To date, our story has lacked representation of many communities. We recognize that diversity and equity in the outdoor space are integral to solving climate change. The more opportunities that are available for participation in the outdoors for ALL, the more chances we have at protecting it. In response to this, we have created a robust and practical DEI Action Plan with targets that will lead to meaningful change

OUR MISSION: Our mission is to turn passionate outdoor people into effective climate advocates. Protect Our Winters Canada is a passionate community of enthusiasts, professional athletes and industry brands uniting the outdoor community to address climate change. We believe our love of adventure in nature demands our participation in the fight to save and protect it. 

OUR VISION: For our communities and outdoor playgrounds to be healthy, safe, and resilient to a changing climate, we envision a future where we’ve transformed our economy and energy systems and cut our carbon emissions in-line with science-based targets the world agreed to in the Paris Climate Agreement.

GROWTH & CAPACITY BUILDING: Despite the social gathering restrictions (limiting events and activations) as well as financial hardships presented in 2020, we increased our membership (32%), social media audience (%27), volunteer base (34%), support from individual donors (48%) and size of our partner network (+7) which will ultimately supercharge our work in 2021. 

POLICY ADVOCACY: In collaboration with our partners at Pembina Institute (Canada’s leading climate policy think-tank), we advocated for a Green & Just Recovery through our #NewPath campaign which elevated Pembina’s Green Stimulus Report. Over the course of 4 days, POW members sent over 11,000 emails to elected officials tasked with creating Canada’s post COVID stimulus plan. This massive effort resulted in POW Canada’s executive director being invited to participate in the Federal Government’s Roundtable for a Green Recovery which informed the governments recovery strategy and ultimately shaped their new net-zero framework. Most importantly, it pushed POW Canada’s mission and vision front and centre with national policy makers which created channels and relationships for further advocacy.

CAMPAIGNS: We had three major climate policy wins in 2020 as a result of the development and execution of the following campaigns: #RejectTeck, #NewPath and #DeclineTheMine. All campaigns achieved their desired outcome, but the success of our #NewPath campaign (advocating for a green recovery) gained national attention and resulted in POW Canada being invited to participate in the Federal Government's Roundtable for a Green Recovery. Ultimately 5 of our 6 policy asks were incorporated into the government's strategy.

#REJECTTECK OVERVIEW: POW Canada was part of a strategic coalition of NGOs uniting to block Teck Resources proposed the Frontier Mine, which would have been the largest tar sands project in the world. Luckily 31,928 Canadians engaged in climate ac it tion by signing petitions including 4341 POW Canada members (engagement rate of 40%) who sent emails to politicians eventually leading to the abandonment of this project. Each email stopped 1382 tons of CO 2 per year from going into the atmosphere which is equivalent to stopping the emissions of an average Canadian for their entire lifetime of 82 years.

#DECLINETHEMINE OVERVIEW: Coalspur’s Vista Mine, was planning for a massive expansion that would have put Canada well out of reach of the Paris Climate Agreement. Coalspur was using evasive tactics to avoid an environmental assessment which was called out by our ally Ecojustice. POW stepped in and built a social advocacy campaign resulting in 4318 engaged POW Canada members (engagement rate of 40%) writing letters/emails to the Alberta and Canadian governments demanding Coalspur Vista Mines face an environmental assessment which was ultimately mandated.  Each one of POW Canada member letters helped ensure 7,642 tons of CO 2 remain in the ground. That is equivalent to a full Boeing 747 flying 17 round trip transatlantic flights.

#PRESEASONSTOKE OVERVIEW: 2021 was a heavy year in many respects and our #preseasonstoke campaign was designed to give outdoor enthusiasts something positive to focus on and engage with. In October, enthusiasts were asked to put on their seasonal best including their gear (from helmets to boots/skis), head outside and capture their excitement with a video or photo. The content was then shared on Instagram and participants then challenged friends to do the same. We had 421 entries with a hashtag reach of over 2.8 million .  Stay tuned for another addition of #preseasonstoke in fall 2021.

RESEARCH: In October we released Losing Our Cool: The Future of Snowsports in a Warmer World which was an extensive research project led by POW Canada researchers Natalie Knowles and Brooklyn Rushton in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change at the University of Waterloo.  The report looked back at the conditions experienced in the 1960’s when Nancy Greene won her gold medal and contrasted them to 2010 when POW ambassador Ashleigh McIvor won her gold medal during the Vancouver Olympic Games.. Using the latest in climate modelling technology the report predicts how snowsports across Canada will be impacted by 2050 and 2080 on our current path. Psssst……..it’s not good. 

