#happy one decade of wasting time on this beloved website to me

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Public Journal Entry #2

In this text, you’ll read about my views on food culture, technology and society, as well as my views on zoos, and issues with our oceans. I hope you enjoy it.

Listen: slooooow movement

               The Slow Movement is a very new concept to me, and I’ve only just recently heard of it. From my understanding, the Slow Movement is a new lifestyle choice aimed at better connecting with the world around you, strengthening bonds with family and friends, meeting new people, putting down devices, decreasing stress levels, and learning how to prioritize. Western society today runs on a basis of fluid movement, convenience, and maximum productivity, but the Slow Movement communicates the importance on pause. Stop and smell the roses, enjoy life to its fullest, take a break. I’m really into this idea.

               Throughout my teenage years, I was taught by family to work hard, rank up in the workplace, make money, and save for my retirement. But why waste all that time waiting to enjoy myself? Work is stressful, why should a day off or a vacation be sacrificed if you don’t feel truly fulfilled? Time off promotes physical wellbeing, and mental health. Time to unplug and forget about phones, or social media is also very important to mental health. The constant urge to keep up with people you follow on Instagram or Facebook, and the endless feeling of wanting more to make those that follow you, some kind of envious.

               The other day, I listened to a few Slow Revolution podcasts, you can find them here, http://www.carlhonore.com/unlock-slow/podcasts/. “In each episode, Carl (Honoré) interviews someone who is putting Slow into action. Topics range from work, medicine and education to food, sports and design to relationships, travel and technology.”1 I chose to enjoy the podcasts titled, Come Dine With Me, Slowly and European Vacation 2.0. While one segment describes appreciating the company of strangers, experiencing culture while travelling through cuisine, the other explains the benefits of taking a break from technology.

                I see some challenges involving getting on board with the Slow Movement. The first, advertisements, products, and services, are mostly based around our fast-pace lives, and are constantly advancing for the sake of convenience. It’s taken decades for these services and products to get to this point, and many people just aren’t willing to sacrifice convenience. Laziness is arguably an epidemic taking place in North America. It’s very difficult for people to put down their phones, to share conversation with other human beings, or with the world around them. Many people actually experience massive amounts of social anxiety; again, we must be willing to give up the security blanket and break free from the social normal. Lastly, the desire for material possessions, the feeling of self-value and wealth that comes from these items, is blocking entry to the Slow Movement.

               However, there are great opportunities within the Slow Movement, they include a strengthening human connection to nature, bettering relationships with family members and existing and new friends, and the possibility of living as a minimalist. Minimalism involves living with few material possessions, and owned items having a higher sentimental value, than a price. Low to zero-waste lifestyles are branches of minimalism, and the environmental benefits to reducing, repairing, and reusing are exponential.

I would love to use the website discussed in the Come Dine With Me, Slowly episode of The Slow Revolution, however there are not yet any host locations available in Winnipeg, and I’m quite sure my culinary background isn’t up to par with the world class chefs that currently use the platform. While travelling to larger cities in the future, I’ll definitely try to book seats at a meal using EatWith, found here, https://www.eatwith.com/. I would also love to use technology less. I’m not a very tech-savvy 23 year-old. I don’t use many social networking sites, but I still find myself checking news outlets daily, scrolling a feed or 2, and most days it’s depressing. From now on, I’ll disconnect once I’m home, to spend more quality time with my partner and our dogs. The health and happiness of my beloved Shibas is a huge motivating factor for me, to slow down, appreciate them, love them, and enjoy our nature walks. It’s something we enjoy together, and it’s almost like a form of meditation for all parties involved.

