Bugs for food > Crickets and beetles and larvae, oh my! Illustration by Cara Seccafien % dc blue_roos+ ri Douglas College 23 likes dc_blue_roos Got her! Blue team 1 pulling some pranks @#dcedgel7 #douglascollege #prank #gother @douglascollege @thedsué @studentlifedc Katie Czenczek Staff Writer n 2013, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations published Edible Insects: Future prospects for food and feed security, urging Western folk to adopt insects into their diets. Insects, which may seem as if they have no nutritional value due to their tiny size, are actually excellent sources of protein, iron, and other healthy stuff. If health isn’t enough to sell you on bugs, they also “are reported to emit fewer greenhouse gases and less ammonia than cattle or pigs, and they require significantly less land and water than cattle rearing,” according to the FOA’s book. Many cultures have been eating bugs for centuries, and still are. According to Edible Insects: Future prospects for food and feed security, “Tt is estimated that insect-eating is practiced regularly by at least two billion people worldwide” The Western world has abandoned this tradition of eating bugs. With climate change snowballing and natural disasters occurring more frequently, making the switch from cattle, poultry, and pork to crickets and beetles may be the very thing to help not only the environment, but also the global hunger crisis. Although crickets and other insects have yet to be accepted in Canada as mainstream food items, there are a few companies selling crickets or products with cricket flour—and I don’t mean for your pet lizard. Companies such as Coast Cricket Protein, Entomo Farms, and Naak are at the forefront of bringing edible insects to Canadians’ doorsteps. Moreover, The Fair at the PNE sells cricket burgers and cricket poutine ready for consumption after riding the wooden roller coaster. Most of these products can only be ordered online, but Coast Cricket Protein has a few protein bars and powders sold in stores around the Metro Vancouver area. I picked up a protein bar from Coast Cricket Protein in the flavour dark chocolate raisin, and I have to say, it was not as bad as I thought it would be. The protein bar, though no visible legs or other extremities are to be seen while eaten, was made up of cricket flour, sunflower seeds, and other gloriously healthy ingredients. It did not taste anything like how I would imagine anything that had bugs in it to taste, and had an almost smoky walnut flavor. I actually had more problems with the dark chocolate and raisin taste. | would be interested in trying the peanut butter protein bar for next time. I believe the smoky walnut flavour was definitely caused by the crickets, but the crunchiness was due to the sunflower seeds. When I took my first mouthful, all I could think about was how I was eating the little things that chirp all night. For a second I even thought that I heard them chirping from inside the bar. Once I got over that fear, it actually ended up being a pretty delicious snack that kept me full for a long time. If you care about the environment, are passionate about health food, or just like to try any and all food products, crickets deliver a nutty and crunchy taste to fulfill your protein and iron requirements! Get good: Carry me! > What to look for in a teammate for PvP combat Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor Rea there has been a rise in popularity of player versus player (PvP) combat games: Games like Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds and Absolver, where the goal of the game isn't necessarily to level up or solve complex dungeons—though that can be an aspect of the game—but more so to defeat either a specific opponent or just to be the last player standing. In general, these games can be really intimidating, especially if youre new to PC gaming, because they force you to confront opponents that have probably been rocking the mouse and keyboard a lot longer than you have. However, found in the gooey fun candy centre of this genre of games is a ray of hope—and that’s the team aspect! Unlike games like Overwatch, League of Legends, and Dota 2, you aren't required to form a team in PvP combat games, and they won't force you to join one if you want to play solo—which is perfect for players that are either too nervous to talk over voice chat or people looking for a quick game to relieve stress. However, these types of games do allow you to team up if you so wish, which can mean the difference between winning and losing, especially if youre someone that’s still learning how to be a part of the PC gaming world—insert background music of The Little Mermaid singing “Part of Your World” here. Games that focus on PvP ina Battle Royale style—in other words, games where youre simply trying to survive and be the last man standing, such as Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds—are perfect for a PC gaming newb and veteran team-up, because they don’t restrict who you can have as your teammate or place level restrictions on who can be in the same game/round. Now before you jump down my throat and say bringing in a “carry’—someone who is skilled enough to “carry” you to victory, even if you or the rest of your team is shitty—is cheating, think about the advantages. One, you'll either win or at least make it a lot higher in the rankings than you would on your own, and two, they can help coach you through the game so that you learn how to play better. The key to this type of strategy is to team up with someone who can explain or give good tips to help you improve, without getting mad at you for your lack of skills. On the flip side, you also have to be able to take constructive criticism and not be offended when they give advice on how you could have handled a situation better. I find that the best way to achieve this team dynamic is to have a sense of humour, and not take anything too seriously—video games are supposed to be fun, after all. It also helps to celebrate the little victories. Yeah, killing that opponent by throwing your grenade in the completely wrong direction may have been a complete accident, but you still got akill, and that’s cause for celebration.