Riverbank cleanup needs a traffic cop

Oct 24

These in-their-own-words pieces are told to Patricia Lane and co-edited with input from the interviewee for the purpose of brevity.

Parker Morrison is leading her community’s efforts in Kamloops, B.C., to get rusted cars out of a bank on the Thompson River.

For decades, Kamloops residents have been unable to persuade the municipality or the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to take responsibility for clearing out the toxic debris. This 17-year-old is a recipient of the Institute for Sustainable Education and Action (I-SEA) 2023 Youth Climate Activism Award for succeeding in getting things moving.

“I was curious about the cars. In 2023, I researched how they got there and how to get them sustainably removed as my Grade 12 capstone project. Fixing it seemed relatively simple but no one was doing it. One day, I just decided if not me, then who?”

Youth Climate Activism Award 2023 recipient Parker Morrison receiving her certificate — Parker Morrison was a recipient of the 2022 Youth Climate Activism Award.

SEE HER ENTRY

YCAA recipients

Peter Allan

Riverbank cleanup needs a traffic cop

Artist finds beauty in broken pieces

Chipping away at our plastic habit, one water bottle at a time.