Tag: UN SDG 12

York University takes significant step forward in journey to net zero

artistic crafts earth hands heart BANNER

As part of recent operational actions underway to help York University meet its aspirational target of becoming a net-zero university by 2040, York U has stopped running its fossil-fuelled co-generation units around the clock this summer.

No longer running the co-generation units 24-7 will lead to a more efficiency-based operation schedule that maintains service to the York community while minimizing strain on the provincial energy grid. The change is expected to reduce emissions by 22,000 tonnes and account for 80 per cent of the University’s 2030 emission reduction target.

Co-generation is the simultaneous production of two or more forms of energy from a single fuel source. In York’s case, natural gas has been used to produce both electricity and steam, which is then used for heating and cooling the campus. In traditional generation, excess heat generated through the process of producing electricity is expelled as waste into the atmosphere and waterways. The dual production of both electricity and recoverable heat made co-generation more efficient and cost-effective than other options previously available. 

As years have passed, the measure of sustainable practices has changed. Operating the co-generation units around the clock is no longer the most sustainable means to deliver services on campus, and it accounts for a significant portion of York’s annual carbon dioxide emissions.

To reduce the continuous operation of the co-generation units, the University’s Energy Management team created a plan to deliver heating and cooling to the campus by employing strategies that use data analysis to help determine the most effective, efficient and sustainable way to do so, while maximizing comfort and minimizing carbon emissions. While the co-generation units may still be used, it is expected that they will run only when necessary and for approximately five per cent of the year – a significant shift from around-the-clock operation.

In November 2023, President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton announced York’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions a decade earlier than originally planned. The aspiration is part of the University’s recently renewed Sustainability Policy, which includes a commitment to develop and implement a process to track, measure, evaluate and report progress toward net-zero emissions.

The adjustment to the co-generation units will get York 80 per cent of the way to its target of curbing emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 – a near-term target on the journey to net zero.

“In the 1990s, York was an early adopter in making operational improvements to reduce our emissions, including transitioning away from coal-generated electricity and using natural gas instead to help lower our emissions,” says Carol McAulay, vice-president finance and administration. “This significant step to decarbonize our central plant for heating and cooling highlights our continued leadership and innovation to support our net-zero target.”

The co-generation shift is the first of many projects the Energy Management team expects to implement as part of its action plan to decarbonize the central plant and modernize energy management at York. Additional projects that better use data to inform operations are forthcoming.

York University staff member elected to Fairtrade Canada board

Do Good Things boardroom

Tom Watt, director of Food Services at York University, will join the Board of Governors for Fairtrade Canada, the Canadian arm of Fairtrade International, which is responsible for supporting, promoting and advocating for fair terms of trade for farmers and workers disadvantaged by global trade structures.

York’s representation on the Fairtrade Canada board marks the latest achievement in the University’s progress to advance fair trade practices across its campuses. In May, the University announced its silver fair trade campus designation – a commemoration of years of dedicated collaboration between students, faculty and staff to provide more sustainable options across York’s campuses. A year prior, York U hosted Congress 2023, which was recognized as the biggest fair trade event in Canadian history.

Considering recent successes, York is well poised to have a voice on the Fairtrade Canada board, to share insights and lessons learned from advancing fair trade initiatives at the third largest university in Canada.

“I believe a major reason for the confidence in my experience was the many successful fair trade initiatives we’ve had here at York over the past few years,” says Watt. “I’m excited to see how my experience at York will enhance Fairtrade Canada’s activities and how my experience on the board will benefit what we do at York.”

Representation on the Fairtrade Canada board is expected to generate benefits for both parties. The board is responsible for governance and oversight of fair trade activities in Canada, including establishing the organization’s mission, vision and strategy, ensuring legal compliance and monitoring performance. The board also develops policies that align with fair trade principles, engages in advocacy through relationship building, identifies and mitigates risks, upholds ethical standards, and promotes sustainability and social justice.

York University’s history of advocacy and adherence to principles of sustainability and social justice will now be added to the organization’s board, which includes leaders from fair-trade certified food and textile companies. The collaboration is expected to also support York in advancing its own fair trade practices.

In addition to this new role on Fairtrade Canada’s board, Watt also serves as co-chair of York’s Fairtrade Steering Committee and on the Sustainability Taskforce.

