We first learned about the work of GreenHero Gail Krantzberg through her involvement in spreading awareness about water and the Great Lakes in Ontario's Greenbelt. Gail is Professor and Director of the Centre for Engineering and Public Policy, The School of Engineering Practice, McMaster University. And though water science is her specialty, it's her infectious personal passion for the Great Lakes and dedication to preserving them that shines through her work.

Gail Krantzberg, Guest Blog:

For most of my life I have found myself surrounded by water - inland lakes on the Canadian Shield, the sweet-water seas of the magnificent Great Lakes. I have long imagined a Great Lakes region in which we collectively understand our obligation to a world facing increasing pressures on water availability and to improving access to freshwater in our place and in other places around the world. I imagine a future in which once declining Ontario communities are revitalized through attention to their extraordinary location, within the largest freshwater resource in the world; in which the Lakes themselves and their source waters are managed for a true sustainable future; and in which wetlands are restored, trees and forests replanted, and natural places reinvigorated to ensure the permanent and healthy stability of freshwater for present and future generations.

To protect these lakes, it is imperative to appreciate sustainable living. The design and maintenance of sustainable communities has entered mainstream discussions about the future of civic society. The Lake Ontario Waterkeeper is an important component of this future as it educates communities about Lake Ontario with a shared goal to revitalize Lake Ontario's natural resources, as well as contribute to its aesthetic, social recreational and economic values.

Regeneration of water excellence and social vitality is an idea whose timing is urgent. At the forefront of regeneration is performance, adding to the stock of resilient eco-system services and the quality of life in urban and rural environments. As a mature society we recognize that economic growth cannot continue based on discovering new land and extracting new resources. We need pragmatic and applied solutions embedded in our decision-making frameworks. We need to look towards restoring depleted natural resources and renewing the value, beauty and function of our best planning accomplishments. Regeneration aims to ensure that a new state of change in the region is sustainable and clean, plentiful water could form a powerful foundation for dialogue and action to advance a common purpose.

Gail Krantzberg is a water scientist and a professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

To learn how you can protect your community's water and how to act yourself visit our "Who is protecting your water?" campaign page:

You can take action by donating to Lake Ontario Waterkeeper – Donate before October 15, and the Jack Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation will match your donation. You can become part of a bigger community by joining the Swim Drink Fish Music Club where you are connected to artists fighting for water rights. You can keep up-to-date through the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper weekly newsletter, and stay connected through their social media networks: Facebook and Twitter.

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