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Make The World Better Magazine

Intersectional Environmentalist: Growing the Movement

In the face of global crises, historically-excluded communities are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change. Luckily, there is a growing movement that looks at this issue through an intersectional lens, and the individuals behind it are working hard to educate others and spread awareness to take action. 

We spoke with Sabs Katz, Co-Founder and Partnerships Lead at Intersectional Environmentalist, about how this collective is amplifying the intersectional environmentalism movement through content creation, activations, education, and community-building.

IE team and community at the inaugural Earth Sessions Show in Brooklyn in April 2022.

What was the “spark” that inspired you to start creating Intersectional Environmentalist content?

Intersectional Environmentalist (IE) was founded during the resurgence of the civil rights movement back in 2020. After the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, there was little vocal support from the environmental community. Leah Thomas (@greengirlleah) created an Instagram post that would end up going viral, calling on climate advocates to stand in solidarity with Black lives and defining intersectional environmentalism. 

With the momentum and support from the climate justice community online, Leah connected with fellow environmentalists like Diandra Marizet (@diandramarizet), Phil Aiken (@philthefixer), myself (@sustainablesabs), and our larger community to develop a resource hub and Instagram page for learning more about the intersections between climate and social justice.

What do you consider to be your biggest success? Can you share any stories of the impact your work has had that have surprised you?

There are so many things we’ve been proud of, but if I have to choose one I’d say it’s the community we’ve built. Being in community with and having support from 500K individuals across the world has been so affirming. Seeing folks engage with and use our resources, as well as start clubs and groups dedicated to intersectional environmentalism, seeing students change their school curriculum, and even hearing the White House speak to the importance of intersectionality in the climate space shows just how prolific this movement is and how much it’s needed!

How do you feel having a platform and community help to make the world better?

It’s been incredible to have a pulse on our reach and to see how people are taking the message of intersectional environmentalism and really embodying it. By leading with climate optimism, storytelling, and solutions, our community has taken these environmental justice learnings and empowered themselves to start community groups, join local gardens, and participate in wealth distribution for grassroots organizations.

IE Team and community at a hike in Southern California in 2021.

What are some of the challenges you typically face in creating content or building out your audience?

Challenges like the ever-changing algorithm, emerging trends, and digital burnout have encouraged us to get creative and reimagine how we disseminate and share our resources with people. Content creation and education/awareness will always be a part of our offerings, so we’re excited to continue navigating the digital landscape and using social media as a tool for building this movement.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?

We’re currently re-imagining the next chapter for IE, and through that process are focusing on continuing to support our online community with educational assets and fostering more in-person activations that bridge communities with their local environmental justice (EJ) leaders through offerings like Earth Sessions (@earthsessions.ie), workshops, campus visits, and book giveaway meet-ups.

How can people help support your mission?

Following and engaging with our content, joining local environmental justice initiatives, taking action toward the things you’re passionate about (e.g. joining a community garden, supporting frontline communities, voting, etc.), amplifying climate optimism and solutions, and supporting grassroots climate justice organizations are all ways we, as individuals, can support a more equitable and inclusive future.

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Make The World Better Magazine

David Suzuki Foundation: Catalyzing Climate Activism

Successful climate activism has the power to drive positive change at all levels, from personal to governmental. In order to achieve this, though, we need educational tools to utilize, movements to engage with, and climate solutions to implement. 

We spoke with Craig David Long, Content Manager, about how the David Suzuki Foundation is educating and empowering Canadians to build healthier environments and sustainable communities with its over 30 years of experience.

David Suzuki participated in workshops and breakout sessions at the “Building Power: a Future Ground Network convergence” Vancouver event to help participants dive deeper into how to build and coordinate power collectively and strategically against forces driving the climate crisis.

What was the “spark” that inspired your founders to start creating educational content at the David Suzuki Foundation?

The David Suzuki Foundation got its start in 1990 after a CBC Radio series David Suzuki hosted called “It’s a Matter of Survival.” So many listeners were alarmed by the discussion of environmental problems, including climate change, that about 17,000 people sent in letters asking what they could do. The Foundation’s goal was to provide education and, above all, solutions. 

To complement its activism and on-the-ground public engagement work, the Foundation has worked with the David Suzuki Institute and Greystone Books to publish more than 60 books, many of which have won national and international awards. The Foundation has also published the weekly syndicated Science Matters column under David Suzuki’s name for the past 25 years. 

What do you consider to be the Foundation’s biggest success? Can you share any stories of the impact your work has had that have surprised you?

Over its 34-year history, the Foundation has had many successes. The “Declaration of Interdependence,” written for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, formed the Foundation’s guiding principles in its early years, and portions of it were woven into the Earth Charter, which continues to gain adherents today. 

Additionally, working with Indigenous Peoples and communities and supporting community activism through the Future Ground Network and Réseau Demain le Québec have informed and helped amplify the Foundation and its allies’ critical environmental work. 

As well, our scientific research and reports have helped reform fisheries practices, offer ways for Canada to reach zero-emissions electricity by 2035, and hold governments to account for habitat protection. 

Last but certainly not least, the Foundation’s Blue Dot Tour and movement provided a major push for Canada’s decision to enshrine the right to a healthy environment in law.

How do you feel having a platform and community help to make the world better?

Our many supporters and followers give us hope. We believe that the Foundation’s adherence to evidence-based information and its collaborative approach are making a difference in Canada and beyond. With the climate and biodiversity crises the world faces, it’s up to us all to do our part to educate and bring about positive change. The David Suzuki Foundation is proud to be part of this growing movement.

Performance stage at a Healing Forest at Riverside School’s Knowledge Path in Albert Bridge, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, on unceded Mi’Kmaq territory.

What are some of the challenges you typically face in creating content or building out your audience?

Like most environmental organizations, the David Suzuki Foundation must find ways to reach a larger audience and not just talk to those who are already on the same side as us. With limited resources, we also have to focus our work and temper expectations from the public about the amount of work we can take on and the issues we can help with. Working with other organizations, community groups, and networks to mutually support each other’s work helps. 

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?

The Foundation will continue its critical climate and clean energy work, campaigning for renewable power for all, following up on our research that shows how Canada can have 100% emissions-free electricity by 2035. We will also work at the municipal level to empower citizens and councils to enact sound climate and sustainability practices and regulations, and boost ambition and implementation. And we’ll continue our work in biodiversity and habitat protection, including the Butterflyway Project, pollinator program, and orca and salmon conservation.

Working to build healthier environments and sustainable communities on this land we call Canada requires a diversity of voices and a wide range of knowledge and ideas, especially the knowledge of Indigenous Peoples who have known these lands and waters for millennia. The Foundation’s collaborative work on reports and a series of videos explaining “Land Back” and treaties shows how land governance must change to recognize and uphold Indigenous rights and responsibilities and to restore nature’s once abundant ecosystems.

The Foundation is also working with the National Healing Forests Initiative to encourage reconciliation by dedicating space in forests, gardens, or green spaces as places for healing, learning, sharing, and reflecting on Canada’s history and the legacy of Indian Residential Schools.

As always, we at the Foundation know that environmental and social justice go hand in hand, and we strive to be an inclusive and powerful amplifier for the many diverse voices calling for better ways of living on this land and with each other.

As always, you can learn about the above and other good work, at davidsuzuki.org. 

How can people help support your mission?

People can get involved in many ways, including volunteering, getting involved in campaigns, signing petitions and joining actions, and donating. We offer opportunities for volunteers in everything from pollinator work and the Butterflyway Project to the Suzuki Elders. It’s also important for people to talk to friends, family, coworkers, and others about the climate and biodiversity crises and their solutions. Greater awareness leads to growing potential for change.

This story was featured in the Make The World Better Magazine:

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Make The World Better Magazine

Brown Girl Green: Building Community to Fight Climate Change

Online communities can lead to powerful real-world connections. With the right content, tools, and a dash of radical vulnerability, creating a platform to share stories has helped close gaps and bring more people into the fight against climate change, especially those often left in the fray.

We spoke with Kristy Drutman, Founder of Brown Girl Green, about how her platform is empowering conversations, community, and careers in the climate change space.

Kristy Drutman.

What was the “spark” that inspired you to start advocating for and creating content about environmental rights?

When Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, I felt devastated about the impacts the climate crisis was having and would have on the country where my family members live. I realized I had a responsibility and privilege to use my voice to raise awareness about these issues, especially in the US.

What do you consider to be your biggest success? Can you share any stories of the impact your work has had that have surprised you?

My biggest success was building an online community where people started learning about each other’s work and actually meeting each other in real life after discovering one another through the Brown Girl Green platform. 

Further, creating the Green Jobs Board, a company now helping thousands of people find and secure jobs to work on the climate crisis, feels like a true, tangible impact I’ve created through digital media tools. I identified a major pain point and storytelling gap when it comes to mobilizing and bringing more people into the movement: finding spaces and opportunities for them to build long-term, lifetime careers. Multiple young people of colour are on my team, working to address accessibility gaps in the world of climate work and to begin building the standard for a sustainable and equitable future.

How do you feel having a platform and community help to make the world better?

