Winners 2023

Congratulations YRE Winners!

Congratulations to all the winners of the 2023 YRE Canada National Competition and thanks to everyone who submitted such inspiring entries this year! To raise awareness, youth investigated environmental issues in their communities, and shared their stories through video, photography and writing. Winners of this year’s competition are below. We hope you enjoy them and share them with your community!

Photography | Ages 11-14

A breath of hope

  • Author: Elyssa 
  • Award: 1st Place
  • School: Lo-Ellen Park SS (Sudbury, ON)

Air pollution affects 99% of the world. If we don’t do something this photo could become our reality. Air pollution can be caused by many things such as vehicle exhaust, factories and natural gases. People living in Montreal inhale enough pollutants each year to make up for smoking 124 cigarettes. To help we can do many things such as composting as well as walking or riding a bike instead of driving. Air pollution is reversible, but we need to work hard for a breath of hope.

Light Bulb Pollution

  • Author: Ashwin
  • Award: 2nd Place
  • School: Morning Star Middle School (Mississauga, ON)

My art is intended to raise awareness about the harmful effects of light bulb pollution. The image of a green plant inside an overheating bulb represents the threat of this type of pollution to the world. The plant in this picture is meant to represent the struggles for the plant to survive in an environment that is not favourable to its growth, as other species also struggle to adapt to the changes brought because of the use of artificial light. I hope that my artwork will inspire people to take action to reduce their own contribution to light bulb pollution.

Peel schools wasting energy: A call for change

  • Authors: Vaibhav
  • Award: 3rd Place
  • School: Morning Star Middle School (Mississauga, ON)

Despite this dark side, there is also a certain beauty to be found in the invasive nature of flowers. Their persistence and resilience in the face of adversity can be awe-inspiring, and their vibrant colors and delicate petals are undeniably captivating. Through my art, I aim to explore this dichotomy, highlighting both the destructive and alluring qualities of these seemingly innocent plants.

Photography | Ages 15-18

Reflections of Our Waste A Puddle’s Perspective on Pollution

  • Author: Alexandria
  • Award: 1st Place
  • School: Denis Morris Catholic High School (St. Catharines, ON)

This photo depicts the impact that students and the public has had on a forest behind my high school. I wanted to invoke a powerful image that highlights the negative impact of human activity has on the environment. The forest is one of many ecosystems impacted by humans carelessness. The sight of the discarded cans and bottles floating in the murky water is both alarming and distressing. This photo serves as a reminder that even seemingly small actions like littering can have far-reaching consequences for the ecosystem. It is a call to action for students and the public to take responsibility for their actions and to make choices to protect the environment around them.

 

Dying Heart

  • Author: Emma
  • Award: 2nd Place
  • School: Denis Morris Catholic High School (St. Catharines, ON)

This photo explains how we are essentially setting our world on fire. With the continuous use of fossil fuels climate change is becoming irreversible. The ice caps are melting and our forests are burning down. These very things are the heart of our Earth and keep our ecosystems thriving. The heart is dying and homes for millions of wildlife are being destroyed each day from the chemicals in our atmosphere.

Tim’s Guide to Pollution

  • Author: JC
  • Award: 3rd Place
  • School: Denis Morris Catholic High School (St. Catharines, ON)

Pollution is a widespread problem across the globe, and fast food chains such as Tim Hortons only make the situation worse with their disposable cups that people are too lazy to find the proper place to dispose of their garbage. This image depicts an abandoned Tim Hortons cup in the middle of the woods, laid there almost purposefully to waste away for the next two centuries. Whether it becomes a home for a few bugs, or get washed away and stuck in a river bed, only God will ever know it’s fate.

Articles | Ages 11-14

The Hidden Cost of Menstruation

  • Author: Gatleen
  • Award: 1st Place
  • School: Morning Star Middle School (Mississauga, ON)
Read here

Biomimicry is our Fuel for Change

  • Authors: Tikal
  • Award: 2nd Place
  • School: St. Paul Catholic Secondary School (Missisauga, ON)
Read here

A “Toxic Truth”: Deadly environmental chemicals hidden in consumer products

  • Author: Aarti
  • Award: 3rd Place
  • School: Morning Star Middle School (Mississauga, ON)
Read here

Articles | Ages 15-18

Ontario’s Greenbelt: The Protector of Biodiversity and the Key to Climate Resilience

  • Author: Erica
  • Award: 1st Place
  • School: TVO Independent Learning Centre (Toronto, ON)
Read here

Air Pollution in Oakville, A Local Investigation

  • Author: Junhyeong
  • Award: 2nd Place
  • School: Abbey Park High School (Oakville, ON)
Read here

The Downfall of Beluga Whales at our Hands

  • Author: Kyleigh
  • Award: 3rd Place
  • School: St Brother André Catholic HS (Markham, ON)
Read here

Videos | Ages 11-14

Food Waste

  • Author: Somyung
  • Award: 1st Place
  • School: Zion Heights Middle School (Toronto, ON)

Keep Water Blue, For Me And For You!

  • Authors: Kathleen and Melanie
  • Award: 2nd Place
  • School: Zion Heights Middle School (Toronto, ON)

Pollution in Pierrefonds

  • Authors: Anabel and Ella
  • Award: 3rd Place
  • School: Kingsdale Academy Elementary School (Pierrefonds, QC)

Videos | Ages 15-18

The vinyl industry: the unknown 1.5 billion US dollar industry that pollutes and is projected to double in next 5 years, let’s act !

  • Author: David
  • Award: 1st Place
  • School: École catholique secondaire Sainte Famille (Mississauga, ON)

Nuclear or Not? Ontario’s energy crisis explained

  • Authors: Julian and Merrick
  • Award: 2nd Place
  • School: École secondaire Ronald-Marion (Pickering, ON)

The Carbon Tax Effect

  • Authors: Sophie and Anjana 
  • Award: 3rd Place
  • School: École secondaire Ronald-Marion (Pickering, ON)