My actions: chemical care

               I’ve recently reviewed my personal care products on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database, you can review your own products at https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/. I was pleased to see that most of my cosmetic products were rated with a 1 or 2, designating them ‘low hazards’. This includes 2 moisturizers from Vichy and La Roche-Posay, The All Nighter Liquid Foundation by Urban Decay, and a mattifying powder by Nude by Nature. While keeping the environment and my sensitive skin in mind, I’ve always looked for products with minimal ingredients, which are suitable for my acne and rosacea, and are backed with scientific research. I’ve also been involved in the cosmetic industry for 7 years, working as a beauty advisor at Shoppers Drug Mart. Before I was asked to research my own products by a University Professor, I had heard of this website before, and used it as a resource to find suitable products for clients.

               In 2011, Biotherm launched their Water Lovers campaign, “a global water call-to-action in support of Mission Blue - the ocean campaign alliance - plus a stringent water perservation charter across our brand.”2 I was disappointed with the fact that a Biotherm product I’ve used twice a day for upwards of 5 years, rated overall as 5, or ‘moderately toxic’, contains not just 1, but 2 highly toxic endocrine disruptors, Lilial and Benzyl Salicylate. As well as multiple ingredients that have high ecotoxicity, such as Geraniol, and once again Benzyl Salicylate. I couldn’t believe I’d been duped by a company that teaches people worldwide the importance of ocean ecosystems while taking part in their brand-training sessions. Needless to say, I’ve since stopped using the toner. I’m still struggling to find a replacement for it within my routine, as most toners seem to be rated with a 3-6 designating them as ‘moderate hazards’.  For Shampoo, I use the brand Attitude, which uses the EWG’s seal.

My actions: the good, the bad, and the u…nsustainable purchases.

               My purchases for this past week, some people would see as wonderful, but if you really break it down, they’re really not that great. Living in the Canadian Prairies, it’s impossible to find locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables outside of their growing season. So the produce that I’ve purchased this week, in the middle of November, has predominantly come from California. I’ve also purchased a variety pack of meats from Frigs Natural Meats and More, while their website boasts, “The butcher shop that’s a cut above,”3 as well as their mandate, “Our goal was to supply good quality, naturally raised local Manitoba meat to our customers.”4 Their animals are also raised without the use of growth hormones, or antibiotics, and their grazing livestock are grass-fed. However, as Dr. Richard Oppenlander describes in the documentary Cowspiracy, “When you go meatless on Mondays, when you ascribe to that campaign, you’re essentially contributing to climate change, pollution, depletion of our planet’s resources, and your own health, then on only six days of the week, instead of seven. You’re creating a false justification.”5 Even though I purchased a local and less harmful alternative to products of factory farming, it still contributes to excess water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and possibly water contamination. I’ve purchased a book, made with the remnants of trees when an electronic version was available, biodegradable bags made from corn, which I use to pick up dog poop, as well as, reusable mesh produce bags, all made in the U.S.A. and shipped from an Amazon warehouse. The good intention is clearly there, but with the external costs of shipping, does it really weigh out?  I would personally consider all of these commodities ‘bad’ due to their origin or locality, distance of shipping, and whether the purchase was made from a local/small business or a corporate giant. The ‘ugly’ products that made it onto my lists includes a few packs of Puma socks made in China, as well as a fleece pullover, and a box of frozen pork bites, all bought from the big-box-store Costco. I categorized these products as ‘ugly’ because they were produced in a foreign county, likely under un-environmental circumstances, and travelled over a great distance before being placed in my shopping cart. After tracking what I bought for an entire week, I could only think of 1 item that I would consider ‘good’, a bottle of Crampton’s Blueberry syrup. It’s a local company, made with local ingredients, and I bought it from a local store. It’s just so difficult to find local consumables in Canada over the winter.

My actions: the e-waste drawer (read: graveyard)

               The e-waste drawer, most Canadian households have one. They’re a dark place where our replaced, but often still usable electronics go to die. This place in the home is not a recycling facility, where finite and incredibly expensive materials may be recovered and reused. With technology advancing so quickly, our phones, tablets, computers, and game consoles, seem to go out of date very quickly. Every few months there’s a new model, and some of the world’s most valuable tech companies, have admitted to slowing down usable devices through software updates, to entice consumers to buy more, and buy new.

