I visited Europe for the first time on a school trip when I was 17. While the other students in the group were queueing up at MacDonalds for a taste of home within the first few days, I teamed up with a brave companion and together, we ventured forth in search of something different, something… Continue reading Observations of an Aspiring Traveler
Hello there! Now that summer's in full swing here in Ontario, it's been a bit more of a challenge to find time to sit down and write. We only get so many days here when going outside with exposed skin is an option, and this Southern girl needs to drink up all the sunshine she… Continue reading Silent Spring and my evolving thoughts on organics.
As those of you who've tried to find volunteer opportunities as a full-time working adult can attest, sometimes getting involved with local organizations can be pretty tough, especially if you can't check that box for open availability. All this notwithstanding the bone-chilling prospect of making small-talk with strangers. Eek! I've had some ups and downs… Continue reading My first Shoreline Clean-up!
Happy Earth Day, Y'all! For many folks in my generation, a large portion of our connections with wildlife were forged at zoos and theme parks. My personal love for the ocean was kindled just as much at SeaWorld as it was during my time on the beach with my family. During high school, I spent… Continue reading Can we do better by captive critters in North America? Parks, zoos, and animal sanctuaries
Now that I have a few posts under my belt, I've decided to kick it up a notch and develop a plan to tackle one of the biggest sources in my current curriculum: On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, by Charles Darwin. Although Darwin's work was originally published in 1859, it still remains… Continue reading Introducing “On the Origin of the Species”
Okay guys. In this post from a couple months ago, I talked about the importance of using our power as consumers to try to influence companies' corporate policies, especially with regard to social and environmental responsibility. As some of you may remember, the main target of that particular post was the Canadian coffee giant, Tim Horton's.… Continue reading Two months into the Tim Horton’s Boycott: Is it still worthwhile?
Hello, dear reader. Winter's in full swing here in Ontario, and I have to be completely honest: gathering the motivation to write has been a challenge. Amplifying the difficulty of that challenge is the next book I've chosen to tackle from my list: Deschooling Society, by Ivan Illich. This little treatise is a deceptively simple… Continue reading “Deschooling Society:” An Alternate Approach to Education, Institution, and Consumption
With all the hype about the minimum wage increase here in Ontario—that's from $11 to $14 per hour CAD as of January 2018, and to $15 per hour in 2019— I thought it would be a great time to have a look over The Responsible Company: What we've Learned from Patagonia's First 40 Years. This… Continue reading Lessons Tim Hortons Could Learn from Patagonia’s “The Responsible Company”
The first book from my list I was able to get my hands on was Blue Mind: the Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do. By a happy coincidence, Blue Mind was a great place to start my self-guided academic… Continue reading Reading Notes from Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols
Further to the dazzling rocket launch that had some residents in California donning their best tin foil hats, SpaceX has been getting a lot of attention from non-STEM audiences, such as yours truly. Elon Musk just might be the man who could actually lead a movement to occupy Mars, but last week, I came across the following… Continue reading Editorial: Science and Social Justice at Odds
A Quill of Conservation 