FutuRéale Magazine Vancouver, September 2012 by OMAR MURJI

FUTURĂ&#x2030;ALE Vancouver Getting to know the cast of

Why bigger

IS better Recycling: common mistakes to avoid

What highschool novels are trying to teach you

Shakespeare at his finest : Bard on the Beach

Ebooks VS. paperbacks: what it means for writers

FUTURÉALE September 2012

ON THE COVER:

Brendan Meyer,Matreya Fedor, Gig Morton, Kurt Oslund from Mr. Young. Photo taken and courtesy of Jess Morton.

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The editor says…

credits: FUTURÉALE Vancouver

Executive Director This month is all about the younger generation. Often the younger crowd knows how operate seemingly complicated advanced technology, and our parents have to ask us how to use the Amazon Kindle. There is also sometimes a gap in the culture, we feel the need to explain to the older generation why Lady GaGa never wears pants, or why it’s completely appropriate for Katy Perry to have blue hair. The focus is on the younger generation, because they have the ability to keep up with the fast-paced change happening every day. What better time to do it than September? The month that people from elementary school to post-secondary go to learn and better themselves.

Omar Murji

Editor-in-Chief Jess Morton

Layout Designer Shyni Yoon

Contributing Writers Jess Morton Setareh Motevalli Ria Renouf Jerico Espinas Stephanie Young Lindsay Romeo

Published by The Organic Press Publishing Company www. Organicpress.ca

Jess Morton Editor-in-chief Futureale Toronto

Proud member of ONAMAP Network: www.onamap.ca

Visit us at

www. Futureale.com

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Ebooks VS. Paperbacks: The influence of community on writers

by Jerico Espinas

WHETHER OR NOT YOU PREFER THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THE CLASSIC PAPER BOOK, FEW CAN DENY THAT THE EBOOK IS SLOWLY OUTPACING TRADITIONAL WRITING MEDIUMS. In fact, August may well be the cusp of a major turning point in writing, with Amazon UK reporting larger ebook sales than regular books. Many other vcountries are following the same trend, and it’s likely that they will follow suit. But what does this change mean to writers? 4

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Books

he rise of the ebook is following closely with the rise of the self-published writer. Many would-be authors today are now opting to publish online rather than slough through more traditional methods. Writing query letters, emailing countless editors, and waiting sevevral weeks for a reply just isn’t cutting it anymore in the writing industry; the lone editor, rummaging through an endless slush pile of submissions, just isn’t efficient enough when picking out the next best-seller. By publishing online, authors are able to communicate with their readers directly, bypassing the writing industry’s subjective protocols. Suddenly, getting ‘into’ writing is significantly easier. But is this new ease necessarily good for the industry? Some writers are concerned that the industry is getting watered down with all these submissions -- that there are far too many poorly written, ‘indie’ stories flooding the ebook market for it to be treated seriously. But these objections fail to note the quick, cruel honesty of the Internet. In much the same way that Internet anonymity generates vicious commenting on boards and forums, so too is the ebook community brutally clear when it comes to reviews and criticisms. This honesty makes sure that the truly good stories, the gems hiding out among the rubble, manage to stand out from their competition. What this amounts to is not a slush pile of rejects, but rather a vibrant industry of new and experimental writers. You could even say that the ebook industry is a modern ‘screening process’ for writers. E. L. James, of Fifty Shades of Grey fame, stands out as a notable example of someone who published a story online and became ‘officially’ published later. Because popular ebooks are by nature already popular to readers, FUTURÉALE VANCOUVER

publishing an already established ebook author is an effective way to get bestselling authors. After all, few authors actually want to be self-published forever; they want to be found eventually, to be part of the official literary circuit. It’s a difficult road to this literary stardom, whether you use editors or ebooks. Whichever one you choose, at least one thing remains certain - you have to put in the effort to write well. In this regard, perhaps the Internet has the advantage over traditional editors. Struggling and starting authors alike know the clean sting of a rejection letter; fewer know the satisfaction of receiving an edited manuscript. While it’s difficult to get more than a “no” using query letters and manuscripts, online writing communities are much more outspoken. Fellow writers form tightknight communities, ones which help one another in all stages of the writing process. There is a sense of support and kinship in the ebook communities that is distinctly lacking from traditional editing methods. Whether or not you use ebooks is a subjective matter. Some like the look and feel of ink on paper. Some still like the modern efficiency and convenience of tablets and e-readers. While such issues of taste have a large impact on an industry, the influence of a community is just as influential. Traditional publishing has an infrastructure that fails to aid and support beginning writers. In comparison, online writing communities are much more welcome of beginning writers, helping them along the way. While writers still have to put in the effort to publish a bestselling piece, they’re much more willing to contribute to the industry if it’s acceptant of their efforts. As long as the ebook community stays a welcome place for all writers, it should stay vivbrant enough for years to come

