The First Green Wave Pollution Probe and the Origins of Environmental Activism in Ontario

The First Green Wave traces the rise of Ontario's environmental movement. At the heart of the story is Pollution Probe, an organization founded in 1969 by students and faculty at the University of Toronto. In its first year of operation, Pollution Probe confronted Toronto's City Hall over its use of pesticides, Ontario Hydro over air pollution, and the detergent industry over pollution of the Great Lakes. The success of these actions inspired the founding of other environmental organizations across Canada and led to the development of initiatives now taken for granted, such as waste reduction and energy policy.