Wishing you a hoppy Easter,

The EC

Did you know that common household beauty products contain estrogen mimickers, endocrine disruptors, and known carcinogens?  Did you know that rain forests, savannas, and sensitive areas around the world are dug up to make way for palm oil plantations? Can you pronounce Cyclotetrasiloxan, and do you what it does to aquatic life?

If so, Kudos to you and your toxicology knowledge!  (And perhaps you have taken ENSC 201??)  If not, pick up this month’s featured book, Ecoholic Body by Adria Vasil.

From body wash and shampoo to health care and contraceptives, Vasil covers everything you need to know about the products we use in our day-to-day lives, and how the chemicals we put on and in our bodies affect our health and the ecosystems around us.

Ecoholic Body represents the ethos of the Earth Centre, and our commitment to helping students Shop Responsibly and Live Sustainably.  This easy-reading guidebook will help you navigate through greenwash, and equip you with the knowledge to choose products that keep you looking, smelling and feeling great without unnecessary toxicants.  And hey, if you’re feeling inspired, you’re favorite non-profit campus store has some of her featured products available at cost – cheaper than listed in the book!

For those already familiar with the Ecoholic series, be sure to check out Adria’s blog for weekly posts on green-living tips and product advice www.ecoholic.ca.

-Alex, Education Director

The application is due by email to earthcentreatqueens@gmail.com by Wednesday March 6th at midnight. Please include your name and ‘Co-Chair Application’ in the subject line. Within the few days following the deadline, we will be in contact with you regarding further steps (ie. interviews).

We look forward to reading your applications!

<3 The current EC co-chairs

Its 5 themed days – Energy & Climate, Waste Diversion, Food & Water, Transportation, and Sustainability Education – provide participants with 5 ways to live more sustainably
both on campus and at home.

We are hosting events throughout the week, so be sure to check out some of the green action!

More information on the greenfest website

No charge for admission, and there will be FREE PIZZA!

Check out the trailer, and see you at Ellis Auditorium, on Monday, March 4th at 6pm!

Are your hands getting cold from playing in the snow? Come check out our newest item, and also February’s Product of the Month! A local artisan named Laurie McCann hand-made these mittens from recycled felted wool sweaters.

They come in all sorts of colours and patterns and are only $10!

For more information, contact Laurie at laurie.mccann@live.com

Steven Moore, from Queen’s School of Business and the School of Environmental Studies, is offering three exciting courses in the very near future. Take Environmental Policy in Costa Rica this May; Field School in Sustainability Leadership at the castle this summer; and Sustainability Strategies and Practices here at Queen’s this fall.

Click on the course-descriptions for more information!

BISC Sustainability Leadership Field School

ENSC 310 in Costa Rica

COMM 408, Fall 2013

100 heartbeats, by Jeff Corwin

When I first picked up this book I assumed the title-100 heartbeats referred to the hundred most endangered species on the planet. However, what the title actually refers to is what Corwin deems as the ‘hundred heartbeats club’, in which to become an affiliate there must be less than a hundred members left in the your species. Corwin tells the tail of the drastic population crashes experienced by species all around the world, from the of extinction of the well known Dodo, to the north American passenger pigeon to three species of tigers, the list at times, seems never-ending.

Throughout the book, whenever Corwin mentioned conservation efforts, genetics was a major topic discussed, as our DNA is the underlying thread that weaves our planets web of diversity. As a biology student at Queen’s I found that many topics discussed in BIO 205 (Mendelian and Molecular Genetic)and BIO 206 (Evolutionary Genetics) were also mentioned in this book, including the sad tail of Lonely George and the diseased Tasmanian devils of Australia. Every species is under some sort of attack it seems, whether from climate change, over-poaching, deforestation, habitat fragmentation or the outbreak of new diseases, no species is safe …including us.

However, amongst the grim reality that many species face, there are also stories of success. Stories of devoted researchers, scientists and caregivers that have given their whole life’s work to studying a single species in hopes of understanding what threatens their survival.  Therefore, above anything I took from this book- it was the story of hope. As Corwin emphasizes on the fleeting pages, conservation efforts can begin in “your own backyard, when you let the garter snake slither away unharmed”, change is change, effort is effort no matter how small.

This item was NatureClean’s very first product. They manufacture their cleaning lotion from corn and coconut derivatives, obviating the need for harsh chemicals and formaldehyde solvents. This All Purpose Cleaning Lotion can be used for cleaning just about everything from clothes to dishes to produce and kitchen counters.

The product is available in 2 sizes in the Earth Centre.
1L: $4.25
3.6L: $13.75

See www.naturecleanliving.com for more information.