This past year EcoSpark launched its first ever Greenbelt Youth Ambassador program!

Every year, International Youth Day takes place on August 12. This day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly on December 17, 1999 to promote the empowerment and inclusion of youth. Today, youth make up 1.8 billion people on the planet – the largest in history!

When I was a young student, I was originally given the impression that geography was about memorizing the map of Canada along with its provinces and territories. Towards the end of high school, I was told by family members who had studied geography at university that there was so much more to the discipline than I could have ever imagined.

Happy Geography Awareness Week! As an Education Consultant with EcoSpark, I deliver workshops to teachers and students about how to build sustainable communities. As a former teacher and someone who is passionate about protecting our environment, I really enjoy speaking about how we can build our communities to help protect green spaces, reduce climate change, and accommodate a growing population.

When I heard about the opportunity to be a part of the first-ever Greenbelt Youth Charter, I immediately signed up. Mother Nature does not have a voice but I do—we all do!

EcoSpark’s Greenbelt Youth Charter Bus Tour enabled me to see beyond what I was familiar with and I learned so much through this experience.