Consuming or Being Consumed?
Tuesday November 13th, 2018
Mine is not a zero-waste household. I have not developed the skills or the habits to be able to accomplish this high standard. That being said, I think that I am much more conscious of my behaviour as a consumer.
In education, it is encouraged to keep a reflective journal related to teaching as we learn most from internalizing our mistakes and our thoughts. This has been an opportunity to put my consumer behaviours at the forefront, and I am appreciative of the activity.
This is the end of my reflection journal. I will no longer be setting virtual-pen to paper, but this does not end my personal reflection regarding my consumer habits. For now, my first steps are to keep making efforts to reduce my plastic use, to be more conscious of the products I buy, and to buy more local products. Time to cut back on convenience and be a little more aware.
Monday November 12th, 2018
I'm pleased with myself. It seems that quite a few of my sustainable efforts have been focused on my classroom.
Can't wait to use these with the students!
Sunday November 11th, 2018
The war machine. I am not going to get into the fact that war can be considered a profitable economic activity. Although, it is hard to not consider it.
I am hoping that education for sustainability, a global citizenship, awareness, understanding and all of the values teachers infuse their pedagogy with might make a difference and stop this cycle of violence. At the very least, perhaps the empathy I try to infuse my teaching with will allow students to realize that they are a part of this world, of this giant system, and that people in other countries are pieces of it just like we are.
Saturday November 10th, 2018
I will focus on two things that stand out to me right now.
I cannot recall ever purchasing an item with fur or leather. Though I am not very knowledgable on the atrocities that take place in the creation of such items, I know enough to know that I don't wish to contribute to that part of the fashion market.
I debated wearing the jacket on my way home from Magog. I had to clear snow off the car. It was cold. And, quite frankly, I have always liked it (aesthetically).
This jacket was my grandmother's. She was a single mother who raised two daughters and took care of her parents. She worked hard and treated herself to few luxuries, except her furs and her Cadillac. This coat was passed down to me.
I don't regret wearing it. It's beautiful and very warm. I wouldn't purchase one for myself. But, then is it unethical or hypocritical to wear a piece that I consider part of my family heritage?
Friday November 9th, 2018
Thursday November 8th, 2018
So that's my vent. A little disappointment as I realize that some of the values that I wish to infuse my pedagogy with are not necessarily those deemed most important by leaders in the field. That or they didn't have people come forth with workshops on the topic. Either way, I feel like this should have been an issue identified by the organizing committee. So, I left my comments. And no, I won't be the agent of change on this one. (Learning how to say no is a new one for me. It's allowing me to complete my first graduate level class though.)
One really cool thing to come from the QPAT convention was the meeting I attended for Social Integration Services (SIS) teachers. There, schools presented how they set up their program. One school in particular, Huntingdon Adult Education Centre, caught my attention. I admire what they do in their program. They have set up a Boutique Cafe called TOUS - to mean the French definition of all, but also a play on words on "to us, " a clever play an SIS student came up with. There, not only do they serve treats that they have cooked, but they also sell crafts they have made from repurposed supplies.
The logo - a finger print with a leaf inside of it - is a reminder of their print. "La marque" (the mark) they leave behind, as well as their effort to reduce their ecological print.
It's always inspiring to see teachers that are going above and beyond.
Wednesday November 7th, 2018
Luis Francisco Gonzalez Ortega is a former student of mine. At the time, a sophomore at Harkness Institute, near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Francisco already showed more insight than many of the adults in my surroundings. He worked tirelessly and was humble, welcoming feedback in his quest to become the best person he could be. He went on to receive a scholarship to study at New York University Abu Dhabi, where he is currently completing his second year, majoring in Political Science.
As I listen to my former student talking about making connections with people of diverse backgrounds through conversation, I can't help but be proud. I am so impressed with the person he has grown to become, what some might refer to as, a global citizen. In his talk, he speaks of connections he has made with people completely different from himself: culturally, theologically, and ethnically. He courageously shares self discovery and growth. I think his message is a beautiful one of interconnectedness and shared experience. His message was clear, through conversation, we find out about ourselves, others, and the shared experiences that can come about when we let our guard down and let people in.
Like Francisco, I think that we need to engage in conversation. So often, we choose the written word as the source of knowledge to depend on. Yet, I can't help but believe that conversation provides the warmth, the colour, the feeling to topics. I would venture to say that though material, in the written form, can be engaging, it is much easier to make an emotional connection when we can connect it to a face. This makes me think of the oral tradition of the aboriginal people. How their history and discoveries are told through story.
