Clear the Air

Episode 13: Five common misconceptions about recycling

Jenna Phillips — Fri, 15 May 2020 10:35:05 +0000

Episode 13: How much do you actually know about recycling? There are many myths and misconceptions about how recycling works and what you can/cannot recycle. This episode clarifies the five of the most common misconceptions so that you can live more sustainably.

It’s time to Clear the Air of all this confusion about climate change. It’s time to learn how we, the youth climate leaders of today, can make a change. It’s time to take our future into our own hands.

Make sure to rate, subscribe and follow the Clear the Air Podcast, and follow the journey on social media:

Website: https://ctablog.ca

Podcast site: https://ctablog.ca/podcast

Instagram & Twitter: @_ctablog

YouTube: Clear the Air

Don’t forget to share your sustainability journey on social media and tag Clear the Air!

Clear the Air – The Podcast

Episode references and resources:

ABOUT THE PODCAST

Clear the Air seeks to educate, empower and mobilize youth to take action against climate change. These weekly episodes will focus on a specific theme, teaching you how to take action RIGHT NOW in your own life. By listening to the podcast, you will become a sustainability expert in no time.

Jenna Phillips is the podcast host, a passionate university student, and a local climate action leader. She uses her expertise and desire for change to make a difference in the lives of others.

The post Episode 13: Five common misconceptions about recycling appeared first on Clear the Air.

How to repurpose food scraps

Jenna Phillips — Tue, 12 May 2020 11:30:00 +0000

Today we are going to talk about how to repurpose food scraps. Why? I am passionate about reducing food waste because it is an avoidable problem that ANYONE can help solve. Did you know that Canadians waste 40 percent of all their food? Of that, 63 percent is still edible, equating to $1,100 of household earnings lost annually or 2 percent of the national GDP through food waste alone. Meanwhile, there are families and entire communities that struggle to put food on the table each day.

This is unacceptable, and it is up to us to reduce our food waste, balance our supply chains, and rebuild a sustainable food system. One way to do that is to repurpose some of those food items being thrown out each day.

What counts as food "waste"?

An important thing to note is that there is a difference between food waste and food loss. As defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, food waste is:

the decrease in the quantity or quality of food resulting from decisions and actions by retailers, food service providers and consumers.

FAO

Food waste can occur in many ways, including:

Removal of produce from store displays because they do not appear “normal” in size, colour, shape, etc.
Disposal of foods because they are nearing their “best before date” or “expiry” even if the foods are safe for consumption.
Leftover foods from restaurants, hotels, etc. that accumulate in large quantities as a result of events or regular practices.

In contrast, food loss refers to the actions taken by food supply chains, as opposed to food waste where the actions are determined by retailers, food service providers and consumers. In other words, actions during the supply chain (harvest, slaughter, etc.) that result in foods being discarded before they reach retailers.

Today we are going to focus on food waste because, as consumers, this is the problem we directly contribute to, and represents where we can take the most action at the individual scale.

What waste can we reduce?

Food waste falls into two main categories: avoidable and unavoidable food waste. Avoidable food waste includes food items that are still edible, such as dairy products, lumpy produce or other items that are not dangerous to consume yet are still discarded. Unavoidable food waste includes those that have realized their utility, no longer providing nutritional benefit or purpose. This can include eggshells, fruit and vegetable peels, bones and other foods we don’t normally eat.

I do not believe that food waste can be unavoidable. In fact, I think all food items can be repurposed in some way, shape or form. That’s why I want to share ways for you to repurpose your food scraps, or “unavoidable” food waste. Without further ado, let’s check out how to repurpose food scraps in five ways.

1. Good for your garden

Food scraps are amazing for your garden because they can replenish nutrients, providing your plant with healthy, natural fertilizer. Eggshells are a great example. They provide calcium, which is important for building the cell walls (like the “skeleton”) of plants to make them strong and healthy! To use eggshells in your garden, you first want to grind them into small pieces or powder using a blender, mixer, or mortar and pestle. The finer the pieces, the faster they will decompose – eggshells take a while to break down.

Sprinkle them into the soil of your potted plants, or till them in the soil of your outdoor garden. If you do decide to use eggshells in your garden, it’s advised that you first wash and allow the shells to sun-dry before handling (they can carry salmonella). No, they won’t smell!

Other great food items to use in the garden include coffee grinds, banana and orange peels to repel various insects and animals while providing your garden with extra nutrients.

2. Haven't started your garden yet? Now you can.

Onions, garlic, root vegetables, lemongrass, avocados, leafy greens, the list goes on. You can propagate these plants simply using the leftovers you may typically throw out! For onions, simply place the root end in enough water that it covers the root base entirely, and watch it grow within a few days. For garlic, plant a full clove in soil root-down so that a sprout can emerge from the top. Avocado plants are a bit more complicated (but still doable for anyone!) and usually don’t bear fruit, but this tutorial can help you get started.

3. bones to broth

While I no longer eat meat, my family does, and I always encourage the family to save the bones after Christmas dinner or from a roast chicken to make bone broth. It’s very simple to make. All you need to do is boil the bones in water and spices for several hours; you could also make it in an instant pot or pressure cooker. Bone broth has many health benefits, can be used in a variety of recipes, or enjoyed on its own when you’re feeling ill. For a detailed guide on how to make bone broth, check out this page.

Fret not, plant-based eaters: you can also make vegetable broth! This recipe shows you how to make use of frozen vegetable scraps to make broth. Since it also requires you to use whole items (garlic, onion etc.) you could make a soup simultaneously and then save the extra broth for other recipes.

4. Rinds and peels make amazing Tea

I got inspired to do this by my Airbnb host when I attended the Leading Change Forum in Vancouver. While they weren’t making tea, each morning they boiled lemon and ginger scraps on the stove. I did some research and found out it is a common aroma/natural air freshener technique, which got me to thinking, why not make a tea out of this?

