Turning an interest in environmental advocacy into a career

October 7 2009: http://talentegg.ca/incubator/2009/10/turning-an-interest-in-environmental-advocacy-into-a-career/

Gen Y is one of the “greenest” generations to date. We grew up learning how to recycle as small children and were taught conservation methods by David Suzuki on TV. As a result, many of us have philosophies toward our environment and its protection which are drastically different than that of older generations. We don’t like how quickly resources are being used and how much the planet has changed in terms of climate and ecology in our lifetimes. We sincerely believe that if the degeneration of Earth continues at this rate, future generations will be doomed.

Conferences and protests have been happening all over the world in recent years to try to create solutions for these issues. Only some of these events have targeted those of us who have the most to lose and the most to say: youth.

Thus, in 2007 the first Power Shift conference was held in Washington DC, and due to its success a second event occurred early this spring. Power Shift Australia was held this July, with the UK Power Shift following suit on October 9-12, and finally an event in Ottawa being held from October 23-26.

Power Shift Canada is two days of training, action and strategy, and one day of lobbying to hold our elected officials accountable to the people they serve: those who want a solution to the climate crisis and those who want to build a successful youth climate movement. The event has sprouted a large following due in part of social networking media such as a Facebook Fan Page, a Twitter account, and a YouTube Channel.

One thousand youth from all of the provinces and territories will be converging on Parliament Hill to make a statement about the environmental procedures in this country as a part of Power Shift Canada. Will you be one of them? Katie Stiel will be there.

Katie is a recent McMaster graduate with a degree in philosophy and geography. In her last year at Mac, Katie was the director of MACgreen, the McMaster Student Union’s student-run service whose mission is to serve the greater McMaster community in creating a more sustainable campus. She currently works for Environment Hamilton and is also responsible for recruiting participants from the greater Hamilton area to come to Power Shift. You can check out an article she wrote about Power Shift for McMaster students here.

Katie and I chatted recently about how her extra-curricular involvement has helped her get involved in various environmental issues in Canada.

Q. How do you think your education helped you land the current opportunities you have?

A. To be honest, it hasn’t. I took some Geo[graphy] courses that piqued my interest. But it was mostly through extra-curriculars and students leadership activities I participated in that gave me the opportunity to explore. If philosophy taught me anything, it was I can’t be a philosopher and that I don’t want to be a philosopher.

Q. How did you get involved in environmental advocacy programs?

A. It started when I was a community advisor in Brandon Hall [a residence at McMaster]. There is a four-pillar programming plan you follow, and one of the areas is awareness. I did it on an environmental event … and wanted to take it to a larger scale. I kept on getting involved in different groups because I wanted to keep taking things to a larger scale.

Q. What sorts of organizations have you been involved with recently?

A. The Sierra Youth Coalition is something I got involved in during my fourth year. Greenpeace has really sparked my interest in the last couple of months. And the Polaris Institute is something I’ve been really interested about because they deal with water justice, which is a passion [of mine]. My interest in the Sierra Youth Coalition has sparked interest in others, like the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition, which in turn sparked an interest in Power Shift.

Q. What have you learned from being involved in these groups?

A. On a more selfish level, geared to me personally, I’ve learned some things skill-wise like different organizational techniques. But these are things I had before but learned some more while working within a national network. I’ve done some things on a smaller scale, in Hamilton and in Ontario. Although the Sierra Youth Coalition is on a national scale, you don’t really get involved with people in other areas. For the Polaris Institute, with conference calls you learn different perspectives of the same things which is awesome.

Q. What do you hope to gain from the Power Shift experience?

A. Personally, I don’t think I’ll gain too much; I’m going more based on interest. I do appreciate taking on the leadership role on something I’m passionate about. But I want to see how this will impact Canada as a whole and how youth will be impacted. It’s a critical time of the year for us because of the [United Nations Climate Change] conference in December [also known as the Copenhagen 15, or COP15]. Hopefully it will make an impact like it did in Australia and the US.

Q. How do you recommend that other students and youth in general get involved in environmental organizations?

A. My personal suggestion is to find an issue you’re passionate about and search from there. To use the Polaris Institute as an example: water justice and water issues were something I was passionate about so I looked them up. Don’t try to get involved with everything because you’ll just get overwhelmed. Also, look to your schools because at this point all [post-secondary] schools should have some sort of organization on campus.

Entry-level living: Repurpose old furniture to save money and trees

"Entry-level living: Repurpose old furniture to save money and trees", June 4 2009.

Although I have always had an affinity for puzzles, IKEA furniture is quite possibly the worst kind of puzzle in existence. Assembling, disassembling and reassembling IKEA furniture has always pissed me off.

If you really think about it, many of the items in the IKEA catalogue are not worth the amount we pay for them: some chipboard and screws that you assemble into a desk yourself should not cost $200 or more. Similarly, buying a vase or candle holders from a specialty or department store will cost anywhere from $10-$150 per item when decorating your home, and that really starts to add up.

