The Plant May 2022 Vol. 56 No 4 by The Plant Newspaper

the plant SINCE 1969 VOL 56 NO 4

MAY @THEPLANTNEWS THEPLANTNEWS.COM

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Letter from the Editor Dearest readers, It is bitter and it is sweet. The closing of the semester feels well-deserved, but also somehow too hasty. Fifteen whole weeks, then mid-term, then March break, then just five weeks, then suddenly it’s the final week? What happened to literally everything in between? This, dear readers, is my final Letter from the Editor. Although I still have a year left at Dawson while I finish the Graphic Design program, I have been thinking a lot about how much time and energy I will need to save up for the coming year. Also, I really wouldn’t want to hog the position. I am very happy to pass on the legacy. Being the Editor-in-Chief of The Plant newspaper has been an incredible journey, one that I did not expect to embark on, but that I am extremely grateful to have experienced. Fret not, I will remain on the team somewhere, and I am very excited to see another year of Plant issues unfold :) Which makes this the perfect time to announce that applications are now open for the Plant 2022-2023 Editorial Team! If you are attending Dawson next semester and want a fulfilling and exhilarating experience, apply! The link to the application will be on our website (theplantnews.com) or through our Instagram bio (@theplantnews). And finally, the goodbyes. I cannot express well enough how incredibly talented, dedicated, hilarious, and high-spirited this semester’s team has been. It has been an absolute honour to work with you all. Truly, you have made this experience the best it could’ve been. To those who will be leaving us for bigger and better things, thank you: Alice, my Managing Editor who is the backbone of this team (#PlantMOM), Jacqueline, Daria, Casey, Robin, Laury, Danaée, Benjamin, Alyssa, Emily Z, Emily M, and Téa. Thank you a million times, I wish you all the absolute bestest on your journeys. And finally, it is my absolute pleasure to announce that our wonderful and wicked Copy Editor Blu will be your 2022-2023 Editor-in-Chief ! I am fully confident that I am leaving The Plant newspaper in the most capable of hands. She will be accompanied by your new Managing Editor Josephine and new Copy Editor Emmy. Please give them a warm welcome <3. Alright, let me dry my tears and get back to my schoolwork. Thank you for being here, dear reader, I hope you enjoyed this year of issues just as much as I did. Contributors, keep on contributin’. Good luck on all your exams and final assignments, you got this besties <3 Oh, and do me one last favour? Enjoy your summer ;)

Index

See you all in the hallways,

NEWS ARTS & CULTURE VOICES VISUAL ARTS CREATIVE WRITING SPORTS SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT PLAYLIST CURIOSITIES

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PIPA JONES Editor-in-Chief, out!

The Plant is an editorially autonomous student paper. All opinions expressed in The Plant do not necessarily belong to The Plant, but are those of individuals. All content submitted to The Plant or its staff belongs to the paper. We reserve the right to reject or edit all submissions for brevity, taste and legality. The Plant welcomes typed and signed letters to the editor under 400 words. Copyright 2022

NEWS 3 3

Introducing MOSAIC 2022! JACQUELINE LISBONA News Editor

Introducing Dawson College’s new and improved Mosaic website, Mosaic is an interactive online portal, an exhibit showcasing the diverse and thought-provoking media arts made by students. Sections include photo essays, films, podcasts & audio, interactive websites, games, scripts, project proposals, “aftereffects”, and “BLOOM”, two projects done in media lab classes. Throughout this Winter 2022 semester at Dawson, Michael Filtz’ Integrating Activity students in the Cinema Communications program have worked on this year’s Mosaic event. This includes designing the website, deciding on a theme, and promoting the event. Dipti Gupta, profile coordinator in the faculty of cinema and communications at Dawson said that Mosaic is a “window to the various ideas, thoughts, concepts, philosophies, and techniques being discussed in our classes through the term that culminate into amazing projects. These projects are then being collectively presented under Mosaic.” Dipti shared that a pop-up exhibition will take place on the afternoon of Friday May 13. Submissions can include physical productions, as well as

Poster by ALEXIA AIKO MALDONADO

anything that can be exhibited digitally on an iPad or computer. They will later be posted on Dawson’s Mosaic website that can be accessed online. Submissions must be sent through a Google Doc form which can be accessed via Mio on Omnivox. The deadline for all Mosaic submissions is Monday May 9.

Although Mosaic has been around Dawson for a few years now, this is the first year they had heard of it in their classes. Some questions arise when discussing the difference between Media Night and Mosaic. While Media Night is an event that showcases films, Mosaic receives all types of submissions. Matteo Di Giovanni, second year cin-com student at Dawson highlighted that unlike Media Night submissions, Mosaic projects aren’t “selected, they’re submitted.” He exclaimed that Mosaic is “awesome” because it is an “opportunity for all ALC students to show their work and have it showcased publicly, which is a great feeling.” This grants contributors the freedom to submit different types of creative formats and display their accomplishments they have been working on throughout the semester. Erika Coulombe and Alicia Perrone, second year Dawson students in the ALC program added: “Mosaic is on a website with everything from films- to scripts-to art works, whereas Media Night is just movies and short films.” As part of the concept team in their Integrating Activity class, Erika and Alicia used Media Night’s Friday the 13th theme as inspiration during their creative process. However, they decided to do more of a 50s look with darker colors including lots of reds and burgundies. Another interesting point that they mentioned is that although Mosaic has been around Dawson for a few years now, this is the first year they had heard of it in their classes. Once the concept team was finished with the color palette and theme, they tag teamed the website creation

team. Meghety Sazian is one of the members of the web team in the same Integrating Activity class. Meg bluntly stated that at the start of creating the website, her team was “a bit lost due to the missing content and lack of submissions”. Meg also added that she had never heard of Mosaic before and neither did her team, which is why it was a bit more difficult to create the concept because the idea was unfamiliar to them. However, Meg explained that once her team put their heads together, they created a killer website using Google Sites, and fabricated “an inclusive environment where all submissions are welcome”. Once Meg’s website creation team was done and waiting for submissions to start rolling in, Alexia Aiko Maldonado was working with her promotion team to get the word out to the public. Given that the instructions were essentially “free-range” according to Alexia, her team decided to create posters to hang around Dawson to get the word out. Alexia revealed that it was “fun playing with the theme and trying to come up with more elegant ways to join both horror and a more high-end aesthetic. I had a lot of fun with the color palette and the posters were really fun to make.” In the end, Michael Filtz’s IA students should be very proud of the work they have done for Mosaic this past semester. I encourage everyone to go check out the Mosaic exhibition and Media Night on the 13th. You won’t want to miss it! p p

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The Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Defamation Trial EMILY MCQUEEN Staff writer

Trigger warning: mention of domestic and sexual abuse. If you’ve been on the internet in the past two weeks, I’m certain you’ve seen clips or news about the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial, which is being broadcasted on many TV channels. The trial is taking place because Johnny Depp is pursuing Amber Heard for defamation over a 2018 article in The Washington Post in which Heard writes about surviving domestic abuse. Although the article never mentions Depp by name, the public assumed it was about him, and there were serious consequences on his career and image. The actor is filing this 50-million-dollar lawsuit after losing a highly publicized lawsuit against The Sun for calling him a “wife-beater” in 2020. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard met in 2009 while shooting The Rhum Diaries. Dating rumors started appearing in 2011. Heard explains in her testimony that Depp would take her on generous trips at the beginning of their relationship. She remembered him taking the foil off of a bottle and putting it on her ring finger, while they had only been together for days, maybe weeks. She remembers it all feeling very intense. Depp’s security guard told the courts that at the beginning of their relationship, they were loving, but as time went on Amber Heard changed and became grumpier. The couple got married in 2015 and they broke up the next year when Heard filed for a restraining order against Depp, accusing the actor of abuse. The couple finally got divorced in August 2016. Johnny Depp has testified multiple times that he never struck Heard or any woman, and that his goal in this trial is truth. He hopes to clear his name in this trial and then move on with his life. Heard, who has filed a countersuit against Depp, testified about

Painting VIA GETTY IMAGES

many instances of domestic and sexual abuse by Johnny, including him conducting a “cavity search” on her for cocaine. Depp allegedly told her that he would kill her once after he believed she had told his children that he was drunk while on a boat. She also testified that Depp would often pass out in his bodily fluids because of his substance abuse and that she and other staff would have to clean up after him and change him. Many other witnesses took the stand to testify, including the couple’s marriage counselor, who stated that Heard never gave Depp the chance to speak. The counselor also mentioned a reported slap given to Heard by Depp. Johnny Depp’s security guard testified that he never saw bruises on Amber Heard but many on Johnny Depp which escalated over time. Both legal teams also had psychologists testify. The psychologist hired by Johnny Depp’s team argued that Amber Heard does not have symptoms of PTSD but of two other personality disorders: borderline personality disorder and histrionic personality disorder. In contrast, a psychologist hired by Amber Heard’s team argued that Heard does present symptoms of PTSD. Images, recordings, and texts were all presented in court. Of the most notable was a recording of

