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.
A few weeks ago, I saw my first butterfly of the season. After a winter of erratic weather, and in the midst of this current health crisis, the sight of this beautiful little creature – its brilliant orange set ablaze against forlorn spring grass, with its wings gently fluttering – was a gift to my eyes and my heart. (It was not a Monarch. I’m still researching – perhaps it was a painted lady (Vanessa cardui?)
Photo: by Jeff Smith on Unsplash.com. In the 1880s, St. Lawrence Market (Toronto, Ontario) sold passenger pigeons which later became extinct. Market hunting became banned throughout North America following passage of the Migratory Bird Convention.
Gather 'round young Wild Ones for a reading of The Hugging Tree!
At home with kids while in #isolation? Check out this reading, and stay tuned for more activities for your #QuarantineLife and #COVID19Kids activities.
Stay healthy and well!
We have Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) grants to support two positions: a Research & Communications Intern and 'The Problem with Plastics' Intern.
Please review the job listings below, apply if you are interested, and share with others. We look forward to hearing from you!
Note: to qualify for CSJ positions you must a) be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment; and b) be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred.
by Leslie Adams, SCO Executive Committee member
I hope that parents, school principal, and school board representatives in fact everyone! read this. This year April 4, 2019, is Healthy Schools Day (HSD) in Canada, every year Annually HSD highlights an important challenge to children’s health and the environment. Recognizing that awareness of an issue does not go far enough, HSD also outlines actions to take. The 2019 campaign focus is on the health impacts of diesel engine exhaust emissions and ways to reduce risk through exposure for the health of all.
Written by John Bacher, image by Danny Molneck
The name Bill 66 seems like a science fiction monster akin to Godzilla, which emerged out of the debris of nuclear contaminated post-war Japan. A similar scary beast has come forth today out of the fiendish populism of Ontario Premier, Doug Ford.
Our National Program Director Gretchen Fitzgerald has a little VIDEO MESSAGE for you.
Wishing you and yours a peaceful and safe New Year.
Melissa Munro - Director of Development and Communications
Find Sample Social Media and Outreach Messages here!
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Because of your support and strong commitment to the environment, we were able to take on some very challenging campaigns this year:
As the African proverb goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”. This was quoted by one of the judges to conclude the 2017 AquaHacking semi-finals competition. It epitomized a powerful theme for an evening that involved bringing people and organizations together that had been working to develop integrated water governance by promoting technological innovation in this sector. Moreover, to engage future leaders by bringing water problems to the forefront of public and private sector agendas and fostering commitment to solving them.
"Let's change our national motto - "From sea to sea" forgets that we have three oceans; the Arctic is largest part of our coastline. We're an ocean nation, if our youth grow up knowing that, it will change how we do things... 'From sea to sea to sea'!" - Geoff Green, Executive Director and Founder of Students on Ice
"...The more we all know about and love the ecosystem that embeds and surrounds us, the more we feel that we are a part of it, the more we will see ways to enjoy, protect, and enhance what we have..."
The official announcement came on December 7th. The province is proposing to grow the Greenbelt by up to another 345,000 hectares (see Figure 1), adding on to the 810,000 hectares already in permanent existence plus the extra 10,000 hectares of urban river valley lands and wetlands that were announced this spring. This is a truly impressive proposal.