“This is an excellent example of York staff championing our values with community partners to maximize the benefit for all,” says Kim McLean, assistant vice-president of Ancillary Services at York U. “We are proud to offer so many fair-trade certified products through Food Services and the YU Bookstore, and look forward to continuing to contribute to the advancement of Fairtrade Canada’s mission.”

York University’s energy management program helps navigate hot weather sustainably

blue electric fan

In circumstances of extreme weather – such as heat warnings in summer due to soaring temperatures – Facilities Services works hard to ensure the York University community can continue to comfortably learn, teach and work on our campuses, while balancing the University’s commitment to sustainability in its operations.

Unseasonably high temperatures generate unprecedented demand on the provincial energy grid, leading to more energy use, higher emissions, inflated costs and strain on the grid. As a result, York U implemented a peak demand management program in the summer of 2023 – an effort to uphold its commitment to support a sustainable energy system in Ontario. This program, which has been implemented at universities across the province, requires York U to reduce its energy use in alignment with peak demand days to eliminate emissions, save costs and reduce strain on the grid.

Through participation in this program last summer, it is estimated that the University avoided 22,000 tonnes of carbon emissions and saved $3.8 million in energy costs by reducing its energy use by eight megawatts on peak days over the summer months. That is equivalent to taking 24,713 cars off the road or eliminating the consumption of over 34-million litres of gasoline.

“Global warming has forced us to think differently about how we heat and cool our buildings,” says Brad Parkes, assistant vice-president of Facilities Services. “In Facilities Services, we’re constantly looking at the data to see how we can optimize our systems, work with the provincial grid instead of against it and contribute to sustainability and cost savings goals through our operations. The concept of the peak demand management program is simple, but it has real impact that will continue to grow.”

To ensure comfort on York U’s campuses during the program, Facilities Services cools buildings to a lower temperature overnight, with the goal of retaining the cooler air throughout the day when the temperatures are elevated. Those efforts can be extended if community members keep exterior doors, windows and blinds closed to keep the cold air in. For those with workspaces adjacent to a space that has air conditioning, such as a hallway, keeping doors ajar to promote circulation might be helpful. Turning off lights not in use, or using natural light, is another way to help with unnecessary heat generation.

Facilities Services also references the classroom booking information from the Office of the University Registrar to strategically match air conditioning to buildings with occupancy and reduce air conditioning in buildings without occupancy. Special attention has also been given to buildings that require consistent cooling due to equipment, technology and ongoing research.

Community members with concerns or questions about the temperature in their space should get in touch with the Work Control Centre by emailing facilities@yorku.ca or calling 416-736-2100 ext. 22401. Managers should also refer to the Hybrid Work Policy and Hybrid Work Procedure regarding discretion and flexibility to adjust hybrid work agreements as necessary.

Prof’s discovery could advance future of thermoelectric devices

Engineer using tablet outside of energy generator plant

Simone Pisana, an associate professor in the Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Department at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering, recently made a fascinating, unexpected discovery concerning two unique layered crystals that could have a significant impact on the development of thermoelectric devices.

Simone Pisana
Simone Pisana

After examining thermal properties of two types of crystals – named rhenium disulfide and rhenium diselenide – with a special approach, Pisana and his graduate student Sina Tahbaz found that both materials exhibit an extremely valuable property known as thermal conductivity anisotropy.

Materials demonstrating this behaviour conduct heat differently depending on the direction of flow. For example, when heat flows across one direction of the material surface, it can exhibit high thermal conductivity, but when heat flows in another direction it can demonstrate low thermal conductivity.

Thermal conductivity anisotropy is a highly sought-after quality for many material applications, specifically the development of thermoelectric devices, like thermoelectric generators, that can recover waste heat and turn it into usable electric power. These generators are used in various niche applications, including space missions like the Mars Curiosity and Perseverance rovers.

By dissipating heat in one direction and blocking heat in another, materials exhibiting thermal conductivity anisotropy can also be used to improve the cooling efficiency of electronic components like sensors and lasers.

“To improve thermoelectric devices, it is beneficial to have a material that is both a good electrical conductor and bad thermal conductor,” says Pisana. “If we can figure out how to direct heat, we can help engineer materials that recover and reuse waste heat.”

