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Elaine Ho

University of Waterloo, School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, Graduate Student

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Student: Social and Ecological Sustainability (Integrated Water Management). Earned: PMP, MES (Environment and Resource Studies), EPt. Hons. BES (Environment and Resource Studies), Diploma in Environmental Assessment.

PROVEN SKILLS AND HIGHLIGHTS (based on recent experience):
- Excellent communication
- Coordination & team management, specializing in sustainability
- Customer service & 'people relations'
- Consulting experience in projects relating to environmental education, youth engagement and sustainability
- Successful grant proposals to the McLean Foundation with contributions to successful grant proposals to the Laidlaw Foundation

RECENT AWARDS:
- University of Waterloo Graduate Scholarship (Non-competitive: $1 000 January 2013)
- Ontario Graduate Scholarship (Competitive: $15 000 over 12 months, September 2012)
- University of Waterloo President's Graduate Award (Incentive award: up to $10 000 over 8 months, September 2012)
- Ontario Graduate Fellowship (Non-competitive: $2 000, January 2012)

Professional site: http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/elaine-ho/47/1b/485/
COP15 Blog: http://elaineatcop.wordpress.com/
Project site: shoplosho.com and golosho.com
Supervisors: Simon Courtenay and Andrew Trant
Address: Canada

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Trent University

Arunas Liskauskas

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

InterestsView All (12)

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Papers by Elaine Ho

Towards democratizing water quality monitoring processes for the lower Grand River and nearshore Lake Erie

Freshwater quality issues are among the most pressing challenges of our time. Such issues are inc... more Freshwater quality issues are among the most pressing challenges of our time. Such issues are increasingly complex and tend to recur when we fail to acknowledge the interacting stressors that influence them. One example of a recurring issue is the prolific growth of Cladophora (a benthic nuisance alga) in the eastern basin of Lake Erie. Water managers thought they had corrected the issue by controlling nutrient loading from the 1970s to the1990s; however, the Cladophora issue returned in the mid-2000s and has persisted due to new factors changing the way the ecosystem works. The Grand River in Southern Ontario remains Lake Erie’s largest contributor of nutrients in Canada, and so is the focus of current management efforts. Problems like this, which are caused by several interacting factors in a given space over time, are known as cumulative effects. Much of the literature on cumulative effects and/or water quality monitoring in this dissertation reflects conventional practice focuse...

Mapping Youth-led Engagement: Impacts of Youth-led Engagement in English Canada over the Last 35 Years

I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, inc... more

Youth-led social change: Topics, engagement types, organizational types, strategies, and impacts

Futures, 2015

Criteria-based ranking (CBR): A comprehensive process for selecting and prioritizing monitoring indicators

MethodsX, 2018

Resources allocated to natural resource management often fluctuate, requiring the types and numbe... more Resources allocated to natural resource management often fluctuate, requiring the types and numbers of parameters used in monitoring programs (e.g., indicators of ecosystem health) to be frequently reassessed. Conventional approaches to selecting monitoring indicators are often biased and non-inclusive. A new Criteriabased Ranking (CBR) process for selecting and/or prioritizing indicators was tested in the Muskoka River Watershed (Ontario, Canada). The CBR process is based on two environmental assessment tools, Simple Weighted and Leopold matrices. It incorporates environmental components and criteria for assessing each indicator, which generate a score per indicator. The process tested in this study was concluded to be an effective way to prioritize and/or select environmental monitoring indicators. A different set of indicators emerged when a common set of criteria was used to assess monitoring indicators. Benefits of the CBR process include: Standardization of indicator selection process with less bias and lower cost (e.g., time and human resources). Indicators that are representative of the community and more relevant for decision-making (e.g., more resilient to socio-political change). Adaptability: (1) to other goals, e.g., selecting from a list of Valued Ecosystem Components (VECs), and (2) to any context through localized scoring criteria. Easily integrated into existing practice.

