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December 2006 E-news
Where Do
Snowboards Come From?
If you think about it, a snowboard is pretty much like a
sandwich. On the bottom is a layer of super hard plastic that
makes the slippery surface for sliding on the snow; this has
steel edges around it so you can dig into the snow when you’re
turning. Next up is a layer of fiberglass/plastic that strengthens
the board. Then comes the core – the thickest part –
usually made of wood or foam. The binding mounts are attached
to the core. Then there’s another layer of fiberglass,
and finally a protective plastic layer. All these layers are
put into a mold, and glued together one by one with something
like epoxy. The process is pretty similar for skis. Sounds
simple, eh?
But…it’s not so simple when you start trying
to figure out where to get all the materials and where to
get the snowboard made. As production demands increase and
everyone and their dog wants a new snowboard or set of skis,
some companies have started to outsource** production
of their gear. We’re worried about clothing, shoes,
cars, all those things made in developing countries with working
conditions and pollution standards that aren’t the best
(to say the least), but what about our recreation?
**outsource = to send out work, or purchase
goods, from outside of your company. Usually done to cut costs,
but oursourcing gives way less control over the pollution
and working conditions of your factories and your goods.
So what to do?
Lucky for us, some companies are making sure that there are
still options out there for people who care. There’s
quite a few who are making sure that their boards stay manufactured
in North America, but then there are some who are even taking
the next step - they use Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood
(FSC wood is certified to be harvested and processed in an
environmentally responsible way).
And really, the more we support these guys, the more they
can do. Venture
Snowboards in Colorado are even working
on a new solar powered factory, using sustainable, recycled
and reclaimed materials to build their snowboards. And Option
Snowboards are still made in Vancouver.
YES!!
One more thing – next time you need to wax your snowboard
or skis, check out Hillbilly Wax Works in Rossland, B.C. They
make the only environmentally friendly high tech waxes in
the world – right in their backyard with natural materials
and totally non-toxic synthetics. Check out www.hillbillywaxworks.com.
So whatever you end up carving up the mountain with, check
it out before you buy. You’ll feel good. And the planet
will love you for it!
Being
a Green Street Youth Ambassador
By Kelsi, Ula & Yvonne
Read on to learn about Kelsi,
Yvonne
and Ula’s
experiences as Green Street Youth Ambassadors this summer
and fall. Their job is to bring info about the Youth Action
Centre website (or the ‘YAC’,
this website you’re in right now) and the National
Youth Engagement Program (through Green
Street, which is what makes the YAC possible)
along with all the incredible opportunities and resources
available through the YAC. It sounds like they had a good
time at the three events:
DUC’s
Great Greenwing Adventure Winners
Ducks
Unlimited Canada is proud to introduce
the 10 teens from across Canada who participated in the 11th
annual Great Greenwing Adventurer at Oak Hammock Marsh, Manitoba
in August 2006. With helpful guidance from scientists and
interpreters, the adventurers took part in exciting, hands-on
activities such as…
- bird and duck banding
- radio telemetry
- geocaching
- wetland studies
- fishing
- outdoor first aid and survival
- owl pellet studies
- camping
- and much more…
It was an all expenses paid week packed with fun, learning
and adventure!
How To Apply?
Coming up in January youth can visit www.ducks.ca
to apply for the 2007 camp. You need to be from 13-17 years
old, and be passionate about the environment and the outdoors
– sound like you??
Who Went This Year?
Youth from across Canada came to the week long adventure –
and their experiences were all totally different. They each
loved the trip for their own reasons, from meeting new people
to discovering new careers. Read
more about them here.
www.stopglobalwarming.org
By Yvonne
Looking for a resourceful website that covers the issue of
global warming from all aspects? The www.stopglobalwarming.org
is the site to surf. It is a very action based site with campaigns
such as “The Stop Global Warming Virtual March".
The march is a "non-political effort bringing Americans
together to declare that global warming is here now and it’s
time to act." www.stopglobalwarming.org has the most
recent research updates which includes global warming headlines
from around the world. The site also has many videos, tips
and action plans. To get up to date on the latest global warming
news, to find out what you can do about global warming, or
to join the 518,336 supporters of the Stop Global Warming
Virtual March, check out www.stopglobalwarming.org.
