The 2023 EcoSchools EcoSummit will bring students, educators, and partners together for a free, dynamic, and accessible 3-week event. The conference will assemble and connect diverse voices to discuss important environmental issues and approaches focused on the following four themes:

Low-carbon commuting

Outdoor learning

Waste reduction

Climate action

EcoSummit Dates and Events

Welcome and Keynote

Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 1:00pm (ET)

Join EcoSchools as we launch the 2023 EcoSummit and get inspired by Nikki Sanchez in her Keynote address about working towards everyday climate solutions.

(Live on Zoom and YouTube, recorded for limited time).

Low-carbon commuting panel

Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 1:00pm (ET)

Join EcoSchools as we launch the 2023 EcoSummit and get inspired by Nikki Sanchez in her Keynote address about working towards everyday climate solutions.

(Live on Zoom and YouTube, recorded for limited time).

Watch on YouTube

Presentations and webinars

March 2-23, 2023

All presentations will be pre-recorded and viewable throughout a three week period, making the content accessible to all registrants, at a time that works best for them. 

(Recorded).

Watch on YouTube

Closing and EnSpiration event

Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 12:00pm (ET)

Join EcoTeams from across Canada and get inspired by the amazing work they are doing in their school and community to increase environmental awareness and climate action.

(Live on Zoom and YouTube, recorded for limited time).

Keynote Address

Nikki Sanchez

Indigenous media maker and environmental educator.

Nikki Sanchez is a Pipil and Irish/Scottish academic, land defender, media maker, environmental spokesperson, and decolonization expert. Her work can be found broadly on the VICELAND series RISE and in her TEDx talk “Decolonization is for Everyone”.

She is also an activist, author, and educator, as well as the founder and director of Decolonize Together.

Carolyn King

Nationally recognized advocate for Indigenous and First Nation Peoples in Canada.

Carolyn was appointed as a member of the National Order of Canada in 2020 for her advocacy of Indigenous-led initiatives, and her efforts to improve Canadians’ understanding of First Nations. She was honored to receive her medal last November in Ottawa. She is also the creator / founder of the Moccasin Identifier Initiative.

Presentations and webinar details

Low-carbon commuting

This theme features webinars and a panel from thought and action leaders who are tackling the challenge of sustainable transportation. Topics include: Electric vehicles in school transportation, a closer look at the implications of car culture, and how to shift to more active travel methods.

Panel Details

When: Friday, March 10, 2023 at 12:00pm (ET)

Availability: Live on Zoom and YouTube, recorded, and in-person.

Host: Candice Batista

Panelists: Elaine Kenny, Daniel Hendry, Omira Janmohamed and Nicole Roach.

Panel Host

Candice Batista
The Eco Hub

Elaine Kenny
Toronto District School Board

Daniel Hendry
Limestone District School Board

Omira Janmohamed
GM Canada

Nicole Roach
Green Communities Canada

Webinar

Presenter

Description

Sustainable Transportation:  Learning and Action

Audience: Students and adults

Available in EN & FR

Watch here

Emilie Rayner
EcoSchools Canada

This webinar takes you on a journey through the EcoSchools actions and resources that support sustainable transportation, and contribute to EcoSchools certification.

Ideas Lab: Inspiring Local Action for Active School Travel

Audience: Adults

Available in EN only

Watch here

Nicole Roach
Green Communities Canada

Green Communities Canada (GCC) is a national leader in delivering school travel planning and supporting local communities in encouraging active school travel.

Yellow School Buses Go Green

Audience:
Students and adults

Available in EN only

Watch here

Gillian Petrini
Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment

This year the Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment (CPCHE) is working with our partners, affiliates and collaborators from across the country to turn the iconic yellow school bus green… by going electric.

Sustainable Transportation: Navigating Our Global Traffic Jam

Audience: Students

Available in EN only

Watch here

Erin Silver
Children’s Author

Have you ever been in a traffic jam? It’s so frustrating—and dirty! This presentation for middle grade students is all about traffic—how it starts, what it’s like in countries around the world and why it’s bad for people and the planet.

Outdoor Learning

This theme of the EcoSummit will focus on outdoor learning. Webinar topics include: how outdoor learning impacts our health and wellbeing.

Webinar

Presenter

Description

Connecting with Nature and Self; An Outdoor Toolkit for Wellness

Audience: Students and adults

Available in EN only

Watch here

Renée Lalonde & Owen Bjorgan
District School Board of Niagara

In our changing world, nature can play a crucial role in the support of our health and wellbeing. Turning to the natural world can allow us to gain a sense of connection that will not only provide tangible health benefits but can also aid in the fight against climate change by further developing us into environmentally conscious citizens.

Embrace the Outdoors: How to Integrate Outdoor Learning into Everyday

Audience: Students and adults

Available in EN only

Watch here

Jade Harvey-Berrill
The Outdoor Learning Store

Join Jade Harvey-Berrill, for this hands-on learning opportunity that will inspire and engage. Jade will share tips, tools tricks and resources available to aid in successful outdoor learning, with a focus on embracing and connecting to nature and integrating this into your everyday practice. 

Living the Dish with One Spoon: EcoSchools Greenbelt Biodiversity Action

Audience: Adults

Available in EN only

Watch here

Jennifer Budden
Toronto District School Board

This webinar is focused on the Greenbelt Biodiversity Action, new to the EcoSchools Action Plan this year. This presentation is for anyone (students and teachers) interested in the Greenbelt Biodiversity Action, learning about watersheds, native and invasive species and how this EcoSchools Action could connect to Truth Reconciliation and climate justice actions at your school.