Pisana’s groundbreaking discovery regarding rhenium disulfide and rhenium diselenide has the potential to advance the future of thermoelectric devices. However, before these materials can be put to good use, he wants to find the fundamental explanation behind his experimental results.

“This discovery is only the beginning of our work,” he says. “We don’t really have a good explanation for the behaviour of these materials yet.”

Much of the surprise behind the experimental results concerns the size of the anisotropy measured. In the case of rhenium diselenide, the thermal conductivity was found to vary by a factor of four within the crystal’s layers – this level of anisotropy has never been observed before.

“This discovery has really made us wonder: why are these materials exhibiting this behaviour; are there other materials that act like this; and how do we explain this?”

Now, the professor and his graduate students are preparing for complex research ahead, working backwards from their experimental findings to establish an accurate scientific theory.

“Heat transport is very difficult to accurately model down to atomic dimensions, so coming up with a theory behind the behaviour of these materials won’t be easy,” he says. “We are performing some computations with the help of Digital Research Alliance Canada to support our work. Even with advanced supercomputers it can take hours of computing for a small set of calculations. This project is going to require us to invest a lot of time and labour.”

This work is presented in the paper “Extreme in-plane thermal conductivity anisotropy in Rhenium-based dichalcogenides,” published in the Journal of Physics Materials as part of a special emerging leaders initiative. Being classified among other leading researchers has allowed Pisana’s work to gain increased recognition among broad scientific communities.

Learn more about this research on Pisana’s Heat Transport in Electronic Devices Lab web page.

Schulich launches new diploma for metals, minerals industry

Workers in a Singaporean shipyard disembark a gas vessel during a planned fire drill

York University’s Schulich School of Business has announced the launch of a new Global Metals and Minerals Management (GMM) Diploma, designed to address the needs of the entire metals and minerals value chain by developing leaders who will navigate the transition to a global low-carbon economy through responsible minerals development and use.

A leader in mining and minerals management, Schulich launched an MBA specialization in Global Mining Management in 2012 – one of the first of its kind. Now, it’s looking to continue to advance its educational opportunities for those in the sector.

“Schulich’s newest diploma will provide a world-class business education to current and future leaders in companies working within the mining and minerals industry,” says Detlev Zwick, dean of the Schulich School of Business. “The program will develop leaders who can implement responsible strategies that create wealth for all stakeholders throughout the entire value chain.”

Schulich’s new diploma program – which includes online classes, one-on-one coaching and two in-person residences held in different centres around the globe each year – will commence in June and be offered over a nine-month period.

Program benefits include in-person experiential learning through site tours and the opportunity to hear from a diverse range of industry insiders. The program can be completed as a standalone diploma or concurrently with Schulich’s master of business administration (MBA) degree.

Global Mining Management co-directors Claudia Mueller and Richard Ross.
Global Mining Management co-directors Claudia Mueller (left) and Richard Ross (right).

The GMM Diploma is co-directed by Richard Ross, former Chair and CEO of Inmet Mining Corporation, who has over 40 years of experience in the metals and minerals industry; and Claudia Mueller, a PhD candidate and leadership consultant for the past decade to a broad range of metals and minerals companies.

“The Global Metals and Minerals Management Diploma provides an MBA level of education while enabling working professionals to continue full-time employment,” says Ross. “The classes are taught by industry professionals and stakeholders who have in-depth metals and mining knowledge and experience; and the classes will combine Schulich MBA students with diploma students, ensuring a rich and diverse mix of backgrounds and experience.”

As they launch this new program, Ross and Mueller are supported by dozens of individuals who have expertise, knowledge and experience in the metals and minerals industry. This includes the GMM Stakeholder Working Group, made up of Indigenous people and individuals who are well versed in all aspects of environmental, social, and governance regulations and practices in the metals and minerals industry.

For more information and to apply, visit the Global Metals and Minerals Management Diploma web page.

York conference inspires next generation of environmentalists

Change Your World conference 2024 team. Photo credit: Daniel Horawski

With news of environmental crises coming at us at an increasingly alarming rate, it can be easy to dwell on the doom and gloom of it all. York University’s Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change (EUC) is doing its part to prevent that with its annual conference, Change Your World, which aims to empower Ontario’s youth to be the next generation of global changemakers.