Assessing current monitoring indicators and reporting for cumulative effects integration: A case study in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada

Ecological Indicators

Building Stronger Social and Ecological Communities in the Muskoka, Ontario Region - a preliminary review of watershed monitoring and reporting

by Elaine Ho and sondra eger

This study was completed in response to recommendations offered to the Muskoka Watershed Council ... more This study was completed in response to recommendations offered to the Muskoka Watershed Council (MWC) as a result of prior research in the region of Muskoka, Ontario, Canada. The purpose of this preliminary study was twofold: first, to assess the region’s existing Watershed Report Card monitoring and reporting program, and second, to explore opportunities for addressing climate change in the Muskoka River Watershed region.

Three main results emerged from this study.
1. Data reported in Watershed Report Cards are inconsistent from one year to the next, resulting in an inability to infer long-term trends or a coherent storyline. This is consistent with challenge faced other regions in Ontario and elsewhere (Conservation Ontario, 2005; Canadian Water Network, 2016).
2. With a high turnover of often independent researchers, duplication of research efforts occurs. A metadata repository should be implemented so as to better track research activities, ensure information is accessible as individuals come and go, and to make the data available to decision makers and the public.
3. Stakeholder engagement is inadequate throughout the process – from the selection of monitoring indicators through to the dissemination of information.

The story of tomorrow: We will win!

This report contains reflections and takeaways from the July 2015 Climate Reality Leadership Corp... more

Legacy of a tyrant: Harper’s ‘war on science’ and the strategic dismemberment of Canada’s environmental legislation

Final paper for a PhD course, "Environmental Policy and Management": Canadians are preparing for... more Final paper for a PhD course, "Environmental Policy and Management": Canadians are preparing for a federal election in October 2015. In the wake of recent policy strategies by the Harper Government, which includes the use of omnibus bills and stringent scare and control mechanisms, there exists a concern that the electorate is no longer informed well enough to make decisions in their own interests. Yet, those who want to be engaged and informed meet challenges in regards to accessing information, while those who have the information are finding it difficult not only to share it, but to infuse it into policy. As such, the discussion around how to better facilitate the use of science in policy, as well as how to improve the culture of policy in regards to science, is pertinent. An introduction and a history to the current policy landscape was provided in the first two sections of this paper. Two sets of challenges were then discussed: the general application of science to policy, and the inhibition of science within the current policy landscape as illustrated in the introductory sections. Finally, recommendations based in the literature were considered.

Youth-led social change: Topics, engagement types, organizational types, strategies, and impacts

This paper provides a framework for evaluating youth-led social change. The framework considers: ... more This paper provides a framework for evaluating youth-led social change. The framework considers: seven topics (e.g., environment, human health and safety, and education); nine engagement types (e.g., volunteerism, research and innovation, and political engagement); six organizational types (e.g., advisory body, social enterprise, and individual); three strategies (socialization, influence, and power); and three scales of impacts (individual, community/inter-organizational, and national/international). Using this framework, empirical research provides evidence of how youth – defined as young people 15–24 years of age – have been agents of change in Canada over the 35 years from 1978 to 2012. A media content analysis of 264 articles, combined with frequency and chi-square tests, were completed to study the factors and the relationships among them. The results show a strong relationship between the impact and the strategy, topic, engagement type, and organizational type. The results also show a strong relationship between the strategy and the impact, engagement type and organizational type. The findings have implications for youth leaders and those who advocate for, work with, support, and educate them, and for those interested in evaluating social change efforts.

Key words: Youth; Youth-led; Engagement; Impact; Social change; Leaders.

Student Reflective Report: Green Technologies and Their Pragmatic Merits and Technical Issues

In this paper an overview of current green technologies including living walls, green roofs and w... more In this paper an overview of current green technologies including living walls, green roofs and water treatment via vegetation is provided. This report outlines the values and purposes of each technology and also presents some of the technical issues involved. General recommendations are made based on the information gathered on the respective green technologies. This report is intended to aid in the synthesis of new ideas surrounding green technologies as well as to introduce the demand for much needed research into living walls and other green technologies as they emerge as alternative and aesthetic features to homes, office building and other institutions.

Student Consulting Report: Options for Repairing the Living Wall at the Waterloo Region (formerly Kitchener Children’s) Museum

This consulting report deals with the failure of the living wall at the Waterloo Region Museum in... more This consulting report deals with the failure of the living wall at the Waterloo Region Museum in Kitchener Ontario. Green technologies are becoming increasingly important in reducing energy consumption, providing a green space amidst the urban setting and decreasing carbon emissions. Though there are many new green technologies being developed, this report will focus on living walls because of client needs. These needs included finding long lasting improvements to the previous wall which was no longer growing and required continual replacement of plants. This report is a consultation of the failed Nedlaw living wall at the museum, the new, now fully constructed living wall by The Plant Lady Inc, and the corresponding mechanical and structural differences between the two.

Final Essay for Course (2009): "Revamping Education - The Lack of Eco-sense, and Implications of a Biophilic Curriculum"

immersed in environmental stewardship through leadership opportunities. The film explores the imp... more immersed in environmental stewardship through leadership opportunities. The film explores the importance of allowing young people to be involved in environmental leadership activities, what the need and benefits of such programs could be, and how it relates to at-risk and new immigrant youth. My case study area is the York/Weston region in Toronto, and my exemplified success story is SWITCH, the Solar and Wind Initiatives Towards Change. A second case study is Greenlearning's COOL 2.0 interactive course-design retreat. SWITCH is a completely youth-run, non-profit organization based out of William Lyon Mackenzie C.I. in the Toronto District School Board. The group does research in order to understand solar and wind power generation as a likely means of powering the future. Youth in this initiative also attend or deliver workshops and visit other schools. The COOL 2.0 weekend occurred over two and half days, where two students (myself and a friend) and professionals (mainly educators) from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario came together to begin the creation of an online tool to enhance climate change education. The challenge for the weekend was, "In a time of climate change crisis, how can we build a Web 2.0 community that provides youth with deep understanding and empowers them to create change." Throughout the weekend we discussed deficiencies in the present education system, and ways we could improve it via the online tool we were developing. This essay takes on a similar format, and draws on the following resources: Earth in Mind by David Orr; and Ecological Literacy edited by Michael Stone et. al.

Drafts by Elaine Ho

Solar Schools Ontario (Proposal Draft, May 2009)

Presentations & Workshops by Elaine Ho

Mapping Youth-led Engagement: Understanding Impacts of Youth-led Engagement in English Canada Over the Last 35 Years: presentation

Based on Masters thesis research. Presentation (demonstration of research process) to 2nd year M... more

Commercializing Geothermal Systems in Urban Settings

An introductory review of potential barriers and opportunities in commercializing geoexchange in ... more

Preparing for climate change in Muskoka: strengthening Watershed monitoring and reporting in a changing future MWC Report Cards review - a walkthrough

by Elaine Ho and sondra eger

As part of a workshop for the Muskoka Watershed Council, hosted by Elaine Ho on August 5, 2016, E... more As part of a workshop for the Muskoka Watershed Council, hosted by Elaine Ho on August 5, 2016, Elaine briefly presented a report co-authored with a colleague, Sondra Eger, at the University of Waterloo. For content references and more, see the report brief in the 'Papers' section titled "Building Stronger Social and Ecological Communities in the Muskoka, Ontario Region - a preliminary review of watershed monitoring and reporting".

Making Sense of Sustainability

A presentation to the Rotary Club of Cambridge (Preston-Hespeler) on August 21st, 2014, on behalf... more

Mapping Youth-led Engagement: Understanding Impacts of Youth-led Engagement in Canada over the Last 35 Years

Water in Maasai Land: the Human Issue

Water is not only an environmental or health issue. It is an all-around human issue, touching on... more Water is not only an environmental or health issue. It is an all-around human issue, touching on all aspects of our lives from health to business, electricity to transportation, food production to political stability, and recreation to habitation. This presentation was prepared for the Environmental Leadership Camp at the Kitchener Children's Museum (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada).

Recycling in Toronto (an introduction for new immigrant/ESL adults)

Towards democratizing water quality monitoring processes for the lower Grand River and nearshore Lake Erie

Freshwater quality issues are among the most pressing challenges of our time. Such issues are inc... more Freshwater quality issues are among the most pressing challenges of our time. Such issues are increasingly complex and tend to recur when we fail to acknowledge the interacting stressors that influence them. One example of a recurring issue is the prolific growth of Cladophora (a benthic nuisance alga) in the eastern basin of Lake Erie. Water managers thought they had corrected the issue by controlling nutrient loading from the 1970s to the1990s; however, the Cladophora issue returned in the mid-2000s and has persisted due to new factors changing the way the ecosystem works. The Grand River in Southern Ontario remains Lake Erie’s largest contributor of nutrients in Canada, and so is the focus of current management efforts. Problems like this, which are caused by several interacting factors in a given space over time, are known as cumulative effects. Much of the literature on cumulative effects and/or water quality monitoring in this dissertation reflects conventional practice focuse...

Mapping Youth-led Engagement: Impacts of Youth-led Engagement in English Canada over the Last 35 Years

I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, inc... more

Youth-led social change: Topics, engagement types, organizational types, strategies, and impacts

Futures, 2015

Criteria-based ranking (CBR): A comprehensive process for selecting and prioritizing monitoring indicators

MethodsX, 2018

Resources allocated to natural resource management often fluctuate, requiring the types and numbe... more Resources allocated to natural resource management often fluctuate, requiring the types and numbers of parameters used in monitoring programs (e.g., indicators of ecosystem health) to be frequently reassessed. Conventional approaches to selecting monitoring indicators are often biased and non-inclusive. A new Criteriabased Ranking (CBR) process for selecting and/or prioritizing indicators was tested in the Muskoka River Watershed (Ontario, Canada). The CBR process is based on two environmental assessment tools, Simple Weighted and Leopold matrices. It incorporates environmental components and criteria for assessing each indicator, which generate a score per indicator. The process tested in this study was concluded to be an effective way to prioritize and/or select environmental monitoring indicators. A different set of indicators emerged when a common set of criteria was used to assess monitoring indicators. Benefits of the CBR process include: Standardization of indicator selection process with less bias and lower cost (e.g., time and human resources). Indicators that are representative of the community and more relevant for decision-making (e.g., more resilient to socio-political change). Adaptability: (1) to other goals, e.g., selecting from a list of Valued Ecosystem Components (VECs), and (2) to any context through localized scoring criteria. Easily integrated into existing practice.

Assessing current monitoring indicators and reporting for cumulative effects integration: A case study in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada

Ecological Indicators

Building Stronger Social and Ecological Communities in the Muskoka, Ontario Region - a preliminary review of watershed monitoring and reporting

by Elaine Ho and sondra eger

This study was completed in response to recommendations offered to the Muskoka Watershed Council ... more This study was completed in response to recommendations offered to the Muskoka Watershed Council (MWC) as a result of prior research in the region of Muskoka, Ontario, Canada. The purpose of this preliminary study was twofold: first, to assess the region’s existing Watershed Report Card monitoring and reporting program, and second, to explore opportunities for addressing climate change in the Muskoka River Watershed region.

Three main results emerged from this study.
1. Data reported in Watershed Report Cards are inconsistent from one year to the next, resulting in an inability to infer long-term trends or a coherent storyline. This is consistent with challenge faced other regions in Ontario and elsewhere (Conservation Ontario, 2005; Canadian Water Network, 2016).
2. With a high turnover of often independent researchers, duplication of research efforts occurs. A metadata repository should be implemented so as to better track research activities, ensure information is accessible as individuals come and go, and to make the data available to decision makers and the public.
3. Stakeholder engagement is inadequate throughout the process – from the selection of monitoring indicators through to the dissemination of information.

The story of tomorrow: We will win!

This report contains reflections and takeaways from the July 2015 Climate Reality Leadership Corp... more

Legacy of a tyrant: Harper’s ‘war on science’ and the strategic dismemberment of Canada’s environmental legislation

Final paper for a PhD course, "Environmental Policy and Management": Canadians are preparing for... more Final paper for a PhD course, "Environmental Policy and Management": Canadians are preparing for a federal election in October 2015. In the wake of recent policy strategies by the Harper Government, which includes the use of omnibus bills and stringent scare and control mechanisms, there exists a concern that the electorate is no longer informed well enough to make decisions in their own interests. Yet, those who want to be engaged and informed meet challenges in regards to accessing information, while those who have the information are finding it difficult not only to share it, but to infuse it into policy. As such, the discussion around how to better facilitate the use of science in policy, as well as how to improve the culture of policy in regards to science, is pertinent. An introduction and a history to the current policy landscape was provided in the first two sections of this paper. Two sets of challenges were then discussed: the general application of science to policy, and the inhibition of science within the current policy landscape as illustrated in the introductory sections. Finally, recommendations based in the literature were considered.

Youth-led social change: Topics, engagement types, organizational types, strategies, and impacts

This paper provides a framework for evaluating youth-led social change. The framework considers: ... more This paper provides a framework for evaluating youth-led social change. The framework considers: seven topics (e.g., environment, human health and safety, and education); nine engagement types (e.g., volunteerism, research and innovation, and political engagement); six organizational types (e.g., advisory body, social enterprise, and individual); three strategies (socialization, influence, and power); and three scales of impacts (individual, community/inter-organizational, and national/international). Using this framework, empirical research provides evidence of how youth – defined as young people 15–24 years of age – have been agents of change in Canada over the 35 years from 1978 to 2012. A media content analysis of 264 articles, combined with frequency and chi-square tests, were completed to study the factors and the relationships among them. The results show a strong relationship between the impact and the strategy, topic, engagement type, and organizational type. The results also show a strong relationship between the strategy and the impact, engagement type and organizational type. The findings have implications for youth leaders and those who advocate for, work with, support, and educate them, and for those interested in evaluating social change efforts.

Key words: Youth; Youth-led; Engagement; Impact; Social change; Leaders.

Student Reflective Report: Green Technologies and Their Pragmatic Merits and Technical Issues

In this paper an overview of current green technologies including living walls, green roofs and w... more In this paper an overview of current green technologies including living walls, green roofs and water treatment via vegetation is provided. This report outlines the values and purposes of each technology and also presents some of the technical issues involved. General recommendations are made based on the information gathered on the respective green technologies. This report is intended to aid in the synthesis of new ideas surrounding green technologies as well as to introduce the demand for much needed research into living walls and other green technologies as they emerge as alternative and aesthetic features to homes, office building and other institutions.

Student Consulting Report: Options for Repairing the Living Wall at the Waterloo Region (formerly Kitchener Children’s) Museum

This consulting report deals with the failure of the living wall at the Waterloo Region Museum in... more This consulting report deals with the failure of the living wall at the Waterloo Region Museum in Kitchener Ontario. Green technologies are becoming increasingly important in reducing energy consumption, providing a green space amidst the urban setting and decreasing carbon emissions. Though there are many new green technologies being developed, this report will focus on living walls because of client needs. These needs included finding long lasting improvements to the previous wall which was no longer growing and required continual replacement of plants. This report is a consultation of the failed Nedlaw living wall at the museum, the new, now fully constructed living wall by The Plant Lady Inc, and the corresponding mechanical and structural differences between the two.

Final Essay for Course (2009): "Revamping Education - The Lack of Eco-sense, and Implications of a Biophilic Curriculum"

immersed in environmental stewardship through leadership opportunities. The film explores the imp... more immersed in environmental stewardship through leadership opportunities. The film explores the importance of allowing young people to be involved in environmental leadership activities, what the need and benefits of such programs could be, and how it relates to at-risk and new immigrant youth. My case study area is the York/Weston region in Toronto, and my exemplified success story is SWITCH, the Solar and Wind Initiatives Towards Change. A second case study is Greenlearning's COOL 2.0 interactive course-design retreat. SWITCH is a completely youth-run, non-profit organization based out of William Lyon Mackenzie C.I. in the Toronto District School Board. The group does research in order to understand solar and wind power generation as a likely means of powering the future. Youth in this initiative also attend or deliver workshops and visit other schools. The COOL 2.0 weekend occurred over two and half days, where two students (myself and a friend) and professionals (mainly educators) from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario came together to begin the creation of an online tool to enhance climate change education. The challenge for the weekend was, "In a time of climate change crisis, how can we build a Web 2.0 community that provides youth with deep understanding and empowers them to create change." Throughout the weekend we discussed deficiencies in the present education system, and ways we could improve it via the online tool we were developing. This essay takes on a similar format, and draws on the following resources: Earth in Mind by David Orr; and Ecological Literacy edited by Michael Stone et. al.

Solar Schools Ontario (Proposal Draft, May 2009)

Mapping Youth-led Engagement: Understanding Impacts of Youth-led Engagement in English Canada Over the Last 35 Years: presentation

Based on Masters thesis research. Presentation (demonstration of research process) to 2nd year M... more

Commercializing Geothermal Systems in Urban Settings

An introductory review of potential barriers and opportunities in commercializing geoexchange in ... more

Preparing for climate change in Muskoka: strengthening Watershed monitoring and reporting in a changing future MWC Report Cards review - a walkthrough

by Elaine Ho and sondra eger

As part of a workshop for the Muskoka Watershed Council, hosted by Elaine Ho on August 5, 2016, E... more As part of a workshop for the Muskoka Watershed Council, hosted by Elaine Ho on August 5, 2016, Elaine briefly presented a report co-authored with a colleague, Sondra Eger, at the University of Waterloo. For content references and more, see the report brief in the 'Papers' section titled "Building Stronger Social and Ecological Communities in the Muskoka, Ontario Region - a preliminary review of watershed monitoring and reporting".

Making Sense of Sustainability

A presentation to the Rotary Club of Cambridge (Preston-Hespeler) on August 21st, 2014, on behalf... more

Mapping Youth-led Engagement: Understanding Impacts of Youth-led Engagement in Canada over the Last 35 Years

Water in Maasai Land: the Human Issue

Water is not only an environmental or health issue. It is an all-around human issue, touching on... more Water is not only an environmental or health issue. It is an all-around human issue, touching on all aspects of our lives from health to business, electricity to transportation, food production to political stability, and recreation to habitation. This presentation was prepared for the Environmental Leadership Camp at the Kitchener Children's Museum (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada).

Recycling in Toronto (an introduction for new immigrant/ESL adults)

Swimming against the Current: Introducing the Redfish School of Change

Introduction to SWITCH - the Solar and Wind Initiatives Towards Change

Introductory seminar on ecology with civics activity

Mitigation Versus Adaptation

Summary points from COP15: Copenhagen 2009 (Intro to UNFCCC's COP/MOP)

Mapping Youth-led Engagement: Impacts of Youth-led Engagement in Canada over the Last 35 Years

Undergraduate Thesis Part 2: Conserving a species by accessing its host - Potential to expand the range of Simpsonaias ambigua into known Necturus maculosus habitats and range

Ecological Land Classification (ELC) and other related characteristics were compared for the East... more Ecological Land Classification (ELC) and other related characteristics were compared for the East Sydenham River – current range of Simpsonaias ambigua – and Kemptville Creek, both in Ontario. Factors such as climate, geology, substrates, and surrounding land uses were considered. Most characteristics of the ELC and other factors examined are very similar between the two systems, which are the results of rare and unique combinations of geology, ecology, and human history. Although mussels were found to have corroding shells at Kemptville Creek, it appears overall to be a suitable candidate for expanding the range of S. ambigua. Further investigation is needed.

Undergraduate Thesis Part I: Monitoring mudpuppy behaviours in an artificial environment - Observations of mudpuppy denning activities and other behaviours

Four young adult mudpuppies were observed from April to June 2011 in the Wet Lab of the Universit... more Four young adult mudpuppies were observed from April to June 2011 in the Wet Lab of the University of Waterloo. Their denning habits and general behaviours were recorded and notes from observations on mudpuppy healing process are also included. The primary purpose for is to examine the potential for conserving the mudpuppy mussel, Simpsonaias ambigua, by better understanding its mudpuppy host. The specimens studied did not show any signs of den territoriality or aggression, and were often highly mobile when more than one den option was available. Artificial dens may not be a suitable option for developing a monitoring program as the species may tend to change locations on a daily basis.