I also think that this is why exploring sustainability through different mediums is so important. I value the theory that lies behind it, but I cherish the connections made while engaging in sustainable activity. Specifically, I'm thinking of the look in my students' eyes the first time a sprout broke the ground, the smiles they shared as they ate the tomatoes they grew, and the pride they take in contributing to the world around them.
Tuesday November 6th, 2018
Monday November 5th, 2018
Sunday November 4th, 2018
Truthfully, I am not the responsible consumer that researches the products that I purchase. Wow, it actually feels pretty ignorant to say that. I also feels overwhelming as I start thinking about it. I think that's why we are encouraged to start with baby steps: the 3 R's and food.
If I'm going to be honest, I feel like I need to continue developing habits that I can sustain, such as focusing on my food purchases. Since the move, I have hardly had to go out for anything. I have made a conscious effort to empty my freezer. It is requiring quite a bit more planning than the convenient options, but when it comes down to it, I have to make a choice: sustainability over convenience.
Saturday November 3rd, 2018
I came across this product today. At first I thought that it was neat that a company would package their product in a way that was more eco-friendly. And then, I thought to myself... why wouldn't they provide good quality reusable bottles if they are concerned with the packaging?
On their official site, they state: "Water is essential for good health. The process of bottling water isn't. Packaging water in plastic bottles produces carbon emissions and greenhouse gasses, and clogs landfills. By using paper, a renewable resource, Boxed Water is more sustainable and better for the planet."
My question is: Is "more sustainable" a good enough claim to build a product on. They don't quite claim that it is produced without carbon emission, simply that it is better than the alternative. So we can recycle paper, a renewable resource, but don't we end up with the problem we explored before, which is that not all recycling ends up where it should?
This method does not close the loop. If this company is so concerned about sustainable packaging, why not provide containers that can be reused after the water is consumed?
Friday November 2nd, 2018
Wednesday October 31, 2018
Tuesday October 30, 2018
(Un-)Wrapping it Up
At first, I thought this journal would be an exercise of keeping track of my spending: how much, of what, how often. Then I realized, providing a credit card statement would do just as well. After all, I use it for most of my purchases. The past two weeks, most of my expenses have included: vices (alcohol, cigarettes), fast food (moving will do that), transportation (insurance, gas and U-haul truck rental), gift for a wedding. Moving encouraged me to cook the contents of my freezer, as it melted during the move. The point I am trying to make is that how much I spent or on what does not matter as much as what I was thinking while buying it or what I did with it thereafter.
Today, I realized that the first time I was made to reflect on my consumption habits was in grade 5, in Girl Guides. Now, there was a language barrier. I only started learning English in grade 3, so I hadn't quite mastered the subtleties of the things being taught to me, but I remember working for my badges. One of the badges required us to do a certain number of concrete actions in order to partake in helping the planet. I remember how turning off the tap while brushing our teeth was one of the actions that was most drilled into us. I remember hating it. I hated the sound of the toothbrush, gave me the hibbie-jibbies. I still did it though. And, honestly, I think of turning off the water every time I brush my teeth. I didn't understand much of what water conservation was, but I was taking part in it.
Mine is not a zero-waste household. I have not developed the skills or the habits to be able to accomplish this high standard. That being said, I think that I am much more conscious of my behaviour as a consumer.
In education, it is encouraged to keep a reflective journal related to teaching as we learn most from internalizing our mistakes and our thoughts. This has been an opportunity to put my consumer behaviours at the forefront, and I am appreciative of the activity.
This is the end of my reflection journal. I will no longer be setting virtual-pen to paper, but this does not end my personal reflection regarding my consumer habits. For now, my first steps are to keep making efforts to reduce my plastic use, to be more conscious of the products I buy, and to buy more local products. Time to cut back on convenience and be a little more aware.
Monday November 12th, 2018
The Box it Came in
The government provided schools with some measure money in order to integrate technology in pedagogy in a meaningful way. I won't go into a list of the items ordered by our school, but I will mention the virtual reality (VR) gear that we received. I have no clue how to use it or what potential it holds - that's for another day, but it meant I got boxes.
I know that I had plenty of opportunity to reuse boxes last week, but I was exhausted.
