find that the more you think about this and take small measures the more you begin to see the bigger picture and learn effective strategies There will always be unknown unknowns

unk-unk n especially in engineering something such as a problem that has not been and could not have been imagined or anticipated an unknown unknown Ron Young a Renewable Energy specialist

owns the earthRight store in Williams Lake

established in 1993 A series of articles on

the basics of solar energy can be found at

his website wwwsolareaglecom

Copyright Ron Young 2013

Federal Environment Commissionerrsquos Fall

Report Paints Grim Picture of State of

Biodiversity in Canada

Environmental conservation in Canada has reached a new low according to a report from the office of the federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development released on November 5 Citing ldquodeteriorating biodiversity conditions in all of the main types of ecosystems in Canadardquo interim environment commissioner Neil Maxwell called on federal depart-ments to seek ldquoground-breakingrdquo new approaches to ldquobreak the pattern of unfulfilled commitments and responsibilitiesrdquo Elizabeth May leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands expressed gratitude for the commissionerrsquos diligent research stating ldquoThe deep cuts to Parks Canada are clearly causing serious problems in maintaining ecological in-tegrity in parks while across the federal government there is a disturbing failure to fulfill statutory responsibilities for species at riskrdquo The Green Party leader also emphasized the need to implement and provide fund-ing for more stringent environmental monitoring standards while echoing the commis-sionerrsquos call for a more collaborative and integrated approach to supporting biodiversity one that would take into account all aspects of an ecosystem The report which examined the work of Environment Canada the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Parks Canada in protecting Canadarsquos natural environment found that over 70 per cent of national wildlife areas had ldquoless than adequate ecological integrityrdquo and that over 90 per cent ldquodid not have adequate management plansrdquo ldquoThe threats to bird populations are alarmingrdquo remarked Andrew Park environ-ment critic for the Green Party of Canada ldquoWe are losing the scientific capacity to moni-tor species as their numbers plummetrdquo The report states that according to Environment Canadarsquos own estimates fewer than half of the Bird Conservation Region Strategies it committed to completing by 2010 had been finished and ldquomonitoring for 30 per cent of the bird species in Canada is insuf-ficient to determine whether they are at riskrdquo httpelizabethmaympcanewspublicationspress-releases20131106federal-environment-commissioners-fall-report-paints-grim-picture-of-state-of-biodiversity-in-canada

Page 12 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A round Christmas time

therersquos an extremely notice-

able buzz in the air Yoursquore

excited for the holidays time

off school and time off work This buzz

in the air could be a couple of different

things added together plus the crazy

holiday rush We all have to admit that

in some way we do love Christmas holi-

days For some the meaning of Christ-

mas is to uphold the family traditions

And yet for others it is a wonderful time

to create new family traditions

However therersquos something about that time of year that Irsquom sure oth-ers have noticed It is something that gets more intimidating every year like an enormous snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger This is called consumerismmdashthe ongoing want to buy buy buy Consumerism goes on through-out the year but I find at Christmas time it is at its worst

Typically consumerism is the term used to describe what humans do Humans no longer know how to be re-sourceful so we purchase goods to fulfill our needs As you know this is a large cause of many negative things that are happening to this world right now Sure we like to buy presents here and there Where do you cross the line and when do you realize you donrsquot need to purchase some items Making a decision like this is extremely difficult especially with advertisements telling you what to do And Christmas time may be a difficult time to restrain from buying many items because theyrsquore for people you love The holidays are supposed to be relaxing and de-stressing They have however turned into something quite the opposite

Itrsquos hard to think about ways to reduce how much you consume and the holidays make it ten times more difficult The media concentrates on focusing your money and attention on to certain sub-jects Since when was Christmas only about buying presents for people Where did the peace and joy go As the holidays roll on by take note of the ads you see around yourself Take note of the overall message that theyrsquore displaying to you Yoursquoll find that they all point toward the holidays but then relate it to whatever product they are trying to sell you For example ldquoGetting your Christmas feast absolutely perfect is what matters most Thatrsquos why we came up with the perfect oven to satisfy your needsrdquo

Yoursquoll find Christmas turns into an excuse for extra media to be stuffed in to every single eye and ear you could possibly have There is a point at which it turns into too much People donrsquot realize how much the media impacts our buying choices and Christmas turns into just another giant shopping spree

It is certainly a proven fact that people spend more at Christmas time Studies have shown that 12 per cent of people are committed to spend more this

Christmas than last Christmas Will that number grow and what impact will that have on us More spending does mean more consuming more waste and more stuff we donrsquot need I know yoursquore proba-bly thinking ldquoWell how do I celebrate Christmas as well as lessen how much I consumerdquo

Well ladies and gentleman the answer lies in buying local and support-ing small companies By purchasing gifts made locally you diminish the distance it travels to get to your shopping bag It isnrsquot hard to find locals selling interest-ing unique and often handmade items This Christmas I challenge you to think more about what yoursquore buying and where it came from

The next time you find yourself crammed into a store think about this Stop and take a glance at the people bus-tling about Look at their faces Do they look like theyrsquore having a fun time Or do they look stressed Oh Look over there at that little boy he has stars in his eyes as he stares into the fake branches of that plastic Christmas tree No he doesnrsquot believe in the magic of Santa but in the magic of daddyrsquos wallet

What has this society made of Christmas when the only thing people focus on is getting copious amounts of gifts We need to be aware of this during the holiday season Also we need to be careful the rest of the year Be mindful of your spending choices and donrsquot let the media control your decisions That way the negative buzz in the air wonrsquot affect you as much at Christmas time Most of all I wish you a joyous holiday season Namaste Jenna Sipponen is in Grade 12 and lives

in a cute little valley called the Simil-

kameen Her hobbies include procrasti-

nating theatre and yoga in random

places

Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas

By Jenna Sipponen

Photo Rapid Eye Media

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 13

TheGreenGazette

O n October 18 after four years

of negotiations Prime Minis-

ter Stephen Harper and Presi-

dent of the European Com-

mission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a

ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels

CETA stands for Comprehensive Eco-

nomic and Trade Agreement and is said

by Harper to be the biggest trade deal

Canada has ever made even bigger than

AFTA

Typical of the Harper government this enormously significant agreement

was signed before anyone had a chance to view it It is still obscure just what on the

whole we are being committed to but the following contents have leaked into view

The main thrust of the deal is aimed at giving international corporations even greater powers over Canadian rules and

regulations than they already possess un-der NAFTA In effect according to this

deal foreign corporations are to be treated equally as domestic companies in Canada

breaking down all former impediments to corporate domination If you look into the

matter you find that CETA has very little to do with expanding ldquofree traderdquo and

everything to do with giving international corporations ever greater power to over-

ride domestic authority Thus we are being robbed of Cana-

dian sovereignty by contracts to which we

are not privy which no sensible citizen would agree to sign and which if politi-

cians were honest would prevent them from ever being elected

Below are some of the particulars

Public Procurement CETA will ban government at all levels from ldquobuy localrdquo policies as harmful to the level

playing field urged by international corpo-rations As Murray Dobbins tells us in an article in Canadian Dimensions ldquoThe

procurement provisions ndash giving EU cor-porations unobstructed access to the pub-

lic spending of municipalities schools boards hospitals universities and crown

corporations ndash is especially threatening given the critical role such public spend-

ing plays in a time of virtually zero pri-vate investment The strategic use of pub-

lic spending for economic development and support for local businesses or sectors (such as green energy) would also be ef-

fectively banned Others worry that if the EU gets its procurement deal the US will

want similar treatmentmdashan even greater threat given its proximity to Canadardquo

Under this new procurement regime the privatization of local services becomes

far more likely water electricity transit medical services postal service all man-

ner of social services Huge water compa-nies like Nestle Veolia Environment and

Suez are rubbing their hands in anticipa-tion

On the other hand in bold contrast to

Canadarsquos part the European Union has negotiated a blanket exemption to protect

their water energy and public services including health care Why donrsquot we get

the same

CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Pharmaceuticals As part of the

deal European pharmaceutical corpora-

tions already immensely wealthy are seeking to extend their monopolies on

patent drugs delaying for an even longer term the introduction of cheaper generic

drugs for Canadian citizens On the other hand there is no indication that the EU will make any changes to its own patent

system This delay alone is estimated to cost our economy from $800 million to

$16 million annually Making under-the-table deals is bad enough but making bad

deals is even worse And what has patent extensions got to do with free trade any-

way

Investor Rights This term refers to giving foreign corporations based in Can-ada the right to sue our government for public policies that affect the maximiza-

tion of their profits Already Canada is facing nearly $25 billion worth of corpo-

rate lawsuits under NAFTArsquos investment protection chapter including one from an

oil and gas company against Quebecrsquos moratorium on fracking and another

against Canada by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly demanding a $100 mil-

lion for ldquoexpropriationrdquo because the courts refused to grant a drug patentmdashand this on

the grounds it did not satisfy conditions set down by Canadian law Rather than free trade the Investor State Settlement Proc-

ess is more about the elimination of public interest policies instituted to protect con-

sumer health safety privacy and envi-ronmental values

By the same negative token Cana-dian companies will not hesitate to sue

Europe for completely legitimate public decisions for example instituting regula-

tions for mining companies or stricter environmental rules qualifying the sales of oil and gas

In all official discussion of CETA two issues are conspicuously missing One

is the Environment issue and the other is Native Rights Already NAFTA plus the

Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 and the suppression of science in the ministries

have seriously hampered our ability to respond with intelligence to environmental

changes By now it would be tiresome to la-

bour the point that the natural world is in

decline You can no longer read about wild animals to your children without

warning of their impending extinction Soon enough we are told the ocean will

be dead from acidification and whatrsquos left on land besides humans will be insects

dogs cats and farm animals spawned un-der factory conditions Global warming is

threatening to eliminate even these Yet all we hear from Stephen Harper in his

cheery speech celebrating CETA is a $12 billion boost to our economy and the 100000 cars a year Canadian automakers

will export to Europe (hopefully burning tar sands oil)

But we all know therersquos no wisdom in putting dollars over health over life

Native issues consultation and land development rights do not arise in

CETArsquos consciousness Indigenous people

simply donrsquot exist in a landscape of Big Money Neither apparently does the Ca-

nadian Parliament whose opinions are not solicited and for whom there is no oppor-

tunity for debate The question then arises what can

be done to block this diabolical plan Again Murray Dobbins is informa-

tive We are reminded that Harper ldquois

constrained in what he can do by the con-stitutional division of powers which gives

the provinces so much political authority The really big social items on the political

agenda ndash health education social services ndash are matters of provincial jurisdiction To

be sure he can severely damage all of these by destroying the decades-old prin-

ciple of universality and by slashing fed-eral funding But he canrsquot get rid of them The provinces also have a mandate on

protecting the environment and regarding labour rights and most working Canadi-

ans are in sectors that come under provin-cial jurisdiction Lastly the third level of

government (the municipality) is also a creature of the provinces While munici-

palities depend on the federal government for financial help Ottawa has no political

authority over themrdquo Since Neo-liberal provincial govern-

ments have regularly shown obedience to the federal government their opposition to CETA is undependable Only munici-

pal governments have shown strong resis-tance Thanks to the good work of the

Council of Canadians some 80 munici-palities have called either for complete

exclusion or passed resolutions expressing concern Most of these are in BC and On-

tario and include large populations like Toronto Hamilton Mississauga and Vic-

toria As for opposition to CETA by the

general public no one can predict how

that will go As it happens we are neither informed nor consulted on issues pertain-

ing to important economic affairs Be-sides most of us are so wrapped up in the

scramble to service our debts and eke a little fun out of life we lack the surplus

energy to assert our broader interests The CETA agreement is not a done

deal Itrsquos a ldquotentativerdquo agreement and de-spite Harperrsquos and Barrosorsquos signatures it

will need ratification Even so it will not come into force until 2015 The least we can demand is that the agreement be made

public Contact your MP and your MLA and insist that he or she obtain by what-

ever means the full text and proceed to educate their constituency as to its pros

and cons For the contents of this essay I have de-

pended largely on the Council of Canadi-ans (wwwcanadiansorg) and Murray

Dobbinrsquos article ldquoCETA Can Harperrsquos Trojan Horse be Stoppedrdquo (wwwcanadiandimensioncom

articles4966)

Van Andruss is editor of the magazine

Lived Experience He enjoys the biore-

gional life and community in historic

Moha outside of Lillooet BC

By Van Andruss

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel

Barroso signed a free-trade accord last week Dow negotiations must proceed on a

prickly side deal Photo Georges Gobet

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 7: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 7

TheGreenGazette

The Season is Green at Smashinrsquo Smoothies

By LeRae Haynes

Featured Green Business

G oing to work every day to a job that is in tune with

your core values is top of the list for Kim Kaytor Her

business Smashin Smoothies has been open now

for nearly a year and she remains committed to envi-

ronmental responsibility and to beautiful nourishing food made

from local organic produce

She says the company offers smoothies juices coffees wraps soups salads full-power orbs energy lsquoballsrsquo a great line of herbal tea granola and special oatmeal and breakfast sand-wiches

ldquoAll our produce ingredients and coffee are organic and as local as possiblerdquo she explains ldquoOur cups are bio-degradable and customers are encouraged to bring their own coffee and smoothie cups We donrsquot use GMO products and local farmers come and pick up our compost or we drop it off at the Potato Houserdquo Committed to Green and dedicated to service and quality local ingredients she says she made a conscious choice to go with higher costs to be more environmentally responsible ldquoThis year has been interesting challenging rewarding and excitingrdquo she says ldquoI love it when people say lsquoIrsquoll bet you donrsquot have anything I can eatrsquo and I say lsquoIrsquoll bet we dorsquordquo Smashin Smoothies can accommodate peoplersquos needs with dairy-free sugar-free glu-

ten-free and vegan options according to Kaytor who says she is glad to see society starting to reflect environmental responsibility and awareness and people starting to be more con-cerned about what they put in their bodies ldquoPeople are starting to care more and it makes me so happy when I can post on our Facebook page that our honey is from our local Bee Happy Honey ndash that we support local producersrdquo she says ldquoI feel that itrsquos part of our obligation as a communityrdquo Smashin Smoothies was in the community over the summer at events like the Friday Farmersrsquo Market and Performances in the Park ldquoWe were lucky that these two events were close to the shop so we could ferry coolers of smoothies and offer healthy nutritious thirst-quenching treatsrdquo she says She also says Green progress often starts with kids ldquoMy youngest employees here are the most environmentally aware We all do our best but they are knowledgeable and insistent about things like recyclingrdquo she adds ldquoMy staff is so awesome I feel that the universe has

blessed me with them ldquoI have this thing that I put a lot of thought into every morning All my staff knows that whenever someone comes in the door I want them to feel better when they leave I want them to have a positive experience in a great atmospheremdashwe even give hugs to some of them No matter who they are or what kind of day theyrsquore having we want them to love being hererdquo she says ldquoItrsquos more than being welcomed we want them to be nourishedrdquo She says some people in the business community have counselled her to rethink the organic aspect of Smashin Smoothies but she has stood her ground with a continued commit-ment to environmental responsibility ldquoWe work really hard to keep our prices reasonable and as people become more and more aware of that when wersquore putting organic goodness in our bodies they see that itrsquos worth itrdquo

Mackenzie Howse Daomi Lomavatu Kim Kaytor River Michalchuk and Emily Cook offer a range of Christ-

mas gift ideas as well as nutritious organic treats to nourish the body and feed the soul Photo LeRae Haynes

MENTION THIS COUPON Its our one-year anniversary

Celebrate with us

December 9 through 21 Get a FREE 12 oz coffee or smoothie

with the purchase of a LARGE beverage

You can give the gift of health this season at Smashin Smoothies with gift cards gift bags gift boxes and boxed 100 certified Pukka herbal teas with delightful blends and fla-vours Smashin Smoothies is located at 102 - 41 7th Avenue north across from Save on Foods For more information call 778-412-2112 or follow on Facebook

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the commu-

nity co-ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator of a lot of musical shenanigans

in Williams Lake including ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo

dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 8 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

T he relationship between hu-

mans and honey bees goes

back a long way Cave art

from an estimated 8000 years

ago shows a honey-gatherer risking life

and limb in pursuit of a sweet reward

Bees and flowers go back even fur-ther in their connection Theyrsquove co-evolved for over 10 million years The flowers benefit from pollination thus pro-creation while the bees are rewarded with pollen and nectar nutritional essentials in their life cycle Of the 20000 bee species now known less than 10 are honey bees Yet after the common fruit fly honey bees are the second most studied insect in biologi-cal research Besides being super cool why would this be Fast forward to modern day agricul-ture Pollination is worth ten times the monetary value of honey An estimated 30 per cent of the food we eat depends on pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male part of a flower to the female part This enables fertilization which results in viable seeds Successful pollination typically increases fruit set resulting in higher yields of better-formed larger more flavourful fruit that ripens faster and keeps longer While bumblebees and other na-tives are excellent pollinators only honey bees can be managed in large enough num-bers to ensure adequate pollination at the critical time for an individual crop bloom We are losing native bees due to habitat destruction insecticides and monoculture crop planting The honey bee (Apis mel-lifera L) has become critical in managed pollination worldwide Given their essential role in food production how can it be that honey bees are in decline Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been in the news since massive die-offs were noted in 2006 And are we any closer to understanding why Is there a so-called silver bullet Alas no What we do know is that CCD is multifactoral death by a thousand cuts Happily a few things have been ruled out including cellphone transmissions and my personal favourite the rapture What is surfacing through research and reports from beekeepers is the story of an insect and really a world under pressure Herersquos where the irony comes in Letrsquos look at three crops blueberries al-monds and corn In our quest for the healthful benefits of antioxidants super protein cheap starch and sugar substitutes plastic alternatives and biofuel among other desirable attributes wersquove created monstrous demands for these commodities To meet these demands conven-tional agriculture has stepped in In British Columbia alone we generated $83 million in gross blueberry sales representing 56 per cent of total Canadian sales in 2010 In California there are 810000 acres of al-mond orchards that require two million honey bee colonies each spring for pollina-tion most of which are trucked in from as far away as Florida These orchards are monoculture moonscapes nothing else

Life with Honey Bees ~ Wersquore in This Together

grows alongside row upon row of these super nut trees And then therersquos corn both sweet and utilitarian (aka cow corn most of which is genetically modified) While corn doesnrsquot require pollination nearly 100 per cent of the seed in North America is treated with neonicotinoids a family of neurotoxins that have recently been impli-cated as harmful to bees and other pollina-tors on a sub-lethal basis Europe placed a three-year moratorium banning neonicoti-noids this year Canadian commercial seed companies are offering non-treated corn and soya seed for the 2014 planting season in response to honey bee poisonings that occurred in Ontario and Quebec last spring Many conventional beekeeping practices have compounded these prob-lems by promoting the prophylactic use of chemical miticides and antibiotics in the management of commercial apiaries These agents often leave residues in the hiversquos beeswax which in turn interact with outside chemicals brought in to the hive by the bees The synergistic effect can be 10 times as powerful and even lethal to the bees To finish the suite of honey bee threats we must mention good olrsquo Varroa mites and other bee pathogens like Nosema plus viruses that are vectored when the beersquos immune system is compro-mised Starvation poor nutrition genetic inbreeding and stress round out the chal-lenges Okay itrsquos time to step away from the cliff Wersquore in this together and there is some silver lining here Stay the course therersquos both hope and things we can do as individuals and communities to turn things around If you watch one TED Talk this winter please set aside time for Dr Marla Spivakrsquos presentation ldquoWhy Bees are Dis-appearingrdquo httpwwwtedcomtalksmarla_spivak_why_bees_are_disappearinghtml

Her take home message is simple and practical plant more flowers for the bees They will offer nutrition and biodi-versity Spivak is one of the true rock stars of the honey bee research world For years at the University of Minnesota shersquos stud-ied and developed a line of bees that have natural hygienic behaviour thus disease resistance Other rock stars worth noting and Googling include Sue Cobey of Washing-ton State University who is importing honey bee germplasm (drone sperm) from isolated pockets in Europe where there are sub-species of honey bees that display de-sirable heritable traits Suersquos specialty is honey bee breeding including artificial insemination She spoke to a captivated audience at the 2013 BC Honey Producers Association conference held in Kelowna last fall httpwsmwsuedusindexphpid=948 One of the best writers about honey bees is Dr Eric Mussen who joined the UC Davis Department of Entomology faculty in 1976 I was fortunate to hear him speak in October at the Western Apiculture Soci-ety (WAS) meeting held in Santa Fe New Mexico Eric is retiring next year he will leave both a formidable legacy and a vast void Pragmatic and brilliant Mussen has lived in the hub of California agriculture development for decades and has seen an array of pesticides come and go Here are links to both his Bee Briefs httpucanr orgsi tes entomologyFacul tyEric_C_MussenBee_Briefs and the WAS

Journal httpucanredusiteswas2WAS_Journal

In BC we have University of British Columbiarsquos (UBC) Dr Leonard Foster one of many prodigies from rocker Dr Mark Winstonrsquos famous and now defunct bee lab at Simon Fraser University Foster and his team at UBC in partnership with Genome BC are spearheading the search to identify honey bee populations that are naturally resistant to pathogens Using sophisticated proteomics they are well on their way to teasing out protein markers associated with Hygienic Behaviour and Varroa Sensitive Hygiene In the foresee-able future queen bee producers will have a tool that helps confirm if their bee stock is hardy and worthy of propagation httpwwwchibiubccafacultyleonard-fosterfoster-labbee-ipm Another exciting trend in apiculture these days is the emergence of urban bee-keeping Kudos go out to Mayor Kerry Cook and the Council of the City of Wil-liams Lake who last September voted unanimously in favour of urban beekeep-ing Hobbyist beekeepers have an impor-tant role to play Not only can they keep the gentle art of beekeeping alive but they can also be stewards to newly developed honey bee genetic stock For sound educational information and inspiration Heather Clay of Vernon BC runs the Urban Bee Network Well qualified Heather is the former Canadian Honey Council CEO and spent years as the apiarist for the province of New Bruns-wick You can learn more about keeping honey bees in cities managing bees on a small scale tips for planting for bees facts about pollination and how to help save our speci a l pol l i na tor s a t ht t p wwwurbanbeenetworkca A word of caution to those who wish to keep bees or are new to beekeep-ing itrsquos very important to learn the basics Sadly many venture in and fold after the first two or three years of keeping bees This makes sense as when you acquire your bees yoursquore benefiting from the knowledge and management of whomever you bought your bees from Many ldquonewbeesrdquo want to keep their bees natu-

(Continued on page 9)

By Diane Dunaway

Woman gathering honey watercolor copy by

F Benitez Mellado of a Mesolithic (c

100008000ndashc 3000 bce) painting in the

Cueva de la Arana near Bicorp Spain in the Museum of Prehistory Valencia Spain

Credit Instituto de Estudios Editoriales Bar-

celona

Credit The Canadian Association of

Professional Apiculturists

A visit in the bee yard in wintertime Photo Diane Dunaway

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 9

TheGreenGazette

rally This is admirable please donrsquot get me wrong However statistically natural too often turns to neglect Itrsquos imperative that a beekeeper can identify diseases and parasites and monitor for them If found then the same beekeeper must decide how to best keep these infestations from killing a colony or worsemdashputting neighbouring apiaries at risk Worker bees can forage as far as five kilometers from their hives drones go even further looking for love Please practice safe beekeeping lsquoNuff said If yoursquod like to create bee habitat in your garden there are several bee-friendly plants that do well in our zone three cli-mate One of the best books on the subject is by Jane Ramsay of Victoria BC ldquoPlants for Beekeeping in Canada and the North-ern USArdquo was first published through the International Bee Research Association (IBRA) Theyrsquore sold out but Ramsay has some of her books for sale Her phone number is 250-598-4415

(Continued from page 8)

What You Can Do to Support

Your Local Honey Bee and Beekeeper bull Buy local honey and hive prod-

ucts at a fair market price

bull Use honey in place of sugar as

your sweetener of choice

bull Learn to love dandelions

bull Add bee-friendly plants to your

garden

bull Differentiate between honey

bees and wasps

bull Provide clean water for bees

and other pollinators

bull Reduce lawn mowing and set

your mower at a higher cutting

level

bull Advocate for bee-friendly by-

laws

bull Educate others about honey

bee pollination a third of our

food supply needs it Pollina-

tion is worth ten times the eco-

nomic value of honey

bull Donrsquot use pesticides if you

must please use fast-acting

short-residual options apply at

dusk when pollinators are least

active

bull Become a beekeeper

Thank You

2013 was a fabulous year for honey bees

in the Cariboo Diane Dunaway harvests

from a leaning tower of honey supers Photo Eddy Bowser

Humankindrsquos relationship with bees has come a long way since the time of honey robbing From rock art to research rock stars wersquove developed an understanding an appreciation and a codependency that isnrsquot about to weaken any time soon

Diane Dunaway has kept bees since 1998

A Master Beekeeper she runs close to 100

colonies from her Bee Happy Honey farm

in the Soda Creek valley of the Cariboo

Diane produced and edited BeesCene the BC Honey Producers Association

(BCHPA) quarterly journal for five years

Dedicated to the health and welfare of

honey bees and the environment that sup-

ports them she advocates for organic inte-

grated pest management methods Recently

she became a BCHPA Certified Instructor

of Introductory Beekeeping through a

partnership with the BC Ministry of Agri-

culture Apiculture Branch When shersquos not

chasing swarms around the countryside

Diane can be found at home with Dave

her husband of 22 years and their menag-

erie of rescue animals

Page 10 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Philippines Tragedy Shows Urgency of Warsaw Climate Summit

Science Matters

A s people in the Philippines struggle with devastation and death from

the worst storm to hit land in re-

corded history world leaders met

in Warsaw Poland to discuss the climate

crisis ldquoWhat my country is going through as

a result of this extreme climate event is mad-

ness The climate crisis is madnessrdquo Yeb Sano lead negotiator for the Philippines told

the opening session of the U climate sum-

mit which ran until ovember 22 ldquoWe can

stop this madness Right here in Warsawrdquo

Given the slow progress at the 18 meetings held since 1992 ndash when countries from around the world joined the United Na-tions Framework Convention on Climate Change ndash itrsquos hard not to be pessimistic Can-ada in particular has been repeatedly singled out among the close to 200 member countries for obstructing progress and not doing enough to address climate change at home But as scientific evidence continues to build and impacts ndash from extreme weather to melting Arctic ice ndash continue to worsen with costs mounting daily the impetus to resolve the problem is growing Wersquore exhausting Earthrsquos finite resources and pushing global ecosystems to tipping points beyond which addressing pollution and climate issues will become increasingly difficult and costly The only hindrance to developing a fair ambitious and legally binding climate plan for the world is lack of political will Part of the problem is that much of the world is tied to the fossil fuel economy and the rush is on to get as much oil coal and gas out of the ground and to market while people are still willing to pay for it and burn it up Wersquore wasting precious resources in the name of quick profits instead of putting them to better use than propelling often solo occupants in large metal vehicles and instead of making them last while we shift to cleaner energy sources But therersquos cause for hope Solutions are available Governments just have to dem-onstrate courage and leadership to put us on a path to a healthier future For example a recent report by energy consulting firm ECOFYS titled ldquoFeasibility of GHG emissions phase-out by mid-centuryrdquo shows itrsquos technically and economically feasi-ble to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to zero from 90 per cent of current sources

with readily available technology It shows we could phase out almost all net emissions by 2050 by innovating further In doing so we could likely meet the agreed-upon goal of lim-iting global average temperature increases to below 2 degrees C and wersquod stand a 50 per cent chance of staying below 15 degrees C by the end of the century All of this would have the added benefit of reducing ldquowater air and soil pollution associated with traditional en-ergy generationrdquo The report echoes the David Suzuki Foundationrsquos findings regarding Canadarsquos potential to meet its current and forecasted demand for fuel and electricity with existing supplies of solar wind hydroelectric and biomass energy Whether or not any of this is politically feasible is another question But the longer we delay the more difficult and expensive it will get Polling research also shows Canadians expect our government to be a constructive global citizen on climate action A recent Leger Marketing survey sponsored by Canada 2020 and the University of Montreal found the majority of Canadians understand that human activity is contributing to climate change and believe the federal government should make addressing the issue a high priority Of those polled 76 per cent said Canada should sign an international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions with most supporting this even if China does not sign The poll also found majority support for a carbon tax as one way to combat climate change especially if the money generated is used to support renewable energy develop-ment Although BC has recently stepped back from previous leadership on climate change its carbon tax is one example among many local governments doing more than the federal government to address climate change We and our leaders at all political lev-els ndash local national and international ndash must do everything we can to confront the crisis As Mr Sano told delegates in Warsaw ldquoWe can-not sit and stay helpless staring at this interna-tional climate stalemate It is now time to take action We need an emergency climate path-wayrdquo With contributions from David Suzuki Founda-

tion senior editor Ian Hanington Learn more at wwwdavidsuzukiorg

By David Suzuki

Debris lines the streets of Tacloban Leyte island

Photo Eoghan Rice - Troacutecaire Caritas

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 11

TheGreenGazette

Copyright 2013 Petar Meseldzija

wwwpetarmeseldzijaartcom wwwpetarmeseldzijablogspotnl Petar Meseldžija is widely acknowledged as one of the leading artists in the field of contemporary

fantastic art His style resembles artists like Rembrandt Frank Frazetta and Alan Lee He does illus-trations and paintings for publishers various clients and private collectors from around the world