Having a platform creates a space for conversations that otherwise wouldn’t be prioritized or heard. It increases the surface area of opportunity for communities and campaigns that otherwise get left off the radar by the mainstream media. It provides me with the agency and autonomy to put out good work in the world without having too many strings attached to me in the process. In that way, my radical vulnerability creates a space of permission for others to strive and speak their own truth as well. 

Kristy speaking to a group and doing resume review for green job seekers at the Earth Day festival in New York City.

What are some of the challenges you typically face in creating content or building out your audience?

Algorithmic suppression of BIPOC creators, internet trolls/haters, and keeping the work funded through partnerships, collaborations, and my management team. All of this requires a lot of energy and brainpower to ensure the moving puzzle pieces create a sustainable platform and workflow. Also having to vet who I work with — based on ethics, sustainability of my work, etc. — takes it to the next level. 

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?

Yes! The new release of greenjobsboard.us. For any companies and organizations looking for a platform to hire amazing, diverse talent, please consider using Green Jobs Board! Also, the Brown Girl Green podcast is up and on fire these days with weekly episodes all about climate education and environmental justice. If you’re looking for an environmental podcast curated with fascinating topics and full of melanin, subscribe to wherever you listen to shows and the Brown Girl Green YouTube channel.

How can people help support your mission? 

I am always looking for organizations and values-aligned businesses to collaborate with, whether it be speaking engagements, workshops, content, or getting green jobs up on our site! If you’re someone who feels aligned with my work and mission to bring more diversity, equity, and inclusion to the climate space via storytelling and education, please hit me up! 

Social Media:

browngirlgreen.com/ 
browngirlgreen.com/greenjobs 
facebook.com/browngirlgreen/ 
twitter.com/browngirl_green (@BrownGirl_Green)
linkedin.com/company/brown-girl-green/ 
instagram.com/browngirl_green/ (@browngirl_green)
youtube.com/@BrownGirlGreen/ 
patreon.com/browngirlgreen 
communities.kajabi.com/browngirlgreen/challenges

This story was featured in the Make The World Better Magazine:

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Asparagus Magazine: Amplifying Sustainable Living

Sustainable living helps fight climate change and build a better world, but the journey can often feel overwhelming and discouraging. To keep people motivated, it’s important to apply a creative, intersectional lens, providing encouragement, expertise, and a touch of levity, so everyone can make big and small changes in their lives.

We spoke with Jessie Johnston, Founder, Publisher, and Editrix-in-Chief of Asparagus Magazine, about how this publication is using storytelling to inspire and support a community of readers determined to live sustainably.

Left to Right: Asparagus Vancouver-area team members Aniana Dominguez, Christine Fwu, Jessie Johnston (holding dearly departed Feline-In-Chief Millicent), Zohra Shahabuddin, Daina Lawrence, and Sun Woo Baik at a rare in-person gathering in 2022. Photo credit: Sun Woo Baik.

What was the “spark” that inspired you to start creating Asparagus Magazine content?

I founded Asparagus in 2018 because it was the magazine I wanted to read but just couldn’t find. Despite my passion for the environment and social justice, I mostly read magazines focused on other subjects. My favourite was Wired, a publication that brings together in-depth reporting, excellent writing, practical tips, and big-picture thinking, all woven through with a refreshing thread of irreverence.

When I first dreamed up Asparagus, there seemed to be two major trends in storytelling about sustainability: articles were either focused on small consumer choices, with guidance that was easy to digest but often not backed up by reliable evidence, or they were evidence-based examinations of big issues that were heavy and depressing to read.

Sometimes people want to understand a complex systemic issue, and sometimes they just need help picking toilet paper. My goal was to create a place where skilled writers could tell both the large and small stories of how we can live sustainably and tell them in a way that took the issues seriously without taking ourselves too seriously. The “Wired of green,” as it were.

Readers can care about the environment and social justice, and also want a break from the dread of 21st century living. So, from the very beginning, Asparagus has been a publication that values humour and creativity as highly as we value rigorous fact-checking and an intersectional worldview.

What do you consider to be your biggest success?

Our biggest success was winning the award for British Columbia Magazine of the Year at the 2022 Alberta Magazine Awards. For a publication as small as ours, receiving that recognition from our peers was meaningful and inspiring. We’re also thrilled that an initiative we’re a collaborator on — the Climate Disaster Project — has been nominated in the Engagement category of the 2023 Covering Climate Now Journalism Awards. It’s pretty incredible to be part of a finalists list with international heavy hitters like The Guardian and Al Jazeera.

Since publishing the Winter 2021 cover story on bats, the Asparagus team has learned something surprising: Everybody loves bats, but nobody knows that everybody else loves bats! This issue is by far the most popular choice when they give copies away at farmers markets. Photo credit: Erin Flegg.

How do you feel having a platform and community help to make the world better?

The cover story of our most recent issue was called “We’re All in This Together,” and that’s as true of the climate crisis as it was of the COVID-19 pandemic. So many of the world’s problems arise from people’s failure to recognize our deep interconnectedness with each other and the rest of life on Earth.

Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools humans have to bridge those divides. By publishing stories that connect our readers to their neighbours, to people continents away, and to the ecosystems we’re all part of, Asparagus can strengthen those readers’ resolve — and capacity — to take action in their own lives that can impact the planet as a whole.

Stories not only help people better understand each other and the world around us, but they also bring people together. Our journalism has enabled us to create a community of readers who gather around issues they care about and want to understand better. 

Since 2018, we’ve presented virtual and in-person documentary screenings and discussions, and in August 2022, we held our first in-person event in over two years. That sold-out gathering — co-hosted with EartHand Gleaners Society — was a joyful opportunity for us to share the sustainable textile expertise of EartHand’s artists with some of our longtime readers and welcome EartHand fans to our community. These kinds of opportunities to learn and connect are critical to building the informed coalitions we need to make things better for all life on Earth.

What are some of the challenges you typically face in creating content or building out your audience?

We are a tiny organization with an even tinier budget. It’s important to us to always pay contributors, even if we can’t pay them as much as we think they deserve. As such, we’re only able to publish as many stories as we can afford to pay for, which, these days, is not very many. But without new content, it’s hard to grow our audience to the size that could support us. It’s a vicious circle we’re trying hard to break out of so we can create award-winning, thought-provoking journalism for years to come.

And, as of this August, we’ve been hit with a new challenge to growing our audience: having all our posts and links to our website blocked in Canada on both Facebook and Instagram as a result of Meta’s punitive response to recent federal legislation.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?

We are working on building partnerships that will help us get back to publishing online and in print with the frequency of past years. If you work with or know of an organization looking to collaborate on high-quality journalism about how we can live sustainably, we’d love to connect. Our next exciting initiative could be a partnership with you!

How can people help support your mission? 

Having the COVID-19 pandemic start just as we celebrated publishing our second issue meant we weren’t able to build our audience the way we had planned at a time when our young organization really needed to grow. As a result, we don’t have the number of readers or financial supporters that we need to sustainably support the work we created Asparagus to do.

People who believe in our mission can best support us by subscribing to the print magazine and/or by making a financial donation. Those who can’t contribute financially can still help by spreading the word about our work to their communities, whether by posting on social media, requesting that their local library or newsstand stock the magazine, or, most impactful of all, making individual recommendations to family, friends, and co-workers who want to build a just society on a healthy planet.

This story was featured in the Make The World Better Magazine:

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Events Impact Inspiration & Initiatives

Key Takeaways from the 2023 Zero Waste Conference

The circular economy is central to our vision of a better world. Our active role in working to help advance sustainability and our attendance at last year’s inspiring event fuelled our excitement to return to the Zero Waste Conference in our home city of Vancouver.

After travelling to multiple circular economy events this year, we felt more connected to the space and more energized than ever. Bringing along new experiences, deeper knowledge, and the sparks of meaningful ideas, we were able to benefit greatly from the conference’s action-focused presentations and networking sessions.

Keep scrolling for our highlights, including details about this year’s iteration of the event, pathways for affecting change, the role of storytelling, and inspiring circular economy innovations.

Connecting With Circularity Champions

Around 500 people from various backgrounds and professions gathered at the Vancouver Convention Centre to get behind the zero-waste movement. We noticed more students in attendance than last year, along with a mix of industry, academic, and government groups, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — an encouraging sign that the circular economy is moving into the thought space of senior government officials, bringing us to new heights of possibility and widespread action.

We were also thrilled to see featured changemakers from Make The World Better Magazine at the conference, including ReFeed Canada, Circular Economy Leadership Canada, ShareWares, and Love Food Hate Waste Canada (coming up in Issue 6!). 

And since consistency is key for bringing far-reaching change into any space, it was encouraging to reconnect with folks we met at last year’s 2022 Zero Waste Conference and the Canadian Circular Economy Summit 2023.

Everyone brought an incredible amount of energy and engagement to this year’s theme “climate action through circularity.” There was palpable excitement around circular economy solutions and a focus on what we can do as opposed to things that we cannot control. This created a beautiful counterbalance to the anxiety that often arises in the face of negative environmental impacts and climate change.

Part and parcel with taking action, the event maintained a strong level of sustainability from start to finish. Meals were vegetarian (and delicious), dishes and utensils were reusable, no unnecessary swag was distributed, and magnetic badges were used instead of lanyards. To add an extra zero-waste touch, the badges were collected to be reused at next year’s conference and last year’s decorations were reused throughout the event.

