A “grinchy” overreaction

Reader response to “Fear pandemic,” November 17

By Karin Keefe

ntil I read the “Fear pandemic”

article in the November 17 issue

of The Other Press, | was unaware
that I had put my health in jeopardy by
getting a hug from Helen Clay in the
Douglas College concourse on November
10. I thought touching germ-ridden
doorknobs 20 times a day seemed riskier
than getting a hug from a classmate.

A recap for those who didn’t read

the article: Clay, along with two friends,

offered “Free Hugs” in the Douglas College

concourse on November 10 until the
College Facilities Service asked them to
stop due to the risk of HIN1.

This response to such a harmless and
peaceful act seems downright draconian.

student cafeteria?

Yesterday in the concourse there
was a “marketplace” with vendors selling
jewellery, attracting crowds of people.
Surely if the College was worried about

“| thought touching germ-ridden doorknobs 20 times a day
seemed riskier than getting a hug from a classmate.”

What is the risk of hugging someone
compared to touching a doorknob or
accepting change from the cashier in the

the spread of disease they wouldn’t allow
this kind of gathering either. Even though
people are getting the flu around us, we

Qivaro

are still riding the SkyTrain, eating in
restaurants and hugging our friends.

Clay and her fellow huggers were
not coercing anyone, and, in my opinion,
shutting down their anti-war message
the day before Remembrance Day was a
“grinchy” overreaction.

 

 

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Buy Nothing Day: a 24-hour moratorium
on consumer spending

 

By Trevor Doré, Opinions Editor

ake a break from your consumerist,
material-based lifestyle and buy

nothing for a day. This is the idea
that Vancouverite Ted Dave had in mind
when he first thought up the idea of a
“Buy Nothing Day” back in ‘92 and the
people at Adbusters have since adopted
the idea.

The day of activism has traditionally

been held at the end of November—the

In the developed world, consumerism
is something that is taught from a very
young age. We are constantly bombarded
with advertising and encouragement to
spend, spend, spend. Even if massive
amounts of people participate in Buy
Nothing Day, what are the chances that
the habit will continue—in the end,
consumers will continue to consume.

Citizens of the developed world have
simply become attached to the material
world and for some, ceasing or even

“For some, a lifestyle of overconsumption is simply a —
dream— “Buy Nothing Day” is an everyday reality”

time of year that for some signifies

the start of the Christmas shopping
season. On Thursday November 27, the
people at Adbusters are calling for a
strike on consumption in an attempt to
put a temporary hold on “the capitalist
consumption machine.” Millions of
people around the world are being
asked to not only stop shopping, but to
completely stop consumption of any shape
or form—this includes abstinence from
non-essential appliances, cell phones,
computers and automobiles.

The group has planned
demonstrations in various parts of the
world for the day. The general idea is
to create a big enough disturbance to
trigger “a chain reaction of refusal against
consumer capitalism.” Organizers hope
that the day will get people to think
about their material based lifestyles of
overconsumption.

It’s an interesting idea; however, its
potential effectiveness is questionable.
For some, a lifestyle of overconsumption
is simply a dream—“Buy Nothing Day”
is an everyday reality. And, for those who
do live a lifestyle of overconsumption,
chances are that consumption is so deeply
ingrained that one day is not going to
make a difference.

mcs

reducing consumption is simply not an
option. In my opinion, the solution does
not lie in cessation but in diversion and
reduction to necessity-based sustainable
consumption. That being said, in order
for this to work, sustainable consumption
must be made appealing to the average
developed world consumer.

Education about the impacts of
overconsumption and support for business
that operate ethically is key. Consumers
need to be made aware of Certified
Organic, Fair Trade, Ocean Wise, and
Forest Stewardship Council certifications.
These certifications need to be made
transparent so that consumers can know
the implications of their purchasing
decisions and have access to realistic
sustainable solutions.

Ultimately, it comes down to
individual self-realization. Breaking a
habit is not often successfully achieved
over the course of one day. So, if nothing
else, maybe “Buy Nothing Day” will
make those who have a choice stop and
think about the implications of a material
lifestyle.

City of Port Coquitlam begins diverting
food scraps from landfills

Food waste composting a big step forward environmentally and economically

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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es eee

By Trevor Doré, Opinions Editor

he city of Port Coquitlam leads the
Ts in terms of waste collection

systems. This month, they took
things one step further and are now the
first municipality in Metro Vancouver to
implement a curbside compost collection
system.

Currently, all Port Coquitlam
residents have three waste collection
bins: a blue one for recycled plastics and
paper, a black one for household waste
and a green bin for garden waste. The
new program allows residents to add food
scraps to the existing green waste bin.

“Food scraps” consists of waste like
meat, bones, pasta, bread, rice, dairy, fruits
and vegetables. Eggshells, coffee grounds,
pizza boxes, paper plates and napkins
will also be acceptable contributions to
the green bin. Once the bins are collected,
they are brought to Fraser Richmond
Soil and Fibre where the green waste is
composed in a specialized facility. The
facility turns the food and garden waste
into soil. The soil is then sold to gardeners
and landscaping companies—a complete
cycle.

The cost to dump regular household
waste will rise14 per cent in 2010 to $82
per tonne, while green waste disposal
only costs $52 per tonne. With more than
180,000 tonnes of organic waste ending
up in landfills each year, the new diversion
of compostable waste will not only be
good for the environment, it will also be
good for taxpayers wallets.

While this may sound all good to
some, the new system has been met with
opposition; some residents fear that the
new system will attract wildlife and result

 

   
   

ce 8
in dirty, smelly waste bins.

I can’t remember the last time I
encountered any sort of trash receptacle
that wasn’t somewhat dirty or somewhat
smelly. Unless you are throwing bear
pheromone-laced garbage into your
green bin, it isn’t any more likely to
attract wildlife than the regular household
garbage bins.

Luckily, the City of Port Coquitlam
has thought of the potential arguments
against the new system and has issued
a Kitchen Waste Collection Program
pamphlet. The handout outlines the
“ins and outs” of the new program and
provides some quick tips to help prevent
odours, reduce flies and deter animals. The
City is attempting to make the transition
seamless and foolproof.

Currently, the system is only
available to Port Coquitlam residents
however, Fraser Richmond Soil and Fibre
has the capacity to support other Metro
Vancouver Municipalities.

In a time when landfills are
overflowing and wasteful consumption
is rampant, more needs to be done in
an effort to reduce our waste. One day
we will look back at our archaic waste
system and question the rationale behind
it. Change is always initially met with
opposition but I truly believe that this
is a step in the right direction. This new
system completes the cycle, making
almost everything recyclable— bringing us
one step closer to a zero waste society.

 

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contact opinions@ theotherpress.ca with your

 

 

opinions about this or any other article