Today, I unpacked the VR equipment and stored it carefully until I have a chance to further research and explore it, and I created a tool that my students will be able to use in order to develop their life skills. In case you haven't had a chance to explore other parts of my blog, my students are adults with special needs. This may be the beginning of laundry folding for quite a few of them. (I'm also thinking of making one for my place so that the fiancé doesn't have an excuse to leave the clean clothes as a mountain.)
Can't wait to use these with the students!
Sunday November 11th, 2018
Gross
This entry will not have a picture because... well... ashtrays are gross. I think this habit is going to be one of the most challenging to change, but it needs to. Not only is it unhealthy, but the waste it produces is gross. Cigarette butt litter is a real problem. One that annoyed me oh-so-very-much when I lived in Mexico. Though I always made a point to bring an ashtray, so many use the beach as one. The same can be said of the ground. Even though I use ashtrays, these butts end up in landfills. I saw a Facebook post showing that Verdun has now installed recycling posts for cigarette butts. I do feel that it is a responsible initiative, but I think that more than anything, I just need to let that habit go.
So no, I won't be chronicling this journey, but it's one I'm embarking on.
Remembrance Day
I took the time today to take a minute of silence to pay respect for those who have sacrificed so much for us to have the freedom we benefit from today.The war machine. I am not going to get into the fact that war can be considered a profitable economic activity. Although, it is hard to not consider it.
I am hoping that education for sustainability, a global citizenship, awareness, understanding and all of the values teachers infuse their pedagogy with might make a difference and stop this cycle of violence. At the very least, perhaps the empathy I try to infuse my teaching with will allow students to realize that they are a part of this world, of this giant system, and that people in other countries are pieces of it just like we are.
Saturday November 10th, 2018
Mazel Tov!
It was a short retreat in the Eastern Townships for me because I needed to head back to Montreal for a wedding! I could talk about the excesses at a wedding, actually I might for my next entry, which was also retroactively written because... well, I was at a wedding and I question how insightful I may have been when I got home.I will focus on two things that stand out to me right now.
1. My decision to wear fur.
I cannot recall ever purchasing an item with fur or leather. Though I am not very knowledgable on the atrocities that take place in the creation of such items, I know enough to know that I don't wish to contribute to that part of the fashion market.
I debated wearing the jacket on my way home from Magog. I had to clear snow off the car. It was cold. And, quite frankly, I have always liked it (aesthetically).
This jacket was my grandmother's. She was a single mother who raised two daughters and took care of her parents. She worked hard and treated herself to few luxuries, except her furs and her Cadillac. This coat was passed down to me.
I don't regret wearing it. It's beautiful and very warm. I wouldn't purchase one for myself. But, then is it unethical or hypocritical to wear a piece that I consider part of my family heritage?
Yes, that's a box on the floor behind me... aka my cat's bed. He prefers it that way.
2. The Wedding Favours - "In lieu"
My friend lost her father to cancer earlier this year. Instead of purchasing knick-knacks or almond candies for her guests, the couple donated to the Canadian Cancer Society. Everyone was touched.
I also found it to be a wonderful way to reduce some of the frivolities (and waste) that weddings encompass. I don't know about you, but I never eat the Jordan almonds, the mini picture frames make it to the donation box, and the chocolate... it gets eaten - I'm not going to lie.
As a bride-to-be, I certainly took note of the gesture.
Friday November 9th, 2018
Teachers Unplug
A group composed of nine incredible teachers and myself got together at a cottage in order to provide ourselves with a little self-care. Children, husbands, corrections, and assignments were left at home. Yes, I'm retroactively writing this entry.
This place though. It was bananas! I cannot comprehend why someone would need such a space. I mean where it's located, YES! I love Magog. We were surrounded by trees. There was a little creek. But it was EXCESSIVE! (Just like the use of CAPS right now.)
This was not a cottage like any cottage I had ever gone to. It is enormous. The kitchen has: two fridges, two freezers, two microwaves, two dish-washers, a double stove, two sinks: too much!
It has an indoor pool and spa. It also had an outdoor one, but it was disappointingly closed for the winter.
I kept wondering who needs this much stuff? I understand that when you have money, you have it to spend. And I enjoyed my time with the ladies, but I didn't at all feel like I was at a cottage. Instead of living with basic necessities, I was living in more luxury than I do regularly.
The bottom line though: the conversation was flowing, and we got some much needed rest and relaxation.
