Go for Green, the Active Living and Environment Program, is a national non-profit, charitable organization whose mission is to encourage outdoor physical activity that protects, enhances or restores the environment. Go for Green has community-driven solutions that make a positive contribution to Canadian society.

Our vision is to nurture commitment and action that improves our health and the health of the environment.

A Year in Review 2001-02 (Acrobat 384KB)
A Year in Review 2000-01 (Acrobat 367KB)

Program objectives include:

Partnerships
To build local, regional and national partnerships and alliances that help Canadians “Go for Green”.

Participation/Education
To provide opportunities for Canadians to experience, value, and learn to protect the environment while being active outdoors.

Safety/Accessibility
To create healthy, safe and accessible environments for outdoor physical activity.

Active Transportation
To encourage active transportation alternatives as an alternative to our growing reliance on the automobile.

Since 1992, we have worked in close partnership with health, environment, transportation, recreation and community organizations across the country; progressive Canadian corporations; and governments at all levels. During this time, we have supported more than 3,000 initiatives to enhance personal and environmental health.

Facing the Future

The personal health of Canadians is being compromised by physical inactivity.

The health of our environment is in danger from the negative impact of our current lifestyles.

Recent studies show serious concerns in these areas:

• 63% of Canadians are not physically active enough to achieve health benefits.
• 93% believe that environmental problems will largely affect the health of our children and grandchildren.

Go for Green addresses these urgent issues in practical ways through our active living and environmental stewardship programs.

Go for Green… activities, programs, services, and resources

Go for Green aims to inform Canadians about healthy, active lifestyle choices, and nurtures commitment and action … to improve our health and the health of the environment. Here are some of the ways we do it.

Active Transportation

Go for Green’s Active Transportation Program encourages Canadians to choose modes of transportation that require human power, such as walking, cycling, skating or skiing, for a cleaner environment and improved personal health. We offer helpful resources such as Making the Case for Active Transportation, Retrofitting Communities for Sustainable and Healthy Active Transportation and the Community Cycling Manual (Planning & Design Guide). We also collaborate with other organizations, such as the Canadian Council for Health and Active Living at Work to produce and promote resources like Walk & Roll: A Guide to Active Transportation To, From, and At the Workplace. These resources and many others can be ordered directly from Go for Green.

Trailpaq

Go for Green’s Trailpaq Program, sponsored by Compaq Canada Corp. (a Hewlett-Packard company), promotes community trail initiatives across Canada through a sustainable Web-based resource centre. A national inventory of over 3,700 trails assists Canadians in finding trails and sharing trail information online. On-line resources include Trailpaq’s Pathfinder, Canada’s on-line trail newsletter, featuring news, updates and useful tips for trail users and builders and Trail Monitors – fact sheets on the social, heritage, economic, health and environmental benefits of trails. Visit www.trailpaq.ca and discover trails in your community!

Active & Safe Routes to School

This national program encourages active modes of transportation to and from school. As a result, Walking and Cycling School Buses are now a familiar sight in many neighbourhoods. The benefits include increased physical activity for children; less traffic congestion around schools; safer, calmer streets; and improved air quality. Once a year, Go for Green and its partners invite schools across Canada to demonstrate their support by participating in the International Walk to School Day event. Schools can register for the program or event on-line and download tools and resources to help them get started.

Gardening for Life

Go for Green’s Gardening for Life Program supports the idea of natural gardening including such things as careful use of water, tree planting for home energy efficiency, and avoiding the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. Materials for parks personnel and home gardeners range from reports and case studies to Fact Sheets on Backyard Gardening and the Physical Benefits of Gardening.

Winter Green

Go for Green’s Winter Green encourages Canadians to participate in traditional outdoor winter activities, such as tobogganing, snow shoeing, birding, hiking or skiing, while being good environmental citizens. Discover cool ideas for winter activities, including how to build a community or backyard rink, and learn how to ‘green’ your winter events. Find unique and novel successes from other communities in Winter Green resources, such as Get Winter Active! Tips, Tools and Cool Ideas for Leaders, Get Winter Green! and Making your Event or Activity Winter Green.

Ice Dreams

Go for Green’s Ice Dreams program encourages and supports the development and use of new and existing outdoor rinks in Canada. Register outdoor rinks online at www.icedreams.ca.

“Go for Green” Prescription

In partnership with Health Canada, Go for Green and the College of Family Physicians of Canada collaborated on the design and distribution of a new prescription – your “Go for Green” Prescription. Whether prescribed by your family doctor or a prescription/commitment that you make for yourself, the antidote is healthy physical activity, easily found in your local neighbourhood. Download your own Go for Green Prescription, and make your physical activity commitment today!

National Go for Green Awards

The Go for Green Awards Program recognizes communities, schools and workplaces in Canada for outstanding achievements in active living and environmental stewardship. The program consists of two national awards – the Active Transportation Award, and the Trail Award – each of which includes a $1,000 bursary for communities and schools, national media recognition for the workplace and a plaque to commemorate the achievement.

Awareness and Education

Go for Green works with groups across the country to educate and influence decision-makers about a wide range of policies, including active transportation, urban planning, recreational water quality and land use, and parks naturalization.

Information Sharing

We publish and distribute a variety of resources, ranging from brochures, fact sheets, and case studies to reports, professional references, and videos. Several of these resources are free and available on-line; while others are modestly priced. Be sure to get on the list for our News & Info newsletter for the latest information and updates on Go for Green initiatives across Canada.

Walk to the Talk

We stock a range of shirts, caps, and other merchandise in our Go for Green ‘store’. With a logo and great slogans, you help spread the word! Perfect for gifts, prizes, or fund-raising for community groups.

Together we can do something about it!
Go for Green wants all Canadians to get active and care for the environments
in which they live, work, and play.

For more information on our activities, programs, services, and resources, contact:

Go for Green
5480 Canotek Road, Unit #16, Gloucester, ON K1J 9H6