by Phyllis Soles This past August I had the pleasure of volunteering at a children’s day camp on Texada Island. The camp, called Kids for Saving Earth, had 27 children aged six to 12, four teenaged team leaders and lots of adult volunteers.
Through games, crafts, songs and exploring the outdoors, they learned how to tread lightly and help keep our island and the world healthy. They learned that we need to respect the flora and fauna to take care of the land, water and air.
This year we took them to Lang Bay where they learned about freshwater streams, swamps, rivers and lakes; what lives in them, what they are used for and how we can keep them healthy for many years to come.
This year’s camp was funded by a grant in aid (our tax dollars returning) from Powell River Regional District, for which we were very grateful.
I was very disappointed, however, when at a recent regional board meeting the directors voted yes to the expansion of Lafarge Canada Inc.’s storage of coal on Texada so the United States can transship coal to Asia. This vote says to our children: “Do as I say, not as I do.”
Is this really the message the board wants to tell our future generations? “It’s okay for adults to keep producing greenhouse gases, but please kids, clean it up later when we are done messing it up.”
I recognize the plum Lafarge is dangling—15 to 20 jobs. We all know we need more jobs but at what cost? I’ll believe it when I see 15 to 20 more people actually working. Lafarge has a history of not hiring many residents of Texada so neither our young people nor our island businesses will benefit.
We know coal has been stored and transshipped to Asia for 20 years, but are we sure it was a wise decision even then? We were not as aware of global warming then as now. I worked at the quarry at that time and did not notice much coal dust but have since learned there has been coal found on the ocean floor with sea crustaceans on it. Do we want this increased until our sea life can’t exist anymore?
Why is the US not allowing its coal to be shipped out of its ports? Are its residents more responsible about global warming than Canadians? Why are there not more environmental studies being done to see where the runoff goes? Are our watershed areas in danger? Are we ready to accept the responsibility of polluting our island and the air in Asia (which will eventually get back here)?
The following is the pledge the children memorize and, in their own way, try to live by. Please read it and think about maybe trying to do the same.
Kids for Saving Earth
The earth is my home.
I promise to keep it healthy and beautiful.
I will love the land, the air, the water and all living creatures.
I will be a defender of my planet.
United with my friends, I will save the earth.
This letter is my personal belief and not necessarily the belief of other volunteer camp leaders.
Phyllis Soles has lived on Texada Island for 47 years.