While the decorations were the same, there were some notable changes to the 2023 iteration of the event. As a result of feedback given last year, the conference portion of the agenda was a bit shorter to provide greater opportunities for networking (thanks for listening!). We were able to walk away with a lot of new learnings, connections, and inspiration. 

Positivity and Problem-Solving Pathways

We were given thought-provoking insights into problems impacting the circular economy space, finding pathways for circular economy solutions, and taking action to end waste. 

The opening keynote was given by Dr. Jonathan Foley, Executive Director of Project Drawdown, who offered a clarion call: “We need science, dreams, heroes and leaders,” to help solve today’s climate crisis and bring about solutions. 

The truth is most people don’t realize that 80% of the solutions to address climate change are actually cheaper than current approaches, only 1% are talking about solutions, and many are getting lost in the “doom and gloom” of our climate crisis. 

We need to shift the conversation to meet people where they are and talk about tangible and solvable issues, strike a balance, and replace fear with an image of what a better future looks like. This will help us move beyond climate anxiety, which has become a stumbling block both to proper education and action.

Dr. Foley also highlighted the valuable role of imagination and positive stories, which can help us create and get people on board with winning circular economy strategies. This resonated with us personally since we use Make The World Better Magazine as a vehicle for presenting stories about changemakers who are actively taking action to make a positive impact.

This theme carried over into the day two keynote, “The Elephant in the Room: Behavior Change Solutions for Climate and Circularity,” where Dr. Jiaying Zhao, Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Sustainability and Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, also discussed the importance of positivity as a solution pathway.

As Dr. Zhao explained, only 5% of people in North America talk about climate change on a regular basis, while 65% of people in the world have climate anxiety. “We’re often told what not to do, not what we can do,” Dr. Zhao said. We need to change the narrative and present people with solutions. 

Dr. Zhao introduced us to a simple yet fascinating solution: “Happy Climate Actions.” Happy Climate Actions can be carried out across all facets of our daily lives and implemented into existing schedules, including thoughtful transportation, conscientious shopping, and reducing food waste. Dr. Zhao provided Happy Climate Action examples for clothing, including making clothing easy to re-wear and repair, making shopping a special treat, and turning clothing swaps into social outings. Happy Climate Actions in day-to-day life are a great way to inspire hope, accelerate circularity, and achieve happier living. 

Storytelling Toward Circularity  

The essential role communication, storytelling, and education play in bringing us closer to our net zero and zero waste goals was centre stage throughout the event.

In his presentation, Neil Menezes, Packaging Sustainability Policy Manager at General Mills, spoke about the value of promoting innovation through social media. Offering a glimpse into the company’s commitment to a more recyclable future, he shared insight into their work to make their Nature Valley Crunchy bar wrappers store drop-off recyclable. Two ways to promote this innovation were discussed, along with the benefits and limitations of each. Only providing on-package messaging would speak directly to the communities where drop-off recycling is possible but would limit reach and awareness and slow the pace of adoption. Promoting through social media would demonstrate innovation, speed progress toward sustainability goals, and make it possible to raise awareness among a wider audience but some communities may not be able to recycle.

On the second day, a workshop on Circular Food systems, FOOD SOLVE for loss and waste, invited participants to examine case studies for solving food loss and waste from several different organizations. A grocery store in Vancouver caught our attention, as they’re currently facing an issue with communicating the value of food and supply chains to consumers, a gap they want to close so they can better combat food waste. As a group, we brainstormed solutions for the owner of the store. Most of the solutions the group came up with were centred around education and storytelling, including marketing collateral, effective in-store design, and digital campaigns.

This supports our belief that we need to lean into storytelling if we want circularity to become mainstream. With the right education and emotional connections, people will come to understand the value of zero waste and how they can make sustainable lifestyle choices. 

Inspiration and Innovation

During the conference, we had the chance to connect with a variety of changemakers in the circular economy space and learn about inspiring innovations. 

Our discussions with sustainability professionals led to many encouraging discoveries. In speaking with the Fairmont team, we learned there’s a lot of neat circularity work being done behind the scenes. One of their team members is creating fun and interesting ways to communicate sustainability and is building a culture of sustainability focus.

We also had the opportunity to learn about Oberland Agriscience, an innovative company rearing nutrient-rich black soldier fly larvae that will become part of livestock, pet, and fish feed, and an all-natural fertilizer. To maximize the circularity of the loop they’ve created, the insects use discarded fruit as their food source. Their products and processes can also help activate natural plant defences that could reduce the need for pesticides.

Apart from these fruitful conversations, we engaged with many presentations that shed light on innovative circular solutions and sustainability-minded companies.

Dr. Ehab Sayed, Founder and Chief Evolution Officer of Biohm, gave a presentation about this biotechnology company’s fascinating approach to problem-solving using fundamental concepts in physics to help derive real-world solutions. The connection Biohm drew between macroscopic and microscopic was not only interesting but was the ultimate end product in their construction of new materials derived from fungi.

Mindful Architecture was another noteworthy organization and the star of an interesting presentation on architectural projects based on Indigenous designs and lifestyles. In all of their projects, Mindful Architecture seeks to interweave nature with architectural design to re-establish a symbiotic relationship with nature. 

Indigenous-owned, slow fashion, sustainable clothing brand Anne Mulaire also gave a great presentation. Considering the heavy impact of fashion on our planet and the fight to transform the fashion industry through circular solutions, it was great to see a brand making a tangible difference. 

Let’s Work Together to Make an Impact

At the Zero Waste Conference, people from all walks of life brought unique approaches to the (circular) table. Sharing these different perspectives and circular economy strategies is a powerful way to activate people, gain support, and find the best path forward. All of these inspiring changemakers and advocates carry the desire, expertise, and authority to make a positive impact on the world and are proving what’s possible. 

A graduate student told us that the Zero Waste Conference made her feel like she wasn’t alone in wanting to make a difference. That’s a feeling we want everyone to experience.
Are you working to make a positive difference in the world? We would love to team up and amplify your impact. Contact us for a free marketing consultation.

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Events Impact Inspiration & Initiatives

20+ Purpose-Driven Events to Attend in January – March, 2024

Is making the world better one of your New Year’s resolutions? Look no further! There are purpose-driven conferences for every cause that matters to you, including advancing the circular economy, supporting underrepresented communities, championing DEI, advocating for accessibility, and more. 

We’ve tracked down over 20 learning, collaboration, and networking opportunities taking place both online and in-person, in Canada and globally, in the first three months of 2024, so you can start planning an impactful year.

Keep scrolling to learn all about purpose-driven events taking place this January, February, and March.

January

Having Difficult Conversations

Date: January 11, 2024, from 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM PST

Location: Online

Description: This workshop helps individuals with disabilities and their families learn how to navigate conflict and difficult conversations.

Masterclass: Creating Accessible Spaces with Debbie Patterson

Date: January 13, 2024, from 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM PST

Location: Online

Description: At this masterclass, participants will join Winnipeg playwright Debbie Patterson as she explores how to create accessible spaces for artists and audiences with disabilities. 

Connect and Caffeinate: Writing the CFRE

Date: January 18, 2024, from 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM EST

Location: Williams Fresh Cafe, Niagara Falls, Ontario

Description: Join the Niagara Fundraisers Network (NFN) for discussions about fundraising and pursuing Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification over cups of coffee.

JEDDI Seminar: The Geography of Inequality

Date: January 19, 2024, from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM PST

Location: Online

Description: Learn how geographic place, labour markets, and public policy influence households’ economic lives and inequality at this JEDDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Decolonization, and Inclusion) seminar.

Tasting Climate Change / Goûter aux Changements Climatiques 2024

Date: January 23 – 24, 2024

Location: Marché Bonsecours, Montréal, Québec

Description: This conference gathers together international experts to explore sustainability and sustainable production solutions in the wine industry through panel discussions, networking, and wine-tasting sessions.

Indigenous Child and Family Well-Being Conference 2024

Date: January 23 – 25, 2024

Location: Shaw Centre, Ottawa, Ontario

Description: Discover ways to contribute to improving the lives of Indigenous children and families at this conference. Connect with professionals, community leaders, and individuals passionate about supporting Indigenous communities; explore culturally responsive practices, holistic approaches to well-being, and community engagement strategies; and participate in interactive workshops, networking, and knowledge sharing.

Understanding Disability: Community Resources

Date: January 25, 2024, from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM PST

Location: Online

Description: This workshop will help caregivers and professionals supporting individuals with disabilities prepare for adulthood and seniorhood and access what they need to live a good life.

CrossRoads 2024 — Alberta’s Crop Conference

Date: January 29 – 31, 2024

Location: The Westin Calgary Airport, Calgary, Alberta 

Description: Convened by the FarmTech Foundation of Alberta, this agriculture event explores the theme “New ideas and directions – examining big picture innovation in agriculture” at the intersection of people and ideas. Join discussions around agricultural sustainability, policy, markets, innovations, and farm management while enjoying a daily full breakfast and fun networking socials.

February

JEDDI Seminar: Non-Standard Work

Date: February 2, 2024, from 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM PST

Location: Online and In-Person at UBC Sauder School of Business, Vancouver, British Columbia

Description: Discover how individuals adapt to contingent work arrangements and the true organizational costs of hiring different types of contingent workers at this JEDDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Decolonization, and Inclusion) seminar.

