Do you believe that we have a right to a healthy environment?
A right to…
breathe clean air,
drink clean water,
consume safe food…
Currently, 110 nations around the world recognize the right to live in a healthy environment, but not Canada. This can change; there is a movement sweeping across Canada to amend our constitution to include the right to a healthy environment. Led by the David Suzuki Foundation, the Blue Dot Tour is travelling from coast to coast to plant the seed in each community to start the process of this amendment.
- Michiah Prull, Communications and Public Engagement Director of the Blue Dot Tour, Photo by Julie Jamieson
The Blue Dot Tour came through Ontario this past week, stopping in Richmond Hill, Toronto and Kitchener. I was very fortunate to have been able to volunteer for two of these events, the first one in Richmond Hill at Richmond Hill Centre for Performing Arts by Diamond and Schmitt Architects, and the second in Kitchener at the Centre in the Square by Rieder, Hymmen and Lobban. The presentations featured motivational speeches from local organizations, amazing performances by different artists, a beautiful poem ‘Shoulders’ by spoken word poet Shane Koyczan, and an inspirational talk by David Suzuki.
- White Horse performance, Photo by Julie Jamieson
- Shane Koyczan Spoken Word Poet performing ‘Shoulders’, Photo by Julie Jamieson
- David Suzuki, Photo by Julie Jamieson
- Across U-Hub, Recycled cup project, Photo by Across U-Hub
My connection to this event came from a youth organization I volunteer for in Markham. They have conducted a myriad of programs concerning the environment and partnered with the David Suzuki foundation a few years ago. For this year’s program, a recycling drive was set up to collect paper and plastic cups that eventually became a tree sculpture installation displayed at the Richmond Hill Blue Dot tour location.
View from Grand Trunk Trail, Photo by author
While we work away at our projects in architecture school, we often forget about the beautiful environments in our backyard. Cambridge is home to many natural riches for us to discover; for example, the Grand Trunk Trail that runs along the Grand River is a great cycling path with amazing scenery. The trailhead is less than five minutes from the school and passes through the rare Charitable Research Reserve where there is a community garden and an ECO Centre. Also on the rare site are three projects by students from the school of architecture, which we visited as a part of the Welcome Week for Grads.
View from Rare trails, Photo by author
rare community gardens, Photo by Piper Bernbaum
We don’t need to be active environmentalists to agree with and support the right to a healthy environment. For more information and to join the movement, visit bluedot.ca. It is a simple action to make a great change for the future.
Pavilion at rare community, Photo by Piper Bernbaum
Vikkie is a graduate student at the Waterloo School of Architecture researching the practice of curation and architectural exhibitions as a method of development for the field of architecture.
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