Dive into our list of valuable resources that will help you learn more about today’s most pressing water-related challenges, take tangible action to protect our oceans and waterways, help conserve this precious resource, and make a lasting positive impact.
Life on earth cannot thrive without clean water. No matter how far away we may live from oceans and marine life, they play a vital role in sustaining us. Despite the fact that water is one of our most valuable resources, it faces many threats and challenges, from plastic pollution and contaminants to overuse and inaccessibility.
Keep scrolling to learn more about today’s most pressing water-related challenges with exciting resources that will help you take action toward protecting our oceans and waterways, conserving water, forwarding the blue economy, and positively impacting marine life.
Check out these resources from individuals and organizations that have been featured in Make The World Better Magazine.
4ocean – Cleanup Guide: Get expert tips on organizing your own shoreline cleanup, including safety tips, steps for each phase, and ways to track plastic pollution at its source to make a lasting impact.
4ocean – Fight to Save the Ocean Blog Article: Learn the connection between the bystander effect and ocean cleanups, the severity of the plastic crisis, and steps everyone can take to fight to save the ocean.
Alan Shapiro (via Foresight Canada) – Mapping Canada’s Water Technology Ecosystem Report: Dive into Canada’s water technology ecosystem with this report and gain inspiring insights into Canada’s Water Technology Ecosystem Map, the current innovation landscape, key economic benefits, gaps to overcome, and more.
Anglian Water – Water Saving Quiz: Test your water-saving knowledge with this interactive quiz by Anglian Water and uncover helpful tips and facts for conserving water in each room of your home.
AquaAction – Freshwater in Crisis Web Resource: Put the freshwater crisis into focus with an in-depth look at the main risks our waterways are facing, including life-threatening contaminants, failing infrastructure, and water scarcity
Brilliant Blue – Registration Poster: Learn how participants can join the next Brilliant Blue Challenge and share with youth passionate about protecting our oceans.
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster – Blue Economy 101 Toolkit: This resource helps connect blue economy jobseekers with purpose-driven careers, providing insights into in-demand positions in the space, tips for highlighting skills and positioning resumes, sample interview questions, organizations to follow, and more.
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster – Story to Tell Video Hub: Get inspired with the stories of OSC members who are delivering innovative solutions and shaping the future of the ocean in Canada.
CleanHub – Top 6 Ways to Clean Up the Oceans Blog Article: Discover six key ways organizations and individuals can take action and help clean our oceans.
CleanHub – Clean Oceans Survey Results: Find out what consumers in Canada, the US, and Europe think about plastic waste, sustainability, and the impacts on our oceans and how that influences buying behaviours.
David Suzuki Foundation – Make Every Drop Count: Water Conservation Tips: Check out these conservation tips from David Suzuki Foundation to discover ways you can save water and help alleviate Canada’s water crisis at home and while travelling.
David Suzuki Foundation – Canada’s Oceans Need Your Support Petition: Sign the petition to help restore biodiversity in Canada’s coastal waters and put policy recommendations in front of the federal government.
Ocean Ambassadors Canada – Volunteer Signup: Take action to help protect our waterways and support community events, school programs, development and fundraising, and more by signing up to become an Ocean Ambassadors Canada volunteer.
Foresight Canada – waterNEXT Venture Program Application: Apply to join Foresight Canada’s watertech ventures network, waterNEXT, and accelerate your impact.
Pauquachin First Nation – Shellfish Restoration Reports: Deepen your knowledge and help make positive strides toward both reconciliation and protecting marine life by diving into the Pauquachin First Nation’s municipal, provincial, and federal level reports on shellfish restoration.
RainStick Shower – Extreme Decentralized Water Treatment: A Crucial Solution to Meet Demand and Combat Water Scarcity Blog Article: Learn how decentralized water treatment can help turn the tide on water scarcity in this informative article.
RainStick Shower – Save Water and Energy With These Bathroom Shower Ideas Blog Article: Check out these water saving tips you can apply to your bathroom to achieve an environmentally-friendly shower and conserve water.
SHARC Energy – The Power of Wastewater Video: Watch this video from SHARC Energy to learn about how cities can manage their thermal energy footprint and harness the power of wastewater.
Water First – Resources to Learn More Webpage: Water First has put together an extensive library of resources to help individuals develop a greater understanding of the water challenges facing many Indigenous communities in Canada, including books, articles, podcasts, videos, courses, organizations to donate to, and more.