REGIONAL CHAPTERS: Thanks to the hard work of Izzy Lynch and engagement organizing guru Matt Price, 2020 was also a year to solidify our framework and strategy for our regional chapter program. We now have 11 chapters across Canada, led by trained and committed volunteers using the principles of engagement organizing. These grassroots chapters are trained, resourced and ready to unleash climate campaigns locally/regionally. On January 4, Emilie Grenier will join the POW Canada team as Community Engagement Coordinator to lead our grassroots chapter strategy and supercharge them for effective organizing around campaigns and events. 

HOT PLANET COOL ATHLETES: COVID provided the opportunity to re-deploy Hot Planet Cool Athletes in a digitized format for widespread reach and engagement. Specifically we created 4 new elements in our HPCA Toolkit in partnership with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change at the University of Waterloo: 

#1. New interactive website 

#2. Plug and play video presentation with option for virtual athlete host 

#3. New Illuminate video game 

#4. The Climate Educator’s Resource Portal (first of its kind in Canada) with searchable, curriculum based material to aid in climate education.     

PROGRAMS: Growing our membership base continues to be a priority for POW Canada. To support this objective we created two new programs: Resort Program and Retailer Program. The resort program is best described as a creative marketing opportunity for resorts to see how far they can push POW’s message for climate action with members and guests. Several of Canada’s largest resorts have joined as founding members (Mont Tremblant and Blue Mountain) and interest is strong from across the country. Knowing everyone who steps into an outdoor retailer is a potential climate advocate, the Retail Program introduces POW Canada’s mission and vision through instore signage and displays with a call to action to join the movement. 

TRAINING & EDUCATION: There were a lot of firsts in 2020 and creating a virtual training and leadership summit for our athletes and partners was one of them. Although it’s hard to replicate the impact, experience and knowledge sharing of a 3 day, 2 night in-person retreat, the virtual session provided other unique opportunities.  With the virtual format, not only was the need to travel eliminated but participants were able to join for specific sessions over the day based on what their schedule permitted, resulting in over 70 people participating throughout the day. Sessions included: the POWer of Social Movements with Harvard Professor Naomi Oreskes, Unravelling Your Unconscious Bias with DEI consultant Amil Reddy and Passion Into Purpose with POW Board Chair Mike Douglas.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION: POW Canada’s mission is to unite and organize the outdoor community to take action against climate change. When we say the outdoor community, we mean mobilizing EVERYONE who appreciates and enjoys the outdoors regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability, status, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes them unique. To date, our story has lacked representation of many communities. We recognize that diversity and equity in the outdoor space are integral to solving climate change. The more opportunities that are available for participation in the outdoors for ALL, the more chances we have at protecting it. We have created a robust and practical DEI Action Plan with targets that will lead to meaningful change. You can find our full DEI Action Plan at www.protectourwinters.ca/everyone

DONATE TO SUPPORT OUR WORK

When the leadership team from our Montreal chapter first tabled the idea of building a campaign around the proposed GNL pipeline, we weren't sure it was a winnable fight.

POW Canada members stepped up big time and used our Enthusiast to Advocate Tool to petition the National Assembly of Québec to shutdown the mega energy project.

The BAPE (Quebec's environmental review board) says the benefits of a multi-billion-dollar liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in the Saguenay do not outweigh the environmental and social costs associated with it.  The report goes on to state that the highly polarizing GNL Québec project has garnered the greatest response of any BAPE review, with more than 2,500 briefs presented at last year's hearings. 

We are still awaiting the final say from Québec's provincial government on whether this project will go through, but suffice to say that there is no social acceptability. Stay tuned!

David Erb, POW Canada's Executive Director says "This just demonstrates there's POWer in Numbers and our voice, when applied strategically and collectively can have real impact on climate action";.

READ THE CBC ARTICLE

Get this………..Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pushing forward with plans for a proposed mining belt in Northern Ontario called the Ring of Fire, which, from an emissions standpoint, would be equivalent to the Alberta Tar Sands. Crazy right?!?!!? Currently, the area is covered with peatlands which serve as one of the worlds biggest refrigerators. Globally peatlands trap 0.37 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) a year – storing more carbon than all other vegetation types in the world combined! Who loves Peat! The problem is when peatlands warm, they release that trapped CO₂ in the form of methane. This mega project risks converting 35 billion tonnes of cooling, CO₂-storing peat into a greenhouse gas emitter, spewing forth some of the most dangerous vapours — methane.

We'll keep our eyes peeled for opportunities to bring POW's voice to the table with other allies. Currently, the federal environment minister, Jonathan Wilkinson, has agreed to conduct a regional assessment on the Ring of Fire s to consider potential adverse effects on climate change, fisheries and endangered species as well as a high likelihood of impacts on the rights of Indigenous people. Stay tuned.