Heard admitting to hitting Depp as she calls him a baby. In another recording, Amber mockingly asks Johnny Depp if he, as a man, is a victim of domestic abuse, to which he answers he is. Texts between Johnny and a friend discussing killing and burning Amber’s body were also presented as evidence by Heard’s team, along with many images of injuries on both parties’ faces and bodies. The trial is not over yet. Both Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s lives and careers are forever changed by these accusations. If you are a man, woman, or neither, and are a victim of domestic or sexual abuse, you can get help at (514) 491-0495, an emergency shelter hotline. If you believe your life or safety is in danger, please call 911. p

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ALC Presents… Final week of classes going out with a bang DARIA BOCICOVA

Arts & Culture Editor

Every year, Dawson’s ALC program organises a festival, presenting the works of the students in the program. This year’s title and the theme is Unfold. As the official website states, ‘To unfold is to smooth surfaces, to disclose what is or has been hidden from view, to reveal secrets and potentials. Unfold celebrates the opening up and continuation of our lives as the pandemic starts to wane.’ The festival started on the 5th of May and will continue till the 20th. The festival includes projects and events by graduating students from all six ALC profiles, including literature, studio arts, arts and culture, cinema and communications, languages and interactive media arts. You can take a look at all the activities on the ALC Festival website, which you can access through Dawson’s main website. Natalie Olanick, event coordinator, explained that the online page is constantly updated and ‘enhanced’ throughout the festival with pictures of the activities and comments made by students. She remarked that some of the most prominent components of the festival are, the literature profile’s Student Reading and Celebration that took place on the 9th of May and arts and culture, while not having any in-person activities this year focused

Painting VIA MAEVA MENDOZA-RIVET Photo VIA @MEDIA NIGHT

their student website on ‘cause and effect, so it will be very interesting how each student will speak about their project while also speak a little bit about, like, their work and how they go about doing things’. Miss Olanick explained that the festival is a way for the outside student to enter a certain profile for a little while and see the work that is being done. She said that ‘[she] is really hoping, fingers crossed, that there are lots of different things up around the college that student can enter into and see what the activity is [in practice].’ While the festival is still set to maintain physical distancing protocols and will refrain from organising grand celebrations and serving food and drinks, nothing is going to stop art. ALC program is proud to invite you to hop in at least for a little while for some fun interactive activities and interesting conversations. Along with the Festival, another event and the courtesy of the Cinema and Communications department, Media Night, will be taking place On Friday the 13th of May. They were warned...They are doomed...And on Friday the 13th, nothing will save them. If this is the first time you have ever heard about Media Night, you have missed out on Dawson’s most significant screening of student films. But we don’t just showcase films, we

Photo VIA @MEDIA NIGHT

also give awards for the most impressive pieces. In order for a film to be shown, it is first submitted, after which our team watches the films and chooses the most promising ones for each of four categories, fiction, documentary, animation and experimental. The awards are given for best film in each category, as well as for best director, best sound, best editing and best cinematography. The jury of 3 judges determines the winners. As my film teacher would say, ‘seize the opportunity when you have one,’ which is precisely the case with this semester’s Media Night. In the spirit of the date, the theme of the evening is Friday the 13th. In case you haven’t seen the official MN trailer yet, you can find it through the Dawson Website. It looks like Jason opened the hunting season on our staff. Do you think the Media Night can be saved? The doors will open at 6:45 PM, and the screening will begin at 7:30 PM. You can get a ticket for yourself from Karen in 3B1, but I suggest you get a couple and bring a friend because it’s about to get really spooky. The event will be co-hosted by yours truly, and I hope to see you there. P.S. If you don’t come, we will give Jason your Instagram. p

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Ask The Plant CASEY KISS Voices Editor

Dear Plant, Why do people bother posting hate comments online? Like what do they get out of tearing down someone else? I’m not talking about celebrities or cancel culture, just taking the time to be mean in general, I don’t get it. Exhausted Optimist Dear Exhausted Optimist, You don’t get it? That makes two of us, bestie (I hope you don’t mind me calling you bestie. It’s too late, I already wrote it. No going back). However, I know that’s not the answer that you’re looking for, so here’s a more serious one. I think the reason people post hateful content on social media comes down to two things, one being confidence, the other being acceptance. People being mean because they’re insecure is a bit of a cliché, but clichés are cliché for a reason. People tear down others just to make themselves feel good. Is that an excuse for their actions? Absolutely not. Is it, unfortunately, a normalized part of our society? Yes. Personally, I think it’s incredibly depressing just how normalized it is. The amount of times I start to scroll mindlessly through TikTok and a video comes up that is bullying disguised as “comedy” is genuinely disgusting. Mostly I find videos that mock teenage girls for… being teenage girls. The worst part is that most of the time, the people creating this hateful content are other teenage girls. This is where I believe acceptance comes in. In today’s society we are constantly pitted against each other, and this has only worsened in the advent of social media where followers and likes have become the trendiest cryptocurrency. when you see a group of people tearing someone down and you join in, you feel like you’re part of something. There’s a vicious cycle of women tearing other women down for the sake of being accepted by a society that condemns femininity. You get a sense of acceptance, and at the end of the day, isn’t that what most people crave? Hate on social media stems from insecurity mixed with the validation acquired from mob mentality. Feel free to disagree with me (though I don’t actually care), but I feel like that’s the most logical explanation. Since hate on social media isn’t going away any time soon though, I’ll give you some pointers on how to cope with it. -First up, stop caring (like me!). If someone wants to be an asshole from behind a screen (really easy to be mean when you don’t have to actually confront the person), let them. Don’t give in and continue the cycle by responding to hate comments and picking fights; Leaving people on read is much more satisfying.

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-If you’re someone who gets overwhelmed even being a bystander to this social media circus and not a direct victim, set boundaries. Limit screen time or at least limit screen time spent on social media. If you see some content that bothers you or brings you down, hit the “not interested” button. The algorithm wants you to stay online so let it know what kind of content makes you want to log off. If people you know send you hateful content to laugh at, tell them to stop or, better yet, distance yourself from people who participate in that. You don’t need that negative energy in your life, girlboss (girlboss is a state of mind, gender neutral). -Finally, if you are that person, lurking in cyberspace ready to type away and destroy someone’s confidence, literally stop. Haven’t you ever heard the saying “If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all”? If you really feel the irresistible urge to tear others down and you don’t see anything wrong with it, go to therapy. Nobody is perfect, including you, so how about instead of being a menace to society and pointing out others’ flaws, you work on your own? I might sound harsh, but frankly I’m tired of people acting like this is just a routine part of life. This is why boomers tell us our phones are the reason we’re depressed. Let’s not let them be right, thanks! Be kind to one another, The Plant

Visual Arts curated by DANAÉE DESCAILLOT Visual Arts Editor

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Artwork by Ana Sofia Castano @ANXSART

Artwork by Charles Lesenko-Oliveros @PHOTO.CELO

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Artwork by Anisia Alexe @ANI.WAS.HERE

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How Tinder’s Anonymity Facilitates

JOSEPHINE ROSS Staff Writer

Author’s Note: This article discusses consent and sexual abuse which may be triggering to some. Tinder is perhaps the most notorious of the various dating apps available. Its iconic “swipe right or left” format has become a cornerstone of internet dating, and its influence on hookup culture is immeasurable. I’ve had an account since age sixteen, when my friends and I felt grown up enough to create Tinder profiles, match, talk, and occasionally go on dates with men much older than us. I was impressionable and naïve; I liked being told I was mature for my age. The men I would go on dates with would buy me cigarettes and treat me as the older version of myself I so desperately wanted to be, while also infantilizing and demeaning me. It wasn’t until much later that I realized I was being manipulated. At sixteen, I thought I was mature enough to handle it. At nineteen, I realized that I wasn’t mature enough and still am not. As Tinder is an incredibly useful tool for abusers, it can put women in incredibly dangerous situations. A few weeks ago, I went on a date. He was older, wealthy, and a science major. He invited me to his place. I wouldn’t normally go to someone’s house on the first date, and my gut told me not to, but he invited me over under the innocent pretense of wanting me to teach him to paint. So I went, against my better instincts, sending my location to my best friend, telling her I would check-in with her an hour into the date, a futile attempt to protect myself. The anonymity that accompanies Tinder makes it a perfect tool for men intending to harm women without consequence. That’s not to say that all men who have Tinder intend to do so; It’s a small– but significant– minority. If a man harms a woman in his friend group who’s a friend of a friend, or who frequents the same places as him, word will get out and his reputation will be ruined. Or, more accurately, his reputation will be adjusted to reflect his actions. Instead, a man may choose to harm a woman he meets on Tinder, with whom he has no mutual friends, no mutual followers, no ties whatsoever– He can do what he pleases with her, whether it’s physical or sexual violence, pressuring her to do something, or having her fulfill his needs and refusing to do the same. The victim will be left powerless in the face of the abuser, and his reputation will remain unscathed. He gave me a glass of rosé, so sweet it was almost syrup, and the memory of it makes me feel sick. He tried to teach me a song on the piano. It’s scary how well he pulled off his role as a kind and harmless boy. I got the tune on the piano after a few tries and when he hugged me, I felt