15th Annual Black History Month Gala

Date: February 3, 2024

Location: SteelWorkers’ Union Hall & Conference Centre, Sudbury, Ontario

Description: Join the Afro-Heritage Association of Sudbury (AHA) for a Black History Month celebration centred around the theme, “Empowering Change Through Dedicated Service.” Enjoy a special keynote, business showcases, exhibitions, and performances while celebrating  Afro-Caribbean culture and building a deeper sense of community.

CityAge Vancouver: Urban Zero Challenge

Date: February 6, 2024, from 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM PST

Location: Fairmont Waterfront, Vancouver, British Columbia

Description: Rise to CityAge Vancouver’s Urban Zero Challenge at this event, which will explore key themes around reducing environmental impacts, including decarbonizing cities, zero-emission transportation, zero-emission buildings, a new approach to urban development, and connecting Cascadia, along with the technologies and tools needed to meet this challenge head-on.

Women of Influence Nanaimo (WIN) Awards

Date: February 7, 2024, from 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM PST

Location: Vancouver Island Conference Centre, Nanaimo, British Columbia

Description: Celebrate the accomplishments of women, non-binary, two-spirit, and gender-diverse role models in the Nanaimo community at this purpose-driven awards ceremony.

1st Global Conference on Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestries & Food (GCAFFF)

Date: February 9 – 11, 2024

Location: The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia

Description: Meet with professionals, policymakers, sector leaders, and relevant participants in the agriculture, fisheries, forestries, and food industries for an interdisciplinary conference focused on sustainable methodologies, economically feasible and environmentally responsible strategies, societal considerations, and the effects of climate variability, all with the purpose of stimulating transformative change.

1st Global Conference on Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability

Date: February 9 – 11, 2024

Location: The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia

Description: Get ready for a deep dive into renewable energy technologies and environmental conservation at this conference, which aims to bring together global leaders, experts, and policymakers to address global issues such as climate change, energy security, and equitable access to resources, and to collaborate toward actionable solutions.

Protecting Human Rights in AI: Integration in Risk-Based Governance

Date: February 14, 2024

Location: Mila – Institut québécois d’intelligence artificielle, Montréal, Québec

Description: This conference seeks to advance the critical efforts needed to incorporate human rights into AI governance. Experts will speak on several relevant topics, including human rights impact assessments, tools for risk measurement, and how to ensure accountability. 

Starting Courageous Conversations

Date: February 16, 2024, from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM AST

Location: IGNITE Atlantic Auditorium, New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

Description: At this workshop, folks in Pictou County will learn about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; unconscious bias and language changes; and how to build and foster inclusive and welcoming communities.

Networking Brunch / Déjeuner-causerie – “Celebrating Black Excellence”

Date: February 17, 2024, from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM EST

Location: Plaza Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec

Description: Celebrate Black History Month at this networking event, which seeks to inspire entrepreneurs and provide them with valuable insights to help them succeed. Plus, enjoy a recognition ceremony that will highlight the achievements of successful members of the Montréal Black community.

International Conference On Women Startups

Date: February 27 – 29, 2024

Location: 91 Granton Drive, Richmond Hill, Ontario

Description: This conference demonstrates why women are needed to develop the economy, discusses the benefits of women innovators and diverse entrepreneurship, and seeks to support women’s economic empowerment.

March

JEDDI Seminar: Consumer & Societal Wellbeing

Date: March 1, 2024, from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM PST

Location: Online

Description: Learn how to help improve consumer’s financial, health, and food decisions, particularly among vulnerable populations at this JEDDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Decolonization, and Inclusion) seminar.

Wilderness, Wildlife & Human Interaction

Date: March 2, 2024, from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM MST

Location: Bragg Creek Community Centre, Bragg Creek, Alberta 

Description: At this “Wilderness, Wildlife and Human Interaction”-themed symposium, explore new perspectives surrounding wildlife preservation, domestic and wild landscape management, conservation past and present, alternative energy, new technology, and more, and uncover creative methods toward achieving a healthier and more sustainable planet. 

Women Inspire-2024 (Celebrating Women in Business & Leadership)

Date: March 6, 2024, from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST

Location: East Water Front- Ball Room, Toronto, Ontario

Description: In honour of International Women’s Day, this forum provides a platform to showcase lessons from Canada’s inspiring business women, including lessons learned and best practices. The event will include networking and debates to help cultivate new partners, relationships, and markets for business growth.

Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) 101

Date: March 13, 2024, from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM PDT

Location: Online

Description: This workshop provides an introduction and overview of Alberta’s Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) government service. Caregivers will gain an understanding of the program and service provision options.

Champions Retreat 2024: Restore

Date: March 18 – 22, 2024

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia

Description: Join members of the B Corp movement at this inspirational event, designed to connect and mobilize values-aligned people from Canada and the US who are using business as a force for good. This year’s theme, “Restore,” will engage attendees on a journey toward collective and personal restoration while examining the power of healing in community.

Global Conference on Girl Child Empowerment (GCGCE 2024)

Date: March 23 – 25, 2024

Location: Woodbine Banquet and Convention Hall, Toronto, Ontario

Description: Convened by The Amara Girls Initiative (TAGI), this conference will unite over 400 delegates from around the world and all walks of life to inspire women and girls and promote general equality. This year’s theme will focus on how empowering girls and investing in their education and health will lead to a better future for everyone.

Source to Stream 2024

Date: March 26 – 27, 2024

Location: Pearson Convention Centre, East Brampton, Ontario

Description: This event, organized by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) in association with Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) and Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority (LSRCA), through the Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program (STEP), will showcase the work of leading industry experts, influencers, and researchers who are shaping a low-impact future for stormwater management, erosion and sediment control, and stream restoration.

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Impact Inspiration & Initiatives

Sparx Publishing Group’s Year in Review 2023

Here at Sparx Publishing Group, we’ve been busier than ever. With a heightened focus on purpose, connection, and sharing stories of hope, we’ve gained some major traction on our mission to make the world better.

As we prepare for another year of impact, we’re reflecting on 2023’s biggest achievements.

Keep scrolling for some of this year’s brightest moments, including new certifications, programs, and partnerships; our 2023 event circuit; and Make The World Better Magazine milestones. Plus, we’re debuting our social purpose statement and offering a special sneak peek at what’s coming in 2024.

Certifications, Partnerships, and Programs 

This year, Sparx was thrilled to participate in a number of purpose-driven programs, enter into new values-aligned partnerships, and receive impact-focused certifications to ensure we’re walking our talk when it comes to making the world better.

Here are some of the exciting certifications, partnerships, and programs we took part in this year:

Events

Collaboration is pivotal to making Sparx’s vision of a better world a reality. 

Not only do we get to meet inspiring changemakers and learn how we can amplify our purpose, we’ve been able to connect values-aligned people from various industries, such as connecting impact investors with entrepreneurs so they can find the types of projects they want to support and help drive social good. 

We also created a series of blog posts that share purpose-driven events for each month of the year (April-June, July-September, October-December, January-March) so socially-minded folks can plan their calendar, expand their knowledge, and make the critical connections they need to grow their impact. 

Here are some of the big events we attended and participated in this year:

Make The World Better Magazine

Something we’ve seen emphasized throughout the year is the power of and need for stories of hope. Our theory of change rests on the premise that by demonstrating that it is possible to do good without having to sacrifice doing well financially, we can ignite purpose-driven sparks and inspire action, especially in the face of today’s most troubling challenges. We’ll be sharing more stories of hope in Make The World Better Magazine in the year ahead by including even more positive stories outside of the issues we produce each year and building out a hope-filled, purpose-driven community around the magazine.

After all, hope is deeply embedded in our social purpose statement. And what is our social purpose statement, you ask? Drum roll, please…

“We exist to amplify voices that catalyze positive change.”

Here’s how we’ve lived out our statement through Make The World Better Magazine and some other magazine-related milestones we reached this year:

  • Make The World Better Magazine Impact Update: This year, we took the time to reflect on the impact of Make The World Better Magazine and the strides we’ve made toward our goals. So far, the first five issues of Make The World Better Magazine have attracted over four thousand online readers from 54 countries and featured 40+ changemakers who have achieved some incredible milestones. Be sure to check out the full update report for more highlights.
  • Transition from Issuu: In May 2023, we moved away from publishing Make The World Better Magazine on Issuu. While a great platform, we wanted to increase accessibility and community around the magazine. Initially, we shifted from publishing on Issuu to publishing on the Sparx website. Now, we will also publish magazine content on Patreon to help us grow our purpose-driven community.
  • Make The World Better Magazine Patreon: We’ve decided it’s time to give people an opportunity to support Make The World Better Magazine financially. We won’t ever gatekeep and will continue to offer free content, but creating a Patreon is a way for us to keep things financially sustainable, grow our community, and share more stories by expanding our medium.

2024 Look Ahead

There’s a lot to look forward to in the year ahead at Sparx Publishing Group. 

Several new issues of Make The World Better Magazine are slated to come out in 2024, which will explore exciting themes. Issue 7, the Wellbeing Economy, is already in the works!

