Changing Direction in the BCSEA
The BCSEA turned six years old this summer. And while it seems like only yesterday that this organization was born, so much has changed since 2004.
As a young organization, we explored everything and put our hands in all the cookie jars, to see what delights or possibilities they held. We wanted to do everything - and what youngster doesn’t!
Through these years we’ve gained tremendous insights into how best to create change, build a strong organization, and focus on the unique strengths BCSEA brings to energy issues in this province. That’s why, as we grow into a more mature organizational phase, we’re making some changes that will set the stage for future successes.
First, we’re moving to become a registered charity. By pursuing environmental and educational goals in accordance with CRA guidelines, our members and supporters will be able to get tax receipts for their generous, much-needed donations (beginning – I hope – early next year).
The rules around becoming a charity do mean that some current BCSEA projects won’t fit. So we’re also planning to set up a parallel non-profit society to run our practical implementation projects, such as SolarBC.
Our goal remains steely clear: to tackle the multiple crises that the unsustainable use of energy is brewing, and the many dangers these crises will bring, both locally and globally. The BCSEA sees the solutions in a future world fuelled entirely by clean, sustainable energy, and our mission is to inspire, empower, and energize British Columbians to create that future.
With the changes above, the BCSEA can now towards our goal more efficiently than ever before, and launch new, courageous projects, like the one we’re provisionally calling VISION 2030.
One of the biggest barriers to change is that most people have no idea what British Columbia will look and feel like when we have made the shift to clean, renewable energy, and ceased using fossil fuels entirely for heat, transport and electricity. It’s all rather vague, and confusing - perhaps even frightening, if you know that your business or your home depends on oil or gas, and you cannot possibly manage without them.
The VISION 2030 project will do four things:
- Show how this future is possible, in practical, technical terms.
- Encourage people all over BC to share their visions and ideas of what they hope our beautiful province will be like when we have made what some have termed “The Great Transition.”
- Lay out the policies and initiatives that will get us there, drawing on best practices from all around the world; and
- Share the results in such a way that they excite and motivate people all over the province to get involved in making this future happen.
You’ll be hearing a lot more about this project, and how you can make it happen in the months ahead…so watch this space.
To learn more about the other changes, on Saturday September 25th, at 3pm, we’re holding our Annual General Meeting in Vancouver at the wonderful new Light House Sustainable Building Centre, 2060 Pine St, at 4th Ave West. If you would care to join us, we would love to meet you, and talk about all these ideas in more detail.
-Guy Dauncey