You can use most fruit peels to make a yummy tea – hot or iced. Lemon, ginger and orange peels are really popular for making tea, but you can mix and match with other fruit peels, spices (think cinnamon, clove, anise, etc.). Simply bring all the ingredients to a boil in a pot of water, allow them to simmer for about an hour, then discard the peels and you are good to go!

5. no more buying breadcrumbs or croutons

We’ve all been there: buying more bread than you realize, freezing half loaf after half loaf until you have entires loaves’ worth of bread in your freezer. For stale bread, don’t throw it out! Use it to make breadcrumbs that can be used as a coating in many recipes, or croutons for salads. You can make croutons by cutting stale bread into cubes and toasting them in the oven with olive oil and other spices, or blending them in a food processor or blender to make breadcrumbs. You can also use a grater to make breadcrumbs.

5. banana peels elevate your baking/coffee game

Banana peels surprisingly have many uses beyond the garden. One fun one is to infuse milk (including non-dairy ones) for your baking and caffeine needs. Ever seen banana extract? It’s similar to that. Simply add peels to hot milk and allow them to steep overnight, then remove the peels and you have a yummy infusion! Make sure to wash the peels before doing this.

final thoughts

As you can see, there are simple ways to repurpose or reimagine food items that otherwise would have gone to waste. Especially for those of you who do not have access to municipal organics waste disposal in their homes, repurposing food items is one of the best ways to act sustainably in the kitchen.

Now that you know how to repurpose food scraps like a pro, be sure to check out these other ones about food systems and waste:

What are your favourite ways to repurpose food items? Are there specific food items you struggle to find a second use for? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time.

have you checked out clear the air's youtube channel?

I post the podcast episodes, sustainable DIYs and more! Make sure to subscribe.

Here is my most recent video…

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Episode 12: Create change through plant-based living with Jackie Bastianon

Jenna Phillips — Fri, 08 May 2020 10:33:25 +0000

In this episode, learn how to create change through plant-based living with Jackie Bastianon.

Jackie, one of Canada’s Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25, is the Co-Founder of PlantEd Project, an Ottawa-based group that connects the community in taking sustainable action every day through the power of plant-based living. In this episode, learn how Jackie transformed her passions into a real-life business and became a young entrepreneur, while also receiving valuable advice on how to create your own project.

Episode references and resources:

PlantEd Project website
Health Canada’s Food Guide
Tips for going plant-based (1, 2)
Recipe blogs: Hot For Food, Minimalist Baker, Oh She Glows

If you enjoyed learning how to create change through plant-based living with Jackie Bastianon, check out these conversations on skill-building, creating change and following your passions:

Make sure to rate, subscribe and follow the Clear the Air Podcast, and follow the journey on social media:

Website: https://ctablog.ca

Podcast site: https://ctablog.ca/podcast

Instagram & Twitter: @_ctablog

Don’t forget to share your sustainability journey on social media and tag Clear the Air!

Clear the Air – The Podcast

ABOUT THE PODCAST

Jenna Phillips is the podcast host, a passionate university student, and a local climate action leader. She uses her expertise and desire for change to make a difference in the lives of others.

The post Episode 12: Create change through plant-based living with Jackie Bastianon appeared first on Clear the Air.

How to start a blog on a student budget

Jenna Phillips — Tue, 05 May 2020 10:52:41 +0000

I receive many questions on how to start a blog on a student budget. Today I thought I would share my top tips and resources for starting your own blog for students – because let’s face it, students don’t have much money to dish out on creating an amazing website. That’s why today I will share how to start a blog on a student budget, based on the experiences I’ve had while building my site.

I started Clear the Air back in April 2017 (happy 3+ years now!) under a different name and it has changed radically since. What once began as a self-reflective site as I graduated high school and moved on to university became a tool for me to educate, inspire and mobilize youth to take climate action. I have invested quite a bit of money into CTA (which I will discuss, because if you really want to make something out of your site…you can’t get something for nothing) and painstaking time trying to figure out branding, web design, plugins and all the other challenges that come with building your site without any background in Internet-y things.

There are SO many things I could share with you about how to start a blog on a student budget. These would also vary depending on what your intention is with a blog, be it to start a business, educate others, or just be a hobby. However, there are a few things that are essential for you to consider, regardless of what your site’s purpose will be.

Without further ado, here are my 5 essential tips for how to start a blog on a student budget. Since there are so many more things I could say (how to get funding, how to create a posting schedule, what to know when customizing your site, etc), perhaps I will write about those in a later post.

1. Choose your niche

Who is your audience, who are you trying to connect with, and what are you trying to connect with them on? This is probably the most important thing to consider. As much as you may want to talk about anything and everything, it can be challenging to retain an audience if you don’t have a niche, or “theme.” For Clear the Air, my target audience is youth ages 12-25 within Canada that seek to make positive change in their lives but lack the resources, knowledge or confidence to do so. Through the platform I educate, inspire and mobilize youth to take climate action. I take complex issues and science and break them down into simple, clear language. While informative my writing style is pretty casual, as if we were engaging in a conversation. There’s nothing youth (like myself) despise more than reading a boring twenty-page academic journal full of jargon and equations. To connect with your audience, you need to think (and write) like them.

I suggest trying to be as specific as possible when selecting your niche. A good question to consider: who are you writing to? Are they people like yourself? If so, consider what websites/blogs/media you gravitate towards, and why. How can you cater your content and message to attract people just like yourself? If they are not like yourself, how will you come across as an “outsider” to your audience, and what are your credentials to talk about these subjects? The better you cater your site and content to your niche, the more recognizable and interesting it will be to your target audience.

