activism

The university experience can mean long hours in the lecture hall, but this doesn’t have to come at the expense of getting involved. Even those awkward two-hour breaks between classes provide enough time to explore environmental groups and activities. For those who long to make their mark, a smart place to start is right on campus.
In fact, a passion for the planet can lead to a world of opportunity, according to Justin Trudeau, Anjali Helferty, Thomas Roussin, Jamie Biggar and Zoë Caron. Although these inspiring young Canadians work in diverse areas, they speak in one voice when giving advice to environmental studies students: The classroom should be the first stop on campus, but definitely not the last.

Referred to as a “mass persuasion exercise,” Al Gore’s Live Earth was by far the biggest, boldest and loudest environmental public education event ever created. Over 100 musical acts, performed on seven continents, attracted two-billion viewers within 24 hours. Undeniably, it was an incredible feat. But did the celebrity admonitions, the poignant vignettes, and Al Gore’s seven-point pledge inspire us to change our lifestyles and reduce our carbon footprint? Were SUVs suddenly abandoned at the curb, laundry hoisted outside to dry and electric wine chillers traded in for more efficient models?

During much of the Ottawa Senators/Anaheim Ducks Stanley Cup final series last spring, Canada’s Prime Minister was in Afghanistan. But that didn’t stop Stephen Harper from using the nation’s love of hockey to score some fan support. Amidst the red and black craze in Ottawa, Harper presented the Afghani president with a Sens jersey, a ploy that played well with the capital region’s media. ...

I can’t think of a single redemptive anthem for the youthful idealism of Rachel Carson’s firstborn children. Even U2’s “Pride (In the Name of Love)” was a nostalgic song about Dr. King’s assassination, a requiem for a certain kind of innocence. Instead, the culture’s most gifted pop prophets retreated into irony, satire and nihilism.