Many pay those amounts because they believe their options are limited. Not true! You can buy very inexpensive and often better-constructed furniture for much less. All you need to do is think outside the box: by utilizing antique markets, re-sale stores, flea markets and garage sales in addition to some paint you can have some unique furniture and accessories for a little bit of cash.

When I was furnishing my student house, my parents gave me an ultimatum: they would buy me whatever furniture I liked, and I could paint it any colour I chose, as long as it was from the re-use store in my community. To buy paint, two dressers, two night tables, a footboard, a headboard and a bed frame cost them less than $150. Doing a quick search on the IKEA website, we would have spent approximately $430 for the same items.

I used wall paint on my furniture and, although it looks okay, there were a few areas where you could see the paint had dripped. I have read that spray paint is much easier to use because it doesn’t drip like other kinds of paint. However, it is hard to use when covering large items.

Financially, buying used makes sense because items cost a fraction of the price they would if they were new. Although there can be a stigma of buying something used, people should be more willing to do so, especially if it is the deciding factor between having enough money for food or rent.

Remember, you don’t have to keep these items for the rest of your life. My rather eccentric furniture is not something I plan to keep as part of my bedroom set. However, safer colours like white and black, especially for accent items, will never go out of style. If you choose to use these colours in your decorating scheme, you can focus on unusual shapes for the items you buy, and they can continue into your later life.

Keeping more cash in your wallet is a huge incentive for buying used furniture, but you should also consider the environmental impact repurposed items have. They help eliminate the destruction of non-renewable resources to make furniture. Furthermore, many associations take the proceeds from the purchases and put them back into social organizations within the community.

Regardless of how long you plan to keep this furniture, and whether or not you are buying used items to save money or help reduce your environmental footprint, it is a very sound economical option that more students, recent graduates and new professionals should consider.

Earth Hour Tonight!

"Earth Hour Tonight!", March 29 2008

Remember from 8pm until 9pm tonight to turn off all the lights in your house in support of Earth Hour! What on earth is

Earth Hour may you ask? On March 29th at 8pm until 9pm, people world-wide will be turning out their lights to make a symbolic stand against climate change.

Thousands of cities worldwide are participating in the event. Canada is amongst one of the nations with the highest participation rates, with more than 150 cities slated to be involved. If you check out this website you can actually see how much energy is being saved during the demonstration from Village of Hartley Bay, Vancouver City Hall, and the University of British Columbia, Small Energy Group. Many landmarks and buildings in Canada will also be powering off. In Ontario these include the CN Tower, Niagra Falls, The Eaton Centre, The Fairmont Royal York, Honest Ed’s. For Vancouver the Olympic Flag, City Hall clock and all other buildings owned by the city. Lastly, the MacDonald Bridge, City Hall, and Parade Square in Halifax will all be shut off.

McMaster has also agreed to join in the event. Although for logistical and safety reasons many lights on campus cannot be shut off, Mac is doing something else to participate. For the entire weekend they are turning off all computers, photocopies and fax machines; which Karen Belaire, vice-president, Administration feels is appropriate. For more information on McMaster’s involvement, check out the Daily News story

The city of Sydney, Australia pioneered the event in 2007, and it has already occurred for a second time. It was estimated that 2.2 million people from Sydney participated last year, and the goal is to have over 100 million global participants. If you want to see pictures from this year’s event, check out the news story

This symbolic action can really make a difference in terms of energy consumption, so please make the choice and turn off the lights tonight at 8pm!

Resolution: Save the Environment!

"Resolution: Save the Environment!", January 2008.

I find that I always get a little bit preachy at this time of the year. And since I have all (or almost all...I have an overlord I must report to but he hasn’t had an issue with any of the stuff I’ve submitted thus far) of the control in regards to articles for MI, I’m going to tell you what I think one of your resolutions for 2008 should be: doing your part to help the environment.

We were taught to reduce, reuse, and recycle in elementary school. We are encouraged to walk or bike instead of taking a car, or if we really needed to do so to carpool or take public transit. When we brush our teeth we’ve been told to use a cup, in order to conserve water; and to take a shower instead of having a bath for the same purpose. If you’re not doing these, start, damn it. But, there are still plenty of things you can do. I’m going to give you some suggestions for some of the easier ones. Coincidentally, all of these help save some of your hard-earned, university student dollars. I think that’s a good incentive as well.

When your current incandescent light bulbs burn out, replace them with the energy-efficient compact fluorescent ones. Though they cost more to buy, they last a hell of a lot longer, and use 70% less energy. Want more things you can do with your lighting fixtures? A seemingly obvious thing to do is also turn off the lights when you’re no longer in the room. This will save you some cash on your electricity bill as well. But the biggest energy drainers in the home are the ones that create heat. Everyone I know seems to over-look the dryer. Hang-dry as many things as you can (buy a rope and string it up someplace, or get some clothes horses), and only use the dryer for essentials. This will again save you money, as well as help out the environment. Some hidden culprits that steal electricity are items that you leave in but aren’t using, such as your computer, hair dryer, hair straightener, stereo etc. If you’re not using them, turn them off, or unplug them (as appropriate to each appliance).

