Features eco groundbreakers Jane Goodall, David Suzuki, Wangari Maathai, and Vandana Shiva, musician Gord Downie (Tragically Hip), racecar driver Leilani Munter, next gen hero Emily Hunter (daughter of Greenpeace founder Robert Hunter), and people who acted on their ideas to glorious results: original thinkers William Lishman (inspiration for the Hollywood movie Fly Away Home), Willa Black (One Million Acts of Green) and Tzeporah Berman, Clayquot hero and ForestEthics founder

Olivia Chow has been involved in politics since she was elected as a School Trustee in 1985. Since then, she has been elected as a Toronto city councilor, a Member of Parliament with the NDP, and the Mayor of Toronto.

She and her late husband, NDP leader Jack Layton, brought their party to new highs during the 2011 Canadian federal election. Together, they used a progressive platform, in which environmental issues took a key role, in taking the New Democratic Party to the position of Official Opposition for the first time in its history.

Olivia walks the walk when it comes to the environment. She bikes everywhere and has put a great deal of effort into making her home eco-friendly. Features such as solar panels, geothermal heating, and superior insulation ensure that her home is so energy efficient that it produces more power than it consumes.

Credits:
Music by Chris Birkett

"What You Can Do"
Watch this video of Olivia giving a tour of her home. Get inspired with ways you can implement some of these ideas in your own home now or for your next home renovation.
youtube.com/watch?v=Mtqn_-YbCqA

Politicians at all levels of government can make a difference. During an election campaign ask your candidates, whether they are federal, provincial, or municipal, for their position on a pertinent environmental issue.

"Other Resources"
See 50 easy and affordable tips on how to make your own house eco-friendly.
If you’re looking for a bigger project, here’s a guide on how to make your next renovation a green one. huffpost.com/entry/eco-friendly-home-50-ways-to-do-it_n_5916442

Keep up with Olivia Chow’s mayoral campaign on Facebook facebook.com/MayorOliviaChow
Follow Olivia on Twitter
twitter.com/MayorOliviaChow

Ric O’Barry, trainer of 1960s TV superstar dolphin Flipper, began his career happily training and working with marine mammals. However, after a life-changing moment watching one of these captive creatures die in his arms, he vowed to end the very practice in which he himself had been so involved.

This Green Hero has proven to be as good as his word. Most people know Ric O’Barry in the 2010 Academy Award-winning documentary The Cove. But his journey to fame as an animal rights activist began in 1970 on the very first Earth Day. This is when he founded the original “Dolphin Project” and has since been an outspoken advocate for the rights of dolphins, especially their right to live freely.

The Cove saw Ric with a team from the Oceanic Preservation Society travel to Japan and plan underwater footage to record the slaughter of hundreds of dolphins on film. This footage brought this awful practice to international attention and has affected real change.

How to connect:

Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project: savedolphins.eii.org/campaigns/dwp/

Donate to Oceanic Preservation Society and help to make dolphins' natural habitats a healthier and safer place: opsociety.org/donate/

Richard O’Barry
Facebook: facebook.com/RicOBarrysDolphinProject/
Twitter: twitter.com/dolphin_project

World-renowned primatologist Jane Goodall thinks giving people hope for the future is key to changing the way we interact with nature and our planet.

Her organization, Roots and Shoots, aims to foster this respect and caring in youth through active
learning and engagement.

With over 50% of the world’s population under 25, there’s a new generation of change-makers on the way. They’re already beginning to sprout changes worldwide with the help of leaders like Jane Goodall.

-Take Action:

-Help conserve animals with Earth Rangers: earthrangers.com/

-Shape positive ideas from a young age on food and healthy eating for the planet by shopping at farmers’ markets or by joining a community garden:

Farmer's Markets: farmersmarketsontario.com/

Community Garden: omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/urbanagbib/findingspace.htm#community

-Are you a young person with an idea to change the world? Start a youth venture with the help and resources of Ashoka: ashoka.org/en-in/youth-venture

-Donate to the Jane Goodall Institute to help keep their conservation efforts going: janegoodall.ca/ways-to-give/make-a-donation/

-Become a Chimp Guardian to sponsor and nurture a chimp in Africa: janegoodall.ca/ways-to-give/chimp-guardian/

- Other Resources
Roots and Shoots: janegoodall.ca/what-we-do/canada-programs/roots-and-shoots/

Spread the Word

Follow Roots and Shoots on Twitter: twitter.com/rootsandshoots
Follow Jane on Twitter: twitter.com/janegoodallinst
Become a friend of Roots and Shoots on Facebook: facebook.com/rootsandshoots

"I think most people get an idea and they think, ‘Oh, that’s an outrageous idea, that’ll never come to pass’…[If] you tune into those ideas, and if you’re open to it, it happens."
- William Lishman (1939-2017)

A gifted sculptor and ultralight pioneer, William (Bill) Lishman had an epiphany whilst flying amongst a flock of geese. Eventually, he developed a solution for migratory birds that he later applied to the endangered whooping crane species. Bill is the subject of the film Fly Away Home and a great innovator in his own right. Bill’s projects didn’t come without their critics; he is famous for his persistence and determination in the face of naysayers and doubters, and for the successful projects that come from his determined ideas.

Bill used his ultra-light glider to steer the endangered Whooping Crane onto its traditional, but forgotten, migratory route. Since then, he hasn’t stopped producing, building innovative homes, creating world-famous art, and producing solutions to humanitarian crises.
Have you got an idea that pushes the boundaries? Take action and let your ideas soar; as Bill Lishman shows, you never know what might take flight.

Credits:
Archival footage and photography courtesy of William Lishman
Music by Chris Birkett

-What You Can Do

• Help migratory birds by supporting the work of Birdlife International, or more locally, the protection efforts of FLAP in cities, Ducks Unlimited Canada for wetlands, or Nature Canada for birds and tar sands.

Birdlife International: birdlife.org/
FLAP: flap.org/
Ducks Unlimited Canada: ducks.ca/
Nature Canada: naturecanada.ca

• Put your entrepreneurial ideas into action with the help of MaRS Entrepreneurs Toolkit, or the Canadian Government.

MaRS: learn.marsdd.com/
Canadian Government: ontario.ca/page/research-funding

• Become an Ashoka changemaker: ashoka.org/en-ca/program/ashoka-changemakers

-Spread the Word

• Follow Birdlife International and get updates from MaRs innovators on Twitter.

twitter.com/BirdLife_News
twitter.com/MaRSDD

• Become a fan of Birdlife International and MaRS on Facebook

facebook.com/BirdLifeInternational
facebook.com/MaRSCentre

• Watch Bill Lishman’s innovative ideas for stopping the Pickering Airport on prime agricultural land in Peter Shatalow’s documentary Last Stand: youtube.com/watch?v=OI2_Q3pfWvY