Issue 5, (The Climate Issue) (Volume 144) (October 2, 2023)

CLIMATE THE ISSUE

T HE V

T HE VA RSI T Y

Vol. CXLIV, No. 5

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The Varsity would like to acknowledge that our office is built on the traditional territory of several First Nations, including the Huron-Wendat, the Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit. Journalists have historically harmed Indigenous communities by overlooking their stories, contributing to stereotypes, and telling their stories without their input. Therefore, we make this acknowledgement as a starting point for our responsibility to tell those stories more accurately, critically, and in accordance with the wishes of Indigenous Peoples.

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The breakdown: Unravelling the Greenbelt controversy

After

Sara Kallas Varsity Contributor

On September 21, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that the government would return thousands of acres of land to an area of Ontario land called the Greenbelt that is protected from certain types of development.

The provincial government decided to open certain areas to housing construction in 2022. The decision to return the land followed a report that found that developers with ties to the provincial government made billions of dollars in profits from property value increases associated with removing the land from the Greenbelt.

The Varsity broke down the history of this piece of land and these latest developments.

What’s in a Greenbelt?

Ontario boasts the world’s largest Greenbelt, which includes protected farmland, forests, wetlands and lakes spanning over 8,100 square kilometres of land around the GTA. The former Liberal Ontario government established the Greenbelt in 2005 to preserve farmland and natural areas, to mitigate urban sprawl, and to develop sustainable communities.

Many researchers have noted the importance of the Greenbelt in helping clean the air, absorb excess water, and provide habitats — all of which have become increasingly important given the effects of climate change.

In an interview with The Varsity, Philip Pothen, who attended graduate school at U of T and is currently Environmental Defence Canada’s Ontario Environment Program Manager, said that the Greenbelt’s protected status means that farmers do not have to financially compete with residential developers to use the land. This assures farmers that they can remain on the land more long term and encourages them to farm in more sustainable ways.

for an investigation into Clark’s announcement in January, Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk released a report in August. She found that 14 of the 15 sites taken out of the Greenbelt were removed after suggestions by Minister Clark’s chief of staff, Ryan Amato, who had been influenced by two key developers: Silvio De Gasperis and Michael Rice. According to Lysyk, the developers who owned 14 of the 15 parcels of land that the Ford government removed from the Greenbelt saw an $8.3 billion increase in the property value of their Greenbelt land.

Lysyk also found that removing the land from the Greenbelt in the first place was unnecessary to meet the province’s goal of building 1.5 million new homes by 2031.

More criticism came on August 28, when the Chiefs of Ontario — an advocacy group supporting the sovereignty of First Nations across Ontario — called for the land to be redesignated back to its protected status, saying that the land swap violated the 2018 Williams Treaties.

Despite her findings, Ford later stated that he was confident there was nothing criminal about the Greenbelt redesignation. In the following weeks, key figures in the Greenbelt deal, including Minister

Clark, resigned from provincial offices.

On September 21, Premier Ford announced he would reverse the Greenbelt land swap and promised to prevent future changes to the Greenbelt.

Looking forward

Christopher Cochrane — an associate political science professor and the interim chair of the department of political science at the University of Toronto Scarborough — discussed the effects of the Greenbelt on urban sprawl in the GTA in an interview with The Varsity

Cochrane said that the government should institute “higher density housing in lower density neighbourhoods” to provide more units of housing for the province’s growing population, along with measures to protect the Greenbelt.

Cochrane said that, without governments changing zoning laws to allow for denser housing like low-rise apartments and condos, not allowing new residential developments in the Greenbelt might increase the cost of housing. “Governments (and Ontarians) must choose between protecting low-density neighborhoods (and existing property values) and preventing urban sprawl across the Greenbelt,” he wrote.

Advocates have credited zoning laws that prevent denser housing with helping drive increases in Ontario’s housing prices. In May, the Toronto City Council approved a plan to allow more multiplexes in an effort to increase housing.

With files from Jessie Schwalb.

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Greenbelt controversy

In November 2022, Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark announced that the Ontario government would undertake a “land swap” by removing 30 square kilometres of land from the Greenbelt and adding another 40 square kilometres to another part of the Greenbelt. The Ford government claimed that it needed the land to fulfill their housing goals. This decision contradicted Ford’s 2021 pledge to preserve the Greenbelt from any development.

Pothen noted that the land the provincial government proposed adding to the Greenbelt already had other forms of legal protection that prevented development, making the addition “something that looked good in numbers that had no net increase [in protected land].”

Prior to Minister Clark’s announcement, housing developers had already purchased most of the land that the government would remove from the Greenbelt, although its protected status prevented housing development. After the announcement, developers saw the values of those land parcels skyrocket. Both Minister Clark and Premier Ford denied tipping off developers before the Greenbelt redesignation plans became public.

After provincial NDP leader Marit Stiles called

U of T community participates in annual climate protest

Global March to End Fossil Fuels focused on financial, corporate roots of emissions

On September 16, thousands of protestors took to downtown Toronto for the Global March to End Fossil Fuels, a demonstration that focused on combating the corporate causes of the climate crisis.

More than 14 activist groups — ranging from the student organization Climate Justice UofT (CJ UofT) to grassroots community group Grand(m)others Act to Save the Planet — helped to organize the protest, which took place as part of a global weekend of activism ahead of the United Nations General Assembly and Climate Ambition Summit in New York City. Fifty to 100 CJ UofT members attended the rally, according to Amy Mann, one of the group’s organizers.

The protest

Protesters began gathering on the south side of Queen’s Park in front of Ontario’s Legislative Building at around 11:00 am. The protest began with speeches from ten activists aligned with various climate justice organizations and a prayer to honour water led by Cathy Walker, a Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) community healer and herbalist.

Walker highlighted the particular impacts environmental degradation and fossil fuel companies’ extractive practices have on Indigenous peoples. “Every reserve is struggling to hold on little bits of their land that was promised to them,” she said. “Every reserve is affected by the extraction industry, from precious metals, oil, lumber, even water.”

Mann gave a speech where she criticized U of T for accepting donations from fossil fuel companies to fund its research. “We’re here today to tell [the university] that we don’t need any more sustainability initiatives. We need our universities to stop behaving like corporations,” she said.

CJ UofT has previously criticized the university for accepting fossil fuel funding for its research, arguing that it poses a conflict of interest. In a previous statement to The Varsity regarding student criticism about accepting funding from fossil fuel companies, a U of T spokesperson highlighted university policies meant “to guard against undue influence on research,” such as the Provostial Guidelines on Donations.

Around noon, protesters began marching from Queen’s Park to Wellesley Street West, down Yonge Street, and then onto Dundas Street West. A mobile band marching with the protestors, including drummers, a tuba, and an electric violin played music, and people in costumes spotted the crowd.

As the protesters marched through Toronto’s financial district, attendees began chants criticizing the financial firms based in the area.

Protest chants included “Bay Street, Yonge Street, listen, listen up. The planet is dying, it’s time to give a fuck” and “Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Greenwashing has got to go.” The term ‘greenwashing’ refers to the practice of corporations exaggerating the sustainability of their business practices.

As the protest continued past a RBC branch along the route, many protestors chanted, “Royal Bank of Coal” — referring to RBC’s status as the world’s largest financier of fossil fuel companies as of 2022.

In a statement to The Varsity, Shauna Cook, RBC’s director of communications for the Greater Toronto Region, wrote, “When it comes to climate change, we strongly believe that more action and at a faster pace is needed to address it. We are actively engaging with our clients and partners to identify opportunities to do more in delivering on shared objectives.”

The march proceeded up University Avenue and ended at Queen’s Park around 1:45 pm.

Student involvement

More than a hundred U of T students attended the protest.

Atlas, the Sustainability Commissioner at the Victoria University Student Administrative Council and a member of CJ UofT, told The Varsity that students have been key organizers of recent climate change activism because they tend to not have full-time work schedules and are motivated by their futures being most at risk from the climate crisis.

“In history, you see a lot of major radical movements led by students front and centre, and I do believe this is one of them,” they said.

In an interview with The Varsity, Harshit Gujral, a U of T PhD student in computer science and the School of the Environment who attended the protest, noted a personal connection between their research and activism. “My research is about climate change, and it just feels like having double standards to do the research and not be here,” he said. “Activism is part of that whole package.”

Hana Darling-Wolf, who is pursuing her master’s degree in computer science at U of T, told The Varsity that there seemed to be fewer protesters at the march compared to last year and or to other cities’ marches. She said she had hoped more people would come out to protest.

Demands

In interviews with The Varsity, current and former U of T students emphasized the role of large corporations in perpetuating the climate crisis causing climate change.

U of T alum Aliénor Rougeot, who graduated from UTSG in 2021 with majors in economics and public policy, is currently the Climate and Energy Program Manager at Environmental Defence — one of the groups that organized the protest.

In an interview with The Varsity, Rougeot said that the protest’s focus on corporate complicity in the climate crisis and “targeted anger at the fossil

fuel industry” made it unique compared to previous demonstrations. “Given the disproportionate role the fossil fuel industry is playing in our emission and in blocking climate action in Canada, I think it’s essential that we target them [and] we call them out,” she said.

According to a 2017 global survey, only 100 corporations and government-owned entities released more than 70 per cent of the worldwide greenhouse gas emissions between 1988 and 2017. One-fifth of global industrial greenhouse gas emissions are funded by government investments. A 2023 report found that the production, transport, and processing of oil and gas alone accounted for 15 per cent of global energy-related emissions in 2022.

The coalition of climate justice groups that planned the protest demanded that the federal government cap the oil and gas industry’s emissions, forcing them to reduce their emissions to 60 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. They also called for the government to shut down the Trans Mountain pipeline — which crosses Stk’emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation traditional territory — and the Coastal GasLink pipeline — a contentious project crossing Wet’suwet’en territory and protested by many members of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation, which has violated dozens of BC environmental regulations.

They also demanded that the government end subsidies for fossil fuel companies, which amounted to at least $18 billion in 2020.

The protesters also called on the Ontario government to halt current plans to build more gas plants. Between 2017 and 2022, the proportion of Ontario’s electricity supplied by gas and oil plants more than doubled, from four per cent to 10.4 per cent. Earlier this year, the Ford government opened bids to build additional gas plants or to expand existing plants, despite federal recommendations to phase out electricity from fossil fuels.

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Protesters march through the city, calling for a transition away from fossil fuels.

Students work together to raise funds in response to Morocco earthquake and Libya flood

Student groups criticize U of T for lack of support following natural disasters in Morocco, Libya

Selia Sanchez Deputy News Editor

Content warning: This article discusses death.

In the weeks since a magnitude 6.8 earthquake and a hurricane struck Morocco and Libya respectively, U of T student groups have held fundraisers to support people who have been affected by these natural disasters.

The university and various student unions have also released statements expressing their solidarity with those affected. However, in an email to The Varsity, a coalition of four student groups that included the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) called for the university to provide more support.

The natural disasters

On September 8, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains. As of September 25, it’s estimated almost 3,000 people have died, and more than 6,100 were injured. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue teams continue to search areas affected by the earthquake.

Two days later, on September 10, Hurricane Daniel struck Libya, causing intense flooding in Derna. The storm led to the collapse of two dams, causing mud and water to flood the city. As of September 18, over 3,900 people have died, approximately 9,000 people are missing, and over 30,000 people have been displaced from their homes. The death toll is expected to increase as rescue teams search the mud.

Researchers have noted that, although it’s dif-

ficult to attribute specific weather events and natural disasters to the climate crisis, the crisis has increased the average temperature of oceans, which allows storms like Hurricane Daniel to intensify in strength.

Fundraising efforts

On September 21, the U of T Moroccan Association (UTMA), the Muslim Students’ Association at UTSG, and the Middle Eastern Students Association hosted a bake sale in front of Sidney Smith Hall, where they sold baked goods, tea, and henna to support the people affected by these disasters. According to a post on the UTMA’s Instagram, the groups have raised more than $5,700 from the bake sale.

The groups will donate 70 per cent of the money to a special fund established by Bank Al-Maghrib — Morocco’s central bank — aimed at managing the earthquake’s effects. Bank Al-Maghrib reports that most of the money from the fund will go toward emergency aid for rebuilding homes and repairing infrastructure.

The remaining 30 per cent will go toward the Libyan Red Crescent — a medical aid organization and a branch of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement — and the International Medical Corps — which offers health care services for those experiencing conflict and disaster. McKinsey & Company, a Toronto business management firm, will be matching the remaining 30 per cent of funds donated to these two organizations for Libyan flood relief.

On September 25, the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) collaborated with Charitable

Indulgence — a U of T club that raises funds for pressing humanitarian causes — to host a bake sale. The UTSU provided the club with baking supplies and committed to match donations from the bake sale up to $2,000. All the proceeds from the bake sale were donated to Islamic Relief Canada, which provides emergency aid following disasters in collaboration with the communities affected by them. As of September 29, the groups have raised more than $1,600.

