Health & Wellbeing

Human health is intimately connected to the health of the planet. We need fresh water, clean oceans, and natural spaces that contain a rich array of animals, insects and plants. Promoting education about and recreation in our natural spaces has been a part of the Sierra Club philosophy since it was founded in 1892.

Come run with Sierra Club Canada Foundation and fundraise for the Planet!

Yvonne Ho — July 18, 2017


Do you have a passion for the environment and want to do something to help stop Climate Change? Would you love to be part of something bigger and make an impact in your community? Are you looking to get back in shape and achieve your 2017 fitness goals? Or... do you just simply enjoy running for the fun of it?

Trump's lump of coal

Mary Kainer — December 14, 2016

Breathing is easier “beyond coal.”

In 2007, before the shut down of the coal-fired power generating plants in Ontario, there were 29 smog days and 11 smog advisories in Toronto.  It seemed that almost every hot day there was choking smog.  At that time, I couldn’t even escape to my cottage in the Kawarthas.  That same year, there were 21 smog days and 8 smog advisories in Peterborough County.

Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility: Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and President Obama

RuiLin Guo — October 4, 2016

Over two dozen non-governmental organizations from Canada and the United States are asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Barack Obama to postpone or cancel an unprecedented series of shipments of highly radioactive liquid waste from Ontario to South Carolina along public roads and over bridges crossing the waters of the Great Lakes.

See below for a letter from the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility to Prime Minister Trudeau and President Obama.

Calling all runners, walkers and casual strollers!

RuiLin Guo — September 8, 2016

We are excited to announce that for the first year ever, Sierra Club Canada Foundation is participating in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon!

On Sunday, October 16, 2016, we invite you to run, walk or stroll with team Sierra Club Canada Foundation at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon to raise money to preserve and protect our planet.

BreatheEasy

Do YOU know the quality of air you breathe? Many people do not. 

Air quality (AQ) and its impacts are rarely discussed. It remains a silent killer. 

Breathe Easy is looking to change that.

How serious is air pollution? We need to dig a little deeper to find out.

Jake Cole — April 9, 2021

How serious is air pollution in Ottawa? We have our BreatheEasy project underway to find out. First, using small hand held air sensors, we are measuring air quality in different areas all across the city and reporting our results publicly. We are also digging out existing information on air quality from a variety of sources both in Canada and around the world. It turns out that globally, there are a lot of people doing serious work on this subject and are readily sharing their findings with open reports and research results.

All Hands on Deck Webinar - How's the Air You're Breathing?

Emma McLaughlin's picture
Emma McLaughlin — March 18, 2021
Join us for the latest installment of our All Hands On Deck webinar series. A series intended to showcase the diversity of issues and solutions as we come together to deal with the environmental and social challenges of our time.

When: Thursday, March 25th, 2021 for 40 minutes at 6:30pm Eastern / 7:30pm Atlantic / 3:30pm Pacific

Indigenous & Environmental Groups Call for Moratorium on Mining Development in Ring of Fire

Lucy Bain — March 1, 2021

Sierra Club Canada Foundation has joined Indigenous and environmental groups in requesting a moratorium on a mining development in Ontario's "Ring of Fire". As it stands, the region’s wetlands and watersheds are not protected under this development and local communities, both upstream and downstream, are in need of access to clean water, housing and other health services.

How’s the air you’re breathing today? The BreatheEasy project can help you find out

Posted on January 25, 2021

By Jake Cole and Lucy Bain. 

According to Health Canada, some 14,600 premature deaths across the country are caused annually by air pollution. In Ottawa alone, approximately 500 deaths are deemed pollution-related each year. Yet, the topic of air quality (AQ) and its impacts are rarely discussed. It remains a silent killer.

That Nice Smell of Wood Smoke in The Air - Maybe It's Not So Nice

Jake Cole — January 18, 2021

If you've walked around a neighbourhood when people have their fireplaces going, you've probably noticed that woodsy scent wafting through the air. Some would even find that a soothing, pleasant smell. You may be surprised to learn that the smoke from a wood stove, a wood burning fireplace, or an open campfire, is not at all good for you. In fact, in some countries, like the U.K., wood-burning produces more than double the air pollution that results from traffic exhaust.