Denman Island Sustainability Festival (Days 22 - 24)

A short ferry ride across Buckley Bay and one will find themselves on Denman Island, heralded for it's beauty both in place and people. Our contacts throughout the Pacific Northwest led us to this small gem of an island where we met with Wendy and Ken, long time conservationists with roots in the Yukon Territory, where they were involved with many struggles to protect rivers and even the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Now, like many of the other amazing people we met on the island, they are working hard to reduce their carbon footprints through sustainable living.

Many island residents have gardens from which they gather much of their food, and few residents have cars. A sign warns motorists that the roads are multipurpose and to be wary of pedestrians, bicyclists, and even horseback riders. The only transportation to and from the island is via an hourly

ferry (costing upwards of $50 for a family of four and a vehicle, or $30 at a discounted rate using a reloadable BC Ferries Experience Card) that operates during daylight hours. The high cost of ferry trips and lack of shopping centers does well to deter a lifestyle of instant gratification, and gives residents good reason to enjoy a less materialistic lifestyle closer to the beauty of their natural surroundings.

We were very much honored to be part of the annual Denman Island Sustainability Festival where we met many inspiring folks with interests and concerns that align with our own. The hospitality we received was tremendous (as has been all the hospitality we've received on this tour), and we were well received in our presentation to nearly twenty people. 

Our only regret is that we had to move on so quickly and could not spend more time exploring the wonders of Denman Island and visiting with more of it's inhabitants. Perhaps in the future we can return and continue making connections and to share our many similarities.

We are now back on the mainland, preparing for presentations in both the Ocean Park and Delta Communities of Southwestern, BC. Wish us luck!