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Why Bigger is (Seemingly)

Better:

our Fascination With Pop Music’s Biggest Characters by Ria Renouf

There is a song out right now by BC’s own Nelly Furtado called “Big Hoops (Bigger the Better).” In it she sings, “the bigger the better/ the bigger the better/ the better the bigger.” You get the idea – and when it comes to the music industry, right now...it feels relevant.

ranted, there are the standard Canadian sweethearts (well, depending on your stance) like Justin Bieber and Carly Rae Jepsen; the rebel pop singers (Rihanna on one end, P!nk on the other); plenty of autotuned rappers; and then there are the music producers/ DJs/remixers like Deadmau5, David Guetta and Avicii. All of these artists are enjoying their own levels of fame, success and controversy, depending on whom we are discussing. And then there are the outlandish, the over-the-top, the “excess” of the pop world. Lady Gaga. Nicki Minaj. Katy Perry. These are stars who grab our attention with, not only their songs, but their styles, their grandiose concerts, their attitudes and sometimes...their behaviour. Oftentimes these stars are compared to cartoon characters, their personalities sometimes so ridiculous, they 6

break past what is real and what is considered surreal. What is it that makes us want to listen to their music, watch their interviews on entertainment shows, and copy their outfits and mannerisms? Take Nicki Minaj for example: not too long ago I went into a MAC store to purchase some of my favourite lipsticks, and I noticed photos of Nicki Minaj all over the store (she was a part of their Viva Glam campaign, along with Ricky Martin). By the end of my visit, I left with the two shades I normally wear...and a Nicki Minaj lipstick. The notion of owning a Nicki Minaj lipstick was so interesting to me, and I had no clue why. Was it because her autograph was imprinted on the tube? Was it because it was a colour that was so vivid, pretty and bright? I couldn’t put my finger on it, but after making the purchase I thought it was odd I had done so since I’m not really a huge Nicki Minaj fan. In fact, I don’t even listen to her music (I prefer the

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pop culture likes of Bjork, Dragonette and Coldplay, to name a we are all familiar with (and I’m sure sometimes few), yet it was so interesting to own a lipstick that we are these people, not necessarily to the extent she had put input and opinion into creating. Katy where we are posting death threats(!)) are the Perry sat down with Barbara Walters last Christmas people who listen to and view their music videos and discussed her own rise to fame. What was it on YouTube or YouTube VEVO. You usually do not that had made her life so bright and bold when it have to scroll down too far in the comments seccame to her music? “I don’t know if I’ve ever said tion to find the negative comments posted, with to myself I feel finished or defined. I hope to be some of the smallest incidents occurring on even changing to the last day I’m on this earth.” Oddly the simplest of musical efforts. enough, also in an interview with Barbara Walters, et’s look at Nicki Minaj’s song “Stupid Stupid.” a twenty-three year old Lady Gaga echoed a simiWhile Nicki has been touted as a popular lar sentiment. “I’m not artificial and attention seekartist, the song has been called a “massive ing. Every bit of me is devoted to love and art and disaster” compared to her other hit singles, garnerI aspire to teach my young fans...to those who feel ing over 603,000 dislikes from its 60 like freaks...[it’s about] libmillion views on YouTube. The high eration and letting them “I don’t know if I’ve proportion of dislikes in comparison know they can make their ever said to myself I to other songs like “Super Bass” or own space in the world.” feel finished or defined. “Moment 4 Life” is seemingly earth I hope to be changing shattering. Some on YouTube have omparing these to the last day I’m on commented that “Stupid Stupid” three artists – this earth.” Nicki Minaj, Lady was “surely written by a nine year Gaga and Katy Perry – is a old ‘gone rogue.’” Others exclaim somewhat dangerous rope to walk on, particularly their “ears have [been] bleeding” and quite a number when the three come at the music industry from have rhetorically been commenting about what it different angles. Yet Nicki, Gaga and Katy all came is they’ve just listened to, requesting those “three from beginnings where struggle and innovation and a half minutes of their lives back” – these comworked hand in hand throughout their lives. The ments being the more tolerable and less offensive desire to reinvent themselves came from a goal to of what has been left on her VEVO page. Lady Gaga attain success, to cope with the challenges they has often been compared to being a Satanic worfaced to prove to not only to those who inadvershipper because of some tently stood in their way, but also to the individual of the images and lyrics in self, that their dreams could come true – and that her music videos. For quite they could inspire other people to live their own a while now, she has been lives, no matter how eccentric or colourful they believed by some to be might be. linked to the Illuminati, a blanket name given to all Although these pop stars, while popular in their sorts of Enlightenment-era own right, have been adored by many, it seems a conspiracy groups, but pop star is never really whole without their haters. mainly associated with an Frequently bashed by other celebrities and talk evil group touted in Dan shows, the most hurtful fury can often come from Brown’s book, Angels and regular, everyday fans. One case in point I’m sure Demons.

