First a recap of our very successful Earth Day 2020 webcast!
AMAZING EARTHDAY WEBCAST: TOWARDS A GREEN AND HEALTHY RECOVERY!
We were so pleased to have such a great response to our Youtube live EarthDay 2020 webcast, on April 22nd - now more than 2500 views on youtube! We have recorded the session so you can listen too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2droCHmZTI&t=5256s
Check out the action links on our website:
https://climatefast.ca/earth-day-2020-towards-green-and-healthy-recovery
IN THE NEWS!
Allie Rougeot and Catherine Abreu were interviewed by National Observer and Allie on Radio-Canada, CTV also aired a spot. The following day Dianne Saxe was interviewed on Metro Morning.
Colleen Lynch wrote a wonderful blog post on our event and you can read it here:
Scroll down for more news from our event!
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MAY 8 – 10: with preparation May 2 or May 4…
MOTHERS DAY FOR A GREEN RECOVERY! Letter writing & Green Heart initiative!
ClimateFast is joining with For Our Kids and Meres au Front in a Green Heart/Green Recovery action for Mother’s Day this year. You are invited to be part of this creative action!
More info here: https://www.forourkids.ca/mothers_day
And on the FB event link here: https://www.facebook.com/events/678093416092927/
And info and preparation sessions Saturday May 2 at 1 pm and Monday May 4 at 8 pm. We will be letting people know what the campaign is about – getting mothers’ messages to their MPs. This is the link to register for either of those sessions: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/green-hearts-for-mothers-day-gta-tickets-103987218570
In some ways, Mother's Day 2020 will look different from what we’re used to. We won’t be able to go out together or visit with extended family; in many cases, we won’t even be able to see our own mothers in person. But there will still be love - for Mother’s Day, at its core, is a celebration of love and in the midst of this crisis love is more important than ever.
It is in this spirit of love that we hope to make this Mother’s Day special in a new way. As the world looks for direction in this time of crisis, and as we reflect with concern on our children’s future, we can use our voices – as mothers, parents, and care-takers - to call upon our elected representatives to build a better world for everyone's children. In doing so, we stand in solidarity with mothers on the front line of the COVID-19 crisis; with mothers trying to care for their children while dealing with isolation, economic uncertainty, or racial oppression; and with Indigenous mothers seeking to protect their children and their lands in the face of injustice. Join us, then, this Mother’s Day to send a message to your federal Member of Parliament (MPs) and call on them to act on behalf of all children - and everyone’s families.
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THURSDAY MAY 7, 6 – 8 PM: Help launch the AFRICA CLIMATE ACTION INITIATIVE!
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/africa-climate-action-initiative-online-launch-tickets-103099499378
The event will take place by LIVESTREAM on May 7, 2020 at 6pm EDT via https://youtu.be/sqXU2w0Mg3o
More info at this weblink: http://www.capnetwork.ca/african-projects/acai/
African communities will be hit hardest by the climate crisis even while contributing the least to global carbon emissions. Indeed, the continent has contributed only 2-3% of GHG emissions, yet communities across the continent are already being hard hit by droughts and flooding - and accompanying challenges including huge locust infestations, food insecurity, health challenges, conflicts and forced displacement. But many groups in Africa are working hard to adapt and build resilience.
We are launching the Africa Climate Action Initiative (ACAI) as an initiative of the Canada Africa Partnership Network to support these much-needed efforts! Join us for the launch on May 7th to learn more.
Let’s stand in global solidarity with those on the front lines of climate change. Together, we are imagining a healthy and regenerative Africa in the future!
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ACTIVISTS CALL FOR GREEN AND JUST RECOVERY AT CITY HALL
ClimateFast co-signed a letter to the City Council as it met for the first time virtually April 30th. Toronto Environment Alliance (TEA) initiated the letter and you can read it here: https://www.torontoenvironment.org/letter_to_city_council_bold_green_and_just_recovery
Council appears to be more open now to envisioning a greener future as part of the recovery from COVID-19 - and voted unanimously on the bike lane plan! Our call for a green and just recovery was reported on in the Star. https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2020/04/29/we-cannot-return-to-what-was-normal-rebuild-toronto-with-green-and-just-recovery-plan-say-activists.html
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EARTHDAY 2020: TOWARDS A GREEN AND HEALTHY RECOVERY - THANK YOU!
Our Q and A speakers and MC Allie Rougeot
Thank you to our amazing volunteers!
Tech team: Ray Nakano, Sophie Bedard, Sharon Bider, Paul Stevers, Mark Shapland
Program team: Allie Rougeot, MC, all our speakers and musicians, and Sharon Bider, Colleen Lynch, Rosemary Boissonneau, Lyn Adamson, Anne Keary
Outreach, Media, Social Media: Brian MacLean, Brett Lundy, Colleen Lynch, Rosemary Boissonneau, Lyn Adamson, Margaret Rao
Website and E-Newsletter: Amelia Rose Khan, and Mark Shapland
Graphic Design: Kendall Mar
Creatives: Colleen Lynch
With thanks to Toronto 350, Green Neighbours Network, Fridays for Future, Unitarians, Quakers, and many other groups for sending out the word about our webcast!
Creative image by Colleen Lynch
A big thank you to all our speakers! Katharine Hayhoe, Deborah McGregor, Catherine Abreu, Dianne Saxe, Dr. Toni Sappong, Jennifer Henry and Willard Metzger, Lily Phan and Isaac Crosby, and action speakers Amara Possian, Lella Blumer, Sarah Kamau, Rommel Bellosillo, Katie Krelove and Angela Bischoff and performers Cassie Norton, Neo, Akeem and Ahsan.
You can hear short clips of speakers at this link on our ClimateFast Action Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClreo1EqWo4r6fcdU7-pUPg
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Join us as a volunteer! volunteer@climatefast.ca or sign up on line: Let’s work together for action on climate – fast!