Category: research

Let’s Green Toronto

Imagine the potential of an organized  city!

As part of the Live Green Toronto Community Animation Project, I spearheaded a research project to show how Toronto’s community groups support the greening of Toronto. Alas, the Project was cut three years into the five year mandate, but the final draft listed well over 100 organizations.

It’s quite something to consider the full potential of the voluntary sector, and how it can contribute to meeting our common environmental, economic and social goals.

Click here to read the full report.

A Conservation Strategy

A good strategy lays out a roadmap to the future we want.

Here’s the one I wrote for the Conservation Council of Ontario (CCO) in 2011, drawing on the work and goals of many of Ontario’ top environmental and conservation organizations.

“We Conserve: a Blueprint for the Voluntary Transition to a Sustainable Future” sets out the CCO’s mission as a catalyst for the voluntary transition to a conserver society in Ontario. It identifies challenge targets for each of  ten priority actions:

    1. Help Nature
    2. Save Water
    3. Save Energy
    4. Use Green Power
    5. Drive Less
    6. Eat Smart
    7. Waste Less
    8. Prevent Pollution
    9. Buy Green
    10. Live Local

The strategy laid out a roadmap for Ontario based on collaboration and voluntary leadership. It still stands as an example of what could actually be accomplished if we all worked together.

The Next Wave

All the major trends are downward, and they are all interconnected. It calls for some radical thinking!

Produced for Tides Canada through the Canada Conserves research project, “The Next Wave“ is a 90-page report on current trends and opportunities for a new wave of environmental leadership in Canada. This report is the foundation for a new approach based on integrating environmental solutions with quality of life.