Toyota
Earth Day Scholarship Program
All across Canada, young people are actively engaged in voluntary
activities, benefiting their own communities and taking responsibility
for the future of our environment. Toyota Canada Inc. and
Earth Day Canada want to recognizing and rewarding these students
(YOU!) as they embark upon their post secondary studies.
What is it?
The Toyota Earth Day Scholarship Program is again offering
15 scholarships of $5000 each to graduating high school students
who are entering their first year of college or university.
One exceptional student, chosen from the 15 regional scholarship
winners will be further presented with the Outstanding Environmental
Achievement Award and a Panasonic notebook computer at the
National Awards Ceremony in Toronto. To date, $275,000 has
helped 55 exceptional young Canadians to achieve their academic
dreams.
Environmental scientists are not the only people who care
about the environment. So, applications from environmentally
active students who are considering any program of study are
encouraged – your passion is what really matters. Your
time spent volunteering, working in the community, bringing
in new ideas about the environment and sustainability –
these are all so important! Past scholarship recipients have
pursued fields of study including engineering, fine arts,
medicine, and political science.
How to Apply?
The deadline for applications is January 31, 2007.
Please visit www.earthday.ca/scholarship
for information or to download the application.
Museobus’
New Composting Program
Most of the youth involved in Museobus
are from 12 to 16 years old, and they’re doing very
cool stuff to bring nature and environmental awareness to
younger and older students around the province.
One of the newest projects is the composting bins program
in Vallée du Richelieu. The Museobus group started
up the program with the Ozias-Leduc Secondary School during
the last school year, and kept it going through the summer.
They’re selling the composting bins to residenes, and
even go into the residence to teach people about the importance
and benefits of composting. They’re truly making a difference...
Inspired? To
learn more about the program and see if you could start something
like it up in your area, check out www.museobus.qc.ca.
Looking for composting resources?
Go to our Action
Resources here in the YAC, and scroll
down through each of the resources to Composting (and check
out the other resources while you’re at it).
Sustainable
Consumption booklet
"Consume This - Buying
That Matters" is all about sustainable
consumption for youth. It’s a booklet that was released
by the Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention (C2P2) in
October 2006, and addresses some important issues –
resources, how you buy, your impacts on the environment and
on people around the globe. Sustainable consumption is about
making smart choices that meet people’s needs in less
material and pollution intensive ways – and we can ALWAYS
learn more about it.
Plus, a very cool thing, the booklet profiles young people
who are practicing sustainable consumption in their own lives
and their communities to help demonstrate the practical approach
to sustainable consumption. Maybe they’re your neighbour,
or maybe even you…
For more information and to download the booklet, please visit:
www.c2p2online.com/youth.
Save the
Nahanni Watershed!
Help the Canadian Parks and Wilderness
Society (CPAWS) save the Nahanni Watershed!
This absolutely incredible place is a World
Heritage Site and a spiritual place for local First Nations.
And it’s at risk from potential mining. CPAWS is working
to protect the entire South Nahanni Watershed in an expanded
national park, growing to include the already created Nahanni
National Park Reserve.
How to start?
- Register with the Nahanni Forever campaign at www.nahanniforever.ca.
- Set up a fundraising goal for yourself.
- Fundraise among family, friends, in your school –
wherever you can think! Be creative, but remember that your
fundraising needs to be sustainable and responsible. Wondering
how to fundraise? Check out our Action
Resource Centre, and scroll down to
Youth Driven’s Fundraising Manual
- Raise the most money, and week a week-long trip for two
rafting down the South Nahanni River!! Come in second, and
you’ll win cool gear from Mountain Equipment Co-op.
For more information about the Nahanni or how you can help,
visit www.nahanniforever.ca.
Contest closes December 31, 2006 (visit the
contest
website to see what the goals are, and
how much money you need to raise to win…it won’t
be hard!)
For more information about CPAWS, visit www.cpaws.org.
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