Personal Environmental History

March 7, 2022 By: Elizabeth Beattie

To begin my personal environmental history, I would like to start with my grandparents on my mother’s side. My grandmother was born and raised in a small town in New York State, later spending several her young adult years in New York city until she met my grandfather. He was born and grew up in a small town in Wisconsin. Following this he spent 2 years in the navy and then went to university in urban Wisconsin, eventually moving to New York city where he met my grandmother. Most of my grandfather’s life was spent working in upper management of the auto industry. From my point of view this line of work played a role in the major pollution we have in this world, which was disappointing to my discovery. Soon after they got married, settled down in suburban New Jersey and had three children (my aunt, uncle, and my mom). Eventually the whole family immigrated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1974. Once their children grew up my grandparents moved from large city to large city between 1974 to 1996 (Calgary, Alberta to Vancouver, BC to Markham, Ontario). Finally, they settled down on an acreage on the outskirts of Salmon Arm, BC where they were able to be mostly self-sustainable, living off their large organic garden, fruit and nut trees, and water from their pond for sustenance as well as wood from their backyard to heat their home in the cold seasons. My grandfather sadly passed away in 2006, and since then my grandma continues with their acreage with the help of my parents and their children.

On my father’s side of the family, we have my grandmother who was born and raised in the English-speaking part of Montreal (as back around 1930 Montreal was pretty split between French and English-speaking folk) but could also speak French. My grandfather was also born in Montreal to immigrant parents but shortly after they all immigrated back to Scotland where he grew up for most of his childhood. Once he was 18 years old, he served as a left tenant royal marine in the British armed forces, eventually moving back to Montreal and meeting and marrying my grandmother. While living in Montreal together they had six male children (five uncles and my father). They then moved to Calgary, Alberta, eventually settling down on an acreage in Okotoks, Alberta after several years in the big city. My grandparents did not partake in a whole lot of positive environmental behaviours, aside from having a small hobby garden. As the years went by, my grandfather passed away at a younger age of 67, followed by my grandmother 14 years later, passing down their acreage to one of my uncles.

As discussed above, my grandparents on my mother’s side had three children, one of them being my mother, all born in New Jersey. My father, being born in Montreal, eventually moved with his family to Calgary, Alberta. Shortly after my mother immigrated to Calgary, Alberta in 1974, my mother met my father as high school sweethearts, eventually got married in 1983 and that same year moved to St. Albert, Alberta living in the city for 5 years. During all this time my father worked for the family roofing company. He roofed most of the high-rise buildings in downtown Calgary which was a huge part in transforming that downtown centre. Their roofs were sustainable too due to that they lasted up to around 50 years while many others were only 10 years. The company also manufactured green roofs with artificial white turf which reflects sun, allowing for building to use less energy to keep buildings cool and is better for the environment in general. This kind of roof also was tested in California for hurricane level environments and did not blow off in those conditions. It also allowed for flat laid solar panels which helps generate electricity for the building. After working for the family business my father started in construction work, building one of the first restaurants (which he also ran and owned) in St. Alberts downtown core, initiating the pathway to the livelier, and busy place it is now. During this time, my parents moved on to an acreage just outside the city with their two kids (my siblings). Once I was born in St. Albert, Alberta, my family packed up and moved to Salmon Arm, BC where my dad continued to be residential contractor and my mother mixing it up with working with my dad in construction, being a homemaker, a mother, a bookkeeper, an office administrator, and avid gardener.

For myself, once I moved to salmon Arm, BC with my family I stayed here until I was 20 years old, then I moved to Kelowna, BC for university. After a year I moved back to Salmon Arm and have not moved again since. My relationship with my environment I believe has evolved over time but also being ahead of what my grandparents as well as my parents had. My family typically did not consider the environment when it came to their lives until I was a teenager. I am thankful though to be a part in connecting with nature through gardening, something that has been passed down from my grandmother and mother. I wish to have an even better relationships with my environments, actively participating in my communities more, being a part of environmentally friendly initiatives, and making sure that I continue to put my hand in the earth and work with nature instead of against it as I grow older and raise my own children.