Credit: Daynan Lepore
Slacktivism is defined as “actions performed via the Internet in support of a social, political or environmental cause but regarded as requiring little time or involvement.”
Sound familiar? I admit – I’ve been guilty of slacktivism.
In the digital era, when activism can often be reduced to a simple click of a mouse, Ontario Nature’s Youth Council seeks to put the ‘act’ back into activism with their 2016 Our Special Spaces events. These youth aren’t satisfied with simply signing petitions or ‘liking’ a Facebook page – they’re initiating change.
The Ontario Nature Youth Council is a network of youth who are actively involved in protecting wild species and wild spaces. 2016 marks the sixth year of Our Special Spaces, a province-wide conservation-volunteering initiative that engages young people in a suite of hands-on conservation activities.
This year’s activities will address a very important topic not only in Ontario, but around the globe – dwindling pollinator populations.
Credit: Jaime Rae
Wild pollinators, such as bees, butterflies and moths, are critical to our ecosystems but are declining rapidly because of habitat loss, disease, pesticide exposure and climate change. This year, the Ontario Nature Youth Council is confronting the issue by creating pollinator habitats through planting events across the province.
With generous help from TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, the Chawker’s Foundation and the Sitka Foundation, Youth Council members have organized nine events across the province throughout May and June in locations from Ottawa to London. Attendees will enjoy a day of planting native species beneficial to pollinators and going on educational nature hikes.
This may be a youth-led initiative, but all ages are welcome. Register for an event near you, today!
Can’t make it to an Our Special Spaces event? As you get ready to start digging in the garden this month, don’t forget to help our pollinators by planting some pollinator-friendly plants. Check out our Pollinator Pals poster to see which native species you can plant to help our pollinators.
Jaklynn Nimec is Ontario Nature’s communications intern from Centennial College’s Corporate Communications and Public Relations graduate program. A nature enthusiast, Jaklynn collaborates with Ontario Nature’s Youth Council for their Our Special Spaces campaign.