“While these disasters might feel far away, they happen more often than we would hope and help is always needed,” wrote Charitable Indulgence Vice President Yasmine Eltawdy in a statement to The Varsity

Solidarity statements

On September 12, Joseph Wong — U of T’s vicepresident, international — released a statement to the university community. “On behalf of the U of T community, I wish to extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives or suffered from these catastrophes,” he wrote. “With our deepening ties to Africa, events like these have an increasingly profound impact here in Toronto.”

In the 2022–2023 school year, 623 international students who were citizens of African countries studied at U of T. The university’s budget doesn’t specify how many international students come from Morocco or Libya.

The university contacted all students registered with U of T Safety Abroad who were involved with academic activities in Morocco and confirmed that all students were safe. Wong noted that U of T does not know of any faculty or staff who are currently in either country.

On September 13, the SCSU; the Muslim Students’ Association at UTSC (UTSC MSA); Islamic Relief at UTSC, a student group focused on providing financial assistance after human and natural disasters; and Amnesty International UTSC issued a joint statement of solidarity with those affected by the earthquake and flooding.

“We strongly encourage the UTSC community to amplify the voices of those impacted on different platforms and to donate if possible,” reads the statement.

Need for more support

Hunain Sindhu — president of the UTSC MSA — wrote an email to The Varsity on behalf of the UTSC MSA, Islamic Relief UTSC, and the SCSU.

The groups commended the university for reaching out to community members affected by the disasters, releasing a public statement, and providing resources. “The University administration took the initiative to remind students that there are many resources available whenever needed,” Sindhu wrote.

“However, that’s all the university administration has done and it is quite disappointing,” Sindhu continued.

The student groups called on the university to provide more tangible support to community members who have been affected by the earthquake and flooding, including direct aid.

“Being the highest-ranking university in all of Canada, UofT should be the leading contributor in fighting climate change and making a difference globally,” Sindhu also wrote.

In an email to The Varsity, Fatima Sohail — the UTSU’s vice president, equity — also called on U of T to provide more support for community members who have been affected by the earthquake and flooding. “There may also be a need to increase mental health resources for those that may be dealing with distress,” she wrote.

In an email to The Varsity, a U of T spokesperson declined to provide any further comment on student criticisms.

Content warning: This article discusses sexual violence.

The first few weeks of the school year mark the Red Zone, a period in which most sexual violence tends to occur on university campuses. With the academic year still in its early stages, U of T student groups and administrators have prepared resources and campaigns to raise awareness and educate students about sexual violence on campus.

These efforts include the Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre’s (SVPSC) launch of its updated online sexual assault education module, which the office revised based on the university’s most recent review of the Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment.

What is the Red Zone?

Many university sexual violence advocacy campaigns refer to the time period in students’ first year between the beginning of school and the school’s first holiday break as the Red Zone. One of the first mentions of the period comes from a 1988 book titled I Never Called it Rape, written by Robin Warshaw and published by the feminist outlet Ms. Magazine.

A 2008 study by Matthew Kimble and colleagues published in the Journal of American College Health tracked sexual assault experienced by around 100 first- and second-year women students at a small, rural university. They found that first-year students who participated in the study experienced more sexual violence than second years, and both experienced more sexual violence in their first semester compared to their second.

The study suggested that factors such as an increase in campus parties, alcohol consumption, and sorority pledging during the first few months of school help explain heightened risk factors for sexual violence. Other research also links alcohol consumption with higher rates of sexual violence.

However, the data remains mixed, and the authors of the 2008 study warn that the periods in the year with the highest risks of sexual violence likely vary based on the specific conditions of each university.

Student advocacy

The Prevention, Empowerment, Advocacy, Response, for Survivors (PEARS) Project — a U of T student group that provides peer support and resources for survivors of sexual violence across all campuses — has posted information on Instagram about the Red Zone and has linked hotlines, medical care, and legal services students can turn to if they have experienced sexual violence.

In an interview with The Varsity, PEARS Project Co-Director Emma Biamonte noted that the group made educating students about the Red Zone a key priority for the beginning of the school year.

The group also ran tabling sessions once a week from September 7–28 outside of Sidney Smith Hall and Robarts Library. At the tabling sessions, members handed out resources, such as safer sex supplies and safer partying kits, and offered peer support. According to Biamonte, the tabling sessions have been crucial for showing that there is a community on campus dedicated to providing support and resources to survivors.

“It can be very daunting to reach out after experiencing something like sexual violence. And we want to make that process as accessible for people as possible,” Biamonte explained.

Online education module

The university has also engaged in its own initiatives to educate students about consent and sexual violence. The focal point of these efforts is the launch of the SVPSC’s updated online sexual assault education module. According to a news article from U of T News, the module, which is available through each student’s Quercus page, provides an overview of “consent, setting healthy boundaries and the support services available for survivors of sexual violence.”

The SVPSC updated the module this past year based on a university-appointed review group’s 12 recommendations from the tri-annual review of the university’s sexual violence and sexual harassment policies. The SVPSC invited students, including members of the PEARS Project, to consult on the updates to the module. However, according to Biamonte, the office didn’t include any of the group’s recommendations in the version published to Quercus.

In an email to The Varsity, Director of the SVPSC Angela Treglia explained that during October, the SVPSC will move onto the revision stage and incorporate all feedback to date, including the feedback from PEARS, to create the final 2023–2024 version of the module.

Treglia added that the SVPSC has seen around 2,000 students register on Quercus to complete the module and 1,200 successfully complete it, with the remaining still in progress.

The value of sexual violence education Biamonte believes the online module has the potential to be an effective resource for educating students. However, she also believes that the university could be implementing many more changes, such as discussing sexual vio-

lence perpetrated by students within the university-wide sexual violence policy and providing accessibility accommodations for survivors of sexual violence — including assignment extensions or measures to reduce chances that a survivor will see their abuser on campus.

Among all their activities, the PEARS Project has also been advocating for the university to make changes to its sexual violence policy. Last year, the organization published an analysis of the university’s review of the Policy of Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment that lists recommendations for changes.

Biamonte says the existence of the Red Zone means it’s important to educate the U of T community about the prevalence of on-campus sexual violence. Treglia also noted in her email the importance of raising awareness early in the school year, and commended student advocates for their work educating their peers.

Some research has found that prevention methods that focus on empowering women to protect themselves and resist violence are effective in preventing sexual violence, but only using women-focused approaches can deflect responsibility from perpetrators. Prevention programs that also incorporate bystander intervention and focus on potential perpetrators are important for a wider prevention model.

“The existence of something like the Red Zone, it’s scary. It’s intimidating. It makes the university seem like a scary place. And it’s important to remember and keep in mind that a community of support does exist. We hear you, we believe you, and the resources are available to everyone who needs them… whatever you need, it is out there for you to access,” said Biamonte.

U of T students, admin raise awareness of sexual violence on campus during ‘Red Zone’ University publishes online consent module, available on Quercus

Emma Livingstone Graduate Bureau Chief

SOPHIA LEUNG/THEVARSITY

UTGSU Board of Directors vote to suspend union’s president from office

Board members suspend president without pay in first meeting of the fall semester

Emma Livingstone Graduate Bureau Chief

On September 28, during its first meeting of the fall semester, the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU) Board of Directors (BOD) voted to suspend President Lynne Alexandrova from her role without pay, effective immediately. Seven directors voted for the motion, with one voting against.

UTGSU members originally elected Alexandrova to the role of UTGSU president in April, with 5.7 per cent of eligible voters casting a ballot. The UTGSU general council impeached Alexandrova from positions on the union’s executive committee both in 2018 and 2020.

UTGSU Vice-President Internal Aanshi Gandhi also mentioned at the meeting that she was already planning to step down from her role on October 4. Gandhi’s resignation and Alexandrova’s removal will leave half of the UTGSU executive committee positions vacant.

Motion to remove

Mohammadamir (Amir) Ghasemian Moghaddam, the UTGSU vice president of academics and funding divisions 3 & 4, brought the motion to remove Alexandrova from the presidency. The members discussed the motion during a private, or “in camera,” meeting that took place in the hour before the scheduled BOD meeting, then moved the motion to a vote during the scheduled meeting.

The BOD members voted to remove the president from office in an anonymous ballot, which is allowed under UTGSU bylaw 4.7.6. Under the bylaw, any director can request that a vote be held anonymously.

Alexandrova previously held the position of the UTGSU’s internal commissioner in 2018 and 2020. Both times, the UTGSU general council impeached Alexandrova from her position. In 2018, the council argued that she failed to fulfill the duties of internal commissioner; Alexandro-

va alleged that the council decided to impeach her as part of an attempt to break down the internal commissioner position.

In 2020, the council impeached her for not fulfilling her duties and mistreating staff members in ways that, according to council members, targeted Black colleagues. Alexandrova claimed these allegations arose as a result of

refused to acknowledge herself as a colonizer. She argued that all people should be recognized as Indigenous because “‘Everybody is Indigenous from somewhere,’” according to quotes from the letter.

Johnson wrote in the letter that this view plays into efforts to erase Indigenous peoples’ identities and fails to acknowledge their specific

was among those allegations and was presented to the board during its in camera session.

Moghaddam also wrote that the views expressed by the now-former president did not reflect those of the UTGSU.

“It’s crucial to emphasize that the UTGSU deeply respects and upholds the importance of our land acknowledgment statement and the unique identities and histories of Indigenous peoples. We fully support and actively participate in the ongoing efforts of reconciliation and decolonization, and we acknowledge our role as settlers on this land,” reads Moghaddam’s email.

Next steps

Under UTGSU bylaw 10.3.2.3, the BOD can call a meeting of the union’s membership to vote on whether to remove a Director or Executive Officer from their position. As a result of the board’s decision today, Alexandrova will be suspended effective immediately until the board can call a meeting of the members to discuss the motion.

policy disputes with other union members.

Alexandrova wrote in an email to The Varsity that she believes that her case showcases the need to create committees that would mediate before the board takes punative steps. She also wrote that she offered her resignation during the proceedings, before the board had voted to suspend her.

Allegations of anti-Indigenous statements

The same evening as the meeting, The Varsity received a letter from Autry James Johnson, a graduate student at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and a citizen of the Forest County Potawatomi. Johnson’s letter described statements made by Alexandrova in a September 22 call between the two where she

U of T colleges’ attempts to go green

Geothermal energy, bike parking, and rooftop farming among colleges’ sustainability commitments

Devin Botar

Varsity Contributor

In October 2021, U of T President Meric Gertler announced the university was divesting from direct investments in fossil fuel companies. According to the University of Toronto Asset Management Corporation, the university remains on track to divest from indirect investments by 2030.

By the end of September, the university’s three federated colleges — Victoria University, Trinity College, and University of St. Michael’s College (USMC) — had all committed to divesting their endowments from fossil fuel companies. The federated colleges have all undertaken more initiatives in the pursuit of sustainability. The Varsity has also looked into some of the non-federated colleges’ independent green initiatives.

Victoria College

In April, after student climate activists held an 18day occupation of Victoria University’s “Old Vic” building, Victoria College committed to divesting its endowment fund from fossil fuel companies by 2030. On September 13, the college announced its intention to sell a property it owns in Weyburn, Saskatchewan that houses an active oil well.

Vic also reports on its website that it has carried out extensive renovations across its campus, including installing LED lights on an ongoing basis, replacing outdated ventilation systems, and

enlarging recycling signage in Rowell Jackman Hall.

The Varsity travelled to Rowell Jackman Hall to investigate and found that one of the eight recycling rooms had been visibly refitted with a new plaque, roughly two inches larger than the old one.

In an email to The Varsity, a Victoria University spokesperson highlighted that the college plans to assess the feasibility of building a geothermal energy system on its campus.

St. Michael’s College

In June, The Universeity of St. Michael’s College pledged to fully divest from fossil fuel companies by 2030. On its website, the college wrote that it hopes to use its investment portfolio to “nudge” corporate Canada toward action on climate change.

USMC has made environmental renovations in many of its buildings, installing LED lights and energy-efficient windows throughout campus as well as eight waterless urinals in Elmsley Hall.

The college is also focused on waste reduction initiatives, such as more efficient recycling. In 2021, it reported that the material it had diverted from landfill that year weighed the same as 43 Tesla Model S vehicles.

The college also hopes to incorporate sustainability into its purchasing decisions. When ordering new furniture for Brennan Hall, it originally chose to source furniture options from the US, but when this order was delayed, it found Canadian-made furniture — which, according to the college, cut costs

claims to the land. “These colonial legacies to eradicate our peoples’ legitimacy are done so in various tiny ways,” he wrote. He added that Alexandrova’s statements “diminish Indigenous and First Nations legitimacy.”

