Thank goodness sometimes the apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree. Like Jillian Roberts has always been into “eco stuff” mainly because her family has always been, too. Dad, Eddie, was an early member of the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE), and mom, Barb, worked in guest relations on the mountains.
So Jillian’s one of those rare gems: A kid who grew up in Whistler going to bear camps with Michael Allen, then learned her chops elsewhere and came back to add her unique talent to the community. In 2001, when she was 10, the Roberts moved to Australia, home to droughts, floods and the oldest rocks on the planet, where Jillian worked hard as an ecologist to protect koala populations. Until it got too depressing. (“It felt like there was bad news, and then there was worse news.”)
As a little kid, she was horrified whenever she witnessed bad things happening to the environment. Her brother, Byron, was the same.
“I was so shy I wouldn’t usually talk to anyone,” says Jillian, who now confidently tutors students and takes them through the Whistler Museum, where she works as an oral historian and researcher. “But if bigger kids were squishing frogs, I’d take their sticks and give them a talking to!”
That’s what I call picking your fights. And right now we all should be fighting the fight of our lives to protect our natural world. But Canadian Environment Week—which Canada established way back in 1971 (!) to build awareness about the environment, and what we need to do better—is on the horizon June 2 to 8, and who even knows it’s happening?
COMMON GROUND
I’ve never studied koalas. In fact, I’ve never been to Oz even though I’ve longed to see wild kangaroos since fifth grade when we studied Australia.
Still, Jillian and I have some things in common. She’s 32—close to the age I was when I bought the Whistler Question, a great age to tackle dynamic challenges.
We both marched in the 2019 Climate Strikes. She in Brisbane, marching alongside 30,000 people who’d taken time off from school and work to support the environment—along with the millions more striking around the world, including impassioned Sea to Sky students. In Vancouver, where I marched, school kids chanted, “You die of old age, we die of climate change!” as 100,000 of us flooded downtown.
Then came COVID-19 on the heels of those strikes. Then lockdown. And now it seems everybody, or at least a certain demographic, is back flying to Cancun for the weekend. Either that or shopping. (The Walmartization of weddings is a thing?) Mention “Greta Thunberg” today, and people go, oh yeah… then check their phones.
Regardless, Jillian and I—and tons of others out there fighting for the future—think all the adults in the room need to get a grip and get serious so kids today don’t have to clean up our mess tomorrow. That starts with the mess we’ve made of our climate in only 100 years. All of which makes me shake my head in disbelief as I see few signs of Canadian Environment Week, not even at the Resort Municipality of Whistler!
A CANADIAN ENVIRO WEEK, YOU SAY?!
Seems we’re all excellent at marking Earth Day, which started in the U.S. in 1970 to raise awareness about environmental issues. So is this another case of the elephant down south over-shadowing an event Canada started at nearly the same time to do the same thing? Or maybe Whistler is already so eco-aware we’re jaded. Like right now there’s the Stewards of the Land exhibition at the Sk_wx_wú7mesh Li’wat7úl Cultural Centre, while AWARE and the Whistler Naturalists have lots going on, from repair cafés to bird walks.
Either way, there’s something about having our own national Made-in-Canada, week-long convo about our environment and how to better protect it, especially when that week includes World Environment Day (this year’s theme: Generation Restoration) and Canada’s Clean Air Day, both on June 5. Plus there’s World Oceans Day, June 8.
Maybe it’s all too much, too confusing. But personally, I think they should all be days off, like the Climate Strikes—time to do something dynamic. And we could even add more.
On top of “special” days, though, we all need to live so seamlessly low-impact every day, that it’s natural. As Jillian says, every week should be Environment Week.
SPEAK UP, VOTE AND STAY ENGAGED!
These days, Jillian is in her element working with kids. “I love seeing them get excited about the world around them,” she says. “I used to run a program where we took digital microscopes out into the backyard, and watching the thrill of a kid who has just seen moss or an ant walking under the microscope is priceless.”
As an advocate for lifelong learning and staying curious, she loves fostering that in all age groups since it also develops an understanding and love for the world around us.
And when you feel that way, you naturally make wise lifestyle choices, as do Jillian, and her husband, Darcy Harriss—who can be found every day on the mountain or on his bike. They consider the environment in almost all of their daily decisions: Eating less red meat and dairy—good for the planet and your health. Consuming less, wasting less. (“The three R’s come in order of importance, No. 1 being reduce,” notes Jillian.) Turning down the thermostat, hanging their clothes to dry, choosing active transport, and carpooling to avoid excess driving. It all adds up.
“We should all do what we can, but don’t beat yourself up too bad when you’re not perfect,” Jillian says. “Just keep trying, and keep up the pressure on government and industry to do better.”
“Most of all, treat every week like Environment Week,” she adds. “Speak up, vote and show up for our natural world. Stay engaged.”
Use #EnviroWeek and #GreeningOurFuture to connect with Canadian Environment Week.
Glenda Bartosh is an award-winning journalist who will fight for the natural world until she finally drifts away and leaves it.