Thursday November 8th, 2018
Annual Teacher's Convention
Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (QPAT)
My first impression of the program was to be pleased at how many workshops there were on the topic of First Nations. One of my colleagues, Samantha Morley gave a talk entitled "Unsettling History."
Though I found this to be exciting, I was really looking forward to getting inspired at the convention. I was looking attend conferences that dealt with sustainability. And I was left disappointed. I also only found three conferences dealing with special needs, one of which I attended last year.
I spoke about it to someone involved in the conference, and she pointed out that I was not the first to mention this. It was only 2:30 pm. The conference hadn't even started.
So that's my vent. A little disappointment as I realize that some of the values that I wish to infuse my pedagogy with are not necessarily those deemed most important by leaders in the field. That or they didn't have people come forth with workshops on the topic. Either way, I feel like this should have been an issue identified by the organizing committee. So, I left my comments. And no, I won't be the agent of change on this one. (Learning how to say no is a new one for me. It's allowing me to complete my first graduate level class though.)
One really cool thing to come from the QPAT convention was the meeting I attended for Social Integration Services (SIS) teachers. There, schools presented how they set up their program. One school in particular, Huntingdon Adult Education Centre, caught my attention. I admire what they do in their program. They have set up a Boutique Cafe called TOUS - to mean the French definition of all, but also a play on words on "to us, " a clever play an SIS student came up with. There, not only do they serve treats that they have cooked, but they also sell crafts they have made from repurposed supplies.
I admire that the students and teachers repurpose materials. It engages students in authentic learning with a purpose. It also provides them with a sense of purpose.
The logo - a finger print with a leaf inside of it - is a reminder of their print. "La marque" (the mark) they leave behind, as well as their effort to reduce their ecological print.
It's always inspiring to see teachers that are going above and beyond.
Wednesday November 7th, 2018
Student Becomes Teacher
Luis Francisco Gonzalez Ortega is a former student of mine. At the time, a sophomore at Harkness Institute, near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Francisco already showed more insight than many of the adults in my surroundings. He worked tirelessly and was humble, welcoming feedback in his quest to become the best person he could be. He went on to receive a scholarship to study at New York University Abu Dhabi, where he is currently completing his second year, majoring in Political Science.
As I listen to my former student talking about making connections with people of diverse backgrounds through conversation, I can't help but be proud. I am so impressed with the person he has grown to become, what some might refer to as, a global citizen. In his talk, he speaks of connections he has made with people completely different from himself: culturally, theologically, and ethnically. He courageously shares self discovery and growth. I think his message is a beautiful one of interconnectedness and shared experience. His message was clear, through conversation, we find out about ourselves, others, and the shared experiences that can come about when we let our guard down and let people in.
Like Francisco, I think that we need to engage in conversation. So often, we choose the written word as the source of knowledge to depend on. Yet, I can't help but believe that conversation provides the warmth, the colour, the feeling to topics. I would venture to say that though material, in the written form, can be engaging, it is much easier to make an emotional connection when we can connect it to a face. This makes me think of the oral tradition of the aboriginal people. How their history and discoveries are told through story.
I also think that this is why exploring sustainability through different mediums is so important. I value the theory that lies behind it, but I cherish the connections made while engaging in sustainable activity. Specifically, I'm thinking of the look in my students' eyes the first time a sprout broke the ground, the smiles they shared as they ate the tomatoes they grew, and the pride they take in contributing to the world around them.
Tuesday November 6th, 2018
No More Ziplocs... Mostly
My friends have been making fun of me for a while now. I find ziplocks to be one of the best space-saving freezer tools. I would freeze sauce, soups, anything really in them so as to maximize the space in my freezer. And then... when you think about it. When you take a second to realize what that means...
A video about Ziploc bags... by Ziploc.
"Exceptional recyclables" is what this video refers to them as. I don't know about you, but my grocery store doesn't have one of those drop off centres. In fact, I don't really recall seeing any of them before. Perhaps I wasn't looking.
My new habits to reduce my use of Ziploc bags? Put my reusable containers to work more than I used to. I've also been keeping the glass jars some of my items come in.
Funny enough, when I packed the kitchen, I had left out some mason jars to use as glasses / mugs. It turns out that we quite enjoy drinking from them and decided to keep them as glassware instead of recycling them. I still have all the glasses, but it's become a reminder of what I can do to reduce my waste.
Sustainability in School
I spoke to the bricklaying teacher at my school today. It seems that some of his students are going to begin making our first every compost bin! We discussed the materials and the design before. We are quite excited to be embarking on our second collaboration.
