Articles by author: eharper

• Theal House: The Home of the Environmental Sustainability Centre

  Friday, November 15, 2019 | By eharper

  

  Blog Contributor: Nolan Kelly

  Background 

  Did you know that Theal house is the oldest structure on Brock University’s campus and one of the oldest buildings in all of St. Catharines? If you blink you might miss it as it is tucked away amongst the trees on the south side off Brock right off the Sir Isaac Brock Way entrance. The stone house has a long-storied history and currently serves as the home to the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre.  

   History  

  Theal House was built in 1837 by Samuel Theal, using stones from the Niagara Escarpment. The building served as the family cottage house for several generations. Although Theal House has undergone many renovations throughout the years there is still a place to view the brick from the original house. The building has held many names over the years including Sympathy House, Turney House, Wright House and White House. However, it is now officially called Theal House and is home to the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre.  

   Sustainability Features 

  The sustainability features of the Theal House include everything from the lightning and flooring to the furnishings and monitoring of the building. LED lighting has been installed throughout Theal House. The dimmer and daylight harvesting switches also work to reduce energy consumption. The flooring in Theal House was acquired form interface, a company internationally known for their focus and commitment to sustainability. Sustainable furnishing can be found throughout Theal House. This includes furniture from Creighton House Antiques, a local company in Niagara. Additionally, there are live edge wood desks found around the house that are made from sustainable timber, crafted by Brock University carpenters. Theal House also features an integrated system that controls HVAC, lighting, and monitor real time energy usage. 

  Categories: Student Contributor, Sustainability at Brock

• How to Move Towards Zero-Waste Grocery Shopping 

  Sunday, October 20, 2019 | By eharper

  

  Blog Contributor: Erica Harper 

  2019 was the year of exposing plastic waste and its effect on our environment all over the world.  Social media was littered with pictures and videos of shorelines and even animals covered in Ziplock or grocery bags, plastic bottles, six pack rings, straws and bottle caps to name a few.  Further, a report that was introduced at the World Economic Forum in January 2016 by Ellen MacArthur (British environmentalist) states that there will be more plastic than fish (by weight) by 2050.  Not surprisingly, much of the plastic seen abroad and on Canadian shorelines come from food packaging and grocery bags.  A simple way to eliminate this incredible amount of waste is to go grocery shopping in a zero-waste fashion because plastic-free packaging is in style! 

   Although the zero-waste “movement” can be daunting when you first look into it, it’s actually a lot easier than it seems when you have the right tools to be successful.  This blog post aims to be a guide to all things zero-waste and bulk shopping.  

   First things first, you need the right tools before you go out and make your first zero-waste trip: 

  • Reusable grocery bags 
  • Reusable produce bags (often overlooked, but very important!) 
  • Bulk containers such as mason jars  

   That’s it!  These three items will make your life much simpler and you’ll wonder why you’ve never tried this before.  Now, let’s go into a bit more detail. 

  Reusable grocery bags are pretty common in many Canadians’ lives, but there is still a percentage of people who either forget to bring them or do not bother with them whatsoever.  My tip is to keep bags in your car, in your purse and at the front door of your house or apartment so that you never forget them.  They are usually inexpensive and can be bought at most grocery stores or on sites like Amazon.  

  Reusable produce bags are a complete game changer.  They are usually made out of mesh or fabric and allow you to easily complete the produce part of your grocery trip without purchasing plastic.  Of course, there are exceptions and some fruits and vegetables come pre-wrapped in plastic (I’m looking at you, cucumbers!) but the important part is to do your best.  The zero-waste lifestyle is all about doing what you can with the stores and situations that you are presented with because there is only so much you can control as a shopper.   

  Bulk containers, such as mason jars, are great for purchasing all your pantry staples at stores like BulkBarn.  If you’ve never shopped in bulk before, this store will make you feel like a kid in a candy store.  Make sure to bring your containers to the checkout first to be weighed (the weight will be reduced from total cost at the end of your shopping spree).  Then take a stroll through the aisles and choose from a variety of nuts, rice, oats, baking mixes, chocolate, candy, health foods and even nut butters.  Don’t forget to have a running list of the codes corresponding to each food item on your phone so that the employees checking you out can charge you accordingly.  Lastly, a great benefit of shopping in bulk is that you tend to save money and have less food waste because you buy exactly what you need instead of a pre-packaged amount. 

  As you can see, moving towards zero-waste grocery shopping doesn’t have to be overwhelming – it can actually be quite exciting!  Hopefully you feel inspired to begin eliminating unnecessary plastic from your grocery shopping routine and are looking forward to learning more about reducing waste in your life.  Please remember to be patient with yourself and to do your best whenever possible because moving towards being “zero-waste” is not about being perfect!  

  Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ocean-plastic-liberals-fact-check-1.5212632 

   

  Categories: Food, Purchasing, Student Contributor, Sustainability, Waste

• The Climate Strike: A Student’s Perspective

  Thursday, October 03, 2019 | By eharper

  

  Blog Contributor: Erica Harper

  Photo: Master of Sustainability students taking part in St.Catharines Climate Strike on Friday, September 27, 2019.

  Global Week for the Future took place from September 20^th-27^th internationally and featured strikes and marches around the globe to bring awareness to the climate crisis.  The attendees included people from all ages who came in impressive numbers to show their disapproval with the direction in which citizens, governments and corporations have taken our planet.  Most had signs made from recycled pizza boxes and Amazon packages with slogans such as “There is no planet B” and Greta Thunberg’s famous “How dare you?” line.  Reading the signs was entertaining, intriguing and sometimes disturbing, but what really captivated me were the speeches at the St. Catharines strike.

  This was my first march, protest or strike of any kind and I truly did not know what to expect, but I was excited to be attending with peers from my cohort in the Master of Sustainability program.  On Friday morning we took our signs and made our way downtown to the St. Catharines library and were surprised by the number of people who came to rally together.  It was a well-organized event with wonderful speeches from Indigenous women, community leaders, young students and people who felt compelled to speak up in the moment.  With each speech that was delivered, I got more and more emotional about the challenges that we and future generations will face.  That being said, the main message throughout the day was to look inwardly and do what you can in your own life to make small differences each and every day.

  Although it can be quite overwhelming, climate strikes are an opportunity to have our voices heard by politicians and large organizations to prioritize our planet in their various agendas.  That being said, a system change unfortunately takes longer than a personal change and it is important to self-reflect and see what we can alter in our personal lives to make our planet a greener place.

  After my experience at my first Climate Strike, I am even more motivated to learn as much as possible about Sustainability Science to make my positive mark on this planet.

  Tags: Climate Strike
  Categories: Climate Strike, Student Contributor, Study Sustainability at Brock, Sustainability at Brock