Karen Wirsig
Senior Program Manager, Plastics
Karen has worked as a journalist and as a labour and community organizer. She has participated in her downtown Toronto housing co-operative for more than 20 years. An active transportation enthusiast who favours walking, cycling, and public transit, Karen has never owned a car. She is a voracious reader and has spent her adult life trying to unlearn the common belief that humans should strive for domination over each other, over other animals, and over nature itself. She’s passionate about helping to get plastics out of the environment.
Read Karen's Posts
Dec 05, 2023
Next Stop: Canada, for Tense Talks on a Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution
There’s still a lot of work to do to get the global treaty we need…
Nov 28, 2023
We Will Not Back Down: Plastics Are Toxic and Must Be Regulated in Canada
We got some bad news in November of 2023: a federal court judge ruled in…
Aug 16, 2023
Statement from Karen Wirsig on Calgary Co-op’s campaign to exempt its checkout bags from single-use…
Aug 09, 2023
Proposed federal plan for major Canadian grocery chains is essential to eliminate plastic waste and…
Aug 04, 2023
Why “Compostable” Plastic Is Actually Trash
There’s a disturbing push for so-called “compostable” plastic to replace single-use plastic items banned by…
Jul 31, 2023
The Story of Plastic in Canada – Part 5: Plastic Waste and Microplastics
You’ve arrived at the final stop in the story of plastic in Canada. It’s the…
Jul 20, 2023
The Story of Plastic in Canada – Part 4: The Dangers of Single-use Plastic Packaging
You’ve arrived at stop number four on the journey of plastics in Canada. At our…
Jul 14, 2023
The Story of Plastic in Canada – Part 3: Plastic Production and Human Health
Welcome back to the story of plastic in Canada. Last time, we made our way…
Jul 10, 2023
The Story of Plastic in Canada – Part 2: Plastic and Pipelines
This post was co-written by Michelle Woodhouse, Program Manager, Fresh Water Welcome to stop number…
Jul 05, 2023
The Story of Plastic in Canada – Part 1: Plastic and Fossil Fuels
This post was co-written by Aliénor Rougeot, Program Manager, Climate and Energy Welcome to the…