Everyday Earth: Piece by piece
Above: Photo via Suzanne Leithead on Panoramio By contributor Chantelle Spicer Over the long weekend I got to relish in one of my favourite things: being faced with pure, wild nature, this time in the form of a wind-whipped ocean. It made me smile, it made me cry a little bit (from both the wind and … Continued
Going Home Star: Truth and Reconciliation
Above: Royal Winnipeg Ballet performing Going Home Star. Photo by Samanta Katz By contributor Chantelle Spicer One possibility of art is to take a topic and reframe it into a visual language that offers different perspectives to the viewer. It is a way to engage the mind and emotions, creating a space to discuss difficult subjects … Continued
Everyday Earth: Sacred soil
By contributor Chantelle Spicer. Photo via Flickr. From the food we eat to the flowers we enjoy, from the forests we walk in to the beaches we walk along, a magical process is occurring. Yes, all of nature is amazing and beautiful, but some parts of it are quite unsung—none more so than soil. Soil … Continued
Celebrating Nature: The Brant Wildlife Festival
By contributor Chantelle Spicer Spring is a time of change and abundance around the Salish Sea. The first budding shrubs—the Indian Plum—are already upon us, with delicate white flowers soon to come. White fawn lilies decorate the ground of Bowen Park, getting every bit of sun possible before the deciduous trees above them burst into … Continued
Not to Disappear album review
By contributor Chantelle Spicer. Above: Not to Disappear album artwork. There is something about music from the UK. Whenever I listen to my favourite artists from this part pf the world, I feel like I am transported to another place, another time, or to no time at all. It seems much of the world agrees, … Continued
The Great Bear Rainforest decision: A big day for forests everywhere
Above: The Great Bear Rainforest via hellobc.com By contributor Chantelle Spicer. Halfway up the coast of BC sits the largest, mostly intact temperate rainforest in the world. Terrestrially, it is home to old growth trees, Kermode (also called spirit) bears, many bird species, and rare species of frogs. As the forest slopes away into the … Continued
Vandana Shiva Coming to Victoria
By contributor Chantelle Spicer Many questions and concerns are being raised regarding food security on a global scale, as well as on our Island. With the costs of fruits and vegetables noticeably on the rise, it is becoming a reality affecting our diets and wallets. More and more, people are beginning to realize that the … Continued
Everyday Earth: Going with the flow
By contributor Chantelle Spicer Water is wonderful in all of its forms, whether I am taking a hot shower after a long day, or swimming in the Nanaimo River on a sparkling summer day. Most of my favourite childhood memories come to me while standing in the creek near my house, noting the seasons change … Continued
Worldly opportunities
By contributor Chantelle Spicer In light of the Syrian civil war, many of the country’s citizens now find themselves seeking sanctuary in other countries, with millions of people now separated from their homeland and culture. Under the new Liberal government of Canada, we open our doors to those seeking refuge from this crisis, offering a … Continued
Everyday Earth: Spirituality in an age of science
Above: Whiffin spit in Sooke is a remarkable place to observe the blending of science and spirituality. By contributor Chantelle Spicer. It is a fine line that one must walk to see the natural world through both scientific and spiritual realities. Being enculturated into a western-minded society, it is incredibly difficult to find such a balance … Continued
Indigenous reconciliation: Re-learning history for the future
Above: Doug White via dougwhiteforchief.com By contributor Chantelle Spicer The idea of reconciliation between First Nations and non-Indigenous peoples was heavy in the minds of many people this year, and it’s one which will continue to profoundly shape our social, political, and legal worlds for years to come. After many events concerning reconciliation in the … Continued
Everyday Earth: Your brain on nature
Above: Seal Bay Beach in Courtenay provides a respite from city life and travel. It is home to many species of waterbirds and, of course, seals. By contributor Chantelle Spicer In this time of looming deadlines, all-nighters, and end-of-term stresses, moments of psychological well-being appear to be a dream. I am here to tell you that this is possible. All it requires … Continued
White Fang and the wolf cull
By Chantelle Spicer, contributor This semester has really piled on some intense readings, challenging me emotionally and intellectually. Sometimes I really need to take a break from this and, rather than turning to Netflix, I find myself snuggling up with some of my favourite literature from childhood. First on the list is White Fang by … Continued
EVERYDAY EARTH: A personal reflection on the meaning and culture of sustainability
By contributor Chantelle Spicer It is with great pleasure that I give the environment a voice within The Navigator, as that voice rings definitively within my own head and life. I have lived my life under many labels: “hippie,” “naturalist,” “environmentalist,” and “activist.” Each place I live in seems to identify the way I live … Continued