2. your domain

Domains are a bigger deal than you may think – certainly a bigger deal to me now than when I was just starting out with blogging at eighteen. Your domain is the url of your site, or essentially your site identity or address. It can feel like a lot of pressure to choose a domain – I’ve been there, believe me – but that’s because it is so important!

For domains, the simpler the better. My current domain is ctablog.ca and before that is was thisisjennasjourney.com. The more words there are in your url, the easier it is for people to mess up when typing it in (are there spaces, hyphens, etc?), so the less traffic you will get. Granted, I wanted cta.ca or cleartheair.ca, but sadly those urls were taken already. That’s another challenge with choosing a domain: you should have multiple variations made up, because you may not get your first (or second) choice.

Another big factor related to domains is personalization. For instance, my personal domain is ctablog.ca because I have purchased a custom one. If I didn’t, my domain would be ctablog.wordpress.com. In other words, my “site” is called ctablog, but you can very clearly see that it is “owned” by wordpress.com.

If you need to spend money on anything, I strongly suggest spending money on a domain. You may have the most amazing content and graphics in the world, but without a custom domain the legitimacy of your site seriously plummets. It just looks unprofessional. That said, if you are using the site just for fun and don’t care to attract a large audience or professional individuals (employers, sponsors etc) then a free domain is totally fine. If you want to grow your site and add that professional flare, you really need a custom domain. Not only is it more professional, but it helps Google and other search engines find your site and its content better. The easier it is to pull up, the easier it is for audience members to discover your site while using search engines.

Domains aren’t that expensive for the value: usually you pay a one-time fee (around $100-120) for your domain, and then an annual renewal ($15-20). If you decide to change your domain (like I did this past year), you won’t get any money back but you just won’t have to pay the following year’s renewal fee. When it comes to finding a place to purchase a domain, I suggest first doing your research. Some common places to purchase domains include BlueHost, GoDaddy and Domain.com. Look at the prices, the contracts and reviews of customer support. Having a strong customer service reputation is SUPER important, especially if you are new to site development. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to contact my domain host for help. Right now my domain is hosted by GreenGeeks, a cool company that uses renewable energy to power their sites and has AMAZING customer service. They hosted me since I used thisisjennasjourney.com and I didn’t want to switch because they are so great. They also helped me transition to my new domain, and even helped me with hosting issues when they weren’t the ones responsible for it.

Also keep in mind, if you change your domain at any point you will also have to change your branding. For myself, when I switched over to ctablog.ca I had to go back and update all my graphics that had my old url on them. There are still some old graphics lurking around the site…it can be a real pain to update, so make sure you know what you are getting in to!

3. Hosting, or your site's "home"

Like your domain, hosting is a critical part of your site in terms of appearance and functionality. A good analogy is that the domain is your address and the host is the house itself. If you don’t have a good hosting service your website may look disorganized and run very poorly. The “host” is essentially the programming behind your site. It allows your site to be up and running on the internet. There’s nothing worse than waiting FOREVER for a site to load, or getting those annoying 400 error messages, or a site taking up so much memory space that your computer feels like it’s going to explode from being overworked. Good host = good, fast and responsive site!

You can definitely use a free hosting service. The downfall with this is that you get less free rein over your site in terms of customization, and less customer support (since you’re not paying, the paid workers will focus on helping the paying customers, right?). Common free web hosting services include WordPress.com, Wix, Weebly and Blogger. Back in the day (circa 2017) I used Blogger. The benefits of these hosts is, of course, you can make a nice-looking site without paying, the customizable features are easy to use (often drag and drop options) and all of the back-end work like coding is hands-off for you. Again though, without your custom domain you’ll have a site like thisisjennasjourney.blogspot.com (yes, that’s what my url was at first…yikes).

If you want more control over your site and really make it unique, you will have to pay for a web hosting service. The downside with free web hosting is that the themes/layouts for your site are pretty basic, so anyone who is also running their site on that web host will likely have a similar layout as you. Investing in a hosting service means you can use more unique themes (the design of your site) and other features you can’t access without paying. I use Bluehost for my hosting service, who also have really great customer service and reasonable prices (I paid $2.75/month, which I chose to pay in one lump for 36 months as $99.00). They are also easily compatible, with WordPress.org (not .com, which is the free version of WordPress!) which is where I customize and design my site.

4. content creation

So now you have your niche and domain. Great! Next step is content creation: think of it like a store. What type of product or service are you going to share on your site? Is it recipes, how-to’s, essay-style posts, reflective pieces, poems? Are you selling anything? Are you connecting your posts to YouTube videos or podcast episodes? There’s a lot to think about!

You can definitely choose one or two styles of content to create or provide variety. I offer educational/action-oriented posts, as well as how-to’s, interviews and podcast episodes. I like having variety because it keeps me from getting bored with content creation, plus it gives my audience a huge selection of content to view! It also keeps me on a schedule because I can say “okay, Tuesdays are blog posts, Fridays are podcast episodes and Saturdays are for DIY videos.” You may have noticed this schedule already. In between those dates I prepare content for the site and social media, while fixing/updating any bugs or plugins on the site.

A VERY important part of capturing and maintaining an audience is content consistency. As a young blog-enthusiast (we’re talking when I was 14/15) I had a list of my favourite blogs and knew from memory when they each released new content. This meant I would faithfully check those sites on the specific days they regularly posted content. When the sites wouldn’t post and didn’t give a heads up, I would be confused and disappointed. If it happened regularly or there was no clear schedule, I lost interest in the site.

This is why you should create a schedule for your content creation and stick with it. While you may have a sudden inspiration and go into a serious writing mode for two weeks, do you think you’ll be able to pump out blog posts every single day for months on end? Especially if you are a student with multiple commitments, this is not realistic with all your other activities. I fell into this trap in my early blogging days, but now I have figured out how to pace myself. The benefit of sharing one blog post per week is that I can stockpile content, so when it is a busy season in life (hello, exam season and travelling) my audience can still reliably receive new content. If you are on summer break or a co-op term, now is a great time to stockpile your content!

