In just a couple of days, on May 2nd, Canadians will be going to the polls for the next General Election and deciding who will represent them in Parliament. Unfortunately, in the last election in October 2008, only 59% of us showed up to cast ballots. Now that's a D grade in turnout! Why is it that given the opportunity so many of us don't show up to vote? And what would happen if we all did?
We are lucky enough to live in a system that allows us to elect the people who represent us in government. Ideally, that means we chose people who share the same values and have the same opinions as us, at least on the main issues. When people don't vote, they often claim it's because they feel disconnected from politics and feel that no one truly represents them. But I would argue that the main political parties have such a diverse spread of opinions on issues including law and order, immigration, and government programs, that most people fit more closely with one party's agenda over the others. And I would argue that most people have an opinion on these main issues. (Check out Vote Compass, if you haven't already, for a self-administered test to see which party's views align most closely with yours.)
The real problem is getting people, especially young people, involved in, and excited about, the political process. According to Elections Canada, only about 37% of voters aged 18 to 24 turned up at the polls in 2008. And studies show that if you don't start young, you may never vote at all. The key to a higher turnout must be, as it is with many things, to start really really young, and introduce our electoral system to children in elementary school. Children have an uncanny ability to get excited about anything at all, so if we can convince them that politics is not only important, but also fun, they'll be waiting in anticipation for their first opportunity to vote. (I stumbled upon a treasure chest of resources for BC educators here.)
Something unique that's happening this time around: we are seeing an unprecedented number of young people involved online politically through various social media sites, the biggest one being Facebook, of course. Although, Facebook was around in 2008, it has grown significantly since then, both in the number of users and also in the number of ways we use the site in our everyday lives. Social bookmarking tools have made it easy to share links with friends, and thanks to this unique interconnectivity, sites like www.shitharperdid.ca and www.projectdemocracy.ca, have gone viral within a matter of days, sometime hours.
The type of content that draws the attention of young (potential) voters tends to be blunt, speaks to them directly, and does not undermine their power. It does the opposite: it reminds them of how important they are (see Rick Mercer's rant and news stories covering the University of Guelph advance polling incident). I hope that this unprecedented direct call to young voters encourages more of them to show up to cast their votes.
When I was studying in Ghent, Belgium, in 2007, there was a general election. My housemates, all students, were reading up on the candidates and rearranging their schedules to make sure they got to the polls on election day; they took their voting seriously. It turns out that in Belgium, like in ancient Athens, a system of compulsary voting is in place. In fact, there are about 30 countries in the world that require their citizens to vote, and penalties for not going to the polls range from fines to community service. In Rio, for example, you need to show proof of having voted in order to collect certain social services. In Belgium, if you fail to vote in four elections, you may lose your right to vote (Compulsory Voting Around the World - The Guardian).
The main benefit of compulsory voting, of course, is that it gets more people to vote! And that means that election results are more representative of the population's views. There are other benefits, though. For example, compulsory voting can make it hard for fringe parties to gain momentum simply by rallying their voter base. As well, compulsory voting has the effect of getting people involved in the political process, and an engaged public is less likely to feel disheartened or powerless.
Although you won't be penalized for not voting in the Canadian election in the ways described above, isn't having a leader that less than half the country supports punishment enough? So I am asking you to make it your civil duty to vote on May 2nd! And please get involved. More information about who your candidates are and where to vote is available at www.vote.ca.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Stephen Harper Hair
B, my partner in life, has recently started sporting what he himself has coined 'Stephen Harper hair.' For a little while now, he's been subjected to my random rants about the evils of the cosmetic industry and warnings about the carcinogenic ingredients in his soap, shampoo and fancy pomade. But it wasn't until recently, when baby M started pulling at his hair (nose and glasses) that he became genuinely concerned about parabens. Enough to suddenly stop using his fancy pomade and go au naturel.
So why are there parabens in our soaps, shampoos and styling products? And what's Health Canada doing about it?
Parabens are synthetic preservatives that have been used in the cosmetic and food industries for many years. They are effective at preventing the growth of bacteria and fungi in all types of products. In 2004, a paper published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology concluded that parabens can accumulate in the body, mimic estrogen, and have been found in breast tumours. This research raised concerns about the long term effetcs of low-dose exposure to these substances, and precipitated additional research on the safety of their inclusion in our cosmetic and food products.