my body stiffen. It’s scarier that I saw right through his act but still couldn’t save myself. I have often found myself unable to protect myself from the person behind the act. By then, it’s almost always too late. Too many drinks have been consumed and I’ve lost my inhibitions. Or too much money has been spent on dinner and now there’s expectations stapled to the bill. Or he’s driven me home and gas is expensive, he went out of his way and he wants something in return for his troubles. Nothing is ever free. He kissed me. I didn’t resist, I didn’t comply either. I was quiet and let him undress me, though every fiber of my being told me to take my things and run. Run out the door and down the stairs of his apartment, run down the street, keep running until I reached the bus stop and crumbled onto the curb. I could have been panting at the bus stop at one in the morning instead of crying on the street at two. Instead, he fucked me while I lay there and took it. Silent and still. I lay there and took it as I have done so many times before. I lay there and took it because I couldn’t force out a protest. Because I feared what would happen if I said no. Because of the anger that follows a “no”. Because I’ve said no before and it didn’t change anything. Because the amount of energy it would take to say no, and perhaps be forced to justify my decision, is far greater than the amount of energy it would take to just lay there and take it. I didn’t account for the amount of emotional energy I would waste trying to process this night, but at least no one would be around to see me exert that energy. Instead, I hoped that if I lay very, very still and very, very quiet, he would stop. He struck my body three times, not stopping when I flinched. It’s one thing to experiment with a partner, or a friend, or even someone you casually hooked up with but had a conversation with beforehand. It is another thing entirely to do that to someone you met four hours ago and have never discussed sexual boundaries with. My mind scrambled, trying to arrange the words “please don’t do that”, trying to force them out, but I found my vocal cords stuck together with the rosé in my throat.

Too much money has been spent on dinner and now there’s expectations stapled to the bill. I sound so terribly passive, and I feel ashamed to call myself a feminist and then act the way I do. But there’s some part of me that has been conditioned to prioritize a man’s pleasure over my well-being, and I don’t know how to escape it. It’s a continual conditioning, and most of my experiences only reinforce the belief. On the outside,

VOICES 11 11 11

Sexual Violence: A Personal Account

I preach liberation and the condemnation of abusers. Behind closed doors, the social conditioning takes over and I can’t move. Fifteen minutes later, I dressed and walked to the door. When he told me he had fun, I said “me too”. What was I supposed to stay after that? I never heard from him again. I didn’t want to, but the realization hit, as it often has, that he didn’t find me pretty, or smart, or interesting. To him, I was an empty object of sexual pleasure, a one-time use, disposable. If he had texted me to make plans again, perhaps I could have convinced myself that maybe he did like me, maybe I was valid in more than ways than just a purely sexual one. It’s difficult to not internalize his perception of myself as an object of sexual pleasure. It’s difficult to view myself as more than that after I’ve been treated as such by most of the men in my life. I still can’t bring myself to label this as anything but a bad experience that I could have avoided had I found my voice in time. Like every time, I’ve convinced myself it was all my fault. Stupid, stupid girl. Going to stanger’s apartment, what did you expect? Unable to force out a no, a one syllable word, you deserved it. As I so often do, I convinced myself that this was my punishment for something terribly wrong I had done, though I didn’t know what. I didn’t want to tell anyone the first few days afterwards. It was embarrassing. He had marked me with hickeys, and it was embarrassing to be scarred like that. Not only to be marked with purple splotches down my throat, but with another name in my list of sexual partners that shouldn’t be there, and another rock in my stomach. Friends began to ask questions. I hinted at an unpleasant situation but left it at that. It’s so difficult to tell this story when I feel like I’m not talking about myself, but about a girl I don’t know, existing far from myself. The person I think I am would never let something like this happen. She’s not that passive and naïve, she doesn’t prioritize a man’s comfort over her own. It’s embarrassing to adopt the act of a sexually liberated woman only to be reminded that you’re not the one benefiting from this act. To feel empowered as a twenty-first century woman living through fifth-wave feminism, only to be reminded of who really holds the power. Initially, this article was supposed to be a light column about the experience of online dating, the funny anecdotes, the unlikely matches, the good dates, and the far more frequent bad ones. This article was supposed to be fun in the same way that dating is supposed to be fun, often falling short of this expectation. After this experience, I decided that I couldn’t deceive myself and others into making this a light article. Online dating can be dangerous, especially for women, because a woman’s existence inherently places her in a position of endless risk for abuse

and assault. It’s something that needs to be said, and repeated, and screamed until the message sticks. I’m tired of screaming, so I’ll write instead. I’ll write the words I wish I could have said to the men who fucked me while I lay still and silent, or who continued despite my telling them that I was in pain, or who took advantage of my vulnerability while I was drunk and on the cusp of unconsciousness on someone’s bathroom floor. I’ll write the words I wish I could telepathically communicate to any person who’s been placed in a situation of abuse. I’d tell them that it’s not their fault, that they’re not alone, that this experience doesn’t define them, and that they are not an object of sexual pleasure, though I know it often feels that way. I’ll write the words I want to say to those who have never been implicated in an abusive situation, or to those who have been able to turn a blind eye towards the endless risks that women face on a daily basis. Let this be your reminder and your introduction to the endless instances of assault that women are at risk of while they are simply existing. Resources: Centre pour les victimes d’agression sexuelle Montréal: https://www.cvasm.org/en/index Ending Violence Association of Canada - centres, crisis lines & support lines: https://endingviolencecanada. org/sexual-assault-centres-crisis-lines-and-support-services/

12 THE PLANT

Imagination: The Missing Puzzle Piece in the Fight for Environmental Justice KIANA LALAVI Staff Writer

We are all united against a common threat to life on earth, the climate disaster. However, where our opinions tend to diverge is on the extent of this threat and the possible solutions. I used to believe that although humongous a monster, the climate emergency, could be fixed, repaired easily, if only our governments took effective action and our industries converted to green energy. However, instead of feeling empowered by this belief, I was in despair. I felt powerless in the face of it all, unable to force the government to take the radical and fast changes we need to survive. Thus, I gave up on resisting because if everything was going to shit either way, I thought that I might as well make the best of the “good years” we have left. I know that some of you share these beliefs, but trust me, there is hope. And this article will present you that hope and an alternative reality. As Patricia Romano, a Dawson humanities professor and the Co-Founder of the Creative Collective for Change, says, climate change is not an easy fix issue, “it is the issue at the core of every societal wrong and it challenges power structures” worldwide in an unprecedented, profound way. Indeed, the answer to climate change is much more radical than the mainstream media makes it out to be. Climate change isn’t just about a shift in energy resources. It is an end to war, to exploitation, and to human and corporate greed. “Fixing” climate change would mean changing all our practices and structures, putting an end to the centralization of power, of elites, of globalization, and undertaking a major redistribution of wealth. And although this sounds scarier than the first problem/solution, this presents us with a more hopeful path. It means that society may be reborn. It means that we may leave behind this sedentary existence of powerlessness, stress, and anxiety, and move towards a world where we are all equally important regardless

of our ethnicity, gender, and social class, a world where our happiness and well-being is more important than our productivity and usefulness. It also means that we, the people, have the power to turn things around, that we don’t have to wait on the government to act. We will build this world from the ground up, whether they want it or not. Sadly, this second vision is less

Above all, we need to dare to dream, to craft an inspiring vision that goes beyond our existing social norms. popular and preached for. Overall, the movement is going in the right direction and has some of the key components of any successful non-violent movement, such as challenging and disrupting power, forcing politicians and top CEOs to act. Nonetheless, as a whole, the movement is lacking some more open-mindedness and imagination. Rarely do we try to understand the other, facilitate dialogue. In Canada this is very clear with our treatment and demonization of Alberta. It is indeed true that oil extraction and pipelines are dangerous and pollutive, yet they currently are the main economic tool for Albertans to survive and provide for themselves and their families. There are solutions out there, viable green energy markets to make up for the lost jobs in the region, but to even begin discussing and adopting these measures, we must first understand each other’s beliefs and everyday realities. Above all, we need to dare to dream, to craft an inspiring vision that goes beyond our existing social norms. Through the previous three, four decades, “we’ve lost the vision of what an ecological world would look like.” When most of us think of a green world or a green city, we think glass buildings, clear, smogless skies, electric trains, some trees, thrifting

and coffees in mugs instead of plastic cups. Yet how is that reality visionary? It remains entrapped in the claws of capitalism. Our new world would still mean buying, buying, and buying even more. Our new world would still mean conforming to a society that relies on exploiting its population to function. It would still mean anxiety, depression, low-energy, and it would still mean imported goods, from India, China, and Mexico, where our kin would remain violently oppressed and exploited. As Sheila Watt Cloutier, an Indigenous advocate and Nobel peace prize nominee expresses, our only way forward is “to lead from a position of strength, not victimhood” and to reimagine the world, “inspire others as constant pillars of strength.” Although it’s difficult, let’s leap forward. Let’s dream and imagine together a vision that will capture the hearts of elders, established professional adults, and youth alike. One that young, tired, and sometimes depressed teenagers and young adults such as we can believe, can sacrifice in the name of, sacrifice our momentary pleasures, our potential future careers, and our lives for. For a dream that will come true. p p

