I lose track of this conversation with myself (and yes, there are a couple of other folks who've read this stuff and commented to me, but mostly it feels very singular). But I do want to leave an update.
If you ever travel on a Canadian air carrier and spot a flight attendant with "pro-environment" buttons on her suitcase+apron, and that she leaves the aircraft carrying a bag of plastic bottles, and that she "forces" passengers to reuse plastic cups/bottles during a flight and asks people to take off their own plastic waste for recycling.... yep thats me.
I am a visual arts/industrial design student and I also work as a flight attendant for a Canadian Airline. After 3+ years in the industry, I have decided to either make a commitment to change something or quit this environmentally-devastating job.
Want to change how you get to work this summer? Do it the safe and fun
way. 30 Days of Sustainability will be on location this Saturday May 10
from 1:00-4:00pm at the Harry Jerome Sports Centre (7564
Barnet Highway, Burnaby) with partner Burnaby Velodrome Riders
to share the baisc of safe commuting to make you feel confident
Since I started my career as an accountant in a huge company, I couldn't help but notice the incredible volume of paper that gets used every day. Often print jobs left on the printer will just be put in the recycle bin and the owner will simply print again, or people print a whole file for just a few pages. Also, our work provides us with a variety of drinks including bottled water. I've noticed that almost everyone takes a new bottle of water rather than using the filtered water tap to refil and reuse their bottle. Even better would be to use the glasses provided and fill them with the filtered water. So I've tried leading by example and spreading the word that reducing comes before recycling...
I know it's going to be really hard to do this, but I intend to slow down. Appreciate life more and do less in a much better way. There is an almost irresistable urge to do more all the time and it is constantly reinforced by everyone in our culture. I want to experiment with doing less and slowing down.
(And yes, some of it I copied from my SPUD letter. Is that a crime?)
Dear Honorable Members of the Legislative Assembly,
In the wake of last week's tragic bus crash in Abbotsford, I am writing to encourage you to help ensure the safety and fair treatment of those who work on BC farms. For me, the crash highlighted the unfair working conditions for these British Columbians, and the need for more direct oversight of the agriculture industry. I urge you to protect these vulnerable workers by providing such oversight.
I was pleased to see the government announce spot checks for vehicles transporting farm workers. Now, I would like to see this government go farther, by re-instating the inter-agency teams that ensure regulations are followed on the job as well as on the road. I would also welcome changes to the Employment Standards Act to grant agricultural workers the same rights as other British Columbians, including an hourly minimum wage.
I recognize that agriculture is a very competitive industry and that some BC farms are struggling to survive. However, survival should not come at the expense of worker rights or safety. As a consumer of BC produce, I would be willing to pay a premium for the assurance that food was harvested fairly, much like many consumers who pay more for "Fair Trade' or "organic" products. I would like to see BC's agriculture industry become a leader in ethical business practices.
Thank you for your attention to this. I am confident that you share my concerns for British Columbians health and safety and I look forward to your response.