Environment

York University shines as one of Canada's Greenest Employers for more than a decade

York University's outstanding progress in sustainability earns it the distinction of being one of Canada's Greenest Employers for the 11th consecutive year.

Canada’s ecological footprint declined during COVID-19, but is it back to pre-pandemic levels?

What is the size of Canada’s ecological footprint, and that of the rest of the world, and how did that change during the global pandemic? Researchers at York University will release the Ecological Footprint of Canada, and 200 other countries, from 1961 to 2022, at an online launch on Thursday, April 20, from 1 to 2 p.m.

New, portable device detects glow emitted by plants to measure their health

When plants are healthy, they emit red light that is nearly impossible to see with the naked eye, but with a new instrument developed at York University, it's now possible to measure that light whether in a lab or out in the field.

Lakes in hot water, climate change creating a cauldron of issues

As intense heatwaves grip the UK, Spain, France and Portugal, at times exceeding temperatures 40C, as well as parts of North America, lakes are feeling the heat from climate change...

Clues to bee health found in their gut microbiome

The local environment plays a pivotal role in the health and diversity of the gut microbiome of wild bees which could help detect invisible stressors and early indicators of potential threats, say York University scientists in a new study.

Earth Day 2021: York experts in environment and climate change available for interviews

TORONTO, April 20, 2021 — With Earth Day 2021 on the horizon, York University researchers in the areas of environment and climate change are available to discuss the world’s ecosystems, emerging green technologies and innovative thinking – the key elements of this year’s theme, Restoring Our Earth. Kathy Young is a geography professor in the […]

York named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers eight years in a row

York University has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for 2020, an honour it has achieved eight consecutive times for initiatives such as sourcing sustainable food options.

York U disaster management and emergency response expert available for comment on hurricane season during COVID-19

TORONTO, May 22, 2020 – The 2020 hurricane season will have above-average activity levels, according to the Canadian Hurricane Centre. The Environment and Climate Change Canada agency provided the seasonal outlook this morning. “The late May outlook for this year’s hurricane season reminds us that despite our disaster attention span being consumed by COVID-19, like […]

Ozone-depleting chemical alternatives getting into our food and water

TORONTO, May 14, 2020 – An international environmental agreement to regulate the use of chemicals depleting the ozone layer may have inadvertently allowed higher levels of other harmful chemicals to flourish, new research co-led by York University and Environment and Climate Change Canada has found. The 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone […]

Hundreds of high school students to learn how to change their world

York University to host one of Canada’s largest youth environmental conferences TORONTO, October 15, 2019 – A love affair with big, gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs has meant Canadians drive the worst climate polluting vehicles in the world. In Ontario, transportation is the number one source of climate pollution, says Dianne Saxe. One of Canada’s most […]