Supporting sustainability & social justice
There are many organizations across the globe and here in Canada that are dedicated to sustainability and social justice. Just a few have been listed along with their descriptions of who they are. Take a few minutes to visit a few of the sites to learn more about the work being done and how you can get involved.
International
“Founded in 2003, Post Carbon Institute’s mission is to lead the transition to a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable world by providing individuals and communities with the resources needed to understand and respond to the interrelated ecological, economic, energy, and equity crises of the 21st century. Post Carbon Institute provides individuals and communities with the resources needed to understand and respond to the interrelated ecological, economic, energy, and equity crises of the 21st century. We help build resilience to withstand these crises, and support social and cultural change to make society more ready to take decisive and appropriate action.”
“350.org was founded in 2008 by a group of university friends in the United States along with author Bill McKibben, who wrote one of the first books on global warming for the general public. The goal was to build a global climate movement. 350 was named after 350 parts per million – the safe concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. 350 quickly became a planet-wide collaboration of organizers, community groups and regular people fighting for a fossil free future.”
“Established in 1990 within the United States, the Indigenous Environmental Network was formed by grassroots Indigenous peoples and individuals to address environmental and economic justice issues (EJ). IEN’s activities include building the capacity of Indigenous communities and tribal governments to develop mechanisms to protect our sacred sites, land, water, air, natural resources, health of both our people and all living things, and to build economically sustainable communities.
IEN accomplishes this by maintaining an informational clearinghouse, organizing campaigns, direct actions and public awareness, building the capacity of community and tribes to address EJ issues, development of initiatives to impact policy, and building alliances among Indigenous communities, tribes, inter-tribal and Indigenous organizations, people-of-color/ethnic organizations, faith-based and women groups, youth, labor, environmental organizations and others. IEN convenes local, regional and national meetings on environmental and economic justice issues, and provides support, resources and referral to Indigenous communities and youth throughout primarily North America – and in recent years – globally."
Canada
“Ecojustice acts on the simple idea that effective laws can protect the planet and hold those in power to account. As Canada’s largest environmental law charity, we help people like you take governments and polluters to court; expose illegal practices; and shape new laws to meet the urgency of the climate and ecological crises.
For more than 30 years, Ecojustice lawyers have represented Indigenous communities, grassroots activists, and everyday Canadians – free of charge.”
“Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities. For over 35 years, Environmental Defence has worked at the municipal, provincial and federal level to safeguard our freshwater, create livable communities, decrease Canadians’ exposure to toxic chemicals, end plastic pollution, tackle climate change and build a clean economy.”
“MiningWatch Canada works in solidarity with Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous communities who are dealing with potential or actual industrial mining operations that affect their lives and territories, or with the legacy of closed mines, as well as with mineworkers and former workers seeking safe working conditions and fair treatment. MiningWatch Canada explicitly values the experience and knowledge of Indigenous peoples, mining-affected communities, and workers, and bases its work on mutual learning and participatory, deliberative and transformative methodologies.”
“Saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, advancing economic growth … these are one and the same fight. We must connect the dots between climate change, water scarcity, energy shortages, global health, food security and women’s empowerment. Solutions to one problem must be solutions for all.”
- Ban Ki-moon, Eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations (2007-2016)
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