By Ron Young

o matter how well you think

you are prepared for the un-

expected there is always the

ldquobolt from the bluerdquo that

thing that occurs that you didnrsquot expect or

plan for also known as the unknown un-

known Itrsquos such a commonplace refer-

ence in the aerospace industry unknown

unknowns are abbreviated as lsquounk-unkrsquo

Donald Rumsfeld made the concept infa-

mous during the Iraq war in the state-

ment ldquoThere are hellip unknown un-

knownsmdashthere are things we do not know

we donrsquot knowrdquo

Well I had an encounter with unk-unks during a recent snowstorm and power outage and Irsquom sure I was grunting unk but also uncle many times that weekend When the power goes out and you have a battery back up system as I do you hardly notice especially if itrsquos relatively short-term We get power from BC Hydro but we also have solar and wind generated power that is stored in a battery When the battery is fully charged from wind or solar (PV) then the system automatically switches designated loads to run off the stored energy until the battery is depleted In this way we can run household lights and appliances for many hours a day exclu-sively from renewable energy sources and reduce our carbon footprint while lowering our BC Hydro bill But it seems that when one thing goes wrong Murphyrsquos Law dictates that the wrong thing the problem must bring friends to the party Not only did the power go off which is an eventuality I was pre-pared for but also the snow came down one icy little flake after another until over 50 cm of accumulated chaos had arrived in record time And then to finish off the threesome the pump that supplies our house with water from the creek well quit working Water isnrsquot something you can do without for long and having had the occa-sional water problem in the past I put a cou-ple of five gallon jugs of water aside for emergencies But you can go through ten gallons of water really quickly in a two-person household Even if you are prudent about when you flush the toilet (which in an older toilet can use nearly five gallons per flush) you will still need several gallons for cooking drinking and washing An added source for clean water is your hot water tank which you can drain making sure you first turn off the breaker so the heating ele-ments donrsquot switch on in an empty tank and quickly burn out Well after an entire weekend of problem-solving it put me in mind of think-ing ahead and preparing for possible emer-gencies While I donrsquot want to become fix-

A Bolt From the Blue AKA The lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo ated on the subject I have to remind myself to pay attention to have lsquosituational aware-nessrsquo as it is called in the military Itrsquos win-tertime and if yoursquore going to travel winter roads what will you do if you have a break-down Many of us in the rural Cariboo live in areas without cell coverage so while hav-ing a cellphone is a good idea it isnrsquot a panacea Having clothes and shoes that are suitable for walking some distance in cold weather is essential gear Having a source of heat is a great idea such as hand warmers or a small beeswax candle Beeswax burns significantly hotter and longer than other wax and a single candle can be a lifesaver Other simple things that are often over-looked in winter vehicles are a portable shovel a length of strong rope in case you need towing a set of battery starter cables and a good flashlight Throw in a couple of energy bars for good measure Household preparedness is another matter The world we live in nowadays seems to be more volatile and unpredictable than it ever was So we have to think in terms of streams of essentials that make up our daily lives Then think of what steps we will take if any of those streams are di-verted or interrupted The aforementioned water is one essentialmdashfood heat commu-nications and energy to power lights and some basic appliances are other essentials A good backup plan is to create a small safety margin in each of those critical streams that will help us bridge unexpected events In the energy department which is my area of expertise I would suggest a good minimum strategy is to have a deep cycle battery with a small invertercharger that keeps the battery charged when itrsquos not needed When the power goes out this sys-tem will power some lights a cellphone charger a TV or computer or even a mi-crowave There are all-in-one battery packs with built-in inverters available at hardware stores but they are light duty and useful mainly for some lights A proper back-up power system will have at least 200 amp hours of battery capacity with a minimum 1000-watt inverter and a built in charger Itrsquos inexpensive to add a solar panel to this combination that can also recharge the bat-tery While itrsquos not reasonable or realistic to try to have a back-up plan that covers all possible emergencies you can take impor-tant steps towards insuring your familyrsquos safety and comfort in case of unexpected events You will find that the more you think about this and take small measures the more you begin to see the bigger picture and learn effective strategies There will always be unknown unknowns

unk-unk n especially in engineering something such as a problem that has not been and could not have been imagined or anticipated an unknown unknown Ron Young a Renewable Energy specialist

owns the earthRight store in Williams Lake

established in 1993 A series of articles on

the basics of solar energy can be found at

his website wwwsolareaglecom

Copyright Ron Young 2013

Federal Environment Commissionerrsquos Fall

Report Paints Grim Picture of State of

Biodiversity in Canada

Environmental conservation in Canada has reached a new low according to a report from the office of the federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development released on November 5 Citing ldquodeteriorating biodiversity conditions in all of the main types of ecosystems in Canadardquo interim environment commissioner Neil Maxwell called on federal depart-ments to seek ldquoground-breakingrdquo new approaches to ldquobreak the pattern of unfulfilled commitments and responsibilitiesrdquo Elizabeth May leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands expressed gratitude for the commissionerrsquos diligent research stating ldquoThe deep cuts to Parks Canada are clearly causing serious problems in maintaining ecological in-tegrity in parks while across the federal government there is a disturbing failure to fulfill statutory responsibilities for species at riskrdquo The Green Party leader also emphasized the need to implement and provide fund-ing for more stringent environmental monitoring standards while echoing the commis-sionerrsquos call for a more collaborative and integrated approach to supporting biodiversity one that would take into account all aspects of an ecosystem The report which examined the work of Environment Canada the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Parks Canada in protecting Canadarsquos natural environment found that over 70 per cent of national wildlife areas had ldquoless than adequate ecological integrityrdquo and that over 90 per cent ldquodid not have adequate management plansrdquo ldquoThe threats to bird populations are alarmingrdquo remarked Andrew Park environ-ment critic for the Green Party of Canada ldquoWe are losing the scientific capacity to moni-tor species as their numbers plummetrdquo The report states that according to Environment Canadarsquos own estimates fewer than half of the Bird Conservation Region Strategies it committed to completing by 2010 had been finished and ldquomonitoring for 30 per cent of the bird species in Canada is insuf-ficient to determine whether they are at riskrdquo httpelizabethmaympcanewspublicationspress-releases20131106federal-environment-commissioners-fall-report-paints-grim-picture-of-state-of-biodiversity-in-canada

Page 12 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A round Christmas time

therersquos an extremely notice-

able buzz in the air Yoursquore

excited for the holidays time

off school and time off work This buzz

in the air could be a couple of different

things added together plus the crazy

holiday rush We all have to admit that

in some way we do love Christmas holi-

days For some the meaning of Christ-

mas is to uphold the family traditions

And yet for others it is a wonderful time

to create new family traditions

However therersquos something about that time of year that Irsquom sure oth-ers have noticed It is something that gets more intimidating every year like an enormous snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger This is called consumerismmdashthe ongoing want to buy buy buy Consumerism goes on through-out the year but I find at Christmas time it is at its worst

Typically consumerism is the term used to describe what humans do Humans no longer know how to be re-sourceful so we purchase goods to fulfill our needs As you know this is a large cause of many negative things that are happening to this world right now Sure we like to buy presents here and there Where do you cross the line and when do you realize you donrsquot need to purchase some items Making a decision like this is extremely difficult especially with advertisements telling you what to do And Christmas time may be a difficult time to restrain from buying many items because theyrsquore for people you love The holidays are supposed to be relaxing and de-stressing They have however turned into something quite the opposite

Itrsquos hard to think about ways to reduce how much you consume and the holidays make it ten times more difficult The media concentrates on focusing your money and attention on to certain sub-jects Since when was Christmas only about buying presents for people Where did the peace and joy go As the holidays roll on by take note of the ads you see around yourself Take note of the overall message that theyrsquore displaying to you Yoursquoll find that they all point toward the holidays but then relate it to whatever product they are trying to sell you For example ldquoGetting your Christmas feast absolutely perfect is what matters most Thatrsquos why we came up with the perfect oven to satisfy your needsrdquo

Yoursquoll find Christmas turns into an excuse for extra media to be stuffed in to every single eye and ear you could possibly have There is a point at which it turns into too much People donrsquot realize how much the media impacts our buying choices and Christmas turns into just another giant shopping spree

It is certainly a proven fact that people spend more at Christmas time Studies have shown that 12 per cent of people are committed to spend more this

Christmas than last Christmas Will that number grow and what impact will that have on us More spending does mean more consuming more waste and more stuff we donrsquot need I know yoursquore proba-bly thinking ldquoWell how do I celebrate Christmas as well as lessen how much I consumerdquo

Well ladies and gentleman the answer lies in buying local and support-ing small companies By purchasing gifts made locally you diminish the distance it travels to get to your shopping bag It isnrsquot hard to find locals selling interest-ing unique and often handmade items This Christmas I challenge you to think more about what yoursquore buying and where it came from

The next time you find yourself crammed into a store think about this Stop and take a glance at the people bus-tling about Look at their faces Do they look like theyrsquore having a fun time Or do they look stressed Oh Look over there at that little boy he has stars in his eyes as he stares into the fake branches of that plastic Christmas tree No he doesnrsquot believe in the magic of Santa but in the magic of daddyrsquos wallet

What has this society made of Christmas when the only thing people focus on is getting copious amounts of gifts We need to be aware of this during the holiday season Also we need to be careful the rest of the year Be mindful of your spending choices and donrsquot let the media control your decisions That way the negative buzz in the air wonrsquot affect you as much at Christmas time Most of all I wish you a joyous holiday season Namaste Jenna Sipponen is in Grade 12 and lives

in a cute little valley called the Simil-

kameen Her hobbies include procrasti-

nating theatre and yoga in random

places

Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas

By Jenna Sipponen

Photo Rapid Eye Media

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 13

TheGreenGazette

O n October 18 after four years

of negotiations Prime Minis-

ter Stephen Harper and Presi-

dent of the European Com-

mission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a

ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels

CETA stands for Comprehensive Eco-

nomic and Trade Agreement and is said

by Harper to be the biggest trade deal

Canada has ever made even bigger than

AFTA

Typical of the Harper government this enormously significant agreement

was signed before anyone had a chance to view it It is still obscure just what on the

whole we are being committed to but the following contents have leaked into view

The main thrust of the deal is aimed at giving international corporations even greater powers over Canadian rules and

regulations than they already possess un-der NAFTA In effect according to this

deal foreign corporations are to be treated equally as domestic companies in Canada

breaking down all former impediments to corporate domination If you look into the

matter you find that CETA has very little to do with expanding ldquofree traderdquo and

everything to do with giving international corporations ever greater power to over-

ride domestic authority Thus we are being robbed of Cana-

dian sovereignty by contracts to which we

are not privy which no sensible citizen would agree to sign and which if politi-

cians were honest would prevent them from ever being elected

Below are some of the particulars

Public Procurement CETA will ban government at all levels from ldquobuy localrdquo policies as harmful to the level

playing field urged by international corpo-rations As Murray Dobbins tells us in an article in Canadian Dimensions ldquoThe

procurement provisions ndash giving EU cor-porations unobstructed access to the pub-

lic spending of municipalities schools boards hospitals universities and crown

corporations ndash is especially threatening given the critical role such public spend-

ing plays in a time of virtually zero pri-vate investment The strategic use of pub-

lic spending for economic development and support for local businesses or sectors (such as green energy) would also be ef-

fectively banned Others worry that if the EU gets its procurement deal the US will

want similar treatmentmdashan even greater threat given its proximity to Canadardquo

Under this new procurement regime the privatization of local services becomes

far more likely water electricity transit medical services postal service all man-

ner of social services Huge water compa-nies like Nestle Veolia Environment and

Suez are rubbing their hands in anticipa-tion

On the other hand in bold contrast to

Canadarsquos part the European Union has negotiated a blanket exemption to protect

their water energy and public services including health care Why donrsquot we get

the same

CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Pharmaceuticals As part of the

deal European pharmaceutical corpora-

tions already immensely wealthy are seeking to extend their monopolies on

patent drugs delaying for an even longer term the introduction of cheaper generic

drugs for Canadian citizens On the other hand there is no indication that the EU will make any changes to its own patent

system This delay alone is estimated to cost our economy from $800 million to

$16 million annually Making under-the-table deals is bad enough but making bad

deals is even worse And what has patent extensions got to do with free trade any-

way

Investor Rights This term refers to giving foreign corporations based in Can-ada the right to sue our government for public policies that affect the maximiza-

tion of their profits Already Canada is facing nearly $25 billion worth of corpo-

rate lawsuits under NAFTArsquos investment protection chapter including one from an

oil and gas company against Quebecrsquos moratorium on fracking and another

against Canada by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly demanding a $100 mil-

lion for ldquoexpropriationrdquo because the courts refused to grant a drug patentmdashand this on

the grounds it did not satisfy conditions set down by Canadian law Rather than free trade the Investor State Settlement Proc-

ess is more about the elimination of public interest policies instituted to protect con-

sumer health safety privacy and envi-ronmental values

By the same negative token Cana-dian companies will not hesitate to sue

Europe for completely legitimate public decisions for example instituting regula-

tions for mining companies or stricter environmental rules qualifying the sales of oil and gas

In all official discussion of CETA two issues are conspicuously missing One

is the Environment issue and the other is Native Rights Already NAFTA plus the

Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 and the suppression of science in the ministries

have seriously hampered our ability to respond with intelligence to environmental

changes By now it would be tiresome to la-

bour the point that the natural world is in

decline You can no longer read about wild animals to your children without

warning of their impending extinction Soon enough we are told the ocean will

be dead from acidification and whatrsquos left on land besides humans will be insects

dogs cats and farm animals spawned un-der factory conditions Global warming is

threatening to eliminate even these Yet all we hear from Stephen Harper in his

cheery speech celebrating CETA is a $12 billion boost to our economy and the 100000 cars a year Canadian automakers

will export to Europe (hopefully burning tar sands oil)

But we all know therersquos no wisdom in putting dollars over health over life

Native issues consultation and land development rights do not arise in

CETArsquos consciousness Indigenous people

simply donrsquot exist in a landscape of Big Money Neither apparently does the Ca-

nadian Parliament whose opinions are not solicited and for whom there is no oppor-

tunity for debate The question then arises what can

be done to block this diabolical plan Again Murray Dobbins is informa-

tive We are reminded that Harper ldquois

constrained in what he can do by the con-stitutional division of powers which gives

the provinces so much political authority The really big social items on the political

agenda ndash health education social services ndash are matters of provincial jurisdiction To

be sure he can severely damage all of these by destroying the decades-old prin-

ciple of universality and by slashing fed-eral funding But he canrsquot get rid of them The provinces also have a mandate on

protecting the environment and regarding labour rights and most working Canadi-

ans are in sectors that come under provin-cial jurisdiction Lastly the third level of

government (the municipality) is also a creature of the provinces While munici-

palities depend on the federal government for financial help Ottawa has no political

authority over themrdquo Since Neo-liberal provincial govern-

ments have regularly shown obedience to the federal government their opposition to CETA is undependable Only munici-

pal governments have shown strong resis-tance Thanks to the good work of the

Council of Canadians some 80 munici-palities have called either for complete

exclusion or passed resolutions expressing concern Most of these are in BC and On-

tario and include large populations like Toronto Hamilton Mississauga and Vic-

toria As for opposition to CETA by the

general public no one can predict how

that will go As it happens we are neither informed nor consulted on issues pertain-

ing to important economic affairs Be-sides most of us are so wrapped up in the

scramble to service our debts and eke a little fun out of life we lack the surplus

energy to assert our broader interests The CETA agreement is not a done

deal Itrsquos a ldquotentativerdquo agreement and de-spite Harperrsquos and Barrosorsquos signatures it

will need ratification Even so it will not come into force until 2015 The least we can demand is that the agreement be made

public Contact your MP and your MLA and insist that he or she obtain by what-

ever means the full text and proceed to educate their constituency as to its pros

and cons For the contents of this essay I have de-

pended largely on the Council of Canadi-ans (wwwcanadiansorg) and Murray

Dobbinrsquos article ldquoCETA Can Harperrsquos Trojan Horse be Stoppedrdquo (wwwcanadiandimensioncom

articles4966)

Van Andruss is editor of the magazine

Lived Experience He enjoys the biore-

gional life and community in historic

Moha outside of Lillooet BC

By Van Andruss

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel

Barroso signed a free-trade accord last week Dow negotiations must proceed on a

prickly side deal Photo Georges Gobet

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 8: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 8 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

T he relationship between hu-

mans and honey bees goes

back a long way Cave art

from an estimated 8000 years

ago shows a honey-gatherer risking life

and limb in pursuit of a sweet reward

Bees and flowers go back even fur-ther in their connection Theyrsquove co-evolved for over 10 million years The flowers benefit from pollination thus pro-creation while the bees are rewarded with pollen and nectar nutritional essentials in their life cycle Of the 20000 bee species now known less than 10 are honey bees Yet after the common fruit fly honey bees are the second most studied insect in biologi-cal research Besides being super cool why would this be Fast forward to modern day agricul-ture Pollination is worth ten times the monetary value of honey An estimated 30 per cent of the food we eat depends on pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male part of a flower to the female part This enables fertilization which results in viable seeds Successful pollination typically increases fruit set resulting in higher yields of better-formed larger more flavourful fruit that ripens faster and keeps longer While bumblebees and other na-tives are excellent pollinators only honey bees can be managed in large enough num-bers to ensure adequate pollination at the critical time for an individual crop bloom We are losing native bees due to habitat destruction insecticides and monoculture crop planting The honey bee (Apis mel-lifera L) has become critical in managed pollination worldwide Given their essential role in food production how can it be that honey bees are in decline Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been in the news since massive die-offs were noted in 2006 And are we any closer to understanding why Is there a so-called silver bullet Alas no What we do know is that CCD is multifactoral death by a thousand cuts Happily a few things have been ruled out including cellphone transmissions and my personal favourite the rapture What is surfacing through research and reports from beekeepers is the story of an insect and really a world under pressure Herersquos where the irony comes in Letrsquos look at three crops blueberries al-monds and corn In our quest for the healthful benefits of antioxidants super protein cheap starch and sugar substitutes plastic alternatives and biofuel among other desirable attributes wersquove created monstrous demands for these commodities To meet these demands conven-tional agriculture has stepped in In British Columbia alone we generated $83 million in gross blueberry sales representing 56 per cent of total Canadian sales in 2010 In California there are 810000 acres of al-mond orchards that require two million honey bee colonies each spring for pollina-tion most of which are trucked in from as far away as Florida These orchards are monoculture moonscapes nothing else

Life with Honey Bees ~ Wersquore in This Together

grows alongside row upon row of these super nut trees And then therersquos corn both sweet and utilitarian (aka cow corn most of which is genetically modified) While corn doesnrsquot require pollination nearly 100 per cent of the seed in North America is treated with neonicotinoids a family of neurotoxins that have recently been impli-cated as harmful to bees and other pollina-tors on a sub-lethal basis Europe placed a three-year moratorium banning neonicoti-noids this year Canadian commercial seed companies are offering non-treated corn and soya seed for the 2014 planting season in response to honey bee poisonings that occurred in Ontario and Quebec last spring Many conventional beekeeping practices have compounded these prob-lems by promoting the prophylactic use of chemical miticides and antibiotics in the management of commercial apiaries These agents often leave residues in the hiversquos beeswax which in turn interact with outside chemicals brought in to the hive by the bees The synergistic effect can be 10 times as powerful and even lethal to the bees To finish the suite of honey bee threats we must mention good olrsquo Varroa mites and other bee pathogens like Nosema plus viruses that are vectored when the beersquos immune system is compro-mised Starvation poor nutrition genetic inbreeding and stress round out the chal-lenges Okay itrsquos time to step away from the cliff Wersquore in this together and there is some silver lining here Stay the course therersquos both hope and things we can do as individuals and communities to turn things around If you watch one TED Talk this winter please set aside time for Dr Marla Spivakrsquos presentation ldquoWhy Bees are Dis-appearingrdquo httpwwwtedcomtalksmarla_spivak_why_bees_are_disappearinghtml

Her take home message is simple and practical plant more flowers for the bees They will offer nutrition and biodi-versity Spivak is one of the true rock stars of the honey bee research world For years at the University of Minnesota shersquos stud-ied and developed a line of bees that have natural hygienic behaviour thus disease resistance Other rock stars worth noting and Googling include Sue Cobey of Washing-ton State University who is importing honey bee germplasm (drone sperm) from isolated pockets in Europe where there are sub-species of honey bees that display de-sirable heritable traits Suersquos specialty is honey bee breeding including artificial insemination She spoke to a captivated audience at the 2013 BC Honey Producers Association conference held in Kelowna last fall httpwsmwsuedusindexphpid=948 One of the best writers about honey bees is Dr Eric Mussen who joined the UC Davis Department of Entomology faculty in 1976 I was fortunate to hear him speak in October at the Western Apiculture Soci-ety (WAS) meeting held in Santa Fe New Mexico Eric is retiring next year he will leave both a formidable legacy and a vast void Pragmatic and brilliant Mussen has lived in the hub of California agriculture development for decades and has seen an array of pesticides come and go Here are links to both his Bee Briefs httpucanr orgsi tes entomologyFacul tyEric_C_MussenBee_Briefs and the WAS

Journal httpucanredusiteswas2WAS_Journal

In BC we have University of British Columbiarsquos (UBC) Dr Leonard Foster one of many prodigies from rocker Dr Mark Winstonrsquos famous and now defunct bee lab at Simon Fraser University Foster and his team at UBC in partnership with Genome BC are spearheading the search to identify honey bee populations that are naturally resistant to pathogens Using sophisticated proteomics they are well on their way to teasing out protein markers associated with Hygienic Behaviour and Varroa Sensitive Hygiene In the foresee-able future queen bee producers will have a tool that helps confirm if their bee stock is hardy and worthy of propagation httpwwwchibiubccafacultyleonard-fosterfoster-labbee-ipm Another exciting trend in apiculture these days is the emergence of urban bee-keeping Kudos go out to Mayor Kerry Cook and the Council of the City of Wil-liams Lake who last September voted unanimously in favour of urban beekeep-ing Hobbyist beekeepers have an impor-tant role to play Not only can they keep the gentle art of beekeeping alive but they can also be stewards to newly developed honey bee genetic stock For sound educational information and inspiration Heather Clay of Vernon BC runs the Urban Bee Network Well qualified Heather is the former Canadian Honey Council CEO and spent years as the apiarist for the province of New Bruns-wick You can learn more about keeping honey bees in cities managing bees on a small scale tips for planting for bees facts about pollination and how to help save our speci a l pol l i na tor s a t ht t p wwwurbanbeenetworkca A word of caution to those who wish to keep bees or are new to beekeep-ing itrsquos very important to learn the basics Sadly many venture in and fold after the first two or three years of keeping bees This makes sense as when you acquire your bees yoursquore benefiting from the knowledge and management of whomever you bought your bees from Many ldquonewbeesrdquo want to keep their bees natu-

(Continued on page 9)

By Diane Dunaway

Woman gathering honey watercolor copy by

F Benitez Mellado of a Mesolithic (c

100008000ndashc 3000 bce) painting in the

Cueva de la Arana near Bicorp Spain in the Museum of Prehistory Valencia Spain

Credit Instituto de Estudios Editoriales Bar-

celona

Credit The Canadian Association of

Professional Apiculturists

A visit in the bee yard in wintertime Photo Diane Dunaway

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 9

TheGreenGazette

rally This is admirable please donrsquot get me wrong However statistically natural too often turns to neglect Itrsquos imperative that a beekeeper can identify diseases and parasites and monitor for them If found then the same beekeeper must decide how to best keep these infestations from killing a colony or worsemdashputting neighbouring apiaries at risk Worker bees can forage as far as five kilometers from their hives drones go even further looking for love Please practice safe beekeeping lsquoNuff said If yoursquod like to create bee habitat in your garden there are several bee-friendly plants that do well in our zone three cli-mate One of the best books on the subject is by Jane Ramsay of Victoria BC ldquoPlants for Beekeeping in Canada and the North-ern USArdquo was first published through the International Bee Research Association (IBRA) Theyrsquore sold out but Ramsay has some of her books for sale Her phone number is 250-598-4415

(Continued from page 8)

What You Can Do to Support

Your Local Honey Bee and Beekeeper bull Buy local honey and hive prod-

ucts at a fair market price

bull Use honey in place of sugar as

your sweetener of choice

bull Learn to love dandelions

bull Add bee-friendly plants to your

garden

bull Differentiate between honey

bees and wasps

bull Provide clean water for bees

and other pollinators

bull Reduce lawn mowing and set

your mower at a higher cutting

level

bull Advocate for bee-friendly by-

laws

bull Educate others about honey

bee pollination a third of our

food supply needs it Pollina-

tion is worth ten times the eco-

nomic value of honey

bull Donrsquot use pesticides if you

must please use fast-acting

short-residual options apply at

dusk when pollinators are least

active

bull Become a beekeeper

Thank You

2013 was a fabulous year for honey bees

in the Cariboo Diane Dunaway harvests

from a leaning tower of honey supers Photo Eddy Bowser

Humankindrsquos relationship with bees has come a long way since the time of honey robbing From rock art to research rock stars wersquove developed an understanding an appreciation and a codependency that isnrsquot about to weaken any time soon

Diane Dunaway has kept bees since 1998

A Master Beekeeper she runs close to 100

colonies from her Bee Happy Honey farm

in the Soda Creek valley of the Cariboo

Diane produced and edited BeesCene the BC Honey Producers Association

(BCHPA) quarterly journal for five years

Dedicated to the health and welfare of

honey bees and the environment that sup-

ports them she advocates for organic inte-

grated pest management methods Recently

she became a BCHPA Certified Instructor

of Introductory Beekeeping through a

partnership with the BC Ministry of Agri-

culture Apiculture Branch When shersquos not

chasing swarms around the countryside

Diane can be found at home with Dave

her husband of 22 years and their menag-

erie of rescue animals

Page 10 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Philippines Tragedy Shows Urgency of Warsaw Climate Summit

Science Matters

A s people in the Philippines struggle with devastation and death from

the worst storm to hit land in re-

corded history world leaders met

in Warsaw Poland to discuss the climate

crisis ldquoWhat my country is going through as

a result of this extreme climate event is mad-

ness The climate crisis is madnessrdquo Yeb Sano lead negotiator for the Philippines told

the opening session of the U climate sum-

mit which ran until ovember 22 ldquoWe can

stop this madness Right here in Warsawrdquo

Given the slow progress at the 18 meetings held since 1992 ndash when countries from around the world joined the United Na-tions Framework Convention on Climate Change ndash itrsquos hard not to be pessimistic Can-ada in particular has been repeatedly singled out among the close to 200 member countries for obstructing progress and not doing enough to address climate change at home But as scientific evidence continues to build and impacts ndash from extreme weather to melting Arctic ice ndash continue to worsen with costs mounting daily the impetus to resolve the problem is growing Wersquore exhausting Earthrsquos finite resources and pushing global ecosystems to tipping points beyond which addressing pollution and climate issues will become increasingly difficult and costly The only hindrance to developing a fair ambitious and legally binding climate plan for the world is lack of political will Part of the problem is that much of the world is tied to the fossil fuel economy and the rush is on to get as much oil coal and gas out of the ground and to market while people are still willing to pay for it and burn it up Wersquore wasting precious resources in the name of quick profits instead of putting them to better use than propelling often solo occupants in large metal vehicles and instead of making them last while we shift to cleaner energy sources But therersquos cause for hope Solutions are available Governments just have to dem-onstrate courage and leadership to put us on a path to a healthier future For example a recent report by energy consulting firm ECOFYS titled ldquoFeasibility of GHG emissions phase-out by mid-centuryrdquo shows itrsquos technically and economically feasi-ble to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to zero from 90 per cent of current sources

with readily available technology It shows we could phase out almost all net emissions by 2050 by innovating further In doing so we could likely meet the agreed-upon goal of lim-iting global average temperature increases to below 2 degrees C and wersquod stand a 50 per cent chance of staying below 15 degrees C by the end of the century All of this would have the added benefit of reducing ldquowater air and soil pollution associated with traditional en-ergy generationrdquo The report echoes the David Suzuki Foundationrsquos findings regarding Canadarsquos potential to meet its current and forecasted demand for fuel and electricity with existing supplies of solar wind hydroelectric and biomass energy Whether or not any of this is politically feasible is another question But the longer we delay the more difficult and expensive it will get Polling research also shows Canadians expect our government to be a constructive global citizen on climate action A recent Leger Marketing survey sponsored by Canada 2020 and the University of Montreal found the majority of Canadians understand that human activity is contributing to climate change and believe the federal government should make addressing the issue a high priority Of those polled 76 per cent said Canada should sign an international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions with most supporting this even if China does not sign The poll also found majority support for a carbon tax as one way to combat climate change especially if the money generated is used to support renewable energy develop-ment Although BC has recently stepped back from previous leadership on climate change its carbon tax is one example among many local governments doing more than the federal government to address climate change We and our leaders at all political lev-els ndash local national and international ndash must do everything we can to confront the crisis As Mr Sano told delegates in Warsaw ldquoWe can-not sit and stay helpless staring at this interna-tional climate stalemate It is now time to take action We need an emergency climate path-wayrdquo With contributions from David Suzuki Founda-

tion senior editor Ian Hanington Learn more at wwwdavidsuzukiorg

By David Suzuki

Debris lines the streets of Tacloban Leyte island

Photo Eoghan Rice - Troacutecaire Caritas

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 11

TheGreenGazette

Copyright 2013 Petar Meseldzija

wwwpetarmeseldzijaartcom wwwpetarmeseldzijablogspotnl Petar Meseldžija is widely acknowledged as one of the leading artists in the field of contemporary

fantastic art His style resembles artists like Rembrandt Frank Frazetta and Alan Lee He does illus-trations and paintings for publishers various clients and private collectors from around the world