Last week, some 500 Ontario high-school students and their teachers from more than 25 schools gathered in Vari Hall on York’s Keele Campus for the conference, where they spent the day learning how they can make a sustainable and equitable difference in the world – and its future – through a series of activities and workshops hosted in partnership with environmental and community partners from across the province.

Change Your World conference attendees gathered in Vari Hall. Photo by Daniel Horawski.

“At a time when there is a great deal of despair and ‘eco-anxiety’ concerning the state of the planet, it was inspiring to see young people coming together as active citizens to envision a different future,” said Philip Kelly, interim dean of EUC. “Connecting schools and environmentally-focused organizations for thoughtful discussions through events like Change Your World is an important role for the Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change in our wider community.”

Pictured, left to right: keynote speaker Joanne Huy, EUC Interim Dean Philip Kelly, keynote speaker Alicia Richins. Photo by Daniel Horawski.

Students began the day by hearing from the conference’s keynote speakers, beginning with Interim Dean Kelly and ending with alumna Alicia Richins, director of strategy and governance for youth sustainability leadership organization Leading Change Canada and creator of multimedia platform the Climateverse.

Richins challenged the audience to consider their passions when choosing what change they should focus on and encouraged them to boldly share ideas, work collaboratively and never give up on their goals to make positive change.

“This annual event is all about showcasing ways youth can lead the change we need in our communities and around the world,” said Lily Piccone, strategic enrolment and communications officer at EUC and Change Your World conference co-ordinator. “Through inspiring keynote speakers, like our very own YU alumni Alicia and Joanne, and our community partners, the students can see local citizens that have turned their passion into a profession and are making positive change for people and the planet”

Toronto-based singer-songwriter and climate activist Brighid Fry performed at the 2024 Change Your World conference.

The students were then able to let their interests guide them by choosing two breakout sessions to participate in from a variety of offerings, including: a workshop on how to build resiliency in the face of anxiety about the future; a giant, immersive board game about power, peace and the planet; hands-on time with wind turbine models and solar panels; a tree identification walk; talks on green infrastructure, climate futurism, the importance of wetlands; and much more.

Following their lunch break, participants were treated to a special guest performance by Toronto-based singer-songwriter and climate activist Brighid Fry, recognized as one of the Top 25 under 25 by non-profit organization the Starfish Canada for her work on sustainability in the music industry. Students wrapped up their day of immersive learning with another workshop and enjoyed one final keynote address by community engagement professional and York alumna Joanne Huy, who shared her passion for transforming lives and communities through learning experiences and making local change in the York University and Jane-and-Finch communities.

Watch the video recap of the day’s events below:

For more information about the annual conference, visit the Change Your World website.

York hosts conference examining impact of AI on law

Update: New information after publication of this article indicates the March 13 conference will now be held online only.

Leading legal thinkers from York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School and beyond will gather to assess the seismic impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the law during a special conference on March 13 sponsored by the Osgoode-based Jack & Mae Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime & Security.

All York community members are welcome to attend the hybrid event, titled Artificial Intelligence and the Law: New Challenges and Possibilities for Fundamental Human Rights and Security, which will take place both online and in person in 014 Helliwell Centre on York’s Keele Campus from noon to 6:15 p.m.

Trevor Farrow
Trevor Farrow

“I am delighted that this incredibly important discussion is being hosted at Osgoode Hall Law School,” said Osgoode Dean Trevor Farrow.

“Academics, lawyers, policymakers and the public are already heavily influenced by and reliant upon AI,” he added. “Osgoode very much sees itself at the centre of these discussions and innovations.”

By bringing together researchers with AI expertise across various fields of practice, conference speakers and attendees can engage with larger questions about law’s role in the regulation of emerging technologies, legal neutrality, ethics and professional responsibility, said Carys Craig, associate dean of research and institutional relations, who will speak on AI and copyright.

Carys Craig
Carys Craig

“I’m very excited about this conference,” she said. “Osgoode is known for its thought leadership and critical, interdisciplinary thinking, which is exactly what is needed as Canada grapples with the rapid acceleration of AI across almost every facet of society.”

The featured speakers will also include Professor Barnali Choudhury, director of the Nathanson Centre.

