Benjamin Merhi

SiA 2024

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Benjamin's actions

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SiA Homework for Sept 4 - PRACTICE POST

On Sept 4, we will have 3 guests come talk to us about sustainability initiatives at Vanier. In preparation, please read over VANIER'S 5-YEAR SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN 2018-2023 and then write an EcoChallenge post that includes the following: - What do you think about the plan? Is it ambitious enough? Is there anything missing or superfluous? From your own observation and experience, how well is Vanier doing? List some questions that you would like to ask our speakers regarding Sustainability at Vanier? - Identify at least 3 initiatives that you are potentially interested in contributing to this semester and explain why. (Note there is a column labelled student involvement.) For more detailed information, you can also consult the 2020 VANIER ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT in the links.

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Transportation

SiA Homework for Sept 4 - PRACTICE POST

Write an Ecochallenge POST to our team, briefly stating how you currently commute to Vanier. In Quebec, because we have a lot of hydro electric power, one of the main source of carbon emissions is from transportation. What commuting options do you have that would be healthier for you and the planet? Will you be considering any changes for this semester? If so, select or create an EcoChallenge action. If not, explain what your particular challenges are and what you could do to help other people in your situation (e.g. organise car sharing, propose a bus shuttle, etc.)

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Share Your Story

SiA Homework for Sept 11 - Intro Post

Please write a short post to introduce yourself to the class. Mention some of your interests and what program you are in. If you have some ideas for your sustainability project this semester, please share - you might find a collaborator! Inspire others with the EcoChallenge actions that you are interested in trying out. Include a photo of yourself if you like.

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READ Quebec's principles for a just transition AND/OR PARTICIPATE in the Sept 27 Climate March

For the week of Sept 25 to Oct 2, please read the documents attached AND IF YOU CAN, please attend the Sept 27 Climate March. Many people and organisations feel that the government is dragging its feet on the important changes required to meet our climate commitments. For your post, reflect on the value of mass demonstrations. Include a photo of a protest banner or slogan that you find effective (if you can't attend the event then find a photo on the web from other climate marches).

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Participant Feed

Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.

To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?

Benjamin Merhi 11/13/2024 6:15 PM

11/13/2024 - Final Post

Throughout the duration of the Eco Challenge and the class in general, I have learned a great amount of things which have changed the way I look at climate change and sustainability. Admittedly, when I first began the class I did not necessarily care too much about the climate crisis and how I could help in creating a more sustainable world. After completing many tasks of the Eco Challenge and learning numerous different things in Professor Klopp’s class, my opinion has changed, and I can certainly see the issues in the way our world operates.

In terms of the tasks, it really helped me understand that it doesn’t take an insane amount of effort to do your part in being more sustainable. Things such as buying bamboo products, walking to places, or even just doing research on certain topics are all things that I did which didn’t exactly alter my way of living. Before starting this class, I had this nonsensical idea that in order to help the environment I would have to resort to extremes by going vegan and never driving a car again, this is not the case. There are so many different aspects of sustainability, some of them small and some of them big, which you can partake in and do your fair share of lowering your carbon footprint.

One of my biggest takeaways from this class, which I briefly mentioned in the paragraph above, is the vast amount of ways you can be sustainable. I always had this impression that climate change and the climate crisis were simply just rising temperatures, however, I quickly learnt that it is a multifaceted behemoth that affects our lives in some of the most unthinkable ways. A big eye opener was the Climate Fresk activity, which I had done in class today. In this activity I got to see how many aspects of climate change are actually connected, from GHG emissions, rising water levels, and armed conflict, it all relates.

Overall, this class has made me more aware of my carbon footprint and ways in which I can improve my sustainability. I am glad I took this class and will definitely employ some stuff I have learned into my life.

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Benjamin Merhi 11/13/2024 5:59 PM

11/06/2024 - Weekly Post: Muscle Transportation

While I normally drive to places I need to go, I have lately been using my car less and have instead opted for walking and taking public transportation. Perhaps the reason isn’t the most sincere, as I began doing this to spend so much money on gas, but regardless it is still beneficial.

Upon some reflection, I realized that I really do not need my car to go to all the places that I go to. I don’t go to a lot of places, mainly the gym, work, and school. I live relatively close to my gym, so I have decided to start walking there instead as a way to get some cardio in while also lowering my carbon emissions. In terms of my school commute, I began walking and talking on public transit as that is what I did for all my other semesters.

Through doing all of this, it came clear that in some cases the reliability we put on our cars is often a façade, and that if you really wanted to(and it was more or less a reasonable distance) you can muscle your way anywhere.

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Benjamin Merhi 11/13/2024 5:47 PM

10/09/2024 - Weekly Posts: Carbon Offsets

This week I learned about carbon offsets and their benefits. Carbon offsets are a way companies or organizations can compensate for their GHG emissions by funding projects that reduce emissions in another sector.

In order to plan out carbon offsets, first a company must calculate their carbon footprint. They then invest in carbon offsets from a company which manages them. The actual projects are realized in many different ways, it can be done through reforestation, renewable energy, energy efficiency etc.

