For the past three years a three-person Task Force, under the direction of ACAN, has operated the Altona  Community Garden. It has been a pleasure working together and alongside of the many residents of Altona who  have gardened there.  We are also particularly pleased that we have had the full and enthusiastic support of the  Altona Town Council. As a result, a lot of people have had a chance to eat locally-grown, organic vegetables. The garden has a truly international flavor, with about a third of the plots rented by new-comers to Altona. For  many of these gardeners, tending to their plots is an important social outing and in the process they meet and  develop relationships with other new-comers as well as long-time residents of Altona.  From the beginning, the garden has included a space at the centre of the garden known as The Commons. It has  been the meeting point for many gardeners where they access tools, water, compost, advice and fellowship with  other gardeners.  It is f

  A few weeks ago we explored the idea that to be able to move forward together on the big topics  that divide us, we will need to be able to take the perspective of another -- to walk a mile in their  shoes, so to speak. I had a lot of positive feedback from that article (Seek First to Understand)  so it seems it struck a chord.  I also heard some folks saying, “But what about when there seems to be no way to dialogue?  When we just have such vastly different world views that there is no common ground to find, or,  maybe even worse, we don’t even want to try.” I have no simple answers, but I do have some more ideas for us all to consider. I recently listened  to some podcasts about bias that I think offer a few more ways forward.  Bias, in a nutshell, is the particular way we see the world. It is the colour of our glasses; the  filter through which we experience everything.    The trouble is that we tend to think we aren’t biased and that everyone else is. Our bias becomes  the truth.

By David Suzuki with contributions from Senior Editor and Writer Ian Hanington - www.davidsuzuki.org As with the 2008-09 financial crisis, CO2 emissions have dropped during the pandemic. But the 2009  economic stimulus and recovery ignited a renewed spike in emissions. The measures revived struggling  economies and it wasn’t long before industrial interests were again fuelling engines of habitat destruction,  pollution, climate disruption and other environmental devastation. COVID-19 is revealing that recovery’s unstable foundation. As governments worldwide develop plans  to recover from this pandemic’s impacts, we have to ensure it’s a lasting recovery that puts us on track  to confront current and future threats, including the climate and biodiversity crises. An International Institute for Sustainable Development study, conducted at the request of leading Canadian  environmental organizations including the David Suzuki Foundation, argues any corporate bailouts and  stimulus spending