Tree Planters: A podcast about change for a better world

Orillia, a small city on the north shore of Lake Simcoe in central Ontario, is considering annexing nearby land in anticipation of population growth.

Stop Sprawl Orillia, a citizen group, has organize…

This month we talk tall sprawl, also known as vertical sprawl.

Most of us think of the typical suburban development when we think of sprawl, and the answer to this, we are told, is to increase densit…

This episode we are looking back at the year that was, and looking ahead at the year that might be. Oh, and we do a film review of Don't Look Up!

Topics covered include the amazing summer students we …

This episode we speak with two citizens, Tricia Leuchter and Irene Ford, who are fighting the Bradford Bypass and Highway 413, respectively, which are proposed for their communities. 

Doug Ford and ot…

This episode we talk about greenwashing, the practice of presenting a product in a way that makes it seem to consumers as if it is environmentally friendly, when in fact it is not.

Greenwashing is mos…

On this episode of the Tree Planters podcast SCGC's youth engagement lead, Kelly, and youth advocacy intern, Blythe, talk about the barriers making it difficult for youth to engage in discussions aro…

Our guest this episode, Victor Doyle, is considered one of the key architects of Ontario's Greenbelt.

We talk about how the current provincial government is attempting to open up more land in the GTA…

With new highways proposed in the GTA, there are concerns about a boondoggle waste of taxpayer's money that goes toward increased sprawl, increased congestion, and increased threats to the environmen…

This week (really last week, but there's been a lot happening and we've had our hands full!) we talk with Jennifer Van Gennip about affordable housing and the advent of modern homelessness.

Jennifer w…

This week we talk with Shak Edwards about her work mentoring youth, particularly Black youth, and the values of humility and kindness that she works from.

We also talk about the Black Lives Matter mo…

Links to resources:

• Making Change
• Sandy and Nora (podcast)
• Struggle in the Suburbs
• Google Doc - Anti-racism resources
• 10 Documentaries To Watch About Race Instead Of Asking A Person Of Colour To Explain T…

More news on local street closures to help with the recovery from COVID-19, an update on Simcoe County's request for a Ministerial Zoning Order which would allow for more sprawl, and a chat with Fran…

The main portion of this show this week is an interview with Heather Keam, of the Tamarack Institute. Heather is manager of Cities, Cities Deepening Community, Vibrant Communities at Tamarack and she…

This week we are joined by Mary Wagner of Friends of Simcoe Forests about their work to protect the Freele Tract on Horseshoe Valley Road and the County seeking a Ministerial Zoning Order to override…

In which we start another podcast format. Our Currents episodes will be focused on issues that are happening now, largely in our local community, and that our member organizations are involved with. …

An hour and a half north of Toronto there is a constant stream of cars pulling over to the side of the road.

People get out, walk to the back of their vehicle, open the trunk and lift out jugs, which …

This month we talk about the One Earth One Vote campaign with Tim Gray, Executive Director of Environmental Defence.

Organized by Environmental Defence, the David Suzuki Foundation, Ontario Nature, a…

This month we're looking at the difference between change that addresses root causes, such as poverty and inequality, and change that addresses symptoms, such as homelessness. The former is change up…

This month we are talking about activism. It's a term that can divide people, but we think that it can be found far more than we might think in our daily life. 

We speak to three community leaders, Ha…

Our first episode! 

We explain how we came up with the Tree Planters name, as well as discuss who we are, what we do, and why we do it.

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