Dr. Gary Pluim
Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Global challenges demand ambitious visions, yet the road to transformative change is complex. This talk will look at the efficacy of universal targets to achieve global sustainability. In particular, we will closely examine the Sustainable Development Goals, including the historical conditions leading up to the SDGs, the embedded tensions among their targets, and the implications, participation, and contributions of Canada and other countries. In our deep dive into the SDGs, we will ask: Are these efforts necessary? What assumptions underlie the goals? And, will they work? Along the way, we will explore the theory of change used in these metrics and look at other frameworks for progress and sustainability. By zeroing in on the goals associated with quality, inclusive education, the presentation will highlight the role of youth in a sustainable future and the need for a critical perspective on global citizenship.

Dr. Gary Pluim is an Assistant Professor of Intercultural and Social Foundations of Education at Lakehead University, Orillia. He received his PhD in Comparative and International Development Education from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education of the University of Toronto. There, he served as a coordinator for the Canadian Global Campaign for Education, a civil society movement that aims to end exclusion in education by tracking the progress of UNESCO’s Education for All targets. Previously, Gary worked in various educational leadership positions around the world, including in countries of the Pacific and East Africa, in the Canadian Arctic, and throughout the Caribbean. With a team of stakeholders and students, Gary is currently organizing a Global Citizenship Summit for Youth Voice, Policy and Action that will be hosted at Lakehead University in Orillia this February for young people from Canada and around the world.

Ralph Martin
Wednesday, January 29, 2025

In Canada there is still plenty of food but access to it is limited by income. In other parts of the world people lack access to food because of conflicts. A changing climate and ecological overshoot are increasingly challenging consistent food production. Consumers and farmers can respond appropriately as can communities and governments with specific policies to support meaningful actions. 

Ralph C. Martin grew up on his family farm in Wallenstein, ON. After earning a Ph.D. (Plant Science, McGill University, 1990) he taught at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. In 2001, he founded the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada and in 2011, was appointed as Professor, University of Guelph. In 2019, he retired and published the book, Food Security. More info at www.ralphmartin.ca

Madeleine Milne
Wednesday, February 12, 2025

As plastic use continues to grow, microplastics have emerged as a widespread contaminant, infiltrating nearly every corner of our environment. They have been detected in fish from local lakes and even in everyday grocery store foods, highlighting their pervasive presence. While the scale of this issue is clear, a pressing question remains: What are the impacts of microplastics on the environment?

To explore this, a large-scale experiment is underway at the International Institute for Sustainable Development – Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA), a field station in Northwestern Ontario. This project involves adding microplastics to a natural, undisturbed lake in order to better understand how microplastics move through and affect freshwater ecosystems. As well as beginning to shed light on the effects of microplastics, much work has been done to develop and implement innovative solutions to tackle plastic pollution, such as trash trapping devices to tackle floating litter in lakes and technologies to prevent microplastics from entering water bodies. Together, these efforts contribute to understanding and addressing one of today’s most critical environmental challenges, as well as informing directions for how we as individuals can help.

Madeleine Milne is a Master’s student at the University of Manitoba, where she investigates the movement and effects of microplastics on freshwater ecosystems. Her passion for microplastics research began during her undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto, where she explored contamination in fish from the Toronto Harbour and later investigated microplastics in grocery store food. Madeleine also dedicates time to community outreach as a volunteer ambassador with the University of Toronto Trash Team, a science-based community outreach organization focused on tackling plastic pollution through education and solutions-driven research.