Somehow, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) in Europe came to a different conclusion about parabens than both Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A 2005 SCCP report states that more data is required to determine if certain types of parabens can be safely used in cosmetic products, even at low concentrations. The main concern is with parabens' ability to mimic estrogen, effectively binding to estrogen receptors and activating genes. There is currently a limit of concentrations up to 0.4% in the EU.
Health Canada and the FDA share the same opinion: that the concentrations of parabens usually present in cosmetics do not cause a health risk to consumers. There are currently no restrictions in place on the use of parabens in Canada, and they do not appear on the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. In fact, there is no mention of parabens' use in cosmetics on the Health Canada website at all. What I did find online is a Health Canada letter to Mr. Praznik of the Canadian Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CCTFA), a response to his letter asking for clarification on Canada's stance on substances identified by the David Suzuki Foundation as the "Dirty Dozen." Although the CCTFA concludes in a holding statement that, "In the Canadian regulatory system, Health and Environment Canada will ultimately be the respective final arbitrators in protecting Canadians," I am not convinced that Health Canada is acknowledging, and therefore legitimizing, Canadians' concerns about parabens.
The marketplace has been quicker to respond to consumers, perhaps because they have more to gain if they do. And fortunately for B, the selection of paraben-free beauty products on drugstore and grocery store shelves is getting bigger and better. The challenge for us as consumers is to differentiate between marketing and facts, because, unfortunately, sometimes appearing to care is as profitable as actually caring. More work for us. Thanks, Health Canada!
And for the record, neither Harper's hair, nor his politics, are attractive.
So why are there parabens in our soaps, shampoos and styling products? And what's Health Canada doing about it?
Parabens are synthetic preservatives that have been used in the cosmetic and food industries for many years. They are effective at preventing the growth of bacteria and fungi in all types of products. In 2004, a paper published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology concluded that parabens can accumulate in the body, mimic estrogen, and have been found in breast tumours. This research raised concerns about the long term effetcs of low-dose exposure to these substances, and precipitated additional research on the safety of their inclusion in our cosmetic and food products.
Somehow, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) in Europe came to a different conclusion about parabens than both Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A 2005 SCCP report states that more data is required to determine if certain types of parabens can be safely used in cosmetic products, even at low concentrations. The main concern is with parabens' ability to mimic estrogen, effectively binding to estrogen receptors and activating genes. There is currently a limit of concentrations up to 0.4% in the EU.
Health Canada and the FDA share the same opinion: that the concentrations of parabens usually present in cosmetics do not cause a health risk to consumers. There are currently no restrictions in place on the use of parabens in Canada, and they do not appear on the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. In fact, there is no mention of parabens' use in cosmetics on the Health Canada website at all. What I did find online is a Health Canada letter to Mr. Praznik of the Canadian Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CCTFA), a response to his letter asking for clarification on Canada's stance on substances identified by the David Suzuki Foundation as the "Dirty Dozen." Although the CCTFA concludes in a holding statement that, "In the Canadian regulatory system, Health and Environment Canada will ultimately be the respective final arbitrators in protecting Canadians," I am not convinced that Health Canada is acknowledging, and therefore legitimizing, Canadians' concerns about parabens.
The marketplace has been quicker to respond to consumers, perhaps because they have more to gain if they do. And fortunately for B, the selection of paraben-free beauty products on drugstore and grocery store shelves is getting bigger and better. The challenge for us as consumers is to differentiate between marketing and facts, because, unfortunately, sometimes appearing to care is as profitable as actually caring. More work for us. Thanks, Health Canada!
And for the record, neither Harper's hair, nor his politics, are attractive.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Special Chicken
Ever since I became pregnant with baby M, I've become extra conscious of the food we buy. Understandably, I didn't want to be consuming any pesticide residues, hormones or medication during her fetal development!
Now that M is learning to eat herself (the time has just flown by, by the way) my obsession with finding high quality food continues. For a while, we were a part of a food co-op that provided access to great local organic produce, and I felt like I could trust the source of the food. Sometimes we had the opportunity to meet the farmers, which was a great way of connecting with the food. Unfortunately, in a very sad chain of events, the co-op has gone belly-up, leaving both buyers and suppliers out of pocket. (For more information about the co-op, pleas read The Tyee article and blog.)