5. branding: who are you?

Your site is now up and running and you have a steady content flow. What is now important is to create a brand or “image” for yourself. It’s like your personal style: what do you want to be viewed as online in the blogsphere? In real life I dress like a bohemian earthy hippie. Of course I have a variety of garments that don’t reflect this, but my general style is very environment-y. You want your site to be recognized the same way.

First, you need a logo. You can use simple free logo creators to do this. You can also try making it yourself if you are good with Illustrator (or Canva!) or hire someone to do it for you. Logos can always change and frequently do, so don’t stress about choosing one and sticking with it forever. When I look back at my old logos I cringe. I’ve always used free logo design services, but then I started dipping my toes into Illustrator design. I may pay for a graphic designer to create my logo in the future, but right now I am happy with what I have created (and proud!).

Second, you need a colour pallette. As much as you may want to use a rainbow of colours for graphics, logos, headings, social media etc. this can take away from the professionalism of your site, making it difficult to understand your style. Just like your domain, keep colours simple: choose a few colours of similar saturations that work well together. CTA mainly uses three different shades of blue plus white and black, which I have saved the hex codes (their personal number) so I can keep my branding consistent. You can definitely use different colours, but try to have some connection between them. You can find a pre-made colour pallette on any design software or even searching nice colour combinations up on Google. You can also think of it like seasons: what colours do you see in Spring? Try to avoid combinations that hurt your eye or are overwhelming, like bright yellow and purple or red and green. If you really want, look into the science of colour theory and see how different colours/shades impact mood!

Similar to colours, keep your font collection to a minimum. Choose one or two fonts for headings and graphics, and another for posts. You don’t need 50 fonts on your site in multiple colours. Also try to use fonts that are clear and legible, not crazy penmanship (as pretty as they may look…). The easier yet appealing the font is to read, the more likely someone scrolling online will stop and engage with your graphic.

NExt steps

You now have the knowledge and resources to get started as a student blogger! As we have discussed, you don’t need to spend money to create a blog. That said, the more you invest into the site, the more you will get out of it!

If you are strapped for cash, you can absolutely make a site for free. In order to build a strong reputation and following though, you will need to spend some money. If there is one thing you ABSOLUTELY should spend money on, I believe it should be a custom domain. You can get away with free versions of everything else to some degree, but again your site’s success will only go so far.

So remember, the five fundamental things to consider when starting a student blog on a budget are the following:

Who is your audience?
What is your domain?
Who will host (support) your site?
What content do you provide, and how often?
What is your branding?

So what is next? Now is when you should think of more complex factors in site creation, like SEO, theme and plugin design, category creation, social media marketing, and funding. If you want to hear about these topics, please let me know in the comments and I am happy to write a post on this topic.

Have any questions? If you’ve started a blog already, what are your recommended resources or tips? Let me know in the comments! Also let me know if you want more content like this in the future. I am happy to share my experiences to help you create a successful virtual platform.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure to check out these ones:

Lastly, check out Clear the Air on YouTube! I post podcast episodes and sustainable DIY videos here, plus more content in the future.

Until next time.

The post How to start a blog on a student budget appeared first on Clear the Air.

Episode 11: How sustainability helped me recover from my eating disorder

Jenna Phillips — Fri, 01 May 2020 10:34:59 +0000

Mental health is an important part of personal wellbeing, yet we don’t talk about it openly enough. In this episode, I share my story on battling an eating disorder and how discovering my true passion for the environment not only helped me overcome my mental health issues, but helped me change the world. Finding joy in your life is the first step to overcoming your challenges, which is why I share my story on how sustainability helped me recover from my eating disorder.

Make sure to rate, subscribe and follow the Clear the Air Podcast, and follow the journey on social media:

Website: https://ctablog.ca

Podcast site: https://ctablog.ca/podcast

Instagram & Twitter: @_ctablog

Don’t forget to share your sustainability journey on social media and tag Clear the Air!

Clear the Air – The Podcast

ABOUT THE PODCAST

Jenna Phillips is the podcast host, a passionate university student, and a local climate action leader. She uses her expertise and desire for change to make a difference in the lives of others.

The post Episode 11: How sustainability helped me recover from my eating disorder appeared first on Clear the Air.

How to pursue sustainable careers in top companies with Winnie Lam, Google’s Director of Energy

Jenna Phillips — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 11:30:14 +0000

Do you aspire to someday work for one of the world’s top companies (Google, Walmart, Apple) or non-profits (World Wildlife Fund, the United Nations), but have no clue where to start? Do your passions for sustainability coincide with these dreams of working for a global organization, but you can’t figure out how they can possibly coincide? If you said yes to either of these, today I bring you a story that will answer your questions. In this interview with Winnie Lam, learn how to pursue sustainable careers with top companies from Google’s Director of Energy, sustainability lead, and member World Wildlife Fund’s National Council.

Winnie started out just like the rest of us: a student with a passion for change. Through hard work, skill development and an opportunist mindset, Winnie has become an admirable leader in the realm of sustainability, helping some of the world’s largest companies operate more eco-consciously. In this interview, Winnie discusses how she designed the career she has now and what critical steps youth need to take to make a change.

Tell us a bit about yourself!

“I graduated from Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo, and have been working at Google for 15 years. I have always had a passion for sustainability. I had been doing side projects to optimize the energy produced by Google’s solar panels, and benchmark the energy efficiency across Google’s office buildings. In 2013, I decided to go all in. Rather than doing side projects, I decided to pursue a career in sustainability full time. It’s been very fulfilling since.”

Coming from an engineering background, how did you first get involved in sustainability?

