(Photo: Vincent Tom)
Denise is a dedicated volunteer who helped organize Blue Dot’s role at the Vancouver Earth Day Parade.
I grew up in a small, resource-based town on Vancouver Island where many young men worked in the logging industry. At this time, people were becoming more aware of the devastation caused by clearcut logging, and I realized that there are better, more sustainable practices. In 1994, the success of the blockade against logging in Clayoquot Sound was a huge inspiration and showed me what could be achieved when people collectively organize and stand up for what they believe is right.
Now, I’m understanding the effects of climate change, and I know there is an urgent need for action. Our children and grandchildren are facing a future that will be radically different unless we all work together to change the current trajectory. Blue Dot gives me hope. Many communities across the country are working together and forming a national movement, and governments are starting to listen as large groups of people stand up. I believe that a federal environmental bill of rights will ensure that all people in Canada have the backing of laws that safeguard the environment. It is astonishing that a country celebrated for its natural beauty isn’t a world leader in environmental protection.
I’ve been involved with Blue Dot for only a short time but already I’ve met many people who are inspiring in their dedication to improving the lives of people in this country. In these times, we need to gain strength from each other. Blue Dot gives us that.
Blue Dot relies on the efforts of dedicated citizens taking action in their local communities. Humans of Blue Dot is an attempt to capture the unique stories of some inspiring volunteers who have generously given their time to advancing the environmental rights movement in Canada.