I try to buy organic whenever possible because I believe in sustainable farming and, as mentioned, I don't want to consume any harmful substances. The food also often tastes better, which is a bonus! But sometimes the selection just isn't there, and sometimes I just can't afford it. So sometimes I have to go with an acceptable alternative, like buying local un-organic produce. When it comes to poultry, sometimes we buy specialty chicken. But what is specialty chicken anyway? After blindly buying it on a number of occasions because it appeared to be one up on regular chicken, I wanted to find out the details.
Specialty chicken is basically chicken grown without antibiotics. Unlike organic chicken, which is raised according to strict Certified Organic of British Columbia Guidelines, specialty chicken only has the one criterion that distinguishes it from regular chicken. However, the difference is noteworthy. In Canada, unlike in Europe, chicken farmers can give their healthy birds unregulated amounts of antibiotics, which seems pretty crazy to me!
A recent CBC Marketplace story revealed that 'regular' supermarket chicken is often covered in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. And, according to an earlier CBC story, about a quarter million Canadians suffer from an infection each year, which means that this resistance can have a big impact on our population. We definitely don't want to go back to the days where people die from a simple cut or scrape. If you have the choice then specialty chicken is probably a good choice.
If you're worried about hormones, there's some good news that was news to me: the use of growth hormones in chicken farming has been illegal in Canada since the 60s (Chicken Farmers of Canada). Another thing I didn't know is that chickens raised for meat are not caged but instead are raised in large sheds, with free access to feed and water. Unfortunately, unless your chicken is labeled as free-range, it did not have any access to an outside space.
I will continue to buy organic chicken whenever I can, but will definitely chose specialty over regular chicken if that's the choice. As well, I will try to support local farmers and smaller farms whenever I can. Maple Hill Farms out of Abbotsford raises free-range specialty and organic chickens, which I've seen for sale at both the butcher shop and local supermarkets.
Now that M is learning to eat herself (the time has just flown by, by the way) my obsession with finding high quality food continues. For a while, we were a part of a food co-op that provided access to great local organic produce, and I felt like I could trust the source of the food. Sometimes we had the opportunity to meet the farmers, which was a great way of connecting with the food. Unfortunately, in a very sad chain of events, the co-op has gone belly-up, leaving both buyers and suppliers out of pocket. (For more information about the co-op, pleas read The Tyee article and blog.)
I try to buy organic whenever possible because I believe in sustainable farming and, as mentioned, I don't want to consume any harmful substances. The food also often tastes better, which is a bonus! But sometimes the selection just isn't there, and sometimes I just can't afford it. So sometimes I have to go with an acceptable alternative, like buying local un-organic produce. When it comes to poultry, sometimes we buy specialty chicken. But what is specialty chicken anyway? After blindly buying it on a number of occasions because it appeared to be one up on regular chicken, I wanted to find out the details.
Specialty chicken is basically chicken grown without antibiotics. Unlike organic chicken, which is raised according to strict Certified Organic of British Columbia Guidelines, specialty chicken only has the one criterion that distinguishes it from regular chicken. However, the difference is noteworthy. In Canada, unlike in Europe, chicken farmers can give their healthy birds unregulated amounts of antibiotics, which seems pretty crazy to me!
A recent CBC Marketplace story revealed that 'regular' supermarket chicken is often covered in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. And, according to an earlier CBC story, about a quarter million Canadians suffer from an infection each year, which means that this resistance can have a big impact on our population. We definitely don't want to go back to the days where people die from a simple cut or scrape. If you have the choice then specialty chicken is probably a good choice.
If you're worried about hormones, there's some good news that was news to me: the use of growth hormones in chicken farming has been illegal in Canada since the 60s (Chicken Farmers of Canada). Another thing I didn't know is that chickens raised for meat are not caged but instead are raised in large sheds, with free access to feed and water. Unfortunately, unless your chicken is labeled as free-range, it did not have any access to an outside space.
I will continue to buy organic chicken whenever I can, but will definitely chose specialty over regular chicken if that's the choice. As well, I will try to support local farmers and smaller farms whenever I can. Maple Hill Farms out of Abbotsford raises free-range specialty and organic chickens, which I've seen for sale at both the butcher shop and local supermarkets.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Consignment Store Finds
It's been a little while since I've posted here, and I don't have much of an excuse except that I was sidetracked by another project. But let's forget the break ever happened and we'll just jump right into this next topic...