By Ron Young

o matter how well you think

you are prepared for the un-

expected there is always the

ldquobolt from the bluerdquo that

thing that occurs that you didnrsquot expect or

plan for also known as the unknown un-

known Itrsquos such a commonplace refer-

ence in the aerospace industry unknown

unknowns are abbreviated as lsquounk-unkrsquo

Donald Rumsfeld made the concept infa-

mous during the Iraq war in the state-

ment ldquoThere are hellip unknown un-

knownsmdashthere are things we do not know

we donrsquot knowrdquo

Well I had an encounter with unk-unks during a recent snowstorm and power outage and Irsquom sure I was grunting unk but also uncle many times that weekend When the power goes out and you have a battery back up system as I do you hardly notice especially if itrsquos relatively short-term We get power from BC Hydro but we also have solar and wind generated power that is stored in a battery When the battery is fully charged from wind or solar (PV) then the system automatically switches designated loads to run off the stored energy until the battery is depleted In this way we can run household lights and appliances for many hours a day exclu-sively from renewable energy sources and reduce our carbon footprint while lowering our BC Hydro bill But it seems that when one thing goes wrong Murphyrsquos Law dictates that the wrong thing the problem must bring friends to the party Not only did the power go off which is an eventuality I was pre-pared for but also the snow came down one icy little flake after another until over 50 cm of accumulated chaos had arrived in record time And then to finish off the threesome the pump that supplies our house with water from the creek well quit working Water isnrsquot something you can do without for long and having had the occa-sional water problem in the past I put a cou-ple of five gallon jugs of water aside for emergencies But you can go through ten gallons of water really quickly in a two-person household Even if you are prudent about when you flush the toilet (which in an older toilet can use nearly five gallons per flush) you will still need several gallons for cooking drinking and washing An added source for clean water is your hot water tank which you can drain making sure you first turn off the breaker so the heating ele-ments donrsquot switch on in an empty tank and quickly burn out Well after an entire weekend of problem-solving it put me in mind of think-ing ahead and preparing for possible emer-gencies While I donrsquot want to become fix-

A Bolt From the Blue AKA The lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo ated on the subject I have to remind myself to pay attention to have lsquosituational aware-nessrsquo as it is called in the military Itrsquos win-tertime and if yoursquore going to travel winter roads what will you do if you have a break-down Many of us in the rural Cariboo live in areas without cell coverage so while hav-ing a cellphone is a good idea it isnrsquot a panacea Having clothes and shoes that are suitable for walking some distance in cold weather is essential gear Having a source of heat is a great idea such as hand warmers or a small beeswax candle Beeswax burns significantly hotter and longer than other wax and a single candle can be a lifesaver Other simple things that are often over-looked in winter vehicles are a portable shovel a length of strong rope in case you need towing a set of battery starter cables and a good flashlight Throw in a couple of energy bars for good measure Household preparedness is another matter The world we live in nowadays seems to be more volatile and unpredictable than it ever was So we have to think in terms of streams of essentials that make up our daily lives Then think of what steps we will take if any of those streams are di-verted or interrupted The aforementioned water is one essentialmdashfood heat commu-nications and energy to power lights and some basic appliances are other essentials A good backup plan is to create a small safety margin in each of those critical streams that will help us bridge unexpected events In the energy department which is my area of expertise I would suggest a good minimum strategy is to have a deep cycle battery with a small invertercharger that keeps the battery charged when itrsquos not needed When the power goes out this sys-tem will power some lights a cellphone charger a TV or computer or even a mi-crowave There are all-in-one battery packs with built-in inverters available at hardware stores but they are light duty and useful mainly for some lights A proper back-up power system will have at least 200 amp hours of battery capacity with a minimum 1000-watt inverter and a built in charger Itrsquos inexpensive to add a solar panel to this combination that can also recharge the bat-tery While itrsquos not reasonable or realistic to try to have a back-up plan that covers all possible emergencies you can take impor-tant steps towards insuring your familyrsquos safety and comfort in case of unexpected events You will find that the more you think about this and take small measures the more you begin to see the bigger picture and learn effective strategies There will always be unknown unknowns

unk-unk n especially in engineering something such as a problem that has not been and could not have been imagined or anticipated an unknown unknown Ron Young a Renewable Energy specialist

owns the earthRight store in Williams Lake

established in 1993 A series of articles on

the basics of solar energy can be found at

his website wwwsolareaglecom

Copyright Ron Young 2013

Federal Environment Commissionerrsquos Fall

Report Paints Grim Picture of State of

Biodiversity in Canada

Environmental conservation in Canada has reached a new low according to a report from the office of the federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development released on November 5 Citing ldquodeteriorating biodiversity conditions in all of the main types of ecosystems in Canadardquo interim environment commissioner Neil Maxwell called on federal depart-ments to seek ldquoground-breakingrdquo new approaches to ldquobreak the pattern of unfulfilled commitments and responsibilitiesrdquo Elizabeth May leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands expressed gratitude for the commissionerrsquos diligent research stating ldquoThe deep cuts to Parks Canada are clearly causing serious problems in maintaining ecological in-tegrity in parks while across the federal government there is a disturbing failure to fulfill statutory responsibilities for species at riskrdquo The Green Party leader also emphasized the need to implement and provide fund-ing for more stringent environmental monitoring standards while echoing the commis-sionerrsquos call for a more collaborative and integrated approach to supporting biodiversity one that would take into account all aspects of an ecosystem The report which examined the work of Environment Canada the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Parks Canada in protecting Canadarsquos natural environment found that over 70 per cent of national wildlife areas had ldquoless than adequate ecological integrityrdquo and that over 90 per cent ldquodid not have adequate management plansrdquo ldquoThe threats to bird populations are alarmingrdquo remarked Andrew Park environ-ment critic for the Green Party of Canada ldquoWe are losing the scientific capacity to moni-tor species as their numbers plummetrdquo The report states that according to Environment Canadarsquos own estimates fewer than half of the Bird Conservation Region Strategies it committed to completing by 2010 had been finished and ldquomonitoring for 30 per cent of the bird species in Canada is insuf-ficient to determine whether they are at riskrdquo httpelizabethmaympcanewspublicationspress-releases20131106federal-environment-commissioners-fall-report-paints-grim-picture-of-state-of-biodiversity-in-canada

Page 12 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A round Christmas time

therersquos an extremely notice-

able buzz in the air Yoursquore

excited for the holidays time

off school and time off work This buzz

in the air could be a couple of different

things added together plus the crazy

holiday rush We all have to admit that

in some way we do love Christmas holi-

days For some the meaning of Christ-

mas is to uphold the family traditions

And yet for others it is a wonderful time

to create new family traditions

However therersquos something about that time of year that Irsquom sure oth-ers have noticed It is something that gets more intimidating every year like an enormous snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger This is called consumerismmdashthe ongoing want to buy buy buy Consumerism goes on through-out the year but I find at Christmas time it is at its worst

Typically consumerism is the term used to describe what humans do Humans no longer know how to be re-sourceful so we purchase goods to fulfill our needs As you know this is a large cause of many negative things that are happening to this world right now Sure we like to buy presents here and there Where do you cross the line and when do you realize you donrsquot need to purchase some items Making a decision like this is extremely difficult especially with advertisements telling you what to do And Christmas time may be a difficult time to restrain from buying many items because theyrsquore for people you love The holidays are supposed to be relaxing and de-stressing They have however turned into something quite the opposite

Itrsquos hard to think about ways to reduce how much you consume and the holidays make it ten times more difficult The media concentrates on focusing your money and attention on to certain sub-jects Since when was Christmas only about buying presents for people Where did the peace and joy go As the holidays roll on by take note of the ads you see around yourself Take note of the overall message that theyrsquore displaying to you Yoursquoll find that they all point toward the holidays but then relate it to whatever product they are trying to sell you For example ldquoGetting your Christmas feast absolutely perfect is what matters most Thatrsquos why we came up with the perfect oven to satisfy your needsrdquo

Yoursquoll find Christmas turns into an excuse for extra media to be stuffed in to every single eye and ear you could possibly have There is a point at which it turns into too much People donrsquot realize how much the media impacts our buying choices and Christmas turns into just another giant shopping spree

It is certainly a proven fact that people spend more at Christmas time Studies have shown that 12 per cent of people are committed to spend more this

Christmas than last Christmas Will that number grow and what impact will that have on us More spending does mean more consuming more waste and more stuff we donrsquot need I know yoursquore proba-bly thinking ldquoWell how do I celebrate Christmas as well as lessen how much I consumerdquo

Well ladies and gentleman the answer lies in buying local and support-ing small companies By purchasing gifts made locally you diminish the distance it travels to get to your shopping bag It isnrsquot hard to find locals selling interest-ing unique and often handmade items This Christmas I challenge you to think more about what yoursquore buying and where it came from

The next time you find yourself crammed into a store think about this Stop and take a glance at the people bus-tling about Look at their faces Do they look like theyrsquore having a fun time Or do they look stressed Oh Look over there at that little boy he has stars in his eyes as he stares into the fake branches of that plastic Christmas tree No he doesnrsquot believe in the magic of Santa but in the magic of daddyrsquos wallet

What has this society made of Christmas when the only thing people focus on is getting copious amounts of gifts We need to be aware of this during the holiday season Also we need to be careful the rest of the year Be mindful of your spending choices and donrsquot let the media control your decisions That way the negative buzz in the air wonrsquot affect you as much at Christmas time Most of all I wish you a joyous holiday season Namaste Jenna Sipponen is in Grade 12 and lives

in a cute little valley called the Simil-

kameen Her hobbies include procrasti-

nating theatre and yoga in random

places

Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas

By Jenna Sipponen

Photo Rapid Eye Media

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 13

TheGreenGazette

O n October 18 after four years

of negotiations Prime Minis-

ter Stephen Harper and Presi-

dent of the European Com-

mission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a

ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels

CETA stands for Comprehensive Eco-

nomic and Trade Agreement and is said

by Harper to be the biggest trade deal

Canada has ever made even bigger than

AFTA

Typical of the Harper government this enormously significant agreement

was signed before anyone had a chance to view it It is still obscure just what on the

whole we are being committed to but the following contents have leaked into view

The main thrust of the deal is aimed at giving international corporations even greater powers over Canadian rules and

regulations than they already possess un-der NAFTA In effect according to this

deal foreign corporations are to be treated equally as domestic companies in Canada

breaking down all former impediments to corporate domination If you look into the

matter you find that CETA has very little to do with expanding ldquofree traderdquo and

everything to do with giving international corporations ever greater power to over-

ride domestic authority Thus we are being robbed of Cana-

dian sovereignty by contracts to which we

are not privy which no sensible citizen would agree to sign and which if politi-

cians were honest would prevent them from ever being elected

Below are some of the particulars

Public Procurement CETA will ban government at all levels from ldquobuy localrdquo policies as harmful to the level

playing field urged by international corpo-rations As Murray Dobbins tells us in an article in Canadian Dimensions ldquoThe

procurement provisions ndash giving EU cor-porations unobstructed access to the pub-

lic spending of municipalities schools boards hospitals universities and crown

corporations ndash is especially threatening given the critical role such public spend-

ing plays in a time of virtually zero pri-vate investment The strategic use of pub-

lic spending for economic development and support for local businesses or sectors (such as green energy) would also be ef-

fectively banned Others worry that if the EU gets its procurement deal the US will

want similar treatmentmdashan even greater threat given its proximity to Canadardquo

Under this new procurement regime the privatization of local services becomes

far more likely water electricity transit medical services postal service all man-

ner of social services Huge water compa-nies like Nestle Veolia Environment and

Suez are rubbing their hands in anticipa-tion

On the other hand in bold contrast to

Canadarsquos part the European Union has negotiated a blanket exemption to protect

their water energy and public services including health care Why donrsquot we get

the same

CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Pharmaceuticals As part of the

deal European pharmaceutical corpora-

tions already immensely wealthy are seeking to extend their monopolies on

patent drugs delaying for an even longer term the introduction of cheaper generic

drugs for Canadian citizens On the other hand there is no indication that the EU will make any changes to its own patent

system This delay alone is estimated to cost our economy from $800 million to

$16 million annually Making under-the-table deals is bad enough but making bad

deals is even worse And what has patent extensions got to do with free trade any-

way

Investor Rights This term refers to giving foreign corporations based in Can-ada the right to sue our government for public policies that affect the maximiza-

tion of their profits Already Canada is facing nearly $25 billion worth of corpo-

rate lawsuits under NAFTArsquos investment protection chapter including one from an

oil and gas company against Quebecrsquos moratorium on fracking and another

against Canada by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly demanding a $100 mil-

lion for ldquoexpropriationrdquo because the courts refused to grant a drug patentmdashand this on

the grounds it did not satisfy conditions set down by Canadian law Rather than free trade the Investor State Settlement Proc-

ess is more about the elimination of public interest policies instituted to protect con-

sumer health safety privacy and envi-ronmental values

By the same negative token Cana-dian companies will not hesitate to sue

Europe for completely legitimate public decisions for example instituting regula-

tions for mining companies or stricter environmental rules qualifying the sales of oil and gas

In all official discussion of CETA two issues are conspicuously missing One

is the Environment issue and the other is Native Rights Already NAFTA plus the

Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 and the suppression of science in the ministries

have seriously hampered our ability to respond with intelligence to environmental

changes By now it would be tiresome to la-

bour the point that the natural world is in

decline You can no longer read about wild animals to your children without

warning of their impending extinction Soon enough we are told the ocean will

be dead from acidification and whatrsquos left on land besides humans will be insects

dogs cats and farm animals spawned un-der factory conditions Global warming is

threatening to eliminate even these Yet all we hear from Stephen Harper in his

cheery speech celebrating CETA is a $12 billion boost to our economy and the 100000 cars a year Canadian automakers

will export to Europe (hopefully burning tar sands oil)

But we all know therersquos no wisdom in putting dollars over health over life

Native issues consultation and land development rights do not arise in

CETArsquos consciousness Indigenous people

simply donrsquot exist in a landscape of Big Money Neither apparently does the Ca-

nadian Parliament whose opinions are not solicited and for whom there is no oppor-

tunity for debate The question then arises what can

be done to block this diabolical plan Again Murray Dobbins is informa-

tive We are reminded that Harper ldquois

constrained in what he can do by the con-stitutional division of powers which gives

the provinces so much political authority The really big social items on the political

agenda ndash health education social services ndash are matters of provincial jurisdiction To

be sure he can severely damage all of these by destroying the decades-old prin-

ciple of universality and by slashing fed-eral funding But he canrsquot get rid of them The provinces also have a mandate on

protecting the environment and regarding labour rights and most working Canadi-

ans are in sectors that come under provin-cial jurisdiction Lastly the third level of

government (the municipality) is also a creature of the provinces While munici-

palities depend on the federal government for financial help Ottawa has no political

authority over themrdquo Since Neo-liberal provincial govern-

ments have regularly shown obedience to the federal government their opposition to CETA is undependable Only munici-

pal governments have shown strong resis-tance Thanks to the good work of the

Council of Canadians some 80 munici-palities have called either for complete

exclusion or passed resolutions expressing concern Most of these are in BC and On-

tario and include large populations like Toronto Hamilton Mississauga and Vic-

toria As for opposition to CETA by the

general public no one can predict how

that will go As it happens we are neither informed nor consulted on issues pertain-

ing to important economic affairs Be-sides most of us are so wrapped up in the

scramble to service our debts and eke a little fun out of life we lack the surplus

energy to assert our broader interests The CETA agreement is not a done

deal Itrsquos a ldquotentativerdquo agreement and de-spite Harperrsquos and Barrosorsquos signatures it

will need ratification Even so it will not come into force until 2015 The least we can demand is that the agreement be made

public Contact your MP and your MLA and insist that he or she obtain by what-

ever means the full text and proceed to educate their constituency as to its pros

and cons For the contents of this essay I have de-

pended largely on the Council of Canadi-ans (wwwcanadiansorg) and Murray

Dobbinrsquos article ldquoCETA Can Harperrsquos Trojan Horse be Stoppedrdquo (wwwcanadiandimensioncom

articles4966)

Van Andruss is editor of the magazine

Lived Experience He enjoys the biore-

gional life and community in historic

Moha outside of Lillooet BC

By Van Andruss

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel

Barroso signed a free-trade accord last week Dow negotiations must proceed on a

prickly side deal Photo Georges Gobet

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 9: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 9

TheGreenGazette

rally This is admirable please donrsquot get me wrong However statistically natural too often turns to neglect Itrsquos imperative that a beekeeper can identify diseases and parasites and monitor for them If found then the same beekeeper must decide how to best keep these infestations from killing a colony or worsemdashputting neighbouring apiaries at risk Worker bees can forage as far as five kilometers from their hives drones go even further looking for love Please practice safe beekeeping lsquoNuff said If yoursquod like to create bee habitat in your garden there are several bee-friendly plants that do well in our zone three cli-mate One of the best books on the subject is by Jane Ramsay of Victoria BC ldquoPlants for Beekeeping in Canada and the North-ern USArdquo was first published through the International Bee Research Association (IBRA) Theyrsquore sold out but Ramsay has some of her books for sale Her phone number is 250-598-4415

(Continued from page 8)

What You Can Do to Support

Your Local Honey Bee and Beekeeper bull Buy local honey and hive prod-

ucts at a fair market price

bull Use honey in place of sugar as

your sweetener of choice

bull Learn to love dandelions

bull Add bee-friendly plants to your

garden

bull Differentiate between honey

bees and wasps

bull Provide clean water for bees

and other pollinators

bull Reduce lawn mowing and set

your mower at a higher cutting

level

bull Advocate for bee-friendly by-

laws

bull Educate others about honey

bee pollination a third of our

food supply needs it Pollina-

tion is worth ten times the eco-

nomic value of honey

bull Donrsquot use pesticides if you

must please use fast-acting

short-residual options apply at

dusk when pollinators are least

active

bull Become a beekeeper

Thank You

2013 was a fabulous year for honey bees

in the Cariboo Diane Dunaway harvests

from a leaning tower of honey supers Photo Eddy Bowser

Humankindrsquos relationship with bees has come a long way since the time of honey robbing From rock art to research rock stars wersquove developed an understanding an appreciation and a codependency that isnrsquot about to weaken any time soon

Diane Dunaway has kept bees since 1998

A Master Beekeeper she runs close to 100

colonies from her Bee Happy Honey farm

in the Soda Creek valley of the Cariboo

Diane produced and edited BeesCene the BC Honey Producers Association

(BCHPA) quarterly journal for five years

Dedicated to the health and welfare of

honey bees and the environment that sup-

ports them she advocates for organic inte-

grated pest management methods Recently

she became a BCHPA Certified Instructor

of Introductory Beekeeping through a

partnership with the BC Ministry of Agri-

culture Apiculture Branch When shersquos not

chasing swarms around the countryside

Diane can be found at home with Dave

her husband of 22 years and their menag-

erie of rescue animals

Page 10 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Philippines Tragedy Shows Urgency of Warsaw Climate Summit

Science Matters

A s people in the Philippines struggle with devastation and death from

the worst storm to hit land in re-

corded history world leaders met

in Warsaw Poland to discuss the climate

crisis ldquoWhat my country is going through as

a result of this extreme climate event is mad-

ness The climate crisis is madnessrdquo Yeb Sano lead negotiator for the Philippines told

the opening session of the U climate sum-

mit which ran until ovember 22 ldquoWe can

stop this madness Right here in Warsawrdquo

Given the slow progress at the 18 meetings held since 1992 ndash when countries from around the world joined the United Na-tions Framework Convention on Climate Change ndash itrsquos hard not to be pessimistic Can-ada in particular has been repeatedly singled out among the close to 200 member countries for obstructing progress and not doing enough to address climate change at home But as scientific evidence continues to build and impacts ndash from extreme weather to melting Arctic ice ndash continue to worsen with costs mounting daily the impetus to resolve the problem is growing Wersquore exhausting Earthrsquos finite resources and pushing global ecosystems to tipping points beyond which addressing pollution and climate issues will become increasingly difficult and costly The only hindrance to developing a fair ambitious and legally binding climate plan for the world is lack of political will Part of the problem is that much of the world is tied to the fossil fuel economy and the rush is on to get as much oil coal and gas out of the ground and to market while people are still willing to pay for it and burn it up Wersquore wasting precious resources in the name of quick profits instead of putting them to better use than propelling often solo occupants in large metal vehicles and instead of making them last while we shift to cleaner energy sources But therersquos cause for hope Solutions are available Governments just have to dem-onstrate courage and leadership to put us on a path to a healthier future For example a recent report by energy consulting firm ECOFYS titled ldquoFeasibility of GHG emissions phase-out by mid-centuryrdquo shows itrsquos technically and economically feasi-ble to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to zero from 90 per cent of current sources

with readily available technology It shows we could phase out almost all net emissions by 2050 by innovating further In doing so we could likely meet the agreed-upon goal of lim-iting global average temperature increases to below 2 degrees C and wersquod stand a 50 per cent chance of staying below 15 degrees C by the end of the century All of this would have the added benefit of reducing ldquowater air and soil pollution associated with traditional en-ergy generationrdquo The report echoes the David Suzuki Foundationrsquos findings regarding Canadarsquos potential to meet its current and forecasted demand for fuel and electricity with existing supplies of solar wind hydroelectric and biomass energy Whether or not any of this is politically feasible is another question But the longer we delay the more difficult and expensive it will get Polling research also shows Canadians expect our government to be a constructive global citizen on climate action A recent Leger Marketing survey sponsored by Canada 2020 and the University of Montreal found the majority of Canadians understand that human activity is contributing to climate change and believe the federal government should make addressing the issue a high priority Of those polled 76 per cent said Canada should sign an international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions with most supporting this even if China does not sign The poll also found majority support for a carbon tax as one way to combat climate change especially if the money generated is used to support renewable energy develop-ment Although BC has recently stepped back from previous leadership on climate change its carbon tax is one example among many local governments doing more than the federal government to address climate change We and our leaders at all political lev-els ndash local national and international ndash must do everything we can to confront the crisis As Mr Sano told delegates in Warsaw ldquoWe can-not sit and stay helpless staring at this interna-tional climate stalemate It is now time to take action We need an emergency climate path-wayrdquo With contributions from David Suzuki Founda-

tion senior editor Ian Hanington Learn more at wwwdavidsuzukiorg

By David Suzuki

Debris lines the streets of Tacloban Leyte island

Photo Eoghan Rice - Troacutecaire Caritas

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 11

TheGreenGazette

Copyright 2013 Petar Meseldzija

wwwpetarmeseldzijaartcom wwwpetarmeseldzijablogspotnl Petar Meseldžija is widely acknowledged as one of the leading artists in the field of contemporary

fantastic art His style resembles artists like Rembrandt Frank Frazetta and Alan Lee He does illus-trations and paintings for publishers various clients and private collectors from around the world

By Ron Young

o matter how well you think

you are prepared for the un-

expected there is always the

ldquobolt from the bluerdquo that

thing that occurs that you didnrsquot expect or

plan for also known as the unknown un-

known Itrsquos such a commonplace refer-

ence in the aerospace industry unknown

unknowns are abbreviated as lsquounk-unkrsquo

Donald Rumsfeld made the concept infa-

mous during the Iraq war in the state-

ment ldquoThere are hellip unknown un-

knownsmdashthere are things we do not know

we donrsquot knowrdquo

Well I had an encounter with unk-unks during a recent snowstorm and power outage and Irsquom sure I was grunting unk but also uncle many times that weekend When the power goes out and you have a battery back up system as I do you hardly notice especially if itrsquos relatively short-term We get power from BC Hydro but we also have solar and wind generated power that is stored in a battery When the battery is fully charged from wind or solar (PV) then the system automatically switches designated loads to run off the stored energy until the battery is depleted In this way we can run household lights and appliances for many hours a day exclu-sively from renewable energy sources and reduce our carbon footprint while lowering our BC Hydro bill But it seems that when one thing goes wrong Murphyrsquos Law dictates that the wrong thing the problem must bring friends to the party Not only did the power go off which is an eventuality I was pre-pared for but also the snow came down one icy little flake after another until over 50 cm of accumulated chaos had arrived in record time And then to finish off the threesome the pump that supplies our house with water from the creek well quit working Water isnrsquot something you can do without for long and having had the occa-sional water problem in the past I put a cou-ple of five gallon jugs of water aside for emergencies But you can go through ten gallons of water really quickly in a two-person household Even if you are prudent about when you flush the toilet (which in an older toilet can use nearly five gallons per flush) you will still need several gallons for cooking drinking and washing An added source for clean water is your hot water tank which you can drain making sure you first turn off the breaker so the heating ele-ments donrsquot switch on in an empty tank and quickly burn out Well after an entire weekend of problem-solving it put me in mind of think-ing ahead and preparing for possible emer-gencies While I donrsquot want to become fix-

A Bolt From the Blue AKA The lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo ated on the subject I have to remind myself to pay attention to have lsquosituational aware-nessrsquo as it is called in the military Itrsquos win-tertime and if yoursquore going to travel winter roads what will you do if you have a break-down Many of us in the rural Cariboo live in areas without cell coverage so while hav-ing a cellphone is a good idea it isnrsquot a panacea Having clothes and shoes that are suitable for walking some distance in cold weather is essential gear Having a source of heat is a great idea such as hand warmers or a small beeswax candle Beeswax burns significantly hotter and longer than other wax and a single candle can be a lifesaver Other simple things that are often over-looked in winter vehicles are a portable shovel a length of strong rope in case you need towing a set of battery starter cables and a good flashlight Throw in a couple of energy bars for good measure Household preparedness is another matter The world we live in nowadays seems to be more volatile and unpredictable than it ever was So we have to think in terms of streams of essentials that make up our daily lives Then think of what steps we will take if any of those streams are di-verted or interrupted The aforementioned water is one essentialmdashfood heat commu-nications and energy to power lights and some basic appliances are other essentials A good backup plan is to create a small safety margin in each of those critical streams that will help us bridge unexpected events In the energy department which is my area of expertise I would suggest a good minimum strategy is to have a deep cycle battery with a small invertercharger that keeps the battery charged when itrsquos not needed When the power goes out this sys-tem will power some lights a cellphone charger a TV or computer or even a mi-crowave There are all-in-one battery packs with built-in inverters available at hardware stores but they are light duty and useful mainly for some lights A proper back-up power system will have at least 200 amp hours of battery capacity with a minimum 1000-watt inverter and a built in charger Itrsquos inexpensive to add a solar panel to this combination that can also recharge the bat-tery While itrsquos not reasonable or realistic to try to have a back-up plan that covers all possible emergencies you can take impor-tant steps towards insuring your familyrsquos safety and comfort in case of unexpected events You will find that the more you think about this and take small measures the more you begin to see the bigger picture and learn effective strategies There will always be unknown unknowns

unk-unk n especially in engineering something such as a problem that has not been and could not have been imagined or anticipated an unknown unknown Ron Young a Renewable Energy specialist

owns the earthRight store in Williams Lake

established in 1993 A series of articles on

the basics of solar energy can be found at

his website wwwsolareaglecom

Copyright Ron Young 2013

Federal Environment Commissionerrsquos Fall

Report Paints Grim Picture of State of

Biodiversity in Canada

Environmental conservation in Canada has reached a new low according to a report from the office of the federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development released on November 5 Citing ldquodeteriorating biodiversity conditions in all of the main types of ecosystems in Canadardquo interim environment commissioner Neil Maxwell called on federal depart-ments to seek ldquoground-breakingrdquo new approaches to ldquobreak the pattern of unfulfilled commitments and responsibilitiesrdquo Elizabeth May leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands expressed gratitude for the commissionerrsquos diligent research stating ldquoThe deep cuts to Parks Canada are clearly causing serious problems in maintaining ecological in-tegrity in parks while across the federal government there is a disturbing failure to fulfill statutory responsibilities for species at riskrdquo The Green Party leader also emphasized the need to implement and provide fund-ing for more stringent environmental monitoring standards while echoing the commis-sionerrsquos call for a more collaborative and integrated approach to supporting biodiversity one that would take into account all aspects of an ecosystem The report which examined the work of Environment Canada the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Parks Canada in protecting Canadarsquos natural environment found that over 70 per cent of national wildlife areas had ldquoless than adequate ecological integrityrdquo and that over 90 per cent ldquodid not have adequate management plansrdquo ldquoThe threats to bird populations are alarmingrdquo remarked Andrew Park environ-ment critic for the Green Party of Canada ldquoWe are losing the scientific capacity to moni-tor species as their numbers plummetrdquo The report states that according to Environment Canadarsquos own estimates fewer than half of the Bird Conservation Region Strategies it committed to completing by 2010 had been finished and ldquomonitoring for 30 per cent of the bird species in Canada is insuf-ficient to determine whether they are at riskrdquo httpelizabethmaympcanewspublicationspress-releases20131106federal-environment-commissioners-fall-report-paints-grim-picture-of-state-of-biodiversity-in-canada

