Every year, Mark looks forward to the month of June. But not just because the days are long and the waters are starting to warm up. Every June, great poets and writers gather at Wolfe Island for one of his favourite events of the year – the Joe Burke Literary Festival. As the event kicks off tonight, here are Mark's thoughts on this event he holds quite close to his heart.

Next week, a team of international and local artists are uniting at different pockets around Toronto to "paint a love letter" to Lake Ontario. Inspired by their own personal stories, the artists will paint murals across Toronto’s city core. These works of public art will beautify our neighbourhoods, galvanize communities, and stimulate a broader public awareness of critical environmental issues affecting the Great Lakes. See why Waterkeeper is so excited to help kick off this fantastic event.

In a world where data is increasingly expected to form the basis for our daily decisions, why do we continue to perceive the state of Lake Ontario – our very source of drinking water – without considering the hard (and current) evidence? Fortunately, there exist two powerful tools at our fingertips to help us tackle this problem. Swim Guide AND the all new Water Rangers launching - tomorrow! 

Some people are quick to understand our swim drink fish vision. Cut the explanation – some people just get it. That's exactly how we felt about Nina Munteanu when we first met her. This Sunday, we’re one of many who are joining Nina in Etobicoke for the launch of her latest book, Water Is... . We recently caught up with Nina to discuss details what Water Is... is all about.

As an open water swimmer, Loren King is very familiar with Lake Ontario. But this summer, as he prepares for his first attempt across the lake, he's looking for ways to give back to the waterbody that's given him so much. Enter the Great Lakes Trust – a fund Loren started which will forever support efforts that protect the Great Lakes.