Don't nuke my water!

Having read about Greenpeace's action earlier this week, I was reminded once again about what a radioactive fallout could look like close to my home here in Toronto if we were to suffer a massive nuclear accident such as those which have happened in others places around the world like in Japan, Ukraine and even closer to home in the USA.  


Imagine Lake Ontario contaminated by radiation. Lake Ontario: the source of drinking water for millions of people and habitat for so much wildlife. How would we manage?  How would we deal with the public hysteria that would follow? I don't wish to sound like a doomsday activist, but this isn't a zombie apocalypse story  - this is Ontario's reality of gambling with nuclear energy.  Living within the 60 km radius of massive nuclear stations in Pickering and Darlington, where official emergency plans are only equipped to deal with minor accidents and nothing close to that of Fukoshima or Chernobyl, I worry.  Even worse, dealing with a massively populated city like Toronto becomes even more challenging given an evacuation scenario. Getting children, elderly folk, the sick and disabled out of the zones efficiently will be very, very challenging and requires a comprehensive plan.  Where do you go if you have no family or friends to take you in outside of the fallout zones?  I am concerned for the safety of Canadians and angry at our government for being so dismissive. 

It's been almost two years since Fukushima's nuclear disaster in Daiichi, Japan, and and while  the media is through with the headlines, and the fear of nuclear energy dissolves further into the background - the threat remains real and close for millions of people all over the world.   While many nations, particularly in the EU remain opposed to nuclear energy and are working hard to phase-out reactors, Canada lags behind. This is not surprising given Canada's poor track record when it comes to green energy.

Environmental accidents happen all over the world on a regular basis. We see it happening from mass storms to earthquakes and nuclear meltdowns.  Unless you have first-hand experience, you can't really begin to understand what it's like to fall victim to a disaster of such magnitude.  When it's all done and over, people continue to suffer, sometimes for generations.  Families today in Fukushima are slowly rebuilding  while they endure the immediate depression of personal loss on a community-wide scale. Chernobly, 26 years later is still ridden with rare cancers and birth defects.  The site of the accident still uninhabitable.

This brings me back to Ontario, where our policy makers are currently making decisions about our future energy sources.  We are at a crossroad. We could switch channels and make some smart decisions.  The $36 billion earmarked  to refurbish old reactors at Darlington could be spent on a incredible mixed-bag of green of energy sources for Ontario. We have the power to make some epic change.

The risks associated with nuclear energy is much more than the threat of reactor accidents.  Even if we never see a reactor fail again, there are still many problems with this industry.  Uranium mining, managing nuclear waste and weapons have parallel concerns. It's a loaded source of energy that's expensive, dirty and dangerous on many fronts.  Imagine being on the path to NO more uranium mining, NO more risk of nuclear fallout and nuclear war.

I am so grateful working for an organization like Greenpeace, as I need a constant reminder about what we need to do to protect our planet, and in turn ourselves and our families.  Having become a mother recently, the catchphrase of "protecting our environment for future generations", rings truer than ever.

I urge you to follow the direction of activists around the globe to phase-out nuclear energy.  In  Ontario, you can start by sending a letter to Ontario's Energy Minster Chris Bentley to ensure Canadians are protected in the event of a nuclear accident at Darlington. 

Mama-rama-ding-dong?

So full of love and gratitude, I am humbled each and every day by this monumental experience. Being a mother is amazing - it's true.  Some say having children is what makes one complete - and I would have to concur; But still, my insecurities are at times paramount, and I wonder why?  Why am I putting too much pressure on myself?  Now that I've become a mother and joined the ranks of those who have learned what it's like to care for and love something unconditionally, I am wondering if I am good enough. How can I feel so balanced, yet so out of my element at the same time?  Underneath, deep inside,  I wonder if I am capable enough to be a great mom and partner while holding on to my goals of being a great activist, artist , friend, community member, and collectively minded individual.  Yes individual.  Is it even possible? No one is judging right?   But why do I feel like I've been written off by the general populous as "useless" in the world unless that is, I am tending to diapers or crying babies? Maybe this is my own insecurity?  Am I projecting?  Is it just those damn hormones? 

All I can do is my best. And I will. Now, more than ever, is the time I have to explore who I am. To live in the moment and think about what's next.  Parenthood  is next level existence, and it's exciting to think about how I can become a better person. More creative,  more loving, more understanding, more adventurous and fun. Less selfish.  This is a good opportunity no doubt to really change my life and how I live it.  I now have a really good reason to live life even fuller! 

I have finally accepted dub time.  I'm ok with taking things slow, rather than my usual dive-in approach. I've surrendered to the cosmos, where "letting go" is what creates magic for me. A spark of life revived. Rushing only frustrates. I've likewise accepted the feeling of being overwhelmed.  In fact, there is something exciting about it.  I believe I am doing very important work raising a little human.  An individual who has already begun shaping the future  from the moment she was born.  In saying this, I challenge mothers everywhere to step it up.  Don't allow yourself to be predisposed as otherwise "occupied". Be proud and confident.  Share knowledge and resources.  What we are learning as mothers is timeless.