Green Action Committee Annual Report 2010-2011

During the past year the Green Action Committee had a small core membership consisting of Carolyn Garlich (chair), Sterling Undem (vice chair), Peter Miller (recorder), Stephanie Harvey, Tazi Rodrigues, Dennis Doyle and Alida Friesen. In addition, two people have been doing important work in the church as adjuncts to the committee. Jim Gardiner has been coordinating sale of local organic produce through the Harvest Moon Collective. Jim Watson has been doing a heavy duty job of turning compost. Shirley Kitchen, Evelyn Braun and Carolyn Andrich have helped with events and with letters. Don Bailey, Keith Bradley and Karin Carlson of the audiovisual committee have also supported our committee by working the sound for the forums we have held over the past year.

Because we have a lovely space available for community events, we are able to leverage the influence of our small committee by partnering with other community groups with environmental concerns. During the year we helped organize three community forums, and a fourth was held recently.

On March 30th our committee and the Green Action Centre held a forum called Less Waste: More Resources. The forum allowed for public education and public participation leading up to a new waste strategy for the City of Winnipeg. The speakers were Darryl Drohomerski, the manager of solid waste from the city, and Craig Pats from the private waste management sector. There were commentators from the environmental community. Marcy Markusa of CBC radio was the moderator.

On April 20th we partnered with The Green Action Centre, the Manitoba Eco-Network and the Provincial Council of Women of Manitoba in holding a federal election forum on the environment. Richard Cloutier of CJOB was the moderator. The panellists were candidates Dennis Lewycky of the NDP, Jacqueline Romanow of the Greens and Ilona Niemczyk of the Liberals. The PC party was invited to participate but did not do so.

On June 16th we partnered with the Council of Canadians to show a film and have a discussion on the Alberta Tar Sands.

On September 14th we partnered again with the Green Action Centre, the Manitoba Eco-Network and the Provincial Council of Women of Manitoba on a provincial election forum on the environment. Terry McLeod of CBC radio was the moderator. The candidates were James Beddome of the Green Party, Paul Hesse of the Liberal Party, Jennifer Howard of the NDP and Heather Stefanson of the PC party. All of the events were well attended.

We want to thank the audiovisual committee for all their help with these forums.

In June we also hosted a green lawn care workshop put on by the Manitoba Eco-Network, of which our committee is a member.

Last fall we spread compost in the garden.

On May 30 we held a Sunday Service: Hopes and Fears for the Coming Years. Many people took part. Sterling Undem organized and led the service. Shirley Kitchen and Tazi Rodrigues read original poetry. The service spoke to our hopes for a better world for our children and grandchildren and our fears that we may be leaving them a depleted and polluted world.

Carolyn Garlich represents the committee as a member of the board of the Manitoba Eco-Network.

The core committee is very small. There are only four active members: Stephanie Harvey and Tazi Rodrigues are now the co-chairs; the other active members arePeter Miller (recorder) and Carolyn Garlich (past chair). We always welcome new members – please consider joining us. We meet the third Sunday of the month after church.

Carolyn Garlich, past chair