Page 12 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A round Christmas time

therersquos an extremely notice-

able buzz in the air Yoursquore

excited for the holidays time

off school and time off work This buzz

in the air could be a couple of different

things added together plus the crazy

holiday rush We all have to admit that

in some way we do love Christmas holi-

days For some the meaning of Christ-

mas is to uphold the family traditions

And yet for others it is a wonderful time

to create new family traditions

However therersquos something about that time of year that Irsquom sure oth-ers have noticed It is something that gets more intimidating every year like an enormous snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger This is called consumerismmdashthe ongoing want to buy buy buy Consumerism goes on through-out the year but I find at Christmas time it is at its worst

Typically consumerism is the term used to describe what humans do Humans no longer know how to be re-sourceful so we purchase goods to fulfill our needs As you know this is a large cause of many negative things that are happening to this world right now Sure we like to buy presents here and there Where do you cross the line and when do you realize you donrsquot need to purchase some items Making a decision like this is extremely difficult especially with advertisements telling you what to do And Christmas time may be a difficult time to restrain from buying many items because theyrsquore for people you love The holidays are supposed to be relaxing and de-stressing They have however turned into something quite the opposite

Itrsquos hard to think about ways to reduce how much you consume and the holidays make it ten times more difficult The media concentrates on focusing your money and attention on to certain sub-jects Since when was Christmas only about buying presents for people Where did the peace and joy go As the holidays roll on by take note of the ads you see around yourself Take note of the overall message that theyrsquore displaying to you Yoursquoll find that they all point toward the holidays but then relate it to whatever product they are trying to sell you For example ldquoGetting your Christmas feast absolutely perfect is what matters most Thatrsquos why we came up with the perfect oven to satisfy your needsrdquo

Yoursquoll find Christmas turns into an excuse for extra media to be stuffed in to every single eye and ear you could possibly have There is a point at which it turns into too much People donrsquot realize how much the media impacts our buying choices and Christmas turns into just another giant shopping spree

It is certainly a proven fact that people spend more at Christmas time Studies have shown that 12 per cent of people are committed to spend more this

Christmas than last Christmas Will that number grow and what impact will that have on us More spending does mean more consuming more waste and more stuff we donrsquot need I know yoursquore proba-bly thinking ldquoWell how do I celebrate Christmas as well as lessen how much I consumerdquo

Well ladies and gentleman the answer lies in buying local and support-ing small companies By purchasing gifts made locally you diminish the distance it travels to get to your shopping bag It isnrsquot hard to find locals selling interest-ing unique and often handmade items This Christmas I challenge you to think more about what yoursquore buying and where it came from

The next time you find yourself crammed into a store think about this Stop and take a glance at the people bus-tling about Look at their faces Do they look like theyrsquore having a fun time Or do they look stressed Oh Look over there at that little boy he has stars in his eyes as he stares into the fake branches of that plastic Christmas tree No he doesnrsquot believe in the magic of Santa but in the magic of daddyrsquos wallet

What has this society made of Christmas when the only thing people focus on is getting copious amounts of gifts We need to be aware of this during the holiday season Also we need to be careful the rest of the year Be mindful of your spending choices and donrsquot let the media control your decisions That way the negative buzz in the air wonrsquot affect you as much at Christmas time Most of all I wish you a joyous holiday season Namaste Jenna Sipponen is in Grade 12 and lives

in a cute little valley called the Simil-

kameen Her hobbies include procrasti-

nating theatre and yoga in random

places

Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas

By Jenna Sipponen

Photo Rapid Eye Media

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 13

TheGreenGazette

O n October 18 after four years

of negotiations Prime Minis-

ter Stephen Harper and Presi-

dent of the European Com-

mission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a

ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels

CETA stands for Comprehensive Eco-

nomic and Trade Agreement and is said

by Harper to be the biggest trade deal

Canada has ever made even bigger than

AFTA

Typical of the Harper government this enormously significant agreement

was signed before anyone had a chance to view it It is still obscure just what on the

whole we are being committed to but the following contents have leaked into view

The main thrust of the deal is aimed at giving international corporations even greater powers over Canadian rules and

regulations than they already possess un-der NAFTA In effect according to this

deal foreign corporations are to be treated equally as domestic companies in Canada

breaking down all former impediments to corporate domination If you look into the

matter you find that CETA has very little to do with expanding ldquofree traderdquo and

everything to do with giving international corporations ever greater power to over-

ride domestic authority Thus we are being robbed of Cana-

dian sovereignty by contracts to which we

are not privy which no sensible citizen would agree to sign and which if politi-

cians were honest would prevent them from ever being elected

Below are some of the particulars

Public Procurement CETA will ban government at all levels from ldquobuy localrdquo policies as harmful to the level

playing field urged by international corpo-rations As Murray Dobbins tells us in an article in Canadian Dimensions ldquoThe

procurement provisions ndash giving EU cor-porations unobstructed access to the pub-

lic spending of municipalities schools boards hospitals universities and crown

corporations ndash is especially threatening given the critical role such public spend-

ing plays in a time of virtually zero pri-vate investment The strategic use of pub-

lic spending for economic development and support for local businesses or sectors (such as green energy) would also be ef-

fectively banned Others worry that if the EU gets its procurement deal the US will

want similar treatmentmdashan even greater threat given its proximity to Canadardquo

Under this new procurement regime the privatization of local services becomes

far more likely water electricity transit medical services postal service all man-

ner of social services Huge water compa-nies like Nestle Veolia Environment and

Suez are rubbing their hands in anticipa-tion

On the other hand in bold contrast to

Canadarsquos part the European Union has negotiated a blanket exemption to protect

their water energy and public services including health care Why donrsquot we get

the same

CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Pharmaceuticals As part of the

deal European pharmaceutical corpora-

tions already immensely wealthy are seeking to extend their monopolies on

patent drugs delaying for an even longer term the introduction of cheaper generic

drugs for Canadian citizens On the other hand there is no indication that the EU will make any changes to its own patent

system This delay alone is estimated to cost our economy from $800 million to

$16 million annually Making under-the-table deals is bad enough but making bad

deals is even worse And what has patent extensions got to do with free trade any-

way

Investor Rights This term refers to giving foreign corporations based in Can-ada the right to sue our government for public policies that affect the maximiza-

tion of their profits Already Canada is facing nearly $25 billion worth of corpo-

rate lawsuits under NAFTArsquos investment protection chapter including one from an

oil and gas company against Quebecrsquos moratorium on fracking and another

against Canada by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly demanding a $100 mil-

lion for ldquoexpropriationrdquo because the courts refused to grant a drug patentmdashand this on

the grounds it did not satisfy conditions set down by Canadian law Rather than free trade the Investor State Settlement Proc-

ess is more about the elimination of public interest policies instituted to protect con-

sumer health safety privacy and envi-ronmental values

By the same negative token Cana-dian companies will not hesitate to sue

Europe for completely legitimate public decisions for example instituting regula-

tions for mining companies or stricter environmental rules qualifying the sales of oil and gas

In all official discussion of CETA two issues are conspicuously missing One

is the Environment issue and the other is Native Rights Already NAFTA plus the

Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 and the suppression of science in the ministries

have seriously hampered our ability to respond with intelligence to environmental

changes By now it would be tiresome to la-

bour the point that the natural world is in

decline You can no longer read about wild animals to your children without

warning of their impending extinction Soon enough we are told the ocean will

be dead from acidification and whatrsquos left on land besides humans will be insects

dogs cats and farm animals spawned un-der factory conditions Global warming is

threatening to eliminate even these Yet all we hear from Stephen Harper in his

cheery speech celebrating CETA is a $12 billion boost to our economy and the 100000 cars a year Canadian automakers

will export to Europe (hopefully burning tar sands oil)

But we all know therersquos no wisdom in putting dollars over health over life

Native issues consultation and land development rights do not arise in

CETArsquos consciousness Indigenous people

simply donrsquot exist in a landscape of Big Money Neither apparently does the Ca-

nadian Parliament whose opinions are not solicited and for whom there is no oppor-

tunity for debate The question then arises what can

be done to block this diabolical plan Again Murray Dobbins is informa-

tive We are reminded that Harper ldquois

constrained in what he can do by the con-stitutional division of powers which gives

the provinces so much political authority The really big social items on the political

agenda ndash health education social services ndash are matters of provincial jurisdiction To

be sure he can severely damage all of these by destroying the decades-old prin-

ciple of universality and by slashing fed-eral funding But he canrsquot get rid of them The provinces also have a mandate on

protecting the environment and regarding labour rights and most working Canadi-

ans are in sectors that come under provin-cial jurisdiction Lastly the third level of

government (the municipality) is also a creature of the provinces While munici-

palities depend on the federal government for financial help Ottawa has no political

authority over themrdquo Since Neo-liberal provincial govern-

ments have regularly shown obedience to the federal government their opposition to CETA is undependable Only munici-

pal governments have shown strong resis-tance Thanks to the good work of the

Council of Canadians some 80 munici-palities have called either for complete

exclusion or passed resolutions expressing concern Most of these are in BC and On-

tario and include large populations like Toronto Hamilton Mississauga and Vic-

toria As for opposition to CETA by the

general public no one can predict how

that will go As it happens we are neither informed nor consulted on issues pertain-

ing to important economic affairs Be-sides most of us are so wrapped up in the

scramble to service our debts and eke a little fun out of life we lack the surplus

energy to assert our broader interests The CETA agreement is not a done

deal Itrsquos a ldquotentativerdquo agreement and de-spite Harperrsquos and Barrosorsquos signatures it

will need ratification Even so it will not come into force until 2015 The least we can demand is that the agreement be made

public Contact your MP and your MLA and insist that he or she obtain by what-

ever means the full text and proceed to educate their constituency as to its pros

and cons For the contents of this essay I have de-

pended largely on the Council of Canadi-ans (wwwcanadiansorg) and Murray

Dobbinrsquos article ldquoCETA Can Harperrsquos Trojan Horse be Stoppedrdquo (wwwcanadiandimensioncom

articles4966)

Van Andruss is editor of the magazine

Lived Experience He enjoys the biore-

gional life and community in historic

Moha outside of Lillooet BC

By Van Andruss

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel

Barroso signed a free-trade accord last week Dow negotiations must proceed on a

prickly side deal Photo Georges Gobet

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 10: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 10 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Philippines Tragedy Shows Urgency of Warsaw Climate Summit

Science Matters

A s people in the Philippines struggle with devastation and death from

the worst storm to hit land in re-

corded history world leaders met

in Warsaw Poland to discuss the climate

crisis ldquoWhat my country is going through as

a result of this extreme climate event is mad-

ness The climate crisis is madnessrdquo Yeb Sano lead negotiator for the Philippines told

the opening session of the U climate sum-

mit which ran until ovember 22 ldquoWe can

stop this madness Right here in Warsawrdquo

Given the slow progress at the 18 meetings held since 1992 ndash when countries from around the world joined the United Na-tions Framework Convention on Climate Change ndash itrsquos hard not to be pessimistic Can-ada in particular has been repeatedly singled out among the close to 200 member countries for obstructing progress and not doing enough to address climate change at home But as scientific evidence continues to build and impacts ndash from extreme weather to melting Arctic ice ndash continue to worsen with costs mounting daily the impetus to resolve the problem is growing Wersquore exhausting Earthrsquos finite resources and pushing global ecosystems to tipping points beyond which addressing pollution and climate issues will become increasingly difficult and costly The only hindrance to developing a fair ambitious and legally binding climate plan for the world is lack of political will Part of the problem is that much of the world is tied to the fossil fuel economy and the rush is on to get as much oil coal and gas out of the ground and to market while people are still willing to pay for it and burn it up Wersquore wasting precious resources in the name of quick profits instead of putting them to better use than propelling often solo occupants in large metal vehicles and instead of making them last while we shift to cleaner energy sources But therersquos cause for hope Solutions are available Governments just have to dem-onstrate courage and leadership to put us on a path to a healthier future For example a recent report by energy consulting firm ECOFYS titled ldquoFeasibility of GHG emissions phase-out by mid-centuryrdquo shows itrsquos technically and economically feasi-ble to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to zero from 90 per cent of current sources

with readily available technology It shows we could phase out almost all net emissions by 2050 by innovating further In doing so we could likely meet the agreed-upon goal of lim-iting global average temperature increases to below 2 degrees C and wersquod stand a 50 per cent chance of staying below 15 degrees C by the end of the century All of this would have the added benefit of reducing ldquowater air and soil pollution associated with traditional en-ergy generationrdquo The report echoes the David Suzuki Foundationrsquos findings regarding Canadarsquos potential to meet its current and forecasted demand for fuel and electricity with existing supplies of solar wind hydroelectric and biomass energy Whether or not any of this is politically feasible is another question But the longer we delay the more difficult and expensive it will get Polling research also shows Canadians expect our government to be a constructive global citizen on climate action A recent Leger Marketing survey sponsored by Canada 2020 and the University of Montreal found the majority of Canadians understand that human activity is contributing to climate change and believe the federal government should make addressing the issue a high priority Of those polled 76 per cent said Canada should sign an international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions with most supporting this even if China does not sign The poll also found majority support for a carbon tax as one way to combat climate change especially if the money generated is used to support renewable energy develop-ment Although BC has recently stepped back from previous leadership on climate change its carbon tax is one example among many local governments doing more than the federal government to address climate change We and our leaders at all political lev-els ndash local national and international ndash must do everything we can to confront the crisis As Mr Sano told delegates in Warsaw ldquoWe can-not sit and stay helpless staring at this interna-tional climate stalemate It is now time to take action We need an emergency climate path-wayrdquo With contributions from David Suzuki Founda-

tion senior editor Ian Hanington Learn more at wwwdavidsuzukiorg

By David Suzuki

Debris lines the streets of Tacloban Leyte island

Photo Eoghan Rice - Troacutecaire Caritas

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 11

TheGreenGazette

Copyright 2013 Petar Meseldzija

wwwpetarmeseldzijaartcom wwwpetarmeseldzijablogspotnl Petar Meseldžija is widely acknowledged as one of the leading artists in the field of contemporary

fantastic art His style resembles artists like Rembrandt Frank Frazetta and Alan Lee He does illus-trations and paintings for publishers various clients and private collectors from around the world

By Ron Young

o matter how well you think

you are prepared for the un-

expected there is always the

ldquobolt from the bluerdquo that

thing that occurs that you didnrsquot expect or

plan for also known as the unknown un-

known Itrsquos such a commonplace refer-

ence in the aerospace industry unknown

unknowns are abbreviated as lsquounk-unkrsquo

Donald Rumsfeld made the concept infa-

mous during the Iraq war in the state-

ment ldquoThere are hellip unknown un-

knownsmdashthere are things we do not know

we donrsquot knowrdquo

Well I had an encounter with unk-unks during a recent snowstorm and power outage and Irsquom sure I was grunting unk but also uncle many times that weekend When the power goes out and you have a battery back up system as I do you hardly notice especially if itrsquos relatively short-term We get power from BC Hydro but we also have solar and wind generated power that is stored in a battery When the battery is fully charged from wind or solar (PV) then the system automatically switches designated loads to run off the stored energy until the battery is depleted In this way we can run household lights and appliances for many hours a day exclu-sively from renewable energy sources and reduce our carbon footprint while lowering our BC Hydro bill But it seems that when one thing goes wrong Murphyrsquos Law dictates that the wrong thing the problem must bring friends to the party Not only did the power go off which is an eventuality I was pre-pared for but also the snow came down one icy little flake after another until over 50 cm of accumulated chaos had arrived in record time And then to finish off the threesome the pump that supplies our house with water from the creek well quit working Water isnrsquot something you can do without for long and having had the occa-sional water problem in the past I put a cou-ple of five gallon jugs of water aside for emergencies But you can go through ten gallons of water really quickly in a two-person household Even if you are prudent about when you flush the toilet (which in an older toilet can use nearly five gallons per flush) you will still need several gallons for cooking drinking and washing An added source for clean water is your hot water tank which you can drain making sure you first turn off the breaker so the heating ele-ments donrsquot switch on in an empty tank and quickly burn out Well after an entire weekend of problem-solving it put me in mind of think-ing ahead and preparing for possible emer-gencies While I donrsquot want to become fix-

A Bolt From the Blue AKA The lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo ated on the subject I have to remind myself to pay attention to have lsquosituational aware-nessrsquo as it is called in the military Itrsquos win-tertime and if yoursquore going to travel winter roads what will you do if you have a break-down Many of us in the rural Cariboo live in areas without cell coverage so while hav-ing a cellphone is a good idea it isnrsquot a panacea Having clothes and shoes that are suitable for walking some distance in cold weather is essential gear Having a source of heat is a great idea such as hand warmers or a small beeswax candle Beeswax burns significantly hotter and longer than other wax and a single candle can be a lifesaver Other simple things that are often over-looked in winter vehicles are a portable shovel a length of strong rope in case you need towing a set of battery starter cables and a good flashlight Throw in a couple of energy bars for good measure Household preparedness is another matter The world we live in nowadays seems to be more volatile and unpredictable than it ever was So we have to think in terms of streams of essentials that make up our daily lives Then think of what steps we will take if any of those streams are di-verted or interrupted The aforementioned water is one essentialmdashfood heat commu-nications and energy to power lights and some basic appliances are other essentials A good backup plan is to create a small safety margin in each of those critical streams that will help us bridge unexpected events In the energy department which is my area of expertise I would suggest a good minimum strategy is to have a deep cycle battery with a small invertercharger that keeps the battery charged when itrsquos not needed When the power goes out this sys-tem will power some lights a cellphone charger a TV or computer or even a mi-crowave There are all-in-one battery packs with built-in inverters available at hardware stores but they are light duty and useful mainly for some lights A proper back-up power system will have at least 200 amp hours of battery capacity with a minimum 1000-watt inverter and a built in charger Itrsquos inexpensive to add a solar panel to this combination that can also recharge the bat-tery While itrsquos not reasonable or realistic to try to have a back-up plan that covers all possible emergencies you can take impor-tant steps towards insuring your familyrsquos safety and comfort in case of unexpected events You will find that the more you think about this and take small measures the more you begin to see the bigger picture and learn effective strategies There will always be unknown unknowns

unk-unk n especially in engineering something such as a problem that has not been and could not have been imagined or anticipated an unknown unknown Ron Young a Renewable Energy specialist

owns the earthRight store in Williams Lake

established in 1993 A series of articles on

the basics of solar energy can be found at

his website wwwsolareaglecom

Copyright Ron Young 2013

Federal Environment Commissionerrsquos Fall

Report Paints Grim Picture of State of

Biodiversity in Canada

Environmental conservation in Canada has reached a new low according to a report from the office of the federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development released on November 5 Citing ldquodeteriorating biodiversity conditions in all of the main types of ecosystems in Canadardquo interim environment commissioner Neil Maxwell called on federal depart-ments to seek ldquoground-breakingrdquo new approaches to ldquobreak the pattern of unfulfilled commitments and responsibilitiesrdquo Elizabeth May leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands expressed gratitude for the commissionerrsquos diligent research stating ldquoThe deep cuts to Parks Canada are clearly causing serious problems in maintaining ecological in-tegrity in parks while across the federal government there is a disturbing failure to fulfill statutory responsibilities for species at riskrdquo The Green Party leader also emphasized the need to implement and provide fund-ing for more stringent environmental monitoring standards while echoing the commis-sionerrsquos call for a more collaborative and integrated approach to supporting biodiversity one that would take into account all aspects of an ecosystem The report which examined the work of Environment Canada the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Parks Canada in protecting Canadarsquos natural environment found that over 70 per cent of national wildlife areas had ldquoless than adequate ecological integrityrdquo and that over 90 per cent ldquodid not have adequate management plansrdquo ldquoThe threats to bird populations are alarmingrdquo remarked Andrew Park environ-ment critic for the Green Party of Canada ldquoWe are losing the scientific capacity to moni-tor species as their numbers plummetrdquo The report states that according to Environment Canadarsquos own estimates fewer than half of the Bird Conservation Region Strategies it committed to completing by 2010 had been finished and ldquomonitoring for 30 per cent of the bird species in Canada is insuf-ficient to determine whether they are at riskrdquo httpelizabethmaympcanewspublicationspress-releases20131106federal-environment-commissioners-fall-report-paints-grim-picture-of-state-of-biodiversity-in-canada

Page 12 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A round Christmas time

therersquos an extremely notice-

able buzz in the air Yoursquore

excited for the holidays time

off school and time off work This buzz

in the air could be a couple of different

things added together plus the crazy

holiday rush We all have to admit that

in some way we do love Christmas holi-

days For some the meaning of Christ-

mas is to uphold the family traditions

And yet for others it is a wonderful time

to create new family traditions

However therersquos something about that time of year that Irsquom sure oth-ers have noticed It is something that gets more intimidating every year like an enormous snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger This is called consumerismmdashthe ongoing want to buy buy buy Consumerism goes on through-out the year but I find at Christmas time it is at its worst

Typically consumerism is the term used to describe what humans do Humans no longer know how to be re-sourceful so we purchase goods to fulfill our needs As you know this is a large cause of many negative things that are happening to this world right now Sure we like to buy presents here and there Where do you cross the line and when do you realize you donrsquot need to purchase some items Making a decision like this is extremely difficult especially with advertisements telling you what to do And Christmas time may be a difficult time to restrain from buying many items because theyrsquore for people you love The holidays are supposed to be relaxing and de-stressing They have however turned into something quite the opposite

Itrsquos hard to think about ways to reduce how much you consume and the holidays make it ten times more difficult The media concentrates on focusing your money and attention on to certain sub-jects Since when was Christmas only about buying presents for people Where did the peace and joy go As the holidays roll on by take note of the ads you see around yourself Take note of the overall message that theyrsquore displaying to you Yoursquoll find that they all point toward the holidays but then relate it to whatever product they are trying to sell you For example ldquoGetting your Christmas feast absolutely perfect is what matters most Thatrsquos why we came up with the perfect oven to satisfy your needsrdquo

Yoursquoll find Christmas turns into an excuse for extra media to be stuffed in to every single eye and ear you could possibly have There is a point at which it turns into too much People donrsquot realize how much the media impacts our buying choices and Christmas turns into just another giant shopping spree

It is certainly a proven fact that people spend more at Christmas time Studies have shown that 12 per cent of people are committed to spend more this

Christmas than last Christmas Will that number grow and what impact will that have on us More spending does mean more consuming more waste and more stuff we donrsquot need I know yoursquore proba-bly thinking ldquoWell how do I celebrate Christmas as well as lessen how much I consumerdquo

Well ladies and gentleman the answer lies in buying local and support-ing small companies By purchasing gifts made locally you diminish the distance it travels to get to your shopping bag It isnrsquot hard to find locals selling interest-ing unique and often handmade items This Christmas I challenge you to think more about what yoursquore buying and where it came from

The next time you find yourself crammed into a store think about this Stop and take a glance at the people bus-tling about Look at their faces Do they look like theyrsquore having a fun time Or do they look stressed Oh Look over there at that little boy he has stars in his eyes as he stares into the fake branches of that plastic Christmas tree No he doesnrsquot believe in the magic of Santa but in the magic of daddyrsquos wallet

What has this society made of Christmas when the only thing people focus on is getting copious amounts of gifts We need to be aware of this during the holiday season Also we need to be careful the rest of the year Be mindful of your spending choices and donrsquot let the media control your decisions That way the negative buzz in the air wonrsquot affect you as much at Christmas time Most of all I wish you a joyous holiday season Namaste Jenna Sipponen is in Grade 12 and lives

in a cute little valley called the Simil-

kameen Her hobbies include procrasti-

nating theatre and yoga in random

places

Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas

By Jenna Sipponen

Photo Rapid Eye Media

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 13

TheGreenGazette

O n October 18 after four years

of negotiations Prime Minis-

ter Stephen Harper and Presi-

dent of the European Com-

mission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a

ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels

CETA stands for Comprehensive Eco-

nomic and Trade Agreement and is said

by Harper to be the biggest trade deal

Canada has ever made even bigger than

AFTA

Typical of the Harper government this enormously significant agreement

was signed before anyone had a chance to view it It is still obscure just what on the

whole we are being committed to but the following contents have leaked into view

The main thrust of the deal is aimed at giving international corporations even greater powers over Canadian rules and

regulations than they already possess un-der NAFTA In effect according to this

deal foreign corporations are to be treated equally as domestic companies in Canada

breaking down all former impediments to corporate domination If you look into the

matter you find that CETA has very little to do with expanding ldquofree traderdquo and

everything to do with giving international corporations ever greater power to over-

ride domestic authority Thus we are being robbed of Cana-

dian sovereignty by contracts to which we

are not privy which no sensible citizen would agree to sign and which if politi-

cians were honest would prevent them from ever being elected

Below are some of the particulars

Public Procurement CETA will ban government at all levels from ldquobuy localrdquo policies as harmful to the level

playing field urged by international corpo-rations As Murray Dobbins tells us in an article in Canadian Dimensions ldquoThe

procurement provisions ndash giving EU cor-porations unobstructed access to the pub-

lic spending of municipalities schools boards hospitals universities and crown

corporations ndash is especially threatening given the critical role such public spend-

ing plays in a time of virtually zero pri-vate investment The strategic use of pub-

lic spending for economic development and support for local businesses or sectors (such as green energy) would also be ef-

fectively banned Others worry that if the EU gets its procurement deal the US will

want similar treatmentmdashan even greater threat given its proximity to Canadardquo

Under this new procurement regime the privatization of local services becomes

far more likely water electricity transit medical services postal service all man-

ner of social services Huge water compa-nies like Nestle Veolia Environment and

Suez are rubbing their hands in anticipa-tion

On the other hand in bold contrast to

Canadarsquos part the European Union has negotiated a blanket exemption to protect

their water energy and public services including health care Why donrsquot we get

the same

CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Pharmaceuticals As part of the

deal European pharmaceutical corpora-

tions already immensely wealthy are seeking to extend their monopolies on

patent drugs delaying for an even longer term the introduction of cheaper generic

drugs for Canadian citizens On the other hand there is no indication that the EU will make any changes to its own patent

system This delay alone is estimated to cost our economy from $800 million to

$16 million annually Making under-the-table deals is bad enough but making bad

deals is even worse And what has patent extensions got to do with free trade any-

way

Investor Rights This term refers to giving foreign corporations based in Can-ada the right to sue our government for public policies that affect the maximiza-

tion of their profits Already Canada is facing nearly $25 billion worth of corpo-

rate lawsuits under NAFTArsquos investment protection chapter including one from an

oil and gas company against Quebecrsquos moratorium on fracking and another

against Canada by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly demanding a $100 mil-

lion for ldquoexpropriationrdquo because the courts refused to grant a drug patentmdashand this on

the grounds it did not satisfy conditions set down by Canadian law Rather than free trade the Investor State Settlement Proc-

ess is more about the elimination of public interest policies instituted to protect con-

sumer health safety privacy and envi-ronmental values

By the same negative token Cana-dian companies will not hesitate to sue

Europe for completely legitimate public decisions for example instituting regula-

tions for mining companies or stricter environmental rules qualifying the sales of oil and gas