We’ve also got big plans in store for our Patreon. Stay tuned for new types of content, bonus stories of impact, and new support tiers that will allow our readers to choose how they support Make The World Better Magazine. 

Plus, we’re already starting to fill up our event calendar for the year. With the planned return of the Summit on Responsible Investment, our return to annual events like the Zero Waste Conference, and more, we’re looking forward to an action-packed year of connection, education, and collaboration.

Most of all, we plan to focus more than ever on community-building and inspiring hope. Together, we can make the world better and create long-term wellbeing for all.

Inspire Hope and Share Your Purpose Story

Are you doing good and striving to make a difference in the world? We know how much your purpose-driven efforts matter. Contact us for a free consultation. We know your story can inspire hope and action. Together, let’s make it shine.

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Impact Inspiration & Initiatives Purpose-Driven Marketing Tips Sustainability Tips

30+ Eco-Friendly and Zero-Waste Gift Ideas for the Holidays 2023

The holiday season is a time of thoughtful giving, but it can be detrimental environmentally. Thankfully, there are a lot of ways we can spread some holiday cheer while also spreading positive impact.

Alternatives, like finding pre-loved items, are a great way to give unique gifts. Homemade gifts, including sharing recipes, make for personal and heartwarming presents. And making memorable experiences together is something truly priceless.

If you choose to shop for the people on your list, there are plenty of eco-friendly options out there and sustainable ways to gift wrap. Öko Creations offers some beautiful zero-waste gift wrap selections, including reusable bows, gift bags, pouches, and furoshiki wraps made from rescued fabrics. Other waste-free ways to package presents include upcycling gift bags you were given, reusing boxes, wrapping in recycled and recyclable paper, or getting creative with things you already have, like scarves or beeswax wraps.

And if you’re looking for something new and meaningful to buy, check out these sustainable and purpose-driven gift options we’ve rounded up that not only help support the planet but people as well.

Home & Lifestyle

Nature Bee Fire Starters – Keep your loved ones warm all winter long with these eco-friendly fire starters made from beeswax wrap offcuts by Nature Bee, an inclusive, woman-owned and -operated, sustainable Canadian company that uses locally-sourced ingredients to make products in-house.

Mimi & August Reusable Candle – Available in three different sizes, this reusable candle is hand-poured in Canada, 100% vegan and cruelty-free, made from biodegradable soy wax, and uses non-toxic fragrances. The website includes tips on how to use every drop of wax and ways to reuse the jar, including as a coffee cup, a spice container, or jewellery holder.

Friendsheep Wool Handmade Gifts – Handmade for fair wages by Nepalese women artists, these beautiful Eco Coasters are made with 100% cruelty-free New Zealand wool and coloured with azo-free eco-friendly dyes; and these Penguin Dryer Balls are all-natural, organic, fully reusable for over 1,000 loads, and add a touch of wintertime festivity to every load of laundry. Plus, Friendship Wool has a partnership with Eden Reforestation Project meaning a tree is planted for every product purchased; is a member of 1% of the Planet; donates about 20% of all their proceeds to several nonprofit organizations; and is compostable and plastic-free down to the packaging.

Baloo Weighted Blanket – Give a gift of warmth and comfort with this chemical-free, plastic-free, vegan, weighted blanket from Canadian brand Baloo. The fact that the company donates a portion of profits to the Pajama Program and is carbon neutral through a partnership with SeaTrees by Sustainable Surf makes this one feel extra cozy.

Pebbly Compost Bin – This functional, lightweight, and durable compost bin adds sustainability to any home or countertop. It’s made from metal and bamboo, has a handle for easy lifting, comes with a charcoal filter, and a seven-litre capacity.

LastTissue Reusable Tissue Pack – These reusable, 100% Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic cotton tissues come in an easy-to-clean silicone case with sewn-in barriers for sanitary storage. Each tissue can be cleaned in a washing machine and used over 520 times. Plus, LastTissue is a certified B Corp, mom-owned, charitable, and practices safe and fair labour, with products that are compostable, cruelty-free, organic, and with low-impact dyes and inks.

Tech & Accessories 

Ronxs Rechargeable Electric Lighters – Save matches and skip the disposable lighters and butane. These electric chargers come in different styles and colours, are USB rechargeable, wind- and weather-proof, and can light hundreds of times per charge, making them a great and practical eco-friendly gift option.

Pela Biodegradable Phone Cases – These plant-based, biodegradable phone cases come in a wide variety of designs and styles to suit the needs of everyone on your list. Plus, Pela is carbon neutral, supports various purpose-driven organizations and nonprofits, partners to help other companies reduce their footprint, is on a mission to keep 10 billion pounds of waste from being made, and donates to Ocean Cleanup and Preservation initiatives each time they make a sale. 

Nimble Ethically-Made Tech – Made using recycled and eco-friendly materials, Nimble’s portable chargers, wireless chargers, and charging cables are housed in plastic-free packaging made from biodegradable recycled paper with no harmful inks or dyes and built to last. These durable charging products are a great gift for all the tech-users in your life. Plus, Nimble includes a recycled plastic bag and a prepaid shipping label with each product so they can recycle old tech and e-waste for free.

Games & Activities 

Bare Market Flower Paper Kit – This eco-friendly kit is ideal for the crafter in your life who wants to engage with nature and enjoy an activity using sustainable and natural materials. Plus, Bare Market offers local delivery and ships using 100% plastic-free upcycled packaging. It’s all part of their mission “to make sustainable and ethical living easy and accessible for everyone, everywhere.”

The Good Tee DIY Shirt Kits – Your loved ones can customize to their heart’s content with these sustainable t-shirt kits that come with water-based, non-toxic, acid-free fabric paints, markers, or natural dye ingredients. They can feel good wearing their creations, as The Good Tee is a certified B Corp on “a mission to humanize the fashion industry,” with durable and sustainable products, a 100% transparent and traceable supply chain, and contribution toward UN Sustainable Development Goals, positively impacting both people and planet.

Zefiro Recycled Coloured Pencils – Support your loved one’s creativity with these recycled coloured pencil sets made from 100% recycled newspapers and packaged in a recyclable travel container. Each set is plastic-free, biodegradable, and compostable. The brand Zefiro is a member of 1% for the Planet and donates 1% of their annual sales toward environmental causes, while the seller, Zero Waste Hero, is a women-operated and -owned Canadian online store dedicated to providing sustainable alternatives.

Made By Bees All Natural Beeswax Crayons – Bring joy to the children on your list with these handmade 100% Canadian beeswax crayons that are safe for all ages, durable, use food-grade pigments, and are made to fit small hands. Each purchase includes a free downloadable colouring book to teach children about bees and encourage creativity. Proceeds from crayon sales will be donated to the Tech Transfer Team based out of the University of Guelph which conducts vital research for Ontario’s beekeeping industry.

Forestation Board Game – This environmental strategy board game is a great gift for families, friends, and gamers alike, and challenges players to build and maintain a sustainable ecosystem of plants and animals. Made by a family-run company in Victoria, BC, the FSC-certified game uses local artwork, animals, and trees to make an immersive experience and is sustainably manufactured in the Netherlands using sustainably sourced materials. Plus, 5% of all sales go to the Wilderness Committee and 5% to the Rainforest Conservation Foundation.

Plantoys Beaver Tumble – This timber-toppling game is sustainably made in Thailand using chemical-free rubberwood, formaldehyde-free glue, organic pigments, and water-based dyes. It’s available for purchase through The Mini Branch, a small Canadian company run by a husband-and-wife team that aims to provide families with durable and sustainable products, offers guaranteed clothing buy-back and no-time limit returns to help encourage sustainability, and supports local vendors and community outreach.

Food & Drink

Fernwood Coffee Beans – Fill their cup with purpose with this coffee blend from Victoria-based company Fernwood, a Certified Canada Organic, Fair Trade, Swiss Water Process, and Offsetters climate-friendly company. Through a partnership with Raincoast Conservation Foundation and Pender Island Conservancy, proceeds from this blend go to the Raincoast Conservation Foundation to fundraise for their project to preserve and protect a special ecosystem in British Columbia’s Gulf Islands.

Raven Rising Holiday Chocolates – Choose from a collection of holiday-themed, sustainable, ethically sourced, traceable, Fair Trade, organic chocolates for the foodie on your list. Ingredients are sourced from Indigenous people and businesses in Canada and globally. Indigenous women-owned and -operated, Raven Rising donates a portion of proceeds to various societies that support Indigenous organizations and carries a number of certifications.

Camino Hot Chocolate – Find a drink for everyone on the list with these certified organic, Fair Trade certified hot chocolate mixes that come in a variety of flavours, including milk, dark, maple, and chili and spice. Canadian company Camino is focused on making both a social and environmental impact through dignified and meaningful employment, sustainable packaging, donating unsold products to food banks, investing in carbon offset bonds, and more.

Pluck Holiday Tea – These limited edition holiday tea blends come in reusable stacking glass jars and three flavours: Apple Spice, Gingerbread Spice, and Chocolate Orange. Made by Toronto-based brand, Pluck, each ingredient is ethically sourced in Canada from a growing network of Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade, and organic certified tea farms. Plus, many of their ingredients are Upcycled Food Association certified and their tea bags are plastic-free, made from plants, renewable, compostable, and biodegradable.

