DEN Enews

Kudos to so many who stood Shoulder to Shoulder on Saturday to support the earth and let our government know that “special interest” groups will not be quiet.

Wonderful speakers and an engaged crowd which enjoyed some rousing renditions from the Raging grannies.

More evidence that YOUR voice matters:

Want more Kudos!! Grandma’s Going Green is a must read for more kudos! Make sure you keep scrolling.

Thinking about energy and how we can work towards a better and more economical future. Check out this article below:

If you live in the Musquodoboit Harbour area, check out out this free workshop by the Ecology Action Centre on Nov 27 2:30-4:00pm Musquodoboit Harbour Library

Ignoring years of opposition from the Mi’kmaq, the public and experts, the Houston government is setting Nova Scotia up to be plundered by the billionaire-backed fracking industry – threatening our water, the health of our communities and future generations’ chance at a livable planet. Nova Scotians have had enough. We’ve beaten fracking before, and we can do it again. Add your voice to the petition calling for a full legislative ban on fracking and show that our communities aren’t about to let decades of progress go up in flames so that wealthy fossil fuel interests can make a quick buck. There is more info on the dangers of fracking on this EAC petition.

Drax is a former coal giant company taking millions in subsidies from the Canadian and BC governments meant for climate solutions. This money is propping up the destruction of our precious forests. Drax has been taking irreplaceable, rare old-growth Canadian trees and turning them into wood pellets. These pellets fuel power plants overseas and contribute to even more pollution. Drax’s biomass power station in the UK is the largest single source of CO2 emissions in the country, emitting more than the next four largest emitters combined, and while powered by Canadian old-growth logging. Labelling this as “sustainable energy” is a gross degree of greenwashing. Please sign this petition calling on the B.C government to protect their old growth forests!

AI is expanding, and with it the need for many data centers. These data centers require an ever-increasing amount of electricity to keep running. There is a choice to make on whether these data centers run on dirty fossil fuels and fossil fuel infrastructure, or if tech companies invest in cheaper and cleaner renewable energy options. Another way to word this choice is does our world add another way to poison local communities and worsen the climate crisis, or do we push for the transition to a renewable energy economy? Tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon need to make the right decision for communities and the climate. Add your voice to this petition demanding that AI data centers run on renewable energy and benefit the communities where they’re located.

COP30 is unfolding right now in Belem, Brazil. World leaders, scientists, and NGOs are gathering to discuss our planet’s future in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. The COP presidency plays a pivotal role in shaping the agenda of the conference and is always held by the host country. This puts Brazil in the driver’s seat and creates an opportunity to call on Brazil’s leaders to champion the protection of Indigenous Peoples Living in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact, and the end of devastating extractive activities in the Amazon. Massive Indigenous-led protests are currently happening at the conference. Join in urging our world’s leaders to take real action in securing a thriving future for the Amazon and its people.

Mondelēz Internationalis one of the world’s largest snacks companies. They have an annual revenue of about $26.5 billion and operate in approximately 160 countries.Deforestation and rights abuses in its supply chains and business partnerships continue. This means the treats they offer, like Oreo and Cadbury, are laying waste to the planet's rainforests. This petition is calling on the CEO of Mondelēz Internationalto protect rainforests and human rights by adapting a stringent, standalone Human Rights Defender policy.

Local Green

As we start winding down 2025, I think it’s time we brag a little, not for DEN, and not for any one group (though goodness knows we’re all working hard), but for Nova Scotia and PEI themselves. Organizations and businesses all around us are growing with climate and the environment in mind. Let Grandma count the ways.

Most of you probably have a cup of coffee nearby as you read this. Well, did you know we have a remarkable coffee roaster right in Grand Pré, NS? “Just Us” is a sustainably sourced, SPP-certified, worker-owned coffee company. Jeff and Deb Moore started it with a whole lot of heart, and it’s grown into something pretty special. Have a peek at their story. https://justuscoffee.com/

Ride Solar is another delight, offering solar-powered boat cruises in Charlottetown and solar bus tours in Halifax. Nana and I would have loved that on our vacations. Do take a look. https://ridesolar.com/

And when someone says “Frito Lay,” my mind goes straight to potato chips—Grandma’s favourite treat. But there’s more to them than snacks. Their plant here in New Minas has become the first to upgrade operations so thoroughly that they now send less than 1% of their waste to landfill. They’ve reduced water and energy use by 30%, and their potatoes come from close to home: 30% from the Valley, the rest from PEI. That’s something to chew on. https://www.potatopro.com/companies/frito-lay-canada-kentville

