Environmental issues are complex and diverse. I believe that we vote daily with our money for the products and services we choose to support or not support. I also believe that what we talk about and how we talk about it has an influence on the people around us. By positioning environmental impacts as an important factor in our daily weighing of decisions we can all have a significant impact on our personal ecological footprint, help steer economies and industry toward sustainability, and indirectly influence politics. This requires some knowledge about the potential environmental impacts of the things we buy, use and do.

Below are some of my favourite resources to help introduce you to what I currently believe are our most pressing environmental issues. Part of my reasoning in selecting these resources is that they each highlight large scale issues and also suggest straightforward actions we can take that enhance the quality of our lives while simultaneously better serving nature.

Inspiring Examples of Sustainable Agriculture...

Sustainable Food Options for Torontonians

The diversity of products and services we use is so broad and varied that I cannot make a reasonable list of specific recommendations. Instead I encourage you to include nature as a key influence in your daily purchasing decisions. To me, sustainable thinking means choosing to consume less material goods and putting effort into reducing my ecological footprint. For the products I purchase I am willing to pay a premium for quality, durability, energy efficiency, re-usability, fair working conditions, and products made in ways and from materials with comparatively low environmental impacts to the competition. I aim to support businesses that are small scale and local, over big business and brand names. I try to fix things that are broken, and follow the 3-Rs.

Examples of Sustainable Shopping for Torontonians

Ontario energy rebates - this wonderful program was discontinued by the Ontario government in 2018.

Bullfrog Power - investing in green energy infrastructure

Canadian Guide to Home Efficiency

Consider looking into: Smart Thermostats, LED lighting, weather stripping, spray foam insulation, solar roofing

Consider European brands for major appliances

Car share, carpool, walk, bike, public transit

The United Nations estimates that the human population will level around 10-12 billion people by the end of the century. This prediction is based largely on social and economic indicators, but does not factor in environmental changes over that time. This larger population may exceed the earth's carrying capacity. To keep populations as low as possible, developing nations must move as quickly as possible through stages 2 and 3 of the demographic transition model to minimize population growth.

This can be achieved in many ways including:

To reasonably address poverty abroad, we must simultaneously work to alleviate cycles of poverty and social and economic inequalities at home. In the long-term, people may be more likely to act on their concern for environmental issues when they are financially and emotionally more stable.

Nature is so much more than a life support system for humans. For conservation and sustainable development to be successful we need to know what we are protecting and why we are protecting it. There are so many varied reasons to value nature. While cultures and individuals will construct their own narratives about it, nature is fundamental to us all. To root these narratives in ourselves and in our children we must spend time in it, learn about it, and feel part of it.

Some Fun and Simple Ways to Connect With Nature

More to come...

This site is a work in progress. If you like what you see, if you have feedback, or if you have suggestions for new content, please e-mail me at david.kleiman@tdsb.on.ca