Canadian Environment Week has been around for more than 40 years, with the 2023 edition beginning on Monday. The goal from June 4-10 is to celebrate environmental accomplishments while also encouraging citizens to help protect and conserve their surroundings.
In Lethbridge, Alta., the city took time to talk about its Climate Adaptation Plan and how residents can get involved, while non-profit Environment Lethbridge encouraged those in the local community to take some actions of their own.
Climate Adaptation Plan focuses on practicality and resiliency
Raene Barber, a sustainability engineer with the City of Lethbridge’s waste and environment department, said their Climate Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan will set a framework to better prepare the community’s resilience during extreme weather events.
“Recently we’ve all heard from the northern Alberta wildfires and we know that these wildfires can cost millions of dollars in damages to our assets and services,” Barber said.
“Preparing our parks spaces for the changing climate, whether that be increasing our tree diversity, or naturalizing parks spaces for drought-resisting species, (would) be an example of an action that may be included in the plan.”
The plan is still almost a year away from being complete, with several stages to execute. A community engagement survey was launched Monday to ask residents their thoughts on the guiding principles and preparedness for severe weather events and natural disasters.
It’s open until June 26, with another engagement survey planned for the fall.
“For lots of reasons we really need to be prepared as a community,” added executive director of Environment Lethbridge Kathleen Sheppard.
“Not just from an environmental perspective, but from an economic perspective, from a personal safety perspective, so it’s really exciting that the (city’s plan) is going to bring all of those pieces together.”
The final plan is expected to be ready to go in front of city council by April 2024.
What about waste reduction?
When asked what the largest environmentally-related issue Lethbridge should focus on was, Sheppard said her longstanding answer has changed.
“For a long time my answer to that question was definitely waste reduction,” she admitted. “But (we have) made really good progress over the last five years, and that’s not the top issue anymore.
“I think climate change is an overarching issue that touches on so many things.”
She added the city’s aforementioned strategy should go a long way in addressing that concern, but there’s still plenty residents and businesses can do to contribute.
“You know it almost seems like a cliché to plant a tree, but it’s still one of the best things that you can do for the environment,” Sheppard said. “It helps for climate adaptation, all of those things.”
The Helen Schuler Nature Centre is running a campaign to encourage the planting of 1,000 trees in 2023, with a tree guide for residents to reference.
Taking part in Environment Week
There are several local events planned throughout environment week in Lethbridge, including an Indigenous plant walk on Tuesday, a tour of the waste and recycling centre Wednesday evening, and a compost pick-up event on Thursday.
Details can be found on the Environment Lethbridge website.
“We really, I think, have a responsibility to do what we can year-round, not just for environment week,” Sheppard said. “But this is really an opportunity to maybe learn about some different things, to try out some different actions and activities.”
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