Drizzle Cinnamon Spiced Honey – Gift your loved ones a sweet treat with this holiday-themed Cinnamon Spiced organic, bee-friendly, all-natural, non-GMO, 100% raw honey from certified women-owned and -operated B Corp, Drizzle, who donates 1% of profits to pollinator research.

Self Care

Rockwell Beard Products – Give the gift of plastic-free, anti-static beard care with these durable beard shapers and bristle brushes made from bamboo. Rockwell Razors is on a mission to eliminate single-use plastic from its supply chain, has diverted over 100 tonnes of plastic waste, is committed to continuous improvement when it comes to the sustainability of its packaging, and seeks to create more products that replace traditionally plastic-laden items. 

No Tox Life Moisturizing Vegan Shaving Bar – These gentle, moisturizing, and palm-oil-free shaving bars for body and face ditch plastic bottles to make showers more sustainable and are wrapped in paper for shipping. No Tox Life is a family business run by a mother-and-daughter team that uses plant-derived ingredients and plastic-free, upcycled, and biodegradable shipping materials. 

Educated Beards Beard Wash – Handcrafted in small batches, this beard wash is great for removing ingrown hairs and dirt and is good for all skin and beard types. Non-comedogenic, cruelty-free, made from natural and certified organic ingredients, and housed in 100% biodegradable packaging, this wash is a great gift option from a brand that collaborates with Fair Trade companies and uses local ingredients and vendors wherever possible. 

Sḵwálwen Botanicals Gift Sets – Nourish good with sustainably and renewably hand-harvested, hydrating, and healing gift sets. In harmony with the teachings of their Skwxwú7mesh ancestors, Sḵwálwen uses an Indigenous supply chain, native botanicals, and regenerative practices, works to preserve Indigenous plants, and creates products that are free of harsh chemicals, phthalates, synthetics, and parabens. 

Soft & Butter Caona – Exfoliating Facial Scrub – This sustainable golden honey exfoliating facial scrub is made using an Indigenous plant-to-product model and natural ingredients that help with underlying skin issues. Soft and Butter, founded by Jasmine Swimmer, a member of the Taino Arawak First Nation people, infuses traditional Indigenous plant culture into each product, partners with Indigenous farmers and lawn owners, and champions sustainability and economic growth between Canada and Africa.

Little Seed Farm Holiday Sugar Body Scrub – Your loved ones can luxuriate in the scent of their favourite holiday treats with this all-natural, organic, cruelty-free, peppermint vanilla sugar scrub that comes in a glass jar with a recyclable metal lid. Little Seed Farm, a family-farm–owned and -made brand, is 100% solar powered, uses zero-waste biodegradable and recyclable shipping, and humanely manages a 100% grass-fed goat herd, making this gift guilt-free.

Apparel 

Unbelts Stretch Belts – Equitably made, made to last, and made from recycled materials, these stretchy belts are comfortable, machine-washable, super adjustable, and made in Canada by B Corp-certified company, Unbelts. This female-founded company engages in a lot of social and environmental good initiatives, including donating a portion of their inventory to community organizations, offering mentorship to purpose-driven companies, advocating at sustainable apparel events, and using circular methodologies.

Good For Sunday Save the Ocean Bamboo Crewneck – Made from sustainable bamboo in a family-owned factory in Toronto, every sweater purchased helps protect our oceans and marine life via a $5 donation to Sea Shepherd. Plus, Good For Sunday has embedded environmental and ethical responsibility into all its business processes and practices, including compostable packaging, responsible shipping with carbon offsetting, and an environmentally responsible return program called EcoDrop. 

Solmate Socks – Bundle up for winter with socks made from recycled yarns that contain no added chemicals. Best of all, Solmate is a B Corp with additional certifications by the Global Recycling Standard and Oeko-Tex materials that sources from Recover’s Upcycling System, practices carbon offsetting, and is involved in several giving initiatives to help various causes.

The Better Good Upcycled Wool Mittens – Give a practical and unique gift with these lined winter mitts made with 100% upcycled materials. Your loved ones will feel extra warm knowing that The Better Good sells products that are organic and Fair Trade and made with upcycled, recycled, or renewable materials; works with local producers; is involved in giving initiatives and hosts free community events; and offers a special discount program to help people make values-aligned purchases who wouldn’t be able to otherwise due to costs.

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Impact Inspiration & Initiatives Make The World Better Magazine

Make The World Better Magazine Impact Update 2023

We have big dreams for our in-house publication, Make The World Better Magazine. Our biggest: to amplify stories of changemakers so their impact spreads far and wide and purpose becomes the mainstream.

Of course, big dreams take time and effort to become reality. Along the way, it’s encouraging for featured participants, our readers, and the Sparx team to see that our work is making a tangible difference and contributing to a better world.

Check out our 2023 impact update for insight into the progress we’ve made so far on our goals, starting from when we launched the magazine in September 2021 until our fifth issue, released in July 2023.

MTWB Magazine Statistics 

Impressions and Engagements 

The first five issues of Make The World Better Magazine have garnered the following amounts of impressions and readers since their respective publication dates:

Issue 1 – Better Together: 3,613 Impressions, 829 Readers (since September 2021)

Issue 2 – The Next Regeneration: 3,625 Impressions, 799 Readers (since April 2022) 

Issue 3 – The Circular Economy: 3,155 Impressions, 1,036 Readers (since September 2022)*

Issue 4 – Capital As A Force For Good: 664 Impressions, 419 Readers (since February 2023)

Issue 5 – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: 524 Impressions, 370 Readers (since July 2023)

*The last edition of the magazine that we published on Issuu. All links to editions on this platform expired in May 2023. From Issue 4 onwards, all issues were published exclusively on the Sparx website.

Meanwhile, our Make The World Better Magazine blog posts have cumulatively attracted 1,122 Impressions and 1,014 Readers.

This brings the grand total to 12,703 Impressions and 4,467 Readers!

Additionally, across our Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) social media accounts, Make The World Better Magazine content has garnered 15,860 total social impressions and 1,303 total social engagements.

Demographics 

Make The World Better Magazine has been read by users in 54 countries. The majority of our readers are located in Canada (54%), followed by the United States (26%), Ireland (3%), and the United Kingdom, India, and Sweden, all at roughly 2%.

With readership as far-reaching as Japan, Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil, United Arab Emirates, Estonia, Jamaica, New Zealand, and Zimbabwe, our readership has truly hit global levels. We hope to see the number of readers in each of these countries increase and make an impact in even more locations.

Milestones

Exposure and Awareness

We’ve worked hard to increase awareness of Make The World Better Magazine through various methods such as outreach, sharing on social media, event attendance, and networking. With each new connection we make and issue we produce, awareness expands. 

Of course, we can’t thank our featured participants enough for the pivotal role they play in our publication. Each time they share MTWB Magazine content across their social media channels and their featured articles in blogs, newsletters, and social media blasts, it helps our publication achieve greater impact. 

As of Issue 5, we’ve had the honour of featuring 43 changemakers:

Issue 1 – Better Together:

Issue 2 – The Next Regeneration:

Issue 3 – The Circular Economy:

Issue 4 – Capital As A Force For Good:

Issue 5 – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

Our next issue, the Amplifiers edition (set for the end of 2023) will see 10 more changemakers added to our participant line-up. 

Print Copy Distribution 

Along with providing print copies to participants and on request, we’ve distributed the magazine at several purpose-driven events, including: 

We’re proud to report that the magazine has been well-received at these events and has opened the door for positive conversations and new partnerships. For example, all 50 copies of the Circular Economy issue that we brought to the Canadian Circular Economy Summit were gone by the end of day one. 

In addition to bringing physical copies to events, we also provide scannable QR codes so attendees can dive into each purpose-driven page digitally. 

Patreon

In 2023, we created a Patreon account for Make The World Better Magazine. Our goal is to build a community of values-driven individuals, gain wider support, share content, and spread impact on this new-to-us platform. You can sign up here. 

Featured Company Milestones

We really believe in the work every featured participant is doing. In light of this, we take great joy in keeping track of their achievements, collaborations, and other updates. After all, a rising tide lifts all boats in the purpose-driven space.

While all the changemakers we’ve featured have made their mark in some way or another, the following have had some noteworthy successes since being featured in Make The World Better Magazine:

Issue 1 Participants

Raising the Roof: Completed Reside project in Toronto (December 2021), facilitated Community Builders expansion in Greater Sudbury (February 2022), and received a $129,000 affordable housing initiative grant for Raising the Roof Orillia (July 2023).

ShareWares: Partnered with Body Energy Club to implement reusable cup program (May 2022), launched Tim Horton’s Borrow a Cup pilot program in Vancouver (June 2022), partnered with SkipTheDishes to provide reusable packaging option for Vancouver residents (December 2022), and was a recipient of CleanBC Plastics Action Fund: Phase 2 (April 2023).

QMUNITY: Partnered with Capilano University to deliver a Gender Diversity and Queer Inclusivity learning pilot program (December 2022) and started construction on a 2SLGBTIA+ social housing tower with two-level space for QMUNITY on September 2023, after receiving initial approval from Vancouver City Council back in July 2021. 

