DEN Enews

Coming up this week at the Ecology Action Centre as part of Interfaith Harmony Halifax 2026:

Spiritual Coalition on Climate Action Nova Scotia (SCOCANS) and the Ecology Action Centre present a conversation panel, with the topic: One Planet: How Do We Protect It?

SCOCANS is a volunteer run interfaith group in collaboration with the Ecology Action Centre’s Energy & Climate Team which is dedicated to advocacy for the environment and social justice. SCOCANS members meet several times a year, supporting climate justice through actions such as letter writing campaigns, joining rallies, and more and is always looking for new members. Light snacks will be provided.

There is an inconvenient truth at Sandy Lake. The Nova Scotia government plans to trade an irreplaceable natural treasure for convenience.

 The government’s plan - the easy path - allows development in the very wetlands and tributaries that feed the lake and entire system. Disturb this watershed, and the damage will ripple through Sandy Lake, Marsh Lake and the Sackville River – and we all lose this rich ecosystem forever.

 That is the inconvenient truth: the Rules of Nature prevail. It’s a domino effect we cannot afford.

 But it’s not too late. The province can still choose to work with developers to find a better site for housing.

Emails and calls to Ministers and MLAs are what will truly turn the tide. Let's make sure they can't ignore Sandy Lake. Please do what you can.

• Contact your MLA: https://nslegislature.ca/members/profiles

• Email the NEW Minister of Housing, John White. [email protected] Challenge the claim that lakeside development does no harm - that’s a fantasy.

Demand they remove Sandy Lake from the SPA fast-track list.

• Visit the Save Sandy Lake website, send a letter to the Premier and request/print a sign to post in your window or on your property. https://www.sandylakecoalition.ca/take-action

• Do you know media folks? Send them to us or share the information.

• Are there faith leaders who might come to Sandy Lake to call on higher powers to help us all save area’s irreplaceable lakes and lands, its outstanding biodiversity? Include it in prayers? Stand by the lake and offer a blessing?

HRM is listening to people about what they want for the “suburban” part of HRM – this includes the Sandy Lake area. Anyone can complete a survey on this topic, or attend a Pop-Up Open House event about the Suburban Plan. The Open House events closest to Sandy Lake are the one at the Bedford-Hammonds Plains Community Centre Feb. 19, and Bedford Legion on Feb. 23.

 Together, we can push for the right choice, not the easy one.

Love and Gratitude - A Valentine for the Planet

It’s that time of year when love blooms, hearts soften, and gratitude seems to float a little closer to the surface. Grandma thought about writing an environmental love story for Valentine’s Day, but then it struck me, gratitude is a form of love.

And oh my, do we ever have a lot to be grateful for.

Most folks reading this already carry a deep love for Creation—for forests and shorelines, gardens and birdsong, land and sea, and this beautiful planet we call home. That part is a given. Today, Grandma simply wants to say thank you to everyone who keeps showing up, trying new things, and caring enough to make changes. Because here’s the lovely news: our efforts are working.

Take Prince Edward Island, for example. In 2025, PEI reported a 4.5% drop in fossil fuel demand. That didn’t happen by accident. It happened because people were willing to change how they heat their homes and how they live day to day. Over 13,000 Islanders took part in energy-efficiency programs. Yes, heat pumps were installed—but the love was in the details too. Tree nursery stock increased by 30%, and new walking and biking infrastructure was completed at 30 locations across the province. That’s PEI showing love for its land, and the rest of us are grateful.

Nova Scotia tells its story a little differently. Greenhouse gas emissions aren’t reported in quite the same way, but the direction is clear—they’re heading downward. The province is working toward ambitious targets for 2030 and 2050, supported by new wind farm projects, expanded solar and battery storage, and upgrades that modernize and strengthen existing systems. The numbers may be shared differently, but the intention is full of care.

For the work being done in both provinces, Grandma would happily send Valentine cards and whole bunches of hugs. I just love the way our corner of the world is stepping up for the planet.

And that love for Creation doesn’t stop at our shores. In France, old railway cars are being transformed into urban greenhouses. Parked throughout cities and planted vertically, they provide fresh vegetables, local jobs, and a beautiful example of reuse done right. We may not have spare train cars lying around, but it does make a Grandma wonder… what else could we repurpose with a little imagination and a lot of love?

Below are photos of a subway car and a city bus reborn as greenhouses. They’re getting a Valentine hug too.

And we don’t have to look all the way to France to find that kind of creativity.

Right here on Prince Edward Island, the Rural Beautification Society, along with the Waste Watch program, hosts a wonderful competition that encourages people to create garden features, fences, and composters using repurposed materials. It’s reuse and imagination working hand in hand. I wasn’t able to track down photos of this year’s creations, but their contest page is well worth a look. They most definitely deserve a Valentine heart card for inspiring so much ingenuity.

Close to Grandma’s heart are the Bottle Houses near Cap-Egmont, a place I’ve been visiting for nearly 50 years. If you’ve ever been there, you know how magical they feel. Those bottles have been telling a story of reuse and creativity long before it was fashionable. And yes, Grandma has pictures of those.