Alexandrova wrote that she had attempted to achieve “common ground” with Johnson by saying that Indigenous peoples from a given land remain Indigenous to their home even when they move countries. She also noted that she had “been making attempts for years” to create a UTGSU body or commissioner focused on Indigenous issues.

In an email to The Varsity, Moghaddam wrote that “concerns surrounding Alexandrova began over a month ago with multiple allegations.” Moghaddam confirmed that Johnson’s letter

According to Velay-Vitow, the board plans to hold the vote at the union’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) unless Alexandrova resigns before the AGM or the board decides to hold a Special General Meeting. The UTGSU has not yet announced a date for its 2023 AGM, but its 2022 AGM took place in December.

Vice-president resignation

During the meeting, Gandhi mentioned to board members that she had given the UTGSU notice of her resignation approximately a week ago and would be stepping down from her role as vicepresident internal as of October 4.

With the role of vice-president academics & funding for divisions 1 & 2 currently vacant, only three of the six Executive Committee roles will be filled after Gandhi steps down.

Gandhi has not yet responded to The Varsity’s request for comment.

and the negative environmental impacts of a delivery haul.

On its website, USMC cites the pope’s call to “establish new relationships with the environment and with all humanity” as a reason for its commitment to sustainability.

Trinity College

On September 11, Trinity became the last of the federated colleges to commit to fossil fuel divestment by 2030.

Since 2022, the college has been constructing a new building — the Lawson Centre for Sustainability. A donation of $10 million from Brian Lawson funded the project, who has recently been appointed as Chancellor of Trinity College, and Joannah Lawson. Features that Trinity College is planning for the Centre include a rooftop farm, solar panels, geothermal heating, native species gardens, and a cistern for the collection and reuse of rainwater.

The college also includes a slate of sustainability-focused academic programming, including new courses. The food systems lab, which will allow students to grow and work with their food, will be a central tool for teaching sustainability.

“Sometimes people misunderstand sustainability as being a physical, technological issue…

But it is fundamentally a social issue,” said Nicole Spiegelaar — assistant director of Trinity’s Integrated Sustainability Initiative — in an interview with The Varsity. “So when we talk about food systems, we’re looking at the social, cultural, economic, environmental dimensions of a whole food system.”

The constituent colleges

The four constituent colleges, which have less independence in their governance and finances than the federated colleges, have also made efforts to incorporate sustainability into their buildings.

In an email to The Varsity, Markus Stock — former co-chair of the University College (UC) Sustainability committee — wrote that “recycling signage and labelling has been improved in residences and locations [have] been added to encourage more recycling.” UC has also added new bike parking spaces and switched from paper to digital for many of its administrative materials.

Woodsworth College installed LED lights on its campus in 2020. Meanwhile, Innis College introduced a community garden on September 12 in collaboration with student groups like DigIn, and the New College Foundations Ones program features a class on food, ethics, and sustainability.

Following divestment, the federated colleges carry out sustainability initiatives. SHANNA HUNTER/THEVARSITY

With Lynne Alexandrova’s removal, only half of the UTGSU’s executive committee roles will be filled after October 4. CORINNE LANGMUIR/THEVARSITY

Thousands protest for government to give migrant workers permanent resident status

Students note parallels between issues faced by migrant workers and international students

Cedric Jiang Varsity Contributor

On September 17, the Migrant Rights Network (MRN) held a rally at the Bloor-Yonge intersection calling on the federal government to grant permanent resident status for all undocumented migrant workers in Canada. The MRN is a national coalition of migrants that advocates for a simplified and inclusive path to obtain citizenship and permanent residency status for non-permanent residents such as migrant workers, international students, and refugees. The protest took place as part of MRN’s national day of action, which included protests in 15 cities across the country.

Members of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) — a national organization representing students’ interests — attended the protest. At the event, a spokesperson for the group noted similarities between the issues faced by interna-

The protest

The protest began at the intersection of Bloor Street and Yonge Street, and attendees then marched down Yonge Street to Yonge-Dundas Square while chanting, “Migrant workers are welcome here!” and “Status now!”

“It’s so important that we’re here today, because the government needs to hear us loud and clear,” Deena Ladd, who works at MRN’s Workers’ Action Centre, told the audience in her speech at the rally. Ladd said that undocumented migrant workers often face wage theft, exploitation, and discrimination.

“[Employers] know that they can abuse and threaten [migrant workers] with deportation or with the cops if [migrant workers] ask just for their wages,” continued Ladd.

On September 6, the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner called on Canada to “do more to protect workers and

cluding certain Temporary Foreign Worker Programmes, make migrant workers vulnerable to contemporary forms of slavery, as they cannot report abuses without fear of deportation.”

Michael Hewlett, one of the protesters, told The Varsity that migrant workers are not given the same rights as other workers despite them working tirelessly to make Canada a better place. “[The protest] is a way to bring attention to politicians and people who can make the decisions, that enough of us care about this, for [politicians] to start caring about [migrants] too.”

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police estimated that there were between 200,000 to 500,000 residents in Canada without documentation from the Canadian government in 2007 — which is their most recent estimate of the number of undocumented residents in the country. According to the Canadian government’s Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, people without feder-

basic healthcare at no cost to undocumented immigrants, with 22 health centres in Toronto providing medical services to undocumented people. However, a 2023 paper published in the Journal of Migration and Health notes that many of these centres lack the capacity or resources to take on many patients, and said that undocumented newcomers have trouble accessing their services.

Students’ role

Members of the Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario Chapter (CFS-Ontario) attended the protest. CFS-Ontario — part of the national CFS — lobbies the government on behalf of students from across the province. The University of Toronto Students’ Union, the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU), and the Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students of the University of Toronto are all members of the CFS.

In a statement to The Varsity, Mitra Yakubi — who served the UTMSU’s president from 2020 to 2022 and is currently the CFS-Ontario executive at large — wrote that solidarity with migrant workers is essential to achieve free and accessible education. Yakubi noted that, like migrant workers, international students and others under precarious status experience xenophobia, racism, and exploi-

“International students and migrant workers should also have free access to social programs such as healthcare, regardless of their status,” Yakubi added. Ontario does not provide free health insurance for international students, unlike some other provinces such as Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.

“[The CFS] strongly supports the call for status for all including international students, migrant students and workers who face exploitation and discrimination due to their precarious status,” wrote

UTM and

announce new academic programs and enrolment changes

The Academic Affairs Committees of UTM (UTM AAC) and UTSC (UTSC AAC) each held their first meetings of the 2023–2024 academic year on September 19 and September 21, respectively.

The UTSC committee spoke about summer enrolment and budget shortfalls, new academic opportunities, and salary increases, while the UTM administration discussed a spike in enrolment and curricula updates.

UTSC’s summer enrolment and budget shortfall

During the UTSC AAC, Professor and VicePrincipal Academic & Dean William A. Gough shared that UTSC had experienced an “enrolment shortfall” during the summer, leading to a “substantial revenue drop.”

Gough noted lower summer enrolment among international students compared to previous years. He speculated that China’s decision to lift some of its COVID-19 travel restrictions “enabled our students, many of whom hadn’t been home for a number of years, to return in a relatively unfettered way,” leading less students to stay in Toronto over the summer.

More domestic students, however, enrolled at UTSC this summer than in 2022. Gough noted that, along with the revenue hit in the summer, the UTSC’s enrolment targets for the 2023–2024 year were “somewhat less than we had hoped for — another revenue hit.”

Gough also mentioned at the UTSC AAC that the university is raising the salaries of UTSC fac-

ulty members by seven per cent and the salaries of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1998 members by nine per cent. USW Local 1988 represents 5,800 administrative and technical staff around all three campuses of U of T. This announcement follows new rounds of union negotiations after a judge struck down provincial Bill 124 in November 2022, which had imposed caps on salary increases for public sector employees.

Gough said these pay increases “[add] to a substantial financial pressure” that the university is currently facing and could cause “some delays in the hiring of both staff and faculty over the next couple of years.”

UTSC’s new programs

Gough said that the provincial government had approved a joint specialist program in music industry and technology between UTSC and Centennial College. The Department of Political Science may also implement a major in public law this year after the success of its public law minor, according to Gough.

The departments of political science, philosophy, and economics are currently developing a joint program, abbreviated PPE, which may roll out this year. Cross-curricular programs with this name trace their roots back to the University of Oxford in the 1920s and have gained prominence at schools worldwide.

Gough said UTSC will also focus on supporting the onboarding of a new cohort of students who will attend the Scarborough campus’s new medical school, the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH). The SAMIH is a joint initiative between U of T and

the Ontario government to address Ontario’s “constrained health system.”

Gough said that the university plans to modify the co-op program — which allows UTSC students to gain work experience — to accommodate the SAMIH students and add more courses to the Certificate in Pathways to Health Professions introduced last year. UTSC expects the SAMIH program to start in 2026, according to Gough.

UTSC student questions and concerns

During the question portion of the UTSC AAC, Aliya Ali Shaikha, a third-year student and Campus Affairs Committee member, proposed extending the course enrolment deadline by one or two weeks. “Even though [each class’s] syllabus is already out in advance, [students] still don’t know anything about the topic, and two weeks is not enough to make that sort of judgment,” she said.

Shelby Verboven, registrar & assistant dean strategic enrolment management, said that the financial implications of this idea would put the administration in a “tough spot.” She explained that the current deadline aims to incentivize students to enroll in courses quickly, so if they choose to drop the course, other students who want to take those courses can enroll within a time period that allows them to still succeed.

UTM’s fall enrolment increase Nicholas Rule, vice-principal, academic and dean, presented UTM’s fall 2023 enrolment report at the UTM AAC.

The campus saw a 26.7 per cent rise in new enrolments this year, with the number of newly

enrolled students increasing from 3,482 in fall 2022 to 4,412 in fall 2023. 11,425 students also returned to UTM this September — 8,243 domestic and 3,182 international students.

UTM course updates

Tracey Bowen, UTM’s vice-dean, teaching and learning, spoke about the launch of the Foundation Writing Skills Initiative and Numeracy Skills Initiative, both of which aim to improve literacy skills in courses and supplementally.

UTM will also make ISP100H5 — Writing for University and Beyond an enrolment requirement for six additional programs in the 2024–2025 school year. Currently, multiple programs — including the anthropology, physics, and visual studies majors — require ISP100.

“Students in the first-year ISP100 course are not only learning to further develop their writing skills, but they learn a lot about the academic culture [of UTM],” Bowen said.

Bowen also spoke about various course updates which will take place in the 2024–2025 academic year. The humanities departments will add 15 courses, including an English research opportunity program and new historical and language studies courses. The sciences departments will add six courses in the Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy, and the social sciences departments will add 16 new courses, ranging from CCT436 — Cultures of Connection to POL 323 — The Practice of Human Rights, and modify 46 other courses, such as CCT212 from being about “Hacker Culture” to “Coding Cultures”. The university will also retire ECO322 — History of Economic Thought.

Advocacy group rallies for migrant workers’ rights in Canada. CEDRIC JIANG/THEVARSITY

The climate crisis is breaking every record, with students and communities being displaced by fires and people across Canada choking in the smoke. We — Climate Justice UofT — are breaking records too. In the past year, over 200 students have joined the fight for climate justice, and we have a lot to show for it.

In March, the University of Toronto Students’ Union announced that it would not renew its lease with RBC, which will lead to the company’s eviction from campus as of 2026. Years of student action culminated in the occupation of the Victoria College building (Old Vic), and resulted in Victoria University, St. Michael’s College, and Trinity College committing to divesting from fossil fuels.

While this is a year to celebrate, there is also a lot to mourn. Indigenous communities across Canada continue to be displaced by pipelines and other fossil fuel extraction projects that risk contaminating water and food, harming human and non-human communities. Tar sands workers too continue to face excruciating and hazardous working conditions.

It is not just them. Workers across Canada are facing the brunt of the climate crisis as they are forced to work outside during dangerous heat and smoke full of harmful pollutants. For many of these workers, the injustice is doubled because poor communities tend to have higher levels of air pollutants like PM2.5, a type of particulate matter.

We must make space for this grief and centre it in the work that we do. Most importantly, we must remember who caused this: the fossil fuel industry

and its accomplices. We will not regret being intolerant toward these corporate actors destroying our communities; we will only regret being too tolerant.

We are too tolerant of the consultants and financial experts governing U of T, casually weighing human lives against profits, and partnering with banks like RBC as they destroy our communities. We must draw a line in the sand and be willing to ask: whose side are you on?

Fossil free research

U of T continues to accept fossil fuel funding for climate research and energy centres. Notably, the Climate Positive Energy group of U of T held the Climate Economy Summit in November, sponsored by Imperial Oil, Enbridge, and RBC — 2022’s largest fossil fuel financier in the world. The conference included panellists from RBC to discuss financing the growing economy while reducing emissions.