               TerraCycle is a company looking to reduce waste by offering consumers variable ‘Zero Waste Boxes’ available for purchase on their website. Find them here, https://www.terracycle.ca/en-CA/zero_waste_boxes. “TerraCycle recycles and upcycles waste instead of incinerating or landfilling it, which is a significantly better solution for waste than traditional methods. We also provide ‘waste’ with a new life, creating usable new products out of items that would have simply been thrown out,”6 TerraCycle says on their website. The world is currently enduring a garbage crisis, with so much waste being produced; some countries don’t know what to do with it. This summer, articles from every major news outlet covered a story of Lebanon dumping garbage into the Mediterranean Sea, but they’re not the only ones expecting nature to assimilate our waste. Take for example, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which swirls around in the Earth’s largest body of water, accumulating primarily in between California and Hawaii. “The mass of the plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) was estimated to be approximately 80,000 tonnes,”7 so how does our e-waste rack up?

               “In 2016, the worlds’ cities generated 2.01 billion tonnes of solid waste, amounting to a footprint of 0.74 kilograms per person per day.”8 While in the same year, our, “electronic waste rose to a record 45 million tonnes worldwide.”9 Most people consider e-waste to be just handheld electronics, or computers, and televisions, etc. But consider your appliances, your microwave, coffee maker, hair blow dryer, or washing machine. There are components in your appliances that should be recycled too, and these items also contribute to our massive e-waste dilemma. In Winnipeg, all of the items listed above, and many more can be recycled, simply by dropping them off at one of the 3, 4R recycling depots around the city. Many scrap yards also accept large household appliances, and pay you money for bringing them in, while a simple post on the classified site, Kijiji, could put you in contact with someone willing to pick up your items for you. While everyone considers a safe disposal technique for old cell phones, consider this for you other electronic items too. For example, fridges and freezers, with vast electronic components, and finite resource materials, some of them also containing ozone depleting refrigerants. Not only should the metals and plastics used the in the production of these commodities be recycled, but the oil and refrigerants need to be safely recovered. The Winnipeg 4R depots also take in refrigerators and freezers for proper disposal, but they’re still a common sight in landfills and dumps everywhere.

In the future, I plan on disposing of my electronic waste by one of my methods listed above, taking items to scrap yards or 4R depots, or investing in a TerraCycle box. Purchasing used items is a great way to reduce waste, as well as reselling items that you no longer have a use for. There’s always a market for used electronics, and most service providers take in used phones to refurbish and sell back to customers. Of course, simply buying less limits waste, if you have a smart phone, and a laptop, do you really need a tablet? Do you really need a new phone whenever a new model comes out, even though your current device is perfectly good?  [Fig. 1 represents the current global scale of waste, as well as estimated amounts for 2050. World Bank. (2018). What A Waste 2.0. Retrieved From: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/infographic/2018/09/20/what-a-waste-20-a-global-snapshot-of-solid-waste-management-to-2050]

My actions: involving food

               Many Canadians have a ‘vegan-phobic’ attitude, but I try to eat as little meat as I can, and many in my generation are following suit. As I mentioned earlier in this post, my partner and I have recently started purchasing our meats from Frig’s Meats and More. They offer a sustainable alternative to factory farming, while providing their livestock with an ethical cage-free environment. Their cows are also grass-fed, and processed in a small facility, which greatly reduces the risk of contamination with pathogens such as E. Coli. As Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, says in the documentary Food, Inc., “So you feed corn to cattle and E. Coli, which is a very common bug, evolves, a certain mutation occurs and a strain called the ‘E. Coli O157:H7’ appears on the world stage. It’s a product of the diet we’re feeding cattle on feedlots and it’s a product of feedlot life. The animals stand ankle deep in their manure all day long. So if one cow has it, the other cows will get it. When they get to the slaughterhouse, their hides are caked with manure. If the slaughterhouse is slaughtering 400 animals an hour, how do you keep that manure from getting onto those carcasses?”10 Currently, a vast E. Coli contamination of Romaine Lettuce is prevalent across Canada and the United States, the vegetable has since been pulled from shelves across both nations, and health agencies are still not able to pin-point where the affected lettuce came from. With large factory farming operations, many foods other than meat can be tainted by deadly bacteria such as E. Coli, Listeria, and Salmonella, common infected vegetables include; Spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