The Blue Paradox – Plastic Footprint Calculator: Discover your plastic footprint with this calculator from the Blue Paradox, a movement to address the global ocean plastic crisis and preserve the environment.
CleanTech Alliance – Wastewater Energy Transfer Report: Deepen your knowledge on the benefits and uses of Wastewater Energy Transfer (WET) systems, including how they work, save costs, and reduce water usage.
Delphi Group – Working for Watersheds: Opportunities for Growth in BC’s Watershed Sector Report: Learn more about BC’s Watershed sector, including the scale of the sector, sector profiles, and growth potential and opportunities.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation – Ebbs and Flows: Water and the Circular Economy Podcast Episode: Tune in to this episode of The Circular Economy Show Podcast to hear from global innovators who are changing the ways we interact with water to make this valuable resource more accessible for everyone.
Marine Conservation Institute – 10 Things You Can Do for the Ocean Right Now Blog Article: Check out these tips for actionable ways you can help the ocean in your everyday life.
MIT Technology Review Insights – The Blue Technology Barometer Report: Dive into this report to learn about the need for blue technology, how different countries and territories rank in their progress toward protecting ocean sustainability, innovation in the space, and more, including a partner perspective from Canada’s Ocean Supercluster.
Ocean Networks Canada – Ocean Science Webinar Video Series: Explore Ocean Networks Canada’s library of webinar recordings for a deep dive into valuable topics, including the impacts of underwater noise on marine life, the importance of community observatories for coastal ecological studies, building true Indigenous partnerships in ocean science, and more.
Ocean Wise – Join or Lead a Shoreline Cleanup Signup Form: Make a meaningful difference by creating a listing for your own shoreline cleanup event or by joining a cleanup near you.
Patagonia – Protect Wild Oceans Where You Surf Webpage: Discover and support environmental grassroot groups working to protect surf breaks, marine ecosystems, and coastal communities, plus make an impact by signing various purpose-driven petitions.
Sea Smart – Free Educator Resources: Feel more empowered to teach ocean conservation with these educator resources, including lesson plans for students in grades K–12, presentation slides, educational videos, and partner resources.
UN Ocean Decade – Podcasts: Listen and learn from the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development’s vast podcast library, with episodes from three water-themed shows, including recordings from the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference.
Water Research Foundation – Residential End Uses of Water Report: Get insights into current residential water use to better understand issues and the potential for conservation.
World Wildlife Fund Canada – Help Us Turn Down the Volume of Underwater Noise Interactive Resource: Help turn down the volume of underwater noise, a serious issue impacting marine life, by increasing your knowledge and adding your voice to champion change in Canada.
Key Takeaways from Circularity 24 Blog Post: Read our event takeaways and be sure to spend time at the “Marketing is Critical for the Circular Economy” section for insights and thought-provoking stats from the immersive Blue Paradox exhibit we visited while in Chicago.
Together, We Can Make The World Better Blog Post: At the “Cleaning up the Shoreline” section of our 2023 Make The World Better Day recap blog, learn about our Sparx-hosted cleanup, including how much waste we prevented from entering the water and for an example of how your organization could participate in a cleanup of your own.
Sparx Joins Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanup Social Post: Check out photos and stats from a collaborative shoreline cleanup we participated in, hosted by It’s Your Time, and get inspired for your own event.
We would love to increase support and awareness around your efforts to protect our oceans and waterways and solve water-based challenges. Want to team up? Give us a shout for a free consultation. Together, we can amplify your impact.
Earlier this year, we travelled to Chicago to attend Circularity 24, a game-changing conference focused on all things circular economy, presented by Trellis. Dive in to discover our highlights, including insights from panels and exhibits, changemakers we connected with, and more.
Read More View blog postWant to add purpose-driven events to your summer schedule? Sparx has compiled a list of networking and learning opportunities taking place this July, August, and September.
Read More View blog postCanadian Purpose Economy Project is calling social purpose businesses in Canada to unite around a common goal: building an economy that centres the wellbeing of all Canadians. Learn all about their mission and how they’re accelerating Canada’s transition to a purpose economy in this exclusive interview with Mike Rowlands, President & CEO at Junxion Strategy and one of the Founding Champions of the Canadian Purpose Economy Project.
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