The benefit is straightforward, the companies who invest in these offsets essentially “make up” for their carbon footprint. While researching carbon offsets, I was reminded of those self-checkout kiosks that you see in grocery stores and how they often have a prompt which allows an individual to donate to a reforestation project or something of that sort.

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Benjamin Merhi 11/13/2024 5:37 PM

11/30/2024 - Weekly Post: Bamboo Products

As part of my Eco Challenge tasks, I have purchased a set of bamboo utensils that I plan to use for my lunch breaks at work. Before purchasing these utensils, I did some research on the benefits and downsides of using products made out of bamboo.

From what I have found, the biggest advantages of bamboo products is the fact that they are eco-friendly and sustainable. Considering bamboo is a grass, any products derived from it are biodegradable which in turn leaves a low carbon footprint. Another plus of bamboo, which relates more to kitchenware, is that it has naturally occurring antibacterial properties.

While certain factors of bamboo products are great, it does still have some downsides.

A large issue with the production of bamboo is if it were to be done on a large scale. In order to meet demand, bamboo forests are often planted in a way which can disrupt pre-existing ecosystems and local biodiversity.

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Benjamin Merhi 11/12/2024 1:21 PM

10/16/2024 - GREEN MY JOB

I work as a prosthetic and orthosis mechanic for Santé Quebec. One of my many tasks is the assembly and preparation of wheelchairs, and within that category there is a certain task which involves the recycling of wheelchairs. When an individual no longer needs their wheelchair, either due to passing away or acquiring a different chair, it is return to us and we essentially “recycle” it so it can be used again.

In the recycling process, we gauge what parts need to be replaced and what parts can just be repaired and cleaned. This portion of my work is frankly the most “green” part. Unfortunately, there is some wasteful actions at my work that are more or less unavoidable. Any thing that the previous user of the chair would’ve touched, such as arm rests or headrests, must be thrown out. There is also a great amount of ABS plastic which is used in making backrests and footrests.

While there is some waste at my work, the recycling of wheelchairs still allows us to conserve and reuse what we can.

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Benjamin Merhi 10/24/2024 1:26 AM

Thanksgiving

The main idea that I got from the 4 videos, was the relationship between ecological and carbon footprints and economies. As an economy grows, carbon emissions grow with it, leading to issues with sustainability. Faced with many of the climate issues caused by humans, the idea of “degrowth” does seem viable. By removing the need for constant growth humans will be able to form an economy which is compatible with the ecosystem.

One thing I am quite grateful for, is natural/white light. Recently I have been reading quite a bit about optics and waves, and I found the process in which humans perceive and experience colour quite fascinating. It’s very easy to take the visible spectrum of light for granted as it something that is sort of a “given”. A wonderful aspect of natural light is its ability to transform a space. There has been many times where I was in a building and the inclusion of natural light into the space brought much more life to it. On the flip side, environments which are sealed off from any natural light seem to exude dull and depressive feelings.

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Benjamin Merhi 10/02/2024 9:20 AM

For a while now I have be limiting the amount of food and portions that I consume. I find that with the amount of readily available food, it is very easy to over shoot the amount you must consume to feel nourished. I have been trying to plan my meals more wisely to ensure that I have just enough to feel satisfied, and so that little food goes to waste. A big help in limiting my food waste is making meals at my house, this way I am able to decide my portions rather than a third party doing it for me.

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Benjamin Merhi 10/02/2024 9:17 AM

I unfortunately was not able to attend the September 27th climate march, but it is good to see that great amounts of people did and are protesting for a greener world. Governments don’t typically have the best interest of the citizens in mind, and often lack the ability to pass meaningful laws which benefit society, so protesting is quite fitting. When gargantuan amounts of people take to the streets it demands the attention of the government in order to hopefully advance changes and transitions in sustainability.

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Benjamin Merhi 9/25/2024 9:57 AM

Quite obviously, the majority of plastics I encounter come from the packaging of various products. My attention was mainly drawn to the food, essentially half the food I have in my house is, or was, encased in some sort of plastic. When you go to pick our fruits or vegetables at a grocery store, you place them in those plastic bags that come in huge rolls. A way to eliminate this is to simply not use the plastics bags, they aren’t exactly necessary but rather a method to sort fruit which is quite useless. In grocery stores, you can opt for food that comes in packaging other than plastic, such as milk cartons instead of milk bags. In order to combat the use of single use plastics, I questioned the necessity of a lot of the plastic I end up with. For example beverages, often times when I am out I purchase a drink , say a Gatorade, because I’m thirsty but also cause it tastes good. While it’s nice to enjoy a flavoured drink, it isn’t really necessary and I just end up with way too many plastic bottles in my day to day life. It’s a simple solution, but I can just get a reusable water bottle. At home there is other things I can replace, such as Saran Wrap, with beeswax cloth.

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Benjamin Merhi 9/18/2024 9:44 AM

Today I went for a walk around my neighbourhood early in the morning. It was quite peaceful and I enjoyed walking around during the quiet of the morning. Walking can be a good sustainable activity as it is a way to improve your well-being that doesn’t involve any external factors that could potential be involved in pollution. All you need for a walk is yourself, and it can be done almost anywhere which is great.

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