Laura Kanik is in the last semester of her bachelor of social work  at the University of Calgary, with a focus on sustainable community development. As an eco-social work practicum student with Alberta Acts on Climate Change Laura is involved with community engagement in municipalities outside of Calgary and on-going sustainability initiatives in Calgary. Laura has a passion for exploring and experiencing mountains and rivers at every chance she gets, and it is this love of the outdoors that fuels her interest in creating a sustainable future. 

We asked Laura "why Alberta Acts on Climate Change". She responded:

"I decided to work at Alberta Acts on Climate Change for my senior social work practicum because it offered the exciting opportunity to practice eco-social work. Eco-social work is a burgeoning field that is just starting to gain academic and professional recognition. The acknowledgment that issues of social justice and issues of environmental justice do not exist in isolation and are, in fact, completely intertwined is what drives eco-social work.

There is a growing urgency to act on all aspects of environmental decline, including climate change. I believe that social workers are in a unique position to work on issues of ecological integrity because our human clients are affected enormously by the ramifications of environmental degradation, because our professional code of ethics supports this kind of work, and because our training and knowledge has prepared us to work with people on issues of social, and by extension environmental, justice.

Social workers can use an ecological perspective in all the work that they do, whether it is clinical practice with individuals, groups and families, community based work, or work on a managerial, policy or research level. All areas of social work can benefit from the recognition of a deep and complex connection between people and the natural world, and infusing this understanding into the profession."