Youth 4 Sustainable Living

The Y4SL Conference is being held on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at the CMHR, from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m
Online registration begins on April 11 through to April 24 and can be accessed on the following link:
www.bitly.com/y4sl2018

Youth 4 Sustainable Living Conference

Y4SL workshop descriptions (PDF)

Slot 1 Workshop Choices - 10:25- 11:00 a.m.

GSA Survey at Your School
It’s extremely important for middle school GSAs to exist. They insure that children, from the beginning of their teen years, are aware of the LGBTQ+ community, which normalizes the subject. At River Heights the GSA undertook a survey to discover what students know about the Rainbow community with the intention of creating a safer school for all of us. The River Heights Gender Sexuality Alliance grew out the school’s social justice club last year. Our club balances a fun safe place to hang out with opportunities to advocate and educate.

Food Matters for Everyone
Everyone deserves good food, but some Manitobans can't get the food they need to live healthy lives. People in northern and Indigenous communities face very high food prices, yet they are reclaiming healthy and affordable ways of living. In this presentation, participants will learn about the ways Food Matters works with northern communities to grow food, share traditional skills and build healthy futures.

Turtle Island
Misty will share her teachings from Turtle Island and how to look after our earth for the next seven generations.

Nuclear Weapons 101
Did you know that if a nuclear warhead exploded on the other side of the world, its toxic gas could spread across most of the living world in just 48 days? Nuclear warfare represents a major threat to world peace. In this workshop, students will learn the basics behind nuclear weapons, including who builds and stores them and where; their destructive impact on our society; a brief history of nuclear warfare; and the threat they represent to achieving world peace.  

Build Your Own Sustainable City
Discuss the importance of Sustainable Transportation, and the work we do to plan and support sustainable transportation options for Canadians across the country. We will also discuss our work in School Travel Planning, and the importance of Active School Travel on student health, air quality, and ability to concentrate. Lastly, we will discuss our planned “How a City Works” course, and build excitement for the upcoming program.

Solar-Powered Energy
Participants will take part in a very fast-paced workshop to make a solar-powered project to show how 'alternative energy' is already shining down around us!

Slot 2 Workshop Choices - 11:55 – 12:25 p.m.

Water Conservation Challenge
How can you get people who are reluctant to engage in a more sustainable lifestyle to buy in to the concept of environmentalism? Kevin Freedman, through his project called the Water Conservation Challenge, has been able to get even the most skeptical to agree to take their first small steps by slightly reducing their personal water use. Come learn about the Challenge and how it uses incrementalism and positivity to change minds.

Facts of Ethical Consumerism
Ethical Consumerism helps students work through the tough process of being a conscientious consumer, considering the impact that the product we are buying will have on other people, animals, and the environment.  This workshop breaks down different questions to ask while deciding on a purchase; it explores how our consumption habits are shaped by globalization and capitalism, and introduces several alternatives to mainstream consumption habits, giving students different options for more sustainable consumption habits.

Wonderful Watersheds + How We Can Reduce Our Water Footprint
We'll have a back and forth discussion over a watershed model, where we'll learn what a watershed is, how the land and water are connected, how water can become contaminated, and where water goes after we flush the toilet! We'll learn a little bit about our water footprint and the different ways that we can conserve water, including a hands on activity that they can take home that addresses what they are currently doing that conserves water as well as what they would like to do in the future. Their assignment will be to add one thing to their daily routine that can reduce their water footprint AND to share this and what they have learned with others in whatever means they choose (options will be provided in the handout).

Sustainable Foundations
The workshop will provide an opportunity for students to learn more about the UN's Global Goals for Sustainable Development. Through a hands on activity, students will explore their potential in achieving these goals within their community and the world. Working through the 3 pillars of sustainability, students will work together to create action plans to inform, promote, and take sustainable action on the Global Goals, utilizing the 3 E's approach.

Water Teachings
Rachelle will walk you through a water teaching, share her experiences and relationship with water and share a song with the group.

Our 4 Medicines
Charisse will walk you through the 4 medicines of our land so that you can use the gifts of these lands to lead a good life.

Slot 3 Workshop Choices - 2:45 – 3:15 p.m.

IISD – Manitoba Bioecomony Atlas
A sustainable future means a sustainable economy that aligns with environmental goals without reducing quality of life. The bioeconomy is the part of the economy that uses renewable resources such as wood, straw, or organic waste products to generate wealth and meet the needs of people. My talk will present the Manitoba Bioeconomy Atlas, a web too we built to help businesses make decisions about investing in biomass and also show them the environmental benefits of their investments.

A.P.E. = Animal, People and Environment
Come find out what role you can play in making this world a better place for animals, for people and for the environment we all share. Your voice matters. Your action matters. And you don’t have to wait to be an adult to be a leader. 

Argyle’s Outdoor Educational Classroom and Composting Program
Students and staff collect organic material from the cafeteria and classrooms and use it to make compost. This presentation will discuss the composting methods used at Argyle that include a three compartment outdoor bin, vermicomposting, Nature Mills composting, and an Ecosystem composter.

PEG. Tracking Progress. Inspiring Action.
Peg, Winnipeg’s community indicator system (mypeg.ca), measures the health of our community year over year – in ways that count. It reports on everything from the health of babies born in Winnipeg, right through to how many of them graduate 18 years later. It tracks how much garbage we take to the landfill, and how often we give up our cars to take public transit. It calculates how often citizens volunteer, and if we are doing more or less of it. It is through Peg that Winnipeggers can learn how their life, their neighbourhood, and their city is changing – for better or for worse. Peg is a starting place for Winnipeg citizens, business owners, and policy makers to learn the facts so they can lead change to create a better city for the future.

Land Based Teachings
Keith will take his teachings from the land and show you how to empower your own school.