Last year, the bricklaying students helped us to build a garden.
This year, we are going to try to close the loop. We are going to be composting at school. This is really exciting. Not only because we get to reduce waste, but also because this is providing the students an opportunity to interact and work towards a common goal. Plus, we hope that our vegetables won't suffer from soil nutrient depletion next season!
Sunday November 4th, 2018
Green-Washing
This entry is inspired by yesterday's. I didn't know much about green-washing, other than having heard the term being thrown out when people were accusing companies of falsely presenting themselves as a company that presents itself as being environmentally conscious. It dawned on me that my classmate had created a blog related to the topic, so I decided to use him as a resource!
Shout out to Patrick Fraser and his blog: Greenwashing: Exploring Sustainability Issues in the Classroom. I encourage you to explore his blog if you want clarification on the definition of greenwashing and the blurred line with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). There's also a suggestion for classroom application!
My thoughts
Don't get me wrong, I know that advertising is sneaky. I know to look beyond what I see. Perhaps I have been a little bit more naive in my acceptance of what was presented to me by companies. Or lazy? Man, I feel like a lot of this blog is realizing that quite a bit of my unsustainable habits grow out of either a lack of knowledge or a procrastination - I'm trying to be gentle with myself here - on learning more.Truthfully, I am not the responsible consumer that researches the products that I purchase. Wow, it actually feels pretty ignorant to say that. I also feels overwhelming as I start thinking about it. I think that's why we are encouraged to start with baby steps: the 3 R's and food.
If I'm going to be honest, I feel like I need to continue developing habits that I can sustain, such as focusing on my food purchases. Since the move, I have hardly had to go out for anything. I have made a conscious effort to empty my freezer. It is requiring quite a bit more planning than the convenient options, but when it comes down to it, I have to make a choice: sustainability over convenience.
Saturday November 3rd, 2018
Marketing
I came across this product today. At first I thought that it was neat that a company would package their product in a way that was more eco-friendly. And then, I thought to myself... why wouldn't they provide good quality reusable bottles if they are concerned with the packaging?
On their official site, they state: "Water is essential for good health. The process of bottling water isn't. Packaging water in plastic bottles produces carbon emissions and greenhouse gasses, and clogs landfills. By using paper, a renewable resource, Boxed Water is more sustainable and better for the planet."
My question is: Is "more sustainable" a good enough claim to build a product on. They don't quite claim that it is produced without carbon emission, simply that it is better than the alternative. So we can recycle paper, a renewable resource, but don't we end up with the problem we explored before, which is that not all recycling ends up where it should?
This method does not close the loop. If this company is so concerned about sustainable packaging, why not provide containers that can be reused after the water is consumed?
Friday November 2nd, 2018
Evaluating the Move
Suddenly, the "I don't have that much stuff" statement seems a little false. That being said, other than accumulating too many glassware over the years, it doesn't seem oh so bad.
Eco-impact:
The boxes we used to move were reused. They were either used by friends to move in the past or collected from work. The packing materials were mainly reused flyers.
We rented a U-haul truck to reduce the number of trips we would have to make.
Everything was recycled when we were done. I was shocked to see that there was so little room in the 20 recycling bins outside our 16-plex.
St-Bruno does not have a municipal composting program. This is going to be a difficult thing to adjust to. I am pushing our school to have a compost bin, so I will be making an effort to bring my food waste back to work. More importantly, I'm going to make a greater effort to purchase no more than what I need to reduce that waste.
Thursday November 1st, 2018
Suddenly, the "I don't have that much stuff" statement seems a little false. That being said, other than accumulating too many glassware over the years, it doesn't seem oh so bad.
Eco-impact:
The boxes we used to move were reused. They were either used by friends to move in the past or collected from work. The packing materials were mainly reused flyers.
We rented a U-haul truck to reduce the number of trips we would have to make.
Everything was recycled when we were done. I was shocked to see that there was so little room in the 20 recycling bins outside our 16-plex.
St-Bruno does not have a municipal composting program. This is going to be a difficult thing to adjust to. I am pushing our school to have a compost bin, so I will be making an effort to bring my food waste back to work. More importantly, I'm going to make a greater effort to purchase no more than what I need to reduce that waste.
