Environmental stewardship sprung from grandmotherly love
When Elly de Jongh of Edmonton thinks about the scale and impact of development in Alberta’s tarsands, her attention turns to her great grandchildren.
When Elly de Jongh of Edmonton thinks about the scale and impact of development in Alberta’s tarsands, her attention turns to her great grandchildren. They don’t feel the effects of the tarsands today, but Elly knows it will be their generation paying the price for them.
“Once the oil is gone, who’s going to clean up the mess?” she asks. “Our great grandchildren will be in charge of that.”
In
hopes of seeing a more sustainable approach to energy, Elly generously
contributes to Ecojustice through the Edmonton Community Foundation.
She has been with Ecojustice as a supporter since 1991, when a good
friend and former Ecojustice board member Linda Duncan introduced her
to the organization, then known as Sierra Legal Defence Fund.
“Linda told me this is an organization that actually takes the government to court. I really appreciated that,” Elly said.
Once
accustomed to exploring the serene Waterton Lakes National Park with
her late husband Herman, Elly has a deep commitment to the environment.
It’s a commitment she’s never been afraid to voice – thanks in part to
her Dutch roots. The couple immigrated to Canada from Holland more than
45 years ago. It didn’t take long for Elly to realize the country was
in need of environmental leadership.
“In Holland it was never
a question: when the government isn’t taking care of the environment,
you stand up and demand better policies,” she says. “Here people are a
little more hesitant.”
To make a difference, she began investing
in Ecojustice with her annual gift. Now she is fighting for the next
generation in an effort to pass along environmental wonders rather than
problems to her great grandchildren.
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