The Manitou Initiative - Living sustainably in the 21st century

The Manitou Initiative is the name that we’ve given to our efforts to improve the sustainability of human society, and of the planet that we all share. We believe that it is possible to maintain modern lifestyles with a high standard of living for the long term, while at the same protecting the world’s biodiversity and ecosystems. Not to say that this will be an easy or painless transition from our current and problematic ways, but now is the time that action is desperately needed. If we succeed, we can create a world that is better for people as well as the planet.

There are two massive ecological problems facing humanity in the early 21st century, and how we deal with them over the next couple of decades has massive implications for the livability of the world that we will pass to our children. The first threat is global climate change caused by man-made greenhouse gas emissions. The second is the ongoing damage to ecosystems and extinctions of species all around the world, caused largely by humans pushing into and exploiting all corners of our planet. These two issues are intertwined in both their causes as well as their solutions, and it is these solutions that the Manitou Initiative focuses on, through education, advocacy, and trying to lead by example.

The following articles, essays and resources will be added to over time, and clustered together in such a way that they will hopefully be useful and easy to navigate (many of the titles below are placeholders for the time-being, to be added when the pieces are ready).

The big picture - what are the biggest ecological problems that must be addressed?
Global climate change - the scope of the problem
Loss of biodiversity - the scope of the problem
Other pollution - the scope of the problem

Making a sustainable world
Effective action vs. window dressing
Greenhouse gas emissions
Land and water use
Human nature and sustainability

Acting locally 
Personal behavior
-Housing
-Transport
-Food and diet
-Consumer goods
-Services


Advocacy and activism
The Ottawa/Gatineau region: What is being done here?

Our family's journey to real sustainability
Current (un)sustainability of our life - outline our current consumption as well as goals
What to do? Reaching for the long-term sustainable lifestyle
The Manitou Bay Farm