The schools I looked up all seemed to have environment clubs or green initiatives. I saw that École Secondaire Cavelier-De LaSalle had climate action practices, including getting an industrial composter to reduce their waste. I wanted to donate funds to the school, but when I went there, the link wasn't working :( Then I asked my friend if her son's school (Royal West Academy) had environmental initiatives. They do have an environmental club and students learn things about climate during the year, so I donated money to their foundation which will help to empower students through plans of an expanded library!

It's so important for us to support sustainable innovations, we live in a world where our wallet speaks louder than words. What we chose and chose not to give money to is the source of great change. A initiative I found that was super cool was VeganBottle, a French initiative making water bottles out of biodegradable sugar cane. I was inspired to look into this by my ethics teacher, who loved to point out whenever we brought single use plastic bottles to class.

What impresses me most about youth efforts towards the environment is how dedicated they are to the cause. A lot of adults just talk about how important it is to help, but rarely ever do anything. On the other hand, youth-led efforts actually seem to go out and make a change, and are happy to do so. They treat it not at a chore but as something that needs to be done.

One thing that shocked me was learning that non stick cookware can be toxic. They are frequently coated with Teflon which can release toxic fumes at high temperatures. So I switched to a ceramic cooking pot to make most of my meals. It's much cuter, and I feel a bit better knowing there's less risk of dangerous fumes.

The coolest resource I found was 211 greater montreal, which is an helpline and online directory for social and community resources. By getting in contact with them they can help people with a variety of needs, like housing, legal assistance, mental health, and so on. They use a database of resources, and using the caller's location they can recommend different organisations that are the closest to where they are that can provide aid.

My favorite part about attending local events is not just the activities, but actually feeling like I'm a part of a community. It's become so easy to shut ourselves out from the world, so going out and participating in community events is a great way to re-connect.