28-Year-Old Filmmaker Makes Climate Action Feel Possible

A young filmmaker from Montreal is proving that climate solutions don't have to feel overwhelming or depressing.

Kit Lister, 28, just released a feature-length documentary that makes the case for bike lanes by interviewing real Torontonians on busy streets. Her film reveals something surprising: protected bike lanes actually reduce traffic congestion, not increase it.

The documentary features three civil engineering professors from the University of Toronto who explain how giving cars more road space paradoxically creates more traffic. When cities build safe, connected bike lanes, many people choose to cycle instead, freeing up roads for those who genuinely need to drive.

The health benefits are striking too. Toronto's notorious traffic congestion pumps ultrafine particles into the air that enter bloodstreams, increasing dementia rates and cancer risks. Fewer cars means cleaner air and healthier communities.

Lister's approach deliberately balances scientific evidence with human stories. She films everyday people explaining why they do or don't bike to work, making abstract policy feel personal and achievable.

Her broader work includes coordinating social media for Toronto and Montreal Climate Weeks, where she connects worried citizens with concrete actions they can take. She knows most people care deeply about climate change but feel paralyzed by the scale of the problem.

The Ripple Effect

Lister's storytelling philosophy addresses a critical gap in climate communication. She avoids the twin traps of fear-mongering and empty optimism, instead showing audiences what life could look like when cities choose proven solutions like protected bike lanes.

Her vision of the future includes repair cafés, green roofs, affordable living, and free public transit. These aren't fantasies but realistic outcomes when communities implement existing technologies at scale.

She reminds young people they're part of an overwhelming majority. In Canada, 75 percent of citizens want climate action, and almost all young people share that goal.

Lister asks older readers to contribute their experience winning past social changes by attending meetings, offering childcare, making retrofits, and connecting with groups like SCAN.

Her message is simple: we already have the solutions and the people power to create a better future together.