They’re our go to team of critics and supporters. When we have updates, they are the first to know.  They get insider information and a more detailed analysis. They bike across Vancouver Island spreading the word about tankers. They hang banners and design posters. They canvass and set up tables in communities.  Who are they? The No Tankers Action Team.

This extraordinary group is composed of individuals who care passionately about the coast and continue to want to know more about how to protect it and how they can get involved.  Since Dogwood Initiative started the group in 2009, over 800 people have joined from all across BC and Canada and YOU could be a part of the team.

The Vancouver branch of the team recently had an awesome strategy session and came up with over 50 new campaign ideas and directions that the team could lead and implement. Talk about local people taking local action!

Brainstorming on five themes: salmon collaboration, general activities, strategy, canvassing and eco-art, the group inspired and motivated each other to work harder on the campaign.

Highlights included:

  • Collaborate in April for the Foolish April Fish event. Create strong visuals, media attention and undeniably link the issues of tankers and salmon on the coast
  • Create a briefing document for No Tanker Action Team members with diverse sets of information including videos, reports and conversation points
  •  Organize a meeting with key political players from all levels of government and all the different parties
  • Create kid-friendly outreach materials like tattoos, stickers, colouring pages and buttons
  • Use colouring pages for a contest or to send to MP’s
  • Maximize canvassing numbers by targeting original locations like housing co-ops and universities
  • Poster strategic ridings
  • Link music, art and the No Tanker campaign with open mics, music nights and art convergences
  • MC collaborations with mobile ciphers and saunas

As the Vancouver No Tankers Organiser, it was an absolute pleasure for me to host this meeting – I’m so lucky to work with such smart, funny, committed and caring people!

Being on the Team means getting more emails and updates on how the No Tankers Campaign is going, being contacted when we have important actions for you to take and having inside access to staff when you have ideas and actions that you need support with. It’s a chance for supporters to take the No Tankers campaign into their own hands.

If you’re interested in working on any of these projects, have an idea to share or want to see the rest of the brainstorm list please contact me at andrea@dogwoodbc.ca or join the No Tankers Action Team.

The Vancouver branch’s next meeting will be in January and keep an eye out for meetings in Victoria and Toronto over the next few months!