Inspired by them, I once tried making a small bottle fence between two trees. That was 10 or 15 years ago, and guess what? It’s still standing. Proof that a good idea, lovingly done, can last a very long time indeed

 I realize that sometimes it feels as if the environment is not treated as important as it is. As long as any of us are working to help the planet, we are moving forward.

Until next time, keep loving the Earth in the small, steady ways; they truly matter.
Grandma

Seed Share Update

February 2nd a courier came into our yard with a big box from McKenzie. Inside was the donation of 18 bags of pollinator wildflower seed AND 150 veggie seeds AND an extra 50 flower packets.

After losing the first order of labels, toner and envelopes, couriers delivered the next one. We are ready to pick packing dates. I will let you know when, in case a few of you are near Blandford and want to be put to work.

Something to Eat

Grandma feels there were years when her kids ate more pie than cookies, and honestly, that seems just fine to me. I always kept fruit and berries tucked away in the freezer, ready to be turned into something comforting. When I had a spare minute, I’d mix up a batch of pie dough and tuck it into the fridge. No rush. At some point later, it would get rolled out, cut to the size of my smallest saucer, filled with a spoonful of fruit, folded in half, and crimped with a fork.

Those little hand pies tended to disappear shortly after the school bus arrived.

This week Grandma had extra apples from a Flashfood run. Peeled and cooked with a splash of water, a few warming spices, and a spoonful or two of cornstarch, they made the most beautiful filling. I couldn’t resist turning them into hand pies. Some habits are worth keeping.

Pie Dough Is Easy (and forgiving)

2 cups flour

½ cup fat (butter, margarine, or shortening)

A dash of salt

A couple of spoonfuls of cold water

Mix it up and pop it into the fridge for half an hour, cold dough rolls out much easier. If you’re in a hurry, you can roll it right away; it just takes a little more patience. (or buy pie crust sheets).

Roll out the dough and cut circles using your biggest glass or save a large tomato can for the job. Spoon a bit of fruit filling into the centre, fold the dough in half, crimp the edges with a fork, and bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.

A warm, sweet treat that fits perfectly in a child’s hand, especially one being gently nudged outdoors to play.

In October 2023, the federal and provincial governments signed the Canada-Nova Scotia Nature Agreement, which provides $28.5 million in federal funding for conservation in Nova Scotia. A key commitment in the agreement is for the Nova Scotia government to create 82,500 hectares of new protected and conserved areas in the province by March 31, 2026. This deadline is less than two months away and this is the last possible moment for Nova Scotia to meet its target. Otherwise the money goes back to the federal government. Please send a letter to Premier Tim Houston urging his government to meet its commitment to designate 82,500 hectares of new protected areas by March 31, 2026.  The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society Nova Scotia Chapter have prepared a letter which we can use or modify.

The ocean is not for sale. Canadian-based The Metals Company (TMC) is trying to mine the ocean’s deep sea, uncharted and pristine territory, by any means necessary.  They are uniting with Trump to bypass the international community and unleash this new era of destructive extraction for profit. This isn’t innovation, it’s looting the ocean floor, and we cannot let it happen. With tests being done, we are discovering amazing unheard-of creatures. At the same time, a recent test showed more than a third of ocean life was impacted. A reckless series of executive orders allowed Trump to unilaterally fast-track deep-sea mining permits, without any global rules in place. This isn’t innovation, it’s looting the ocean floor, and we cannot let it happen. Our government has stayed dangerously silent, but the time is now to lead the charge to protect the world’s oceans. Sign the petition to reinforce Canada's support for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining, to oppose a rushed Mining Code that would legalize seabed exploitation, and to stand up to Trump and The Metals Company’s corporate greed. 

The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is one of the largest pension managers in the world, managing almost $800 billion in retirement savings on behalf of more than 22 million Canadians. CPPIB’s purpose is to protect our ability to retire with dignity and security. That promise is at risk as climate-fueled fires, floods, heatwaves, and storms continued to damage Canada’s economy and drive up costs. At the same time, CPPIB abandoned its net-zero target, dropped its commitment to invest $130 billion in “green and transition assets”, no longer has a publicly-disclosed climate strategy, and continues investing heavily in high-risk fossil fuel expansion. They are now facing a lawsuit for failing to adequately manage climate-related financial risks. While CPPIB is backtracking on its climate commitments and doubling down on fossil fuels, leading pension funds are investing in climate solutions and aligning with a clean energy future – because a safe and stable climate is essential to secure retirements. Use your voice to make tell CPPIB to step up on climate issues and use their enormous financial power to protect Canadians’ retirement security.

In the Brazilian Amazon, the uncontacted Kawahiva Indigenous people are fighting for their survival. They have spent dozens of years running from the invasions of loggers and ranchers, the attacks and new diseases. It took a lot of global support and pressure, but in 2016, the Justice Ministry declared the Kawahiva’s forest an Indigenous Territory. The issue is for the last 10 years, the land demarcation process has been paralyzed by fierce opposition from politicians and agribusiness. Things have been coming to a head on both sides, with the Brazil's Indigenous Affairs Agency FUNAI promising to complete the Kawahiva demarcation by the end of 2025, and the local government planning to pave a highway passing just 3km from the entrance of the Kawahiva territory. The pressure is still on and global support needed, help by adding your name to this petition. 

Thanks for joining us again this week. Now go spread some love!

Then tell us about it!

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