Are you interested in turning your passion for the outdoors into climate action! We're hiring for two key positions within our growing organization.

Strategic Partnerships Director

Location: Remote within Canada

ROLE DESCRIPTION: The Strategic Partnerships Director is responsible for cultivating, securing, onboarding and delivering major partnerships ($10,000+) that align with and further our mission and vision of turning outdoor people into effective climate advocates. In addition, the Strategic Partnerships Director will support partner-led campaigns and activations (e.g., emails, social, in-person events and product collaborations) that fully leverage partner capacity. This person will create strategies for existing and prospective brand partners, and work closely with the Executive Director and Program Director, to move prospects and partners along the continuum of giving to achieve annual financial, marketing, communications, and brand goals. 

Key responsibilities include the support of POW Canada’s strategic plan, team outcomes, and identification of partners that can have an impact on POW Canada’s aim to meet its objectives related to systemic solutions to climate change. The Strategic Partnerships Director will represent the organization at all levels, both internally and externally, with prospects and partners capable of supporting POW Canada’s mission through contributions, marketing/communications support, and in-kind services/goods. 

CLICK HERE FOR JOB DESCRIPTION & TO APPLY

Programs Director, 12 Month Contract (Paternity Leave)

Location: Remote within Canada

ROLE DESCRIPTION: The Program Director is responsible for developing and delivering exceptional programming that’s aligned with our mission and vision of turning outdoor people into effective climate advocates.  The Program Director will strengthen and enhance existing programs while  innovating new programs to ensure maximum engagement and impact from prospective audience contributing to the overall growth and success of our movement.

The Program Director will help develop the programming priorities of the organization, lead the overall planning and execution of programs including communication strategies, training and relationship management to keep this all on track.

CLICK HERE FOR JOB DESCRIPTION & TO APPLY

Last week the Supreme Court of Canada ruled the federal government has the legal authority to implement and set a price on carbon nationally - despite legal challenges and opposition from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. Our friends at the Smart Prosperity Institute convened four political insiders and one lawyer to explore the ramifications. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

If you're a little nervous about what a carbon price means to your wallet, use this crafty tool to calculate your annual rebate: CARBON TAX REBATE CALCULATOR

We can all agree that 2020 was a difficult year, and with the New Year rolling around we all hope 2021 will be a better year than the last. Since this is the time for resolutions and new commitments for personal growth, we thought we would help to inspire some new habits that are good for you and good for the planet. This is why POW is introducing the 12 month challenge. This year-long campaign will feature one challenge for every month; each designed to help you build some new habits, kick bad habits to the curb, or to reinforce good habits that you already have! With incentives like reducing your carbon footprint and amazing prizes from our sponsors- what's not to join?

Before we dive into this year, here's a refresher on what habits are how we can adapt them to live more sustainably.

There are many specific definitions of what a habit is, in general, it can be said that a habit is a behavioural pattern that we repeat at regular intervals, such that the repetition serves to improve our ability and familiarity with the behavioural pattern. Typically, if the behavioural pattern is repeated often enough, it becomes so ingrained in our daily lives that we carry it out with little to no conscious thought. It goes without saying that there are good and bad habits, and that we all have some of each come and go in our daily lives.

Habits are formed through repetitive behaviours, driven by what experts call a habit-loop. Put simply, a habit-loop is a way to describe the three most basic components of a habit: cue, behaviour, and reward. The cue is an event which an individual responds to, which prompts them to engage in a specific behaviour in order to achieve a desired reward. An example of a ‘bad’ habit-loop would be: stress (cue) causing someone to have a cigarette (behaviour), leading to a reduction in stress (reward). An example of a ‘good’ habit-loop would be: a confrontation (cue) leading to someone taking 5 minutes to calm down (behaviour), leading to a calmer and less destructive resolution (reward). You get the idea.

Some of us have habits that we likely are not even aware of. More often than not, creating or breaking habits does not come naturally to most people – it requires consideration, effort and time.

Isn’t a routine the same thing as a habit? Routines and habits are similar in that they both involve repetitive behaviours, but they differ in one key aspect. A habit is a behaviour which is the result of an impulse, while a routine is often something that you choose to do consciously because you feel as though you must. For example, one might have to consciously decide to drink their coffee without cream or sugar, knowing that the reward - in terms of health benefits - accumulates over time. A routine becomes a habit when it is done so regularly that your mind automatically associates the behaviour with the reward.