               All of this contamination contributes to food waste, which is another huge issue involving our incredibly inefficient food system. A report titled Characterization and Management of Food Loss and Waste in North America was published in 2017 by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. In the Summary of this report, it states, “Approximately 168 million tonnes of FLW are generated in North America each year. This estimate encompasses all stages of the food supply chain, including the pre-harvest and consumer stages. Per country, this equates to 13 million tonnes in Canada, 28 million tonnes in Mexico and 126 million tonnes in the United States.”11 Food waste, is not only the demise of the products you leave to rot, it’s about the inputs of production. Water, land, and energy, are all wasted too, when you send consumable products to the landfill. External costs of using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides also go towards producing the food we throw out. Excess methane emissions, which have a global warming potential 25 times greater than carbon, come from food waste. Pollution of our water systems, loss of biodiversity, the list goes on.

               In my household, we only prepare as much as we’ll eat. Since a waste audit project I took part in for a University class, we’ve also started meal planning and composting. I understand, that with only 2 people to cook for, both being adults, it may be easier to control the amount of waste that is produced. We do still forget to eat some leftovers, if there’s any, but we’re really working on improving this. Our next big step in sustainable consumption will be to start our own balcony garden when the weather warms. We live down the street from a local greenhouse and are planning to give our first shot at growing tomatoes, beans, peas, and bell peppers. We’re on a continuous path to limiting our dependence on industrialized agriculture, and hope to inspire and share our methods with friends and family.

Our food system

               In our current food system, I like that there’s increasingly more options for local, sustainable, and ethical foods. The ‘shop local’ movement isn’t just a trend anymore, it’s become a lifestyle. Local butchers are bringing meats that ‘have a name’ to the table, which by the way have a much more natural and more palatable texture with strong flavour, while farmers markets are popping up in every neighbourhood. I also appreciate that more and more people are gaining knowledge regarding the issue of factory farming, and are swaying toward more traditional methods of farming, and preparing meals in the home.

I dislike the convenience of unsustainable agriculture including factory farms, and the environmentally depleting issues that come along with them. Environmental costs of production and transport, the use of synthetics (pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones, etc.) during production, packaging that is non-bio-degradable or non-recyclable, and contamination of foods that should be of no concern. Specifically at a retail level, I dislike the plastic bags that are offered for produce at grocery stores, and at a consumer level, the amount of food waste that is produced. These factors on their own bring on a whole different level of adverse environmental effects.

Our Oceans

               There are so many concerns involving our oceans. Acidification, warming resulting in carbon release, sea-level rise, decrease in speeds of currents, ice melt, loss of biodiversity including reef systems, loss of biomass, unsustainable fishing, the list goes on, nearly endlessly. I wouldn’t say I have a primary concern, because I’m worried about all of these things. But something that really stands out to me is the warming of the oceans. Rising temperatures cause most of the issues I’ve listed earlier in this paragraph. It also poses a huge direct threat to humans in relation to the increase in severity of natural disasters such as hurricanes.

