Environmental destruction is a very real issue, with very real consequences. Red flags have been raising all across the globe highlighting symptoms of neglected environmental health.

What are the issues?

What causes global warming?

What can I do?

Our environment is suffering in many ways

Reports in the daily news reflect what's happening to our environment. Here are relevant issues in our community:

	There's been a lot of buzz about climate change in the media lately. Check out the David Suzuki Foundation's webpage on climate change for more info. If you haven't already, make sure to watch Al Gore's documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. His website contains tips about how you can reduce your personal impact on climate change.
	Where will Toronto put its garbage? This is a question that has received lot of media attention over the last couple of years. Ontario's Ministry of the Environment has set the goal to divert 60 percent of Ontario's waste from landfills by 2008. The Region of Peel is introducing green boxes for composting, (along with the blue boxes we already use for plastic, glass and paper) making it easier for you to maximize recycling and reduce your waste.
	Animal protection and land conservation are important issues in environmental awareness. The destruction of forests and other ecosystems ruins homes for animals all over the world, causing species to become endangered. Check out the World Wildlife Fund's site for more information about endangered species and what puts them at risk. Click on an animal from the list on the left to read about that animal specifically. Visit the Government of Canada's Canadian Wildlife Service site to learn about species at risk in Canada and what our government is doing about it.

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Human activity is one of the causes of climate change
Not only is Mother Nature proving that the environment is in trouble, on February 2, 2007 the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released an official international report, Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis, that outlines and describes human contribution to global climate change and offers a projection of a future climate crisis.

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Be the change you want to see

The solution begins with you. You can start a movement by setting an example. Your knowledge, awareness and concern about the earth's health will encourage others to help out. Make simple changes in your life and others will follow. Encourage "green-living" to your friends and family. A helping hand just needs a green thumb. You don't have to alter your habits or change your lifestyle. Very simple solutions are easy to fit into your routine:

Add some GREEN to your life:

• use rechargable batteries
• buy reusable containers for your water, coffee/tea and lunch
• recycle (it only takes a minute to sort your trash)
• buy enviro-friendly paper, cleaning and beauty products
• ditch the plastic bags and invest in a cloth or canvas tote bag for your groceries
  

Here are some other ideas:

• Join your school's environment club. If there isn't one- start one. Hold regular meetings to plan tasks and create realistic goals to achieve. For example, organize clean-up days on school property or in the community, like a local playground or park. Check out Peel Environmental Youth Alliance (PEYA) for more ideas.
• Solve one problem at a time. Decide what needs to be improved and develop a creative approach to cleaning up. For example, if recycling is a concern, encourage "green" school days by challenging your school to cut down on wastes such as "litter-less lunch day"

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