This summer, I worked as a Research Intern for Climate Reality Project Canada. As a Political Science and Environment student skilled in academic and journalistic research and deeply passionate about environmental issues, policy, and activism, this internship was the perfect fit for me. Some of my areas of interest include environmental justice, Canadian environmental law, and the role of ethical consumerism in environmental activism.
I was seeking an internship that would allow me to combine my skills and interests, learning more about climate activism and environmental solutions while working for an organization making a meaningful contribution to the fight against climate change, an effort to which I plan to dedicate my career. Climate Reality Project Canada is the Canadian branch of the Climate Reality Project, an organization founded by former US vice president Al Gore dedicated to educating the public on the impacts of climate change, the solutions available, and how to participate in the movement for solutions. The organization recruits and trains Climate Reality Leaders, volunteers who offer presentations on topics related to climate change and climate activism. Its mission is to motivate the public to participate in the fight against climate change and to offer hope.
During my internship, I was able to explore my areas of interest in great depth. I was first responsible for building a contact list for Climate Reality Presentation outreach, researching businesses and organizations across Canada in order to invite them to receive a presentation from a volunteer speaker. Then, I compiled a library of inspirational and educational video resources, selecting videos on a wide variety of topics related to climate change to be used in presentations by the organization鈥檚 volunteers. My largest task was to create my own slideshow, accompanied by a glossary and FAQ sheet, for a future presentation. This slideshow focused on the role of climate change in the future of the chocolate and coffee industries, and how those industries can be impacted by consumer practices. Finally, I compiled facts and information from existing presentations to create a factsheet on the realities of climate change across the different regions of Canada.
Many of the highlights of my internship were a result of the welcoming and enthusiastic team with which I worked. I was excited to participate in team meetings to share my own progress and learn about the work done by my coworkers. There were several enjoyable team meetings, including one held outdoors at the Montreal Botanical Gardens. Another highlight was the completion of my slideshow. This project required extensive research on topics ranging from tropical agroforestry to compostable coffee pods, as well as the writing and graphic design required to produce the presentation. It was very satisfying to bring together several weeks of work into one successfully completed project. I was also very motivated by the task of compiling lists of schools for outreach; I was proud to have participated in work that brings hope for the future to children, who may be inspired to get involved in climate activism as a result of our efforts.
The difficulties of working from home posed some challenges during my internship, as communicating back and forth with colleagues in an online format was often time-consuming, and my work schedule did not always feel structured. To overcome these challenges, I made sure to go over my self-imposed schedule for the upcoming week in my meetings with my internship supervisor, and, when asking for assistance or resources, met with colleagues on Zoom to ensure that there was less confusion. Additionally, I structured my own work schedules by alternating work time with breaks to eat meals, water my houseplants, and take walks outside.
Reflecting on my internship, I believe that it profoundly enhanced my university experience. I gained greater knowledge and understanding of the work done by environmental organizations, which deepened my interest in my career path. I gained a greater sense of purpose and direction in my studies. The experience also gave me the opportunity to continue research in my areas of interest over the summer, unrelated to my classes, which provided me with greater confidence in my ability to do independent research.