Back in 2008, I was working in Google’s Ads team, which didn’t have much to do with sustainability. I wanted to roll up my sleeves and do something related to sustainability. I learned that Google had recently become the largest installer of solar panels in corporate America. I contacted Google’s Real Estate team, and asked if there was anything I could do to help with the solar panels. They wanted help with data analytics. My goal was to optimize the solar energy generated by the 1.7MW of solar panels across dozens of Google’s office buildings. I analyzed the solar panels’ tilt, building locations, solar radiation by time of year, and many other factors. After analyzing all this data, we identified a method to double the solar energy output for some buildings.

Turns out that there were a few buildings directly located across from a dirt field and it had not rained for months, so the solar panels were very dirty. We power washed them, and the solar energy output doubled overnight. While it seems obvious now, washing solar panels was not a commonly adopted practice. I published this finding in Google’s blog, so that everyone else can benefit from our analysis.

When people think of WWF, they typically don't relate it directly to engineering. How did you find yourself working with WWF?

In 2012, there was a vast increase in the elephants being poached for their ivory. I learned about this issue from various wildlife conservation non-profits that I supported. I wanted to do something to help, and didn’t have to look far. Back at that time, when someone searched for “buy elephant ivory”, Google would mistakenly show ads and shopping results enabling people to buy ivory. This was against Google’s policy, but there were holes in enforcing that policy.

I recruited some friends as volunteers. With help from WWF on what to look for, we noted all the elephant ivory ads we found on a spreadsheet. I would then share that spreadsheet with my colleagues that did policy enforcement. They took down the ads promptly. That worked well for a while, but certainly was not a scalable approach. So I worked with the Engineering team to automate the removal of these ivory ads. It was not straightforward, because the algorithms needed to distinguish between elephant ivory ads from ivory colored shoes. Of course, the team figured it out and automated banning ivory ads.

After getting Google to ban elephant ivory ads, WWF and I decided that the robust solution we need is to get the entire tech industry to ban selling ivory on our tech platforms. We formed a coalition comprising of many major tech companies in the US and China, and then later in Europe and Africa, towards the common goal of banning the sale of endangered animal products on our websites.

You have worked organizations from the global to local scale to promote sustainability. Do you think one scale is more important or feasible to act at than another?

What advice can you give to someone interested in making change, but not sure which level they should work with?

Every organization delivers value to society in unique ways. A small local organization or startup may be more nimble to the needs of the region, whereas a big global organization has the potential to scale its impact more broadly. For someone early in their career, it may be beneficial to work for a company that is well respected in their industry. Some people claim that working at Google or McKinsey is like earning a degree from Stanford or Harvard, in terms of the boost in their career. I can see that.

For someone wanting to make change, my advice is to get your hands dirty and do anything, literally anything, to add value to that organization. I’ve used that approach at various points in my career. It has worked out well for me.

From your own experiences, what are some of the challenges with mobilizing people to take action, especially youth? Do you have any advice for overcoming these barriers?

There is no shortage in people who are passionate about doing something positive for climate change. Transforming that enthusiasm into meaningful impact is the challenging part. My advice is to come up with an effective strategy for how you will positively impact the world, and recruit people to join you.

For many co-op students today, it is a dream to get an internship opportunity with Google. Back in university, did you ever imagine that you’d be working for an organization as large as Google or the WWF?

Definitely not. I have always adopted an opportunistic mindset, to grab the best opportunity ahead of me and never look back.

Going through your degree and career, did you have a mentor/role model to guide or inspire you?

I have had lots of mentors throughout my career. I am not shy about asking for advice from people who are orders of magnitude more accomplished than I am. My mentors include CEO’s at various non profits, many of whom had illustrious careers in the private sector before going the non-profit route. Some of my mentors are very generous with offering me their guidance, because they see my potential in doing something good for the world. Other times, they mentor me because I can help them, through my Google connections. Other times, they are just genuinely kind people. I’m extremely grateful to my mentors, and make an effort to stay in touch with them.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND TELL HIGH-SCHOOL WINNIE ONE THING/LESSON RELATED TO YOUR LIFE EXPERIENCES, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

To succeed in the professional world, it takes a lot more than A+ grades and knowledge. People skills and emotional intelligence are critical leadership qualities.

What does sustainability mean to you?

Sustainability is such a broad term. For climate change, it means doing everything we can to limit further temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. For consumerism, it means not consuming more of the planet’s resources than can be replenished. For wildlife, it means protecting ecosystems around the world.

final thoughts

If this conversation could be summed up, the message would be this: there is always a role for youth in fostering change. Whether it be with a company, a non-profit, or your own start-up initiative, all it takes is the motivation to initiate something. If you truly want to work for a an organization, you need to initiate it. If you see an environmental problem within your community (litter, water pollution, deforestation…) take the initiative to launch a campaign against it. Also, always strive to learn. Your role as a student does not stop once you get your degree. Learn from coworkers, peers, family members; find a mentor in every new role you take on. Follow the journeys of people you admire and want to grow up to be like, and figure out what steps it took them to get there. The road to your ideal future may be a hard one, but it is possible. You just need to put the work in and believe in yourself.

To learn more about Winnie and her work, check out these resources and stories:

https://www.worldwildlife.org/leaders/winnie-lam
https://www.blog.google/topics/inside-google/she-word-winnie-lam-helping-google-do-right-thing-planet/
https://www.worldwildlife.org/magazine/issues/summer-2018/articles/wwf-national-council-member-winnie-lam-on-innovation

If you enjoyed learning about Winnie’s journey and her advice on how to pursue sustainable careers with top companies, check out these other helpful conversations that deal with skill-building, creating change and following your passions:

Have any questions for Winnie about how to pursue sustainable careers with top companies, or suggestions for other guests to have on the blog/podcast? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time.

The post How to pursue sustainable careers in top companies with Winnie Lam, Google’s Director of Energy appeared first on Clear the Air.

