NEWS RELEASE
SIMCOE COUNTY GREENBELT COALITION
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One of Canada’s, and indeed the world’s, most notable authors, Margaret Atwood, has come out to support a local environmental group — the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition (SCGC).
A limited-edition print co-designed with Atwood is available and, depending on the donation level, can include a personalized message and autograph from Atwood herself. Atwood will also be donating funds to match donations given by supporters up to $10,000.
The digital prints will be given on a first come, first served basis with only 100 signed and numbered prints available. Each signed copy comes with a certificate of authentication as well. Of that, only 25 are available for personalization. The poster is based on a famous Latin phrase from Atwood’s The Handmaid's Tale — "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum" — which loosely translates to “Don’t let the bastards grind you down.”
Margaret Prophet, Executive Director of the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition, admits that with COVID and a barrage of policy changes that weaken environmental protection, this year has been difficult.
“For a small group like ours, this type of support means everything. A lot of what we do is to support small community groups across Simcoe County who are on the front lines of protecting our water, forests, endangered species and taking climate action,” she said. “We’re seeing more and more areas across the county that are facing destruction to make room for sprawl. With this type of support, we can put more effort into ensuring the spaces we love and need get the protection that they deserve.”
Margaret Atwood has long been known as someone who strongly supports the preservation of wetlands and bird habitat as she has worked closely with land conservancies such as Couchiching Conservancy and Nature Conservancy Canada. She agreed to use the phrase from her book as a message of hope for people who are working hard to create a better tomorrow.
Prophet acknowledges that there have been many setbacks as governments put policies in place that stymie climate action, equitable communities and strong environmental protections, but there is positive movement towards the world we want to create.
“What we have seen, despite these setbacks, is more and more people stepping up to lend their voice, their time and their concern to building a healthier, more just world,” she said. “We’ve seen our coalition grow from 15 to over 40 groups in such a short time, so I have a lot of hope that together with our communities we can ensure that we leave a strong legacy for future generations, but it won’t come without effort.”
To purchase a print, visit the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition’s website while supplies last.
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