Thursday November 1st, 2018
The Great Purge
Let me tell you, I am happy to be a purger (of material possessions - I thought I should specify). And, packing up shop led me to get rid of even more items that I did not feel I needed. I think to myself that I should not have even acquired some of these items, but that changes nothing now. That's something to remember next time. Right now, I have them. What now? I don't want them to end up in the dump either.
This is a clear and interesting video about the cycle of products produced by The Story of Stuff Project. It made me think even more about where my discarded belongings were going to end up. It also made me continue my reflection on my participation in that golden arrow of consumption.
Some of the ways I have passed possessions along in the past or because of this move:
- Clothes swaps with girlfriends.
- Selling items on secondhand websites.
- Donating items to my Social Integration classroom
- Learning about life skills means many household items can be used to develop activities. BONUS!
- Donating items to different organizations.
Tangent: A commercial for Value Village just came on. They are encouraging donations for Diabetes Canada at some of their stores. They stated that a cotton t-shirt takes up to 700 gallons of water to make.
Let me tell you, I am happy to be a purger (of material possessions - I thought I should specify). And, packing up shop led me to get rid of even more items that I did not feel I needed. I think to myself that I should not have even acquired some of these items, but that changes nothing now. That's something to remember next time. Right now, I have them. What now? I don't want them to end up in the dump either.
This is a clear and interesting video about the cycle of products produced by The Story of Stuff Project. It made me think even more about where my discarded belongings were going to end up. It also made me continue my reflection on my participation in that golden arrow of consumption.
Some of the ways I have passed possessions along in the past or because of this move:
- Learning about life skills means many household items can be used to develop activities. BONUS!
3 R's: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
Ah, Jack Johnson. I really just put that in there because I felt like listening to it and it's totally related.
I feel fairly ridiculous because even though I have heard this concept, which sort of feels like a mantra time and time again since my childhood, I have trouble with it.
Reduce. That one I understand - even if I'm the first to admit that I am not the best at reducing my consumption. I know that my garbage bag has significantly shrunk since moving back from Mexico (There was no real recycling in the area where I lived. I recycled the little they accepted and then ... I don't want to talk about it.) I know I should be hitting up the zero waste grocery store that opened up on Wellington, but I'm just not there yet.
Reuse. Managing pretty well with it. Not flawless, but pretty good. Reusing jars and other items that my purchases come in. (I really should go to that zero waste grocery store.) Exchanging clothing. Giving a second life to furniture. Donating.
Recycling. Oh recycling. I was told you were so good, and then I find out that not everything that I carefully sort and put in the recycling bin gets recycled. And, what about recyclable items that our recycling program doesn't accept? I'm struggling with the proper ways to discard items that I feel are no longer appropriate for donation or things that are no longer in working order but that can be recycled. What a better time to try to answer this conundrum than right now:
- Clothing:
- No municipally coordinated recycling program.
- H&M - The Garment Collection Program: You can bring clothing items of any brand, in any condition. You can even a discount card for your donation.
- Hmmmm clever H&M: Give us your old, we'll give you your new... Way to encourage consumerism while claiming to promoting a sustainable fashion company.
- Certex
- Electronics
- Electronic Recycling Association (ERA)
- They see to target large donations (from schools or offices).
- I didn't find drop off locations for individuals.
- I sent them an email to find out more.
- Recycle My Electronics
- What can I recycle?
My reflection is not flawless. My execution of sustainable habits is even less, but I recognize that reflecting on my habits, whether or not I deem them to be a positive shift towards a more sustainable way of living, is an exercise that I am valuing.
Ah, Jack Johnson. I really just put that in there because I felt like listening to it and it's totally related.
I feel fairly ridiculous because even though I have heard this concept, which sort of feels like a mantra time and time again since my childhood, I have trouble with it.
Reduce. That one I understand - even if I'm the first to admit that I am not the best at reducing my consumption. I know that my garbage bag has significantly shrunk since moving back from Mexico (There was no real recycling in the area where I lived. I recycled the little they accepted and then ... I don't want to talk about it.) I know I should be hitting up the zero waste grocery store that opened up on Wellington, but I'm just not there yet.
Reuse. Managing pretty well with it. Not flawless, but pretty good. Reusing jars and other items that my purchases come in. (I really should go to that zero waste grocery store.) Exchanging clothing. Giving a second life to furniture. Donating.
Recycling. Oh recycling. I was told you were so good, and then I find out that not everything that I carefully sort and put in the recycling bin gets recycled. And, what about recyclable items that our recycling program doesn't accept? I'm struggling with the proper ways to discard items that I feel are no longer appropriate for donation or things that are no longer in working order but that can be recycled. What a better time to try to answer this conundrum than right now:
- Clothing:
- No municipally coordinated recycling program.
