We profile local community leaders and books on a weekly basis on social media. Once a month we repost them on our website for those of you who may not be active on social media.

Community Leaders

British Columbia: The Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, University of Victoria, recently hosted webinars on Standing Up For Pollution Pricing and Covering Climate on the Frontlines (taped and available on the PICS website).

Saskatchewan: Café Scientifique Saskatoon offers monthly presentations on a variety of topics. Their November presentation on the mysteries of bird migration was led by Mitch Weegman, Ducks Unlimited Canada Endowed Chair in Wetland and Waterfowl Conservation at the University of Saskatchewan.

Alberta: Learn to draw the coolest bugs in Alberta on January 9 with entomologist and host of the science podcast Beyond Blathers, Olivia deBourcier. Hosted by Nature Alberta.

Manitoba: Manitoba Eco-Network hosts Eco-Drinks on the first Wednesday of every month. It’s a great way to catch up with people you know and make new contacts.

Books

What If We Get It Right? Visions of Climate Futures by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson takes a look at solutions and possibilities from visionary farmers, financiers, architects, and activists.

In Dispersals: On Plants, Borders, and Belonging, Jessica J. Lee explores what happens when a plant – or a person – moves from one place to another. Some are welcomed and valued, while others are deemed unwelcome and invasive.

The Western world tries to banish darkness as quickly as possible. In Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark, Leigh Ann Henlon sets out “to re-center darkness by spending time with some of the diverse and awe-inspiring life-forms that are nurtured by it.”

I Hear You, Mountains by Kallie George explores all there is to hear while hiking up a mountain: the rush of a waterfall, the cheerful chatter of a chipmunk, and the peck of a cheeky bird trying to steal a snack (ages 3-7).

Less: Stop Buying So Much Rubbish: How Having Fewer, Better Things Can Make Us Happier by Patrick Grant celebrates craftsmanship, making things with care, buying things with thought, and valuing everything we own.

Long-eared Owls are slender owls with long ear tufts. If disturbed on their nest, they raise their ear tufts and compress their feathers to disguise themselves as a broken branch. Nature Companion is a free app/website introducing many of the plants and animals found in Canada’s four western provinces.

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/apmckinlay/50588774011

EcoFriendly West informs and encourages initiatives that support Western Canada’s natural environment through its online publication and the Nature Companion website/app. Like us on Facebook, follow us on BlueSky, X, and Mastodon, or subscribe by email.