Photo VIA RESISTER ET FLEURIR

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Seen in the Hallways: Pass the As Torch Edition PIPA JONES Editor-in-Chief

As the semester comes to an end and the finality of an era approaches, I had a little chat with The Plant’s next Editor-in-Chief, Isabella Blu Ptito-Echeverria. After working with them closely over the last year, and finally getting to meet her vivacious personality in-person just last week, I can confirm that passing on this legacy to them was a great choice. First of all, who are you? Where do you come from? Where are you going? I’m Isabella Blu and I have no clue how I should answer this question. Where do I come from? Well, I regret not having contributed anything to my high school experience beyond getting high undetected—my background is one of unfulfilled potential, which I’m trying to correct as a member of the Plant. My biggest dream is to own my own publishing house —a record label for writers. I love recognising the potential and talent in others and bridging those special people together. I hope that’ll be where I’m going. Geez, what a poetic way to put it. Overall, how would you say your experience with the Plant been? Any favourite moments? Memorable instances? I’ve absolutely loved working with the Plant team. Doing our meetings over Zoom did make the experience less personable, but having our Plant room back [Blu is refering to us finally getting a Club Space after two years of wandering in metaphysical Zoom space—long story, back to the interview] and meeting everyone I’d been working with all year in person was quite the trip. Other than that, my favorite moment has to have been when I published my first article—Can you get high and get high grades?—in this year’s October issue. Seeing my words

beside my name on actual paper hits any writer like crystal meth. Popping your print cherry is euphoric and unforgettable. Impeccable word choice there. See readers, this is why I’m excited to see how they run the Plant. Speaking of, what are you looking forward to as the new Editor-in-Chief ? What is the first thing you’re planning on doing as EIC? I really want The Plant to be a space where writing can be shared in a non-academic context. A lot of students hate writing for projects or assignments because they hate being censored or limited by boring topics. Likewise, many student writers develop the habit of writing in the voice of a scholar or ‘objective’ journalist, which can suck the life out of an article. As a writer you should be leveraging and developing your own voice—there is no shame in writing as the young adult that you are. I want future issues of the Plant to reflect that writing, despite having academic roots, can be exciting, raw, and edgy. First thing I plan on doing is getting some more advertising in place to call for submissions. So many Dawson go-ers don’t even realize that we have a student newspaper, and that needs to change. If that goes well, we will have a wider pool of submissions, and consequently better content in our paper. Ideal submissions are captivating and carefree; submit something your high school principal would expel you over, or that your parents would disown you for conceiving. A couple posters catered towards the closeted writers at our school could go a long way. Any big changes planned? I won’t take offence, I promise. I want to add an events section in our newspaper for two reasons; one, so that students hosting events (concerts, flea markets, charity events, etc.) can advertise to their peers, and two, so

Photo VIA ISABELLA BLU

that readers have a reason other than wanting entertainment to pick up the Plant. This could be an expansion of our new Connections section which was meant to be the Craiglist of Dawson. Oh I love the sound of that. Catering to Dawsonites is truly what we do best. Final question, are you afraid? Are you terrified? Fuck no. I’m pumped! I want to see where the Plant will go under my leadership. I’m excited to see if I can motivate people to write something raw, and to see if I can have an impact on how students view reading and writing. At the very least, if I fuck everything up, I’ll get to put “editor in chief of school newspaper” on my CV. And there you have it folks! Just a little taste of what is to come. As I take a step back from a leading role next semester, I am thoroughly excited to see where this goes. Best of luck Isabella Blu, and see you all next semester!

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Hello overworked students, Thank you for using that spare 5 minutes you have to read this month’s selection. I know you don’t have time for this–hell, I didn’t have the time to put this together– so it means a lot. I hope these words distract you from the deep dark gulf of your finals. Creative Writing curated by LAURY CHARLAND Creative Writing Editor

Free Verse - I wish… CRISTINA LIJOI Contributor I wish I could tell you. I’ve lost and I’ve loved, and I’ve cried, and I’ve laughed. yet not a loss or love or cry or laugh feels as special as when I, lose or love or cry or laugh with you. you are my soul, my sun and rain, the clouds in my sky, the moon and the sun. my heart races and I pace, and I make a moment in time to remember your face. your face, and the space you create to exist in my life. your laugh, and the rabbit that makes my heart skip a beat in time. your brain, works in ways a mind like mine finds hard to understand, and if I tried, I would be lost in a faraway land. you’re far and close and long and small. but I would travel far and close and long and small just to touch your face and see you smile and breathe your breath and taste your lips and speak your words and beat your heart. I hold an apple to my eye, and I see you.

But, I can’t tell you that I want to lose, and love, and laugh, and cry. I want to travel far, and close, and long, and small. For you are not here and, I am weighing myself down on a scale of bricks and stones, my arms too limp to hold the feelings I mold. I know you don’t want to lose or love or cry or laugh, with someone like me. Someone who is ready to love, the cobweb dusted parts in your heart. Someone who is ready to trust the key, that you store in the back pocket of your mind. I will wait until you see that you can pull away the bricks and stones, And feel the weight off your chest. I will wait for the day that we can be each other’s skin. I will lose and love and laugh and cry, like the way the sky needs night. Like water needs river, Train needs track, Time needs space, Cars need race, Like a soul to a mate. But, I wish I could tell you.

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Bones LAURY CHARLAND Creative Writing Editor I found bones in the woods last night. Mother, I swear they weren’t his. I found bones in the woods last night. I didn’t look at them for too long Mother, I swear they weren’t his. I found bones in the woods last night. They screamed my name and sung my mind I didn’t stare, Mother. I swear they weren’t his. I found bones in the woods last night. In piles, and mountains, and mounds They chanted my love and wept my sorrow, I know it’s rude to stare, but, Mother, I swear— They weren’t his. I found bones in the woods last night, In crevices, and puddles, and creaks, They tasted like the life of a king and the dreams of a child, They knew my trust’s rhythm, knew my lust’s melody, Maybe I glanced one time too many But they weren’t his, Mother. Trust me. I would know.

Ode to Sleep, Rest, Dreaming, and all the things that lie between. ADRIAN DARWENT Contributor Revisit the right of perennial rest Before familiar fading flared the fire Before me, Marx, Madonna, and Macbeth Before strung dolls danced to their dreamt desire Before their ticking told the time for tea When we would live like lithium light bulbs And we will always wander past ennui And we will heighten hell to hear out Hobbes And we won’t only talk of what’s observed Until grain gathers against gunning geese Until crunched acres cut the crawling curve Until blight stumbles back upon its beast Until we nestle into Night’s sole need Subside now, smother sound in ceaseless sleep.

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Unrealistic expectations of living as a teenager in today’s society SHAELYN DIABO Contributor Growing up in a digital world has stunted the growth of those who have more potential than brainwashed and idle robots who sit behind a screen and pretend. We pretend to be okay with the violence and the unrest of the world, reacting with blank faces and reposting. Praising others in the forms of ‘likes’, justifying validation through social media and how we perceive those around us. But why isn’t it fine to want to express ourselves? What else do we have to lose when our lifelines die faster than our phone batteries as we waste away in our seas of lit-faced screens. Will 3000 likes soothe the pain? Will that comment from your crush really change how you view yourself ? What can help when you’re suffering in an endless loneliness, stranded alone in the ocean of your own thoughts. What can help when you finally feel as if you’re drowning and there’s no lifeline, lifeboat or charging cable to cling onto? Nothing. You drown and the ocean’s vast emptiness enters your lungs, the salty water fills your mouth and you can’t breathe. But why does this need to happen? Perhaps it was all the time you spent on your phone like your parents said, maybe it was the heartbreak when your crush stops commenting, or maybe it’s the severity of the reality of our real world. But this does not have to be the end. We can save ourselves without expending these lifelines, and reconnect with ourselves. The ocean’s violent waves die down with the tide as the moon pulls it back from the beach, our minds set at ease. We take a breath of the salty beach air, our lungs empty of the ocean water and we stay alive. The moon never leaves and the ocean stays constant, but the ocean cannot lower its tide without the moon. The moon cannot exist without the sun. Find the sun within yourself and the ocean becomes a peaceful presence which coexists.