I wanted to talk about consignment stores today. I think whether you're buying for your baby or yourself, consignment makes sense because it is basically recycled clothing, and we already know that recycled = good. I think the whole concept clicked for me after I had M and after she outgrew all the baby shower outfits, which was much sooner than I expected! (I thought we were going to have a small baby, but M is consistently in the 70th percentile for both weight and height.) Even with generous donations of hand me downs from her cousin, we still ended up with a baby clothing deficit and soon found that baby clothing is relatively expensive. This is especially true considering M will only wear any article of clothing for a very short period of time... and even when it fits, it sits in the laundry most of the time!
The Vancouver neighbourhood that we live in (Mount Pleasant) is actually a hub of high quality consignment stores. There are at least three within a short walk that specialize in kids' attire (Wee Ones Reruns, Tiggy Winkles, Kiddo), and too many to count that deal in adults'.
The great thing about gently used clothing is that you know it was built to last! Some of the things I buy new shrink or fade or even shred in the first wash... that is always so disappointing. I am definitely the type of person who has basics that last me years and years, so when I buy a T-Shirt where the seam comes undone on the first wash I get super angry! (But not angry enough to actually return the T-Shirt... that would disagree with my passive aggressive nature.)
Used baby clothing is often hardly used at all. Sometimes, the original tags are still attached, and even when you know that the piece has been worn a few times, it's usually in really good condition or it wouldn't make it on the rack. Quality consignment stores will weed out the soiled or damaged pieces so all you have to worry about is whether it will fit your (chubby, in our case) baby.
There are also a few thrift stores in our neighbourhood, and the difference between thrift and consignment stores is that the former is a charity shop. That means that items for sale are usually donated to the shop, and the sale proceeds are funneled towards the charity. In terms of karma, thrift stores are one up on consignment, however, I find the quality of items in thrift stores is sometimes inferior to those found in shops where the sale revenue is split between the consignee and the store.
Wherever you buy your used clothing, though, I think it's a positive act... It saves money and keeps perfectly wearable items out of the landfill. And we should definitely focus our energies on keeping things in circulation for as long as possible!
I wanted to talk about consignment stores today. I think whether you're buying for your baby or yourself, consignment makes sense because it is basically recycled clothing, and we already know that recycled = good. I think the whole concept clicked for me after I had M and after she outgrew all the baby shower outfits, which was much sooner than I expected! (I thought we were going to have a small baby, but M is consistently in the 70th percentile for both weight and height.) Even with generous donations of hand me downs from her cousin, we still ended up with a baby clothing deficit and soon found that baby clothing is relatively expensive. This is especially true considering M will only wear any article of clothing for a very short period of time... and even when it fits, it sits in the laundry most of the time!
The Vancouver neighbourhood that we live in (Mount Pleasant) is actually a hub of high quality consignment stores. There are at least three within a short walk that specialize in kids' attire (Wee Ones Reruns, Tiggy Winkles, Kiddo), and too many to count that deal in adults'.
The great thing about gently used clothing is that you know it was built to last! Some of the things I buy new shrink or fade or even shred in the first wash... that is always so disappointing. I am definitely the type of person who has basics that last me years and years, so when I buy a T-Shirt where the seam comes undone on the first wash I get super angry! (But not angry enough to actually return the T-Shirt... that would disagree with my passive aggressive nature.)
Used baby clothing is often hardly used at all. Sometimes, the original tags are still attached, and even when you know that the piece has been worn a few times, it's usually in really good condition or it wouldn't make it on the rack. Quality consignment stores will weed out the soiled or damaged pieces so all you have to worry about is whether it will fit your (chubby, in our case) baby.
There are also a few thrift stores in our neighbourhood, and the difference between thrift and consignment stores is that the former is a charity shop. That means that items for sale are usually donated to the shop, and the sale proceeds are funneled towards the charity. In terms of karma, thrift stores are one up on consignment, however, I find the quality of items in thrift stores is sometimes inferior to those found in shops where the sale revenue is split between the consignee and the store.
Wherever you buy your used clothing, though, I think it's a positive act... It saves money and keeps perfectly wearable items out of the landfill. And we should definitely focus our energies on keeping things in circulation for as long as possible!
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