City approach does not take aquarium into account > Misconceptions on cetacean confinement Cazzy Lewchuk Opinions Editor Kone cetaceans (whales and dolphins) in captivity is wrong. Putting some of the smartest and largest animals on Earth into tiny tanks with constant exposure to humans is cruel and damaging for the animals. I think companies that deliberately mistreat whales—especially orcas—should be held accountable for animal abuse. Recently, the Vancouver park board voted to ban cetacean captivity as soon as possible in city parks, specifically targeted towards the only such place that does so, the Vancouver Aquarium. The aquarium Appreciating nature for its beauty is currently home to three cetaceans, although none are originally from there. The aquarium also operates a marine mammal rescue centre out of view from visitors. Previously, they had already adapted initiatives to stop the breeding of cetaceans, and to not take animals from the wild. The park already had a plan to phase out cetaceans by 2029, formulated without city involvement. VanAqua is widely considered a world leader in marine animal research, operating with a team of respected scientists. The cetaceans at the aquarium have nowhere else to go. They will presumably be transferred to other aquariums, which can cause significant stress to the animals, and potentially > The emotional side of environmentalism Colten Kamlade Senior Columnist his week, I watched a documentary called A Plastic Ocean, and it was one of the few films that has made an impact on the way I live. I find myself putting in extra effort to recycle. I no longer throw plastic in the trash, even when it’s more convenient, because I know the effect it will have on the environment. The ocean is one of our planet's greatest wonders. If you have ever watched a stormy sea crash against a rocky beach, or gazed at the mirror- like tranquility of its surface, you know what I mean. Approaching a politicized issue with such emotion might seem odd, but I believe that nature transcends politics. I’m not writing this to tell you about an impending environmental crisis. I’m writing this to mourn the loss of something beautiful, and deeply personal to me. Ever since I was young, my family has vacationed on Hornby Island. It’s a small community off the coast of British Columbia. Those who live there are either hippies, artists, or both. The bright clothes and the delicious food impressed me asa child, but not as much as the ocean did. The cool breeze that always kept the temperature comfortable, the plethora of life that skittered around on the beach, and even the smell of sulphur affected me deeply. Now whenever I hear the roar of the surf or the squawk of seagulls, my childhood washes over me. This is why A Plastic Ocean hit so close to home. At some point during the documentary I realized that if our society does not change, there will be a time when put them in worse conditions than they are in currently. They are rescue animals who are physically or mentally incapable of surviving in their natural habitat. It is unfortunate that they end up living shorter, worse lives due to these conditions. However, it is also beneficial for humanity to learn about these animals up close, and one of the only valid ways to do is to study the specimens we have. The park also stands to lose significant revenue from this by-law, as cetaceans are the main attraction to the public. Although the idea of profiting from exploiting large animals isn’t very nice, most of the revenue goes towards research and conservation in marine biology. The aquarium does not Photo via cloudinary.com just study cetaceans, it researches all marine biology. Much of that funding will be lost, and it will particularly (and ironically) be a setback for learning how to help cetaceans in the wild. Rules about what is at the aquarium should be reserved for the respected and knowledgeable officials that run the place. City politicians pressured by a misguided public that doesn’t know all the facts should not interfere with a professional, world-class facility that has better knowledge on what actually goes on there. A gradual timeline was already in place to get whales and dolphins out of there. There is no reason to suddenly expedite the process. C C Environmentalism has become such a political issue that we often lose sight of how personal it is. the coasts of Hornby will become flooded with plastic. The place I keep closest to my heart will be buried under trash, and the ocean will be forever tainted by humans. Environmentalism has become such a political issue that we often lose sight of how personal it is. When we talk about the degradation of ocean water, we shouldn't just be talking about politics. We should care about nature because it is beautiful and worthy of our admiration and respect. Arguments based on logic are indispensable, but we also need to admit that there is an emotional side to environmentalism, and it is often the more powerful persuader. This means that grassroots movements are important. The prime minister can talk about how important sustainability is, but those of us who live in BC have to foster our own love of our forests and coasts. We need to make it clear that our home— our beautiful British Columbia—is being threatened by environmental degradation. There is a change that needs to be made nationwide, but we have to start within our own provinces.