“Although AI offers numerous opportunities to society, it also poses risks, particularly in relation to human rights and security,” Choudhury noted. “Lawyers should be well versed in these risks to ensure that AI use aligns with legal standards.”

Barnali Choudhury
Barnali Choudhury

The conference’s comprehensive examination of artificial intelligence will include the growing use of generative AI, which powers tools like ChatGPT, said Professor Valerio De Stefano, a co-organizer of the event and a panellist who will address today’s challenging issues around AI and work. 

“The law will have to react to a lot of the challenges that arise from artificial intelligence in order for society to thrive on the opportunities that AI offers,” he noted.

De Stefano said that almost no area of the law will be left untouched, including criminal, copyright, labour and tax law. Conference speakers will also dig into the implications of AI for legal ethics, practice and education.

Valerio De Stefano
Valerio De Stefano

“It’s extremely important that lawyers, both academics and practitioners, start discussing how to react to all these new things that are coming out of the AI landscape – and this is the opportunity to do that,” he added. “There’s a lot of people at Osgoode that do top-notch, groundbreaking research on law and technology.”

Other speakers will include Professor Jonathon Penney, who will examine whether AI safety standards are really safe, and Professor Allan Hutchinson, who will discuss AI and law’s multiplicity. Rounding out the list of Osgoode experts are Professor Sean Rehaag, PhD student Alexandra Scott and Osgoode PhD alumnus Jake Okechukwu Effoduh, now a law professor at Toronto Metropolitan University.

In the afternoon, De Stefano will chair a roundtable discussion on AI, due process and legal ethics. Panellists will include: Dean Farrow; Professor Patricia McMahon; Professor Richard Haigh; Glenn Stuart, the executive director of professional regulation for the Law Society of Ontario; and Professor Amy Salyzyn of the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law.

Registration is required. For more information about the event, email nathansoncentre@osgoode.yorku.ca and copy vdestefano@osgoode.yorku.ca.

New working group builds on York’s leadership in social procurement

small houses businesses on blocks connected

York University is a leader in social procurement – a process that considers how buying goods and services can positively impact the social well-being of communities and assist in reducing poverty, promoting economic and social inclusion, and supporting local economic development and social enterprises. A new working group is seeking staff to help advance its efforts further.

For York University staff who aspire to become advocates for social procurement and whose roles involve a significant focus on purchasing, an exciting opportunity awaits. Strategic Procurement Services is actively seeking staff to join a social procurement working group with the goal of building social procurement awareness across York’s campuses. This group will, in part, help build tools and resources and identify future areas to build capacity to strengthen York’s leading social procurement program.

The group – and its future efforts – looks to build upon York positioning itself at the forefront of championing social procurement, taking a proactive approach to educate and engage its staff in the principles and practices of social procurement.

Among its recent endeavours is a pivotal new Anchor YU course, built from York’s Anchor York U Framework, designed to highlight the ways participants can champion social procurement within their respective roles alongside other ways to contribute to community wealth-building. The inaugural course held last fall received widespread attendance and positive feedback. Due to popular demand, a second offering is now available, and interested individuals are encouraged to register early to secure their spot through YU Learn.

York University’s success in social procurement has not been confined to its campuses; it has extended its impact across the province. The institution’s social procurement vendor portal, developed as an open-source tool, has become a catalyst for collaboration. Recently, York has signed memorandums of understanding with five university and college partners, designed to collectively build a robust social procurement ecosystem, leveraging York’s tools and expertise. This joint effort involves both institutional and community working groups, fostering a shared commitment to advancing social procurement practices.

As the University continues to lead the way in social procurement, these initiatives underscore its dedication to fostering a culture of sustainability and social responsibility. Through education, collaboration and community engagement, York is empowering its staff to become champions of social procurement, both within the University and across the broader community.

To express your interest in the social procurement working group, reach out to Brent Brodie at bbrodie@yorku.ca. To learn more about social procurement at York and the University’s current impact, visit the Social Procurement web page.

Prof’s new book reveals communicative capacities of textile

Peruvian Andes weaving patterns

Long before the invention of the typewriter or the telephone, and even before humankind had a functioning alphabet, communication was taking place through textile craft. Ganaele Langlois, a professor in York University’s Department of Communication & Media Studies, has published a new book exploring just that – the often-ignored transformative communicative capacities of traditional textiles.

