news // 4 Shoreline Cleanup grows in more ways than one » Douglas lends a hand at annual shoreline cleanup Angela Espinoza 3 News Editor Minews _ @theotherpress.ca : September 21, the 2014 South Dyke Road Shoreline Cleanup in New Westminster, teaming up with RiverFest New West, saw over 100 people come out and help clean up the shoreline area. taking place annually since 201 and is headed by the New Westminster Environmental Partners (NWEP). Douglas College graduate and University of British Columbia student Jaycee Clarkson, who’s worked for Douglas’ UNIBUG Project, : helped with the cleanup once : again. “I was able to help out : asa site leader,’ said Clarkson. : “This year we integrated a : bunch of different things ... we : didn’t just pick up trash, we : also pulled invasive species, : : and new this year is we planted : : native shrubs and trees.” : The goal of the cleanup : each year is to remove organic : and inorganic waste from the : : area. Organic waste refers The shoreline cleanup has been partially to invasive plant : species that can be potentially : damaging to the specific : environment. Clarkson stated : volunteers spent at least four : hours removing invasive plants : : and planting new, friendlier : plants. “One thing that was really : neat this year was seeing at : the end all the plants we had : pulled out ... and then getting : to actually plant the new : plants. It was really a visual : impact and that was rewarding : for me and all the people on : my team.” This year’s shoreline : cleanup received funding : from Vancity and the City of : New Westminster, and the : latter also provided collection : services for the organic waste. : Clarkson noted the increased > number of Douglas students : who helped with the cleanup, theotherpress.ca “By Anice Wong : and encouraged future student : participation. “It was really great for : NWEP members, as well as : community members to come : and put their passion intoa : project and get those tangible : results.” Douglas explores thyroid disease 1n cats » Vet Tech program to study health of cats treated with radioiodine Angela Espinoza 3 News Editor Minews _ @theotherpress.ca he Douglas College Tech) program is introducing a research study focussing on hyperthyroidism in cats. Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, typically affects the thyroid glands in the necks of middle-aged to older cats. Hyperthyroidism in cats causes excessive amounts of thyroid hormones to be produced, which results in heart and additional organ : complications. The disease : is commonly controlled : with medication but can be : cured using radioiodine, : commonly referred to as I-131. : The research project will : be focussing primarily on Veterinary Technology (Vet : radioiodine treatments. Heading the study will be : Vet Tech instructor Jennifer : Wakeling, a veterinarian witha : : PhD in feline hyperthyroidism. ! : “I wanted to put together : aresearch project,” said : Wakeling. “We have one of : the biggest radioiodine units : for cats in Canada here in the : Lower Mainland, which is : North West Nuclear Medicine. : They treat [around] 250 to 300 : cats per year.” Wakeling co-created the : project with Dr. Teresa Hall, : owner and operator of North : West Nuclear Medicine, : located in Vancouver. Funding : for the research project was : provided by the Natural : Sciences and Engineering : Research Council of Canada : (NSERC), which allotted $67,000 to be spent over a : three-year period. Additionally, : : IDEXX Laboratories will : provide lab testing valued in : the tens of thousands of dollars : : for the project at no charge. “We're looking at different : parameters for health : including thyroid and kidney : health,” said Wakeling. “Most : of what we're doing is routine : stuff that any cat would have : done on an annual basis if : they were to have a really : thorough checkup ... taking : blood, taking urine, checking : blood pressure, those kinds of : things.” : According to a Douglas : College press release, : “Wakeling estimates around : 100,000 cats over eight-years- old are diagnosed with or : treated for hypothyroidism in : Canada each year.” Over 100 cats will be examined for the : project on and off campus, : with some research taking : place at Coquitlam-based vet : clinics. : With 30 students per : year admitted to the Douglas : College Vet Tech two-year : diploma program, Wakeling : adds that some students will : be involved in the project. : “I’m hoping to involve both : first- and second-years in the : project, probably four to six : students each year. So there : could be up to 18 or 20 students : involved over the three-year : term.” The I-131 feline wellness : project will begin in the winter : 2015 semester. The Vet Tech : program runs at the David : Lam campus in Coquitlam. : Students with an interest in : animals and veterinary work : are encouraged to apply to the : Vet Tech program, however, : program space is limited. Will Uber return to Vancouver? » Taxi service may be making a stop in YVR Angela Espinoza News Editor Minews @theotherpress.ca L** week the Uber ride- sharing service announced its possible return to Vancouver. The San Francisco-based service was previously removed from the city in 2012 : after Uber failed to meet the : Passenger Transportation Board : standards. Uber’s potential return : was made public on September : 23 via the service’s Twitter : account in a response to : another user. The tweet stated, : “We're working hard to bring : Uber back to Vancouver!” The : company has also been seeking : potential drivers to operate : vehicles upon its possible return. The service operates ina : reported 210 cities, which has : offered transportation in the : form of upscale cars, SUV’s, and : : their own Uber Taxi. How Uber : works is drivers can apply to : work for the company, and are : then contacted and tracked by : passengers via the Uber app. Uber consistently tries to : charge fare at their rates, which : was part of why Vancouver : previously had the service : removed. The Passenger : Transportation Board at the time requested Uber apply for : a limousine licence and charge : accordingly at a starting rate : of $75 for each trip—neither of : which Uber did. : However, as of October 1, : plans on hold as the Vancouver : city council will spend the : next six months examining : what sorts of effects a service : like Uber could have on the : city. Uber spokesman Chris : Schafer told CTV, “This is an : Opportunity to embrace all the : benefits of ride-sharing. “If you leave it to the [other] : : taxi companies, frankly they : Uber may have to put its return: haven't innovated in decades.”