Climate Emergency

Get involved in our Climate Action Teams

Several groups have started organizing and taking action following the September 29 Workshop. The “action teams” and their “champions” are listed below. Many Action Teams are meeting via teleconference. Contact the individuals below or contact us at our general email.

  1. Official Community Plan (OCP) and Climate Action – Has met many times since August 2020. Focused on ensuring Sooke’s OCP truly embraces the climate emergency. Contact Susan Clarke.
  2. Food security / local agriculture – Had its inaugural meeting on March 7, 2020. All welcome. Contact Stephen Hindrichs for more information.
  3. Water Group – The Water Group began with a Rainwater Harvesting and Management workshop in late 2019; Presented at Sooke Lifelong Learning; Now involved in wells, aquifers and other water issues. Contact Lynn Moss.
  4. Forest and ocean / habitat and species protection – Contact Christina Schlattner
  5. Divestment from fossil fuels – Research phase; Presentation to Sooke Lifelong Learning; Contact Susan Clarke or Jo Phillips
  6. Zero waste – Well established through Zero Waste Sooke; ongoing projects – Repair Cafés, materials swaps, and more; Successfully lobbied the two grocery stores in Sooke to stop using plastic bags; Contact Bernie Klassen
  7. Local Economy – First meeting held January 18, 2021; Geared up in June 2021. Contact Jo Phillips
  8. Transportation – Has not met since beginning of pandemic; Presentation to Sooke Lifelong Learning; Contact Susan Belford
  9. Green energy – The Green Energy Team has produced slide presentations and handouts on issues related to energy savings and ways to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions coming from domestic and industrial buildings in Sooke. Contact Lily Mah-Sen
  10. Climate angst and listening to youth – Healing Circles; Contact Moki Tacon
  11. Green lifestyle – Meeting coming soon; Contact Yvonne Court
  12. Direct action / non-violent resistance – Contact Jack Gegenberg

Dahr Jamail’s Challenge – June 4, 2019

In early June, almost 100 people filled Sooke’s Holy Trinity Church to hear author and journalist Dahr Jamail deliver his message on “climate disruption.” For many, Jamail’s message was bleak, and they felt sad, depressed and overwhelmed at the prospects of climate disruption.

Others responded to Jamail’s challenge and decided to take action. Transition Sooke had already been working on climate issues and Jamail’s talk was a catalyst to take more action.

Green New Deal Sooke-Style – June 22, 2019

Just two weeks after Jamail’s talk, Transition Sooke hit the ground running and held a town hall meeting in the downstairs of the Sooke Community Hall to start the conversation on taking action in the Sooke Region. More than 50 people spent a Saturday afternoon coming up with a wide range of actions that need to happen. But participants did not want to stop there.

Community Action Workshop – Sept 29, 2019

Transition Sooke used all these local ideas for a follow-up Community Action Workshop on September 29. “Climate Emergency What Can We Do? From Green New Deal Town Hall to Community Action,” fostered the formation of action teams to address issues identified at the June town hall.

Transition Sooke’s Susan Belford has prepared proceedings of the workshop that you can download here.