What is TREA?

What is TREA?

Concerns, Achievments, Your Role, Structure, Support, Mission Statement

TREA (Thames Region Ecological Association) is a vital, non-profit, voluntary organization promoting awareness of ecological issues in the community. The group aims at revitalising the health, social life, and the natural environment of our communities for our sake and that of our children.

What Are Our Concerns?

"The Earth does not belong to man. Man belongs to the Earth. Man did not weave the web of life. He is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself."

Cheif Seattle,
Dwamish tribe, 1853

The long-term survival of future generations will depend on a new relationship between the human and the natural world. To keep a healthy planet on which to live we need pure air, water, and sunlight; fruitful soil; and all those living forms that provide the context in which human existence can be properly nurtured. This requires our attention to:

The management of the overwhelming stream of garbage and hazardous waste.
The environmental degeneration taking place on our planet.
The toxins and pollutants and their effects on our ecology and humans.
The lack of awareness and commitment to act on climate change issues.
The over indulgence of the Western world.
Priority given to a healthy environment and lifestyle over economic growth.
The unexpected environmental and health problems we can trace to many of man's inventions and discoveries.

What Have We Done?

Since its establishment in 1986, TREA has achieved success on several major issues:

We have convinced London City Hall to establish the curbside recycling program.
TREA started the promotion of the Home Composting plan. The City of London and the Provincial Government supported this plan by co-ordinating the distribution of thousands of composting bins. TREA followed by teaching people about composting through our Master Composting home study program.
Bicycle Festival
Participation in the staging of the annual London Bicycle Festival, a week-long event encouraging alternate means of transportation.
TREA publishes "The Green Directory", a guide to environmentally friendly products and services available in the London community, and "TREA Talk", our bi-annual newspaper.

How Can You Fit In?

TREA is a volunteer-run organization. Everyone is welcome at our monthly meetings where one can learn from our guest speakers, meet others who care about the environment and find out about environmental activities in the area.

Within TREA are several "Working Groups" focused on specific projects (e.g. composting, alternative transportation, cleanair, etc.). If you care about the environment and want to get involved there is a group for you.

Future generations can survive only as functional members of the larger community. They are instinctively aware of this. We need to foster this awareness.

Structure of TREA

TREA has a Board of Directors, elected by the general membership, which serves to organize the monthly meetings and oversees the activities of the working groups.

TREA holds a general meeting at 7:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month. The organization operates by consensus, giving all members the opportunity to participate in the decision making process.

There are a number of Working Groups, which focus on specific issues. These groups meet between the general meetings, particularly if they are planning initiatives or preparing information for the members.

Support

TREA promotes governmental decisions and local activities based on sound ecological principals and the improvement of environmental conditions.

The organization funds its operations through membership fees, government grants and donations. The funds are used for organizational needs, the gathering of information and public education.

Mission Statement

TREA is a non-profit group committed to educating ourselves and the community towards the development of an ecologically responsible and sustainable future through awareness, reflection, caring and action.