All posts by Maureen Williams

Maureen Williams earned her doctorate in naturopathic medicine at John Bastyr College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1995 and has been practicing for 22 years. She also teach community health classes and does literature-based research and writing, which keeps her current in the scientific findings regarding natural therapies.
Arts, Environment, Opinion

Turning Down the Heat

By Maureen Williams and the FOCI Climate Action Committee

In early July of 2024, a small group of Cortes Islanders, supported by Friends Of Cortes Island (FOCI), screened the film “How to Boil a Frog” for the community. The film is about the five-pronged problem life on Earth is currently facing — overpopulation, a war on nature, wealth disparity, peak oil, and climate change—and offers five actions that can help—boycott Exxon, change your “life” bulb (reduce consumption), a change of heart, one kid per couple, and kick some ass. This article is the first in a series focused on each of these five solutions from the film, and more. You can learn more about the film and the filmmaker, Jon Cooksey, here and here. You can even watch the film, here.

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Environment, Opinion, Transportation

A Message for Luxury Yachts Appears at Cortes Bay

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Three new signs have recently been greeting boaters arriving in Cortes Bay.

They say: 

  • “200 gal/740 l diesel = 2 tons CO2”
  • “<2 tons CO2 per person per year = safe fair share”
  • “luxury emissions wipe out life”
Continue reading A Message for Luxury Yachts Appears at Cortes Bay →
Arts, Environment

On Climate Change, Peak Oil, Overshoot, and the Importance of Relationships: An Interview with Jon Cooksey

Last week, I sat down on zoom with television showrunner and independent film maker Jon Cooksey to talk about his 2010 film, “How to Boil a Frog”. The film, which also features Rex Weyler, is being screened at Manson’s Hall on Tuesday, July 9, at 7PM. Jon and Rex will be there to participate in discussion after the film.

In the interview, we talked about the events that led to his interest in climate change and ecological overshoot, his long friendship with Rex, and how his thoughts about impacting the future have evolved since making this film.

Continue reading On Climate Change, Peak Oil, Overshoot, and the Importance of Relationships: An Interview with Jon Cooksey →
Forests

Cortes Forestry General Partnership Public Meeting Covers Wildfire Prevention and the Five-Year Plan

The Cortes Forestry General Partnership (CFGP) held a public meeting on Thursday, May 30, 2024. CFGP is an equal partnership between the Klahoose First Nation and the Cortes Community Forest Co-operative and manages operations in the Community Forest, comprised of much of the island’s Crown forests. 

The main theme of the meeting was wildfire prevention. Fire Chief Eli McKenty offered an opening presentation on ways the Community Forest and Cortes Island Fire Department are collaborating to reduce fire risks. 

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Forests

Cortes Community Forest Five-Year Plan Update: Tour of the Green Mountain Cut Block 

On a recent, crisp, spring morning, eleven Cortes Islanders joined Mark Lombard, Operations Manager for the Cortes Forestry General Partnership, for a tour and conversation about the future of the Green Mountain area of the Community Forest. CFGP is an equal partnership between the Klahoose First Nation and the Cortes Community Forest Cooperative (CCFC). This tour was part of community consultation around the development of the CFGP’s new five-year plan. Operations in this area are expected to occur in the later part of the next five-year period.

Continue reading Cortes Community Forest Five-Year Plan Update: Tour of the Green Mountain Cut Block  →