“As Captain Paul Watson once said, “If the oceans die, we all die,” and if that’s true, then humans are doing a darn good job at plotting their own demise. Around half of the planet’s oxygen supply comes from the sea, which also plays a huge role in regulating global temperatures, weather patterns, and climate.”12 To combat this problem, my household has already stopped consuming seafood. In October, my partner and I visited an exhibit at the Vancouver Aquarium that displays the realities of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and everyday I’m looking for new ways to reduce our impact on the oceans, even though we live so far away from them. However, being situated in the geographic centre of the North America, Winnipeggers may not realize how close the ocean systems actually are. The Red River, drains into Lake Winnipeg, continues into the Nelson River, then finally into Hudson Bay. The water that fills Lake Winnipeg, comes from one of the largest watersheds on Earth, “nearly 1 000 000 km2 in size and is home to more than 7 million people.”13 North America’s most agriculturally productive areas are located within the watershed, including 4 Canadian Provinces; Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario, as well as 4 U.S. States; North and South Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana.13 As residents of Winnipeg, we see the amount of pollution present in the Red River. We’re warned not to wander into the water, drink from it, and many people refuse to eat the fish that come from it. As regular travelers to the Interlake know, there are often occurring swimming advisories, a less plentiful fishing industry compared to previous years, and swath of green goo which lines the shores. The goo, is Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, a bacteria that has high neurotoxicity, caused by the over abundance of nutrients, mostly Phosphorous, is brought on by agricultural activity, and put humans, animals, and extending water systems in harm’s way. This is the main culprit of the eutrophication of our lake. Farm runoff, industrial waste, oil, and sewage are also dumped into the rivers, for example, Winnipeg’s sewage overflow is directed into the Red and Assiniboine Rivers on average 22 times per year.13 The water flowing through the Red River and Lake Winnipeg, end up in Hudson Bay, the Arctic, such a fragile ecosystem. All of this pollution also ends up in our soils and our food web. If this is happening in Canada, a nation who is supposedly a renowned steward for environmental efforts, imagine the scale of effects taking place elsewhere in the world. 

To limit our contributions to negative environmental effects, my household has stopped using soaps, detergents and cleaners which contain phosphorous, and have started using cleaning products that use probiotic cleansers, or just regular old vinegar. Great eco-friendly brands to look out for in stores are Method, Bio-Vert, Eco- Max, and Lemi Shine. We’re also drastically reducing plastics we bring into our home, and of course, we’re brainstorming new ways to reduce our carbon footprint every day. [Fig. 2 Image displays the combined sewer system used in most of Winnipeg. City Of Winnipeg Water and Waste Department. (2018). Wastewater collection system operation: Combined sewer system. Retrieved From: https://winnipeg.ca/waterandwaste/sewage/systemOperationCombined.stm] 

My views on zoos

I believe many zoos and conservation centers today play a major role in conservation; studying species, reproducing threatened populations, sharing with people the beauty and importance of biodiversity. Zoos have changed a lot in the last few decades. Since I’ve become a volunteer at Wildlife Haven, a place that is home to Ambassadors, or resident animals, I see the importance of educating the public. Most people don’t watch nature shows, or read books of an environmental theme; it’s the best way to put knowledge out there.

But is it ethical to keep animals in zoos? This is a very difficult question to answer. To me, it depends on the situation, every factor from species, size, dietary requirements, disease/ailments, climate, temperament of the animal, stress level, and of course, is it in the animals’ best interest? Individuals that have nothing physically wrong with them, that were unfortunately imprinted on humans at any stage of their life but especially in their youth, ones who are not able to hunt on their own in the wild. It’s not fair for them to die, because of human mistreatment. If they are able to live a normal life in captivity, without heightened levels of stress or pain, they shouldn’t have to be euthanized. When children are able to connect with wildlife on a personal level, whether it is during in-class presentations, on field trips to wildlife centers, or at zoos, it promotes the human connection to nature. My experience is that people seem to remember animals’ stories, and the better the story of how they came into care, the more knowledge people will absorb. I do, however, believe zoos should focus more on the individual animals, and maintain information provided regarding the species. When you’re at a zoo, the information panels provided to spectators, usually in front of enclosures or throughout exhibits, showcase the species. Where do they live in the world, and in what type of ecosystem? What do they eat? What is their global population? It’s all so, general. But what about that particular individual that people stare at through the steel cage, or Plexiglas wall? People should know if the animals were surrendered or rescued from the pet trade, or if they were separated from their mothers at a young age and brought to a rehabilitation facility. Is their containment due to human-wildlife conflict? These are the issues that zoos should address, involving conservation.