Do we really believe that if the conference was on ending colonial extraction or degrowth, Imperial Oil would still be interested? Fossil fuel financing elevates ideas such as carbon capture and carbon markets over climate solutions that are less profitable for the private sector and the fossil fuel industry. We have data to back this up. For example, a recent study found that academic energy centres — which lead policy discussions on energy transition — funded by fossil fuel companies tend to favour natural gas over renewable energy.

We are in the middle of a climate crisis caused by the fossil fuel industry. The polluters raking in profit on the backs of the crisis will never solve it. We cannot afford their dangerous promotion of false solutions. We cannot afford fossil fuel money. U of T must put an end to this.

Neoliberalism and false solutions

The problem is much deeper than fossil fuel money. U of T itself is peddling the dangerous lies about climate change that are promoted by the fossil fuel industry. In March, U of T announced its new carbon offsetting program for faculty members’ flights.

The idea was that for every flight by a faculty member, U of T would buy an equivalent number of offsets to offset the emissions. The problem: carbon offsets are scams.

The original idea behind carbon offsets was to create a market where people could buy and sell “carbon credits” as a way to address the negative externality of carbon emissions. Obviously, the solution to a problem capitalism created must just be more capitalism.

The problem is that carbon emissions do not work like gold or apples or iPhones. We don’t have any scalable method to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Most carbon offsets are not from carbon dioxide removal, but rather renewable energy generation, planting trees, and a myriad of other nature-based solutions.

Carbon offsets often fail to deliver the promised

Action, as false solutions encouraging the privatization and theft of Indigenous lands to sell as offsets.

U of T peddling these false solutions to frame itself as a sustainability leader is dangerous and disappointing. This harms everyone. The school is using its reputation to launder these ideas into the mainstream.

The truth is that the harm and destruction that fossil fuels cause frontline communities cannot be offset. If U of T wants to be a sustainability leader, it should act like one and help us chart a different course. For example, as Professor Jessica Green points out, U of T could use the money it is spending on carbon offsets to offer free public transit for students, faculty, and staff.

U of T is obsessing over its reputation, while tens of thousands of Canadians — some of them U of T’s own students — were evacuated this summer for wildfires. Neoliberalism is a fire that’s spread through every part of the U of T administration. And if we are not careful, it will burn it all down.

Amy Mann is a third-year student at Victoria College studying mathematics and health studies. She -

After the Greenbelt scandal, we can’t trust Doug Ford’s promises

Ford’s decision to reverse the Greenbelt plan is littered with hypocrisy

On September 21, following a tumultuous year in office, Ontario Premier Doug Ford reversed his decision to develop Ontario’s Greenbelt into more homes to address the housing crisis.

In his statement, Ford claimed he is “very very sorry,” and that “when [he makes] a mistake, [he] will fix them, [he] will learn from them.”

However, it is clear to any Ontario resident who has seen Ford’s decisions play out during his time as premier that his apology is littered with hypocrisy. The only thing we can trust from Ford is that he has his own interests at heart and it is doubtful that he can regain Ontario residents’ trust.

Why does the Greenbelt matter?

The largest of its kind in the world, Ontario’s Greenbelt is two million acres of protected land stretching from the eastern end of Oak Ridges Moraine to the Niagara River in the west. It was created in 2005 with the goal of reducing urban sprawl and preventing the loss of natural heritage.

The land is paramount for protecting ecosystems. The forests, wetlands, and soil offset 71 million tons of carbon emissions each year by absorbing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This also keeps temperatures stable in nearby cities in response to warming climates. Furthermore, the Greenbelt area protects 78 at-risk species, and it yields a significant portion of Ontario’s produce, driving the local economy.

Ford’s rocky statements on the Greenbelt

Since he became premier of Ontario in 2018, Ford’s statements on the Greenbelt have fluctuated. For

instance, a video taken in February 2018 shows Ford telling developers that he would open a “big chunk” of the Greenbelt for development. Then, a few months later, he vowed “[he] won’t touch it.” Ford repeated his promise not to touch the Greenbelt in 2020 and 2021.

However, this seemingly reassuring narrative was abandoned in 2022 when Ford’s focus shifted to the housing crisis. It was the perfect excuse for him to justify what he said in 2018 that he wanted to do: to build on the Greenbelt.

In 2022, about 2,995 hectares of the Greenbelt were destroyed under Ford’s plan to build 50,000 homes. While the government reassured the public that the land used was replaced with 3,804 hectares of land in an elusive location “elsewhere,” that does not address the issues inherent to this development: the Greenbelt’s purpose was to prevent the ecosystem damage that comes with land fragmentation.

Hands off the Greenbelt!

From the moment the public realized that Bill 23 — the misleading “More Homes Built Faster” bill — meant slicing into Ontario’s Greenbelt, the provincial government faced backlash. Climate activist groups like Environmental Defence Canada hosted upward of 130 rallies against the bill, and Greenbelt Promise distributed information and networked among grassroots organizers. Many activists and environmental groups took to social media with the hashtags #Handsoffthegreenbelt and #Stopsprawl to spread awareness through educational content and protest images.

Officials in the provincial government echoed concerns about the Greenbelt. In January, both Ontario’s integrity commissioner and auditor gen-

eral conducted separate probes and investigations on the Ford government’s handling of the Greenbelt. The integrity commissioner’s August report concludes that Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark violated two sections of the Members’ Integrity Act of 1994. The auditor general’s report further supports the mishandling, as it shares that the areas removed from the Greenbelt “were not chosen using an objective and transparent selection process.” It also reports that “there is no evidence” that the Greenbelt land was necessary to reach Ford’s objective of building 1.5 million housing units throughout the next decade.

Ford’s walkback on the Greenbelt development scheme can be attributed to nearly a year of protests and investigations taken to hold him accountable for his actions. However, his recent apology does not justify his actions.

No more false promises

In his descent, Premier Ford claimed he made a mistake, and that he prided himself in “keep-

ing his promises” with the public. Yet, if this act — vacillating and rescinding promises — and such blatant disregard for the environment tell us anything, it’s that the only thing we can trust from Doug Ford is that he has his own interests at heart.

Ontario residents, the environment, and activists may take the win now, but it’s clear we need to employ a careful eye when it comes to Ford’s environmental policies. If he can lie to our faces and make false promises this time, we can almost certainly count on him doing so again.

Urooba Shaikh is a third-year student at UTSC studying in molecular biology, immunology, and disease. She is a Climate Crisis columnist for The Varsity’s Comment Section

Hannah Katherine is a third- year student at Innis College studying literature and critical theory. She is a Climate Crisis columnist for The Varsity’s Comment Section

Op-ed: U of T has chosen its allegiance — and it’s not to students

Amy Mann Varsity Contributor

Urooba Shaikh and Hannah Katherine Comment Columnists

Op-ed: Hope in the era of the climate crisis is possible

Reflecting on the power of action

Mathis Cleuziou Varsity Contributor

Content warning: This article discusses mental health, climate grief, and climate devastation.

Fires, floods, countries continuing to sink under the sea — this summer had it all. When needless destruction, devastation, and loss of life from the climate crisis are met with silence by our political leaders, it is easy for us to lose hope for a better world.

Anxiety, depression, and grief may all strike at different times in our lives. It is important to differentiate between temporary loss of hope or climate grief and anxiety or depression. If you are feeling serious qualms about the future, seek out professional help or talk to someone you trust. I have linked a couple of resources at the bottom of this article.

Loss of hope is common among Gen Z. More people are fearful of the future now than they were in the past, while fewer say this is a world they want to bring children into. I believe there is an antidote to this loss of hope, and I believe it begins by redefining hope. I believe hope is more powerful as a verb than an adjective — a doing word rather than a descriptive one. Hope does not stand alone. Rather, it is a consequence of action.

The fundamental reason for my hope — despite

new pipelines being built on Indigenous land, record fossil fuel profits, and new carbon bombs such as the Willow Project being greenlit — is that while there is plenty of loss, there is plenty of action too.

I have seen direct action reduce the climate impact of our immediate communities and established systems, reinvigorate people, and reestablish hope for a better, fairer future without the climate crisis.

Action works. We need not look any further than our own campus for proof. Through the efforts of organizations like Climate Justice UofT and years of work from student activists, faculty, and staff, U of T and the federated colleges have divested from fossil fuel investments and the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) has distanced itself from RBC, who, in 2022, was the world’s biggest fossil fuel funder. All of these climate wins would have been unthinkable without direct action from students, staff, and faculty.

A couple of weeks ago, I was feeling exhausted from dealing with the climate crisis. While my hope was diminishing, I decided to attend the March to End Fossil Fuels in New York City on September 17. There, I stood with over 75,000 others, crossing Fifth Avenue in one of the biggest cities in the world, while protest songs and chants filled the air and families joined the march.

I could not help but be overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for the people around me.

Most importantly, I was hopeful again. This hope for the future grew when, a couple of days later, President Joe Biden announced the American Climate Corps — one policy my friends and I marched for. Action works.

When I feel myself losing hope, I fight harder, I organize more, and I email and meet with decision makers. I protest, march, drop banners, and try to meet others in the climate spaces that inspire me. If you, like others of our generation, are fearful of the tomorrow we may have to live in, I urge you to get involved and discover that you, too, can make a significant and decisive difference.

If you or someone you know is in distress, you can call:

• Canada Suicide Prevention Service phone available 24/7 at 1-833-456-4566

• Good 2 Talk Student Helpline at 1-866-9255454

• Connex Ontario Mental Health Helpline at 1-866-531-2600

• Gerstein Centre Crisis Line at 416-929-5200

• U of T Health & Wellness Centre at 416-9788030

Mathis Cleuziou is a third-year student at Innis College studying environmental sciences and political science. He is a member of Climate Justice UofT and Stop Ecocide Toronto.

The solution

Toronto, it’s high time we put on our thinking caps — preferably ones equipped with cooling technology. Before I discuss the future I see for our city, I’d like to hold Toronto’s city council responsible for its role in this issue. In November 2021, City Council assured the public that its set target of a 40 per cent tree canopy cover by 2050 was in the works. Unfortunately, The Toronto Star found that despite tens of millions in spending money, tree canopy coverage only increased by a disappointing 0.4 per cent throughout 2008 and 2018.

To the city’s credit, growing trees is not as easy as it seems. We can’t control the sun or the factors disrupting the city’s vegetation, but we can certainly mitigate the impact. A good start is to implement green infrastructure initiatives, such as green roofs, vertical gardens, and tree-lined streets, which can help alleviate the urban heat island effect while simultaneously enhancing air quality and visual appeal.

Recent data on heat waves paints a concerning picture, with Toronto expected to experience close to 30 days of heat at 30 degrees Celsius or higher in the next decade and around 60 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. For reference, Toronto typically saw only around 10 to 12 days of extreme heat per year.

This meteorological problem is more than a seasonal inconvenience; it directly impacts U of T students.

The heat island dilemma

As I returned to class for the fall semester on a September afternoon, the weak breeze was not enough to keep me cool from the beating sun. Towering buildings loomed overhead, while sunbaked asphalt and concrete surfaces amalgamated into a cauldron of heat — and I was at its centre.

Downtown Toronto, like many urban areas, is particularly prone to the heat island effect. The heat island effect — whose effects are sometimes referred to as urban heat islands — is defined by the Climate Atlas of Canada as “an effect [that] happens because the closely packed buildings and paved surfaces that make up our cities amplify and

trap heat far more effectively than natural ecosystems and rural areas, which are often shaded by trees and vegetation and cooled by evaporating moisture.” Additionally, it is also important to note that urban areas also generate excess heat from devices such as furnaces and vehicles.

In fact, Health Canada explains that overnight temperatures in the downtown core with one million people or more can surge up to 12 degrees Celsius higher than in the surrounding suburbs, predominantly due to the abundance of heat-absorbing surfaces. As for how the heat island effect directly impacts our health, a 2016 study claims that heat-related ambulance calls from areas with less than five per cent of tree cover blocking direct sunlight had about 15 times more calls than areas with greater than 70 per cent tree cover. This oppressive environment in downtown doesn’t just lead to discomfort; it poses a genuine health risk to students and residents alike.

Toronto’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report from 2019 breaks down where the faults lie in our infrastructure: nine per cent of emissions come from waste, 33 per cent from overall transit, and a staggering 58 per cent from building sector emissions. The data cannot get any clearer. We know the issues with building environmentally unfriendly architecture; what we now need is to take action.

Impact on students

For students whose academic and personal lives exist in the city, this isn’t just a matter of discomfort — it’s a genuine threat to health and productivity. Research has established a correlation between heightened temperatures and reduced cognitive function, slower reaction times, and impaired decision-making abilities.

Further, not all student housing or classroom settings at U of T are equipped with air conditioning. A stifling campus environment undermines the essence of academia and hinders learning and achievement. A 2017 study examined New York City’s highschool exams and found that students scored significantly lower on a standardized test on a 32.2 degrees Celsius day than on a 21 degrees Celsius day. More concerningly, the author found these negative effects to be longlasting: exam-time heat exposure was strongly correlated with a lower likelihood of on-time high school graduation.

