Like this:

On this Earth Day, more than 6 million Canadians will join 1 billion people in over 170 countries in events and projects that address local environmental issues. What will you be doing?

There are simple things you can do in your everyday life to protect our Earth. Here are just a few:

• Use green transportation. Look for different ways to get around. Take a walk, ride your bike, carpool with friends, or make use of local transit.
• Use less water. Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth. If you want save even more water, add a simple aerator to your faucets and shower heads.
• Buy and use less “stuff”. Do you need all that stuff you buy? Check out the Story of Stuff for a complete life cycle of the products we buy.
• Tell your friends. Don’t underestimate the power of your voice. If you are doing all that you can to protect our earth, help spread the word by sharing your advice and tips with others.

In honour of this very special day for the Earth, we’d like to share stories from some of our shoreline cleanup champions, the 2009 recipients of the Site Coordinator Achievement Award.

Debbie Kangas (Sooke, BC) – Community Group

As a newcomer in her community of Sooke, Debbie instantly knew she wanted to become more involved. In 2008, she joined the local Lioness Club and through her involvement here, she formed the Environment Committee and became the Chair. She then registered as a Site Coordinator with the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. She demonstrated strong initiative and not only recruited participants for her own cleanup, but also encouraged others to become Site Coordinators themselves. For her own cleanup, she took great care in making sure she was well prepared to host a memorable and well organized event. She writes, “If one person changes their littering habit, that is one more step towards success.”

Kathleen Fraser (Windsor, ON) – School Group

As a student at the University of Windsor, Kathleen showed strong leadership. She became president of the Environmental Studies Club and quadrupled its membership. Her creativity and dedication to the environment is clear. She took the lead by organizing a shoreline cleanup, and not only involved her fellow students but also engaged the local community to join in and lend a hand. She also brought awareness to unnecessary waste on campus by constructing an eye-catching sculpture made from plastic bottles and Styrofoam containers during a recent recycling campaign. Her strong passion for volunteering is also shown throughout the community. A fellow student shared, “She has accomplished so much in her university career and does so with a positive attitude. This was her first shoreline cleanup and it has already impacted so many people in the community.”

Advertisement