Citizens’ Environment Watch (CEW) is formed
Between 1995 and 1998 there were severe cutbacks in the Ontario Ministry of Environment impeded the government’s ability to effectively monitor environmental change. At the same time, it was recognized that there was potential for citizens to undertake a role in monitoring and decision-making. Although this led to the formation of CEW, the organization was in no way designed to replace environmental monitoring carried out in the past by government.

CEW was formed by Ursula Franklin, Beth Savan and Ian Brindle and operated out of the University of Toronto’s Innis College. Its objectives were education, citizen empowerment and the quality data production.

CEW engaged youth and citizens in monitoring surface water quality using chemical and physical parameters. An average of 20 groups per year participated. Participating groups collected their monitoring results and sent them to CEW.

CEW incorporated as a non-profit organization

CEW hosted Next Steps, an environmental monitoring conference that attracted representatives from other NGOs, government and conservation authorities. Some important outcomes of this event included: revisiting existing CEW surface water quality evaluation tools; investigating air quality evaluation protocols; and a shift in program delivery to include more extensive background and conceptual education, field training and quality assurance measures, as well as greater opportunities for community feedback and involvement in restoration work.

CEW made a decision to shift from a focus upon chemical parameters to biological indicators and Changing Currents was launched. Changing Currents is a monitoring program that uses Benthic Macro-invertebrates (BMIs) to assess water quality. Initially run with both citizens and youth in schools, it now focuses entirely on the latter. In 2010 the program worked with 2170 students in 2010 alone. In this year, Changing Currents was also selected as a ‘demonstration classroom’, illustrating best practice to teachers.

CEW launches Learning Atmospheres. Citizens and youth in schools used lichen identification keys as biological indices of air quality. The program was discontinued for several reasons. Central among these was that new research into lichens made the program less suitable for citizen science.

CEW attains Charitable Status.

Monitoring the Moraine is launched in partnership with the Save the Oak Ridges Moraine (STORM) Coalition. Monitoring the Moraine is a program which engages communities across the moraine in: learning about the landscape; policy and ecological monitoring; participating in decision-making – in particular in participating in the 2015 Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan review. The ecological monitoring concentrates on measuring water flow at an annual event call Check your Watershed Day. This event partners with conservation authorities and provides them with data which can help them identify areas where restoration and stewardship is required.

Wattwize presented a departure from past programs as it does not focus on ecological monitoring. It does however, engage students in monitoring the situation around them and to take ownership in protecting their environment. Wattwize teaches students how to conduct an energy audit at their school and supports them in developing and implementing an energy conservation plan. In 2010 alone, 2100 students and 98 schools were involved in the Wattwize program.

CEW implements the Muskoka Lakes Water Quality Initiative. This program trained volunteers to monitor water quality using physical and chemical parameters. CEW was awarded a contract to run the program for two years and during that time investigated the possibility of extending the program to other lakes in Ontario (Ontario Lakes for the Future).

CEW was awarded a $3.6 million contract from the City of Toronto to deliver Live Green Toronto Community Animation. This program focuses upon outreach and support to citizens of Toronto in reducing the GHG emissions. Citizens are supported in everything from building a community garden to installing solar panels on a local building. LGTO Community Animation is a departure from CEW’s previous programs as it is not based upon monitoring. However it stays true to CEW’s roots in its focus upon citizens discovering for themselves what they are concerned about within their local environment and supporting those citizens in taking action. The contract has also provided the organization with a stronger financial underpinning.

CEW is rebranded to EcoSpark. Citizens’ Environment Watch was the ideal name for the organization when it started 15 years earlier. However increasingly, staff were finding that: 1) the name was long and therefore was continually shortened to CEW which didn’t stick with people; and 2) youth no longer identified with the meaning of watch’. EcoSpark was chosen as the new name as it was shorter, youth responded very positively and immediately understood the organization’s objectives and the ‘spark’ reflected an emphasis upon action.

Based on our work with Changing Currents and Wattwize, the Toronto District School Board approached EcoSpark to deliver a program to engage students in key environmental issues in their schools.EcoSpark worked with ten elementary teachers to produce a curriculum toolkit to enable students to explore solar energy issues. At the secondary level EcoSpark introduced students to making documentary films about environmental issues they were most concerned about. A year later the five high quality short documentaries were screened for the public at a cinema on June 1st 2011.

EcoSpark launches its new tagline: Discover. Act. Change. This tagline reflects the process which participants undergo when taking part in programs. A focus upon experiential, hands-on learning and monitoring allows participants to discover environmental issues for themselves. This inspires them to take action to protect their environment. Ultimately change is created both within the environment and within the participants themselves as they become aware of the potential they have.