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pop culture Some also claim that Lady Gaga is simply well connected to the devil. While Katy Perry has not had much of the same comparisons as Nicki and Gaga have, parts of Katy Perry’s marriage to Russell Brand have outshined her music, in particular where her divorce was concerned.

et’s put something into perspective, though: the major factor their popularity has been subject to that a number of the past generations of famous singers haven’t necessarily had as much of is the internet and telecommunications. This fast-paced factor indeed moves in today’s world at breakneck speed, and we are inundated with plenty of their images to love, judge and “hate on.” While these stars aren’t definitely playing your parents’ music, there is no doubt that if Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and even the Sex Pistols were at the peak of their fame in this day and age, the controversies some of their music would create would spread like wildfire. Every generation has had its complaints with the music of today’s youth. Take a look at Madonna – in the eighties she caused a commotion with her video “Like A Prayer,” yet a number of her songs – including the aforementioned – were considered big and extravagant for that day and age. Going back to the 90’s, many will remember pop princesses Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, both known for their large scale, entertaining tour events. Britney first rose to prominence by making the naughty school girl look good, while Christina’s take on a genie in the bottle garnered her plenty of attention. The pushing of boundaries with each generation has taken on an entirely new shape – and I’m sure in the next ten or fifteen years (seemingly the average between each generation of new pop star) we will be sure to see another new trend in popular music that outshines even the largest of pop music superstars we are exposed to now. Until then, these versions of ‘bigger is better’ will be around for a long time to come.

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The Success of

Mr. Young

by Jess Morton

MR. YOUNG IS THE CANADIAN SITCOM FILMED IN FRONT OF A LIVE AUDIENCE IN BURNABY, B.C. CREATED BY DAN SIGNER AND CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY HOWARD NEMETZ, MR. YOUNG STARS BRENDAN MEYER, MATREYA FEDOR, AND GIG MORTON. THE SHOW IS THE FIRST MULTI-CAMERA SITCOM FILMED IN VANCOUVER, AND FEATURES AN ALL-CANADIAN CAST AND CREW. MR. YOUNG FIRST AIRED ON YTV ON MARCH 1ST, 2011, AND WITHIN A MONTH BECAME THE NUMBER ONE SHOW ON THE NETWORK. FUTURÉALE VANCOUVER

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Cover Story As the story goes, the production company behind Mr. Young, Thunderbird Films Inc., tracked down Dan Signer to develop a Canadian sitcom for kids programming. Michael Sheppard is the president of Thunderbird Films Inc., and from the beginning worked on selling Mr. Young to YTV. “We then pitched it in Toronto, and we pitched it to YTV and they just bought it right there. It was a big risk for YTV, because no one had ever done a multi-camera sitcom before. They were ordering twenty-six [episodes] without a pilot. All they had to order the series off of was an outline of the characters, and one script.”

