A young environmental advocate living and working in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is making a difference in his community and beyond as a member of the 2020 Ocean Bridge program and the founder of the recently launched Carbon Labels Canada.
“Every product purchased has an impact on the earth, but the level of impact is hidden from consumers,” states Eli Lusty. “Carbon Labels Canada is dedicated to advocating for carbon footprint labels on high-volume products across Canada so that consumers can make an educated decision at the point of purchase.”
As part of his service work with Ocean Wise’s Ocean Bridge program, Lusty has created a Facebook page and website to raise awareness for the problem, and is reaching out to local and national organizations and decision-makers to bring the issue to the forefront.
“This is a simple question of information access for consumers – a force that directs economic output,” notes Lusty. “Research in countries and stores that have implemented carbon labeling indicate that consumers change their behavior towards less polluting products when given the option. But as things stand currently, there is no option [in Canada].”
Lusty earned his Bachelor of Economics Honours at Carleton University, where he learned about the power of aggregate choices. He works to raise awareness about environmental issues through Carbon Labels Canada and Ocean Wise’s Ocean Bridge program. He recently returned from a 10-day immersive learning journey along Nova Scotia’s eastern and southern shores, where he was joined by fellow Ocean Bridge youth ambassadors from across the Maritimes.
Ocean Bridge brings together 160 young Canadians aged 18-30 to form four national cohorts – Pacific, Great Lakes, St. Lawrence and Atlantic – composed of youth with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences who are passionate about making a difference in their communities through the lens of oceans and waterway conservation. Ocean Bridge is an Ocean Wise initiative funded by the Canada Service Corps through the Government of Canada.
For further information on Carbon Labels Canada, click here.