Episode 10: Cater your degree to your passions with Jeffray Behr

Jenna Phillips — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 10:33:32 +0000

Episode 10: Learn how to cater your degree to your passions with Jeffray Behr. Jeffray is a Mechanical Engineering student with a passion for sustainability, renewable energy and a plant-based lifestyle. This interview explores topics ranging from how to cater your degree to your interests, chasing your passions, and navigating the business world post-graduation.

Make sure to rate, subscribe and follow the Clear the Air Podcast, and follow the journey on social media:

Blog: https://ctablog.ca

Instagram: @_ctablog

Twitter: @_ctablogDon’t forget to share your sustainability journey on social media and tag Clear the Air!

Clear the Air – The Podcast

References and resources:

https://80000hours.org/
https://drawdown.org/
https://www.effectivealtruism.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jeffray-behr_plantbasedfoods-activity-6652985190081794049-K8AP

If you enjoyed learning about Jeffray’s journey and his advice on how to cater your degree to your passions, check out these other helpful conversations that deal with skill-building, creating change and following your passions:

ABOUT THE PODCAST

Jenna Phillips is the podcast host, a passionate university student, and a local climate action leader. She uses her expertise and desire for change to make a difference in the lives of others.

The post Episode 10: Cater your degree to your passions with Jeffray Behr appeared first on Clear the Air.

How to celebrate Earth Day 2020 during COVID-19

Jenna Phillips — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 10:45:00 +0000

Earth Day is this Wednesday, April 22, which represents a historical moment in several ways. For one, it’s the 50th anniversary of this international day for the planet. It’s also the first time we cannot experience it together due to COVID-19. As part of several initiatives that had Earth Day events planned for this week, the current situation has required a lot of creative thinking around how to celebrate Earth Day 2020 during COVID-19. If anything, I think the ideas that have come out of these unexpected brainstorming sessions are not only creative, they also allow more people to access them given their virtual nature.

So, how can you celebrate Earth Day from the comfort of your own home this year? We will explore a few ways in this post. First, let’s quickly chat about the history of Earth Day.

April 22, 1970: The birth of the modern environmental movement

On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets to protest the environmental injustices taking place in their country. Following the release of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (READ THIS!!) in 1962, people across the globe were suddenly made aware of how disruptive their everyday activities were to the planet, and to their own health.

Initiated by the efforts of an American Senator and activist, the day was chosen late-April to maximize college student participation. News of the event was spread through educational campaigns, NGOs, religious groups and more. The protests on April 22, 1970 marked a historic event because it was one of the rare times people of all political, religious and economic classes could come together to agree on one thing: their industrialized behaviours are harming the planet, and their health.

The first Earth Day created momentum for the formation of several key environmental legislative pieces in the USA – the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Environmental Education Act, the Clean Air Act and more. In 1990, the first global Earth Day took place with over 200 million participants from 141 countries, building a strong foundation for the first-ever United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, which was a monumental turning point in the environmental movement. In essence, Earth Day can be considered the “birth of the modern environmental movement” as it was the first time that people across the world were mobilized to take environmental action. To this day, millions of citizens around the world come together to demand action to protect their sacred planet.

Earth day 2020: a new approach

We now know that Earth Day is, historically, characterized by people taking to the streets in large numbers to demand change. That is not an option this year. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t act on Earth Day. We just have to act in a different way than normal! Let’s look at how to celebrate Earth Day 2020 during COVID-19 in four unique ways.

1. set a goal

Have you been wanting to kickstart your sustainability journey, but putting it off until the “right” moment, like a New Years resolution that can only happen on January 1st? Or are you already living sustainably but want to take that further? Whatever the case, treat Earth Day as your motivation to make a change in your life. Choose one thing that is manageable to change, and create a SMART goal. It could be eating more plant-based, using less plastic in the kitchen, driving less, thrifting more clothing – the list is endless! Make sure that your goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, otherwise you will not be motivated to achieve it.

2. get outside

Earth Day is about the Earth, so why not reconnect with your surroundings? Go for a walk or hike in your nearby natural areas, play in the backyard, tend to your garden, or just sit outside and enjoy some fresh air. Many of us are cooped up inside the house, sometimes for days on end. Getting outside for even ten minutes each day is mentally refreshing for yourself while reminding you of the amazing ecosystem services (air filtration, carbon sequestration, natural beauty) that the Earth provides!

3. tune in to virtual events

Since events are no longer happening in-person, community organizations and action groups have taken to the Internet to inspire change. There are live webinars, workshops, concerts and more taking place all around the world – the majority of which are free to (virtually) attend! Check out my resources at the bottom of the page to explore virtual events in your area and around the world.

4. talk about it

An important aspect of environmental action is to talk about why action is needed. What are the issues that concern you, and how can you engage in meaningful solutions? Have these conversations with friends, family or whoever else you are in quarantine with (or phone/video calling). You may inspire them to view the issues in a new perspective, or brainstorm new ways to take action in your own life. Effective solutions to any problem – environmental, social, economic, calculus homework – are built from productive conversations and collaboration.

helpful resources

Check out these pages for more information on how you can celebrate Earth Day 2020:

Earth Day 2020 Event Map: a global tracker for all the virtual events going on. Zoom in on your home town, or use the search engine to filter by event type, organization, interests, etc.
My list of easy zero-waste swaps: a great goal you can set is to start incorporating more zero-waste habits into your daily life. Three years ago in honour of Earth Day, I wrote this guide for living zero-waste.
#EarthDayAtHome: a list of awesome activities you can do from the comfort of your own home to celebrate Earth Day this year.
Earth Day Live: a free, 3-day virtual event you can sign up for that will showcase activists, artists and more (including Al Gore) as they mobilize climate action.
Check out local initiatives on social media: I’m participating in Peel Climate Council’s Earth Week. Every day they are hosting a new virtual event. Be sure to check out their lineup, and explore what’s going on with your local groups!
Register your own digital event: Eager to start a discussion or create change in your local community? Register with Earth Day Network as an official event and watch your virtual audience grow.

helpful resources

Let’s all take a moment to thank and celebrate the Earth for all that it provides us. While the world may be a strange place right now, it is the Earth that allows us to thrive.