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The Machine JOSHUA J. FREDERIC Contributor

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Thank You, Alyssa Nakken ALICE MARTIN Managing Editor

In a time when I didn’t know what a pandemic was, I played softball. I played third-base and I loved the sport, the community, and the friends I made along the way. I was pretty good at it, but I never attempted to move higher than a B ranking. That was fine by me; I played softball for fun. You don’t make a professional career out of softball. Well, actually, I was completely wrong, and I am blaming stereotypes and my own misconceptions for it. On April 12th, Alyssa Nakken—my new personal hero—made history by being the first on-field female coach in a regular season. When Antoan Richardson, first-base coach for the San Francisco Giants, got ejected on the basis of unsportsmanlike behavior, Nakken stepped up to the plate (not literally, but quite close) to replace him. She received huge amounts of applause from the crowd and a handshake from Padres’ first-baseman Eric Hosmer as she was officially smashing another barrier for women in professional sports leagues. That’s right– as well as being the first on-field coach in a regular season

Photo VIA SCOTT STRAZZANTE, AP

game in Major League Baseball history, Nakken also made history for being the first coach on-field in an exhibition game and the first full-time female coach in MLB history. Her background? Softball. All throughout high school and university, she distinguished herself as an accomplished softball athlete. She played firstbase for the Sacramento State Hornets until 2012 and joined the San Francisco Giants organization as an intern in 2014, getting promoted to full-time staff at the start of 2020. As she was seen standing proudly near first-base on April 12th, ready to give coaching advice to her fellow Giants in the batting lineup after the altercation between Richardson and the third-base, TV broadcast commentators could be heard in awe as they confirmed history being made. They spoke of how, as dads of girls, they were happy to see women advancing slowly but surely to the major leagues. They are right; women athletes like Nakken will definitely serve as excellent role models for any young girls playing softball (or baseball for that matter). I know I would’ve needed a role model like her when I was a little younger, before I

dropped out of softball. According to a report by Canadian Women in Sport dated back to 2020, 1 in 3 girls engaged in sports will leave the sport by their late teens, while 62% of girls do not engage in sports at all. Compared to teen males, there is a large difference: only 1 in 10 boys will leave sports by their late teens. Now, there are a lot of reasons why girls drop out of sports so much. The main one is academic and social lives taking up a lot of space. I’ll admit, I’m the first one to say I’m overwhelmed by both. However, we do not see women in sports nearly as much as we see men in sports and that can influence how much girls see a reason to pursue sports. But that is changing. Alyssa Nakken isn’t the first woman we see in a professional sports league. Also, I’m aware baseball isn’t most people’s favorite sport (it’s not boring I swear!), so let’s talk about hockey. Manon Rhéaume is another trailblazer in women’s sports history and an amazing goaltender from our very own Quebec. Manon Rhéaume was the catalyst, the first women to play in any major North American pro-sports league. She signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning and played in exhibition games with them in 1992 and 1993. Oh yeah, she is also an Olympic silver medalist and an IIHF gold medalist. No big deal. To this day, her jersey is proudly and rightfully displayed in the Hockey Hall of Fame. I know I’m going to be met with the criticism that there is a reason as to why there are more men than women in pro-sports. However, I like to believe that the sports performance gap we see between men and women is constantly shrinking and that, actually, it’s not as prominent as we think. If you still have The Plant’s February Issue near you, I invite you all to look back on my article in the Sports section to further understand my point. In any case, I was unbelievably happy to see Nakken on the field last month. As a fan of baseball and as a fan of women’s sports, I hope I will see more of Nakken and I hope to see more women in pro sports. Nice going Nak. p p

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Raising the Stakes: Croquet on the Rise EMMY RUBIN Sports Editor

Cucumber sandwiches. Jam and scones. Vats of tea. The smell of cleancut grass perfuming the summer air. You might be thinking of 1940’s Brits dressed in tweed having a picnic on the lawn of their country estate, when actually, this scene is of a game of croquet being played at a modern family get-together right here in Quebec. Even so, it’s understandable that you still think of a bunch of Brits in tweed having a picnic, and you wouldn’t be too far from the truth as this scene is extracted from the recountments of our beloved Editor-in-Chief, Pipa Jones, whose grandparents brought their annual croquet tournament traditions from the great motherland of the United Kingdom to Canada to spread the wealth, one might say, or rather, the commonwealth.

It takes precision and delicacy, but also strength and a certain willingness to be cold and calculating, even against your dearest friends and family. And yet, as much as we associate croquet with England, they might have merely been the original trend-setters– not the creators. Originating as a game played by 13th century French peasants, croquet slowly became more well-known when the Irish began to pick it up in the 1830’s and lovingly named it “crocky”. Two decades later, the British did what they do best and looked over their green neighbor’s fence and started manufacturing equipment for it, subsequently adopting the game as a staple of the British leisure class. This is where the tweed and the country estates come in. After 1870, the game reached the colonies where it was relished by all the young folk who were finally given an excuse to run after a waylaid ball together and have private moments of courting without the eye of an ever-watchful chaperone to ruin the mood.

Photo VIA THE TAB

As any well-educated and cultured young person would know, Kate and Anthony spend an iconic scene of bickering and prolonged eye contact wacking around their balls until they spitefully hit the other’s across the field. When they go to retrieve the balls, they spend many moments alone, courting, until the Bridgerton father’s grave puts a damper on the game. With the surge of Bridgerton and the fashionable trends from the 19th century, croquet as a sport is more relevant to the current generation than ever before, and will probably only grow in popularity among younger people. Think of it as the modern, more aesthetic golf. There’s a common assumption that being played by very British people in very British places, croquet is only played by old people. According to Pipa Jones, however, the sport has already been embraced by the more youthful members of society even though their grandparents and grandparents’ friends were the ones to introduce it. Speaking about the amount of older players at their family’s annual croquet tournament, Pipa said, “...young and old enjoy the game on these summer days. Often, after the ‘main’ tournament is over, the children will take over (kids from 5-25 years old) and play their own game amongst themselves.” Without their annual croquet tournaments, the newer Jones family generations and the friends they’ve made in the community of Ile Bigras would have likely never heard of croquet, let alone ever played it. As stated by Pipa, “Have I ever heard of the game outside of this yearly tradition brought

on by my grandparents? Nope.” This is to be expected since, while croquet has been well-established for centuries in Europe, the game has only recently been brought across the pond to North America, and in Canada especially, Croquet is in its infancy. Within the bracket of croquet, competitive playing is evermore underplayed in the form of recreational croquet, which can be played on any lawn and is more flexible than competitive play. It usually follows the ever-changing and sometimes ridiculously malleable house rules. “I must say, every year there is an instance where my grandfather, the overseer and referee of sorts, is called over to argue a play or a roquet limit. And every year, the rules seem to change a little bit,” said Pipa when reflecting on the difference between playing croquet in Montreal as opposed to anywhere else. The house, as it seems, is its own country, and the government is made up of nepotism and indecisiveness. Nevertheless, there is hope that croquet will surge in popularity as, since the 1980’s, the number of competitive players has risen from 50 to over 8,000. The estimated number of backyard sets sold annually in Canada surpasses 100,000. Croquet is clearly knocking the ball out of its own park. Sadly, croquet is not for everyone. Not any average person could handle the stakes of the game; according to Pipa: “It takes precision and delicacy, but also strength and a certain willingness to be cold and calculating, even against your dearest friends and family.” p p

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Scientists Looking Up The aftermath of the IPCC

Photo VIA KCRW TÉA BARRETT Staff Writer

After the publication of the latest IPCC report that calculated a remaining 3 years to cut down on greenhouse gasses, the world has taken to the streets up in arms. In the beginning of April, over 1,200 scientists in more than 25 countries attended and organized non-violent environmental protests. In Washington, D.C, members of the Scientist Rebellion chained themselves to the White House fence and scientists staged demonstrations at several embassies in Panama. In Berlin, Germany, they glued their hands to a bridge to form a roadblock and protesters, in alliance with the Extinction Rebellion, poured fake blood on the Spanish parliament in Madrid. On April 6th, in Los Angeles, four scientists chained themselves to the front door of a JPMorgan Chase Bank, the world’s worst ‘fossil bank’ which contributed $51.3 billion in fossil fuel financing last year alone. Among those scientists was Peter Kalmus, who studies biological systems and climate change at NASA and had gone viral for delivering a tearful speech before his arrest. “We’ve been trying to warn you guys for so many decades that we’re heading towards a fucking catastro-