- H&M - The Garment Collection Program: You can bring clothing items of any brand, in any condition. You can even a discount card for your donation.
- Hmmmm clever H&M: Give us your old, we'll give you your new... Way to encourage consumerism while claiming to promoting a sustainable fashion company.
- Certex
- Electronics
- Electronic Recycling Association (ERA)
- They see to target large donations (from schools or offices).
- I didn't find drop off locations for individuals.
- I sent them an email to find out more.
- Recycle My Electronics
- What can I recycle?
My reflection is not flawless. My execution of sustainable habits is even less, but I recognize that reflecting on my habits, whether or not I deem them to be a positive shift towards a more sustainable way of living, is an exercise that I am valuing.
Wednesday October 31, 2018
Moving on Up... to the South Side
Oh how I am going to miss Verdun. The community is changing, albeit my neighbours did not. Its gentrification is being accompanied by the growth of environmentally conscious organizations and businesses. I mentioned Épicerie Loco in the last entry, which is a zero waste grocery store. Bar Palco uses paper straws. There are community workshops. Coming up is how to "Grow Your own Shiitake Mushrooms" on November 24th at le Grand Potager, where the farmer's market has opened its doors. I'm going to miss how convenient all these options were, even though I didn't take advantage of all of them while I was there.
Moving to the South Shore of Montreal will mean a complete reinvention of certain habits, but I'm up for the challenge. Time to adapt to a new environment.
This thought made me think of an opinion piece by Richard Martineau that I saw in the Journal de Montréal, "Comme au chalet" (2016). In it, he lists habits that we don't keep up with in the city or in our everyday life. He highlights that, at the cottage, we forego the frivolities that we feel are so necessary to us in our daily lives. We don't care about the tv, our fashion sense or technology. We take the time to play. He even points out that we purposefully limit our consumption habits. He evokes the freedom and relief felt at the cottage and questions why we chose to live the way we do.
He provides no answers, but he does question our consumption habits.
Life really is better at the cottage!
Tangent: I went hunting for the first time last year. Apparently, I'm a good shot. A few partridges later, I had a whole new task: cleaning them out and preparing them. Being a part of the entire process, unpleasant as it was, made me take a real look at how food comes to the table. I always had respect for life, but upon my return home, it made it much harder to throw away food, especially meat.
Tuesday October 30, 2018
Overwhelmed by Stuff
I am in the middle of trying to meet one of my needs: shelter accompanied by peace of mind. Is there any better time to realize how stuff we have than when we move? I'd argue that it's the best time to take a real inventory. I know that I'm presently taking stock of my habits because of it.
Firstly, I should mention that I moved back from Bucerías, Mexico two years ago. The advantage of moving across the continent? You're really limited in how many things you can hold on to. So, to be fair, I don't have that much stuff. Yet, I have spent the last few days packing box after box of items that I value, for the most part. Let me tell you, the question "Do I really need this?" came up more than once.
Amitai Etzioni, in the video entitled "You Don't Need to Buy This," talks about just that: our habits of consumption, more specifically, our purchasing habits. As I was filling a donation box, I thought to myself, perhaps I should have asked myself whether or not I needed an item a little by more than I have had the habit of doing so in the past. I definitely have been asking myself this question quite a bit as of late. This page may be a departure from the original intent of this blog, which was to share ways of opening the classroom door, to allow Nature into the classroom or to let the students out. That being said, looking at what is in the classroom, in our homes is just as important. We need to acknowledge that we are a part of the problem and the solution. In fact, consumer decisions and consumption habits and awareness of their impact are a significant part of Learning for Sustainability.
As I looked at items that I have collected over time, I realize that they are just that: a collection. They are not memories, they are the physical manifestation of them. I have a collection of family VHS tapes that I have had digitized. So why is it so hard to get rid of the physical manifestation of information that I have in a more efficient format? In this case, I don't think that it's materialism in the sense that I'm attaching monetary value to it, but I'm still valuing this object for what they represent despite the fact that they are now essentially obsolete. I don't even own a VHS player anymore.
Tangent: The word collection is interesting. The decision to amass a number of items, whether they are souvenirs from trips (interesting to note that the word souvenir in French means memory, and yet we are referring to an object), or clothing collected over time.
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