This is my daughter’s sunflower. I hope she continues to appreciate the interconnected relationship with our beautiful Earth. It is our children’s strength and resilience, and their sense of wonder and love for this place that will lead the movement toward sustainability.

A changing climate means that certain things that I enjoy about life in Thunder Bay will be seriously altered. Our quality of life is vulnerable, and that makes climate change an urgent issue. Increasing periods of drought and frequency of extreme heat events may leave our forests and grasslands dry and fire prone. Thunder Bay and area has already experienced periods of fire bans and burn permit suspensions. Without action for climate change mitigation, our campfires and backyard fire pits may become a thing of the past.

The rising average temperatures in NW Ontario this summer led to some droughts early in the growing season. I was looking forward to a great gardening year but it was very hard to get the veggies to take root and fruit trees to blossom without rain for weeks in May. Changes to weather patterns go with climate change and concern me. We need to do what we can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and keep the climate stable if drought/flood is the alternative, or it will be tough to adapt.

I have started being mindful of serving only as much I can eat. We can always go for some more in the second helping if need be. With climate change arises the problem of food insecurity. Crops are failing because of unusual changes in temperature. Save food for the hungry.

We want to tell everyone about climate change; what it is, the impacts, and what we can do. Let’s talk with the community and tell them about this amazing new website that is connecting information, actions, and stories to inspire climate engagement in the Thunder Bay region.

I have started being mindful of serving only as much I can eat. We can always go for some more in the second helping if need be. With climate change arises the problem of food insecurity. Crops are failing because of unusual changes in temperature. Save food for the hungry.

Sharing knowledge at the Up North on Climate Change conference.

This is my daughter’s sunflower. I hope she continues to appreciate the interconnected relationship with our beautiful Earth. It is our children’s strength and resilience, and their sense of wonder and love for this place that will lead the movement toward sustainability.

As a teacher, the need to educate younger generations on climate change is important and evident. The lack of knowledge and understanding about the effects of our actions on the planet has resulted in movements such as the one pictured here, found on Lakehead University campus.

By working together we build stronger relationships, learn from each other, and become better prepared for the effects of climate change. I feel hopeful when working with community partners with the common goal of strengthening neighbourhoods. We are collaborating for Thunder Bay’s Strong Neighbours Night Out.