Day 24: Energy

It used to be OK to use energy. NO longer is this the case. We are now required by the laws of our privileged North American lifestyles to feel guilty for using any natural resource. There is good reason to feel guilty as to me it is clear that we are exploiting the world to maintain our impossible standard of living, its just that, like most catholics, I sometimes get tired of feeling guilty.

I think this 1947 Public Service Announcement must have been one of the first energy conservation messages ever. To be honest I really don't know what "watch your meter" really means or why it was important for the public to do so in 1947. If anyone knows please enlighten me (use the "comments" button at the bottom of the post).

Day 23: Sun Tanning

It used to be OK to Sun Tan. As a kid I remember walking home from school and people would be laying out in the sun tanning. They even made extended adjustable lawn chairs for tanning that came as one of the types of chairs in most patio sets.



I guess these chair-beds still exist only now we slather on SPF 60 before laying down.



Or we cover with an umbrella.




When was the last time you someone tanning in a movie? I don't think they made an 80's romantic comedy without a tanning scene. Either the woman was tanning as part of her "reconnect with herself" day after the break up or the neighborhood kids were pulling a prank on the unsuspecting tanning girls.

As seen in this public service announcement being out in the sun can be dangerous, although I'm not sure I would consider getting wrinkles a "health problem"!


Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer and if left undetected can lead to more serious and life threatening cancers fairly quickly. The good news is that rates of skin cancer in Canada have been declining by 1% annually since 2000 in women and 2001 in men.

Once again women have proven themselves better informed and more open to change then men. It took the men a year of nagging to put on sun screen and still I need my wife to apply it because I don't like getting my hands greasy (sad but true).

Day 22: Blue Jeans

It used to be OK to wear blue jeans while downhill skiing. Well maybe never truly cool it was certainly common sight and generally acceptable.



Now we have......

X-Bionic Energy Accumulator Medium-Length Pant



The X-Bionic Men's Energy Accumulator Medium-Length Pants have a high-tech base layer that features insulation on the hips and other fast-cooling areas to keep you warm, while air channels in the groin area stop you from overheating. Channeling air in my groin sounds fun. The Energy Accumulator Pants have sweat traps that pull excess perspiration away from your body to be evaporated but leave a thin film to ensure you stay cool without needing to perspire more. Light pressure from these pants stops your muscles from vibrating too much—this improves your performance by saving your energy. The calf-high cut accommodates your ski boots and provides less coverage for not-so-cold days.

Technology Rocks!!!!

Day 21: J-Walk

It used to be OK to J-Walk. I think this informative public service film from 1948 really says it all.

Day 20: Drink at Work

It used to be OK to drink at work. This is so insane to me I had to check and make sure it was actually true and not just a romanticized memory of life in the 50's, 60's and 70's. Apparently it was not uncommon for men and women to drink while at work especially in an office setting. Most companies didn't have drug and alchohol policies until the late 80's or early 90's although by then openly drinking in the office was frowned upon.

No wonder they didn't worry about objectifying women or the fact that there were no people of colour in the office, they were all too drunk to consider the inequality.

Ahhhh the 50's, what a magical time.

Day 19: Kill Ducks for Oil

It used to be OK to kill ducks to get oil. Syncrude was accused of acting negligently in not taking appropriate measures to protect wildlife at their oil sands operations in Northern Alberta. As a result of their lack of due diligence Syncrude has killed thousands of birds in the last 2 year and rightfully so has been found guilty and is being held accountable.

In our society this means money. To bring a company to justice we have decided that we need to make them pay as punishment. This as well seems reasonable to me as I expect creative sentencing will direct the Syncrude fine money to preserving and restoring natural habitats in Canada.



The real issue I have with these kind of stories is that the point is completely lost in the dollar value of the fine or the number of birds killed. The average Canadian (that's me and you) doesn't seem to be able to make the connection between what a company like Syncrude is doing in the oil sands and their cost of living.

We are NOT willing to pay the true cost of things.

What is the actual cost of gasoline, both in terms of dollar value and environmental impact. Not until the average, too busy to really think about it, Canadian realizes that idling their monster truck for 10 min every morning kills ducks is there going to be any real change and North Americans will continue exploiting to maintain our lifestyle.

The spill in the gulf is another perfect example. Until we all take responsibility for the oil lapping up on the shore nothing will change. It is easy to point the finger at BP, it takes much more honesty to ask how we all may have contributed. Do we not see that the standards around BP's drilling operations is a reflection of our expectations and a result of our demand for inexpensive fuel.



If you are still not able to make the connection between environmental impact and our expectations as a society the National Energy Board of Canada has made a direct connection for you.

We are about to start offshore drilling in one of the most fragile ecosystems in the world, the Canadian Arctic and our government is asking for our direct input on the requirements to be placed on drilling operations. Basically do we want to decrease the "attractiveness" of our oil and make it mandatory for companies drilling in the Canadian Arctic to have adequate preventative measures in place before they start drilling or not. These regulations will cost the drilling companies money and as they will not be able to pass these extra costs onto us as consumers(due to the fact that we don't know or care where our oil comes from) the regulation make Canadian oil more expensive to mine. The question really is are we willing to pay the true cost of the oil and provide protection to our environment or do we want to continue pretending that the way we all live if reasonable, sustainable, moral.

Day 18: Not OK

It used to be OK not to be OK, sad, down, out of sorts, cranky, hyper, over emotional, under emotional, even flaccid. Now they have a pill for that.