THE BERWICK CLIMATE ACTION COMMITTEE
By Joslin Jose, WE-CAN Volunteer, with Avi Dolgin
The Berwick Climate Action Committee, born in 2023, is a group of empowered retirees from Berwick, an Island-based family-owned retirement community. The committee is chaired by author and climate activist Terry Dance-Bennink and represents 240 members who live in Royal Oak.
“We are in an assisted living building, but mostly independent. Our management has been very supportive of us getting involved in the climate domain,” Terry describes. “We have about 20 people who are really committed and make sure to come every month to attend our meetings and support our actions,” adds Terry.
“What is interesting is that when the committee first started, it was led by a staff member. She would organize a session on recycling waste, for example, and four people would turn up for the session,” mentions Terry with a smile. She adds, “Finally, she got fed up and asked us, ‘Don’t you care? This is your children’s future. Aren’t you going to assume responsibility for this?’ That jolted us all, and that’s when the Berwick Climate Action Committee switched from being staff-led to resident-led,” Terry says.
Today, the Committee is actively involved in six categories of climate activities and is advocating with the local government to broaden its climate reforms.
REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
“We are not living in isolated homes. We’ve stepped back from spending money on transit, gas, and heating as we have chosen to live collectively,” Terry explains. “Sometimes it feels like going back to college and living in a dorm,” she laughs.
“I have given up my car!” exclaims Terry. She continues, “There are huge benefits because we are sharing our resources. We have a bus that takes us to places instead of us driving, and also a courtesy car with a driver who takes four of us at a time and drops us off for medical appointments. This also helps us reduce our carbon footprint.”
SUPPORTING EFFICIENT WASTE MANAGEMENT IN BERWICK
The committee also promotes climate initiatives inside Berwick. These include promoting efficient waste management to inspire residents to embrace the 3 Rs – reduce, reuse, and recycle.
“We have set up a compost and done labelling for people to dispose of all the compostable waste in their suites,” mentions Terry. “We also have recycling signage all over to truly motivate people to recycle items. We have a swap meet every month where these items are displayed. People bring their household goods, their furniture, and many other recyclable items to the meet. We go there and help ourselves. Whatever is left behind goes to the Salvation Army or one of the Women in Need stores,” adds Terry.
PROMOTING EDUCATION
The Berwick Climate Action Committee also promotes internal education among Berwick members. They have hosted Thomas Homer-Dixon, Canadian political scientist, author, and Executive Director of the Cascade Institute, to learn about geothermal energy and its applications, and the recent threat to Canadian sovereignty by the US.
“We have also sponsored a panel of financial advisors who speak about green investment, explaining how people can invest in green business initiatives,” mentions Terry.
LOBBYING AND ADVOCACY
The fifth area of focus for the Berwick team is lobbying and advocacy with the government, with a focus on Saanich.
“We are residents of Saanich, so we have spoken to the Council in support of free transit for seniors. We are pushing it because we think it would be really important to get fewer cars on the road,” says Terry. She adds, “We’ve been part of the Sue Big Oil campaign in the past and have spoken in favour of it at Saanich Council, and we’ll attend Saanich’s Climate Action Strategy Open House later this month. We also spoke at a rally organized by Seniors for Climate last year, and a few of us joined the recent Draw the Line rally and march in Victoria.
“We also sponsored all-candidates debates during both the federal and provincial elections, and regularly invite our MP, Elizabeth May, to give us in-person updates in our theatre,” mentions Terry.
LOOKING FORWARD
“We’ve done a fairly good job on the education front,” Terry explains. We’re still lobbying and advocating with the government, and hope for success in providing free transit for seniors and broadening the Sue Big Oil campaign.”
“The one challenge we face is that our resident community has an average age of 85 and we experience cynicism, despair, illness, and disease — and for some, it is just their last days. It’s not easy to be actively engaged in the face of such challenges,” shares Terry. “But you’re never too old to make a difference.”
Let this be an inspiration to take your own step toward the intergenerational promise – the timeless promise to stand together, beyond the barriers of age, time, and boundaries, in the fight against the climate crisis.
Get Involved
The members of the Berwick Climate Action Committee welcome youth and young adults to get involved by sharing informative talks or presentations on climate action. We’re also willing to speak to other retirement homes about how to involve seniors in climate action. If you are interested, or know someone who might be, please contact tmdance@shaw.ca.