At the end of April 2011 the network renewed the series for a second season. The show gained increasing support from local Vancouver fans, as Mr. Young hit it off with kids and parents alike. Four months later, on September 7th Mr. Young was picked up by Disney and was watched by kids all over the world on Disney XD. The popularity of the sitcom soared, and the show was moved to primetime on the network. Mr. Young is currently filming its third season, and is still bringing in local Vancouverites to fill its live studio audience. But what made the Canadian original so successful? What generated the enormous fanbase that likes the Facebook page, and watches new episodes every week?

better over the seasons. Its more about how a Canadian sitcom that has so much support from its network, its writers, its cast and crew is now shared with more people. Michael Sheppard and I geeked out over some of our favourite episodes, and many of them were from the first season. “I don’t want to agree that we’re getting better, because it makes it sound like Season 1 wasn’t that good. Think about some of the episodes; Mr. Shakespeare, Mr. Roboto, Mr. Honest, Mr. Inventor. These are Season 1 episodes! So I feel bad saying that we’re getting better, because the bar was pretty high to begin with.”

Michael Sheppard credits the panel of writers on the show, which include Dan Signer and Howard Nemetz. “I give the writers credit, because it’s a writers’ medium, the sitcom. They look for every joke that they pull, they want to make sure it got the maximum laugh. If they don’t get enough laugh, they rejig it.” The story of Mr. Young isn’t necessarily about how the show got better and

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Cover Story

For the Love of the Fans –

Interviews with the Cast

Brendan Meyer – Adam Young

Q B

: What was the audition process like for your role on Mr. Young?

: I had a really interesting audition process. When they first issued the breakdown for Mr. Young, in the summer, I was unable to do it. I was under contract for another pilot. I didn’t even go through the first round or anything. Very luckily, I found out in August that my pilot didn’t go. Then I was available to kind come in and go in for Mr. Young. So the casting director thought of me, and I kind of came in at the last minute. I did one taping with the casting director, and then I went straight to the final four screen tests. It was a weird audition process, I only did two auditions. It happened really fast. It was fun.

Q B

: What is the biggest challenge for you when filming in front of a live audience? : I guess the biggest challenge is also the best thing about it. Having an audience adds another level of pressure and nerves. I’ve done a lot of theatre, and in theatre when the audience is there you don’t want to screw up. Having an audience there with the extra pressure, that can really help you do well also. Just keeping those nerves under control is the challenge.

Q B

: What’s your favourite experience with a fan?

: I was in Toronto, and I was going to the Toronto International Film Festival. I was running to try and get to a screening, because we were a little bit behind. As I was running, some kid like ran up to me and was like, ‘Hey! Mr. Young! Mr. Young!’ It was the

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most random fan interaction. I had to stop and was like, ‘Hey! Yeah sure, of course I’ll sign a picture. I gotta go!’ It was really weird, because the last thing you’re thinking about is the show or anything like that, and all the sudden a kid comes up to you.

Q B

: What was your reaction when Mr. Young got picked up by Disney?

: It was really cool. Disney is great, it’s so much exposure. There’s so much stuff going on. I was just really happy. I think the biggest thing, was that I was just glad that the show was going to get to more people. You do a show in Canada, and it was a big hit in Canada. It was just great that the work that we’re doing here can be seen in not only America, but around the world. I have a lot of family overseas, and they’ve seen the show now. It’s really great.

Q B

: What are your favourite episodes?

: My favourite episode from Season 1 was probably Mr. School Song. I really, really liked that one. It was really funny, and I thought that everyone had they’re own little thing to do. I liked Mr. Film Festival a lot, because I like movies. When I saw it done and finished, it was really cool. Like the way they edited together all the different movies, it had a really nice flow, and it was a different sort of episode. There was no single story, it was a series of vignettes.

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Cover Story Matreya Fedor – Echo

Q M

: What was the audition process like for your role on Mr. Young?

: I did my first audition, which was lots of fun, I really got to experiment with my character and feel it through. Everybody was really great. The next week after, I did my first callback. Howard, Dan, and all the producers were in the room. The next week after that, we did the second callback and I did the chemistry read with the final four picks of Adam. That was really great, like getting to work with all of them. Brendan was fantastic. It was a really great experience, because everybody was so kind. They worked with you, and you were able to see what they wanted in a character.

Q M

: What is the biggest challenge for you when filming in front of a live audience?