Le Journal de la Nature

Audience : Élèves et adultes

Disponible en français

Watch here

Chantal Lariviere
Alliance Enfant et Nature du Canada

Les enfants ont besoin de la nature et nous, en tant qu’adulte, nous avons le devoir de la rendre accessible pour eux. 

Waste Reduction

Workshops for this theme include: vermicomposting and reducing food waste and understanding the lifecycle of single-use products.

Webinar

Presenter

Description

Organic Magic with Worms

Audience: Adults and students

Available in EN only

Watch here

Cathy Nesbitt
Cathy’s Crawly Composters

Discover how worms convert organic matter (food scraps and paper) into nature’s finest soil amendment known as castings. 

How Students Served Wasted Food to Elected Officials and Got Away With It

Audience: Adults and students

Available in EN only

Watch here

Erin Wildeboer
Strathcona County

In October 2022, Strathcona County worked with Salisbury Composite High Schools (An EcoSchools Platinum level school 2021-2022) culinary program to create a lunch out of rescued and locally sourced food. 

Waste in our World

Audience: Adults and students

Available in EN only

Watch here

Stephanie Alcock
Green Calgary

What happens to your waste when you throw it away? We will explore what happens to our garbage, recycling and compost once it leaves our homes and schools. We will discover ways to reduce our waste, and why this is so important.

The Circular Economy

Audience: Adults and students

Available in EN & FR

Watch here

Emilie Rayner
EcoSchools Canada

Shift your thinking to the circular economy with the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! This webinar teaches you the basics of the circular economy and highlights the EcoSchools actions and resources that bring principles of a circular economy into your individual lives, and contribute to your EcoSchools certification.

Mission Recyclage Compostage dans les écoles

Audience : Élèves et adultes

Disponible en français

Watch here

Nadège Lambert & Nathalie
Gara-Boivin

Synergie Économique Laurentides

Cet atelier parlera de notre projet d’accompagnement dans les écoles pour l’implantation du compostage dans les écoles avec soutien (atelier, affiches, visite au site d’enfouissement, auto collants) dans les écoles primaires et secondaires dans Les Laurentides. Elle fait un diagnostic des besoins et fait la coordination avec les municipalités pour plus de bacs/conteneurs pour mieux desservir les écoles.

Climate Action

Workshops for this theme include: how to engage in citizen science for climate action, how to remain hopeful in the face of our climate reality, and how to engage in climate action at a local level. The EcoSummit will conclude with EnSpiration, where we will hear inspiring stories from youth leaders who are taking on climate action in their schools.

Webinar

Presenter

Description

Climate Hero – An Online Escape Room where AI meets Climate Education

Audience: Adults and students

Available in EN only

Watch here

Pacific Museum of Earth & Steamlabs
Kirsten Hodge & Brenda Shivanandan

Join us for a sneak peak of Climate Hero, an online Escape Room that combines AI technology and climate education. Imagine this: The year is 2063. Earth’s climate is noticeably changed. Extreme temperatures and precipitation bring intense heat waves, devastating floods, and worrisome droughts, threatening food supplies and the livelihood of local communities. 

Designing Knowledge Building Opportunities for Students’ Environmental Inquiry

Audience: Adults

Available in EN only

Watch here

Alysse Kennedy & Aleksa Nitsis
Natural Curiosity (JICS, OISE, University of Toronto)

Combining theory and practice from Natural Curiosity in a relevant and accessible way, this session highlights how knowledge building can come alive in primary-junior classrooms to scaffold students’ explorations of environmental learning for climate action.

Action Projects to Change the World!

Audience: Adults and students

Available in EN only

Watch here

Samantha Gawron
Learning for a Sustainable Future

So you’re worried about climate issues in your community and want to take action… Now what? 

Our Action Project Planning workshop will show you what an Action Project looks like and help you consider your interests and skills, your sphere of influence, and the root causes of the issue so you can take on the best Action Project ever – with support and funding from LSF!

Beyond the Blue Bin: School-based Action for Young Environmental Leaders

Audience: Adults and students

Available in EN only

Watch here

Natalie Graveline & Laura Pekkola
Inside Education

Join Inside Education to discover how we use youth environmental leadership programs to engage students in community action projects and connect them with environmental professionals. 

Climate Change and Renewables

Audience: Adults and students

Available in EN only

Watch here

Dwight Peigan
Relay Education

Explore how renewable energy can mitigate climate change. The Climate Change and Renewables workshop is designed to inspire deeper thinking of the impacts related to climate change and the use of renewable energy technology to alleviate those impacts.

Community Science and Climate Change

Audience: Adults and students

Available in EN only

Watch here

Dana Buchbinder & Sara Kuruvilla
EcoSpark

Get engaged in mitigating local climate impacts through hands-on scientific monitoring of school grounds and nearby green spaces. This community science workshop helps you begin today!

Teaching Kids and Teens about Climate Change

Audience: Adults and students

Available in EN only

Watch here

Ian Shanahan
Green Teacher

In this interactive, hands-on workshop, participants will be introduced to best practices in climate change education for students in elementary and secondary school. 

Comment Passer à l’Action Pour la Nature à l’école

Audience: Élèves et adultes

Disponible en français seulement

Watch here

Mireille Gauthier
WWF-Canada

Le programme Planète vivante à l’école invite les enseignant.e.s et les élèves à agir pour aider la nature à s’épanouir, grâce à des activités concrètes dans la communauté scolaire. 

EcoSummit 2023 is made possible by