Now, back to POW and the 12 month challenge. The prevailing idea of the 12 month challenge is intrinsically connected to habit forming. Habits can be formed in a few weeks - though sometimes they take much longer than this. The idea is that every month we inspire people like you to do two things: alter your behaviours in an environmentally friendly way, and repeat these behaviours until they become habits that you perform unconsciously. Hopefully by the end of each month you have formed at least one good habit -or conquered a bad one!- that helps in the fight against climate change. Not every one of the challenges will be entirely about forming different habits, but many of them will be!

Here are some tips for habit forming to help you when considering the coming challenges.

1. Start small and increase in measured steps. Imagine a person trying to eliminate single-use plastic (could this be a hint? Wink wink) from their life. It is so prevalent in all aspects of our way of life that this person would have to significantly change dozens of their behaviours overnight to eliminate all single use plastics immediately - this makes the process daunting and seemingly unattainable. Instead this person could eliminate or change all of their behaviours that use plastic straws - perhaps they could use a metal straw, or do away with straws altogether. Once they have mastered that particular behaviour they could start working on a new behaviour to change - like using tupperware instead of saran wrap.
2. Progress over perfection. For those of you familiar with POW’s messaging this should come as no surprise. Any step in the right direction should be recognized and celebrated. It is no different for forming good habits. Perhaps the individual in the above example did great and avoided using plastic straws for 6 days, then forgot to ask their server to withhold a straw from their drink. Instead of framing the experience as a failure to avoid plastic straws one time, they should instead frame the entire week as an 86% success rate! Do not let hiccups discourage you from continuing. We are all human and we are all bound to make mistakes, what is important is to focus on progress.
3. Remember the benefits. There are many benefits to forming habits with environmentally friendly living in mind. The most obvious being the effect they have on climate change and the environment. There are often secondary benefits to these habits that can often be overlooked. Spend some time thinking about what other benefits might befall you by participating in the 12 months challenges. Walking or bicycling instead of driving is not only a great way to reduce emissions, but it will also save you money in vehicle maintenance and fuel cost, and get some extra exercise in the week!

Sometimes it may seem like altering a tiny part of your daily routine is an insignificant gesture in the face of climate change. It is important to keep in mind however, that more often than not it is not just one person acting. Together, our individual actions will add up to make a massive difference!

Sign up here to join our 12 Month Climate Challenge today and together we will build some great habits!

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For more information on forming good habits - or breaking bad ones - check out some of these links:

https://edugage.com/what-is-a-habit-definition-facts-guide/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/habit-formation

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/functioning-flourishing/201911/3-simple-hacks-building-healthy-habits

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/automatic-you/201601/is-how-make-yourself-do-what-you-need-do

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/18-tricks-to-make-new-habits-stick.html

We're often asked, "what does POW actually do";. Good question and first off, we know we need to do a better job of clearly communicating our mission and work. At the moment, the most effective way is to share our annual report with people, as it highlights the key accomplishments from the previous year. In 2020, we have MANY wins under our belt on a number of important policy initiatives and advocacy campaigns - stay tuned for our 2020 Annual Report. So, take a look. We think you'll be impressed with what our community has accomplished to date and with our plans for further climate action.

Understanding the POWer of movements and the forces working to suppress progress is important baseline information when working for climate action. Each fall we gather our ambassadors, partners and other stakeholders for a multi-day training session to review the latest in climate science, strategy, objectives and campaigns. This year, for obvious reasons, the retreat was condensed to one day and held virtually via zoom. Although in-person is more effective and engaging, this year's format allowed for greater participation from ambassadors (often at training camps or events at this time of year) and partners (heads down in marketing and comms plans) - plus it was a win from a budget and carbon standpoint. We view all POW members as ambassadors and want to ensure everyone has the same access to training and materials to help build the movement. In that spirit, we're pleased to share video recordings of the full, unedited sessions including renowned Harvard professor Naomi Oreskes (author of Merchants of Doubt) discussion on the POWer of social movements on climate.

When you talk to people about progress on climate change, how often do you hear "well our emissions are nothing compared to China and until they take it seriously, why should we?";.  Well, China just unveiled what Bloomberg Green is calling "the most ambitious climate goal the world’s ever seen” with solar capacity growing by 587%, nuclear by 382%, wind by 346%, bioenergy by 100%, and hydropower by 50% by 2060. Coal consumption falls by 96%, gas by 75%, and oil by 65%. The plan was released this week at Tsinghua University in Beijing by the government-affiliated Institute of Energy, Environment and Economy. The proposed "blueprint"; would see the country invest $15 Trillion (yes, that's a T) USD over the next 30 years leading to new jobs, new industry and new hope for the global climate movement. Read the full article here.