Patricia Lane
Columnist | Victoria
About Patricia Lane
Patricia Lane's column gives voice to climate leaders across Canada, in their own words. They are mostly young but some showcase elders whose focus has shifted to climate in their later years.
Patricia specialises in collaborative decision-making, public policy creation and effective climate communication. As a lawyer, she worked in every region in Canada in diverse areas such as tax policy, human rights, economic development, restructuring health care, family law and labour law, human rights, securities law, climate change, real estate and land development, wilderness protection, renewable energy, housing, and Aboriginal rights and title.
'Hope isn't what we have, it's what we do,' says climate activist
At 79, Mary Anne Pare prefers to think of retirement as “re-firement. She is very active in climate and reconciliation work, lives on Pender Island in the Salish Sea of British Columbia, and believes "hope isn't what we have, it's what we do."
Helping farmers access cheaper power with solar panels
Sonia Vinogradova is helping small farmers gain more energy independence. This 25-year-old woman from Montreal and her business partner, Joe Workentin, broke new ground, persuading regulators to allow solar panels on the BeetBox Co-op Farm’s barn. The panels will supply 20 per cent of the farm’s electricity.
How to protect a sliver of sea
Zaida Schneider is spending his retirement protecting a sliver of the Salish Sea — False Creek — near his home in downtown Vancouver.
How to electrify without causing further harm: reusing minerals
Natasha Kumari cleans up after mining companies. This 31-year-old from Burnaby, British Columbia, is vice president of marketing and operations for Tersa Earth, which uses nature-based solutions to clean the water in mining tailings ponds and reuse the minerals.
How a nursing student champions environmental health in healthcare community
Ankur Patel, a 21-year-old nursing student from Terrace, British Columbia, is helping nurses see care for the planet as care for people.
Integrating the benefits of nature into cities
Patricia Dijak is spending her retirement persuading local governments to design climate-adapted cities.
Communicating to encourage positive change
Charlotte Gilmour is increasing demand for action on climate change. As managing director of Environmental Impact for Yulu Impact Communications, this Vancouverite supports not-for-profits, governments and companies taking leadership to increase pressure on decision-makers to protect what we love.
Aiming for clean energy independence in every town and country
John Redfern is busy bringing energy independence to the world. The Calgarian founded and runs Eavor Geothermal.
Climate justice, one coffee at a time
Summer Sharma and three other students started a coffee shop at Okanagan Mission Secondary School, B.C. They raised awareness about the difference collective action can make in achieving social and climate justice, and donated the profits to three charities chosen by their customers.
Reducing food waste and saving money
Ben Liegey founded BetterTable to help the food service industry reduce waste and save money.