Given that the purpose of the academic institution is to foster an environment where students thrive on cognitive and physical processes, it is imperative that we address this heat issue — not only from a university or global perspective but from the municipality level as well.

However, I suggest that we go a step further. Retrofitting existing homes and other urban spaces to reduce energy consumption would be a great start, but preventative measures like cooling elements, such as window placement, also goes a long way to reducing air conditioning consumption. Blue infrastructure, such as reservoirs and ponds, add aesthetic, cooling, and biodiversity to environments that are otherwise plain.

Furthermore, research indicates that green spaces positively affect mental health and wellbeing. Access to parks and greenery fosters relaxation, reduces stress, and promotes a sense of community: all of which are vital components of a healthy and thriving student life.

Of course, this is not only a Toronto issue. Climate change is threatening the entire world at an alarming rate, but we must first look at the way we take care of our own city to contribute to solving the solution globally.

Toronto’s battle against the heat island effect is a fight worth undertaking. For the sake of U of T students, our city, and our planet, we need to invest in innovative and creative solutions. We can turn the tide on rising temperatures and create a more habitable, vibrant campus. Let’s cool down, Toronto, and build a city that not only beats the heat but also inspires other cities with the idea that sustainability is a journey worth taking.

The heat island effect is so much worse than we realize

We are boiling inside Toronto’s furnace — literally

Emily Carlucci

Comment Columnist

Toronto’s battle against the heat island effect is a fight worth undertaking. VINCENT COTE LAROUCHE/THEVARSITY

Emily Carlucci is a third-year student at Trinity College studying political science and English. She is the Traffic Tango columnist for The Varsity’s comment section.

Action works, and we need not look any further than our own campus. ZEYNEP POYANLI//THEVARSITY

As global temperatures surpass themselves every year and rising sea levels increasingly threaten lowlying coastal communities, I believe it is clear that journalists must also change how they report on climate issues.

The language that news organizations choose to communicate our current situation with can directly affect how readers take climate action while it is still not too late. Additionally, while spotlighting climate issues under a ‘beat’ or column is efficient and convenient, it is vital that news organizations also reveal how the flames of climate destruction singe through all sectors of life, and it is hazardous to try and confine it to a corner.

Style guides, handbooks, and vocabulary

In 2019, The Guardian updated its style guide to use terms such as “climate emergency, crisis or breakdown” rather than “climate change,” which connotes a sense of passivity and inevitability. The British left-wing news organization had also declared that it favours ‘global heating’ over ‘global warming.’ On top of the conscious shift in how its journalists are ‘vocabularizing’ climate catastrophes, The Guardian also incorporated the global carbon dioxide level into the paper’s daily weather pages.

The change in The Guardian’s style guide sent ripples across the journalism industry, crossing oceans, and reaching news organizations much closer to home. In response, the CBC clarified that journalists may use “crisis” and “emergency” sometimes, but must exercise caution when doing so. Paul Hambleton, CBC’s director of journalistic standards in 2019, said that “the climate crisis and climate emergency are words that have a whiff of advocacy to them. They sort of imply … something more serious, where climate change and global warming are more neutral terms.”

While it is true that journalists must be careful when tiptoeing the tightrope of news and advocacy, at its very core, journalistic integrity should be about delivering facts.

And the facts show that July 2023 was the hottest month in recorded human history: Canada was engulfed by its worst wildfire season ever, violent torrential rains at deadly rates thrashed Asian countries, and the Mediterranean experienced one of its earliest drought seasons. In early September, UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared that “climate breakdown has begun.” It is undeniable that the environmental issues we currently confront are, in fact, “serious” — and we need to use the appropriate language to convey that.

Bridging cultural divides

Simultaneously, I believe we should also be conscious of how certain rhetorical framing may have adverse effects by exacerbating cultural divides. According to Scientific American, words such as ‘restrict,’ ‘regulate,’ and ‘tax’ are especially unpopular among conservatives when talking about climate solutions. Instead, the scientific magazine proposes that people may be more responsive when climate-related solutions are described with words and phrases such as “innovation,” “marketbased” and “competing in the global clean energy race.”

For example, the US’ Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 is the largest climate investment in American history that also aims to curb inflation and create jobs. Originally named “The Build Back Better Act” but later amended on paper to its more economically-rooted current name, the language used to promote this bill appears to us to appease both sides of the climate ‘debate,’ swinging votes from moderate senators who, eventually, signed the bill into law. It is necessary that we play our cards right to show how all sides of the climate ‘debate’ can benefit through cooperation.

Moreover, news organizations need to actively work to mitigate crisis fatigue, especially if we want to use stronger language to describe climate emergencies. When news readers are constantly exposed to disaster stories, they can develop a sense of fatalism which can stagnate any hope or motivation to rejuvenate our planet. According to the UN’s Climate Action page, a good way to prevent disillusionment is to convey a message that also focuses on solutions.

The climate permeates all sectors of news News organizations such as the CBC have established a climate ‘beat’ for their coverage. Although this is a step in the right direction, I believe climate news cannot be simply confined to a solitary section of a newspaper — it permeates all.

To name a few: the climate crisis has affected how conflicting American and Chinese interests in lithium mining are devastating the African terrain, how unprecedented weather patterns affect what foods end up on our plates, and how the real estate market will change alongside floods and hurricanes. These topics also concern international news, public health, the economy, and its environmental implications. As borders are only helpful to a certain extent, news organizations should strive to incorporate a climate perspective in their pieces as much as possible.

Meanwhile, climate news — at least news from settler-colonial states — must also work to better

incorporate Indigenous perspectives. We also need more Indigenous reporters covering climate stories in mainstream outlets. In Canada, there is already a push to ensure that Indigenous peoples are involved in data collection processes, and given control over their data and how it is used. After all, Indigenous practices of cultural burns have proven to be majorly helpful in rebalancing ecosystems across Canada. Climate news has garnered a dramatic increase in airtime in recent years. While we suffer the extreme changes in our lives due to environmental

deterioration, organizations within the journalism industry must also figure out how they should navigate their ships through the highly politicized storm of climate news. And, importantly, they need to figure it out before the unforgiving waves of the effects of the climate crisis come crashing over us.

Charmaine Yu is a third-year student at Trinity College studying political science and English. She is an editor-in-chief of The Trinity Review and is the What’s New in News columnist for The Varsity’s comment section.

Climate news cannot be simply confined to a solitary section of a newspaper. ZEYNEP POYANLI/THEVARSITY

A climate emergency is also a journalistic emergency

Language matters, as climate news clearly demonstrates

Charmaine Yu

Comment Columnist

Ride or die

The past, present, and future of safe bike lanes in Toronto

Vivian Zhi Varsity Contributor

There’s little I wouldn’t do for a sweet scoop of ice cream. So when a couple of workout buddies proposed that we run from the Athletic Centre to Ice Creamonology — which is all the way by the Harbourfront — I was in.

However, I hadn’t thought about how I’d get back. I didn’t have my PRESTO card with me, and I neither wanted to run on a full stomach nor spend more money on an Uber. My friend sug gested that we bike back instead. I hesitated, re calling every single report of bicycle collisions I’d ever heard in the news. But I couldn’t think of a better option.

Following her lead, I pedalled on the rental bike unsteadily, thrown off by how heavy the bike was compared to the one I had at home. As we biked uphill, I felt the squeeze of the narrow narrow bike lane. I took a deep breath to steady myself and inhaled a lungful of smoke instead. On my right was a barrier separating me from restaurants’ out door patios, and on the left was a car lane. I could barely hear my thoughts of terror over the roaring of the cars speeding past me.

I don’t know how we made it back in one piece, but we did. I’ve never biked downtown since.

According to the U of T’s 2022 student census, 1.8 per cent of students cycle as their primary means of getting to school, while a combined 13 per cent list some variation of cycling and/or cycling and walking to school regularly. Among this population is Jared Madarang, a second-year Rotman Commerce student, who enjoys cycling but finds it stressful due to tight roads and lack of bike parking on campus. Despite the challenges, he’s rather nonchalant about biking in the city. Bik ing during rush hour “adds to the stress,” he told The Varsity. “But otherwise, it’s not too bad of an issue,” he added.

Bikes are a sustainable and affordable mode of transportation, but they are only effective if the local infrastructure can support cyclists’ needs. It’s no surprise that more people aren’t biking when bike lanes don't always connect and not all of Toronto’s bike lanes are well protected from cars. According to a 2019 City of Toronto survey, out of 229 Toronto residents who were former bikers, 20 per cent stopped biking because they didn’t feel safe. Fears around biking accidents aren’t unfounded — in 2022, 36 bike collisions were reported to the City, but given that 74 per cent of bike collisions are not reported, the number of biking accidents is likely much higher.

Since the construction of the first bike lane in 1979, Toronto has made notable progress in its bike infrastructure. Yet, despite evidence show ing bike lanes benefit traffic congestion, the en vironment, and pedestrian safety, Toronto’s bike infrastructure is lacking in aspects such as cyclist safety. This lack is due to the dominance of both automobiles and a widely-used public transit net work in the city. Today, with a pro-cycling mayor in office, there is hope for Toronto to improve its infrastructure — but after speaking with many cyclists and cycling advocates, it is clear that To ronto has a long way to go before becoming a truly cyclist-friendly city.

Pedalling backwards

Cycling infrastructure in Toronto has slowly but surely come a long way. Before the invention of

safety improvements to the Bloor Street bike lanes from Avenue Road to Spadina Avenue. Interestingly, bike lane construction accelerated during the pandemic, as many Torontonians viewed cycling as a safer alternative to being in close contact with others on public transit and risking a potential COVID-19 infection.

Although we are seeing the City plan and construct bike lanes, that doesn’t mean that people are happy with their construction. Enter a new barrier to biking: bikelash.

Bikes: Public enemy number one

Throughout their history, bike lanes have received significant backlash, or ‘bikelash.’ The term was coined in the wake of large-scale bike lane rollouts in New York City. Although studies on bikelash have shown that some see bikelash as a sign that the cycling community in a given city is large enough to warrant attention, others become disheartened by the negativity. Bikelash can cause the removal of bike lanes — and has done so in Toronto. Fueled by public outcry in 2011, Toronto’s City Hall moved to replace the Jarvis Street bike lanes with a reversible car lane to fight congestion.

A study conducted by Kirsty Wild and colleagues at the University of Auckland found four major opponents to bike lanes in cities around the world: cyclists who feel marginalized by bike lane planning processes, retailers, conservative voters, and anti-gentrification activists.

Bikelash from cyclists seems most likely to occur when cyclists perceive poor design and lack of consultation to have produced more dangerous cycling conditions. Meanwhile, retailers object on the grounds that a reduction of on-street car parking will reduce this business.

However, retailers objecting to bike lanes may underestimate the business generated by cyclists and foot traffic. A 2009 report by The Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation discovered, “Among patrons at local stores only 10% arrived by car. This refuted

long-held assumptions that merchants’ survival depended on curbside car parking. In fact, people on foot, bikes, and transit were far more important to local business, and spent more money during visits to shops.”

Koehl has reported that businesses in Toronto are generally supportive of bike lanes: “When there’s a problem with a bike lane, whether it’s illegal parking in the bike lane or some construction project, the first person I hear from is the general manager of the Bloor Annex Business Improvement Area to say, ‘We’ve got to do something about this, this is not good for cyclists.’”

Conservative voters are also much more likely than others to be opposed to bike lanes. Wild and colleagues’ study points out that for some, cars are central to conservative notions of family and economic responsibility, commitment to suburbanism, belief in market-led growth over state-led planning, and preference for privatized road space. Conservative voters are more likely to essentialize car travel, as it enables families to live by suburban ideals and protect their families from the “dangers” of city life. They disproportionately influence bike lane decisions due to their wealth and willingness to bring their arguments to court.

In the most extreme cases, racist sentiments can fuel bikelash. When discussing proposed bike lanes in New York, a veteran community board member said, “Once Trump removes all the illegals from Corona there won’t be anybody to ride bike lanes.”

On the other hand, cycling is also seen, according to Wild and colleagues’ study, as a “recreational activity of privileged white people.”

The study found that bike lanes in minority communities can also be seen as a symbol of gentrification, which decreases the livability of those whom the process may displace. Given the history of gentrification forcibly evicting marginalized communities — for example, the demolition of Toronto’s original Chinatown

from its former location at Nathan Phillips Square in the 1950s and ’60s — members of marginalized communities have cause to be suspicious about “urban revitalization” projects.

