From the Ground Up: Haida Gwaii (Season 2, Ep. 3)
Mission Transition: Clean Energy and Beyond
A podcast from Sierra Club BC
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Haida Gwaii has a fossil fuel problem. Every year 30 million litres of diesel are ferried to the island to provide heat, power and gas for its 4,000 residents. The residents are determined to change this, aiming for zero diesel in just over 5 years. It’s an ambitious goal. Mission Transition takes you to Haida Gwaii to find out what fuels their passion for clean energy, how they’re making changes—large and small—and what a community needs to get to 100% renewable.
In this episode, we take you to the Haida Gwaii renewable energy symposium. We’ll hear insights from a number of community members and Haida leaders including former Council of the Haida Nation President kil tlaats’ gaa Peter Lantin, Haida Gwaii Museum Executive Director Jisgang Nika Collison, Yourbrook Energy co-founder Clyde Greenough, artist and Haida activist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, President of the Council of the Haida Nation and Swiilawiid Sustainability Society Board Member Jaalen Edenshaw, Skidegate Band Councillor Trent Moreas and Haida Elder Barbara Wilson.
Listen to Episode 4 next or find all of our previous episodes here.
Watch videos of the people featured in this episode and listen to more extended interviews below!

L-R: kil tlaats’ gaa Peter Lantin, Jisgang Nika Collison, Laird Bateham, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, Jaalen Edenshaw, Haana Edenshaw, Clark Simonson and Jason Alsop.
Haana Edenshaw on renewables and LNG
Haida citizen Haana Edenshaw talks to Sierra Club BC’s Caitlyn Vernon at the Haida Gwaii Renewable Energy Symposium about the clean energy future she wants to see. No to dangerous LNG tankers, yes to community consent and renewables!
Listen to more clean energy stories on our podcast: https://sierraclub.bc.ca/podcast
Posted by Sierra Club BC on Thursday, 11 October 2018
Haida citizen Haana Edenshaw on the clean energy future she wants to see
Gaagwiis Jason Alsop’s closing comments at the HG Renewable Energy Symposium
We are thrilled to be reviewing and now sharing some video clips from the Haida Gwaii Renewable Energy Symposium that took place in G_aw, September 29-30, 2018.
Independence, working together, and local knowledge and expertise were some of the main themes we heard from the community at the 2-day event. Watch Gaagwiis Jason Alsop’s closing comments here:
Posted by Swiilawiid Sustainability Society on Sunday, 2 December 2018
Symposium closing comments by President of the Council of the Haida Nation Jason Alsop
Haida Gwaii Museum Executive Director Jisgang Nika Collison’s speech at the renewable energy symposium
Fracked gas: Adding fuel to the fire
“Our main concern with fracked gas is the tanker traffic through our territory and the potential risks of explosions.” – Jason Alsop, Haida Gwaii
Tell Premier Horgan: We need real climate leadership, not LNG! www.sierraclub.bc.ca/LNG
Posted by Sierra Club BC on Friday, 12 October 2018
President of the Council of the Haida Nation Jason Alsop on Haida concerns about LNG
Connect and read more
Words and Wisdom from the Haida Gwaii Renewable Energy Symposium: Final Report
Swiilawiid Sustainability Society
Yourbrook Energy Systems Ltd. Tidal Power Solutions
Artist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas
Athlii Gwaii: Upholding Haida Law at Lyell Island, edited by Jisgang Nika Collison
Listen to more stories
Extended interviews from Haida Gwaii
Barbara Wilson is a Haida citizen completing her Masters in Education focusing on climate change. She speaks passionately about the “Haida way” and what it means for the clean energy transition.
Clark Simonson is a student at Gudangaay Tlaats’gaa Naay High School in Massett. One of the leaders of a plastics-to-fuel recycling project, he shares how he hopes the project will be useful for the transition to clean energy:
Artist and Swiilawiid Sustainability Society board member Jaalen Edenshaw talks about how the residents of Haida Gwaii have come together in the transition:
Jisgang Nika Collison is the Executive Director of the Haida Gwaii Museum. She talks about Haida knowledge and tradition and how it will guide Haida Gwaii in the transition to clean energy.
Former Council of the Haida Nation President kil tlaats’ gaa Peter Lantin speaks about the Council’s search for alternate sources of energy for Haida Gwaii:
Artist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas talks about the Haida Gwaii journey to self governance and the importance of that journey to making the transition to clean energy: