# Laure Waridel > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Laure_Waridel > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Laure_Waridel.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laure_Waridel > Source revision: 1307452190 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Canadian environmentalist (born 1973) Laure Waridel Born Laure Waridel (1973-01-10) January 10, 1973 (age 53) Chesalles-sur-Oron, near Vevey, Switzerland Citizenship Canada Alma mater Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, McGill University, University of Victoria, Université du Québec à Montréal Known for Her public activity, Bourse Laure Waridel Spouse Bruce W. Johnston **Laure Waridel**, [CM](/source/Order_of_Canada) (born January 10, 1973) is a social activist, a writer, an associate professor of [environmental studies](/source/Environmental_studies) and sociology at the [Université du Québec à Montréal](/source/Universit%C3%A9_du_Qu%C3%A9bec_%C3%A0_Montr%C3%A9al), and a radio and TV commentator.[1][2] ## Early years Laure Waridel was born in [Switzerland](/source/Switzerland), in the village of [Chesalles-sur-Oron](/source/Chesalles-sur-Oron) just north of [Lake Geneva](/source/Lake_Geneva) in the [Canton of Vaud](/source/Canton_of_Vaud). She has three sisters and a brother. When she was two, their new home was a dairy farm in [Mont-Saint-Grégoire, Quebec](/source/Mont-Saint-Gr%C3%A9goire%2C_Quebec), in the [Montérégie](/source/Mont%C3%A9r%C3%A9gie) region. It was not long before Laure became aware of the shift towards industrial farming methods and the vulnerability of farm producers. As a young girl, she worked at the Cadet Roussel organic farm in [Mont-Saint-Grégoire, Quebec](/source/Mont-Saint-Gr%C3%A9goire%2C_Quebec). She lives in Montreal and is the mother of two children, Colin and Alphée; Alphée was the subject of a 2012 documentary film, *[Alphée of the Stars](/source/Alph%C3%A9e_of_the_Stars) (Alphée des étoiles)*, by her father and Waridel's then-spouse [Hugo Latulippe](/source/Hugo_Latulippe).[1] Waridel is now married to Bruce Johnston.[1] ## Education From 1990 to 1992, Waridel studied social sciences at the Cégep Lionel-Groulx. Subsequently, she earned a degree in sociology and international development from [McGill University](/source/McGill_University). She continued her university studies with a communications certificate from the [Université du Québec à Montréal](/source/Universit%C3%A9_du_Qu%C3%A9bec_%C3%A0_Montr%C3%A9al) and a Master's degree in law and environmental studies from the [University of Victoria](/source/University_of_Victoria) in British Columbia. Waridel earned a doctorate degree at the Geneva-based [Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies](/source/Graduate_Institute_of_International_and_Development_Studies). ## Social activist After the [Earth Summit (1992)](/source/Earth_Summit_(1992)) in Rio, Waridel became one of the founders of [Équiterre](/source/%C3%89quiterre), a non-profit organisation based in [Montreal](/source/Montreal) and dedicated to promoting ecological and socially responsible choices through action, education and research. It focuses on four issues: [fair trade](/source/Fair_trade), [ecological agriculture](/source/Ecological_agriculture), energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, [energy conservation](/source/Energy_conservation), and ecological and socially just choices. Laure Waridel was the president of [Équiterre](/source/%C3%89quiterre). Her collaborators are quick to say that Waridel's considerable charm and communication skills were instrumental in getting [Equiterre](/source/Equiterre) off the ground and in the success of the fair trade. Waridel is no longer an employee of Equiterre, but continues as its most public representative. She remains with the non-profit organization today as a consultant. In 2002, she was named by [Maclean's Magazine](/source/Maclean's_Magazine) as one of 25 Canadian personalities who are making a difference. Waridel defended [Gil Courtemanche](/source/Gil_Courtemanche)'s novel *[Un dimanche à la piscine à Kigali](/source/Un_dimanche_%C3%A0_la_piscine_%C3%A0_Kigali)* in the French version of *[Canada Reads](/source/Canada_Reads#Le_combat_des_livres_2004)*, broadcast on [Radio-Canada](/source/Canadian_Broadcasting_Corporation) in 2004. This novel eventually won the competition. In 2012, she was made a member of the [Order of Canada](/source/Order_of_Canada) "for her contributions as a writer, commentator and social activist on environmental issues, notably as co-founder of Équiterre".[3] In 2016, she was made a Knight of the [National Order of Quebec](/source/National_Order_of_Quebec).[4] ## Works - *L'envers de l'assiette* (1998, 2003) - *Une cause café* (1997) - *Coffee with Pleasure* (2001) - *Acheter c'est voter* (2005) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-canenc_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-canenc_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-canenc_1-2) ["Laure Waridel"](https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/laure-waridel/). *[The Canadian Encyclopedia](/source/The_Canadian_Encyclopedia)*, July 25, 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Professeures, professeurs - Institut des sciences de l'environnement (ISE) - UQAM"](https://ise.uqam.ca/membres/professeurs/professeur/waridel.laure/). *Institut des sciences de l'environnement (ISE)* (in Canadian French). Retrieved April 9, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Governor General Announces 70 New Appointments to the Order of Canada"](http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=14606). June 29, 2012. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["National Order of Quebec citation"](https://www.ordre-national.gouv.qc.ca/membres/membre.asp?id=3298) (in French). Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States France BnF data Netherlands Other IdRef Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Laure Waridel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laure_Waridel) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laure_Waridel?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.