In all official discussion of CETA two issues are conspicuously missing One

is the Environment issue and the other is Native Rights Already NAFTA plus the

Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 and the suppression of science in the ministries

have seriously hampered our ability to respond with intelligence to environmental

changes By now it would be tiresome to la-

bour the point that the natural world is in

decline You can no longer read about wild animals to your children without

warning of their impending extinction Soon enough we are told the ocean will

be dead from acidification and whatrsquos left on land besides humans will be insects

dogs cats and farm animals spawned un-der factory conditions Global warming is

threatening to eliminate even these Yet all we hear from Stephen Harper in his

cheery speech celebrating CETA is a $12 billion boost to our economy and the 100000 cars a year Canadian automakers

will export to Europe (hopefully burning tar sands oil)

But we all know therersquos no wisdom in putting dollars over health over life

Native issues consultation and land development rights do not arise in

CETArsquos consciousness Indigenous people

simply donrsquot exist in a landscape of Big Money Neither apparently does the Ca-

nadian Parliament whose opinions are not solicited and for whom there is no oppor-

tunity for debate The question then arises what can

be done to block this diabolical plan Again Murray Dobbins is informa-

tive We are reminded that Harper ldquois

constrained in what he can do by the con-stitutional division of powers which gives

the provinces so much political authority The really big social items on the political

agenda ndash health education social services ndash are matters of provincial jurisdiction To

be sure he can severely damage all of these by destroying the decades-old prin-

ciple of universality and by slashing fed-eral funding But he canrsquot get rid of them The provinces also have a mandate on

protecting the environment and regarding labour rights and most working Canadi-

ans are in sectors that come under provin-cial jurisdiction Lastly the third level of

government (the municipality) is also a creature of the provinces While munici-

palities depend on the federal government for financial help Ottawa has no political

authority over themrdquo Since Neo-liberal provincial govern-

ments have regularly shown obedience to the federal government their opposition to CETA is undependable Only munici-

pal governments have shown strong resis-tance Thanks to the good work of the

Council of Canadians some 80 munici-palities have called either for complete

exclusion or passed resolutions expressing concern Most of these are in BC and On-

tario and include large populations like Toronto Hamilton Mississauga and Vic-

toria As for opposition to CETA by the

general public no one can predict how

that will go As it happens we are neither informed nor consulted on issues pertain-

ing to important economic affairs Be-sides most of us are so wrapped up in the

scramble to service our debts and eke a little fun out of life we lack the surplus

energy to assert our broader interests The CETA agreement is not a done

deal Itrsquos a ldquotentativerdquo agreement and de-spite Harperrsquos and Barrosorsquos signatures it

will need ratification Even so it will not come into force until 2015 The least we can demand is that the agreement be made

public Contact your MP and your MLA and insist that he or she obtain by what-

ever means the full text and proceed to educate their constituency as to its pros

and cons For the contents of this essay I have de-

pended largely on the Council of Canadi-ans (wwwcanadiansorg) and Murray

Dobbinrsquos article ldquoCETA Can Harperrsquos Trojan Horse be Stoppedrdquo (wwwcanadiandimensioncom

articles4966)

Van Andruss is editor of the magazine

Lived Experience He enjoys the biore-

gional life and community in historic

Moha outside of Lillooet BC

By Van Andruss

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel

Barroso signed a free-trade accord last week Dow negotiations must proceed on a

prickly side deal Photo Georges Gobet

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 11: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 11

TheGreenGazette

Copyright 2013 Petar Meseldzija

wwwpetarmeseldzijaartcom wwwpetarmeseldzijablogspotnl Petar Meseldžija is widely acknowledged as one of the leading artists in the field of contemporary

fantastic art His style resembles artists like Rembrandt Frank Frazetta and Alan Lee He does illus-trations and paintings for publishers various clients and private collectors from around the world

By Ron Young

o matter how well you think

you are prepared for the un-

expected there is always the

ldquobolt from the bluerdquo that

thing that occurs that you didnrsquot expect or

plan for also known as the unknown un-

known Itrsquos such a commonplace refer-

ence in the aerospace industry unknown

unknowns are abbreviated as lsquounk-unkrsquo

Donald Rumsfeld made the concept infa-

mous during the Iraq war in the state-

ment ldquoThere are hellip unknown un-

knownsmdashthere are things we do not know

we donrsquot knowrdquo

Well I had an encounter with unk-unks during a recent snowstorm and power outage and Irsquom sure I was grunting unk but also uncle many times that weekend When the power goes out and you have a battery back up system as I do you hardly notice especially if itrsquos relatively short-term We get power from BC Hydro but we also have solar and wind generated power that is stored in a battery When the battery is fully charged from wind or solar (PV) then the system automatically switches designated loads to run off the stored energy until the battery is depleted In this way we can run household lights and appliances for many hours a day exclu-sively from renewable energy sources and reduce our carbon footprint while lowering our BC Hydro bill But it seems that when one thing goes wrong Murphyrsquos Law dictates that the wrong thing the problem must bring friends to the party Not only did the power go off which is an eventuality I was pre-pared for but also the snow came down one icy little flake after another until over 50 cm of accumulated chaos had arrived in record time And then to finish off the threesome the pump that supplies our house with water from the creek well quit working Water isnrsquot something you can do without for long and having had the occa-sional water problem in the past I put a cou-ple of five gallon jugs of water aside for emergencies But you can go through ten gallons of water really quickly in a two-person household Even if you are prudent about when you flush the toilet (which in an older toilet can use nearly five gallons per flush) you will still need several gallons for cooking drinking and washing An added source for clean water is your hot water tank which you can drain making sure you first turn off the breaker so the heating ele-ments donrsquot switch on in an empty tank and quickly burn out Well after an entire weekend of problem-solving it put me in mind of think-ing ahead and preparing for possible emer-gencies While I donrsquot want to become fix-

A Bolt From the Blue AKA The lsquoUnk-Unkrsquo ated on the subject I have to remind myself to pay attention to have lsquosituational aware-nessrsquo as it is called in the military Itrsquos win-tertime and if yoursquore going to travel winter roads what will you do if you have a break-down Many of us in the rural Cariboo live in areas without cell coverage so while hav-ing a cellphone is a good idea it isnrsquot a panacea Having clothes and shoes that are suitable for walking some distance in cold weather is essential gear Having a source of heat is a great idea such as hand warmers or a small beeswax candle Beeswax burns significantly hotter and longer than other wax and a single candle can be a lifesaver Other simple things that are often over-looked in winter vehicles are a portable shovel a length of strong rope in case you need towing a set of battery starter cables and a good flashlight Throw in a couple of energy bars for good measure Household preparedness is another matter The world we live in nowadays seems to be more volatile and unpredictable than it ever was So we have to think in terms of streams of essentials that make up our daily lives Then think of what steps we will take if any of those streams are di-verted or interrupted The aforementioned water is one essentialmdashfood heat commu-nications and energy to power lights and some basic appliances are other essentials A good backup plan is to create a small safety margin in each of those critical streams that will help us bridge unexpected events In the energy department which is my area of expertise I would suggest a good minimum strategy is to have a deep cycle battery with a small invertercharger that keeps the battery charged when itrsquos not needed When the power goes out this sys-tem will power some lights a cellphone charger a TV or computer or even a mi-crowave There are all-in-one battery packs with built-in inverters available at hardware stores but they are light duty and useful mainly for some lights A proper back-up power system will have at least 200 amp hours of battery capacity with a minimum 1000-watt inverter and a built in charger Itrsquos inexpensive to add a solar panel to this combination that can also recharge the bat-tery While itrsquos not reasonable or realistic to try to have a back-up plan that covers all possible emergencies you can take impor-tant steps towards insuring your familyrsquos safety and comfort in case of unexpected events You will find that the more you think about this and take small measures the more you begin to see the bigger picture and learn effective strategies There will always be unknown unknowns

unk-unk n especially in engineering something such as a problem that has not been and could not have been imagined or anticipated an unknown unknown Ron Young a Renewable Energy specialist

owns the earthRight store in Williams Lake

established in 1993 A series of articles on

the basics of solar energy can be found at

his website wwwsolareaglecom

Copyright Ron Young 2013

Federal Environment Commissionerrsquos Fall

Report Paints Grim Picture of State of

Biodiversity in Canada

Environmental conservation in Canada has reached a new low according to a report from the office of the federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development released on November 5 Citing ldquodeteriorating biodiversity conditions in all of the main types of ecosystems in Canadardquo interim environment commissioner Neil Maxwell called on federal depart-ments to seek ldquoground-breakingrdquo new approaches to ldquobreak the pattern of unfulfilled commitments and responsibilitiesrdquo Elizabeth May leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands expressed gratitude for the commissionerrsquos diligent research stating ldquoThe deep cuts to Parks Canada are clearly causing serious problems in maintaining ecological in-tegrity in parks while across the federal government there is a disturbing failure to fulfill statutory responsibilities for species at riskrdquo The Green Party leader also emphasized the need to implement and provide fund-ing for more stringent environmental monitoring standards while echoing the commis-sionerrsquos call for a more collaborative and integrated approach to supporting biodiversity one that would take into account all aspects of an ecosystem The report which examined the work of Environment Canada the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Parks Canada in protecting Canadarsquos natural environment found that over 70 per cent of national wildlife areas had ldquoless than adequate ecological integrityrdquo and that over 90 per cent ldquodid not have adequate management plansrdquo ldquoThe threats to bird populations are alarmingrdquo remarked Andrew Park environ-ment critic for the Green Party of Canada ldquoWe are losing the scientific capacity to moni-tor species as their numbers plummetrdquo The report states that according to Environment Canadarsquos own estimates fewer than half of the Bird Conservation Region Strategies it committed to completing by 2010 had been finished and ldquomonitoring for 30 per cent of the bird species in Canada is insuf-ficient to determine whether they are at riskrdquo httpelizabethmaympcanewspublicationspress-releases20131106federal-environment-commissioners-fall-report-paints-grim-picture-of-state-of-biodiversity-in-canada

Page 12 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A round Christmas time

therersquos an extremely notice-

able buzz in the air Yoursquore

excited for the holidays time

off school and time off work This buzz

in the air could be a couple of different

things added together plus the crazy

holiday rush We all have to admit that

in some way we do love Christmas holi-

days For some the meaning of Christ-

mas is to uphold the family traditions

And yet for others it is a wonderful time

to create new family traditions

However therersquos something about that time of year that Irsquom sure oth-ers have noticed It is something that gets more intimidating every year like an enormous snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger This is called consumerismmdashthe ongoing want to buy buy buy Consumerism goes on through-out the year but I find at Christmas time it is at its worst

Typically consumerism is the term used to describe what humans do Humans no longer know how to be re-sourceful so we purchase goods to fulfill our needs As you know this is a large cause of many negative things that are happening to this world right now Sure we like to buy presents here and there Where do you cross the line and when do you realize you donrsquot need to purchase some items Making a decision like this is extremely difficult especially with advertisements telling you what to do And Christmas time may be a difficult time to restrain from buying many items because theyrsquore for people you love The holidays are supposed to be relaxing and de-stressing They have however turned into something quite the opposite

Itrsquos hard to think about ways to reduce how much you consume and the holidays make it ten times more difficult The media concentrates on focusing your money and attention on to certain sub-jects Since when was Christmas only about buying presents for people Where did the peace and joy go As the holidays roll on by take note of the ads you see around yourself Take note of the overall message that theyrsquore displaying to you Yoursquoll find that they all point toward the holidays but then relate it to whatever product they are trying to sell you For example ldquoGetting your Christmas feast absolutely perfect is what matters most Thatrsquos why we came up with the perfect oven to satisfy your needsrdquo

Yoursquoll find Christmas turns into an excuse for extra media to be stuffed in to every single eye and ear you could possibly have There is a point at which it turns into too much People donrsquot realize how much the media impacts our buying choices and Christmas turns into just another giant shopping spree

It is certainly a proven fact that people spend more at Christmas time Studies have shown that 12 per cent of people are committed to spend more this

Christmas than last Christmas Will that number grow and what impact will that have on us More spending does mean more consuming more waste and more stuff we donrsquot need I know yoursquore proba-bly thinking ldquoWell how do I celebrate Christmas as well as lessen how much I consumerdquo

Well ladies and gentleman the answer lies in buying local and support-ing small companies By purchasing gifts made locally you diminish the distance it travels to get to your shopping bag It isnrsquot hard to find locals selling interest-ing unique and often handmade items This Christmas I challenge you to think more about what yoursquore buying and where it came from

The next time you find yourself crammed into a store think about this Stop and take a glance at the people bus-tling about Look at their faces Do they look like theyrsquore having a fun time Or do they look stressed Oh Look over there at that little boy he has stars in his eyes as he stares into the fake branches of that plastic Christmas tree No he doesnrsquot believe in the magic of Santa but in the magic of daddyrsquos wallet

What has this society made of Christmas when the only thing people focus on is getting copious amounts of gifts We need to be aware of this during the holiday season Also we need to be careful the rest of the year Be mindful of your spending choices and donrsquot let the media control your decisions That way the negative buzz in the air wonrsquot affect you as much at Christmas time Most of all I wish you a joyous holiday season Namaste Jenna Sipponen is in Grade 12 and lives

in a cute little valley called the Simil-

kameen Her hobbies include procrasti-

nating theatre and yoga in random

places

Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas

By Jenna Sipponen

Photo Rapid Eye Media

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 13

TheGreenGazette

O n October 18 after four years

of negotiations Prime Minis-

ter Stephen Harper and Presi-

dent of the European Com-

mission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a

ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels

CETA stands for Comprehensive Eco-

nomic and Trade Agreement and is said

by Harper to be the biggest trade deal

Canada has ever made even bigger than

AFTA

Typical of the Harper government this enormously significant agreement

was signed before anyone had a chance to view it It is still obscure just what on the

whole we are being committed to but the following contents have leaked into view

The main thrust of the deal is aimed at giving international corporations even greater powers over Canadian rules and

regulations than they already possess un-der NAFTA In effect according to this

deal foreign corporations are to be treated equally as domestic companies in Canada

breaking down all former impediments to corporate domination If you look into the

matter you find that CETA has very little to do with expanding ldquofree traderdquo and

everything to do with giving international corporations ever greater power to over-

ride domestic authority Thus we are being robbed of Cana-

dian sovereignty by contracts to which we

are not privy which no sensible citizen would agree to sign and which if politi-

cians were honest would prevent them from ever being elected

Below are some of the particulars

Public Procurement CETA will ban government at all levels from ldquobuy localrdquo policies as harmful to the level

playing field urged by international corpo-rations As Murray Dobbins tells us in an article in Canadian Dimensions ldquoThe

procurement provisions ndash giving EU cor-porations unobstructed access to the pub-

lic spending of municipalities schools boards hospitals universities and crown

corporations ndash is especially threatening given the critical role such public spend-

ing plays in a time of virtually zero pri-vate investment The strategic use of pub-

lic spending for economic development and support for local businesses or sectors (such as green energy) would also be ef-

fectively banned Others worry that if the EU gets its procurement deal the US will

want similar treatmentmdashan even greater threat given its proximity to Canadardquo

Under this new procurement regime the privatization of local services becomes

far more likely water electricity transit medical services postal service all man-

ner of social services Huge water compa-nies like Nestle Veolia Environment and

Suez are rubbing their hands in anticipa-tion

On the other hand in bold contrast to

Canadarsquos part the European Union has negotiated a blanket exemption to protect

their water energy and public services including health care Why donrsquot we get

the same

CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Pharmaceuticals As part of the

deal European pharmaceutical corpora-

tions already immensely wealthy are seeking to extend their monopolies on

patent drugs delaying for an even longer term the introduction of cheaper generic

drugs for Canadian citizens On the other hand there is no indication that the EU will make any changes to its own patent

system This delay alone is estimated to cost our economy from $800 million to

$16 million annually Making under-the-table deals is bad enough but making bad

deals is even worse And what has patent extensions got to do with free trade any-

way

Investor Rights This term refers to giving foreign corporations based in Can-ada the right to sue our government for public policies that affect the maximiza-

tion of their profits Already Canada is facing nearly $25 billion worth of corpo-

rate lawsuits under NAFTArsquos investment protection chapter including one from an

oil and gas company against Quebecrsquos moratorium on fracking and another

against Canada by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly demanding a $100 mil-

lion for ldquoexpropriationrdquo because the courts refused to grant a drug patentmdashand this on

the grounds it did not satisfy conditions set down by Canadian law Rather than free trade the Investor State Settlement Proc-

ess is more about the elimination of public interest policies instituted to protect con-

sumer health safety privacy and envi-ronmental values

By the same negative token Cana-dian companies will not hesitate to sue

Europe for completely legitimate public decisions for example instituting regula-

tions for mining companies or stricter environmental rules qualifying the sales of oil and gas

In all official discussion of CETA two issues are conspicuously missing One

is the Environment issue and the other is Native Rights Already NAFTA plus the

Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 and the suppression of science in the ministries

have seriously hampered our ability to respond with intelligence to environmental

changes By now it would be tiresome to la-

bour the point that the natural world is in

decline You can no longer read about wild animals to your children without

warning of their impending extinction Soon enough we are told the ocean will

be dead from acidification and whatrsquos left on land besides humans will be insects

dogs cats and farm animals spawned un-der factory conditions Global warming is

threatening to eliminate even these Yet all we hear from Stephen Harper in his

cheery speech celebrating CETA is a $12 billion boost to our economy and the 100000 cars a year Canadian automakers

will export to Europe (hopefully burning tar sands oil)

But we all know therersquos no wisdom in putting dollars over health over life

Native issues consultation and land development rights do not arise in

CETArsquos consciousness Indigenous people

simply donrsquot exist in a landscape of Big Money Neither apparently does the Ca-

nadian Parliament whose opinions are not solicited and for whom there is no oppor-

tunity for debate The question then arises what can

be done to block this diabolical plan Again Murray Dobbins is informa-

tive We are reminded that Harper ldquois

constrained in what he can do by the con-stitutional division of powers which gives

the provinces so much political authority The really big social items on the political

agenda ndash health education social services ndash are matters of provincial jurisdiction To

be sure he can severely damage all of these by destroying the decades-old prin-

ciple of universality and by slashing fed-eral funding But he canrsquot get rid of them The provinces also have a mandate on

protecting the environment and regarding labour rights and most working Canadi-

ans are in sectors that come under provin-cial jurisdiction Lastly the third level of

government (the municipality) is also a creature of the provinces While munici-

palities depend on the federal government for financial help Ottawa has no political

authority over themrdquo Since Neo-liberal provincial govern-

ments have regularly shown obedience to the federal government their opposition to CETA is undependable Only munici-

pal governments have shown strong resis-tance Thanks to the good work of the

Council of Canadians some 80 munici-palities have called either for complete

exclusion or passed resolutions expressing concern Most of these are in BC and On-

tario and include large populations like Toronto Hamilton Mississauga and Vic-

toria As for opposition to CETA by the

general public no one can predict how

that will go As it happens we are neither informed nor consulted on issues pertain-

ing to important economic affairs Be-sides most of us are so wrapped up in the

scramble to service our debts and eke a little fun out of life we lack the surplus

energy to assert our broader interests The CETA agreement is not a done

deal Itrsquos a ldquotentativerdquo agreement and de-spite Harperrsquos and Barrosorsquos signatures it

will need ratification Even so it will not come into force until 2015 The least we can demand is that the agreement be made

public Contact your MP and your MLA and insist that he or she obtain by what-

ever means the full text and proceed to educate their constituency as to its pros

and cons For the contents of this essay I have de-

pended largely on the Council of Canadi-ans (wwwcanadiansorg) and Murray

Dobbinrsquos article ldquoCETA Can Harperrsquos Trojan Horse be Stoppedrdquo (wwwcanadiandimensioncom

articles4966)

Van Andruss is editor of the magazine

Lived Experience He enjoys the biore-

gional life and community in historic

Moha outside of Lillooet BC

By Van Andruss

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel

Barroso signed a free-trade accord last week Dow negotiations must proceed on a

prickly side deal Photo Georges Gobet

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 12: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 12 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A round Christmas time

therersquos an extremely notice-

able buzz in the air Yoursquore

excited for the holidays time

off school and time off work This buzz

in the air could be a couple of different

things added together plus the crazy

holiday rush We all have to admit that

in some way we do love Christmas holi-

days For some the meaning of Christ-

mas is to uphold the family traditions

And yet for others it is a wonderful time

to create new family traditions

However therersquos something about that time of year that Irsquom sure oth-ers have noticed It is something that gets more intimidating every year like an enormous snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger This is called consumerismmdashthe ongoing want to buy buy buy Consumerism goes on through-out the year but I find at Christmas time it is at its worst

Typically consumerism is the term used to describe what humans do Humans no longer know how to be re-sourceful so we purchase goods to fulfill our needs As you know this is a large cause of many negative things that are happening to this world right now Sure we like to buy presents here and there Where do you cross the line and when do you realize you donrsquot need to purchase some items Making a decision like this is extremely difficult especially with advertisements telling you what to do And Christmas time may be a difficult time to restrain from buying many items because theyrsquore for people you love The holidays are supposed to be relaxing and de-stressing They have however turned into something quite the opposite

Itrsquos hard to think about ways to reduce how much you consume and the holidays make it ten times more difficult The media concentrates on focusing your money and attention on to certain sub-jects Since when was Christmas only about buying presents for people Where did the peace and joy go As the holidays roll on by take note of the ads you see around yourself Take note of the overall message that theyrsquore displaying to you Yoursquoll find that they all point toward the holidays but then relate it to whatever product they are trying to sell you For example ldquoGetting your Christmas feast absolutely perfect is what matters most Thatrsquos why we came up with the perfect oven to satisfy your needsrdquo

Yoursquoll find Christmas turns into an excuse for extra media to be stuffed in to every single eye and ear you could possibly have There is a point at which it turns into too much People donrsquot realize how much the media impacts our buying choices and Christmas turns into just another giant shopping spree

It is certainly a proven fact that people spend more at Christmas time Studies have shown that 12 per cent of people are committed to spend more this

Christmas than last Christmas Will that number grow and what impact will that have on us More spending does mean more consuming more waste and more stuff we donrsquot need I know yoursquore proba-bly thinking ldquoWell how do I celebrate Christmas as well as lessen how much I consumerdquo

Well ladies and gentleman the answer lies in buying local and support-ing small companies By purchasing gifts made locally you diminish the distance it travels to get to your shopping bag It isnrsquot hard to find locals selling interest-ing unique and often handmade items This Christmas I challenge you to think more about what yoursquore buying and where it came from

The next time you find yourself crammed into a store think about this Stop and take a glance at the people bus-tling about Look at their faces Do they look like theyrsquore having a fun time Or do they look stressed Oh Look over there at that little boy he has stars in his eyes as he stares into the fake branches of that plastic Christmas tree No he doesnrsquot believe in the magic of Santa but in the magic of daddyrsquos wallet

What has this society made of Christmas when the only thing people focus on is getting copious amounts of gifts We need to be aware of this during the holiday season Also we need to be careful the rest of the year Be mindful of your spending choices and donrsquot let the media control your decisions That way the negative buzz in the air wonrsquot affect you as much at Christmas time Most of all I wish you a joyous holiday season Namaste Jenna Sipponen is in Grade 12 and lives

in a cute little valley called the Simil-

kameen Her hobbies include procrasti-

nating theatre and yoga in random

places

Youth Perspective Consumerism and Christmas

By Jenna Sipponen

Photo Rapid Eye Media

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 13

TheGreenGazette

O n October 18 after four years

of negotiations Prime Minis-

ter Stephen Harper and Presi-

dent of the European Com-

mission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a

ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels

CETA stands for Comprehensive Eco-

nomic and Trade Agreement and is said

by Harper to be the biggest trade deal

Canada has ever made even bigger than

AFTA

Typical of the Harper government this enormously significant agreement

was signed before anyone had a chance to view it It is still obscure just what on the

whole we are being committed to but the following contents have leaked into view

The main thrust of the deal is aimed at giving international corporations even greater powers over Canadian rules and

regulations than they already possess un-der NAFTA In effect according to this

deal foreign corporations are to be treated equally as domestic companies in Canada

breaking down all former impediments to corporate domination If you look into the

matter you find that CETA has very little to do with expanding ldquofree traderdquo and

everything to do with giving international corporations ever greater power to over-

ride domestic authority Thus we are being robbed of Cana-

dian sovereignty by contracts to which we

are not privy which no sensible citizen would agree to sign and which if politi-

cians were honest would prevent them from ever being elected

Below are some of the particulars

Public Procurement CETA will ban government at all levels from ldquobuy localrdquo policies as harmful to the level

playing field urged by international corpo-rations As Murray Dobbins tells us in an article in Canadian Dimensions ldquoThe

procurement provisions ndash giving EU cor-porations unobstructed access to the pub-

lic spending of municipalities schools boards hospitals universities and crown

corporations ndash is especially threatening given the critical role such public spend-

ing plays in a time of virtually zero pri-vate investment The strategic use of pub-

lic spending for economic development and support for local businesses or sectors (such as green energy) would also be ef-

fectively banned Others worry that if the EU gets its procurement deal the US will

want similar treatmentmdashan even greater threat given its proximity to Canadardquo

Under this new procurement regime the privatization of local services becomes

far more likely water electricity transit medical services postal service all man-

ner of social services Huge water compa-nies like Nestle Veolia Environment and

Suez are rubbing their hands in anticipa-tion

On the other hand in bold contrast to

Canadarsquos part the European Union has negotiated a blanket exemption to protect

their water energy and public services including health care Why donrsquot we get

the same

CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Pharmaceuticals As part of the

deal European pharmaceutical corpora-

tions already immensely wealthy are seeking to extend their monopolies on

patent drugs delaying for an even longer term the introduction of cheaper generic

drugs for Canadian citizens On the other hand there is no indication that the EU will make any changes to its own patent

system This delay alone is estimated to cost our economy from $800 million to

$16 million annually Making under-the-table deals is bad enough but making bad

deals is even worse And what has patent extensions got to do with free trade any-

way

Investor Rights This term refers to giving foreign corporations based in Can-ada the right to sue our government for public policies that affect the maximiza-

tion of their profits Already Canada is facing nearly $25 billion worth of corpo-

rate lawsuits under NAFTArsquos investment protection chapter including one from an

oil and gas company against Quebecrsquos moratorium on fracking and another

against Canada by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly demanding a $100 mil-

lion for ldquoexpropriationrdquo because the courts refused to grant a drug patentmdashand this on

the grounds it did not satisfy conditions set down by Canadian law Rather than free trade the Investor State Settlement Proc-

ess is more about the elimination of public interest policies instituted to protect con-

sumer health safety privacy and envi-ronmental values

By the same negative token Cana-dian companies will not hesitate to sue

Europe for completely legitimate public decisions for example instituting regula-

tions for mining companies or stricter environmental rules qualifying the sales of oil and gas

In all official discussion of CETA two issues are conspicuously missing One

is the Environment issue and the other is Native Rights Already NAFTA plus the

Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 and the suppression of science in the ministries

have seriously hampered our ability to respond with intelligence to environmental

changes By now it would be tiresome to la-

bour the point that the natural world is in

decline You can no longer read about wild animals to your children without

warning of their impending extinction Soon enough we are told the ocean will

be dead from acidification and whatrsquos left on land besides humans will be insects

dogs cats and farm animals spawned un-der factory conditions Global warming is

threatening to eliminate even these Yet all we hear from Stephen Harper in his

cheery speech celebrating CETA is a $12 billion boost to our economy and the 100000 cars a year Canadian automakers

will export to Europe (hopefully burning tar sands oil)

But we all know therersquos no wisdom in putting dollars over health over life

Native issues consultation and land development rights do not arise in

CETArsquos consciousness Indigenous people

simply donrsquot exist in a landscape of Big Money Neither apparently does the Ca-

nadian Parliament whose opinions are not solicited and for whom there is no oppor-

tunity for debate The question then arises what can

be done to block this diabolical plan Again Murray Dobbins is informa-

tive We are reminded that Harper ldquois

constrained in what he can do by the con-stitutional division of powers which gives

the provinces so much political authority The really big social items on the political

agenda ndash health education social services ndash are matters of provincial jurisdiction To

be sure he can severely damage all of these by destroying the decades-old prin-

ciple of universality and by slashing fed-eral funding But he canrsquot get rid of them The provinces also have a mandate on

protecting the environment and regarding labour rights and most working Canadi-

ans are in sectors that come under provin-cial jurisdiction Lastly the third level of

government (the municipality) is also a creature of the provinces While munici-

palities depend on the federal government for financial help Ottawa has no political

authority over themrdquo Since Neo-liberal provincial govern-

ments have regularly shown obedience to the federal government their opposition to CETA is undependable Only munici-

pal governments have shown strong resis-tance Thanks to the good work of the

Council of Canadians some 80 munici-palities have called either for complete

exclusion or passed resolutions expressing concern Most of these are in BC and On-

tario and include large populations like Toronto Hamilton Mississauga and Vic-

toria As for opposition to CETA by the

general public no one can predict how

that will go As it happens we are neither informed nor consulted on issues pertain-

ing to important economic affairs Be-sides most of us are so wrapped up in the

scramble to service our debts and eke a little fun out of life we lack the surplus

energy to assert our broader interests The CETA agreement is not a done

deal Itrsquos a ldquotentativerdquo agreement and de-spite Harperrsquos and Barrosorsquos signatures it

will need ratification Even so it will not come into force until 2015 The least we can demand is that the agreement be made

public Contact your MP and your MLA and insist that he or she obtain by what-

ever means the full text and proceed to educate their constituency as to its pros

and cons For the contents of this essay I have de-

pended largely on the Council of Canadi-ans (wwwcanadiansorg) and Murray

Dobbinrsquos article ldquoCETA Can Harperrsquos Trojan Horse be Stoppedrdquo (wwwcanadiandimensioncom

articles4966)