phe[…] The scientists of the world have been being ignored and it’s got to stop. We’re going to lose everything. We’re not joking. We’re not lying. We’re not exaggerating.” The four men and their supporters continued their protest despite police intervention. According to Kalmus’ Twitter account, “the LAPD responded with over 100 cops in riot gear” which can be seen in the video he posted alongside his tweet. An officer with a megaphone can be heard announcing to the crowd: “I hereby declare this to be an unlawful assembly and in the name of the people of the state of California demand all those assembled to immediately disperse […] if you do not do so, you may be arrested or subject to other police action. Other police action may include the use of less-lethal munitions which can cause significant injury to those who remain.” While most protestors left after this, Kalmus and his colleagues remained until they were forcibly removed and carried off in a police van. Kalmus can also be seen wearing a white lab coat that carries the Scientist Rebellion logo. According to their website, they are “activists from a variety of scientific backgrounds, calling on our communities to stand in resistance to the genocidal direction of our governments, before it’s too late”. The Scientist Rebellion’s em-

phasis is that “when scientists rebel it is powerful because it inspires others to rise up. By bringing scientist and activist communities together, both are empowered.” In addition to being very active within the organization, Kalmus also contributes to writing many published works about climate change. One of his most recent writings was an article written for The Guardian three months ago. He draws comparisons between our reality and a recently popular film called Don’t Look Up which is about a meteor hurtling towards the Earth while no one does anything to stop it. In fact, the government actively tries to hide it from the public and capitalize off of it. He comments that the movie “is satire. But speaking as a climate scientist doing everything I can to wake people up and avoid planetary destruction, it’s also the most accurate film about society’s terrifying non-response to climate breakdown I’ve seen.” “I’m willing to take a risk for

We’re heading towards a fucking catastrophe. this gorgeous planet… for my sons […] It’s time for all of us to stand up and take risks,” Kalmus stated during his speech. He expressed the fact that we are, and have been for a long time, witnessing the effects of climate change as “we’ve seen people drowning, we’ve seen famine starting to pop up, [and] we’ve seen wildfires getting worse. It’s going to literally take us to the brink of civilizational collapse.” p p

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A Quick Take on Fast Fashion MAYA JADAH Contributor

The busy street of Ste-Catherine gathers many teens and adults to embark on shopping trips. A variety of stores are all along the street, and typically the popular stores get the most attention. As people find their way in the widely known store, H&M, the crowds get bigger, and the checkout line seems never-ending. The clothing displays have gone awry, and the retail workers are trailing behind everyone, fixing the displays that were ruined. “I want to go to H&M to get one of the hoodies from their conscious collection, they make them with more eco-friendly products”, says my older brother, Jacob. H&M’s “Conscious Collection” is an eye catcher, with an aesthetically visual sage green tag brandishing the words “made with 72% sustainable products!”. It’s a captivating and appealing marketing technique, to see a sustainable item of clothing at a reasonable price. Fashion is fun and is more fun when it’s ethical. And for one of the biggest fast fashion companies, it’s quite remarkable to see those sustainability efforts. Fast fashion is known to be one of the biggest factors to a deteriorating and hazardous environment, due to the trends that emerge as these companies try to replicate the trends quickly – creating so much waste in the process.

Photo VIA PHYS.ORG

In the book Fashionopolis: Why What We Wear Matters, , fashion and culture journalist Dana Thomas states that “of the more than 100 billion items of clothing produced each year, 20 percent go unsold...leftovers are usually buried, shredded, or incinerated”. New styles have come into 2022, and one specific trend is that of a minimalist wardrobe. A lot of consumers are now trying to purchase timeless basics to preserve the need for buying clothes just to fit into the micro-trends that are seen while scrolling through Pinterest and TikTok. One common classic outfit is a pair of denim jeans matched with a white tee and some classic sneakers. This basic style tends to get hated on, but is a staple outfit that can be worn in many ways, which is why so many people have cut down their wardrobes to these essentials. “I see so many people wearing simple and minimal outfits, which isn’t my personal style, but I still love to see it because it means that people are being more mindful of their purchases”, says Dawson student, Gina Bonhomme. It’s important to acknowledge that no matter what your own personal style is, there are also alternatives for a more sustainable style, and many people have now joined in. “Most of my wardrobe comes from a thrift store. This cardigan I’m wearing right now probably belonged to someone’s grandfather”, says Gina. Thrift stores’ popularity has skyrock-

eted, whether shopping is done as a nice pastime activity with friends, or if it’s someone’s go-to store. Thrifting has shifted fashion for the better as people can find second-hand clothing for cheap, which preserves the environment and has you coming home with an article of clothing like no other. Sustainable fashion used to be quite inaccessible; Small businesses that sell eco-friendly clothing generally charge more due to the longer time it takes to produce their garments. But now, because shopping ethically has gained so much popularity, even fast-fashion brands are trying to adopt collections with ethically made clothing, making it a more accessible option. Not only was the lack of accessibility an issue, but also the lack of awareness. Now that so many options for sustainability are out there, it is much more accessible. As of now, many influencers advertise sustainability which empowers ethical shopping. There are also efforts being made to create sustainable fashion shows, and attention is being brought to the unique experience of thrifting. No matter your style and preferences, there are tools for supporting sustainable wear. We can slowly say goodbye to contributing to micro-trends, and start saying hello to fashion more personal to ourselves. p p

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Dirty Money: Divest McGill and the Path Away from Fossil Fuels ROBIN STEEDMAN-BRAUN Science and Environment Editor

A couple of kilometers down from Dawson College, on Sherbrooke Street itself, students have been urging for climate justice at McGill university. This past March, Divest McGill members and students took action, occupying the Arts Building, approaching the ten-year anniversary of the campaign to stop the University from investing in fossil fuels. This is not a new issue; it’s a topic that students and climate change activists have been relentlessly trying to uncover in the last decade and involves hundreds of other universities worldwide. Here in Montreal, McGill students are leading the fight more than ever before. Divest McGill is an environmental justice campaign that was founded in 2012, urging McGill university to stop investing in fossil fuels and to acknowledge the urgency of the climate crisis. As stated on their website, the student-run organization has three main goals: the complete divestment from the more than 200 fossil fuel companies the university has invested in, to mobilize in solidarity with Indigenous and marginalized communities, and, finally, to educate McGill administration, staff, and students on taking climate action. As of today, their efforts have not prevailed: McGill has rejected divestment from fossil fuels twice in the last ten years, stating that “the beneficial impact of fossil fuel companies’ offsets or outweighs injurious impact at this time.” It is no secret that we need to halt fossil fuel combustion to save our planet. Indeed, according to the latest IPCC report published just a few weeks ago, greenhouse gas emissions need to peak by 2025, only two and a half years away, to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as targeted by the 2015 Paris agreement. But how can we reach this goal if our universities are still investing millions of dollars into an industry fueling climate change?

McGill is only one of the hundreds of higher education establishments invested in the fossil fuel industry, including Yale, Stanford, and MIT. However, this past year marked a record number of schools divesting from the industry. In October of 2021, University of Toronto announced a commitment to divest from fossil fuel companies, a decision that followed that of many other universities this past fall, including Concordia University and Harvard University. This past year, 15% of divestment from fossil fuels worldwide came from educational institutions. According to Divest McGill, this isn’t enough. The organization claims that McGill violates its restriction of investment in firms “causing social injury” by refusing to divest fully from the fossil fuel industry. The fossil fuel industry has been known to harmfully impact Indigenous communities across the country. From dispossession of native Indigenous land for intensive agriculture and animal farming, to the Canadian mining industry conflicting with Indigenous land rights up North, climate change heavily impacts native communities in Canada, and McGill university has a long history with colonialism itself. The University’s namesake and founder, James McGill, a Scottish im-

migrant and magistrate for the city of Montreal, was known to have had at least five Black and Indigenous slaves. While McGill has made an effort to reconcile with indigenous communities, stating that “McGill University recognizes the wealth leading to its establishment was derived, in part, from James McGill’s engagement in the colonial economic system and the transatlantic slave trade, the University acknowledges the deep, long-lasting adverse impacts that these practices have exerted on Black and Indigenous communities. Needless to mention, McGill’s investment in fossil fuels is also harming the planet. The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, releases CO2 and other important greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, trapping light rays from the sun and propelling the increase of atmospheric temperatures. The oil industry is well-known to be a primary cause of these emissions. While changes do need to happen on an individual level, it is crucial that our institutions take action. It is our duty, and the duty of our institutions, to pave the path to the transition from an economy heavily invested in fossil fuels to one that supports and thrives off renewable energy. p p

Photo VIA DIVEST MCGILL

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT 23

Should I Be Scared to Brush My Teeth? ALINA PINTILEI Contributor

I brush my teeth every morning, and I used to think that people who were not doing the same were ruining their teeth. Recently, I made a discovery as I was scrolling through my phone. I saw an article entitled “Toothpaste is bad for marine biodiversity”. If a mundane task like brushing my teeth has a place for controversy, I need to know more. After a manic episode filled with research and sweat, let me share my findings with you. People should be aware of what goes in their bodies. Triclosan is the most concerning ingredient in toothpaste. A highly used chemical for its anti- bacterial properties, the issues with triclosan are that regular usage increases microbial resistance to antibiotics. This means that as we keep using triclosan, microbes would grow resistant and tougher chemicals would be needed to get rid of them. On the EWG website, Triclosan is rated a 7 out of 10 for its hazards. Another big issue brought up by EWG is that this chemical disrupts postembryonic development on top of being a hormone disruptor (which interferes with the developmental stage).

