Origin Story
GenAction unites 30 science centres across the nation to deliver climate action programming inspiring our next generation of climate heroes – like you!
Its mission is to engage over 200,000 youth by 2024. Collectively, participating science centres are connecting educators and youth with Science Spotlights, accessible peer-reviewed climate research articles, raising awareness of climate change science AND delivering programming to educate citizens on climate actions they can take to make a difference.
Did you know that human activity is the number one cause of climate change?
Climate change is a long-term change in weather conditions identified by temperature, precipitation, or winds, from the increase of heat in the atmosphere. If our Earth becomes too hot from emissions caused by humans, it can lead to more conditions like droughts, floods, or dangerous winds. If climate actions are neglected, the more negative impacts of climate change will be evident. It’s time for GenAction!
You Can Be a Climate Hero
Here are examples of daily climate actions you can take to make a difference:
- Unplug devices that are not in use
- Make homegrown compost as fertilizer for your gardens
- Eat a more seasonal, plant-rich diet
- Ride a bike to school or travel with a friend
- Donate unwanted toys and clothes
- Plan or participate in a community cleanup at school
- Read our Science Spotlights and spread the word about climate change science and actions
Join the Movement and Pledge to Be a Climate Hero Today
Our Mission Impact
Interact with the map below to discover climate action commitments happening in your region and the collective impact youth have on the future of our planet.
Science Spotlight
Discover local climate research from science heroes in your region and climate actions that you can do at home, in your classroom or in your community. They are available in French and English, to read online or download.
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Nature’s Funnel: Watersheds
L’entonnoir de la nature : Bassins hydrographiques
It has been raining heavily on a gloomy Saturday afternoon. Have you ever wondered: where does all the rainwater go? Maybe you thought of a huge funnel that could drain all the water into one spot. This is what a watershed is. A watershed is a region or area of land that drains water through rivers and streams into a body of water such as a lake or the ocean. Aside from rainfall, snow melting in the spring also drains into a watershed.
Protecting the animals and plants that live in the watersheds is important. This is what watershed management is all about. It includes processes that protect the land, forest and water resources that are being used - for example, reducing the pesticides and fertilizers that can run off into nearby bodies of water.
Protecting the animals and plants that live in the watersheds is important. This is what watershed management is all about. It includes processes that protect the land, forest and water resources that are being used - for example, reducing the pesticides and fertilizers that can run off into nearby bodies of water.
Il pleut abondamment en ce samedi après-midi maussade. Vous êtes-vous déjà demandé où va toute l’eau de pluie? Peut-être avez-vous pensé à un énorme entonnoir qui pourrait acheminer toute l’eau vers un seul endroit. C’est exactement ce que font les bassins hydrographiques. Les bassins hydrographiques sont des régions ou des étendues de terre où l’eau s’écoule par des rivières et des ruisseaux jusqu’à un plan d’eau, par exemple un lac ou l’océan. Outre l’eau produite par la pluie, la neige qui fond au printemps s’écoule aussi par les bassins hydrographiques.
Il est important de protéger les animaux et les plantes qui vivent dans les bassins hydrographiques. C’est le but de la gestion de ces derniers. La gestion des bassins hydrographiques prévoit des processus pour protéger les terres, les forêts et les ressources hydriques qui sont utilisées, par exemple, par la réduction des pesticides et des engrais susceptibles de se déverser dans les plans d’eau situés à proximité.
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Adapting in the Prairies
S’adapter dans les prairies
As the Earth warms, humans and animals are experiencing changes to our day-to-day lives. Hotter summers and changes in precipitation require us to look at the ways we are used to doing things and make adjustments in response to these changes. This is called adaptation: our ability to change in response to a situation. We do this every year when we start wearing different clothing as the seasons change. Animals adapt by growing extra fur or by changing colour.
Adapting as a city is a little harder. Cities can get stuck in patterns of doing things the same way year after year. But with a rapidly changing climate, those same strategies may no longer be appropriate.
Adapting as a city is a little harder. Cities can get stuck in patterns of doing things the same way year after year. But with a rapidly changing climate, those same strategies may no longer be appropriate.
Depuis le réchauffement planétaire, les humains et les animaux subissent des changements dans leurs vies quotidiennes. Les hautes températures l’été et les changements de précipitations nous obligent à évaluer nos habitudes et à les ajuster aux changements climatiques. Ceci s’appelle l’adaptation : notre habileté de faire des changements en réponse à notre situation. Nous le faisons chaque année quand nous nous habillons différemment pour les saisons. Les animaux s’adaptent en développant une fourrure plus dense ou en la changeant de couleur.
Le besoin d’une ville de s’adapter pose un différent défi. Une année après l’autre, une ville garde les mêmes habitudes. Cependant, un changement climatique rapide veut dire que ces habitudes doivent évoluer.
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Fueling with Renewables!
Du carburant renouvelable !
Have you ever wondered what gas-powered vehicles, furnaces, and factories have in common? They all use fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal - these are all non-renewable energy sources. A non-renewable energy source is an energy source that runs out - once consumed, it is not easily replaceable and could take millions of years to replenish. The burning of fossil fuels contributes to global warming because it releases a lot of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, that traps heat in our atmosphere.
A renewable energy source, on the other hand, is an energy source that can be replaced at the same rate as it is consumed, so it will almost always be available to us naturally. For example, solar panels convert sunlight into usable electricity that can power our homes. Other types of renewable energy include wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass energies.
A renewable energy source, on the other hand, is an energy source that can be replaced at the same rate as it is consumed, so it will almost always be available to us naturally. For example, solar panels convert sunlight into usable electricity that can power our homes. Other types of renewable energy include wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass energies.
Vous êtes-vous déjà demandé ce qu’ont en commun les véhicules, les fournaises et les usines alimentés au gaz? Ils consomment tous des combustibles fossiles, notamment du pétrole, du gaz naturel et du charbon, qui sont des sources d’énergie non renouvelables. Une source d’énergie non renouvelable est une source d’énergie qui s’épuise; une fois consommée, elle n’est pas facilement remplaçable et elle pourrait prendre des millions d’années à se recréer. L’utilisation de combustibles fossiles contribue au réchauffement de la planète, car elle libère une grande quantité de dioxyde de carbone, un gaz à effet de serre, qui emprisonne la chaleur dans notre atmosphère.
Une source d’énergie renouvelable, en revanche, est une source d’énergie qui peut être remplacée au même rythme qu’elle est consommée, de sorte qu’elle sera presque toujours à notre disposition, de manière naturelle. Par exemple, les panneaux solaires transforment la lumière du soleil en électricité utilisable pour alimenter nos maisons. L’énergie éolienne, l’énergie hydroélectrique, l’énergie géothermique et la biomasse sont d’autres formes d’énergie renouvelable.
Member Organizations
Meet the 30 science centers participating in GenAction and find local climate action programs in your region.
