You're Lucky I

Made It to Work

photo by Jaime Kowal

When it comes to shaking off the dark, moody Vancouver winter, I wish I could say that SharedVISION had the secret handshake. Truth is, mornings in our office these days are not a pretty sight. It’s often apparent that most of our team would rather be in bed. Having been jostled and jounced on a damp, crowded, and frequently late bus or SkyTrain car, or inching along in traffic, they arrive wet, cold, and often frustrated (and maybe hungry). That’s a fun encounter, let me tell you. During the “landing time” we might as well set up a coffee IV station (or several cots, but that’s not an option).

We switch on the SAD (seasonal affective disorder) lamp in our main office area to fend off any depression aggravated by sunlight deprivation. We play some upbeat, mood-shifting music. Our perky little office Chihuahua, Mr. P, obligingly makes the rounds from desk to desk, standing on his hind legs and poking us with his tiny paw for a snuggle or pat. With this unfolding, our small, convivial team moves into animation. And seemingly, everybody else across the Lower Mainland does, too. The phones pick up speed, meetings ensue, one-liners are tossed around; any snarkiness has dissipated.

This is winter in Vancouver. If you have designs on a different wake-up call, check out our story on intentional communities in Central America (page 12). We profile two, one in Costa Rica and the other in Nicaragua, that invite mostly “off-the-grid,” eco-friendly living in user-friendly tropical settings. These are of the newest generation of conscious communities for those who want to step more lightly on the planet and have neighbours who share those sensibilities. It’s a creative option to the SAD light.

A bolt of sunshine is our cover profile this month, in the form of author Ruth Ozeki (page 10). Ruth is a gifted writer who became a celebrity after tackling the appalling state of our conventionally raised food (i.e. GMO crops and factory animals) with a humour and horror that changed not only her fans’ lives but hers as well.

“Don’t Miss” Dates

Here’s a first-rate opportunity to revel in what a healthy food system can be. Later this month spend a Saturday at the “Healthy Food, Healthy People, Healthy Earth” event at UBC. The focus will include all aspects of how we can revolutionize our health through sustainable food systems. See page 28 for details.

Mark your calendar now to join us in early February at the Vancouver Wellness Show. Held at Canada Place, this event is the largest health and lifestyle showcase in Western Canada. SharedVISION will be sponsoring the Workshop Stage, giving you an opportunity to interact with the speakers and come away with lots of “how-to” tips. More info in our events section, page 29.

Also, a reminder to visit our website regularly (shared-vision.com). We have frequent drawings for free tickets to many great events. Just click on “Contests!”

Pick Us Up at Vancity

We are delighted to announce that Vancity and SharedVISION have entered into a new distribution partnership. Starting with this issue, SharedVISION will be available at 25 Lower Mainland branch offices of B.C.’s premiere credit union. We are particularly pleased because Vancity has long been an influential leader in promoting environmental stewardship and sustainability.
It’s all good. It’s all a SharedVISION.

In gratitude,
Rebecca