Environmental Defense is a Canadian organization focused on empowering Canadians to take action in their daily lives, working with industry to build a clean, prosperous economy and encouraging our government to enact policies that protect Canadian’s environment. This organization covers a range of relevant contemporary environmental issues including toxic chemicals, climate change, clean energy, plastic pollution, freshwater and creating livable communities. They focus on encompassing all aspects of each issue including human health, equity and justice and environmental sustainability. Specific to climate change this organization provides information on large scale Canadian specific solutions including capping tar sand pollution, building a clean economy and ending public subsidies for fossil fuel while also providing opportunities to take action in the form of signing petitions, spreading the message on social media, sending letters to political leaders and informing up to date policy action taking place.

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APPLICATION

1. Young Reporters for the Environment national eco-journalism competition.
2. Debate current or proposed climate policy using Environmental Defense reports, media coverage, and blogs which provide good reader-friendly summaries of complex environmental policies on a range of issues.

 

CURRICULUM

1. Evaluate the benefits of a green economy and the challenges to get us there
2. Determine the naturally occurring gases in the atmosphere and how they change over time
3. Describe the social, ethical, environmental implications of climate change

Link to organization