: Fear of forgetting my lines haha. Especially in the beginning, because I had never done any theatre before. It was really weird to have so many extra people watching me while I was acting. I was so scared that I was going to forget my lines. I think the first time that I actually forgot my lines, and had no idea what to do – the audience just started laughing! Then I realized, its okay to make mistakes. Like it’s not a bad thing, and people can enjoy it. As long as you’re enjoying it, then everybody can laugh with you.

was what came with the note.

Q M

: What was your reaction when Mr. Young got picked up by Disney?

: I was so excited. I mean the whole cast was celebrating, and we went out to dinner that night. We were all so happy. I think everybody felt so good, because we felt like we had accomplished something. It was something we knew that people must be enjoying our show, and what we’re doing. I think that was the best reward, that we were having fun filming, and that people were having fun watching us.

Q M

: What are your favourite episodes?

: Mr. TV, because my plotline was with Emily [Ivy Young], and I don’t do a lot of plotlines with Emily. Also, Emily and I were working in black and white. It was a great to experience what actors way back in the day were experiencing. It was with no sound, and we had to act purely through our actions. It was like Charlie Chaplin. It was a great way to expand my knowledge, because I wasn’t that familiar with Charlie Chaplin. Now after having done that episode, I love Charlie Chaplin. I also really liked Mr. Honest from Season 1, because the whole cast was together. We were all in the same plotline.

Q M

: What’s your favourite experience with a fan?

: I got one fanmail that I though was really sweet. It was from a guy named Sammy, and he lived in Africa, then he moved to Quebec. He sent me these things from Quebec. It was a little stuffed toy husky dog, these beautiful necklaces, and some candy. The note that he sent me was really sweet. I was just really sweet. As apposed to any other gift or any other message that I receive, which I find all really endearing. I just felt there was something really special about that, and that

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Cover Story Gig Morton – Derby

Q G

: What was your audition like for you role on Mr. Young?

: It was a pretty extensive process with like four, or five different auditions. The first audition always starts out with what’s called a pre-screen, which is where they don’t tape it, they just see how you read the script. You don’t have to be off book for that, but obviously I was, because I wanted to be really prepared for it. Three or four auditions later, I was like in the top ten for the role of Adam. Then they said, ‘We don’t want to go any further with this role, but we want to see how you read for the role of the best friend.’ Then I auditioned for the best friend, and then I got a callback. The callback was the chemistry read, which is when you go read with the person they’re thinking of hiring for the other character, to see how you guys get along. Thankfully I had known Brendan [Meyer] for five years. We had known each other pretty well. Then I got word that I got the part. It was a very exciting process.

Q G

: What is the biggest challenge for you when filming in front of a live audience?

: The biggest challenge is probably just keeping, not necessarily focused, but being ready to be thrown a new line or an alternate line at me. Because sometimes I will be working, and they’ll be like, ‘Well that line is not working.’ Most of the time it will be like when Dan and Howard start getting creative with it, but it doesn’t happen all the time. That’s usually the thing that I want to stay focused for, that’s usually a challenge. I really like performing in front of the live audience, its actually my favourite part of the whole thing.

Q G

: What’s your favourite experience with a fan?

: They’re all my favourite. I like it all. When I went to L.A. to be in the Hollywood Christmas Parade with Brendan and Matreya it was cool, especially to meet fans in a different place in the world. When you’re on the internet talking to fans and they say they’re from like Brazil or Poland, and you go, ‘Yeah they’re from Brazil and Poland.’ But when you meet someone in person you’re like, ‘I actually do have fans in other places in the world!’

Q G

: What was your reaction when Mr. Young got picked up by Disney?

: Going back to the fan thing, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m gonna have so many fans and stalkers!’ Well not stalkers. I was just really excited, because I have a couple friends in the States that are actors. Everything’s done in L.A. and the U.S., it’s like the hub of kids sitcoms. To have it to be available to be seen there is good, because that gives me confirmation that I’m doing a good job. I can entertain people.

Q G

: What are your favourite episodes?

: So in Season 1, Mr. Inventor, and then every single sequel in Season 2 [Mr. Pickles] and Season 3. I really liked Mr. Aligator in Season 2. Mr. Younger Man, Mr. Roboto, Mr. Roboto 2.0. Every time they come out with a new script I’m like, ‘This is gonna be my favourite one!’ They’re all just hilarious.

