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Local Parachutes for the Planet visit B.C. Legislature

Nelson students made parachutes to push for climate change action
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Save the Bees parachute created by students at South Nelson Elementary School. Photo submitted

Submitted

Nelson-Creston MLA Michelle Mungall joined volunteers from Citizens’ Climate Lobby Canada during a creative climate awareness event on the front lawn of the B.C. Legislature on May 13. This student-led event featured over 30 parachutes from across southeastern B.C., created by students from Rosemont Elementary, J.V. Humphries, South Nelson Elementary, and Kootenay Kids, in addition to others created at community events over the past year.

Parachutes for the Planet is a youth-inspired collective international art project illustrating shared concern for climate change. Parachutes, a metaphor for a soft landing for a healthy and safe future for today’s youth, are the catalyst for people to come together in their communities to create parachutes at schools, art galleries, fairs, and homes. The Parachutes for the Planet display aims to show Parliamentarians that people across our province care deeply about solving the climate crisis and want them to act now.

Organizer Judy Betts was impressed. “I’m really pleased with the effort that people put into them.” When asked what her highlight was, she replied “It was fun to participate in democracy.”

The enthusiastic Grade 1 and 2 students from South Nelson Elementary school focused their attention on the plight of the honey bee. Their parachute “Save the Bees” depicts their understanding of the relationship between the plight of the honey bees and it’s habitat with food production and life on the planet.

The Parachutes for the Planet display is part of global project. In the fall of 2018, over 200 parachutes from six continents, 30 countries, and 28 states were on display in Washington, D.C., organized by the Mother Earth Project. Mother Earth Project encourages people worldwide to lead more sustainable lives, filled with daily acts of saving and protecting the environment.

During the same week as the display, citizen lobbyists from Nelson, Kaslo, Vancouver, Victoria, and Clearwater met with MLAs. Citizens’ Climate Lobby volunteers have been lobbying for a livable world since 2010 in Canada.

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MLA Michelle Mungall and her son Zavier are seen in Victoria with one of the parachutes created by Nelson’s Rosemont Elementary School illustrating their understanding that to correct global warming we must all work together. Photo submitted