I have a negative view of containing larger animals; elephants have home ranges of incredible size and migrate vast distances across the continent of Africa. Their life span is significantly decreased within confines of zoos, compared to in the wild. Inter-species mingling is also an issue; there have been cases of zoos placing prey along with predators. As well as not separating dominant individuals, most often males, from each other which results in deadly aggression. Overall, there’s a disappointing amount of mismanagement taking place in zoos and zoo-like places in North America and around the world. I would like to see more legislation limiting species type, enclosure sizes, and human contact for animals held in containment.

I enjoy visiting zoos, aquariums, and wildlife centers that are based around conservation. I’m very wary of, and avoid visiting zoos or zoo-like attractions in the U.S. or countries in the Caribbean while travelling, but I always have a great time at places like Fort Whyte Alive, Vancouver Aquarium, and Assiniboine Park Zoo. I enjoy seeing species that I don’t often, or at all, see in the wild. I also appreciate seeing children get excited while visiting exhibits; it gives me hope for the future.

  References.

1.       Carl Honoré. (Date Unknown). Welcome to The Slow Revolution, the podcast that explores the pros and cons of slowing down in a fast, impatient world. Retrieved From: http://www.carlhonore.com/unlock-slow/podcasts/

2.       Adapted From: Biotherm. World Of Biotherm: Our Story. Retrieved From: https://www.biotherm.ca/en/landing?fdid=ourstory

3.       Frigs Meats. (2017).  Home Page, Frigs Natural Meats & More: So Frig’n Good. Retrieved From: http://frigsnaturalmeats.ca/

4.       Frigs Meats. (2017). Frigs Natural Meats & More: About Frigs. Retrieved From: http://frigsnaturalmeats.ca/about-frigs

5.       Andersen, K., Kuhn, K. (Producers & Directors). (2014). Cowspiracy: The sustainability secret. USA: A.U.M. Films & First Spark Media. (01:16:14)

6.       TerraCycle. (2018). About TerraCycle: The TerraCycle Solution. Retrieved From: https://www.terracycle.ca/en-CA/about-terracycle?utm_campaign=admittance&utm_medium=menu&utm_source=www.terracycle.ca

7.       The Ocean Cleanup. (2018). How Much Plastic Floats in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch: Total Mass and Count. Retrieved From: https://www.theoceancleanup.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch/#how-much-plastic-floats-in-the-gpgp

8.       World Bank. (2018). Understanding Poverty, Urban Development: Solid Waste Management. Retrieved from: http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/urbandevelopment/brief/solid-waste-management

9.       Doyle, A. (2017). Worldwide Electronic Waste Hit a New Record at 45 Million Tonnes Last Year. Oslo, Norway: Reuters, Global News. Retrieved From: https://globalnews.ca/news/3914879/electronic-waste-worldwide-2016/

10.   Kenner, R., Pearlstein, E. (Producers), & Kenner, R. (Director). (2008). Food, Inc. [Motion picture]. USA: Magnolia Pictures. (00:23:55)

11.   CEC. 2017. Characterization and Management of Food Loss and Waste in North America. Montreal, Canada: Commission for Environmental Cooperation. 48 pp.

12.   Smith, K. (2017). Why There Is Really No Such Thing as a ‘Sustainable’ Fishery. One Green Planet. Retrieved From: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/environment/no-such-thing-as-a-sustainable-fishery/

13.   Province of Manitoba, (Date Unknown), Lake Winnipeg Quick Facts. Retrieved from: https://www.gov.mb.ca/waterstewardship/water_quality/lake_winnipeg/facts.html

14.   Adapted From: City of Winnipeg, (Last Updated: July 20th, 2017), How Our Sewer System Works: Combined Sewers. Retrieved from: https://winnipeg.ca/waterandwaste/sewage/systemOperation.stm