Photo VIA QUICKDENTALANSWERS.COM

This easily becomes concerning when we remember that kids swallow toothpaste. Scientists are worried about the presence of fluoride. Sixty years ago, researchers found that fluoride, which can naturally be found in water, is a great agent to prevent and cure cavities. Since then, they have been trying to decay this product in tap water, salt, mouthwash, and toothpaste. The problem with putting fluoride in toothpaste and water and mouthwash is that too much of its consumption can lead to dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis as explained by Aoun et. al is “a cosmetic disorder where the teeth become mottled”. The teeth get white spots. In more severe cases, the tooth enamel is destroyed, and the spots get yellow or brown. A high concentration can lead to skeletal fluorosis which means weakening of the joints and bones. Scarily enough, fluorosis is the least of our problems. The most concerning thing about toothpaste is its impact on marine biodiversity. Since 2015, scientists have been trying to force cosmetic companies to stop using harmful plastic particles in their products. In toothpaste, like in exfoliators, microbeads are used in place

of natural exfoliation materials like oatmeal. Instead, these little pieces of plastic are dragged across the teeth multiple times without losing their corrosive aptitudes since plastic has a long lifespan. Plastic can divide itself into millions of little particles without ever disappearing. These particles trickle down the drain and get into the underground water system. Big companies like IKEA, Target, L’Oréal, and even Colgate said they would remove the microbeads from their products, but the laws and the claims can be diverted by using different terms, or by hiding behind technicalities. These microbeads are difficult to collect from the oceans, therefore, the ones that are currently present in marine life are there to stay. The best way to get rid of them is to impose laws that are englobing restrictions for the companies that are producing and using them. Before even starting the day I already pollute my body and the planet. It seems like as the days go by, I find out that chemicals and environmental pollution are embedded deeper in our daily lives than we would like to believe. p p

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Take A Bite Out of Apple LORNA PAPA Contributor

Great news! Just when you got your long-awaited latest release iPhone, guess what? The newest iPhone is about to be released in a couple of months. Big changes are coming on the phone, mostly external, including color choice and camera placement. But why is Apple launching a hardly-modified phone every fall instead of working on one model for a couple years to bring a major change to society? The answer relies on marketing and something we call planned and perceived obsolescence. PLANNED AND PERCEIVED OBSOLESCENCE IN APPLE

These marketing tricks are used to boost the level of production and demand. In simpler words, big companies need you to be a great consumer, buying every new product without any questions asked. PERCEIVED OBSOLESCENCE

Remember when we talked about the “BIG” changes on the new iPhone 14, which were mainly color and camera placement? This is exactly it. Apple will constantly change the aesthetic of the iPhone. Older versions of the iPhone are easily identifiable, while newer versions stand out in comparison. Therefore, everyone can see who has which phone. Modern Day consumers tend to want the newer, trendier version of any product. With aesthetics constantly changing, we can signal our “coolness” by purchasing and wielding a newer version each year.

Photo VIA APPLE

age over a short time. We see planned obsolescence more often when we talk about these products. MISSING SOMETHING IN YOUR IPHONE BOX?

The biggest step that Apple took with the launching of its iPhone 12 Series is the removal of wired earphones and the power adapter from the box. Apple claims to be trying to reduce e-waste and carbon emissions, and “will make their products entirely with clean energy by 2030” (Medium. com). Their tactic seems like blatant Greenwashing1. Apple removing these necessary parts may as well be part of their planned obsolescence; to make the consumer pay for every part that was previously given to you (charger head, headphones, etc.)

PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE

WHY IS IT SO SLOW?

The other side of the marketing team focuses on tactics to make the product’s life shorter from as early as the manufacturing stage; Apple will opt to use cheaper materials to produce its phones. They make sure that your phone will break or function poorly so that you will replace them more often. For example, as Apple itself stated, the lithium-ion batteries in the devices become less capable of supplying current demands as they

Many Apple customers have speculated that the company is actively slowing down their old devices the moment a new one launches. After constant bickering, Apple came forward to confirm that older models did indeed slow down as they aged, but denied that the reasoning is to encourage people to upgrade to a newer model. Their justification relied on the short lifespan of the previously mentioned lithium-ion batteries. Ac-

cording to BBC News, the aging of the batteries can cause an unexpected shutdown of a divide designed to preserve the phones’ electronic components. Again, this can be the result of yet another planned obsolesce tactic used by the company, since the device’s speed increases after a battery change. WHAT NOW?

The habits of Fast Fashion are not reserved for the world of clothing; Electronic devices are designed to be fashionable and quickly churned-out, too. The dangers of this consumer addiction are numerous. Companies have consumers dancing around their palms, blinded by the numerous manipulation tactics they use to grab our attention. With this in mind, stay smart, and try to only buy what you need. Greenwashing: when a company purports to be environmentally conscious for marketing purposes but actually isn’t making any notable sustainability efforts. Edwards, Carlyann. “What Is Greenwashing, and How Do You Spot It?” Business News Daily, https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/10946-g reenwashing. html. p p

PLAYLIST 25 25 25

Playlist by DANAÉE DESCAILLOT Visual Arts Editor

26 THE PLANT

HOROSCOPES BIRTHDAY: Happiest of Birthdays to May Tauruses and Geminis, please enjoy having a summer birthday on my behalf. Celebrate twice as hard in this end-of-semester season! If your birthday is May 12th, you are our Managing Editor’s long lost twin! Also, if your birthday is November 12th, happy half birthday!

CANCER (june 21 - july 22): You’ve got Big Brain energy this month. Take advantage of that for once. HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean you can’t still study for your exams… In fact, pay extra attention to words this month. Count letters if you’re looking for exact answers.

ARIES (mar. 20 - apr. 18): You can read minds this month, Aries. Whatever you’re hearing, it’s true. Branch out, try something new, broach that one subject with someone close to you. Some quiet is coming your way.

LEO (july 23 - aug. 22): Leo, Leo, Leo. You love to hate and you hate to love, it’s a tale as old as time. Have you thought about settling down recently? Succumbing to some peace and quiet? Letting someone else carry the conversation for once? Don’t worry, I’m sure your ego can take it. Do something out of character. My recommendation is to ask a Sagittarius on a date (please) ((this is a direct request from the stars I swear)).

TAURUS (apr. 19 - may 20): April Tauruses (Tauri?), it’s the right time to say yes. Switch it up. Keep them guessing at your next move. May Tauruses (Taurios??), the creative juices are flowing. Pour yourself a glass and indulge. GEMINI (may 21 - june 20): It’s almost your season, Gemini, ride the wave of building energy. Jupiter and Venus are hinting at prosperity and warmth. The next person who compliments you while holding a glass of red liquid may be your soulmate. Let your Sag sisters inspire you, and just go for it. You’re not at risk of losing anything on this one.

VIRGO (aug. 23 - sept. 22): Do not mix the batter until you’ve added the flour. Need I say more? Oh alright, how about this: your doubts are truth, do not ignore them in the name of purity. Add sparkling water to your shopping list.

CROSSWORD The hints to this bad boy are on the next spread. Have fun! 1

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CURIOSITIES 27 27 27

LIBRA (sept. 23 - oct. 22): Libra, if your moon is in Pisces, the answer is yes. For the rest of you, absolutely not. Invest, inquire, anticipate. Re-read your favourite quote. Pack an extra pencil for tomorrow.

SCORPIO (oct. 23 - nov. 21): Two truths can coexist at the same time. Look out for the two of hearts. You may receive a strange request soon, but do not hesitate to allow the favour. Your karmic balance is still recharging after that last incident (you know what i’m talking about).

AQUARIUS (jan. 20 - feb. 18): Aquarius, babe, stop being so modest. You are drawn towards high energy and a desire for real connection. Did you dream of the colour purple last night? Consider investing time into your long-lost friends.

SAGITTARIUS (nov. 22 - dec. 21): My darling, you can do no wrong. I think you deserve to treat yourself soon, haven’t you been waiting for an excuse? Your horizons are broadening because of the way you put words together. Whisper sweet nothings and look out for who’s listening.

PISCES (feb. 19 - mar. 19): Read a poem. Take a walk. If you’re feeling frustratingly misunderstood recently, it’s because you are. Nobody truly understands you, right? You don’t have to agree with someone just because it’s easier. It’s your turn to speak, Pisces.

40 51

CAPRICORN (dec. 22 - jan. 19): What’s the point of trying to give you any advice, you’ll pick it to pieces anyways. My greatest words of wisdom for you? Hold on tighter. Come on. Your grip has been slipping recently. You can do better. Also, don’t wear blue on the 22nd.

