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Mark Mattson

Mark Mattson
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Lake Ontario Waterkeeper

Mark Mattson believes everyone should reconnect with his/her watershed. Get involved and get educated. Know where your drinking water is coming from and discover whether it is safe to drink, eat, fish and swim in your local waters.

Mark co-founded Lake Ontario Waterkeeper in 2001, which is a federally registered charity. Mark is the charity’s full-time president and spokesperson, giving a voice to the cares and concerns of millions of people who live in the Lake Ontario watershed.

A criminal lawyer by training, Mark was inspired by Robert Kennedy Jr. to combine his passions for justice and the environment to become a waterkeeper. Kennedy is the president of the Waterkeeper Alliance which is made up of nearly 200 Waterkeeper Organizations on six continents defending their communities against anyone who threatens their right to clean water—from law-breaking polluters to unresponsive government agencies. Mark Mattson serves as a board member representing Canada as well as secretary to the Waterkeeper Alliance’s board of directors.

“The nature of water is that it should be clean, drinkable, accessible, fishable, swimmable.”

Websites:

www.waterkeeper.ca
www.waterkeeper.org

Credits:

• Music by Chris Birkett www.chrisbirkett.net

Location:

Toronto, Ontario Canada

Mark Mattson has used his background in criminal law to successfully run Lake Ontario Waterkeepers beginning in 2001. Their goal is to promote “Swim-able, Drinkable and Fishable Water”. Since then, he has gained a reputation as a dedicated environmental warrior who aims to bring meaning and force to environmental laws everywhere.

By making use of his legal skills and background, Mark has brought much needed attention to Ontario's Environmental Bill of Rights, has represented the public in both a Provincial and Federal capacity and appeared on behalf of clients before the International Water Tribunal in Amsterdam. Mark is also the proud founder of the volunteer-based Environmental Bureau of Investigation, dedicated to identifying and prosecuting environmental offenders.

He is a great example of how any skill set, coupled with the right amount of passion and dedication, can be used to help the environment and make a real difference. Mark works in conjunction with others who use their skills to raise environmental awareness and provoke action. He has worked with some of our own GreenHero eco-artists such as Bruce Cockburn, Sarah Harmer and Gord Downie. Mark has also worked with hit-maker Broken Social Scene along with many more well-known names through Waterkeeper’s Swim, Drink, Fish Music project.

TAKE ACTION

1. SOCIAL MEDIA

• See what new projects @waterkeepermark is pursuing on Twitter.
• Lake Ontario Waterkeep’s Facebook page will help keep you informed.

2. SPEAK UP

• Why not find your local chapter of Waterkeeps here and find out how you can advocate for the health of you local environment.

• Become an agent of change by becoming an agent of the E.B.I. The Environmental Bureau of Investigation works to improve the efficacy and application of environmental laws. Join to today to help Mark protect the environment!

• Enjoy some music for a good cause with Waterkeeper’s Swim, Drink, Fish Music project. Click through to learn more.

3. SPREAD THE WORD

• Make legislation count for our environment! You and your friends can write to your MP anytime, A personal letter can go a long way to reaching a member of parliament. Click here to access the contact information for your local MP and tell them you are concerned about what our government is doing to protect our water resources.

• Get this short pamphlet and inform yourself about the dangers of bottled water and the harm it is doing to our lakes and water sources. There are several great suggestions about how to take action in your school, your home and there are even suggestions about how to contact your local MP.

Comments and Green Actions


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Tracy macdonald 2012-03-17 8:15pm

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