If you enjoyed this post and want more inspiration for how to take climate action at home, check out these posts:

What are your plans for Earth Day? Are you starting a virtual event in your community? Let me know in the comments, or tag me on social media at @_ctablog for a feature!

Until next time.

The post How to celebrate Earth Day 2020 during COVID-19 appeared first on Clear the Air.

Episode 09: Lessons learned from third year

Jenna Phillips — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 10:33:28 +0000

Episode 09: Each school year, I share the key lessons I have learned from that year of university. In this episode, I share my top five lessons from my third year of university, which you can use to maximize your success as you begin your university journey.

Make sure to rate, subscribe and follow the Clear the Air Podcast, and follow the journey on social media:

Blog: https://ctablog.ca

Instagram: @_ctablog

Twitter: @_ctablog

Don’t forget to share your sustainability journey on social media and tag Clear the Air!

Clear the Air – The Podcast

Resources from the episode:

If you enjoyed this episode and want tips on achieving success in university, check out these posts:

About the podcast

Jenna Phillips is the podcast host, a passionate university student, and a local climate action leader. She uses her expertise and desire for change to make a difference in the lives of others.

The post Episode 09: Lessons learned from third year appeared first on Clear the Air.

6 Criteria for Sustainable Makeup

Jenna Phillips — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 10:30:00 +0000

Is your makeup sustainable? How do you know? Today I am sharing all you need to know about sustainability in the cosmetics world, including 6 criteria for sustainable makeup to help you make informed purchases!

Before we get started, I wanted to share a survey I am running. For youth ages 12 to 25, if you could fill out this quick (<5 minute) survey on your understanding of climate change, its causes and solutions I would greatly appreciate it! It will help me with a future project to enhance the number and accessibility of climate action initiatives for youth like you! If you have friends or family in this age group, please share it with them as well! It doesn’t matter where you are from, so long as you fit the age category.

In other news, I am starting up the Clear the Air Newsletter again! Sign up to receive a special letter from me in your mailbox every two to three weeks, which includes exclusive sustainability tips I don’t post on the blog, early-access information and more. All you have to do to sign up is fill out that form on the sidebar (to the right of this post)!

Why care about makeup?

For some of us, makeup is a part of our everyday lives. That means we go through A LOT of product quickly. There’s also the beloved makeup drawer (I know you have one), full of makeup products you bought on a whim but wouldn’t wear in everyday life, or they weren’t the right colour, or you moved on to bigger and better things. Needless to say, for something we use so much of, makeup plays an important role in our lives and therefore presents an opportunity to promote sustainable change! Remember, every sustainable change, no matter how small, makes a difference. That includes switching up your makeup.

Why is makeup unsustainable?

Some of the reasons are obvious, others not so much. Let’s look at a few reasons why switching up your routine is important:

1. Toxic chemicals

Just because we put it on our face doesn’t mean makeup is safe or “clean.” Makeup products often include UV filters (SPF), microplastics, formaldehyde and asbestos (carcinogens, i.e. cancerous), toluene (harmful to the brain and nervous system), parabens (endocrine disruptors) and more. Those little specks of glitter in your eye shadow and highlighters that you adore so much? Plastic.

2. Pollution

When we wash our face and take all that makeup off, where does it go? Down the drain. All those toxic chemicals travel through our water systems and can end up in rivers, lakes and soil. These chemicals poison surrounding ecosystems, resulting in genetic defects, reproductive issues and even cancer.

3. Waste

Most packaging from makeup cannot be recycled, therefore it will end up in landfills, which could then end up in waterways and so on. If they are made of plastic, those products can take hundreds to thousands of years to break down. Don’t forget about the packaging on your makeup product, either: more than 120 billion units of cosmetic packaging are produced every year. Most of that will end up in our environment.

4. Animal testing

More and more companies are stepping away from animal testing thankfully, but it still exists out there. I don’t want to get into the horrid-ness of this problem, but you can easily look it up on the Peta website. Here is a link to brands who still test on animals (note: published in 2017, so some of these brands may no longer be testing on animals. Do your research!)

5. Palm oil

One of the most well-known and dangerous industries in the world today, the palm oil industry is a major source of deforestation. Palm oil is also one of the most common ingredients in our everyday products – check out the cosmetic, food, cleaning and other personal care products lying around your house. I guarantee you at least one of them contains palm oil. The oil palm plant grows in tropical rainforests where lax environmental regulations have resulted in rapid, uncontrolled deforestation. As a global biodiversity hotspot, thousands of species are at risk, and one of the world’s major carbon sinks (i.e. ABSORBS greenhouse gas emissions, helping to fight climate change) is being destroyed. Deforestation turns these ecosystems into carbon SOURCES (i.e. produces GHGs, contributing to climate change). Palm plantations are also major sources of human trafficking, slavery and poor working conditions.

6. Health impacts

The health impacts of makeup are not limited to the natural environment. You’re putting toxic chemicals like carcinogens, endocrine disruptors and more onto your skin, which can directly absorb into your bloodstream.

How do I know if it’s sustainable?

Now that we know the importance of WHY we need to switch to sustainable makeup, let’s look at the HOW. Here are 6 criteria for sustainable makeup that you can use while shopping for any cosmetic product:

Vegan / Cruelty-Free
Non-toxic
Palm oil-free
Recyclable / reusable packaging
Ingredient source
Social responsibility

1. Vegan and Cruelty-Free

Why this matters: A product can be vegan without being cruelty-free, meaning they could be testing on animals still. Make sure the product is BOTH vegan and cruelty-free.