A Shipibo-Conibo (Peruvian Amazon) design being drawn on textile using natural pigments. Photo by Ganaele Langlois.
Ganaele Langlois
Ganaele Langlois

How Textile Communicates: from Codes to Cosmotechnics (Bloomsbury, 2024) is a thought-provoking contribution to the fields of both fashion and communication studies, challenging readers’ preconceptions and shining new light on the profound impact of textiles on human communication.

Textile, Langlois explains, has been used as a medium of communication since the prehistoric period. Up until the 19th century, civilizations throughout the world manipulated thread and fabric to communicate in a way that she believes would astound many of us now.

“We often think of the digital as something that is brand new and contemporary, but the fact is that digital modes of communication such as textile weaving, knitting, lace-making, and so on have existed and been used as means of communication and information storage long before the invention of the alphabet,” says Langlois.

In the book, she dissects textile’s unique capacity for communication through a range of global case studies, before examining the profound impact of colonialism on textile practice and the appropriation of the medium by capitalist systems.

“I was intrigued as to why in my own field, communication and media studies, textile has never received the same in-depth treatment as other media,” she says. “I explain the reasons for this in this book – mostly related to colonialism and capitalist appropriation – and explore how traditional textile practices continue their important and unique work of communication today.”

Student film exploring community-based sustainability screens at COP28

film camera

A documentary short created by York University PhD student Peyman Naeemi and supported by CIFAL York was competitively accepted to screen on Dec. 11 at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, as part of COP28’s Canada Pavilion events program.

York University PhD student Peyman Naeemi at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai
York University PhD student Peyman Naeemi at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai.

In collaboration with CIFAL York and EnviroMuslims, A Faithful Commitment to Sustainability examines an innovative, community-based sustainability program that a group of volunteers at the Jaffari Community Center (JCC) in Vaughan, Ont., undertook during the holy month of Ramadan while hosting and feeding more than 2,000 individuals every night. The film shows how the community was able to significantly minimize food and plastic waste and take major steps towards contributing to sustainability goals at the community level.

“Screening at COP28 is an exciting and exceptional opportunity for me and the film to further spread its message,” says Naeemi, who is currently at the conference in Dubai to take part in events and promote his film. “Considering the focus on the role of culture in climate change action at COP28, this documentary brings an example of such contribution, as faith is rooted in our culture.”

A second-year PhD student in York’s Department of Humanities, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS), Naeemi – who also puts his skills to use assisting CIFAL York’s multimedia unit – filmed, edited, directed and produced the film himself, with support from his PhD supervisory committee.

Using an interview style, Naeemi says the film seeks to highlight the following: the role of faith in initiating sustainable programs; the impact of family and community engagement in teaching sustainable practices; the role of Muslim women as sustainability leaders; and the advantages of using passionate youth to drive innovative sustainability practices.

“This documentary is very much in line with our focus area in developing learning materials around advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” says Ali Asgary, director of CIFAL York, a professor of disaster and emergency management, and one of Naeemi’s PhD supervisors. “Screening this documentary at COP28 is very significant, as it highlights the importance and connections between the SDGs and the climate change.”

Adjunct Professor Mark Terry, another member of Naeemi’s supervisory committee, who helped produce the film through his Youth Climate Report project, calls A Faithful Commitment to Sustainability “a remarkable film.”

“I’m very proud of Peyman for making a film that Canada wanted to showcase at this year’s COP28 climate summit in Dubai,” he says.

At COP28, Naeemi looks forward to receiving expert feedback on the film and learning from peers about how to expand its reach on a global scale. Attending the conference, he hopes, will also enrich the theoretical part of his thesis, giving him exposure to the world’s leading experts on environmental action.

Regarding his future plans, Naeemi says A Faithful Commitment to Sustainability will screen at the JCC, at York and potentially other universities, and at film festivals like the Planet in Focus International Environmental Film Festival. It will then be available for public viewing online, on the CIFAL York and CIFAL Global websites. On the academic side, Naeemi plans to use the documentary as a case study in an upper-level undergraduate course, highlighting the role of digital media in environmental and social movements.