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Recycling

Common

Mistakes in Recyling

by Stephanie Young

A FAMOUS FROG ONCE SAID, “IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN”. But with the new technologies and advances in everyday items, making environmentally conscious decisions seems to be easier than ever before. Dual recycling and garbage bins are scattered throughout the city, and reusable bags and water bottles seem to make appearances more often than plastic. But when you think you’re making one small step for man, you could in fact be taking two back, making Kermit’s words hold truth. 14

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Recycling

here are many recycling sins, and proper disposal of material, which simply can’t be tossed into the garbage, frequently is. Deciphering what can and cannot be recycled might be tricky, so to help you along here are some tips to broaden your recycling knowledge. *Recycling rules vary from region to region so it’s important to ask your local municipality if the same rules apply in your district. Visit http://vancouver.ca/ engsvcs/solidwaste/recycling/howto.htm for more.

Meaning of #s

ften times there is a debate while standing in front of the hunk of metal willing to accept what you don’t want. Scenario: You’re confronted with a half garbage-half recycling can. You’re holding an empty takeout container in your left hand and a disposable fork in your right. The container is made of Styrofoam, the fork of plastic. What do you do? There’s no image on the can that indicates whether you can recycle or trash any of these items. You flip the container around and find a recycling symbol on the bottom, there’s a number in the middle but what does it mean? The number and symbol pair are actually part of a coding system created by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) in 1988. The SPI resin identification coding system numbers range from one to seven and though each tags along a recycling symbol it doesn’t necessarily represent what can and cannot be recycled; they do, however, differentiate between types of polymer.

Number 1 plastics: Polyethylene terephthalate or PETE, PET Considered relatively inexpensive, lightweight, and generally purposed for one-time use, these plastics are fairly easy to recycle. Number one plastics often contain UV stabilizers and flame FUTURÉALE VANCOUVER

retardants that have been known to leach into food and landfills. Although the name hints of a phthalate presence, PETE plastics are without. • Found in: Soft drink and water bottles, mouthwash bottles • Recycled into: Polar fleece, fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling

Number 2 plastics: High Density Polyethylene or HDPE Common and versatile, number two plastics are considered a ‘safer’ option. To easily spot these in your home look for an opaque or cloudy bottle. •

Found in: Shampoo bottles, laundry detergent, cereal box liners (cereal bags) • Recycled into: Tables, trash bins, pens

Number 3 plastics: Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC PVC releases toxic gases into the air which can leach into food. Many retailers have phased it out of production due to its believed negative health effects. PVC is not widely recycled and contains lead and cadmium. • Found in: Furniture, shower curtains, threering binders • Recycled into: A unique recycling initiative called Vinyloop acquires old PVC and recycles it into usable PVC.

Number 4 plastics: Low Density Polyethylene or LDPE Considered less toxic than other numbers, LDPE is slowly being accepted at recycling plants. It is flexible and its many uses means there are probably numerous number four plastics within your vicinity. • Found in: Bread bags, garbage bags, many squeeze bottles, shrink wrap • Recycled into: Trash cans, shipping envelops, tiling

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Recycling Number 5 plastics: Polypropylene or PP Polypropylene is mouldable and thought to be the safest plastic. Its melting point is high and because of this it can withstand heat from microwaves, making it less likely to leach into food. • Found in: Bottle caps, straws, medicine bottles • Recycled into: Serving trays, rakes, storage bins

Number 6 plastics: Polystyrene or PS Better known as its brand name Styrofoam, PS is very rarely recycled. Strong debates have risen over use of PS, especially when in contact with food or drink, as it is believed by some PS leaches into foods when heated. While the debate continues environmentalists have pushed to have the product done away with entirely as it is particularly difficult to recycle. • Found in: Take-out containers, disposable cups and plates, egg cartons • Recycled into: Insulation, plastic moulding