Van Andruss is editor of the magazine

Lived Experience He enjoys the biore-

gional life and community in historic

Moha outside of Lillooet BC

By Van Andruss

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel

Barroso signed a free-trade accord last week Dow negotiations must proceed on a

prickly side deal Photo Georges Gobet

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 13: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 13

TheGreenGazette

O n October 18 after four years

of negotiations Prime Minis-

ter Stephen Harper and Presi-

dent of the European Com-

mission Joseacute Manuel Barroso signed a

ldquotentativerdquo CETA agreement in Brussels

CETA stands for Comprehensive Eco-

nomic and Trade Agreement and is said

by Harper to be the biggest trade deal

Canada has ever made even bigger than

AFTA

Typical of the Harper government this enormously significant agreement

was signed before anyone had a chance to view it It is still obscure just what on the

whole we are being committed to but the following contents have leaked into view

The main thrust of the deal is aimed at giving international corporations even greater powers over Canadian rules and

regulations than they already possess un-der NAFTA In effect according to this

deal foreign corporations are to be treated equally as domestic companies in Canada

breaking down all former impediments to corporate domination If you look into the

matter you find that CETA has very little to do with expanding ldquofree traderdquo and

everything to do with giving international corporations ever greater power to over-

ride domestic authority Thus we are being robbed of Cana-

dian sovereignty by contracts to which we

are not privy which no sensible citizen would agree to sign and which if politi-

cians were honest would prevent them from ever being elected

Below are some of the particulars

Public Procurement CETA will ban government at all levels from ldquobuy localrdquo policies as harmful to the level

playing field urged by international corpo-rations As Murray Dobbins tells us in an article in Canadian Dimensions ldquoThe

procurement provisions ndash giving EU cor-porations unobstructed access to the pub-

lic spending of municipalities schools boards hospitals universities and crown

corporations ndash is especially threatening given the critical role such public spend-

ing plays in a time of virtually zero pri-vate investment The strategic use of pub-

lic spending for economic development and support for local businesses or sectors (such as green energy) would also be ef-

fectively banned Others worry that if the EU gets its procurement deal the US will

want similar treatmentmdashan even greater threat given its proximity to Canadardquo

Under this new procurement regime the privatization of local services becomes

far more likely water electricity transit medical services postal service all man-

ner of social services Huge water compa-nies like Nestle Veolia Environment and

Suez are rubbing their hands in anticipa-tion

On the other hand in bold contrast to

Canadarsquos part the European Union has negotiated a blanket exemption to protect

their water energy and public services including health care Why donrsquot we get

the same

CETA is a Bad Deal for Canada Pharmaceuticals As part of the

deal European pharmaceutical corpora-

tions already immensely wealthy are seeking to extend their monopolies on

patent drugs delaying for an even longer term the introduction of cheaper generic

drugs for Canadian citizens On the other hand there is no indication that the EU will make any changes to its own patent

system This delay alone is estimated to cost our economy from $800 million to

$16 million annually Making under-the-table deals is bad enough but making bad

deals is even worse And what has patent extensions got to do with free trade any-

way

Investor Rights This term refers to giving foreign corporations based in Can-ada the right to sue our government for public policies that affect the maximiza-

tion of their profits Already Canada is facing nearly $25 billion worth of corpo-

rate lawsuits under NAFTArsquos investment protection chapter including one from an

oil and gas company against Quebecrsquos moratorium on fracking and another

against Canada by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly demanding a $100 mil-

lion for ldquoexpropriationrdquo because the courts refused to grant a drug patentmdashand this on

the grounds it did not satisfy conditions set down by Canadian law Rather than free trade the Investor State Settlement Proc-

ess is more about the elimination of public interest policies instituted to protect con-

sumer health safety privacy and envi-ronmental values

By the same negative token Cana-dian companies will not hesitate to sue

Europe for completely legitimate public decisions for example instituting regula-

tions for mining companies or stricter environmental rules qualifying the sales of oil and gas

In all official discussion of CETA two issues are conspicuously missing One

is the Environment issue and the other is Native Rights Already NAFTA plus the

Omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45 and the suppression of science in the ministries

have seriously hampered our ability to respond with intelligence to environmental

changes By now it would be tiresome to la-

bour the point that the natural world is in

decline You can no longer read about wild animals to your children without

warning of their impending extinction Soon enough we are told the ocean will

be dead from acidification and whatrsquos left on land besides humans will be insects

dogs cats and farm animals spawned un-der factory conditions Global warming is

threatening to eliminate even these Yet all we hear from Stephen Harper in his

cheery speech celebrating CETA is a $12 billion boost to our economy and the 100000 cars a year Canadian automakers

will export to Europe (hopefully burning tar sands oil)

But we all know therersquos no wisdom in putting dollars over health over life

Native issues consultation and land development rights do not arise in

CETArsquos consciousness Indigenous people

simply donrsquot exist in a landscape of Big Money Neither apparently does the Ca-

nadian Parliament whose opinions are not solicited and for whom there is no oppor-

tunity for debate The question then arises what can

be done to block this diabolical plan Again Murray Dobbins is informa-

tive We are reminded that Harper ldquois

constrained in what he can do by the con-stitutional division of powers which gives

the provinces so much political authority The really big social items on the political

agenda ndash health education social services ndash are matters of provincial jurisdiction To

be sure he can severely damage all of these by destroying the decades-old prin-

ciple of universality and by slashing fed-eral funding But he canrsquot get rid of them The provinces also have a mandate on

protecting the environment and regarding labour rights and most working Canadi-

ans are in sectors that come under provin-cial jurisdiction Lastly the third level of

government (the municipality) is also a creature of the provinces While munici-

palities depend on the federal government for financial help Ottawa has no political

authority over themrdquo Since Neo-liberal provincial govern-

ments have regularly shown obedience to the federal government their opposition to CETA is undependable Only munici-

pal governments have shown strong resis-tance Thanks to the good work of the

Council of Canadians some 80 munici-palities have called either for complete

exclusion or passed resolutions expressing concern Most of these are in BC and On-

tario and include large populations like Toronto Hamilton Mississauga and Vic-

toria As for opposition to CETA by the

general public no one can predict how

that will go As it happens we are neither informed nor consulted on issues pertain-

ing to important economic affairs Be-sides most of us are so wrapped up in the

scramble to service our debts and eke a little fun out of life we lack the surplus

energy to assert our broader interests The CETA agreement is not a done

deal Itrsquos a ldquotentativerdquo agreement and de-spite Harperrsquos and Barrosorsquos signatures it

will need ratification Even so it will not come into force until 2015 The least we can demand is that the agreement be made

public Contact your MP and your MLA and insist that he or she obtain by what-

ever means the full text and proceed to educate their constituency as to its pros

and cons For the contents of this essay I have de-

pended largely on the Council of Canadi-ans (wwwcanadiansorg) and Murray

Dobbinrsquos article ldquoCETA Can Harperrsquos Trojan Horse be Stoppedrdquo (wwwcanadiandimensioncom

articles4966)

Van Andruss is editor of the magazine

Lived Experience He enjoys the biore-

gional life and community in historic

Moha outside of Lillooet BC

By Van Andruss

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel

Barroso signed a free-trade accord last week Dow negotiations must proceed on a

prickly side deal Photo Georges Gobet

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 14: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 14 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 15: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 15

TheGreenGazette

World ViewWorld ViewWorld ViewWorld View

By Robert L Nichol

I recently came across a good deal

on dog treats at Costco Vitalife Duck Tenders subtitled ldquoMade

with Loverdquo How nice The treats are a product of China which would later

prove itself a clue I bought them for my

three dogs and they took to them quickly seemingly becoming addicted

I found the claim ldquoall-natural duck breast filletsrdquo odd and surprising This is a high-end gourmet food and why were the manufacturers turning these fillets into dog food Surely this would be a loss in profit-ability no But what if the ducks were somehow contaminated Well no doubt they would want to use every piece of left-over scrap and turn them into dog food by irradiating the hell out of them Now de-spite some controversy and some readings that say the nutrient value is depleted irra-diating food seems to be perfectly safe This of course is no guarantee of the safety of the product as irradiation will not hide incompetence in industry practice However I began to notice after the first bag that the dogs drank a lot more wa-ter so the treats were dehydrating I read the package more carefully and of course one of the recommendations was to always en-sure fresh drinking water was available Also suggested was thorough hand-washing after handling (There was another clue) At this point I figured I had better research this product I came across an arti-cle on the Internet by Michelle Annette Tremblay titled ldquoLife-threatening dog ill-ness linked to imported treatsrdquo It warned pet owners about a potential link between imported dog treats and a mysterious ill-ness So I had a chat with the author over the phone Symptoms include decreased appetite lethargy vomiting and possible kidney failure which is often preceded by increased water consumption andor in-creased urination Named in the article and on the package was the Canadian distributor I called them up and talked to a customer service representative who said this product is a consumer favourite but if my dogs

didnrsquot like them why not try the companyrsquos chicken tenders I also called up a Costco rep who stated they had received no com-plaints either but were quite willing to re-fund my purchase Contacted next was the local Cana-dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of-fice The very accommodating person at CFIA gave me a lot of tips such as not con-sidering Internet research because there is a lot of negative commentary and research on pet food from China Well CFIArsquos posi-tion was that it doesnrsquot generally regulate pet food unless something comes up How-ever if there were a problem there are no regulations in place (as in the US) to recall the product and nobody not the distributor or manufacturer is obliged to offer any scientific research into the safety of the product They are supposed to be self-regulating Yet one would expect resistance by the companies which are shareholder-responsible not public-responsible If they were to assume liability dealing with a complaint or such it would involve a lot of red tape a slow process and legal issues However the CFIA representative stated the industry was on top of things since they do not want problems to affect their bottom line CFIA can only restrict animal origin ingredients to counter such things as Bo-vine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) for example The hand-washing precaution according to CFIA is to guard against salmonella or entobacteria as pet food is not fit for human consump-tion and to cover any liability for the manufacturer It was also recommended that I call my vet or check out the veteri-nary association websites to learn more about specified risk material in pet food The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has advised its mem-bers that there have been ldquoseveral reported cases of dogs that have been showing signs similar to Fanconi syndromerdquo All dogs in the reported cases had been fed chicken jerky treats that were manufactured in China prompting some vets to recommend avoiding all imported pet treats Appar-ently there are several products on the mar-ket in Canada that pose potential health risks to dogs According to Tremblayrsquos research the US regulatory agencies from the Small

Business Administration (SBA) and Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines generally favour business and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality control measures tend to minimize any consumer complaints and product re-calls Yet the FDA stated it has received reports that over 600 dogs in the US had become ill andor died after eating jerky treats made in China After a lengthy inves-tigation by them it resulted in the recall of over a thousand pet food products and sev-eral indictments Unfortunately in my opinion the majority of commercial pet foods are detri-mental to our little loving companions According to my research most commer-cial pet food manufacturers use 4-D meats (primarily cattle that are dead dying dis-eased or downmdashknown as ldquodisabledrdquo) euthanized pets genetically modified grains sugars and toxic chemicals all of it rendered (primarily by over-heating) which denatures the little value that the ingredi-

ents have All of it makes our pets obese diabetic cancerous and a slew of other deadly conditions To add insult to injury the industry then sells us ldquoprescriptionrdquo pet food which I believe kills them even faster So I would say to pet owners exer-cise extreme caution when choosing dog treats from China and I would urge you to get to a vet as soon as possible if your dog shows signs of illness If yoursquove already purchased imported jerky treats from China to dispose of them I guess the best bet is to make your own dog treats itrsquos time-consuming but safe Caution should be used when purchasing pet food products from other countries although there is no legislation in Canada that requires pet treat distributors to reveal the country of manu-facture on their packaging Simply allow that the life of your pet is worth more than saving a few bucks Robert L ichol is a writer educator and

filmmaker living near 70 Mile House

Dangerous Dog Treats

Credit httpsitekeepdoggiesafecom

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 16: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 16 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O h no Local food season is

over or is it What did people

do in the past when there were

no trains planes ships and

automobiles to transport food across the

globe They ate locally based on their cli-

mate and growing season

In the Cariboo our conditions dictate that in the winter we eat food grown in the

summer Crops such as potatoes carrots on-ions garlic beets squash cabbage parsnips

leeks turnips and apples contain all the nu-

trients we need And preserves honey or frozen foods give a sweet taste of summer

any time of year Another question What did farmers

and ranchers do before harsh pesticides and

herbicides existed The same thing organic and sustainable producers do today they use

lots of hard work and manual labour It takes approximately 300 per cent more manual la-

bour to garden organically than it does to run

a farm with the ldquospray and walk awayrdquo meth-ods but they do it for many reasons includ-

ing environmental stewardship their love and care for nurturing the land and to pro-

vide food that is healthy and nutritious We all require food and water to survive which

makes the people who grow raise and make

By Jessica Knodel

Oh no What will we eat

Jessica Knodel and Terri Smith at the Cariboo Growers Co-

op holding a unique spiral carrot Visit the Co-op this season

for great holiday gifts and tasty home-grown foods

Photo Lisa Bland

what we eat the most important resource in

the world

Local natural food is not always easy to find however especially in winter That is

why a group of over 40 local farmers and ranchers opened up the Co-op Cariboo

Growers in April 2010mdashto provide a market

store that is open all year long and that has all types of naturally produced foods includ-

ing meat dairy bread flour juice fruit vegetables honey preserves nuts and more

It is open Tuesday Wednesday and Friday

from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 am at the corner of 3rd amp

Oliver Streets downtown Williams Lake Enjoy this beautiful winter the Cariboo

has to offer and remember ldquoWhat good is

the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetnessrdquo John Steinbeck

See you at the Co-op

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 17: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 17

TheGreenGazette

Merry Christmas from Funky Fowl Farm

Photo Susan Tritt

A fter several attempts by various groups or

individuals in Williams Lake to have a

backyard chicken bylaw passed we now

have a city council fully supporting the

concept As of January 1 2014 the City of Williams

Lake Bylaw o 2174 will be enacted Although

there was some obvious opposition to the idea of

keeping hens within city limits Chris Hutton plan-

ning technician with the city of Williams Lake

credits Mary Forbes and the Potato House Society

for launching the change In an effort to support

the goals of food security and sustainability the

City also took into consideration the benefits of re-

ducing the overall carbon footprint minimizing

household waste as hens eat scraps and the fact

that hens are a natural alternative to pesticides in

their never-ending task of ridding the world of gar-

den pests

Along with researching other cities with suc-cessful backyard chicken bylaws Mr Hutton ex-

plained that consultation with other agencies such as the Ministry of Environmentrsquos Conservation and

Bear Aware programs and Food Waste Management were necessary to address outstanding issues of wild-

life and feed storage and disposal As most of us saw as recently as last month there was a bear wandering

across Highway 97 and through the park Chickens are a natural attractant for bears not only are bears

interested in eating the chickens but also their feed So what does this mean for the people who

want to get hens The first step is to make an appli-cation for a Backyard Hen Keeping License There is a $15 annual fee for this When you apply for your

license you will be provided with information about the steps to take before you bring your hens home If

you are a renter you will need a letter from the regis-tered owner of the property confirming that you are

in fact allowed to have backyard chickens There is a formula based on lot size that determines how many

hens you may keep The minimum is three and the maximum is six Now before you start getting too

excited about the hens there are a few things you need to do first such as apply for your license and build or purchase your coop and covered pen as out-

lined in the guidelines provided Along with a couple of other cities Williams

Lake is also making it mandatory that you fence all sides of the cooppen with an electric fence strong

enough to repel a bear There is also special consid-eration taken for the placement of your coop to as-

sure that there is no chance yoursquore going to surprise wildlife hiding near your coop And of course there

are guidelines for the health and welfare of your flock We are fortunate to have a very qualified vet-erinarian in Williams Lake that will deal with poultry

issues I hear time and time again from countless people that their hands are tied where they live be-

cause their vets will not deal with poultry So now yoursquove done everything you need to

do to prepare for your hens You have your Backyard Hen Keeping License Your coop and pen are built to

specs Your feed storage and disposal system is worked out Your electric fence strong enough to

repel a bear is installed Yoursquove researched what is needed to raise healthy strong backyard laying hens

and have explored the different breed options so that you will be bringing home hens that will best suit your needs and you hung onto the September issue

of TheGreenGazette so you can refer to my column on poultry and biosecurity

Contrary to popular belief if kept properly and maintained daily chickens donrsquot stink and their

water dishes arenrsquot green One word of caution we must remember they are farm animals and arenrsquot

meant to live in our homes with us in fact the bylaw does say that as well And remember if you or your

kids are handling or cleaning up after your hens itrsquos important to always remember to wash your hands I

wish you all the best with your new coops My husband and I would like to take this opportunity

to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas from Funky

Fowl Farm

wwwwilliamslakecafiles1Hens20and20bees

20bylawspdf

Personal interview with Chris Hutton planning tech-

nician with the city of Williams Lake ovember 14

2013

Backyard Chicken Bylaw Passes in Williams Lake

By Susan Tritt

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 18: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 18 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

In recent times many have begun to realize that some of the old ways can help us with a rich life of variety abundance and community One such practice is bartering ldquoYou have that will you trade it for thisrdquo It encourages creativity and assessment of our skills while engaging with others in our community The Barter Economy means keeping it local and abundant Itrsquos a win-win This month the Cariboo will have such an opportunity on December 14 at the first annual Dark of Winter Barter Faire an afternoon of barter and trade Swap treasures for treasures as quality items you have created or loved can be ex-changed as gifts for others your family or yourself This includes artistic creations local food stuffs functional creations baking preserves gift certificates for your skilled time and funds It is a good idea to have an approximate value on your items as a basis for fair trade A fair exchange means both folks are happy This is a perfect opportunity to share abundance and creativity while strengthening the local sustainable community There will be door prizes too with a twist this is an opportunity to be a part of the gifting economy and to share with no expectation of return You are invited to contribute something to the door prize baskets A few lucky folks will be blessed with a basket full of community kindness There will be a Parade of Lights to brighten up one of the darkest nights bring a lantern or a flashlight and join in the fun Folks are encouraged to bring along their instruments and voices to jam it up throughout the afternoon and evening Co-create a richer Cariboo December 14 at 3 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts amp Culture Center 90 Fourth Avenue North in Williams Lake Admission is a sliding scale donation of $5 to15 for adults and abundance will be donated to the Potato House For more info or if you feel called to help this unfold please contact Chanti at cariboochanticare2com or 250-620-3592

Williams Lake Wanderers For fitness fun and friendship

This group has been formed for people of all ages to engage in activities that provide physical health and appreciation of the natural world We support a friendly non-competitive atmosphere where one can seek physical fitness at a pace suitable to the individual We welcome new members at any time Membership There is an annual fee of $10 per person A membership card will be issued Group activity information will be sent to members via email and posted at the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Facebook and on the wwwactivewilliamslakecom website

Club contacts Bette McLennan 250-392-6423 Gail Peterson 250-392-4705 Joanne Wright 250-398-7624

December Group Activities

For all activities Meet at the front door of Cariboo Memorial Complex for carpool-ing and a prompt departure at 930 am Most activities are just out of town and re-quire most of the morning Each activity will have a leader All fitness levels are welcome Activities will not proceed if the weather is inclement The schedule is subject to last

minute changes due to weather conditions so check emailFacebook regularly

Tuesdays ndash snowshoeing Wednesdays ndash walking Thursdays ndash cross country skiing or walking (these walks will not be planned ahead) Tuesday December 3 Gunanoot Trails Snowshoe ndash moderate Wednesday December 4 Scout Island Walk ndash flat Thursday December 5 Beacon Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 10 Russet Bluff Snowshoe ndash moderatechallenging Wednesday December 11 River Valley Walk ndash flat Thursday December 12 Anderson Road Ski ndash flat Tuesday December 17 Anderson Road Snowshoe ndash flat Wednesday December 18 Snap Trail Walk ndash flat Thursday December 19 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate Tuesday December 31 Eagleview Walk ndash moderate Wednesday January 1 Scout Island Walk ndash special for Polar Bear Swim Thursday January 2 Bull Mountain Ski ndash moderate

Dark of Winter Barter Faire lsquoTis the season for sharing and giving

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 19: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 19

TheGreenGazette

Hi Ciel

I live in Prince George and was reading

that yoursquore going to focus on the immune

system for your next article I donrsquot have anything thatrsquos so specific to ask but just

wonder what you would recommend for

people who get sick all the time

Thanks

SB Prince George

Hi there SB Thanks so much for writing in Irsquom quite glad you asked a more general ques-tion for this edition actually as this way we can explore some broader ideas and treatments that will be useful for many peo-ple during the coming wintercold season rather than just investigating a specific con-dition Before we get into it I just want to preface this article with a brief exploration of the philosophy wersquoll use in preventing and treating colds flus and other seasonal infections Most of the time modern medicine is working from a philosophy that was de-veloped in the late 1800s called Germ The-ory Germ Theory basically states that a human body kept away from tiny infectious creatures would never get sick and thus the root cause of sickness is the presence and exposure to pathogenic (sickness-causing) organisms This theory has been the ground and basis for the development of antibiot-ics antivirals antibacterial handwash and all else and of the way we think of lsquocatchingrsquo a cold Now itrsquos not that this idea is com-pletely flawed as there certainly are bugs in the world that invade us and can make us sick but itrsquos incomplete In long-term ap-plication this idea is resulting in the antibi-otic resistance and increasingly low immu-nity wersquore seeing in human populations worldwide And there is a brilliant alterna-tive that we have yet to fully explore At the same time Germ Theory was being developed there was another ap-proach to disease emerging called Terrain Theory The idea behind Terrain Theory was that it is the state of the lsquoterrainrsquo ndash here the human body ndash that determines whether or not an organism will get sick not just the presence of bugs The belief of practitioners who healed with this philoso-phy was that a healthy nutritionally-supported and balanced body will be able to fend off the bugs and prevent sickness and that this should be the focus of both prevention and treatment I as you can imagine tend to work more with Terrain Theory than with Germ Theory For reasons that Irsquoll explain further on attacking the bacteria or viruses in-volved in the development of disease re-sults in an imbalanced system and no em-powerment for the individual undergoing the healing process Fear-based healing or prevention which focuses entirely on avoiding bacteria or worrying about when yoursquoll lsquocatchrsquo them is not beneficial Eve-rything wersquoll focus on here will therefore be based upon informing and empowering

Winter Immunity By Ciel Patenaude

Integrative Health Column

1 The Whole Person (and Bacteria) Approach

It might not be the immediate place your mind goes to in illness prevention but the first thing to address when thinking about immunity is your bacterial popula-tion Not the bacteria that are making you sick but the several hundred billion little cells that are an essential part of your physical body These little beings are your physical body in many ways as itrsquos esti-mated that up to 90 per cent of the cells that make us up are actually bacterial not hu-man We are a symbiosismdasha co-operative collectivemdashthat is reliant upon thousands of different species working together for a common goal and if your compatriots are not happy yoursquoll most likely be getting sick all the time Current research suggests that up to 70 per cent of our lsquoimmune systemrsquo is actually the actions and effects of bacteria not our human cells To make our bacteria happy and increase immunity we must really engage with Terrain Theory and step away from attacking germs and viruses so vehemently Every time we use an antibacterial hand sanitizer or take an antibiotic we are not only killing the viruses and bacteria that cause disease but also the ones within us that are responsible for prevention and pro-tection In order to support your bacterial brethren and your overall immunity a full spectrum probiotic would be my first rec-ommendation as well as eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut frequently (if they feel good in your digestive system) Try to find one with at least five or six dif-ferent strains of bacteria in it and a high-potency dose And now that wersquove fully explored the bacterial component of wellness (at least for this short article) here are ten spe-cific key things I recommend to clients who struggle with on-going immunity chal-lenges 1 Make sure yoursquore getting enough zinc magnesium selenium vitamin B6 and vitamins E and C I find itrsquos best for most people to start with a supplemental dose and then seek out food-based forms of these nutrients when available 2 Cut out foods that are irritating your sys-tem It might be difficult to tell exactly what these are at first but doing an elimi-nation diet (no corn soy gluten or dairy) for a couple weeks and then gradually rein-troducing foods will show you exactly what your body is not fond of Reducing irrita-tion in your gut results in a more favorable environment for your probiotic bacteria leading to greater immune function 3 Make sure yoursquore sleeping in the dark and hopefully getting a solid nightrsquos rest of seven to nine hours Decreased sleep in quality or quantity is directly associated with increased stress which in turn leads to lowered immunity long term 4 Do breathing andor meditative exer-cises Also in the hopes of reducing your

overall stress and oxygenating your blood optimally breathing (called Pranayama in yogic philosophy) and meditation will serve to calm your entire system and bring bal-ance 5 Move your body as much as possible Itrsquos difficult in the dark winter months to feel inspired to get to the gym or out in the cold but stimulating the flow of your lymphatic system results directly in an increase in immunity and vitality It might sound nuts but just jumping up and down for a few minutes each day can move your fluids enough so to result in a significant immune increase 6 hellipwhich could mean you should just have more sex Scientifically proven to help I swear 7 Eat a colorful diet Naturally colorful No Froot Loops 8 Take immune supportive herbs My fa-vorites are astragalus ginger turmeric rei-shi mushroom (truly amazing for people with severely compromised immunity) and echinacea Be aware that echinacea is not for everyone despite being so commonly known and available as it can quite often cause an allergic response 9 When necessary take natural antibiotics When you do get sick natural cures like colloidal silver raw honey garlic and clove oil will serve to reduce the pathogenic bacterial population without creating the potential for antibiotic resistance or damage to your own bacterial population 10 Have fun Seems silly maybe but peo-ple who have lowered immunity are known

to be more easily stressed and over-whelmed than those who resist infection more effectively Take time every day to do something just because it brings you pleasure And I know this may seem like a crazy recommendation for most people but please stay away from antibacterial hand sanitizer or if you do choose to use one pick one that is herbal or natural in for-mula Not only will you increase the health of your bacterial system by avoiding these but yoursquoll also decrease your risk of cancer and immune disorders that have been linked to the chemicals often found in those products Washing your hands is fantastic but too much cleanliness is actu-ally not such a good thing after all (Google ldquoThe Hygiene Hypothesisrdquo if yoursquore inter-ested in exploring that further) Itrsquos an exciting thing to watch peo-ple experiment with these ideas and prac-tices as working with immunity is one of those areas of our health and experience that can change in a huge way in a very short amount of time Please let me know (either you SB or any readers out there) if yoursquod like some specific recommendations on supplements to take or if yoursquod like some clarification on any of the points Irsquove made here I hope that you have a wonder-ful and healthy winter Ciel Patenaude is an Integrative Health amp Shamanic Practitioner based in Williams

Lake BC A highly trained and naturally

gifted intuitive healer Ciel holds a BSc in

Biology an MA in Integrative Healing and is a certified yoga teacher amp wellness

coach Photo picstopincom

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 20: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 20 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

A s Mary Forbes would say ldquoSure smells like snow outsiderdquo Yep itrsquos beginning

to reek of snow As I write this on ovember 4 at 3 pm there is a heavy grey

impending doom outside Just a matter of time now

Perfect time to talk about composting right Many gardeners or food growers may think otherwise abandoning their compost piles around this time of year Un-derstandable As Genevieve Slocum of OgranicGardeningcom writes your compost pile in the winter is not unlike your refrigerator once the temperature drops microbial metabolisms slow down which of course prevents your food from rotting as quickly So if you want to compost in the winter you simply need to make the environment hospitable to microbes Slocum thinks of it as a kind of ldquomicro-husbandryrdquo