Additionally, researchers pointed out that neighbourhood improvement only becomes a priority when it fits the needs of wealthier white people. Thus, the construction of new bike lanes is sometimes seen as a harbinger of gentrifica

Previous politicians have put forward possible solutions to both raise the City’s revenue and reduce driving, including placing tolls on highways. In the same vein, Farber also promoted the idea of charging more for parking. However, whether or not the City implements these revenue tools will depend on how receptive people are to increased costs.

ture. However, they both have concerns.

For Koehl, he’s worried about whether Toronto will improve cycling infrastructure — as a climate solution — within a timeframe consistent with the urgency of the climate crisis. “You only have to look back over this summer. Climate change is frightening in terms of what it’s doing. So for people today to be fighting [against cycling infrastructure], it just no longer

Advocating for bike lanes may seem like an gestion, due to a concept called ‘induced demand’; an increased supply of car lanes results in increased demand for driving, and the intensity of traffic stays the same. The reverse is true: U of T economists Gilles Duranton and Matthew A. Turner showed in 2009 that if a city takes car lanes away, the amount of traffic on the road readjusts, and congestion doesn’t increase dramatically as people find alternative forms of transportation. While there are limits to this theory, replacing car lanes with bike lanes would encourage people to explore alternatives to driving.

This leads to the idea of “complete streets,” which shifts the focus from automobiles to accommodating multiple forms of transportation. Such a system is not just safer for cyclists but for pedestrians as well. As an example, Koehl mentioned that if someone stumbles and falls into traffic, it would be safer for them to fall into the bike lane rather than in front of a car. Cycling lanes reduce fatalities for all road users by forcing cars to slow down, and fewer cars mean reduced noise pollution and a safer road environment, especially in neighbourhoods where children play outside. By improving safety for cyclists, urban designers improve community safety as well.

makes any sense.”

Farber’s concern is about whether the City has the budget to make significant enough infrastructure changes, especially coming out of a pandemic.

“These are very tough times, financially… I think the right people are there, but I still don’t know that the macro conditions are in place to see those investments that we need to see.”

Although I’m hesitant to bike in Toronto because of how the current bike infrastructure is designed, I would be open to biking if conditions were safer. People shouldn’t have to rely on cars for safe transportation or freedom of movement. And despite the challenges of cycling in a city, cycling can be joyful. When asked what he liked about cycling in Toronto, Madarang replied, “I can look up and see a blue sky. Because I lived in Shanghai, there’s a lot of pollution. So actually just being able to appreciate the air and the scenery — it’s actually really nice.”

Business & Labour

UTSC’s new residence aims to cut energy consumption by over two-thirds

James Bullanoff UTSC Bureau Chief

UTSC recently opened Harmony Commons, its newest residence building for first-year students, located on Ellesmere Road and Military Trail. What makes Harmony Commons unique is that it’s also a ‘passive house’ — a building that consumes less energy for heating and cooling. It’s one of the largest of its kind in North America. The building marks U of T’s commitment to implementing green initiatives through its architecture.

UTSC’s climate-conscious construction

its doors at the beginning of this September after three years of development.

The building has nine floors and a total of 746 beds. It features a number of amenities for students, such as an integrated dining hall with compulsory meal plans for residents, which non-residents can buy meals from as well; a common lounge and study space on each floor; a community kitchen; laundry facilities; and an outdoor roof garden and terrace.

The UTSC’s Retail and Parking Commons — a project that has been similarly promoted for its environmentally responsible design and function — is currently in the works and is expected to be

thevarsity.ca/category/business biz@thevarsity.ca

The passive house design

According to global nonprofit Passive House International, buildings’ day-to-day functioning is responsible for up to 40 per cent of humans’ energy use and up to 30 per cent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions globally. Buildings consume excess energy through activities like heating and operating appliances. Therefore, making buildings more energy efficient is a key part of reducing our collective carbon footprint.

Passive House International advocates for developers to improve energy consumption in new and existing buildings through its “Passive House standard.” It notes on its website that its standard is “the only internationally recognized, proven, science-based energy standard in construction.”

The standard entails specific numeric limits on how much energy a building uses to heat, cool, and operate appliances within it.

According to Passive House Canada, passive houses have the potential to save upwards of 80–90 per cent less energy for heating and cooling compared to standard buildings.

To meet these standards, ‘passive houses’ are built to be tightly sealed and well-insulated for air and heat. They feature high-quality ventilation that recovers heat from used air and transfers it into fresh air, minimizing energy loss and maximizing good indoor air quality. The passive house design does not rely on traditional heating sources, like furnaces or boilers, and instead doubles down on renewable ones, like solar panels, geothermal energy, or heat pumps.

At the moment, passive house buildings are most common in Europe. Schools, office buildings, supermarkets, and thousands of apartment units use the passive house system. Its popularity seems to align with the European Union (EU)’s Green Building pact, which aims to increase buildings’ energy efficiency to meet the EU’s goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050.

Energy efficiency

In a statement to The Varsity, a spokesperson for UTSC said sustainability is a “critical focus” for the campus and that UTSC “decided to focus on passive house technology for Harmony Commons

because the project would function well under these standards.”

They also pointed out other features of Harmony Commons that reduce the building’s carbon footprint. The kitchens use induction cooking and recover heat from the kitchen hood to be recycled. Hot shower water is recovered, stored, and reused for future showers and building heating. The laundry facility uses heat pump dryers to recover heat to be used to heat water for the showers.

The spokesperson stated that Harmony Commons uses about 90 per cent less energy than a standard residence building for heating and cooling and has less than one-third of regular residence buildings’ total energy consumption.

Meanwhile, Handel Architects, the main architectural company that worked on Harmony Commons, stated on their website that the passive house design could reduce energy usage by 70–80 per cent.

The bottom line

Implementing the passive house system in new and existing buildings can be very difficult. Canadian homes are often built in ways that make their energy use inefficient; variables like the building’s dimensions, which direction it faces in relation to the sun, and how much shade it receives all factor into its feasibility in meeting the passive house standard. Obtaining the materials needed to construct passive house systems can also be difficult and expensive.

Energy-efficient building designs could potentially reduce the cost of housing in Canada. However, right now, the price of staying in residence at Harmony Commons is higher than other UTSC housing options. A single room costs $13,000 for the fall and winter semesters, but it costs only $10,771 to live in a universitymaintained townhouse on campus during the same period.

Harmony Commons represents a monumental moment for UTSC with its innovative design. But only time will tell how the university’s investment will pay off in the long run, in its effect on energy efficiency and cost-cutting.

JAMES BULLANOFF/THEVARSITY

ECO101 — Principles of Microeconomics and ECO102 — Principles of Macroeconomics are notoriously two of the most rigorous courses for first-year students hoping to go into programs like economics, finance, and business.

The two courses also stand out among firstyear courses because they aim to bridge the gap between students with prior knowledge in economics and those with none. Ketaki Sarin, a fourth-year economics and math specialist and lead learning assistant at the Economics Study Centre (ESC), noted that this gap is especially high in ECO101 and ECO102 — some students might have a much better understanding of basic economic concepts going into the course than others. This means that some students will have to put in a lot of extra work to catch up.

The courses have a reputation for being difficult by design. Alaina Hu, a third-year double majoring

in economics and psychology with a minor in statistics, told The Varsity in an interview that they seem to “weed out students” who do not have what it takes to go into programs that require higher-level economics courses.

Still, Sarin said that students should not buy into the fear surrounding these courses. She noted that it is a common belief among students that professors are unwilling to give them more than a 60 or 70 per cent grade in the class.

“Given the right inputs, it’s not impossible to get anything above 90,” Sarin said.

Using your ECO101 and ECO102 toolbox

This year, the Department of Economics released a toolbox of resources for struggling students called the Thrive Guide. The guide’s website describes that it is “inspired by the comments past students have left on Reddit forums about their experiences.”

The first part of the guide aims to provide students with an overview of what they can expect in the first-year economics courses, as well as

advice from professors, advisors, and learning strategists.

Students also have a more intimate space to get answers to their questions, fill the gaps in their understanding, and develop a relationship with their instructors during professor and teaching assistant office hours. The ESC’s third- and fourthyear learning assistants serve the same purpose.

For students who prefer to learn from one another, Recognized Study Groups (RSGs) provide support through student-led groups, in which classmates meet weekly to cover lecture topics.

Lucas Georgescu, a first-year Rotman Commerce student, appreciates learning from his RSG group members since everybody is on the same level of understanding.

In an interview with The Varsity, Georgescu said, “Study groups, in my opinion, are better than just trying to figure out something alone. Even if you might not be able to focus, teaching each other the material is better than a professor teaching. Because a professor kind of assumes [what] you know, whereas other people — in the same situation as you — know how to explain it in a way that you'll understand it.”

According to Professor Nazanin Khazra, faculty advisor at the ESC, the problem isn’t a lack of resources — it’s that students are neglecting to use them.

“Something I tell my students is that when you don’t use these resources, it’s like going to a nice Italian restaurant, ordering $500 worth of food, and then walking away,” Khazra said in an interview with The Varsity. She encourages her students to “go eat a nice Italian dinner” rather than waste all the services that their tuition has already paid for.

Acing the exam

Sarin emphasized starting preparation early, as economic concepts take time to sink in. Cramming 12 weeks of content into a few nights of studying certainly makes it difficult to effectively recall concepts.

When asked about successful study techniques, Khazra mentioned consistency. “One thing that’s different in university compared to high school is that no one’s watching; you are responsible for studying, for building good habits, for submitting your homework and quizzes on time… How do you do that? The key word here is to build a routine… you should go to all of your classes, you should go to all of your tutorials and office hours. Build a habit, stick to it.”

Hu reiterates the same point: consistency from the start is key to success. In an interview with The Varsity, she said, “I just wish I knew that how much effort I put in is what I’m going to get out of it. So I kind of wish I started taking it seriously in terms of developing good study habits from the beginning.”

Both Hu and Michelle Ren — a fourth-year Rotman student specializing in management with a focus in finance, and minoring in economics — also recommended taking practice tests. Ren explained that the tests helped her to “get used to the style of the questions” that would be on the test and to “[learn] how to respond to open-ended questions.”

Students can find past exams for ECO101 and ECO102 in the Old Exams Repository to get more practice.

“I think the main thing I would have wanted to know [in first year] is it gets easier. And no one tells you that because they don’t want you to let your guard down,” Sarin shared.

Ultimately, you’re not in this alone. Everywhere you turn, there will always be resources to help you, mentors to guide you, and friends to lean on. Always remember who is in your corner — hopefully, this will help you save your U of Tears for another day.

The long-term impact of Harmony Commons’ “passive house” design remains unclear

Arts & Culture

October 2, 2023

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Do something more than “touch grass”

Sophie Esther Ramsey Varsity Contributor

People’s relationship with nature has dramatically shifted in the transition to a post-industrial society. In an urban environment, the overwhelming influence of industry and technology on our everyday lives challenges our physical connection to nature. With so many digital and urban distractions, it becomes increasingly difficult to be present to ourselves and the world around us. As a result, such inattention to the natural signals of our bodies and that which surrounds us has also disconnected us from reality.

The way I see it, this disconnect began with England’s eighteenth-century Industrial Revolution, which introduced technology and mass production to the Western world. With the urbanization that followed, our industrial reality was gradually isolated from nature. This isolation is necessary to avoid facing the environmental destruction required for the maintenance and growth of industrial civilization: companies cut giant swaths of forest to process into products, and power plants sacrifice air quality to power factories and cities. Therefore, with every technological and industrial advancement, we step farther away from existing in a reality where nature has a place.

This incompatibility between industrial society and nature demonstrates the inevitable physical disconnect from nature for those living in urban environments. At home, we exist within a manmade enclosure of material things. Outside, our shoes hit the pavement, and we walk between rows of brick and stucco boxes, a horizon of skyrise buildings beyond us. Maybe we travel outside in a car, where the sounds of birds are subdued behind a closed window, and we turn on the AC instead of feeling the breeze. If we’re walking, maybe we wear earbuds so that by the tenth song, we reach our destination.

This industrial reality, where technology constantly intrudes upon our senses, alienates us from a natural reality and changes how we experience the world. For instance, listening to music while walking filters out parts of the world. You cannot hear your footsteps, the rustling of leaves, or people’s voices because you are auditorily detached from the world.

This sensory stimulation even warps your perception of time. An article by Jonathan Berger in Nautilus called “How Music Hijacks Our Perception of Time” explains that time is conceived as a “continuum” — something continuous that changes gradually — but is perceived in separate units, such as seconds or minutes, that

when joined come to form something greater.

Berger explains that music does not align with these units we perceive as time: “[Music creates] a separate, quasi-independent concept of time, able to distort or negate ‘clock-time.’ This other time creates a parallel temporal world in which we are prone to lose ourselves, or at least to lose all semblance of objective time.”

The “objective time” Beuger refers to is the “clock time” we measure in units but feel as a continuum. The fact that time is a social construct does not negate the reality it represents. Reality is cyclical: the sun rises and sets, the seasons change, and we change and develop too.

