About & Contact



ecojourneyintheburbs@gmail.com

I am a mother, wife and teacher who wants to be more conscious of my environmental impact and seek ways to lighten my footprint.

I believe in the physical and spiritual connection amongst all parts of an ecosystem, and I believe that where I live has influenced my life. I believe that being kind to the environment is a spiritual act, which also extends to being compassionate to people and animals around us.

Living in a suburban community presents some challenges on my path toward a greener life. I would dearly love a few backyard chickens but my city's bylaws limit them to land a half an acre or more. Many of the "natural" stores I enjoy frequenting are not within walking or biking distance and require driving into the neighbouring city. Although my community has many farms and community gardens, purchasing organic food directly from the farmer requires research and driving. Politically my suburban area is quite conservative and the people are not as open to green initiatives as I would prefer.

Despite these perceived limitations, I love where I live in Steveston, a lovely area of  Richmond, B.C. that has rich past, and present, links to the fishing and farming industries.

The natural beauty of this area provides inspiration for living an outdoor lifestyle, with easy access to mile after mile of walks along the Fraser River dyke. On any given day we are witness to majestic bald eagles who make their nest in the trees or herons searching for food in the marshy shore. My children (and iPhone olloclip) have motivated me to notice the smaller things as well, such as the much loved ladybugs and honey bees. There is much to keep the outdoor lover occupied.



We can walk through community gardens and shop for local produce at the many farms in the area or the farmer's market and numerous local festivals.



With bike paths and flat terrain of the river delta, much of what the area has to offer is accessible by foot or bike, making it easy to transition to a less car-dependent lifestyle.



What we do in our family toward being more conscious of our eco footprint is not unique to families today, especially here in my local community, and there will always be people more "green" than us. My purpose is to document the path we are traveling, the change in our thinking that occurs, the roadblocks that we encounter on our own unique journey. I hope to connect with other green-minded families. As a teacher it is my passion to mentor others in their own learning process, so I hope to maybe even inspire someone to challenge their own thinking through this blog.



1 comment:

  1. Hi there! My wife and I were just looking over your blog and had a quick question. I was hoping you could email me back when you get the chance. Thanks!

    - Cam

    ReplyDelete