Recently I had the amazing opportunity of attending the Beyond Green Youth Summit, a three-day event that had a combination of keynote speakers, panels and workshops on sustainability. I learned an incredible amount of information from the Summit and found it very refreshing as it offered a very optimistic view on the where the path of the environmental movement is heading. Rather than focusing on the negative aspects of what is happening to our environment, the Summit focused on what positive changes individuals and organizations are making. My favorite key speakers were Tom Rand, Tzeporah Berman, Majora Carter, Emily Hunter, Adria Vasil, Ben Powless, Cameron Fenton, Simon Jackson, Rick Miller and Jens Israng. For more information about the Summit and speakers, visit http://www.earthday.ca/beyondgreen/.
Here is a list of some great environmental organizations and initiatives that were explored:
Ecomentors: Environmental youth who raise awareness about environmental issues and strive to promote change in their communities. They engage with community members to teach them about environmental education.
The Water Brothers: A television show on TVO that brings awareness to various water issues around the world, including access to water and ocean conservation.
Ecocradle: An organization that makes packaging from agricultural waste and mushroom matter.
Our Horizon: An organization that has a warning label campaign; is aiming to have warning labels on all gas pump nozzles.
Toronto Tool Library: An organization that allows you to borrow various tools and items; part of a “sharing economy”.
Local Buttons: A company with two girls who went to Haiti and saw that there were huge dumps of donated clothing that did not fit the people there. They hired local Haitian tailors, got them to modify the clothing, and then they sell it back to people in the West.
Green Heroes: Started as webcast, and then expanded to TV. Have videos on different people and celebrities who have made environmental changes. Each Hero has a campaign you can follow.
The Green Student (www.thegreenstudent.ca): A website that promotes environmental writing for university students; aims to encourage student action through writing as a way of sharing environmental research, campaigns, events and community engagement initiatives. They also have sections on Environmental jobs and scholarships available.
Green Drinks: A group that meets monthly, consisting of environmental professionals and anyone interested in the environment. They meet casually, at a bar, and talk about issues. It is a way to connect, network and meet like-minded people.
Keep your eye out for next year’s summit. It is a great learning and networking opportunity for students and youth leaders interested in sustainability.
Farah