To be grounded in “objective time” is to be present and attentive to the changes and cycles that exist in the natural world, including ourselves.

Having a proper sense of time is important for our connection to nature because it grounds us in reality. Chris Gabriel of the YouTube channel MemeAnalysis has a video called “Touch Grass: How the Internet Distorts Time” which analyzes the meme ‘touch grass’ in light of the digital age where people spend much of their time online. Gabriel explains how digital reality has become a more “natural” environment than nature itself. They argue that the idea we must remind ourselves to “go outside and touch grass” exemplifies this by making nature a “novel” experience.

Yet touching grass cannot by itself reestablish our relationship with nature because it remains an activity isolated from ‘real life.’ Gabriel compares this, or even a day of nature hiking, to “turning on the nature channel” rather than really experiencing nature. Instead, Gabriel says nature must be experienced cyclically rather than statically. This means we must experience nature as it changes rather than as voyeurs visiting a single ‘picture’ of nature by touching grass once in a while.

Nature’s cycles are best portrayed with seasonal change. Like time, seasonal change is a continuum, and it is important to pay attention

to nature’s continuums to connect with yourself and the external world. However, cyclical change does not happen online, where we enter what Gabriel describes as “a state of hypnosis” during which time passes unnoticed. Indeed, it is common when we emerge from scrolling through social media, watching Netflix, or playing video games that we feel as though more time has passed than it actually did.

This hypnosis not only warps our sense of time but our sense of self too. For example, I’ve seen people eating mindlessly while indulging in media entertainment. I believe that if our mindless actions begin to violate the needs and limits of our bodies, this may illustrate our disconnect with our physical existences. Through this disconnect, we may suffer self-neglect.

Our attention to the passage of time coincides with our experience of cyclical change, both of which relate to our relationship with nature. Nature is cyclical, and so are we. There is a time we wake up and fall asleep; hormones follow cycles that can influence people’s emotional and physical habits; summer tends to positively influence our moods, while winter is negatively influential. Gabriel proposes that connecting to nature and understanding its cycles can help us better understand ourselves and our tendencies and needs. This is because we are profoundly influenced by and similar to nature and its continuums.

From personal experience, I write best when I watch nature change! Last spring and summer, I was acutely aware of the moon’s phases. Unintentionally, I tracked the moon’s daily changes each time I went outside and found myself writing much more about the world outside myself. I became less consumed by my inner world and more self-aware and observant of my surroundings when I allowed nature a prominent role in my life.

While we cannot escape civilization, we can easily incorporate habits that bring us closer to nature while removing those that alienate us further. While walking to class, listen to the world instead of music. Pay attention to the buds on trees or how your hands flush in the heat. Open your window in the morning, or watch the plant in your room grow and then decay. Or, as Gabriel suggests: touch grass, but touch it every day.

Six must-try sustainable fashion brands and local stores

A curated list for our environmentally friendly shoppers

Anna Alemany Varsity Contributor

In this day and age, with fast fashion dominating the fashion industry, it can be difficult to shop sustainably. I usually turn to H&M, Garage, and Zara for a quick closet revamp, even if my conscience suffers a bit.

But over the last few months, I’ve chosen to say no to the overwhelming Instagram ads stuffing trends down my throat and instead turn my gaze to more sustainable alternatives. Below is a list of a few of my favourite shops — ranging in price, location, and style — that will make you and the planet feel good.

Kotn: 754 Queen Street West

With a flagship on Queen Street, Kotn is perfect if you’re looking for nice, long-lasting basics, sweaters, or some structured trousers and blazers. It focuses not only on the environment and the biodegradability of its products but also on creating jobs, better infrastructure, and the education of the communities they are a part of.

The company is currently a certified B Corporation Voted Best for the World with the fourth highest B Impact Score of apparel brands in North America. Although not the most affordable for casual shopping, Kotn is ideal if you are looking for something sophisticated and highquality if you have a bit of money to spend.

Girlfriend Collective: Online with third-party distributors in multiple locations

Girlfriend Collective is a godsend when it comes

to sustainable, deliciously soft loungewear and activewear. It believes in ethical and environmentally conscious manufacturing, using material made from recycled water bottles, fishing nets, fabric scraps, and other waste. Additionally, it only works with factories certified by SA8000, an international certification standard that ensures organizations pay their workers fair wages and maintain humane working conditions.

Even though it requires a bit of saving up to afford Girlfriend Collective products, it’s a good choice — if you’re like me, I would much rather buy one pair of good leggings than splurge on five cheaper ones that won’t last a squat.

oversized jeans and grandpa-core sweatshirts. Although it does offer some new pieces, its real area of sustainability comes from its secondhand and vintage sections. It conveniently has a storefront close to campus, and though its prices vary widely, you can find cheaper options in its secondhand section.

Exile Vintage: 60 Kensington Avenue

A gem in Kensington Market, Exile Vintage has what you need to fulfill your retro, trendy Pinterest dreams or your Halloween costume’ needs. Seriously, I have walked out with two pairs of jeans for my boyfriend, a Coach purse, and a jacket for under $150. Prices vary considerably, and it does require patience to get through the racks, but with a bit of time and determination, you can leave with some previously-loved designer clothes or a band t-shirt that doesn’t leave your bank account crying.

Value Village: multiple locations for shopping, 1319 Bloor Street West for donating

A classic for secondhand shopping, Value Village has it all and more. This is my go-to when I don’t have a real shopping objective in mind, but I feel like browsing and seeing what the universe has in store for my wardrobe.

Ran’s Closet: 322 College Street and 747 Queen Street East

A personal favourite of mine, Ran’s Closet has everything from leather jackets and baby tees to

The store is very accessible with multiple locations and price friendly, and even has a promotion that allows you to donate your clothes for a 20 per cent discount that can be used at any of its locations. Beware though: its quality assurance is not the best, so make sure to always check for stains and holes! But for

the most part, these stores are full of hidden treasures.

U of Thrifts: @uofthrifts on Instagram

Last but certainly not least, we have our very own U of T thrift store! Selling used accessories and apparel, this baby boutique runs through Instagram and schedules pickups at users’ convenience. U of Thrifts’ student owners manage all sales and deliveries.

In an interview with The Varsity, the two creators of U of Thrifts, Yan Qing Lee and Chloe Loh, explained how they “hoped to provide convenience, safety, and accessibility in buying second-hand clothing, and… encourage and increase the sustainable choices available for students like [them], in fashion.”

Shopping at U of Thrifts is a great opportunity to not only be more sustainable but also support other fellow students. Prices vary, like the items they offer, but are overall very budget-friendly. Happy shopping!

How industrial society has alienated us from time and reality, and how to reclaim it

People’s relationship with nature has dramatically shifted in the transition to a post-industrial society. AMAREENA SALEH-SINGH/THEVARSITY

Ran’s Closet has everything from leather jackets and baby tees to oversized jeans and grandpa-core sweatshirts. ANNA ALEMANY/THE VARSITY

A review of a U of T alumni power couple’s romance novel

Shonita Srinivasan Varsity Contributor

Stephen and Jean Kaladeen are a power couple who are highly accomplished in their fields of study. Both are U of T alumni: Stephen is a published doctor who has made great strides in discussing burnout and mental health in the medical industry, while Jean is an acclaimed cancer researcher who also writes about animal welfare. But how do these skills transfer to the industry of romance novels?

The Kaladeens’ first collaboration and novel, Kiss Me Better , is a lighthearted friends-tolovers workplace romance. We meet Raj and Diana, two young postgrads looking to find stable love and settle down. Raj is completing his residency at a Toronto hospital, and Diana, aimless after her drama degree, takes a job with her father at the same hospital.

The beginning of this story resembles the lives of its authors: Stephen and Jean met while working at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, where Jean was a cancer researcher and Stephen was a resident. As the story progresses, we see Raj and Diana’s relationship unfold and their love flourish as they navigate the struggles of Raj’s demanding job as well as Diana’s toxic romantic past.

Overall, the passion the authors have for these characters and the story is clearcut. However, the current standard for the romance

genre is just as high as its popularity, making it very hard to find books that can hit that qual ity benchmark. A good romance novel should aptly build up the tension between the protag onists and create a tangible mood through its descriptions.

During the build-up, the flow of ter felt fragmented. While the book contained some good ideas, it felt like multiple different thoughts strung together rather than a seam less story. I assume the authors wanted to use a blend of story fragments to show the chaos of these characters’ lives, but I feel the narra tive jumping was overused. As a result, many details felt random and out of place.

Furthermore, part of the allure of any novel is the reader’s ability to use their imagination in conjunction with the author’s writing. The Kaladeens are new to fiction writing, and this was sadly evident. While reading this novel, the authors had a habit of ‘showing,’ not ‘telling,’ which did not allow the reader’s imagination to flourish.

Kiss Me Better did, however, have some saving characteristics. The book ends on a cliffhanger that manages to tie up all its loose ends while leaving room for readers’ imagina tion. In this aspect, I would say the authors did an amazing job. It’s clear the authors had a vi sion — but the execution didn’t meet the stan dard of the modern romance novel industry.

Putting aside the quality of the writing, Raj and Diana’s story is funny and relatable.

The End We Start From is moving, but its ending falls short

This film, which premiered at TIFF, explores life during a climate disaster

Hannah Katherine Comment Columnist

The End We Start From envisions a near future where the next generation of people must navigate the climate crisis’ acute effects. The film follows the story of a new mother’s experience protecting her child from climate disaster and the social ramifications that ensue.

Based on a novel by Megan Hunter, the film begins in the present day with a nameless mother named the Woman, played by Jodie Comer, giving birth to her first child amid a catastrophic storm. As severe flooding ravages the streets of London, she is forced to flee northward with her baby and husband, played by Joel Fry.

The new family seeks shelter from the weather at the husband’s childhood home, but it is not long until food insecurity threatens the family unit, leaving the mother at home while her husband and in-laws seek food. Her in-laws end up dying tragically as a result of the scramble to find supplies. As the lack of food pushes them out of the home, the new mother and baby find themselves at a shelter where they must leave the husband behind to gain access.

At the shelter, Comer’s character bonds with another new mother named “O”, played by Katherine Waterston. The two parents go to a commune, where they are asked to forget the past and adopt a new, sustainable way of life. Despite the benefits of community, nourishment, and shelter the commune offers, the mother is haunted by her decision to leave her husband behind. She journeys back to London on her own to reconnect with her family.

As a whole, the film’s narrative explores the protagonist’s struggle to protect her child, highlighting the realities of homelessness, food insecurity, fear, and grief as symptoms of the climate crisis. Each character experiences the same catastrophic flooding and storm; however, due to their unique identities and perspectives, their responses to the challenges vary.

It was an artistic choice not to attribute real names to each character, and I can see how it draws the viewer in, allowing them to see themself in each character’s place. However, it also achieves the opposite effect. By withholding

names, their storylines become more generalized, making it harder for the viewer to empathize with each individual.

This film also moves slowly, with large gaps between intense action and little to no insights into the character’s true emotions. Its emotional side relies on the actors’ performances. Jodie Comer proves herself to be a skilled actress in this film, and her performance is very powerful, conveying everything from the rare bits of joy in her character’s day to unfathomable devastation.

Considering its broader message, the juxtaposition between bringing a new life into the world as the world seems to be ending highlights our collective fears for future generations. While the parents have had a chance to live in the relatively normal past, their child cannot reference the ‘old normal.’ The new generation will have to deal with the catastrophic consequences of our past generations' actions.

This being said, the film’s message also falls short as a piece of environmental fiction due to its Eurocentrism. Severe climate change-related

disasters are a current and deadly concern in countries and communities surrounding the equator. The film makes no effort to employ lived experiences from these areas or even reference non-European knowledge regarding crisis management.

Throughout the film, we are shown beautiful yet tumultuous natural landscapes woven between the film’s events. Each character is called back to the earth and learns how to live with nature, rather than within the binary of the ‘indoors’ and ‘outdoors’. The film does a good job of portraying life in Europe after a climate disaster from the new mother’s perspective.

However, I find that the film’s ending fumbles the bag by having the family of three reunite in their initial home, returning to their sense of normalcy. This ending suggests the characters can just move on and maintain the sense of a past life even though their past lifestyle caused their climate problems. The notion of a lasting reconnection with the environment for these characters is weak at best.

Unfortunately, the audience often has to suspend their disbelief for moments that the filmmakers skimmed over when they would have benefited from greater detail. At the beginning of the film, Joel Fry’s character comments on their London home being gone, when at the end, they all reunite in the kitchen of the same home. Furthermore, the mother’s adjustment to living off the land happens overnight. The transition from living in a consumer society to being forced to forage could have been interesting to explore, but this was neglected. Additionally, despite driving for hours, navigating tragedy, and even stealing a car, the main character never seems to run out of gas.