Issue 2 Participants 

Bluebird Grain Farms: Broke ground on new processing facility/expansion project (August 2021), received the SBA Seattle District Rural Small Business of the Year award (May 2022), and held a Grand Opening for their new granary (September 2022).

Cascadia Seaweed: Won BC Food & Beverage Awards – Innovation Award (2020), Sustainability Award (2021), and Social Impact Award (2022), as reported here; was awarded $1.8M in Grant Funding from the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (2021), received $4.3 million from the federal government to establish a 100-hectare seaweed farm and agri-feed processing facility close to Prince Rupert (October 2022), awarded $73,771 by the Canadian Food Innovation Network (November 2022), secured $1.5 million funding from the British Columbia Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (June 2023), and partnered with ReFeed Canada Partners to launch Cascadia’s first commercialized agricultural product (2023).

Ecosystem Services Market Consortium: Launched market program, Eco-Harvest (May 2022) and partnered with General Mills, who Invested $3 Million to scale Eco-Harvest (June 2022), as reported here; Eco-Harvest became the first market program to reach pilot certification under the Value Change Initiative in the US (2022) and partnered on seven USDA Climate Smart Commodity Grants (September — December 2022), according to their 2022 Annual Report; and announced the positive incomes being delivered with Eco-Harvest program (June 2023). 

Moment Energy: Established a supply agreement with Mercedes-Benz Energy (MBE) for second-life electric vehicle batteries (July 2022), announced the successful installation of its Flora system at the God’s Pocket Resort (March 2023), established a distribution agreement for battery energy storage systems with Saskatchewan Renewable Energy Solutions (July 2023), and became the first and only company in North America to achieve UL 1974 certification, the Standard for Evaluation for Repurposing Batteries (October 2023).

ReFeed Canada: Received the StrongerBC Accelerating Manufacturing Grant (October 2021); signed on as the exclusive Canadian distributor for four innovative Agtech companies: Cascadia Seaweed, Agrotek Industries, HYDRALOC, and Circular Harvest (2023); and signed on as a non-exclusive Canadian Distributor for GreenStreme® organic fish fertilizer for growing and soil health (2023).

Solaires: Named a Victoria Tech Community Awards finalist in two categories: Scale Company of the Year (11-29) and Innovative Excellence – Hardware (November 2022) and was named CB Innovation Awards 2023: Best green energy innovator (May 2023). 

Issue 3 Participants

Circular Rubber Technologies: Received $3.2 million in funding from the Government of Alberta through Emissions Reduction Alberta (February 2023) and was a finalist for the Foresight Canada 2023 BC Cleantech Awards – Startup of the Year award (March 2023).

Too Good To Go: Saved nearly 79 million meals in 2022, registered over 20 million new users and worked with over 80,000 new stores in 2022, welcomed 595 new colleagues to the team, continued their B Corp journey and were named “Best in the World” in Governance for the second year in a row (2022); and acquired tech start-up CodaBene in November 2022 and rolled out FoodMemo in France with expansion plans slated for 2023, according to their 2022 Impact Report.

Issue 4 Participants

Foresight Canada: Celebrated a decade of impact in September 2023 and released their Impact Report. Highlights include: over 8,000 jobs created, $474 million in revenue generated, over 1,000 companies supported, and $1.68 billion in ventured raised capital (2023).

Spring Activator: As mentioned in MTWB Magazine, Spring partnered with TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good to launch their first Women-led Impact Investor Challenge (September — December 2022). Across this investor challenge and two others (Food Impact Challenge and Kootaney Investment Challenge), Spring gave out investments totalling $170,000 as of November 30, 2022.

Issue 5 Participants 

Benevity: Joined CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion within the workplace, and pledged to support a coalition representing more than 21 million employees globally toward positive change (September 2023).

Meaningful Access Consulting: Selected as the Open Door Group’s Untapped 2023 BC Workplace Inclusion Champion for Small Business (Under 100 Employees) (2023).

Raven Indigenous Capital Partners: Released their 2022 Impact Report after our interview with them for Issue 5, which included impact stories and headline metrics across portfolio companies, including 71% Indigenous ownership, $25 million Fund 1 and $100 million Fund II assets under management, and 25 investments in 11 companies.

MTWB Events

The Summit on Responsible Investment

The Summit on Responsible Investment brought together participants from previous issues of Make The World Better Magazine to discuss mission-aligned topics during the Make The World Better panel. 

Following a company presentation from Susgrainable (Issue 3), the following participants appeared together on stage, both virtually and in-person, to talk all things regenerative business:

  • Mike Williamson, Founding Partner and CEO at Cascadia Seaweed (Issue 2)
  • Bram van den Berg, COO and CFO at Circular Rubber Technologies (Issue 3)
  • Tracy Lydiatt, Mining Innovation Project Manager at Foresight Canada (Issue 4)
  • Sage Lacerte, Founder & CEO at Sage Initiative (Upcoming — Issue 6)

Key discussion points included: providing an overview of their companies and purpose-driven work, the benefits of regenerative businesses, bridging the gap between innovators and investors, partnerships with Indigenous Peoples, and making a profit while doing good.

MTWB Day 

Our in-house event is centred around putting aside our usual workflows to dedicate the day to making as much impact together as we can, including attending purpose-driven film screenings, shoreline clean-ups, hackathons, and webinars. 

As part of Make The World Better Day 2021, we launched the inaugural edition of the magazine. Check out our Make The World Better Day 2023 Event Recap for what we did and accomplished this year.

Future Event Planning

We hope to host and moderate more Make The World Better–themed panels and events in the future. The Sparx team has been brainstorming possibilities that we’re excited to turn into action. Meanwhile, we’ll continue to participate in various purpose-driven events to share copies of the magazine and make an impact.

Testimonials

We’re excited to share what our participants have said about Make The World Better Magazine. Their positive feedback is a great encouragement to us going forward, sparking high hopes for the continued and future success of our publication. 

“[T]he layout looks absolutely gorgeous and the content is absolutely incredible. Congratulations on your first publication.” — Plan International Canada

“Great to see that the magazine is published! I read our article, it is great.” — Raising the Roof

“You all did a great job. What a wonderful publication! […] Thanks again for highlighting our farm, we really appreciate the PR!” — Brooke Lucy, Co-Owner & Founder of Bluebird Grain Farms 

“Pleased to be in such great company 🙌 Thank you!” — Cascadia Seaweed

“[I]t looks great. […] We really appreciate you all providing us this opportunity to share our work.” — Thayer Tomlinson, Director Of Communications at Ecosystem Services Market Consortium

“Thank you for the feature.” — EMKAO Foods

“Make The World Better Magazine, published by Sparx Publishing Group, is on Journey to collaborate with innovative companies, whose mission is to make the world a better place by what they do. I am honored to have been interviewed in the second edition (see Pg. 44-45), where we discussed how Insurance can be utilized to help commercialize for innovative businesses. […] Special thank you to Hamish Khamisa [President & Founder of Sparx PG] & Alexandra Nikitina [Head of Growth at Sparx PG] for leading the charge on this mission, along with all of the Innovative Companies and their visionaries who have been featured in this edition. They see the world as it could be and pursue the vision through their incredible work.” — James K. Asaad, President and Vice Chairman- Toronto at Ferrari & Associates Insurance and Financial Services

“Thanks so much for passing this on and again for the feature. […] It’s a really great read!” — Nada Grocery

“Feeling so thankful to have Moment featured by Sparx after being ranked as one of Canada’s Top Impact companies!” — Edward Chiang, Co-Founder & CEO at Moment Energy 

“Thanks, Sparx Publishing Group for featuring Moment Energy! If you are interested in hearing about Moment Energy’s founding story, mission, challenges and successes, as well as goals and upcoming projects, then read the magazine from pages 38 to 41.” — Miguel Adolfo Reséndiz Jiménez, Marketing Manager at Moment Energy 

“Check out our exclusive interview on the newest issue of Make The World Better Magazine that highlights organizations accelerating us towards a more #sustainable future. Thank you for the feature, Sparx Publishing Group and a big thanks to Alexandra Nikitina [Head of Growth at Sparx PG] for coordinating with us!” — Solaires

“Thank you for the opportunity to share our story, and shed light on this important issue 🙏.” — FoodMesh

“Thanks for sharing the link — it’s great to see this come together!” – Andrea Davis, Media and Communications Manager at Benevity

“Thank you so much for including us, this is awesome!” — Cicely Belle Blaine, Founder & CEO of Bakau Consulting

“Thanks so much […] [I] can’t wait to share! Also excited to receive the hard copies in the mail :)” — Rita Steele, Founder of the BIPOC Sustainability Collective

“[W]e really appreciate being included in the magazine and contributing to the thoughtful discourse around DEI and accessibility.” — Karin Pasqua, Co-Founder and Accessibility & Universal Design Consultant at Meaningful Access Consulting

“It looks great! I love the typography choices and layout. It has a very fresh and minimalist look with an element of sophistication (aesthetics nerd here).” — Spring Activator

“I showed my son the article and he was very proud. So I’m a happy mom and that’s the best I can hope for in this world.” — Sxwpilemaát Siyám / Chief Leanne Joe

“The story turned out great and I’ll make sure to share it on all of our platforms.” — Randal Wyatt, Founder & Executive Director of Taking Ownership PDX

Cascadia Seaweed also emailed us to share positive feedback, including that they found our Why and How Circular Economy Companies in Canada Should Use Storytelling blog post useful and that they were so inspired by our reimagined Secret Santa, which they saw in our newsletter, that they decided to do it at their company as well.