Over in PEI, Meetings & Conventions has created a full set of sustainable practices for its members. It’s lovely to see leadership that reminds us all to walk a little softer on the Earth. https://members.meetpei.com/sustainable-practices/

Nova Scotia Power has also made significant strides. In ten years they’ve climbed from 9% to 43% renewable energy, now that deserves a big WOW. They’re aiming for 80% by 2030, and yes, this is the same company whose environmental grants I was praising just last week. https://www.nspower.ca/cleanandgreen

And in Summerside, PEI, Credit Union Place is powered entirely by wind and solar. Imagine that—an entire facility running on clean energy. https://www.creditunionplace.ca/sustainability

Now, the list could go on and on, but there’s one place that holds a special spot in many Nova Scotian hearts, maybe many Canadian hearts: The Ecology Action Centre in Halifax. They started back in 1971. Grandma remembers those early days, when hardly anyone believed humans were harming the planet. A Girl Guide cleanup was considered adorable, but anything more? Oh, people thought it was an insult to the community to suggest we needed to change our habits. It was a “use it once, usually plastic and toss it away” society. Through it all, the Ecology Action Centre stood strong, reminding those of us who cared for creation that we were not alone, and certainly not crazy. Take a peek at what they’re doing now; it’s inspiring. https://ecologyaction.ca/

What’s the best part of this little list? It shows we’re growing into an environmentally friendly society. It shows that, slowly but surely, we are beginning to care about the place we call home.

Do you know of an environmentally friendly company? I’d love to hear about it. Write me at [email protected]

CRAFT TIME

With Christmas coming, Grandma likes to tuck a gift card in my grandbabies gift box. It sort of covers all four of our gifting guidelines: Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read. Even if they are young, a gift card to a fast food spot is a treat.

Gift Card Holders

A creative, budget-friendly way to give gift cards all year round!

What You’ll Need:

A gift card (for measuring)

Paper (to make a template)

Box board (like cereal or cracker boxes)

Wrapping paper (plain or seasonal)

Scissors

Tape or glue

Ribbon or string

Instructions:

Make a Template
Measure your gift card and draw a template on paper.
Suggested size: About 8 inches long, with the last 2 inches cut at an angle (like an envelope flap).

Cut Your Holder
Trace the template onto a piece of box board. Use the plain brown side as the inside of your holder.

Decorate
Cover the outside of the box board with wrapping paper. Use glue or double-sided tape to secure it.

Fold and Secure
Fold the card holder into shape using your original template lines. Tape or glue the sides to hold the card in place.

Add a Finishing Touch
Place your gift card inside and tie it closed with a ribbon or string.

Tips:

Solid-colour wrapping paper works well for birthdays and general occasions.

Use festive paper for holiday gifts in December.

Get creative! Add stickers, stamps, or even recycled greeting card cutouts to personalize your design.

Something to Eat

Another easy holiday treat Grandma loves is Christmas Crack. It takes only four simple ingredients and adds a lovely extra bowl of sweets to enjoy after our Christmas Eve supper.

When my kids were small, we always went to the 4 p.m. service on Christmas Eve. The children marched up the centre aisle carrying the nativity figurines, and dear Aunt Kay, “Aunt Kay” to every child whether she was related or not, always kept an extra box of little animals tucked under her pew, just in case we had more children than usual.

Then home we’d fly to my mother’s house for our Eve supper. There was always a proper meal, but we all brought along special extras: smoked salmon, Solomon Gundy, pickled eggs, and my big tin of Bits and Bites for snacking. And right in the centre of the sweet table sat a big bowl of Christmas Crack. I hope you enjoy it as much as we always did.

Christmas Crack

1 sleeve of crackers

1 cup butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1 bag chocolate chips

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease a cookie sheet well.
Lay the crackers out in a single layer.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together. Once it comes to a boil, stir and cook for 3 more minutes.
Pour this caramel mixture over the crackers and smooth it out as best you can.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top.
Place the pan in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes. Remove and spread the melted chocolate evenly. Let it cool completely.

We always stored ours in a cookie tin in the fridge—or out in the back porch where it stayed nice and cold.

I hope you enjoy this as much as our family has through the years.

 Prayer of St. Teresa of Avila

Christ has no body now but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which He looks
compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet
with which he walks to do good.
Yours are the hands
with which He blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands,
yours are the feet.
Yours are the eyes,
you are His body.
Christ has no body now but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which He looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
Amen