But why would one need to compost in the winter anyway The gardens are all asleep so you cannot use it Composting in the winter however can still take care of the green waste that continues to come out of your kitchen Many people may not like or have the space to compost all their green waste indoors with bokashis or worm composters You are also that much farther ahead in the spring with ready-to-use compost and more of it But what about the Cariboo Itrsquos freezing here There are tried and true methods to keep your compost pile going in sub-zero temperatures Compost Guy (out of Southern On-tario which can have some seriously cold winters) claims that three crucial elements must be in place for the microbial populations found in your compost Heat source Insulation Fuel Heat This will depend largely on the size of your compost pile and then a balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio to keep the microbes happy dappy The size of your compost pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (or 2 cubic metres) Bigger is better the colder your region tends to be Here in the Cariboo I would aim for at least double that size which can still be

reasonable on a residential lot in town Insulation This is the interesting part If your pile is not much bigger than a couple cubic metres consider insulating it which will allow microbial activity to keep chugging along Remember most of the composting action happens during the first two phases meso-philic and thermophilic (see graph below) So temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees C in the centre of your compost pile are what you are aiming for These core temperatures are more difficult to achieve in a smaller compost pile so insulation is key in the winter You can use straw bales stacked all around your compost pile or even home insulation Just be sure to add a layer of cardboard between the compost pile and insulation first Then secure in place with a few 1x4s around the pile Maintaining insulation on top of your compost pile is impor-tant as well straw leaf or lawn litter can be used for this As you can see in the picture above snow adds yet another layer of excellent insula-tion Beneath just 30 centimeters (1 foot) of snow micro and macro organisms are protected

from changes in the air temperature above the snow surface and it also traps in heat and pre-vents evaporation Alternatively you could build a compost pile into the ground or side of a hill Fuel Considering your heated insulated compost pile will now be active during the winter months you will need to make sure itrsquos fed Using the aforementioned carbon to nitro-gen ratio this shouldnrsquot be difficult to achieve Ensure you have kept some carbonaceous material from the fall for your compost bin More Sweet Winter Composting Tips

Particle Size The size of your compost matters to the speed with which it is com-posted In this case the smaller the better If you can break your compost down into pieces no larger than 10 cm It reduces the amount of work your already sluggish microbes need to

do It also helps the pile heat up uniformly and the smaller pieces bind together more creat-ing somewhat of a mat protecting from outside temperature extremes Layering Layering is always important but especially so in the winter The layers of carbon to nitrogen also help insulate your pile trapping heat and gases inside Moisture Winter winds and low humidity can suck the moisture out of your compost pile and the microbes need moisture to survive It may seem counterintuitive but during warm spells in your winter compost pile water it Leave it damp but not soaking This is where having a compost thermometer will help If there are a few feet of snow surrounding your winter compost pile however there should be little need for watering Oxygen In warm weather frequent turning is the best way to keep microbes well supplied with oxygen But in winter you want to cause as little disturbance as possible to the layer of insulation Wait until spring to turn the pile

As a reminder here are some tips on your compost pilersquos favourite meals

Greens (Nitrogen)

Browns (Carbon)

Fruit and vegetable peelscores Shredded paper (veggie ink only)

Egg shells (crushed) Leaves (best if chopped first)

Coffee groundsfilters and tea bagsleaves Old cardboard amp egg cartons - cut into small pieces

Green grass clippings (small amounts) Straw

Weeds (without seeds) Dried grasschopped twigs and branches

Fresh garden waste Vacuum dust pet hair

Composting Continues as Winter Moves In

Photo Photo Photo Photo wwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombestwwworganicsoiltechnologycombest----compostcompostcompostcompost----basicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtmlbasicshtml

By Brianna van de Wijngaard Community Liason at Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

These items should not be placed in the compost bin

Composting Resources in the Cariboo

Until we have a municipal composting facility there are a few local resources available for residents who may not have the space time or confidence to take on composting themselves We want to help Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society ndash Compost Coaching Hotline

Got rodents in your compost pile Is your compost smelly Why have your corn cobs been in the compost for five years Give us a call We can help answer many of your compost ques-tions Monday-Friday from 1 pm-5 pm or send an email to wastewiseccconservorg

The Potato House Project ndash Community Composting

Would you like to compost but just donrsquot have the space The Potato House Society will

gladly do it for you They launched their new community compost centre in 2013 and it is

ready to receive your kitchen and garden bits Just drive by First and Borland and look for the

10 pallet compost bins via the laneway (next to Gecko Tree parking lot) Pictures and info

here httpwwwpotatohouseprojectcomCommunity_Compostinghtml

Meat dairy products eggs bones oils or dressings (use bokashi)

Plastic bags or wrap metal or glass

Dog or cat waste cat litter (bury separate)

Particle board plywood pressure treated wood ndash anything with glue

Persistent or diseased weeds (plants you do not want to sprout up in your garden)

Toxic plants like walnut shellsleaves

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 21: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 21

TheGreenGazette

Canadian Tire in Williams Lake has long set an example for recycling efforts making it easier and more convenient for residents to drop off recycling at one location They are also committed to unique in-store recycling programs Sports department manager Taylor Betsill has been at the store since she was 16 years old and says recycling is just one of the reasons she is proud to work at Canadian Tire ldquoI am a strong believer in recycling and love that the store makes in convenient for people I think itrsquos so importantrdquo she explains adding that the store recycles things like wood pallets fluorescent bulbs glass all types of batteries including cellphone and automotive cardboard and paper ldquoThis is part of being a good community store Itrsquos a small town and recycling depots are few and far between this is a place where you can shop for what you need and deposit things you donrsquotrdquo she says Canadian Tire is also dedicated to supporting the community when it comes to fundraising events kidsrsquo programs and non-profit organizations ldquoI think what we do is amazing when it comes to supportrdquo says Betsill ldquoThrough Jumpstart we help more kids play sports and we welcome all kinds of groups out front of our store including Girl Guides firefighters and more These are ways for us to support the community that keeps our doors openrdquo Betsill says from the moment she walked in the door on her first day of work Canadian Tire has felt like family ldquoI love coming to work every day because of the people I work with and I think itrsquos so important to pass that on to customersrdquo she explains ldquoIf you can come to work with a smile on your face help people and enjoy doing it thatrsquos good customer ser-vice ldquoIrsquod like to say that what brings people back is knowledgeable staff but we do have some pretty cool displays in here toordquo she laughs ldquoIf every customer who left the store said they had someone who smiled at them helped them and got them out the door with what they wanted I would be happyrdquo she says ldquoThatrsquos my goal No matter how busy we are if we can stop and smile and say lsquoCan I help yoursquo thatrsquos huge Thatrsquos what should happen every dayrdquo

Canadian Tire Giving the gift of recycling By LeRae Haynes

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 22: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 22 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

O n October 3 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on televi-

sion As we all now know the

show quickly became a cul-

tural icon one of those phenomena that helped define an era

What is less remembered but equally if not more important is that an-other transformative cultural event hap-pened that day The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the Thunder Burp I knowmdashwhorsquos ever heard of the Thunder Burp Well no one The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season Until 1955 ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp which according to Howard Chu-dacoff a cultural historian at Brown Uni-versity was a kind of historical watershed Almost overnight childrenrsquos play became focused as never before on thingsmdashthe toys themselves ldquoItrsquos interesting to me that when we talk about play today the first thing that comes to mind are toysrdquo says Chudacoff ldquoWhereas when I would think of play in the 19th century I would think of activity rather than an objectrdquo Chudacoffrsquos recently published his-tory of childrsquos play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small more or less unsupervised and engage in freewheeling imaginative play They were pirates and princesses aristocrats and ac-tion heroes Basically says Chudacoff they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all ldquoThey improvised play whether it was in the outdoorshellip or whether it was on a street corner or somebodyrsquos back yardrdquo Chudacoff says ldquoThey improvised their own play they regulated their play they made up their own rulesrdquo But during the second half of the 20th century Chudacoff argues play changed radically Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe children were supplied with ever more spe-cific toys for play and predetermined scripts Essentially instead of playing pi-rate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of childrsquos playmdasha trend which begins to shrink the size of childrenrsquos imaginative space But commercialization isnrsquot the only reason imagination comes under siege In the second half of the 20th century Chu-dacoff says parents became increasingly concerned about safety and were driven to create play environments that were secure and could not be penetrated by threats of the outside world Karate classes gymnas-tics summer campsmdashthese create safe en-vironments for children Chudacoff says And they also do something more for mid-

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills By Alix Spiegel NPRorg

dle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement they offer to enrich a childrsquos mind Change in Play Change in Kids Clearly the way children spend their time has changed Herersquos the issue a grow-ing number of psychologists believe these changes in what children do has also changed kidsrsquo cognitive and emotional development It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped chil-dren develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function Executive function has a number of different elements but a cen-tral one is the ability to self-regulate Kids with good self-regulation are able to con-trol their emotions and behaviour resist impulses and exert self-control and disci-pline We know that childrenrsquos capacity for self-regulation has diminished A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s in which psy-chological researchers asked kids ages three five and seven to do a number of exercises One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving The three year olds couldnrsquot stand still at all the five year olds could do it for about three minutes and the seven year olds could stand pretty much as long as the re-searchers asked In 2001 researchers re-peated this experiment But psychologist Elena Bodrova at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning says the re-sults were very different ldquoTodayrsquos five year olds were acting at the level of three year olds 60 years ago and todayrsquos seven year olds were barely approaching the level of a five year old 60 years agordquo Bodrova explains ldquoSo the re-sults were very sadrdquo Sad because self-regulation is in-credibly important Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates drug use and crime In fact good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a childrsquos IQ Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay atten-tion are better able to learn As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains ldquoSelf-regulation predicts effective develop-ment in virtually every domainrdquo The Importance of Self-Regulation According to Berk one reason make-believe is such a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe children engage in whatrsquos called private speech They talk to them-selves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it ldquoIn fact if we compare preschool-ersrsquo activities and the amount of private speech that occurs across them we find that this self-regulating language is highest during make-believe playrdquo Berk says ldquoAnd this type of self-regulating lan-guagehellip has been shown in many studies to

be predictive of executive functionsrdquo And itrsquos not just children who use private speech to control themselves If we look at adult use of private speech Berk says ldquowersquore often using it to surmount obstacles to master cognitive and social skills and to manage our emotionsrdquo Unfortunately the more structured the play the more childrenrsquos private speech declines Essentially because chil-drenrsquos play is so focused on lessons and leagues and because kidsrsquo toys increas-ingly inhibit imaginative play kids arenrsquot getting a chance to practice policing them-selves When they have that opportunity says Berk the results are clear Self-regulation improves ldquoOne index that researchers includ-ing myself have usedhellip is the extent to which a child for example cleans up inde-pendently after a free-choice period in pre-schoolrdquo Berk says ldquoWe find that children who are most effective at complex make-believe play take on that responsibility withhellip greater willingness and even will assist others in doing so without teacher promptingrdquo Despite the evidence of the benefits of imaginative play however even in the context of preschool young childrenrsquos play is in decline According to Yale psycho-logical researcher Dorothy Singer teachers and school administrators just donrsquot see the value ldquoBecause of the testing and the em-phasis now that you have to really pass these tests teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids in their basic funda-

mentals Play is viewed as unnecessary a waste of timerdquo Singer says ldquoI have so many articles that have documented the shortening of free play for children where the teachers in these schools are using the time for cognitive skillsrdquo It seems that in the rush to give children every advantage ndash to protect them to stimulate them to enrich them ndash our culture has unwittingly compromised one of the activities that helped children most All that wasted time was not such a waste after all Read many more articles and news about Waldorf education and parenting at wwwwaldorftodaycom

ldquoPlay is the highest expression of

human development in childhood

for it alone is the free expression

of what is in a childrsquos soulrdquo

- Frederich Froebel Suggested resources for inspiring and sup-porting us on our journey of educating our children Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne Rhythms of Learning by Robert Trostli and Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv For more infor-mation visit wwwwaldorftodaycom wwwrighttoplaycomCanada and wwwwaldorfearlychildhoodorg This arti-cle originally appeared on NPRrsquos website Please see the link to the full text with il-lustrations here wwwnprorgtemplatesstorystoryphpstoryId=19212514

The games of children arehellip

their most serious business

- Montaigne

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 23: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 23

TheGreenGazette

Project grants are available for non-profit organizations or community groups in Williams Lake and the Central Cariboo (CRD Areas D E and F) to support and

develop arts and culture within this region The funding for these grants is courtesy of the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (Central Cariboo Arts amp

Culture function) subject to the availabil-ity of funds Project Grants of between $300 and

$2000 are available for projects which

bull Are new or build creatively on previ-

ous work

bull Are likely to increase participation in

arts amp culture

bull Take place within the Central Cariboo

region (Williams Lake andor CRD Areas

D E and F)

bull Will be completed by December 31

2014

The deadline for applications is Friday

January 31 2014 at 4 pm and full de-tails adjudication criteria and application requirements can be obtained by visiting

wwwcentralcaribooartscom or by request from infocentralcaribooartscom

GRADT WRITIDG WORKSHOP January 8 2014 6 pmmdash8 pm at the Ce nt r a l Ca r i b o o Ar t s Ce nt r e I n s t r u c t o r G r a h a m K e l s e y This is a free workshop Register with the

CCACS by January 6 at 778-412-9044 or i n f o c e n t r a l c a r i b o o a r t s c o m The workshop will introduce commonly made pitfalls in grant applications (eg budgeting project description etc) It will

be focused on the CCACS Project Grant application For further information please contact

CCACS co-ordinator Leah Selk at 7 7 8 - 4 1 2 - 9 0 4 4 o r e m a i l infocentralcaribooartscom

Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Grants By Leah Selk

TRU Professor Conducts Research at Harvard

Williams Lake ndash Thompson Rivers University assistant biology professor Rob Higgins

visited Harvard University this past summer to pursue his research on devel-

oping a better understanding of one par-ticular group of ants in British Columbia (genus Myrmica) The best collection of

ant specimens is housed at Harvard Uni-versity in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology Higgins was welcomed by Stefan Cover curator of ants He was

given full access to the collection and connected with researchers from around

the world

ldquoAnts in this genus are extremely diffi-cult to identify to species a problem that

created real world issues when the Euro-pean fire ant (Myrmica rubra) turned up in British Columbia There is a desper-

ate need to clean up the species clutterrdquo says Higgins

The best collection of ants in Canada is

at the Universiteacute du Queacutebec agrave Chi-

coutimi Andreacute Francoeur a retired tax-

onomist opened up his collection to

Higgins who was able to spend a week

there going over Myrmica specimens

Through research Higgins has discov-

ered another species of Myrmica new to science from the HoustonSmithers area of

BC Higgins also came across a new species of European invasive ant that has spread

across Vancouver and Victoria (Myrmica specioides) The Canadian National Collection

in Ottawa and the Royal BC Museum have just asked for specimens for their collections

Thompson Rivers University is equipped with state of the art science laboratories Re-

search on the Myrmica species continues

European fire ant (Myrmica rubra) an invasive

species that attacks and stings has turned up in

the Vancouver and Victoria area

Photo Robert J Higgins

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 24: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 24 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

I packed up one of my motherrsquos

small valises and got into the cab

of the pickup between my grand-

parents for the seven-hour drive to

Bella Coola Grandpa was going fishing

for steelhead

It was 1964 and it was my first trip to the coast to the rainforest and salty air of the ocean but I hadnrsquot given it much

thought really I was from high country I wasnrsquot expecting anything different than what I had seen for the first ten years of my life as far as the lay of the land goes It

turned out to be beyond what I had ever could have imagined

I was excited and relieved to see the

ranch disappearing behind the dry fog of dirt clouds as we drove away but I felt anx-ious about going to Bella Coola too A si-

lent pressing behind my eyes and tightness in my chest grew stronger as the miles in-creased

I had heard about the switchbacks The roads were already back to their

dusty condition although the snow and ice and then the high waters of the spring thaw

ndash bringing thick immobilizing mud that only tractors could navigate ndash were only three weeks past The road we took was

called the Bella Coola Highway because it joined the rest of the Chilcotin to the town of Bella Coola but it didnrsquot seem like a

highway to me It was just like any of the other roads around the Cless Pocket Ranch They were made of brown dirt and were

bumpy and narrow and lined with jack pines and scrub brush I soon grew bored and tried to read a comic book on my lap but I became nauseous Grandpa reached

down near his feet and pulled out an offer-ing showing it to me with a big smile

ldquoHave a 7Up Itrsquoll cheer you uprdquo he

said ldquoAnd then you wonrsquot throw uprdquo He laughed at his own cleverness He held it between his knees and used a metal cap

opener with one hand I sipped the sweet warm pop from the bright green bottle but it didnrsquot help

ldquoTry to look at the horizonrdquo Grandma said pointing toward a small opening ahead between the trees

The road straightened out and we

came to the Tweedsmuir Park sign Grandpa geared down and we climbed up a long low grade and gradually about three-quarters of

an hour later we went over the edge of the plateau turned from a westerly to a south-erly direction then proceeded on what was

at first a slow almost imperceptible de-scent I felt Grandma growing tense as we continued along

ldquoHow long now Lourdquo she asked ldquoHow long till whatrdquo I wanted to

know ldquoThe switchbacksrdquo Grandpa said

keeping his eyes on the road ldquoAny time now We just went over the crestrdquo

ldquoWhat are switchbacks anywayrdquo I

wanted to know The sense of unease re-turned

Grandpa geared down further ldquoYou

are about to seerdquo He grabbed some matches and a pack of Lucky Strikes from the dashboard and asked me to take out a ciga-

rette and light it for him I stuck one in his mouth and held a lit match up as he pulled in with his lips and inhaled deeply Irsquod been lighting his cigars with his Zippo since I

Switchbacks

Baptiste Elkins

going up the Bella

Coola Hill in the

back of Bob

Stewarts truck

sometime between

1950 and 1960

with Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collection

By Julie Andreacutes Big tree and

rockslide

blocks Bella

Coola hill with

Bob Stewart

Photo Stewart

Family Collec-

tion

could remember and once in a while he asked me to light a cigarette for him when his hands were busy and he wanted a

smoke My parents disapproved of this ve-hemently as they did of his teasing offers of beer Grandpa enjoyed his vices without

guilt and didnrsquot think a little ldquoniprdquo here and there would hurt anyone he said It didnrsquot hurt him he claimed

The road became steeper and even narrower as we hugged the rise on the up-side of the hill Grandma gripped the arm-rest with her right hand and my forearm

with her left hand and planted her feet firmly on the floorboard I could feel my heart beating faster mainly because

Grandma and Grandpa were so preoccupied with something I couldnrsquot yet see

ldquoWhatrsquos happening Grandpardquo I

asked only to be jolted by Grandmarsquos shrill interruption

ldquoLou Be carefulrdquo she said from be-

tween her bared teeth Then I saw what was below us and felt

my jaw clench My throat tightened up I decided not to grab onto Grandpa seeing

that he needed to control the steering wheel so I twisted Grandmarsquos smock around my fist and squeezed it into a rope gripping so

hard that my fingernails dug into my own palm The road came to a hairpin curve and we circled sharply to go back in the direc-

tion we had just come Now our truck was on the edge of the downward slope and be-yond the land plummeted sharply revealing

another section of the road snaking below us Small brush and pines dotted the moun-tainside of pale sandy soil and small rough stones I looked behind us and then up to the

slope above and saw that we were on the side of a steep grade edging our way down-ward I guessed that we were going over the

distant range that we could see from Cless Pocket but we were really leaving the high expanse of the vast plateau where the ranch

sat heading downward to the long fjord of the Bella Coola Valley The thought of be-ing on the other side of the mountains ex-

cited me but my mind quickly returned to the reality of the situation and the tightness in my skull I felt the pounding behind my eyes growing as my anxiety built I was

especially disturbed to see Grandma so scared

ldquoGod Almighty I hope that we donrsquot

meet up with a logging truck Be careful Lou Go slower My Lord Why did I say that Irsquod come on this trip I knew it was

going to be hair-raising Lou slow downrdquo Grandma was usually calm and in

control but it was clear to me that she was

utterly terrified Her glasses had slipped down to the middle of her nose and she wouldnrsquot let go of her grip on my arm and the armrest to push them back up in front of

her eyes Beads gathered on her forehead like spray from a sprinkler

ldquoLou Lou Lou

ldquoJesus Christ Almighty Alice The last thing I want to do is burn out the brakes Irsquom in second gear Wersquore going to be fine

Just hang onrdquo He didnrsquot need to tell her that She was

hanging on all right His cigarette protruded

from between his teeth and he pursed his lips to take a quick puff Ashes fell onto his lap

ldquoIt will all be over in a few more min-

utes Yoursquore perfectly safe Irsquove done this a dozen times nowrdquo

The vegetation began to change with tall dark evergreen trees towering into view below The trees became closer together

than they were around the ranch and the brush was thick and varied Goatsbeard and elderberry ocean spray bracken ferns and

high grasses of bright green filled in around the trees and rustled in the breeze This change brought a thrilling sense of pleasure

to me I could smell damp earth and ever-green needles

We came to another switchback I experienced relief on the progress of another

turn then a renewal of foreboding when I saw that there was a lot more of the same ahead of us still

The air shifted from thin and chilly to mild and surprisingly soothing There was moisture coming up the mountainside into

our lungs and the nip in the air gradually lessened as a hint of warmth rose from the valley below The road widened and lev-

elled out and Grandpa stopped the truck on a wooden bridge over the Atnarko River We fumbled out of the truck cab and I rubbed at the red marks Grandmarsquos grip

had left on my arm Pale green rushing wa-ter frothed with white washed away my feelings of dread as the riverrsquos powerful roar

and crisp fresh surge rolled toward us The air was charged with an energy that was entirely new to me

I found a stone on the bridge and was about to throw it into the water below

ldquoHold stillrdquo Grandpa mumbled

ldquoGrizzlies Itrsquos a sow and two yearlings Just watch them Nothing to be afraid of Theyrsquore hoping to get fish I know that feel-ingrdquo

They were upriver fifty yards or somdashthree bears two somewhat smaller but fully developed They were on a pebbly bank

looking intently into the water To me they seemed to move around like figures in a dreammdashthey were so solid and full of life

and also somehow the vision of them felt quite unreal at the same time One of the smaller ones grabbed a flapping fish from

the water in a flash and they tore it apart with their mouths and claws sharing among themselves I could hear their muffled

growls of satisfaction A few minutes passed before we noticed that there were seven more bears not too far beyond They

too were catching early season salmon The bears didnrsquot notice us watching

them for several minutes Then the wind

eddied back and drove our scent toward them and they lifted their noses high into the air They became still and found us with their eyes then watched us intently The

grizzlies were far away enough for a safe return into the truck in plenty of time but I edged over and opened the door gingerly for

a quick getaway just the same The bears finally started to amble away so we climbed up into the cab and resumed our travels

The break had done us good The steep slopes werenrsquot completely over though as Grandma and I unhappily discovered but

we were soon on the valley floor My head-ache had all but disappeared and I felt as though I had entered another world The towering trees I learned were primarily

Western red cedar but there were also spruce hemlock and fir and they filled the humid air with a cleansing perfume that

made me think of fresh sheets pulled in from the clothesline The waters of the At-narko now joined with the Talchako to

form the Bella Coola River slowed and thickened flowing like blue-green milk while lofty snow-crusted stone cliffs

scored with deep vertical gouges rose above us on both sides We were in a glaci-ated valley my grandfather told me

It felt like heaven to me

Julie Andreacutes is a writer and editor

living on the Sunshine Coast She lived on

the famous Cless Pocket Ranch near

Anahim Lake during the 1960s Her com-

pany Blue Moon Publishing offers custom-

ized self-publishing services to authors (See

wwwbluemoonpublishingca)

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 25: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 25

TheGreenGazette

Aggie By Julie Andreacutes Your hair your clothes your obsidian eyes are smoky with last nightrsquos fire Between your thick brown fingers stained with nicotine and guts softened hide is gathered A needle gripped by those moose-skinners pierces deftly in and out attaching beads in a sparkling rainbow starburst

as I watch

Nursed by your gums shapes and folds form Teeth prevent us from such tender work prevent us from giving forth in an open infant smile such as yours When you arrive with your sisters

your nieces and daughters soft sprays of sun slant from the autumnrsquos afternoon sky filtering into your wagon through the cracks

and through the pine branches to surround us Children scatter shyly aware of the silent barriers that our fears and masks present Your dogs and horses dream and wait moving only eyelids and tails You barter with my grandmother for sugar and tea Dollars are a bother for you

an extra step in getting those same things When you ask my grandmother if she has cigarettes She holds out a tin of Playerrsquos tobacco And you reach in pulling out a handful with a fearless laugh After you are gone my grandmother gifts me with a pair

stiff on my bare feet smoky like your camp I become light and agile in your moccasins I run over grass and ground

M y name is Amanda ickerson I moved

here from Vancouver at the end of June

I have been blessed with the beautiful

Cariboo sunshine I am a certified yoga

instructor and personal trainer I am currently studying

to become a registered holistic nutritionist

I went to my first yoga class because of a running injury They were becoming more frequent and would leave me unable to exercise for a week or more at a time As an active person this was very hard for me Then I found yoga I was not a flexible person I couldnt even reach down and touch my toes I kept going because I found it challenging despite being hard work I would always leave yoga feeling relaxed and with peace of mind I wanted to keep exploring this I did my yoga training in Los Angeles California in 2004 I have since taken many more trainings and workshops I have taught yoga in Australia Thailand Indonesia Europe and the US I became a teacher be-cause I wanted to help others as my teachers have helped me My style of teaching is power yoga I love how the body flows in and out of the postures like a beautiful fluid dance My yoga classes are challenging yet simple I simply provide the framework to allow my students to explore their bodies Yoga means something different to everyone We are all unique and know our bodies best Yoga helps us to develop this self awareness My stu-dents teach and inspire me on a daily basis We teach what we need to learn ourselves I currently teach yoga at Satya yoga studio You can connect with me at amandasatyayogastudioca As a runner I will be offering a special yoga class for run-ners I believe that fitness should be fun I currently offer a Barre Fitness class that is an invigorating one hour workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and

Dance like no one is watching

Are you ready to dance from the bottom of your heart Do you wish that there was a weekly place to dance in a nurturing non-intimidating space Me too It is time to step out of our comfort zones and into our dancing soles You are invited to join in an ecstatic dance experience Each week will begin with a didjeridu sound meditation to quiet our busy minds and center us into the space Then the dancing begins with gentle rhythms The music will build in intensity and allow us to dance and express from within until the energy reaches a pinnacle The musical flow will slowly ease back into a meditative space A chance to lsquoDance like no one is watchingrsquo is about feeling the music and letting it dance through you free flow This is a great opportunity to nurture you body and your soul and explore dance as a moving meditation No dance experience necessary This is gently guided self-expression Dance like on one is watching is a great way to honour your New Yearrsquos resolution for self-care Join us Thurs-

days January 16 23 and 30 from 730 to 845 pm at Satya Yoga Studio The fee is $10session To pre-register

please call Chanti at 250-620-3592 or email cariboochanticare2com Letrsquos dance

Harmony Living Health comes to Williams Lake

Amanda Dickerson at Farwell Canyon in the Cariboo

Photo Jana Roller Photography

By Amanda Nickerson

workout that combines yoga fitness conditioning and core work Come and find a class that speaks to you There is a yoga style for every body My business is Harmony Living Health My mis-sion is to help others create harmony within mind body spirit and with the Earth through fitness and nutrition Please feel free to connect with me on Facebook under Amanda Nickerson or Harmony Living Health Hope to see you at a class soon Namaste

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 26: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 26 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 27: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 27

TheGreenGazette

Respectful Harvest Results in Better Meat

D ebbie Irvine from Springhouse Gardens

grows vegetables organically on a quarter

acre She is a producer for the Cariboo

Growers Market and also does a lsquobag a

weekrsquo garden produce program

She now has a steer and a heifer that she is rais-

ing for her own consumption and also for her custom-ers ldquoOur whole farm is more than 100 acres putting it all into vegetables isnrsquot feasible for me but the area is

well-known for raising cattle Wersquove been here seven years have horses and have done a lot of fencing and

are now at a place where we can raise cattlerdquo she says She says you can get organic meat from several

sources in the area but that her efforts are focused on being more self-sufficient ldquoWe wanted a certain qual-

ity meat for home consumptionmdashsome for us and some sold by the half or the quarterrdquo she adds

ldquoI knew I wanted to have them lsquograss-finishedrsquo The calves came to me in May when the grass was starting to grow well and they ate it until September

By mid-month the grass was diminishing in nutrition so I started free-feeding them hay I give them a hand-

ful of barley with kelp every day so they get enough minerals and they have a selenium salt block that they

can access freelyrdquo Irvine has been around horses all her life and

says she is aware of the benefits of keeping animals healthy and happy ldquoRaising cattle for beef I wanted

to raise animals who have had a very good life The animalsrsquo comfort and well-being is paramount for

merdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos a difficult thing knowing theyrsquore going for slaughter but I felt it was my respon-sibility to give them as good a life as possible for the

short time theyrsquore hererdquo One thing she says really concerns her is the

slaughter process itself ldquoJust because an animal is grass-fed doesnrsquot lessen the slaughter but I believe it

is more humane when done on the farm instead of at a facility When an animal is taken to a facility itrsquos a

strange place with strange animals smells and noises and there is the added stress of being hauled there in

the first placerdquo she says ldquoThe slaughter process may vary from facility to facility but some things are the samerdquo

