The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control is actively seeking personal accounts from residents about how climate-related events have affected their physical and mental well-being. This initiative comes as the province continues to experience more frequent and intense climate disasters.
New Platform for Personal Stories
British Columbians can now share their experiences through a newly launched website called ecolens.ca. The platform allows people to express how climate change has impacted their lives through various mediums including written stories, artwork, and photographs.
According to Dr. Angela Yao, senior scientist in environmental health at the B.C. CDC, the project aims to capture the human stories behind climate statistics. While data from medication use, emergency calls, and healthcare visits shows clear patterns, personal narratives provide crucial context about how these experiences shape people's feelings and daily lives.
Building Community Through Shared Experiences
The Ecolens website serves dual purposes: collecting valuable qualitative data for researchers while creating a space for community connection. Visitors can not only share their own stories but also read accounts from other British Columbians.
Dr. Yao noted that climate change often causes anxiety and grief, particularly among younger residents. However, she emphasized that these concerns can also foster community building when people come together to share their experiences.
The platform has already gathered more than 40 submissions from health partners and university students during its preliminary phase. Early contributions include reflections on significant events like the 2021 heat dome and the 2023 Kelowna wildfires.
Informing Future Climate Adaptation Strategies
Officials state that the collected stories will help scientists and health professionals better understand the real-world impacts of climate change. This information will directly inform the development of adaptive strategies and public health responses.
Mary Cameron, director of climate resilience at B.C.'s Health Ministry, expressed that the ultimate goal is creating a healthy, climate-resilient, and sustainable province.
The Ecolens website received development funding from the Ministry of Health and represents part of broader efforts to address climate-related health risks. B.C. health officials have identified multiple climate threats including extreme heat, wildfire smoke, flooding, and drought as significant public health concerns.
This public engagement initiative comes amid ongoing discussions about provincial energy development, including LNG expansion, which some health officials argue contributes to climate-related health crises.
