Friday, August 19, 2016
By Ariel Zhang
I can’t believe that it’s almost a week since camp ended! It has been an amazing experience for both participants and staff. Here is a breakdown of what we did each day and the lessons learnt. Day 1 Introductions to camp, some anxious feelings and a haida welcome circle. We also hiked the area around our campsite.
Day 1 – Introductions to camp, some anxious feelings and a haida welcome circle. We also hiked the area around our campsite.
Day 2 – The most classroom-intensive day of the week; we learned about systems thinking, the (broad) definition of sustainability, and helped the students find why they are passionate. In between the workshops, we hiked to the Cleveland dam for some fresh air!
Day 3 – Alumni day! We started the day off with an alumni panel, moderated by two of our students. Next, students had a chance to talk about their projects with alumni and community partners in the proaction cafe.
Day 4 – We toured the Lions Gate waste water treatment plant to get a look at what happens when we flush. It’s important to be aware of the systems in place that help us sustainabily manage our waste! Next we went to Grant narrows to start our canoe journey!
Day 5 – We camped the night and in the morning we hiked to a nearby waterfall for a quick dip! That night we took our canoes out onto the water to watch the Perseid meteor shower
Day 6 – We paddled out to colony farm, where we had our final dinner together. There were alot of pictures, hugs and appreciations given out. Thankfully it’s not goodbye forever, since our first fall class is in less than three weeks.
Camp has shown me the passion and the power of youth, and has given me hope for our generation. The waterfall and the night sky has reminded me the importance of protecting the land we call home. I am also astounded by all of the journal entries written by the students, each one is so thoughtful and poetic.
With the millions of shattered silver-grey clam shells beneath my feet, I can’t help but recognize that each and everyone one of them had once held life. The perfectness of this environment is unmistakably beautiful. The complete balance of nature is unimaginable. However, we humans have altered that balance. We, the selfish, have wanted too much and given back too little. We dare to ask, ‘Will it hurt much if I killed this one organism? If I threw this into the sea?’ Guilt, an emotion felt by many, is rarely associated with the world around us. The scars the humans have carved into the earth are unforgiving and tragic. Yet we turn a blind eye. ‘I didn’t do that” ‘It wasn’t me.’ ‘How is that even possible?’ But it is. It’s you and I. It’s all of us.”
— Victoria Teo, Sit Spot at the beach at the Water Treatment Plant
