Charting her own course in the climate movement

Written By Peter Allan

Melody Li at the ISO Environmental Management Plenary in Toronto, 2025. Photo submitted by Melody Li

 

By Patricia Lane & Melody Li

Melody Li is designing her own path toward a fairer, more climate-adaptive future. The 26-year-old Markham, Ontario, resident has pursued internships, fellowships and grants that allow her to explore more meaningful work in the nonprofit/charitable sector. At the time of writing, she is working full-time assisting the director of communications at Sierra Club Canada. In 2026, she will focus on her own project, Meals That Matter, helping people in vulnerable and marginalized communities see food that would otherwise be wasted be redirected to provide delicious, culturally appropriate and climate-friendly meals — while keeping food out of landfills.

Tell us about your approach.

There is no obvious roadmap for building a career that addresses the climate crisis while advancing fairness. In 2021, as I prepared to graduate with a science degree from the University of Toronto, a professor mentioned ECO Canada. With only the information on their website, I applied for and was pre-approved for wage funding through their Science Horizons Youth Internship Program. I then needed a position, so I contacted several organizations aligned with my interests before joining the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care. A highlight of my internship there was leading research and writing for a fact sheet on the thermal gradient header (TGH) offering healthcare facilities a cost-effective, low-carbon way to capture and reuse waste heat.

When that grant ended, I wanted to build further skills and experience and applied for another grant from ECO Canada. I chose an eight-month Digital Skills For Youth internship with Sierra Club Canada, where I had the opportunity to work in communications supporting the organization’s national and local reach and a wide range of issues. I work full-time on social media scheduling, event promotion, e-mail list and data and website management, podcasting, writing blog posts and media releases, and the communications side of fundraising.

READ MORE Free to read — no sign-in required.

 
Peter Allan
Previous

Want to cut emissions? Young advocate says tax the rich — and what they own
Next

Helping immigrants find their place in Canada's climate fight