The test for real climate leadership is simple: leave fossil fuels in the ground and commit to 100% renewable energy. With hundreds of creative actions on September 8, the climate movement showed the world that we will not accept anything less.

On September 8, 350.org organized over 900 events around the world to demonstrate our passion for stopping Climate Change. One reason for this world wide event was to pressure the Global Climate Action Summit meeting in San Francisco, Sept. 12-14 to co-ordinate climate action. California Gov. Jerry Brown invited professionals and volunteers to co-ordinate and build renewable energy infrastructure, and divest from fossil fuels.

In Metro Vancouver, religious and environmental groups put on three diverse events on Sept. 8th and UCV members were there at all of them!

Reconnect to Life: Reflect Renew Rejoice

The Multi-Faith Action Society, Be the Change Alliance, and InterSpiritual Centre joined forces at UCV and several UCV members took part. The keynote speakers were Chief Phil Lane (Four Winds International) and Rabbi Laura Kaplan (Vancouver School of Theology), participant-lead circle dialogues were facilitated by Maureen Jack-LaCroix (Be The Change Earth Alliance); and Aline Laflamme and the Daughters of the Drum closed the event with a powerful song for the Earth and all her children (including the foolish human ones).

Build Our Future not a Pipeline

Afterwards, participants headed downtown for the rally organized by Climate Convergence and UBCC 350 to celebrate the recent court ruling stopping the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion.

Suffering Salmon: Climate Change and Pipelines

At least 10 Vancouver Unitarians joined the global Rise for Climate events on Sept. 8 by participating in the Suffering Salmon event hosted by BROKE Burnaby Residents Opposing Kinder Morgan Expansion and Protect the Inlet at Kwekwecnewtxw (Watch House) at the Burnaby Mountain tank farm.

It was a very informative and educational event with speakers, videos, live music, and a visit to the local salmon streams that are threatened by the Trans Mountain tank farm. We all came away with renewed appreciation for the resilience of our salmon, for their critical roles in our forest ecosystem, and for the many ways they are threatened by climate change and the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project. We celebrated the August 30 decision of the Federal Court of Appeal that quashed the Trudeau government’s approval of the Trans Mountain Pipeline Project and stopped all ongoing work on the project, while at the same time recognizing that there are many challenges ahead to protect our coast and the cherished salmon.