By Adam MacDonald
Contributor
Fernie residents celebrated this year’s Earth Day with an evening at The Arts Station. The event was hosted by Wildsight, an organization that works to maintain biodiversity and healthy human communities in Canada's Columbia and Rocky Mountains ecoregion.
“The new location at The Arts Station has allowed us to create a more intimate event, and to have all these great community organizations that got together to share information about the work that they’re doing for the environment,” said Dawn Deydey, Wildsight volunteer community program coordinator.
After enjoying some ‘green’ drinks and making felt Earth ornaments and Earth Day buttons, guests perused various booths that included information on local medicinal plants, worm composting, seed swapping and other environmental initiatives.
“Earth day for me is a chance to celebrate the planet and really take time to consider the impact we’re having on the planet,” said Deydey. “Many people will say that Earth Day is every day, that there is always things we can do, and it’s true, but it’s really great to have a day where we can take that extra step.”
Attendants were also treated to a showing of a documentary titled The Wisdom To Survive: Climate Change Capitalism and Community. The film features leaders and activists in the realms of science, economics, and spirituality discussing how societies can evolve in the face of climate change. Some of the film’s interviews hit on issues close to home, specifically the tensions between environmentalism and the fossil fuel industry.
“We try and look for films that address relevant topics to our community,” said Deydey, “and also we try to look for something that has a positive twist, so it doesn’t leave you down in the dumps about the horrible situation that we’re in, and this film met all of those.
“If you look at all the species that are going extinct or are threatened, look at the state of the planet, look at past civilizations that have not made it through, like the Mayans, I think the question of do we have the wisdom to survive is completely relevant and that’s another reason why we chose this film.”