What else can you do in your home? One thing is to adjust your thermostat. If you lower your heat by only two degrees in the winter, it will not only save you energy (and thus $$), but it too will help out the planet. Too cold? Put on an extra sweater. A lot of heat (especially in older buildings [AKA dilapidated student housing]) ends up escaping, which in turn causes you to raise the thermostat, and also spend more money. The best thing one can do about this is to buy new windows. If you’re not in a position to do this (as I’m sure most of us aren’t and our landlords are unwilling), you can buy some window insulation covers from the Dollarstore. They are clear and look like plastic wrap, but they keep the heat in. Another thing that helps to keep in your heat is to close your blinds; in doing so you help to keep your house warm.

When you go to the grocery store, buy as local as possible. Ontario produces a lot of produce, meats, dairy, and breads, so try and purchase them. The further away an item is, the more fuels it will use to ship, which will have a detrimental effect on the atmosphere. Buying locally helps to eliminate this. There is a farmer’s market in downtown Hamilton every weekend, and often, their prices are cheaper than corporate grocery stores. Also while you’re doing your shopping, bring reusable bags; this will prevent the creation of the non-biodegradable plastic bag.

I don’t think any of the things I mentioned here are all that difficult to do. They are inexpensive (or actually help you save money), and don’t even require that much effort. Remember (see, here comes the preaching), that we got ourselves into this mess, and if we continue future generations will have to deal with our mistakes. There is no Earth II (also called Bob). Need more of an incentive? Watch An Inconvenient Truth, and Planet Earth, then throw in a few episodes of Captain Planet for good measure. I know I wanted to be a Planeteer when I got older.

Side note: there is a motion to bring back Captain Planet. If you want more info, check out these websites: http://www.turner.com/planet/index_splash.html and http://captainplanetfoundation.org/

I find that I always get a little bit preachy at this time of the year. And since I have all (or almost all...I have an overlord I must report to but he hasn’t had an issue with any of the stuff I’ve submitted thus far) of the control in regards to articles for MI, I’m going to tell you what I think one of your resolutions for 2008 should be: doing your part to help the environment.

We were taught to reduce, reuse, and recycle in elementary school. We are encouraged to walk or bike instead of taking a car, or if we really needed to do so to carpool or take public transit. When we brush our teeth we’ve been told to use a cup, in order to conserve water; and to take a shower instead of having a bath for the same purpose. If you’re not doing these, start, damn it. But, there are still plenty of things you can do. I’m going to give you some suggestions for some of the easier ones. Coincidentally, all of these help save some of your hard-earned, university student dollars. I think that’s a good incentive as well.

When your current incandescent light bulbs burn out, replace them with the energy-efficient compact fluorescent ones. Though they cost more to buy, they last a hell of a lot longer, and use 70% less energy. Want more things you can do with your lighting fixtures? A seemingly obvious thing to do is also turn off the lights when you’re no longer in the room. This will save you some cash on your electricity bill as well. But the biggest energy drainers in the home are the ones that create heat. Everyone I know seems to over-look the dryer. Hang-dry as many things as you can (buy a rope and string it up someplace, or get some clothes horses), and only use the dryer for essentials. This will again save you money, as well as help out the environment. Some hidden culprits that steal electricity are items that you leave in but aren’t using, such as your computer, hair dryer, hair straightener, stereo etc. If you’re not using them, turn them off, or unplug them (as appropriate to each appliance).

What else can you do in your home? One thing is to adjust your thermostat. If you lower your heat by only two degrees in the winter, it will not only save you energy (and thus $$), but it too will help out the planet. Too cold? Put on an extra sweater. A lot of heat (especially in older buildings [AKA dilapidated student housing]) ends up escaping, which in turn causes you to raise the thermostat, and also spend more money. The best thing one can do about this is to buy new windows. If you’re not in a position to do this (as I’m sure most of us aren’t and our landlords are unwilling), you can buy some window insulation covers from the Dollarstore. They are clear and look like plastic wrap, but they keep the heat in. Another thing that helps to keep in your heat is to close your blinds; in doing so you help to keep your house warm.

When you go to the grocery store, buy as local as possible. Ontario produces a lot of produce, meats, dairy, and breads, so try and purchase them. The further away an item is, the more fuels it will use to ship, which will have a detrimental effect on the atmosphere. Buying locally helps to eliminate this. There is a farmer’s market in downtown Hamilton every weekend, and often, their prices are cheaper than corporate grocery stores. Also while you’re doing your shopping, bring reusable bags; this will prevent the creation of the non-biodegradable plastic bag.

I don’t think any of the things I mentioned here are all that difficult to do. They are inexpensive (or actually help you save money), and don’t even require that much effort. Remember (see, here comes the preaching), that we got ourselves into this mess, and if we continue future generations will have to deal with our mistakes. There is no Earth II (also called Bob). Need more of an incentive? Watch An Inconvenient Truth, and Planet Earth, then throw in a few episodes of Captain Planet for good measure. I know I wanted to be a Planeteer when I got older.

Side note: there is a motion to bring back Captain Planet. If you want more info, check out these websites: http://www.turner.com/planet/index_splash.html and http://captainplanetfoundation.org/