x December 13, 2024 Stratford Times Channeling our inner environmental hero ANNA KOWALCHUK Times Contributor Life can be difficult for many of us. So much of our time and energy is spent on finding and paying for food, shelter, cloth- ing, and simply getting ourselves through each day reasonably sane and in one piece. Caring for the environment is the least of our worries, and hardly worth thinking or fee about, especially at this time of the y But “think and talk we must. There is little use in working so hard to keep our- selves and our families healthy and happy when the ever-growing consequences of an overheating planet are, without exag- geration, threatening our children’s and their children’s very existence. We humans are creatures of habit and comfort. We tend to follow the paths of least resistance. But we must not let this be our downfall. How easy it would be to remain oblivious to what we’ve done and are continuing to do to the only home we have in, literally, the entire universe. e must, for all our sakes, dig deep and find ways to live more environmentally responsibly. Again, change of any kind, even for the better, can be challenging. But who among us isn’t up for a challenge when the lives of children are at stake? It begins simply with a decision. Let’s each of us choose just one thing that will limit our collective use of petroleum and petroleum-based products which are, by far, the largest source of greenhouse | gas emissions and cause of the critical over- ae of our planet. an, for instance, refuse to buy plastics (which includes that shiny holi- day wrapping), when paper, metal, glass, od, etc. is available. We can refuse to drive when walking, biking or bussing is a workable option. And, if we must drive, we can absolutely refuse to idle in a drive- through line, spewing massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere while going nowhere. We can refuse non-essential air travel, the single most polluting activity in which we can engage, when local travel can be just as rewarding, much less ex- pensive, and far less stressful. Or we can refuse to drive to the gym — the absurdity of this scenario speaks for itself. There are many ways in which we can begin digging ourselves out of our envi- ronmental predicament, but whichever way we choose, and here’s the real chal- lenge, we must stick with it. The tempta- tions to abandon, even the strongest re- solve, are pervasive and persistent. will be constantly fending off the enticements of advertisers, whose sole purpose in this world is, not just to sell us stuff, but to sell us on mindlessly buy- ing stuff in perpetuity. Friends might try to advise us away from our hippy ways, perhaps out of genuine concern, perhaps to assuage guilty consciences. And chil- dren’s wide-eyed pleas can easily become our undoing until we remind ourselves (and them) of the very important reasons for our sacrifices. There is much talk these days of mind- 8 Oo i | | | G E V = N TS Email to inquire stratfordtimes@gmail.com CROKINOLE CLUB fulness. It simply means being aware of who and how we are in this world, and of the choices we make and why. Mindful- ness fosters quiet reflection and right ac- tion. It encourages us to be old-fashioned things like humble, patient, stoic and steadfast. It is the well-spring from which arises all that is good on every level, in- cluding planetary. Time is short, dear reader, and there is much to do. This holiday season, let’s channel our inner environmental heroes. Let’s give gifts that truly matter; the gifts of mindfulness, of strength of character and will, of courage to stay the course in ill-winds and, most consequentially, of willingness to sacrifice for that which is most sacred — our families, our friends and this singularly beautiful planet that we are so blessed to call home. If you know of an individual, Fompaty t deserves Sor their innovative and eisainnnien envi- ronmental practices, please contact me at Srogs-a-leaping@tutamail.com. a VIRTUAL BENEFIT PERFORMANCE OF "A CHRISTMAS CAROL Tuesday, December 24; 6 p.m. Visit ther pane and friends by the (virtual) fireplace for anew holiday tradition: Let master ee Rod Beattie entertain you with one of the best ghost . stories ever written. Through the magic of Zoom, ake a performance of this beloved Christmas tale by the eqn Canadian actor renowned for his ability to bring multiple characters to life. Proceeds to support Kiwanis Festival of the Performing Arts FRIDAY EUCHRE TOURNAMENT January 10, February 21, March 21 & April 11; 6:30 p.m. Stratford Legion, 804 Ontario St. STRATFORD TIMES] Deadline: Tuesday prior at 3 p.m. Contact: stratfordtimes@gmail.com $20 per team of two players. Each game consists of 2 deals per player. Register to game date. Anne: 519-301-0914, Dave: 519-703-6544, Legion: 519-271-4540 or online. Monday, January 13, 2025; 7:15 — Army Navy Hall, 151 Lorne Ave. E., “ Stratf ford Featured Presentation: “Design Solutions for Small Spaces”, Tom Temming, Landscape Designer, Touch of Dutch. Meeting Open to Everyone; Free Admission. GOURMET POUTINE & BEER FUNDRAISER Thursday, January 23, 2025; 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. Stratford Legion Large size portion fresh cut fries paired with a pint or draft or Po. $20/person, Kids 12 and under $10. For tickets call legion office at 519-271-4540 or Dave Hartney at 519- 703-6544 or order online. Every Tuesday 2-4 p.m. Rec Centre, 2nd floor Ristma room Stratford For more info call Oliver Davidson 519-508-5664 BINANS FESTIVAL'S 2025 FEATURED oe en 28, 2025; 7 p.m. (live & livestreamed) Avondale Church, 194 Avondale Ave, Stratford "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by Gears Norton and Wendy Edwards Beardall-Norton Early-bird registration to perform until Dec. 15 Singers accepted until Feb. 3. Great for families! All non-professional singers welcome, no audition required. Rehearsals begin in late January. Early-bird registration until :Dec15, poe special fernily ¢ rate. Cast will receive script, music and rehearsal tracks to use during holidays. Visit Iiwanisfestivalstratford, com/events PROMOTE YOUR EVENTS WITH US! HERE’S HOW: © The Community Calendar is for non-profit organizations to promote their free admission events at no charge. Event listings can include your event name, date, time and location as well as a phone number, email address or website. ¢ Ifyour event is not free admission or you would like to include more details than stated above, you have the following options: © Coming Events Word Ad in Classified section (50 word max.) - $10 + hst © Coming Events Boxed Word Ad in Classified section (50 word max.) - $15 + hst © Display Ad - Sizes begin at a classified business card size for $35 + hst Community of Brist 226 Forman Avenue 519-271-4539 Proclaiming Jesus Christ with communities of LOVE, JOY, HOPE & PEACE Worship with us Sunday 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. — Fellowship and Coffee Hour i We are a Welcoming Community Stratford Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church Quality Inn Festival (1144 Ontario St., Stratford) - 4 ce Invite readers to your worship services. Contact stratfordtimes@gmail.com