Peel Environmental Youth Alliance

Speaker Series Archive: Alysia Garmulewicz

When she was just 15 years old, Alysia Garmulewicz traveled to Antarctica with an international group of students on the Students on Ice learning Expedition. After returning home to New Denver, British Columbia; Alysia was inspired and felt the need to take action. Alysia is the founder and director of Changing Climates Environmental Society, a non-profit organization she started in high school. Her group established the YC3 Youth Climate Change Conference which is held in British Columbia. “With the support of partners such as Bell Canada, Environment Canada, BC Hydro, Mountain Equipment Co-op, the David Suzuki Foundation, and the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, youth delegates from seven Canadian provinces and territories, Wales, Scotland, and the United States spent three days working with a group of 20 speakers and mentors.(1)” “[She also] won the support of environmental powerhouses Elizabeth May, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, the David Suzuki Foundation, Environment Canada and the Rocky Mountain and Pembina institutes.(2)”
In 2005, Alysia joined the Canadian Youth Delegation at the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Montreal, Quebec. She has an extensive list of recognition for her efforts, which includes the 2006 Canadian Environment Award, the TD Canada Trust Scholarship for outstanding community leadership, the Toyota Earth Day scholarship National Award, and recognition as one of the Top 20 Under 20 Youth in Canada. Alysia lives a busy lifestyle, but she also finds time to be an accomplished Cross Country Skier. She was a member of Team Ontario at the 2007 Canada Winter Games. She also represents Canada on the International Polar Year Youth Steering Committee.
Today, Alysia is 20, and is completing an interdisciplinary degree relating to Climate Change and Sustainability / environmental science and policy at Carleton University in Ottawa.
(1) Innovation Canada (2) Canadian Environment Awards Network

Alysia was the third speaker in our PEYA Online Speaker series. She spoke about youth careers in sustainability, effective youth action projects, and her own experiences with Changing Climates Environmental Society, a non-profit organization she started in high school. PEYA members are welcome to contact Alysia at alysia at changingclimates.org

If you missed Alysia and would like to watch a recording from Tuesday April 29th, please click here!

Helpful Websites

Changing Climates Educational Society
Biomimicry Guild and Biomimicry Institute
William McDonough
Rocky Mountain Institute
The Breakthrough Institute
Paul Hawken
International Institute for Sustainable Development
Earth Policy Institute
World Futures Council

Books and Articles

• Anderson, R. (1999) Mid-Course Correction: Toward a Sustainable Enterprise: The Interface Model (Vermont: Peregrinzilla Press)


• Benyus, J. (1997) Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. (New York: Harper Collins)


• Eckersley, R. (2004) The Green State: Rethinking Democracy and Sovereignty. (London: MIT Press Cambridge Massachusetts).


• Hawken, P. et. al (1999) Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution (Boston: Little Brown and Co)


• Ireland, L, (2007) Education for the 21st Century: Advancing an Ecologically Sustainable Society (Stirling: University of Stirling)


• Lakoff, G. (2004) Don’t Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate – The Essential Guide for Progressives (Vermont: Chelsea Green)


• McDonough and Braungart (2005) Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way we Make Things (New York: North Point Press)


• Meadows, D. (1999) Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System. The Sustainability Institute


• Nordhaus and Shellenberger (2007) Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility (USA: Houghton Mifflin Co)


• Webster, K. (2004) Rethink, Refuse, Reduce… Educating for Sustainability in a Changing World (Preston Montford, Shrewsbury: FSC Publications).