Do you live in Manitoba? Kaitlyn’s got just the guide for you! She’s created an interactive digital guide of local businesses in and around Winnipeg to encourage people to purchase products locally instead of buying online and contributing to shipping emissions. Kaitlyn reached out to 50 businesses to tell them about her project and include them in her guide – she even scored a few exclusive promo codes!

“Through my project I learned not only how to help our environment but also how to take initiative and overcome obstacles, which I think are incredibly valuable skills.

My experience with Earth Rangers was fantastic. It taught me to step outside of my comfort zone and to not limit myself on what I hope to accomplish. My project showed me that with proper dedication and time, it’s possible to make a difference in your community.

The project inspired me greatly, and I have since reached out to climate groups within my community to further my involvement. For me, finishing my project doesn’t mean I’m moving on from the environment, as I plan to continue my work in my community going forward.”

Tanmayi created a space at her library for students to bring in their old stationary like pens and markers. After dropping off the supplies at her local Staples, Tanmayi shared this about her experience: 

“It’s so crazy seeing how many of those supplies would’ve been thrown out.”

“I learned to take more of a leadership role, because when I’m volunteering, someone’s telling me what to do, but in this program, I get to make the outline and decide the best approach, so it was nice having that sort of initiative.”

With an interest in reducing air pollution, Audrey learned about a great solution – electric school buses! Audrey researched the impacts of diesel vs. electric buses, and their impacts on students’ health and the environment. She connected with a local organization and was invited to speak at one of their meetings, where she presented to local and national agency representatives. Audrey was the youngest person to present with them ever!

Audrey was a guest speaker at an ER Teens Zoom Meetup, check it out on our Resources page!

https://www.instagram.com/esb.iont

Lana held a clothing swap to reduce textile waste. Check out how many pieces she was able to include in her swap!

Inspired by Earth Ranger’s teen podcast, The Big Melt, Clare created her very own: Earth’s Defenders.

Grace led a marker recycling initiative and not only exceeded her goal of markers collected, but also learned a lot about taking eco-action.

 “I feel as though I have grown personally through this project, gaining courage to be proactive and confident, as carrying out this project itself was a big challenge for me… However, as I met with people from Earth Rangers, discussing what my project could be and how we’re going to do it, I realized, hey, it’s not that bad…Conducting this project though, made me feel like I was actually doing something to contribute to environmental action. I think the best part about it was that I was able to contribute on a larger scale than just at home, and I did it myself, as an average person.
To other teens considering taking part, I’d like to leave this piece of advice: it’s a lot more doable than you think.”

Selena is all about renewable energy. From not even knowing what an electric school bus is, Selena is now a strong advocate! She designed brochures and handed them out to local businesses, created a social media account, and delivered presentations at city council meetings and libraries in multiple towns! Even though her project is complete, Selena’s efforts are still having an impact in her community.

“When you connect with people, you don’t have to connect with them on a wide scale. Opportunities could arise from talking to just one person, which is something I learned that was really cool.”

Selena was a guest speaker at an ER Teens Zoom Meetup, check it out on our Resources page!

https://www.instagram.com/esbs.greentransport

Ernest led his school in an electronic waste collection drive, collecting 200 batteries, laptops, cameras, phones, and more!

“The experience was amazing. It also taught me that e-waste can be turned into many different things, and it could take one person to organize a project and recycle garbage that shouldn’t be in our dumpsters.”

Sunita (Sunny) created an inspiring documentary for youth activism.

Her video was screened at the ER Teens Empowering Youth for Environmental Action event in September 2024 at the Earth Rangers Centre.

Blake took action when he discovered that markers couldn’t be recycled through regular curbside bins. He collaborated with local elementary schools to launch a marker recycling initiative. Blake has collected over 1,800 writing utensils and is on track to collect 3,000 markers by June, when the initiative ends. Blake’s dedicated effort to address this environmental issue through his project raised awareness about marker recycling and shows his commitment to sustainability and making a positive impact in his community.

“I’ve always wanted to make a difference in the world and I found the perfect way by one of my markers running out. When you can see first hand all the writing instruments you are saving from getting thrown out it’s an amazing feeling. If you don’t feel like you are making a change in the world by doing something like this, I don’t know what will.”