Number 7 plastics: Polycarbonate Number seven plastics are an assortment of plastics undefined in numbers one through six. These plastics are multi-layered resins and are difficult to

recycle. Many number sevens contain bisphenol A (BPA), those with a “PC” next to the number seven undoubtedly carry BPA. In 2008 Canada was the first country to declare BPA toxic and banned its usage in baby bottles after research showed BPA could have adverse effects on the development of the brain. This being said, number 7 plastics are still widely available and used in many everyday household items. • Found in: Reusable water bottles, sunglasses, DVDs, CDs, three and five-gallon water bottles • Recycled into: Bottles, plastic lumber

Electronics and Batteries

n the technologically advanced world we live in, where today’s latest tech-toy is tomorrow’s old school gadget, many of us reside in the mindset that “If it breaks we can buy a new one”. Before making this decision, consider the environment and repair it. If repairing is not an option do your research before you toss it away to avoid any negative environmental impact from the chemicals and elements found in electronics; plus many of the materials used can be recycled into newer makes and models.

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Recycling Electronics In 2007 British Columbia launched a program dedicated to recycling old and broken electronics. Return-It has almost a dozen locations throughout the province and since many electronics are accompanied by an Environmental Handling Fee (EHF) at the time of purchase, most items are collected and disposed of for no additional charge. Bring in your old: laptop, desktop, keyboard, television, printer, or camera to name a few, to one of their locations or stop by any one of their drop-off events held throughout the year. Go to: http://www.return-it.ca/ for more.

• TELUS offers its customers the ability to trade-in devices and upgrade to new ones. Tree Canada receives $3 from TELUS for any phones outdated and valued at zero for the trade-in program. This might seem like a small dollar amount, but when translated into trees in 2011 TELUS planted nearly 98,000 of them. • Rogers is a prime supporter of Phones for Food, an organization that collects old phones, refurbishes them and donates the proceeds to various food banks. Since its induction in 2003, more than half a million phones have avoided entering landfills and more than $750,000 has since supported local food charities.

David Suzuki

Batteries In mid-2010 British Columbia residents were provided a resource for dropping off old batteries. Call2Recycle has over 1,200 drop-off locations in the province and this year alone has collected over half a million kilos worth of the product. To find a drop-off location near you visit http://www.call2recycle.ca/british-columbia/.

The David Suzuki Foundation is looking for old electronics like cell phones, ink cartridges, digital cameras, and laptops. Think Recycle is asking for a minimum of 10 electronics which the foundation will dispose or refurbish in a responsible manner. By donating you will also help raise funds for the David Suzuki Foundation. For more information visit www.thinkrecycle.com

Cell Phones The three major cell phone providers in Canada offer programs where old and unwanted phones can get properly disposed of. Many others offer their customers an incentive for ditching their old phones through the service, but knowing you’re helping the environment may be incentive enough. • The Bell Blue Box offers customers an outlet to rid themselves of their old phones while Bell worries about recycling. Since it started in 2003 Bell has diverted more than 879,000 phones from entering landfills. The net proceeds are donated toward various environmental organizations.

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Books

High School Novels Want to teach Teenagers

Morality

by Lindsay Romeo

DID YOU EVER WONDER WHY YOU HAD TO READ CERTAIN NOVELS IN HIGH SCHOOL? I DID. MANY OF THE NOVELS READ IN HIGH SCHOOL WERE TO TEACH TEENAGERS LESSONS. NOT JUST LESSONS ABOUT PROPER WRITING, BUT LESSONS ABOUT MORALITY, SUCH AS WHAT IS GOOD OR BAD. HIGH SCHOOLS WANT TO TEACH TEENAGERS ABOUT RIGHT DECISION MAKING AS THEY WILL SOON BE LEFT ON THEIR OWN TO DEAL WITH THE REAL WORLD WITHOUT THE PROTECTIVE COCOON OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL.

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic novel read in high school. It plays with the idea of innocence as it associates it with children. The adults are portrayed as losing their innocence as they are forced to deal with the injustices of the real world. As children grow up they grow out of their innocence, and they are brought to a crossroad. One road is about doing the right thing and leads to good, while the other is doing the wrong thing and leads to evil. The simple binary idea of good and evil is easy to pick out and grasp, and therefore it acts as an easy way to contrast the two types of decision making with their consequences.