She says in talking with others who raise ani-mals she found one facility in the Cariboo where

someone will come to your ranch and harvest animals raised for your own consumption ldquoThey slaughter it

on-site and take it away to butcher in a licensed in-spected facilityrdquo she notes adding that she believes

anyone should have that option regardless of what they do with the meat

Local professional butcher Sylvia Laffer says improved slaughtering conditions began with Dr Temple Grandin a successful humane livestock facil-

ity designer who was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in

2009 ldquoA home slaughter is definitely nicer for the

animalsrdquo says LafferldquoThere is no doubt about it There is less trauma Stress creates adrenalin in the

body and can result in a lesser quality of meatrdquo ldquoI agree with Debbie Irvine that the option to

have your animals farm-slaughtered should be avail-able to anyone no matter what they do with the meatrdquo

says Bob Martin a butcher at a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) processing facility in Ore-gon

In a recent article he wrote for the Westin A Price Foundation for Food Farming and the Healing

Arts Martin says farm-slaughtering is without a doubt the most humane way to harvest an animal

ldquoWhen we go to a farm for the first time to

Debbie Irvine at Springhouse Gardens has expanded

her organically grown enterprise to include beef and

believes that home slaughter is the most humane way

to harvest an animal Photo LeRae Haynes

slaughter an animal in the field if there are 25 cows they will stand in a group and watch everything we do

very intentlyrdquo he says ldquoBy nature they are very curi-ous and when we slaughter one or two animals they

will walk over and smell the blood When we show up again the next year with the slaughter truck and

trailer they will run away They remember ldquoThe majority of people I know think that cows are stupid but if you work with them you know

that they are actually very intelligent We know for certain that they have emotions and that they display

them They are very sensitive to their environment Right now at home I have six cows and seven hogs

and chickens and one thing these species have in common is that they know when a stranger is here

Even from 300 yards they know the difference in a human voice

ldquoWhen you take a cow or a hog to a slaughter facility they smell the blood when they get close and become uncertain and nervous Anxious to return to

their own environment they try to get away and some-times slip and fall Adrenalin from stress is released

into all the muscles and tissues and the animal doesnrsquot bleed out as wellrdquo he says ldquoI think it makes the meat

tougherrdquo Irvine says her belief is that farm-slaughtered

meat is healthier not just from a biological point of view but also from a spiritual one ldquoThe animals are

lsquoharvestedrsquo with no stress and no fearrdquo she explains ldquoItrsquos been a delight to have these animals here

Contrary to popular belief that cows are stupid I have found these two critters to be smart curious and friendly I go out into the field and call them and they

come They look out for each other Itrsquos so nice to look out and see them playing together and grooming

each other ldquoSince people started moving off farms wersquove

become more and more detached about where our food comes from and how itrsquos produced Today this

awareness is coming backrdquo she says ldquoWhat I would like to see is anyone regardless

of what theyrsquore going to do with their meat be able to access a home harvester For those of us who want locally-grown organically-grown and conscien-

tiously-raised meat this is the next logical stepmdashrespectfully harvestedrdquo

LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer songwriter co-

producer of ldquoPursiclesrdquo and the community co-

ordinator for Success by 6 She is also the instigator

of a lot of musical shenanigans in Williams Lake in-

cluding ldquoBorderbandrdquo with kids and is a member of

the ldquoPerfect Matchrdquo dance band

By LeRae Haynes

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 28: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 28 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

B ob Peart a 64-year-

old veteran of 30 years

on many fronts of the

environmental battle-

field is the new executive direc-

tor of the Sierra Club of British Columbia He acknowl-

edged he is confident and ldquoexcitedrdquo about the

ldquodauntingrdquo task ahead because he told The Globe and

Mail ldquoItrsquos a really important time for conservation in

BC and I want to contribute Irsquove got my positive attitude

back againhellip my energyhellip and I feel that I can continue

to make a differencerdquo

His first comments contain the usual optimistic platitudes made by a new leader of an organization par-ticularly one with high ideals and formidable obstacles to

overcome in meeting its lofty objectives But the words that follow soon reveal a candid and emotional honesty that rarely comes to the surface so quickly easily and

intenselymdashan honesty that suggests a focus a clarity a resolve a perspective and a maturity that only comes from seasoned experience As such he speaks directly to the many people who worry about our future in a world of

rapid environmental deterioration Peart has been worrying about this future since 1971 when he first heard about global warming He has

watched global greenhouse gases rise continually He has watched BC ndash ldquoa gift to the worldrdquo because of its incredi-ble biological diversity and geophysical complexity ndash fall

victim to an unrelenting onslaught of environmental abuses Development is invariably a euphemism for the incremental destruction of ecologies ldquoEvery day is a

lossrdquo is Peartrsquos articulate summary of the process he has been witnessing How long can this ecological deconstruction con-tinue before crucially important systems break collapse

or shift so dramatically that the ordinary becomes rare and the abnormal becomes normal No one of course knows for certain But the process has an unnerving inevitability

For those who care and are aware the waiting is a tortu-ous experience a tense time of sustained anxiety that is corrosive to trust and optimism ldquoIf you take it seriously

it just tears your soul right outrdquo Peart confessed with his characteristic burst of honesty He took it seriously ldquoI went into the sewer to be

frank I donrsquot know whether Irsquod use the word lsquodepressedrsquo but I was in a bad placerdquo he said ldquoI found it increasingly difficult to enjoy the moment of a soaring osprey or roam-ing grizzly bear without being concerned about the future

and the harm that humans are doing to their habitat These thoughts brought sadness to my spirit and a sense of re-morse so strong that it began to erode the joy and wonder

that I had for it allhellip the lsquoburden of the worldrsquo led to a deterioration of my physical and mental healthrdquo Peart said he was saved by Richard Louvrsquos book

ldquoLast Child in the Woods Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorderrdquo The political and economic fixations of government and industry he realized were

too discouraging to offer either the solace or optimism he needed to psychologically survive the continual ruination that surrounded him But he finally found revitalization and strength in the humanizing and innocent recollection

of children playing in leaves of adventuring in forests of finding animal tracks in snow ldquoThe world isnrsquot going to be rescued by govern-

ment wishful thinking blind optimism or some new machinerdquo he concluded ldquoThere is no anonymous lsquotheyrsquo who are going to figure things out Hope real hope

comes from doing the things before us and making contri-butions to society in a spirit of thankfulness and recogni-tion that each little bit helpsrdquo This revelation was his

victory arising from defeat his emancipation from de-spair Yes governments have to be questioned and chal-lenged Yes societyrsquos attitudes need to change But Peart

Hello Bob Sierra Club of BCs New Executive Director

By Ray Grigg hopes to do his ldquolittle bitrdquo with a different em-

phasis ldquoI think the conversa-tion needs to

be more edgymdashbut it needs to be done in a positive hopeful wayrdquo he said ldquoIrsquom tired of the

sky is falling stuffrdquo Peart knows from per-sonal experience what happens when the ldquosky is falling stuffrdquo

taints perceptions and contami-nates awareness The effect is corrosive depressing and debilitating It certainly was for

him So too is it for the many people who pay close at-tention to the momentum of environmental deterioration that is occurring around them and elsewhere on the

planet The barrage of bad news is too insistent and perva-sive to be legitimately avoided Denial is no longer a valid option An attentive and reasoned analysis of the trends

leads to the reluctant conclusion that our confidence is inflated our security is precarious and our future is com-promised This of course is the angst of our time a tension

that now comprises the psychology of a culture that is reluctantly becoming environmentally literate All the enthralment that comes with our enthusiasm for making

consuming and exploiting is shadowed by a foreboding Despite Bob Peartrsquos professed conversion to the ldquopositiverdquo and ldquohopefulrdquo the deepest recesses of his

awareness must know ndash as so many others do ndash that this is essentially a personal survival strategy an individualrsquos way of coping with dark prospects that often seem un-

stoppable and unavoidable In response to such adversity we each do what we must and survive as we can If being defiantly ldquohopefulrdquo and ldquopositiverdquo in a time of dwindling optimism is an un-

realistic strategy for success it is at least a heroic gesture of strength and resolve a resolute assertion of tenacity and bravery a valiant expression of caring and leadership

This is the most we can expect of anyone Ray Grigg is a weekly environmental columnist for the

Campbell River Courier-Islander He is the author of seven internationally published books on Oriental phi-

losophy specifically Zen and Taoism

Bob Peart Sierra Club

of BC Executive Direc-

tor Photo Sierra Club

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 29: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 29

TheGreenGazette

Raising Amadeus

ight has fallen The early and long nights of

winter always manage to take me by sur-prise Irsquom never quite mentally prepared

when winter hits Kasha barks in the dis-tance and I tell myself as I always do that shersquos barking

at coyotes or foxes as opposed to wolves or cougars Her

barks grow more insistent and I canrsquot help but feel a little anxious as I wonder if Amadeus is close

Only a month ago Amadeusrsquo habits changed again and he stopped sleeping on the balcony I think his leaving home was a combination of his wanting to be ac-cepted by the herd who (thankfully) do not sleep on the balcony and the fact that his little puppy-sister Quioa would like very much to curl up beside him each night and chew on his ears

I think I may have had a small touch of empty nest syndrome at first My little guy was all grown up and out on his own in the big scary worldhellip I may have men-tioned previously that I am not exactly cut out for farm life in that I am about as tough as a cashmere sweater I know a goat is not a child but in raising him I have gained a better understanding of my own mother No a goat is not a child but now I know why it would always make Mom so happy when my brother and I would both come home for Christmas after we had left home She always said she slept best knowing that her family was all under one roof I always thought she was being over-protective I always knew I was just fine whether at home or away

But now that Amadeus is sleeping away from the house at night I realize how when he was sleeping on the balcony every time I heard the sound of his hooves com-ing up the back steps I suddenly felt a little bit better I wouldnrsquot even have identified that I was worried about him but the sound of his return just gave me a greater ability to relax All became subconsciously right in my world and when I went to bed I had no trouble falling asleep Itrsquos hard to describe I think you have to be a mom to understand

So now I have to be okay with him out on his own I donrsquot really worry about my other goats They are watchful and stand together in a group facing outward whenever something makes them feel threatened It would have to be a pretty desperate predator to brave not only a protective dog but also a six-headed horned battering ram

But then therersquos Amadeus who as I may have mentioned once or twice is not an accepted member of this group I donrsquot think he even recognizes their sounds of alarm

For those of you who donrsquot know goats the alarm sound they make is something between a sneeze and a fart Think of the sounds children often make by sticking out their tongues and expelling air between tongue and top lip as a mocking gesture and that is the exact sound of a goat signaling danger From infancy baby goats hear their mothers make this sound and they learn it means trouble and that they should head to the inside of the group while making their own farting noises

Irsquove noticed too that the more anxious the mother the more nervous the baby One doe I have jumps and sounds the alarm at every twig snap or duck quack and her babies are usually skittish and flighty I however do not react to sudden noises in this way Since I raised Amadeus and I have never purposefully made this sound as a sign of fear he has no idea what this noise means In a way he is ahead of his flighty cousins in that he is pretty unflappable Nothing much fazes him and were he to move to the Fjords of Norway he would probably live longer than his anxious brethren who would invariably startle sound the alarm and accidentally jump off a cliff trying to get back to the herd

As things stand however we do not live near any cliffs and so I must admit that I have not given my kid

By Terri Smith

a proper education and consequently have not prepared him adequately for life in the outside world

But in the people world he gets on much better than most goats He loves car rides and he loves all the attention of crowds and the attending handfuls of sun-flower seeds that often go with them Because I have been hearing all summer at market that people have been miss-ing him and because I have missed bringing him places with me and because I have recently started working at Cariboo Growersrsquo a few days a week over winter and love both its community atmosphere and its support of local food I have spoken to Amadeus and he has agreed to make a cameo appearance in front of the Co-op at the start of December

He is planning to wear his Santa hat and jingle bells and he will bring along some bales of hay for people to sit on and possibly some refreshments So be sure to come on by in early December so Amadeus can wish you a Merry Christmas and if anyone would like to come pose for a Christmas picture with him by donation to Cariboo Growersrsquo he will email you the picture and enter your name in a draw to win a great gift from this great non-profit association that gives local farmers like me (and Amadeus) a space to market the fruits of our labours The date and time of Amadeusrsquo Christmas visit has yet to be determined and will be posted at Cariboo Growersrsquo and on my Facebook page Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company

The hour grows late and Kasha has twice come back from her patrol and is now out barking again While I have been writing this sitting in front of a crackling fire in the living room fireplace it has begun to snow Great lazy wet flakes have been falling steadily for the last half-hour and it would seem that my empty-nest syndrome came on a little early Have I mentioned that goats hate to get wet Like an adult child who needs money Amadeus has come home He is standing in his box of straw on the balcony tolerating the pestering of his younger sister-puppy and looking through the window ldquoHi Momrdquo his look says ldquoI just stopped by lsquocause I missed you By the way do you happen to have some sunflower seeds I could borrowrdquo Terri Smith is an organic vegetable farmer in the Cariboo

with Roadrsquos End Vegetable Company She has a Bache-

lorrsquos degree in Literature and a diploma in Art

Amadeus dressed up extra warm and cozy for the

holiday season Photo Terri Smith

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 30: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 30 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

HEALTHY SDACKS ADD WHY

Sour Cream Dip

Sour cream is easy to make You make it just like kefir or quark Use the kefir grains in your fresh cream or bought cream and let it stand at room temperature for 1-2 days Sour cream is rich in protein and lactic acid and is high in fat A must-have to satisfy hungry kids bull 1 cup sour cream bull 1 Tbsp chives or dill chopped bull 1 pinch each of cayenne and black pepper bull frac12 tsp sea salt bull 1 clove garlic minced (optional) Mix well serve with carrot sticks celery or other veggies

DUTRIEDT DEDSE MEAL

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

3 cups chicken broth (for chicken stock cook chicken bones covered with water for 3-12 hours Include onions other veggies 2 Tbsp each sea salt and vinegar Strain and keep stock in the fridge) bull 2 frac12 cups butternut squash cooked bull 1 small onion chopped bull 2 cloves garlic minced bull 1 inch piece of ginger minced bull sour cream for garnish (optional) bull 1 Tbsp sauerkraut juice cooled (optional) bull sea salt and pepper to taste bull ghee or butter

1 Heat a quart pot and add the ghee or butter 2 Sauteacutee the onion until it is soft 3 Add the ginger and garlic and sauteacutee for 1 - 2 more minutes until you smell the fragrance 4 Add the chicken stock 5 Add the butternut squash stir and heat 6 Remove from heat and using the immersion blender blend the soup until it is smooth

7 Add sea salt and pepper to taste 8 Add a sour cream in the center of each dish as

a garnish (optional) 9 Add the sauerkraut juice if you are using MYTHS UDVEILED by Morton Satin PhD (Spring Journal 2012) Myth There is a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure FACT The lack of a clear relationship between salt intake and blood pressure is best exemplified with the standard hospital saline I V drip which supplies an aver- a g e of three liters of 09 percent so-dium chloride per day This i s equivalent to twenty-seven grams of salt (45 tea-spoons) per day while in the hospital in addition to the six grams (one teaspoon) of salt taken in food (if the Guidelines are fol-lowed) That is a total of thirty-three grams of

s a l t

NOURISHING OUR CHILDREN By Jasmin Schellenberg per day or more than five times the Dietary

Guideline recommendations Yet patientsrsquo blood pressure is checked every four to six hours and does not change Where is the purported relation-ship of salt intake to blood pressure Myth Reducing salt intake can do no harm FACT Reduced salt intakes have repeatedly been linked in the medical literature to the fol-lowing conditions

bull Insulin resistance (diabetes) bull Metabolic syndrome bull Increased cardiovascular mortality and read-

missions bull Cognition loss in neonates and older adults bull Unsteadiness falls fractures bull Lifelong avidity for salt bull Alzheimerrsquos

Salt consumption decreased drastically by over 50 with the introduction of refrigeration For the past 50 years salt intake stayed the same but hypertension has increased thus linking the two does not make sense To read more on salt read Satinrsquos write-up in the spring journal of Wise Traditions For more salt therapies read wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy We have been doing this for the past six weeks and I can see the biggest change in my 95-year-old mother-in-lawrsquos swollen legs from water retention A WALK THROUGH YOUR PADTRY

MEDICIDE CABIDET

GET RID OF white refined table salt (all miner-als are stripped from it) REPLACE WITH Redmond Himalayan or Celtic sea salt They all are good quality and a great way to take in your minerals Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg

Inspi red by and reso urce d f rom

ldquoourishing Traditionsrdquo by Sally Fallon

www we s to n a pr i c e o rg a nd ht t p

wwwhimalayancrystalsaltcomsalt-therapy

For ldquoourishing our Childrenrdquo newsletters of

the past visit wwwpasture-to-platecom or

wwwthegreengazetteca

December 2013 - January 2014 Calendar of Events

Dovember to May - Williams Lake Winter Market Every Friday 10 am to 6 pm on the upper level of the Boitanio Mall Winter crops gift ideas can-ning local meat baking crafts chair massage natural health products amp so much more Check out our Cafe and Musical events too

December 1 ndash 31 ndash The Station House Gallery in Williams Lake presents its Annual Christmas Market with local artisans 15 off retail prices on ven-

dor days See our Facebook page for details Open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Gallery is closed January 1-15

December 6 ndash Draw date for TheGreenGazettersquos lsquoItrsquos not Easy Being Greenrsquo Contest Get your contest forms in by 2 pm to be eligible for great prizes at participating businesses - Smashinrsquo Smoothies The Bean Counter Bistro Sta-Well Health Foods Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed Laketown

Furnishings Cariboo Growers Co-op Dandelion Living The Gecko Tree and The Hobbit House in Williams Lake (Forms available at participating businesses)

December 6 - The Hobbit House in Williams Lake hosts its14th Annual Open House 10 am - 7pm Bring a donation to the SPCA for Christmas to

enter your name for door prize draws Card readers in attendance TAX FREE shopping and delicious snacks

December 7 - Earth Friendly Holiday Crafts event Quesnel Nature Educa-tion and Resource Centre 1 pm to 4 pm Kids can create decorations using pine cones sea shells and pumpkin seeds $2 donation to cover the cost of materials Call the Baker Creek Enhancement Society for more info 992-

5833

December 10 ndash Williams Lake Film Club Hosts The Colour of Paradise - Iran IranianAzerbaijani PG 90 min Gibraltar Room amp pm (Regular Admission $9 Film Club members $8 seniors and students $6) Beautiful story about a young blind boy whose father is ashamed of and tries to hide

in order to win the hand and dowry of a local woman All proceeds go to the Williams Lake Chapter of the Association for Students with Learning Dis-abilities

December 14 ndash Dark of Winter Barter Faire ndash 3 pm Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Celebrating local art and sustainable commu-nity Bring your quality items to exchange for gifts family or yourself Door

prizes musical jam and Lantern Parade Bring your instruments Admission sliding scale donation $5-$15 Proceeds to The Potato House Contact Chanti at cariboochanticarecom or 250-620-3592

December 16 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoA Fierce Green Fire ndash The battle for a living planetrdquo (101 min) 630 pm at the Cen-

tral Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending library share snacks and join in the discussion

January 5 ndash Family Fun Day at Bull Mountain Sunday 9 am at the Bull Mountain Cross Country Ski area 16 kilometres North of Williams Lake just off Highway 97 This free event is a great opportunity for the whole family or adult individuals to try cross-country skiing Skis boots and poles

will be available to borrow and instructors will be available at no charge

January 14 - Williams Lake Film Club hosts film IUK ndash Greenland PG 90 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm A 16 year old boy from a dysfunctional family is given the chance to reconnect to his culture and history A power-ful film and a great chance to see the beauty of Greenland as never before

January 18 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film The Hungry Tide - Documentary Australia Kiribati 53 min Gibraltar Room 2 pm admis-sion $5 The Pacific nation of Kiribati is on the front line of climate change

Sea level rise is threatening the lives of 105000 indigenous people in this vulnerable and forgotten corner of the Pacific In October of this year the first person in the world a resident of Kiribati has applied to the UN for

refugee status due to climate change

January 27 ndash Williams Lake Transition Town hosts film ldquoHooked on Growthrdquo A film from Growthbusters (54 min) 630 pm at the Central Cariboo Arts Center (old fire hall upstairs) Come browse our lending li-

brary share snacks and join in the discussion

January 28 ndash Williams Lake Film Club hosts film Enough Said ndash USA 93 min Gibraltar Room 7 pm With Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - A modern love story of two divorced people looking for compatible partners Funny sexy - and real

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 31: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014 wwwthegreengazetteca Page 31

TheGreenGazette

The Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green CollectiveThe Green Collective ldquoThinks Creates or Sells Eco-Friendly Productsrdquo

Your Green Shopping Directory

Bean Counter Bistro amp Coffee Bar 250 305-2326

180B 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Coffee Fair Trade Local Foods

Body Health 4 All 250-297-0089

Dola Carter njretracgmailcom wwwbodyhealth4allcom Better health by balanc-ing body PH Independent Distributor of LiPH

Products

Canadian Tire 250 392-3303

1050 South Lakeside Dr Williams Lake Recycling Initiatives Renewable Energy Solutions

Organic Cleaning Products Blue Planet Green

Works Method ature Clean Seventh Generation

Cariboo Growers Coop 778 412-2667

3rd amp Oliver St Williams Lake 100 atural amp

Organic Foods on-Profit Farmerrsquos Coop

Cleanway Supply 1-800-663-5181

275 South MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Organic Cleaning Products

Dandelion Living 778-412-9100

271 Oliver St Williams Lake Local amp Original Reclaimed amp Repurposed atu-

ral amp Organic Products

Day Spa Champagne 250 305-1249

124A North Second Ave Williams Lake Quiet relaxing personalized atmosphere A Zen

experience Four Types Massage Reflexology

ManicuresPedicures amp More Products Aubrey

Organics SoapWorksSpaRitual Local feather amp

semi-precious stone jewelry

Debbie Irvine BSc (Agr) RHD

Registered Holistic Nutritionist 250-392-9418 or dirvinethelakebcca EATIG YOUR WAY TO EXCELLET HEALTH Presenting nutritional seminars which inspire and educate to address health concerns earthRight Solar 1 877 925-2929

3rd amp Borland Williams Lake Renewable Energy Solutions Eco-Friendly Prod-

ucts Composting Toilets

Flying Coyote Ranch 250 296-4755 Ingrid Kallman and Troy Forcier Grass-fed Angus beef No shots no hormones organic fertilizer By the quarter or side hamburger

The Gecko Tree 250 398-8983

54 N MacKenzie Ave Williams Lake Serving healthy local foods

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 392-2069

250 Mackenzie Ave South Williams Lake wwwgoodguysgardeningcom Your One Stop Indoor Gardening Shop Offering a

wide selection of Organic and Eco-friendly utri-

ents and Additives

Halls Organics 250 398-2899

107 Falcon Rd (North Lakeside) Williams Lake Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Products

Alternative Traditional Products Teas and Herbs

Hemp Body Products

The Hobbit House 250 392-7599

71 First Ave South Williams Lake Juice Bar atural Products Essential Oils Teas

Crystals Gemstones and more

Potato House Sustainable Community Society

250 855-8443 or spudspotatohouseprojectcom In an age of apathy and a sense that change is all

talk and no action The Potato House Project is a

friendly bastion of doing sharing learning and

playing Call us with your ideas and to find out ways

to get involved

Rona Home Centre 250 392-7767

298 Proctor Street Williams Lake ECO cleaning amp gardening products LED bulbs

amp energy-efficient building products Responsible

disposal available for recycling of paint stain

CFLs batteries saw blades amp more

San Jose Cattle Company 250 296-4592

Clint and Karen Thompson Sustainable Agriculture Raised aturallyLocal

Beef o antibiotics hormones chemical fertilizers

or herbicides

Scout Island Dature Centre amp Williams Lake

Field Daturalists 250 398-8532

wwwscoutislandnaturecentreca wwwwilliamslakefieldnaturalistsca 1305A Borland Rd Williams Lake ature on the cityrsquos doorstep Bird sanctuary arbo-

retum trails ature House natural history pro-

grams for children and adults

Smashinrsquo Smoothies 778-412-2112

102-41 7th Ave North Williams Lake Juice Smoothies amp Expresso Bar

Fresh Organic Whole Food

Sta-Well Health Foods 250 392-7022

79D 3rd Ave North Williams Lake Organic Foods Water Distillers atural Medicines

Emergency Freeze Dried Foods

The Williams Lake Water Factory 250 398-5201

Pure Bottled Water Home amp Office Delivery

955 S Mackenzie Ave Williams Lake BC

Come see us on Toonie Tuesday

Zed-Tech Electric 250-267-4868

For all your residential and commercial needs

Joe Zombori zedtechelectric26gmailcom

Zirnhelt Ranch 250 243-2243

wwwzirnheltranchca or susanzirnheltyahoocom Producers of GrassfedFinished Beef Pasture Raised Pork

Green Locations

100 Mile House Donex

Chartreuse Moose Higher Ground Nat Foods

Nuthatch Books

One Another Coffee House Save-On Foods

AampW

108 Mile House 108 Mile Esso

108 Mile Mall 108 Mile Supermarket Hills Health amp Guest

Ranch

150 Mile House 150 Mile Mall

Husky Station Marshallrsquos 150 Mile Store

Alexis Creek Alexis Creek General Store

Anahim Lake Anahim Lake Trading

Mclean Trading

Bella Coola

Coast Mountain Lodge

Kopas Store Moorersquos Organic Market Valley Inn amp Restaurant

Big Lake

Big Lake General Store

Clinton

Clinton Grocery amp Gas Clinton Coffee House

Dog Creek

Mount View Handy Mart

Red Dog PubLiquor Store

Hanceville

Leersquos Corner Store

Horsefly

Clarkersquos General Store Post Office

Horsefly Service Station

LacLaHache

Race Trac Gas amp

Convenience Red Crow Cafe

Likely Lakeside Service

Valley General Store

McLeese Lake Deep Creek Service Station

Oasis Pub

The Oasis Motel Cafe

Dimpo Lake

Nimpo Lake General Store

Prince George

Ava Maria Gifts and Health Foods

University of Northern BC

College of New Caledonia

Quesnel

The Green Tree Booster Juice Carryall Books

Good For You Market Holistic Health Care Clinic Karinrsquos European Deli

Granvillersquos Coffee Shop Quiznos Safeway

Redstone Kinikinik

Wildwood RaceTrac Gas amp Store

Williams Lake A amp W

All-ways Travel

Amanda Enterprises Barking Spider Mountain

Bikes

Bean Counter Bistro Beaver Valley Feeds

Blackyrsquos Truck and Car

Wash The Book Bin

CanWest Propane

Cariboo Growers Coop Cariboo Ski

Cleanway Supply Concrete Fitness

Conservation Society CJrsquos Restaurant CRD Library

Creative Scissor Dairy Queen

Dandelion Living

Day Spa Champagne earthRight

Elainersquos Natural Foods

Factory Direct Furniture Flavours amp More

Good Guys Gardening

Greyhound Bus Stop Haines Office World

Handi-Mart

Joeyrsquos Grill KFC

Halls Organics

The Hobbit House Husky Restaurant Karamiarsquos Donairs

Kornak amp Hamm Pharmacy

The Laughing Loon The Legion

Margetts Meats McDonalds Mohawk

New World Coffee

Oliverrsquos Bar amp Grill PetroCanada Porkyrsquos Deli

Quality Tax Solutions Red Shredrsquos Bike amp Board

Shed

Rona Home Centre Safeway

Save-on-Foods

SBL Liquor Store Scout Island Nature Center

Senior Citizens Activity-Center

Shopperrsquos Drug Mart

Sight amp Sound Spa Bella Staples

Station House Gallery Sta-Well Health Foods

Subway

Sutton Cariboo Realty The Gecko Tree The Open Book

Tim Hortons Tourism Info Center Trattoria Pasta Shoppe

TRU Tsilhqotin National Gov t

Two Doors Down

Walmart WL Veterinary Hospital Williams Lake Water

Factory

please note that we are in the process of re-

vamping our distribution process to better serve our

clients If TheGreen-

Gazette is not being dis-played at any of the above locations give us a call so

that we may rectify the situation

TheGreenGazette can be found in print

at the fine locations below as well as online

or by subscription

Distribution Details

Contact us today to list your Green business - infothegreengazetteca or 250 620-3419

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette

Page 32: TheGreenGazetteDec2013

Page 32 wwwthegreengazetteca DecemberJanuary 2013 - 2014

TheGreenGazette