Every July, millions of people around the world take part in Plastic Free July, a global movement that challenges us to rethink our plastic use. It’s not just about skipping a straw or bringing your own bag, it’s about making meaningful changes that reduce plastic waste in our daily lives and communities.
Summer is a season of sunshine, play, and unfortunately, excessive water use. As temperatures climb, our reliance on water increases, from watering lawns and filling pools to cooling off with long showers. While these are natural parts of summer life, they also offer an excellent opportunity to teach the next generation about one of the planet’s most precious resources: water.
As World Ocean Day approaches (Sunday, June 8, 2025), Canadians have a unique opportunity to reflect on the incredible role oceans play in our daily lives and the health of the planet. For Canada, whose geography is defined by its extensive marine borders, this day holds exceptional significance. Bordered by the Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic Oceans, and with over 243,000 kilometres of coastline, the longest of any country, Canada's environment, economy, and cultural identity are deeply entwined with the health of its marine ecosystems.
Every March 22, the world celebrates water in all its myriad forms. This year’s World Water Day theme is Glacier Preservation and protecting our frozen water resources for future use. While this theme is important to life all over the world, here in Canada it is vital, as our country is home to the Canadian Arctic and the Rocky Mountains, both landscapes that rely heavily on the conservation of this frozen resource.
For the 2024/2025 academic year, the Cinema Studies department at the University of Toronto launched a new experiential learning course called Sensory Ecologies: Theory and Praxis in Environmental Studies. Led by Professor Nadine Chan, our class has explored how media helps us construct and understand the concept of environmental degradation. Through scholarly research, various forms of media, and even experimenting with making our own media projects, we have seen firsthand how important storytelling is in conceptualizing the environment, and stoking passion for climate justice.
How vividly I still recall the mnemonic "HOMES" we used in grade school geography class as a way of remembering the names of Canada's Great Lakes! And how much more profound this seems now, as we realize that indeed, they are, for many of us, our HOMES! I invite you to bring that understanding to your reading of this article from the Toronto Star. . . .