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Books Hamlet explores one of people’s b iggest fears: uncertainty. Hamlet appe ars to be doin the right thin g g by searchin g extensively for all inform ation before making a de sion. This ap cipears to be b eneficial, sin teaches teen ce it agers to try to get the whole story before acting. Many may perceive Hamlet as be ing indecisiv e , but he is on trying to ensu ly re himself th at he is makin the right deci g sion. Throug hout the pla Hamlet is co y nstantly askin g himself qu tions about th ese ghost (who is apparently Hamlet’s fath er), and look ing for proof whether the for ghost told th e truth abou Hamlet’s fath t er’s death. Th is aspect of th play may tea e ch students to be less im sive, since pla p ulys like Rome o and Juliet e so tragically nd because of im pulsive actio ns.

Romeo & Juliet

eShak . e l p y a s t a to s t u d s i t lie ols al imd Ju h scho n a mor is o ig e e h h t r m e o Ro lay f iet teach play lov ort p e l r s e spea o and Ju ve. In th ic, some ps by e a o g Rom ions of l ing ma ce perh lay dee n t p plica ibed as b l occurre as the Juliet d r a d e desc ernatur mplicat meo an ically p o o st of su ove is c lly for R rom dra ssures. f re ia .L God s, espec coming cietal p sarily s e so o scrib the tw ies and not nece do, it il to to s due sing fam lay doe t thing f love h p o o opp ugh the r the rig ications the e l l, o d Alth the rea oral imp dividua cific e h in teac expose m hat the s for a sp t w s doe ards to iety wan c g in re , and so y l i fam n. o pers

The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a novel that is read across Canadian Grade 12 classrooms. The billboard showing the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg can be interpreted as having a religious connotation. The eyes can be perceived as God’s eyes looking down in disappointment at a society in disaster. The society in the novel is a society that only craves material possessions and to consume things. The novel in this sense teaches teenagers to re-evaluate their priorities in life, and one not being material things.

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Being a teenager is a crucial point in everybody’s life. It is a time in your life when you are trying to figure out who you are, and what you want to do with your life in the future as an adult. Being a teenager is a large learning experience, so the novels read at school during this time is important as it may affect how the high school student perceives and acts on his or her own world. 

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Festival

Shakespeare at His Finest by Setareh Motevalli

stablished in 1990, the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival in Vancouver was designed to provide the residents of the city (as well as tourists) affordable Shakespearean productions that were easily simple to get to, and of optimum quality. As Western Canada’s largest professional Shakespearean festival, Bard on the Beach is held every year at Vanier Park in Kitsilano. What began as an Equity Co-op, funded mainly by a Canada Council Explorations grant that was awarded to artistic director and founder Christopher Gaze, Bard on the Beach has now grown to expand as a non-for-profit theatre company, occupying thirty professional actors and actresses every season for production. Currently, the theatre is in its 23rd season, Bard on the Beach in running from May 31 to September 22, reacting the plays of The Taming of the Shrew, MacBeth, The Merry Wives Windsor, and King John. In the past, the festival has also run A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, and Othello. His love of Shakespeare has lead Christopher Gaze to spread it among Vancouver residents. Gaze has introduced many ways of informing residents of the beauty of Shakespeare by educating people on the Bard (the festival provides this knowledge). Gaze has also designed the “Young Shakespeareans” where kids eight to eighteen years of age are part of workshops, acting alongside the professional actors. Acclaimed by critics and residents alike, the Bard on the Beach does not fail what audiences want to see. The originality of this Shakespearean festival has led Vancouverites in awe and anticipation for further, truly brilliant, plays. 

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Credits PHOTO CREDITS Cover Mr. Young group shot appears courtesy of IMDB ©2011 Table of Contents All images appear courtesy of Stock.Xchng ©2012 Ebooks vs. Paperbacks All images appear courtesy of Stock.Xchng ©2012 Why bigger is better All images appear courtesy of Stock.Xchng ©2012 The success of Mr. young TV frame appear courtesy of Stock.Xchng ©2012 Mistakes in recycling Recycling symbol, frog and recycling hand and question mark images appear courtesy of Stock.Xchng ©2012 Pile of cell phones images appear courtesy of Ultimate Tech blog ©2011 Pile of old electronics image appear courtesy of Scrapmonster©2012 High school novels want to teach teenagers morality All images appear courtesy of Stock.Xchng ©2012 Shakespeare at his finest All images appear courtesy of Stock.Xchng ©2012

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