What to look for: Leaping Bunny certification (cruelty-free) and Peta Beauty Without Bunnies Logos (cruelty-free and vegan depending on the logo).

2. Non-toxic

Why this matters: Avoid the health risks associated with toxic chemicals in makeup while reducing environmental risks when these chemicals find their way into water or soil.

What to look for: Natural-based ingredients (e.g. coconut oil), paraben free, food-grade ingredients (meaning safe for consumption…but please don’t eat your makeup), Certified Organic, Ecocert’s COSMOS Certification (natural and organic cosmetics).

3. Palm oil-free

Why this matters: Reducing your contribution to deforestation, biodiversity loss, climate change and social injustice.

What to look for: Palm oil-free Certifications (through POFCAP or Orangutan Alliance).

4. Recyclable / reusable packaging

Why this matters: Cut down your waste that will end up in landfills, and reduce the amount of resources and energy required to fuel your everyday habits.

What to look for: Give-back programs where you can bring packaging back to stores, packaging made of recycled materials, plant-based dyes, packaging without pumps, brushes or mirrors.

5. Ingredient source

Why this matters: Ensure your makeup products are not sourcing from environmentally destructive practices (e.g. deforestation) and cut down your carbon footprint by using products that source ingredients more locally (fewer emissions from transportation).

What to look for: Locally-grown ingredients, Certified Organic, ingredient type (does it have to be farmed or mined?), whether the brand is transparent about their ingredient sourcing.

6. Social responsibility

Why this matters: Protect the rights of workers across the world by ensuring they are working for safe, respectful employers.

What to look for: Certified-B Corporation, Fair Trade, Ecocert’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Certification.

Other general tips

Use ALL of the product.
Try to repurpose packaging.
Read the label.
DIY your products.

Other helpful resources

This awesome database provides you with different eco-labels that can be used on cosmetic packaging. Next time you see an unfamiliar logo on your packaging, check the database to see what it means.
Peta’s Beauty Without Bunnies database allows you to search through hundreds of cosmetic brands that are cruelty-free and/or vegan based on a variety of search criteria (search by product type, regulation standards, certification type, etc).
This list of sustainable makeup brands ranks various companies by their packaging, ingredients and more. There are some Canadian brands on there, too!
The Think Dirty app – scan the barcode of your cosmetics to learn what toxic ingredients are in it, and be offered alternatives.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this post on sustainable makeup. Next time you need to make a cosmetic purchase, use these 6 criteria for sustainable makeup to help you find environmentally and socially sustainable products that also support your health!

If you liked this post, be sure to check out these ones that show you how to incorporate sustainability into your everyday life:

Do you have your own criteria when shopping for sustainable makeup? Do you find the experience challenging? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time.

The post 6 Criteria for Sustainable Makeup appeared first on Clear the Air.

Clear the Air

Episode 13: Five common misconceptions about recycling

ABOUT THE PODCAST

How to repurpose food scraps

What counts as food "waste"?

What waste can we reduce?

1. Good for your garden

2. Haven't started your garden yet? Now you can.

3. bones to broth

4. Rinds and peels make amazing Tea

5. no more buying breadcrumbs or croutons

5. banana peels elevate your baking/coffee game

final thoughts

have you checked out clear the air's youtube channel?

Episode 12: Create change through plant-based living with Jackie Bastianon

ABOUT THE PODCAST

How to start a blog on a student budget

1. Choose your niche

2. your domain

3. Hosting, or your site's "home"

4. content creation

5. branding: who are you?

NExt steps

Episode 11: How sustainability helped me recover from my eating disorder

ABOUT THE PODCAST

How to pursue sustainable careers in top companies with Winnie Lam, Google’s Director of Energy

Tell us a bit about yourself!

Coming from an engineering background, how did you first get involved in sustainability?

When people think of WWF, they typically don't relate it directly to engineering. How did you find yourself working with WWF?

You have worked organizations from the global to local scale to promote sustainability. Do you think one scale is more important or feasible to act at than another? What advice can you give to someone interested in making change, but not sure which level they should work with?

From your own experiences, what are some of the challenges with mobilizing people to take action, especially youth? Do you have any advice for overcoming these barriers?

For many co-op students today, it is a dream to get an internship opportunity with Google. Back in university, did you ever imagine that you’d be working for an organization as large as Google or the WWF?

Going through your degree and career, did you have a mentor/role model to guide or inspire you?

IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND TELL HIGH-SCHOOL WINNIE ONE THING/LESSON RELATED TO YOUR LIFE EXPERIENCES, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

What does sustainability mean to you?

final thoughts

Episode 10: Cater your degree to your passions with Jeffray Behr

ABOUT THE PODCAST

How to celebrate Earth Day 2020 during COVID-19

April 22, 1970: The birth of the modern environmental movement

Earth day 2020: a new approach

1. set a goal

2. get outside

3. tune in to virtual events

4. talk about it

helpful resources

helpful resources

Episode 09: Lessons learned from third year

About the podcast

6 Criteria for Sustainable Makeup

Why care about makeup?

Why is makeup unsustainable?

1. Toxic chemicals

2. Pollution

3. Waste

4. Animal testing

5. Palm oil

6. Health impacts

How do I know if it’s sustainable?

1. Vegan and Cruelty-Free

2. Non-toxic

3. Palm oil-free

4. Recyclable / reusable packaging

5. Ingredient source

6. Social responsibility

Other general tips

Other helpful resources

Final Thoughts

You have worked organizations from the global to local scale to promote sustainability. Do you think one scale is more important or feasible to act at than another?

What advice can you give to someone interested in making change, but not sure which level they should work with?