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28 THE PLANT

HINTS I can’t believe the semester is over so soon. It feels like only yesterday I was writing my application to become the next Curiosities Editor. Consider this final crossword a love letter to this paper and all its incredible staff. And thank you, too, for taking the time to solve these things month after month. If you’re reading this and you’re returning to Dawson next semester, consider applying for the Curiosities position! Don’t worry if you’re not one for crosswords: the beauty of this section is that every editor gets to make it their own. Stay weird, stay curious, and as always, keep an eye out for those pesky question mark clues! ACROSS 1. Closed hand 5. Plant staff and superhero sidekick? 17. Chowed down 19. Plant staff who married JFK? 31. 2003 film starring Will Ferrell 35. Russian or Serb 37. Piece of cloth 38. Hamilton song “I Know ___” 39. Into painting, for instance 40. Pull with rope or chain 41. Chartered professional accountant 42. Get some shut-eye 43. Full house, for instance 45. Sin City actress Jessica 47. Excuse or defence 48. Plant staff who ages backwards? 51. Stood against 53. The “T” of LGBT, briefly 54. Talk without saying much 56. Texter’s goodbye 57. Small glass cylinder 58. Allow 59. Military missions, briefly 61. You’ve got 12 pairs (unless some are removed) 62. A person 64. Achieve victory, for 67-Across 65. Plant staff who sounds like a British truck? 67. Boxer Muhammad 68. Plant staff and chief engineer on the Enterprise 74. Comes before talk or rally 75. Has importance 78. Post-game chat 79. Foldable guide 80. Ash vase 81. Intended 82. Plant staff and romantic verb? 84. Plant staff and tea party attendee? 86. Relaxing resort 88. Cool and firm up 90. Often up a sleeve 91. Extent 93. Verbalize

94. Roughly 22/7 95. Response to “ty” 96. Born in France 97. Grade of pencil 98. Department of Justice 101. Sound of surprise 104. Travel prediction, abbr. 106. Shakespeare comedy Much ___ About Nothing 107. First word of the US constitution 108. Fall apart over time 110. Introduces a condition 111. Pen’s tip 112. Place to hibernate 113. Strings together options 114. “And God said ___ Moses...” 115. Powerful psychedelic 117. Brings the reason 118. Genetic code 119. Denial 120. Phys ___ 121. Egyptian sun god 122. Inspiring slogan “just ___ it!” 123. CA city 126. All at once 131. Look over and analyze 133. Plant staff who’s an academy award? 139. Pokémon protagonist 141. Guitarist’s gear 143. Plant staff and star of Mary Poppins Returns? 151. Pouch 152. Janitor’s tool 153. At the end of the line? 154. Follows 122-Across 155. 49-Down’s official language 156. Cirque du Soleil show premiered in 2017 157. Long stretch of time 158. Black Friday mo. 159. More wholesome alternative to 55-Down 161. Plant staff and animated macaw? 162. Like a hedgehog 163. Plant staff and art collector?

CURIOSITIES 29 29 29

DOWN 2. Small peninsula 3. Slender opening 4. Paragraph starter 6. Spheres 7. Lover, in slang 8. Rock group? 9. Witch doctor 10. Hockey star Horton 11. Plant staff who won the Piston Cup? 12. Press lightly 13. Helps score 14. Body mass index 15. Sneaker part publicized by Phineas and Ferb 16. Grandmothers 17. Particle 18. Play the keyboard? 19. Plant staff and first wife of Napoleon? 20. Amazement 21. East of ON 22. As far as 23. Head of corn 24. Inborn or natural 25. Rapper Lil ___ X 26. Shorter version of 85-Down 27. Mark where a piercing once was 28. Short exclamation 29. Cheesy pub order 30. The Queen’s Gambit star Taylor-Joy 32. Substance that morphs into 8-Down 33. Violently throws 34. Measure of vol. 36. Alto string instrument 40. Answering machine beep 44. Plant staff and 90s animated sitcom? 46. A star, for a sheriff 47. Plant staff with not much inside? 49. Once Persia 50. Jackson 5 hit 52. Sharp sounds 54. Flight maneuver made famous by Starfox 64 55. Deep desire 60. Plant staff and whip-wielding archeologist? 63. Like an acorn tree 64. Plant staff whose life is at its end? 65. Slant 66. Yin counterpart 67. Early hours 69. Perceive 70. South America 71. Office of the City Attorney

72. Dance born in Buenos Aires 73. Words of approval 75. Follows 154-Across 76. Actinium 77. Trademarked 83. Blabber on 85. Album 87. Basic measure? 89. Plant staff and hot beverage 92. Literary verse 98. Father 99. Literary tribute 100. Canned spray 102. Improvised lyric 103. Flying saucer 104. The first Plant crossword answer of the year (even though the clue was missing!) 105. First name of a heartless man? 107. Got the gold 109. Lion’s call 110. Kitchen unit 116. Roadside restaurant 122. Common childhood fear 124. Running wild 125. Show the way 127. Home to 8 of the 10 richest men in the world 128. Steal 129. Rink material 130. Nocturnal bird of prey 132. Processing chip 133. Consume 134. School messaging service 135. Shorthand for “That’s what I was thinking!” 136. Short string instrument 137. Outrage 138. College degree in studio art or photography 140. Possessive pronoun 142. Layer 144. Charged 17-Down 145. Meme video with singing dinosaurs 146. Divergent actress Kravitz 147. Entrance points 148. Massive mythical bird of prey 149. Unwell 150. Military rank, abbr. 152. Admittance of fault, online 153. Precedes polar or cycle 160. Voice-over

30 THE PLANT

SUDOKU

COME BACK NEXT ISSUE FOR THE ANSWERS!

A POPPIN’ PRANK: WINNERS Last issue, we hid the word “popping” (or “poppin’) in as many different places as we could find. And we found a lot. The word appeared once in: The Letter from the Editor Dawson Students on the Rise of Gas Prices French Implementation in CEGEP: Is Grade 12 a better option? Eurovision Song Contest Analogue Photography Movie Theatres Return with Vengeance When Life Gives You Cancer, Milk It Volodymyr Zelensky: From Pretend President to Wartime Hero Exodus of the Poor: A Modern Tale of Montreal

Ask the Plant As Seen in the Hallways And, finally, three times in the announcement itself. For those following along at home, that’s a grand total of: fourteen! Unfortunately, no one was able to hit the bulls-eye, but two were incredibly close. Both @goldenrod101 and @otroquet were only off by one! Because of this, we must now do the only thing we can: give you both prizes! Come pick them up today, May 12th, or contact us or Instagram and we’ll get the tote bags to you as soon as possible. Thanks for playing, and stay poppin’!

Curiosities by

BENJAMIN BISAILLON Curiosities Editor

CURIOSITIES 31 31 31

CAPTION CONTEST Add a hilarious caption to this image for a chance to be featured in next semester’s first issue! Send them to us on instagram @theplantnews and we’ll put the best ones in the next issue. You’ve got a while to think about it, so give it your all! THIS SUMMER’S IMAGE Send your funniest caption to us!

Photos Courtesy of @PIXABY

LAST MONTH’S WINNERS Winner Me googling “Dawson 8th floor security footage” for research purposes By @goldenrod101 Photos Courtesy of @GETTY IMAGES

ANSWERS FOR THE APRIL ISSUE

Runner-Up Me ranting about how the ushy gushy didn’t win in the last issue By @rxds.cc

32 THE PLANT

MASTHEAD

CONTRIBUTORS

Pipa Jones Editor-in-Chief

Alyssa Scotti Cover Artist

Alice Martin Managing Editor

Emily Zahirovic Social Media Manager

Isabella Blu Ptito-Echeverria Copy Editor

Josephine Ross Staff Writer

Alessa Orsini Graphic Designer

Emily McQueen Staff Writer

Jacqueline Lisbona News Editor

Téa Barrett Staff Writer

Daria Bocicova Arts & Culture Editor

Kiana Lalavi Staff Writer

Ana Sofia Castano Charles Lesenko-Oliveros Anisia Alexe Adrian Darwent Cristina Lijoi Shaelyn Diabo Joshua J. Frederic Maya Jadah Alina Pintilei Lorna Papa

Casey Kiss Voices Editor Robin Steedman-Braun Sciences Editor Emmy Rubin Sports Editor Laury Charland Creative Writing Editor Danaée Descaillot Visual Arts Editor Benjamin Bisaillon Curiosities Editor

CONTACT The Plant Newspaper Dawson College 3040 Rue Sherbrooke O Montréal, QC H3Z 1A4 2C.12 theplantnews.com theplantnewspaper@gmail.com @theplantnews

The Plant May 2022 Vol. 56 No 4

Articles inside

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

VISUAL ARTS

CREATIVE WRITING

NEWS

VOICES

ARTS & CULTURE

SPORTS