by Tracy Giesz-Ramsay Regardless of how humble any group or organization starts out, and whether it has good intentions from the beginning or not, the longer it’s around and the larger it becomes, the more likely it is to be taken over by people who see the potential for money and power. After climbing the…
by Sam Marquit Going from independent contracting to commercial contracting really changed my attitude towards green building and materials. By choosing self-sustaining facilities, eco-friendly policies and socially conscious practices, hotels and businesses can become more responsible. Many travellers look for hotels that are eco-friendly, but what really goes into a fully eco-conscious experience? There are…
by Deanna C. On Saturday May 25th I, along with hundreds of other Vancouverites, participated in the global ‘March Against Monsanto and GMO.’ What’s GMO? And who and what is Monsanto? And why do we care? These seemed to be recurring questions I was asked from a number of friends when I spoke of my…
by Kate Patterson Spring is here. Gardens are being planted, everywhere plants are flowering and the world is once again becoming green, so I thought it would be a fitting time to share some of my favorite things about one of the most dynamic, yet underappreciated systems on Earth, soil. First, it’s important to have a…
by Melanie Hadida Rant first; recipe later. I guess I’ll start by addressing the recent controversy associated with quinoa farming and the ways rich white people’s demand for copious amounts of quinoa has driven up local costs of quinoa for South Americans: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/16/vegans-stomach-unpalatable-truth-quinoa The article was making the rounds on Facebook, and I’m pretty sure…
by Tracy Giesz-Ramsay I had the brief chance to meet Aaron Swartz two years ago while in New York, and was instantly drawn to his charismatic outspokenness and passion when talking about the freedom of the internet and it’s powerful capability to inspire revolution and organize youth activism around the world. The room was full…
by Sarah Spence I’ll be honest, I have never been a very political person and I have struggled with finding my identity as a member of the First Nations. I can confidently say that both of these have been because of the barrier that separates the ‘Indian’ world from the ‘White-Man’s’ world. It’s sad to say…
by Matea Kulic (italicized verses by Joy Harjo) with photographs by Shelby Tay It was almost a year ago now I watched those words sear through the air of the auditorium. It was the red of her I noticed first: Red leather coat and boots, bright red lips. I have a memory. It swims…
by Matea Kulić After reading Matt Kvilstad’s post on Unconditional Love a week ago, I thought I’d follow up on a related topic concerning love and non-monogamy. Matt writes, “I love you because you are good, pretty, rich. That is not love, it is illusion or attachment or avarice.”It made me wonder if another illusive…
by Sarah Allan with photographs by Tegan MacDonald Gentrification is a huge source of conflict and debate, particularly in Vancouver B.C., where the city changes faster than anyone can keep up with. As a phenomenon, gentrification is not necessarily a negative or a positive thing for a city. Gentrification was defined in the 1960’s by sociologist Ruth Glass as…
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