And, it was wonderful to see ReFeed Canada share a link to their featured article in their communications flow.

Together, We Can Make the World Better

Enjoy stories of impact? Subscribe to Make The World Better Magazine to dive into purpose as soon as new issues are released.

And if you’re a changemaker working hard to make the world better, contact us for a free marketing consultation. We’d love to join forces and help tell your story.

Categories
Events Impact Inspiration & Initiatives

Key Takeaways from the Summit on Responsible Investment

Sparx has been a trusted partner of the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) since 2014, so we’re no stranger to providing our market services and offering event support to this rapidly growing exchange. That’s why when the CSE envisioned hosting a socially responsible investing (SRI) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) event, we were all in to collaborate and contribute our sustainability expertise.

Back in June, the CSE’s vision became reality. Companies listed on the CSE, investors, purpose-driven organizations, and sustainability experts travelled to Kelowna for the Summit on Responsible Investment. The result? An eye-opening day packed with insights, discussions, and professionals excited about positive change.

Looking back on this event fills us with hope that more companies will get on board with ESG, more investors will engage with impact investing, and more people will take action and use capital as a force for good. To help spread our hope and raise awareness, we’re recapping the event and sharing our takeaways.

Keep scrolling for our event highlights, including attendees we connected with and insights we gained, takeaways from Dr. Victoria Hurth’s keynote and the Make The World Better Panel, and the action attendees took to make a tangible impact on the community.

Connecting With an Enthusiastic Crowd

To reduce our carbon footprint, Sparx team members carpooled to the Kelowna Innovation Centre for this groundbreaking socially responsible investing and ESG investing event. The venue was modern and spacious, with an atrium for the purpose-driven exhibitors and a space for mingling and coffee breaks. Sessions were held in the theatre room from 9:00 AM–5:00 PM and live-streamed in the atrium. We also had the pleasure of enjoying a beautiful view of Okanagan Lake over networking and cocktails on the roof. Plus, there were some great sustainable touches, including seed paper bracelets for attendees and efforts to minimize waste, which we hope to expand on in future iterations of the event.

We were excited to meet with a variety of folks, including investors, representatives from purpose-driven companies, speakers and leaders in the responsible investment space, and other individuals interested in impact investing and positive change. In total, we welcomed around 100 attendees, consisting of both locals and guests from outside of the Okanagan region.

The attendees displayed an impressive amount of enthusiasm, with a real energy and eagerness to learn which held strong from start to finish. We felt this in the conversations we had, including our chat with Angela Nagy, President & CEO of GreenStep Solutions, about the growing demand for corporate accountability and responsible services and solutions in the past few years. Everyone was constantly torn between wanting to talk in the lobby and getting to the next panel to hear what the presenters had to say.

And there certainly was a lot to learn. The schedule was packed with insightful panels, company spotlights, and presentations. During the Placing Capital Responsibly panel, for example, we learned from Sandeep Gupta, Co-Founder & CTO of Pyfera Growth Capital that “a hundred companies account for 70% of the world’s emissions.” This significant figure stuck with us and was referred to by other panelists throughout the day.

The day’s events were brightened by some extra sparks as well. Our President and Founder, Hamish Khamisa, joined Anna Serin, the CSE’s Director of Listings Development for Western Canada and US and Vancouver Branch Lead, on stage to give the opening remarks, and we had a few other chances to play an active part in the day’s events.

Moving Toward the Purpose-Led Economy

Sparx was exceptionally proud to invite and learn from Dr. Victoria Hurth, global expert; thought leader in sustainability, ESG, and purpose governance; and Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership Fellow, who kicked off the event with her compelling keynote presentation “The Purpose Led Economy.”

Dr. Hurth discussed the dangerous trajectory we are hurtling toward — that of a command and control system, which would replace our market economy. We must act quickly and in the right way to prevent this and to transform our economy into one focused on wellbeing for all, which is the definition of sustainability. 

To move toward a purpose-led economy that would result in wellbeing for all, there are some important considerations, according to Dr. Hurth. “If we want to bring about a purpose-driven wellbeing economy serviced by purpose-driven organizations and unleashing meaningful work and meaningful lives, then we need to govern it.”

Within finance organizations and purpose-driven companies, governance sets the frame, direction, and parameters for decision-making. The PAS 808:2022, a framework and guide for purpose-driven organizations in which Dr. Hurth served as an expert facilitator and technical author, is an extremely helpful tool for ensuring good governance.

Along with governance, Dr. Hurth sees marketing as a key factor in building toward a purpose-led economy and presented a modified Daly Triangle to demonstrate her points. Her presentation got the room thinking and set the tone for the day.

Doing Good and Being Profitable

In the afternoon, following a company presentation from Susgrainable, we had the honour of hosting and moderating our Make The World Better panel. Changemakers from different editions of Make The World Better Magazine, Mike Williamson, Founding Partner and CEO at Cascadia Seaweed; Bram van den Berg, COO and CFO at Circular Rubber Technologies; Tracy Lydiatt, Mining Innovation Project Manager at Foresight Canada; and Sage Lacerte, Founder & CEO at Sage Initiative, joined us as panelists to provide insights into regenerative business.

A key point was that sustainability is the bare minimum we should aim for and that regenerative business should be the end goal. Regenerative businesses examine existing problems and come up with better solutions, including the implementation of circular economy strategies. However, getting investors, regulatory bodies, users, and consumers in the loop requires an education process. We can successfully bridge this gap by speaking with them in terms they understand and relating regenerative solutions back to an existing solution, which will show them the value of the regenerative solution and prove why it’s better.

Partnerships with Indigenous Peoples was another important discussion point. Mike Williamson pointed out that we need to avoid pan-Indigenizing since all the Nations are sovereign communities with their own values, interests, and ways of doing business. Trying to one-size-fits-all or coming to the table with your own solutions in mind will lead to a disconnect with the Indigenous community you’re seeking a partnership with and set you up for failure. Let the Indigenous communities guide you, have conversations, listen, and focus on learning so that you build toward business alignment and values alignment. Keep in mind that growing in understanding and establishing these relationships can take a very long time, even many years, and can’t be achieved without mutual respect and dialogue.

When approaching partnerships with Indigenous Peoples, as Sage Lacerte pointed out, it’s important to be aware that many have money trauma. The Indian Act and Western concepts of commerce have caused a lot of harm since they work to disenfranchise Indigenous people from existing economic systems. Anyone in the corporate sector needs to be trauma-informed and aware of the historical and contemporary contexts that Indigenous entrepreneurs face daily. Lacerte offers advice on how to make Indigenous people safe when entering into conversation, including: 

  • being gentle when entering relationships;
  • setting and following an agenda;
  • offering content warnings;
  • ensuring they have their people in the room with them; and
  • having circle-based conversations where everyone gets the chance to speak, be represented, and have their boundaries respected.

The panelists then discussed what investors are looking for when dealing with regenerative businesses and innovators, along with the importance of having a good team and competitive advantage, knowing the market size, being profitable, conducting business in a way that is responsible on social, environmental, and governance levels, having traction, and sincerely believing in the social and environmental benefits you bring. 

Lastly, all the panelists weighed in on the thunder question: can you do good and make money? The response was a resounding yes. Tracy Lydiatt supported this by providing examples of companies that are living this reality (Patagonia, Bureo, and FLOR), and Sage Lacerte taught us that, “money can be restoried as medicine, as time and energy, and the way that we breathe life into things that we love.”

The Intersection of Capital and ESG

Everyone at the event was geared up about using finance as a force for good and demonstrated that energy, time, and love exist at the intersection of capital and ESG. With all that enthusiasm in the room and the incredible synergies between attendees and speakers, it was clear they found it valuable to be at the Summit on Responsible Investment.

During the Make The World Better panel, Sage Lacerte drew attention to the value of purpose-driven events like this one when she emphasized the importance of having conversations and creating new ways to support equity-deserving communities, building frameworks and models, and sharing the resources we have so that impact spreads far and wide.

We could really see and feel everyone’s excitement over having these types of conversations and opportunities to learn about and from each other. Connections were made easily and it felt like everyone showed up in good faith to talk about ways companies can make money and truly make the world better at the same time. We even saw collaborations forming on the spot, mid-conversation, and received many introduction requests post-event, which shows us that we brought the right crowd together.

And, to further prove how money can be restoried as medicine and a catalyst for good, event attendees raised over $6,000 for the Central Okanagan Food Bank. Since the suggested donation amount for entry was $10 and the minimum amount to be eligible for a tax receipt was $20, this staggering amount shows how invested these professionals are in using capital as a force for good and voting with their dollar.

Let’s Keep the Impact Growing

Immediately following the event, attendees, speakers, and other individuals showed a lot of interest in having a Summit on Responsible Investment 2024. It’s official — the event is coming back next year! We look forward to connecting and collaborating with this inspiring group once again.

If you’re part of an organization that’s contributing to a better world, we’d love to collaborate with you too. Reach out to us for a free consultation. Together, let’s work together to amplify your impact.