Despite these flaws, the film’s messages about new generations inheriting a damaged earth and humanity’s need for connection amid adversity shines through. The film ends with the family of three reunited and celebrating what appears to be the child’s first steps. The end signals the first steps to a better future and the presence of hope for the next and current generation.

Kiss Me Better lightheartedly deals with cul

Kiss Me Better novel’s authors are passionate, but their writing is below the genre standard

Jodie Comer stars as a new mother living through a destructive storm in the UK.

Kiss Me Better is a friends-to-lovers romance story set in Toronto. SHONITA SRIVASANAN & MOHAMMAD MAHDI KHANBABAIE/THEVARSITY

Explainer: Carbon emissions 101

Understanding carbon emissions and their impact on climate change

Mehakpreet Saggu Varsity Contributor

Carbon emissions play a significant role in driving climate change, but many people don’t fully understand the term. Let’s unravel it all by delving into what carbon emissions are, why they are harmful, and what their major contributors are.

What are carbon emissions, and why are they so harmful?

The release of carbon compounds into the atmosphere is known as carbon emissions. This includes the emission of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas (GHG). Carbon dioxide (CO2) is naturally present in the atmosphere and is essential to maintaining a stable climate through its production of the greenhouse effect: GHG molecules in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun within the Earth’s atmosphere, maintaining a habitable temperature.

However, carbon emissions from human activities — such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes — have significantly increased the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, causing global warming and a range of negative consequences. A rise in GHG levels exacerbates the greenhouse effect, which leads to a rise in global temperatures, causing heat waves and disrupting weather patterns.

As the climate warms, polar ice caps and glaciers melt, contributing to rising sea levels, which can lead to coastal flooding and community displacement. Cyclones, hurricanes, droughts, and dust storms are also exacerbated by climate change, destroying homes and causing economic losses.

CO2 increases in the atmosphere also result in more carbon absorption in the oceans, causing ocean acidification, which harms marine ecosystems. Finally, by altering habitats, carbon emissions make it difficult for species to adapt or migrate, threatening biodiversity.

Major contributors to carbon emissions

One significant source of carbon emissions in Canada is transportation, which accounts for 26 per cent of the country’s GHG emissions. This includes emissions from vehicles such as cars, trucks, airplanes, and ships. Shifting to electric vehicles and investing in public transportation can greatly contribute to reducing these emissions.

Another major contributor to Canada’s carbon footprint — the total amount of GHG the country emits through the use of fossil fuels — is the extraction and processing of oil and gas, representing another 26 per cent of GHG emissions. Implementing technology that captures carbon from the atmosphere, utilizing carbon storage technologies, and taking steps to reduce meth-

ane emissions are crucial steps for Canada in addressing this issue.

Additionally, while wildfires are a natural occurrence, they can release large amounts of carbon when they occur. In 2023 alone, Canada experienced severe wildfires that emitted approximately 160 megatons of carbon into the atmosphere. These emissions have short-term effects on air quality and contribute to long-lasting impacts on our climate.

In essence, carbon emissions, particularly from human activities, are the primary cause of climate change. These emissions significantly impact

our planet, resulting in increased temperatures, extreme weather events, and environmental disruptions.

The Canadian government has been actively promoting a transition to a low-carbon economy that considers coal workers and other affected people. By identifying and reducing the sources of carbon emissions, we may be able to mitigate the effects of global warming and work toward a sustainable future. Canada’s dedication to decreasing emissions and transitioning to cleaner energy sources is a beneficial step in tackling this global problem.

Can environmental pollutants influence epigenetic changes?

Maya Viegas

Varsity

Contributor

Heavily condensed in the nucleus of every cell in our body is a copy of our entire genome, but each cell has a specialized function based on the set of its genes that are ‘turned on.’ Epigenetic modifications can change DNA structure, lowering gene expression and turning genes on and off as an adaptive response to the environment. The term epigenetics refers to the study of changes in our gene expression that don’t alter the DNA sequence itself.

Recent evidence suggests that environmental pollutants can alter epigenetic modification of our DNA — that chemicals might alter the expression of our genes.

What are epigenetic modifications?

Through the work of proteins called transcription factors, various genes in our DNA are expressed as different proteins with varying functions in the cell. Epigenetic modifications affect which genes can be expressed.

DNA methylation is an epigenetic modifica tion. Methyl groups — chemical groups con sisting of a carbon molecule bound to three hydrogen molecules — attach to genes to block them from being read by transcription factors — turning a gene off such that it is not expressed into a protein.

Histone modifications are another example of epigenetic change. Histones are the structural proteins that DNA wraps around to form compact, stable structures of DNA.

Adding methyl or other chemical groups to histones influences how tightly the DNA is con densed. Tightly compacted DNA can’t be read by transcription factors, preventing the expres sion of its genes.

How industrial pollutants influence epigenetic modifications

Industrial pollutants and toxins can alter DNA methylation patterns in animals. Also, long peri ods of heat stress can modify histones to make heat-tolerant genes more accessible than oth ers. As the climate patterns change, so does the

Evidence that pollutants affect DNA expression

expression of specific genes in our DNA.

Consider polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): a class of chemicals that result from burning coal, oil, gas, wood, garbage, tobacco, and even cooking food at high temperatures. When metabolized by the human body, PAHs can bind to DNA, causing gene damage and interfering with methylation patterns.

In San Luis Potosi, Mexico, brickmakers are exposed to high amounts of chemicals during the firing process. Particularly, these brick kilns release PAHs when the organic materials used in them as fuel combust incompletely. In 2013, researchers at the University of San Luis Potosi analyzed the levels of DNA methylation in exposed brickmakers, expecting to find abnormal levels of methylation caused by PAH exposure — and they did.

The researchers discovered that the p53 gene was hypomethylated — that is, it showed decreased epigenetic methylation. p53 is a gene

This particular epigenetic pattern was also observed in a study conducted at the University of Padova in Italy as a consequence of the PAH exposure faced by Polish coke-oven workers, who work with fuel in industrial settings.

The researchers soon realized, however, that the epigenetic changes they saw in San Luis Potosi weren’t exclusive to brickmakers. Mexican and Peruvian women using firewood combustion and biomass stoves — stoves that burn biomass fuel for heat — to cook food displayed comparably high levels of PAH-induced epigenetic modifications.

Pollutants influence changes implicated in chronic disease

In 2023, the European Molecular Biology Organization conducted a review on the harmful effects of PAHs. Some scientists think PAHs affect methylation patterns in genes involved in the immune system — such as genes encoding cytokines.

To add fuel to the fire, these epigenetic modifications could be hereditary. If the DNA methylation patterns are modified in the sperm or the egg, successive generations could be born predisposed to autoimmune conditions and worsened cardiovascular health.

And PAHs aren’t the only culprits under investigation. Wildfire pollutants have increased with human-induced climate change. Pollutant exposure has been correlated with a vast range of conditions. A review by McGill University found that exposure to these pollutants can induce epigenetic changes that are implicated in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Emerging research, however, offers a silver lining. Since epigenetic modifications don’t impact the DNA sequence itself, drug therapies could reverse the patterns induced by pollutants. Understanding how to interpret and regulate our genomes’ regulation system could be the key to mitigating the lasting impact of pollutants on human health.

Man-made greenhouse gases trap heat, contributing to global warming. COURTESY OF FEMA AND ANDREA BOOHER/CC WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Mekhi Quarshie Managing Online Editor

If there was a U of T course called “The Ecology of Frank Herbert’s Dune 101,” the average would be a 60, and the final exam would take lightyears to study for. The 1965 science fiction novel has baked its way into the consciousness of generations, and much of this can be attributed to its intricate world-building.

Dune’s climate crisis

The novel’s events take place on Arrakis, a hot desert planet where water is scarce and death is plentiful. To understand Arrakis, throw everything you know about Earth in a blender with gravel and sand. The animals of Dune? Kit foxes, kangaroo mice, and desert bats. The weather? Try stormy, with a chance of electrically charged wind, sand, and dust that travel at the speed of 500 kilometres per hour. The people? The Fremen, a subclass of human warriors, are trained to fight the second they pop out of the womb. These are the elements that the main character, Paul Atreides, and his family are forced to deal with when they arrive on the planet.

Got all that? We’re not done. Now consider the interaction between all those elements. The Sandworms — 400-metre-long worms — dig burrows under the ground of Dune and stabilize the ecosystem. When the sandworms die, they produce a resource called spice, which does everything from powering intergalactic spaceflight to giving humans enhanced cognitive abilities.

Too many people read Dune and think that the spice is the most sought-after resource on the planet. Don’t be fooled. The most sought-after resource on the putrid plains of Arrakis is water, and this fact leaks through the cracks, drip by drip, in the internal politics of the novel.

Halfway through the novel, Paul and his mother, Jessica, are invited into a cavern to take part in a funeral rite, in which the Fremen extract and redistribute the water from the bodies of their dead kin. In the process, the two uncover a secret system of caverns full of water, running deep down in the depths of Arrakis.

The collection process to build these caverns has been going on for years, for a specific goal.

Stilgar, a leader of the Fremen, proudly exclaims, “We know within a million decalitres how much we need. When we have it, we shall change the face of Arrakis.”

What is seemingly a desolate, hopeless dry world is actually a planet on the cusp of terraforming, all thanks to the patience and restraint of the Fremen and the accuracy of their water storage system.

The Fremen display a voracious appetite to improve the state of their planet despite the possibility of change being hundreds of years away. Why can’t we, humans on Earth, be more like this? Even though Canadians are aware of the climate crisis, research shows that few believe it requires more urgent action than other political concerns. Even fewer trust the Canadian government to adequately tackle the crisis.

The Varsity sat down with UTSC political science Professor and Co-Director of the Environmental Governance Lab (EGL) Matthew Hoffmann to get to the bottom of this exact dilemma.

Climate fiction at U of T

Hoffmann noted our reluctance to adopt more sustainable initiatives that diverge from the status quo comes from the current economic system: “There’s something with the way late-stage capitalism has generated instant gratification that I think has contributed to making it hard to think beyond ourselves and our current period.”

While Hoffmann alluded to the many philosophies that think about climate action in a more long-term manner — such as Indigenous ways of knowing — he acknowledged that corporate interests, power, and individualism are “actively feeding ideas of ‘the good life’ being tied to fossil energy use,” therefore limiting our imagination about how a sustainable future can be achieved.

Climate fiction has sought to breach that limit with books like Frank Herbert’s Dune, and more recently, Elvia Wilks’s Death by Landscape and Kim Stanley Robinson’s Ministry for the Future Climate fiction may allow readers to fill in the gaps in the intellectual path between the current environmental climate and a more sustainable future. U of T’s EGL is trying its best to fill that gap,

and Hoffmann has been a formative part of that.

The tri-campus EGL is a place for graduate students and faculty to have conversations and network, but it’s also where Hoffmann worked with colleagues on the lab’s latest climate fiction magazine, We Did It!?.

Set in Canada in the year 2050, the first volume features stories that take place in a hypothetical world that reached an 80 per cent reduction in fossil fuel emissions.

Hoffmann explained that the world climate fiction exists in is fictional, but the axioms of that world can be rooted in reality. “We think it’s possible to combine those… imaginative processes with the social science, the technical science that we have around climate change,” Hoffmann noted.

Much like the planet Arrakis, a sustainable future may seem far away, so far that goals like the net-zero-by-2030 goal instituted by the Government of Canada may seem fictional. However, works of art like Dune and We Did It!? make this seemingly impossible world a little more plausible.

If the goals of a sustainable future seem insurmountable to you, take a page out of Dune, and do not fear. As Bene Gesserit says, “Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration.”

absorption has increased the ocean’s acidity, taking a massive toll on ocean species. Further, throughout this time, global ocean temperatures have been rising at alarming rates because atmospheric carbon dioxide traps heat, which warms up water bodies.

These effects are a problem for species that inhabit the layer closest to the surface, like phytoplanktons and warm-water corals, both of which are essential to the ecosystems of the ocean’s upper layer.

Much like how different animals adapt to colder and warmer temperatures, marine life has also adapted over millions of years to survive at specific temperatures and certain levels of sunlight. But humans have put marine species’ way of life at risk. Rising ocean temperatures have caused marine species to migrate away from the surface — away from sunlight — into colder areas that fit their optimum temperature ranges.

number of fish and other species that can survive in the ocean and greatly affecting the global food supply. Secondly — and maybe even more catastrophically — as the amount of photosynthesis carried out by phytoplanktons decreases, they will take out less carbon dioxide from our atmosphere, further amplifying the effects of carbon emissions. Put simply, more downward migration of photosynthetic marine species leads to lower photosynthesis and, in turn, lower carbon dioxide uptake in a dangerous self-feeding loop.

Shlok Vora Varsity Contributor

Some of the most prominent impacts of climate change affect wildlife that inhabit the upper layer of the ocean — a once-thriving zone of biodiversity that is slowly dying off due to the effects of

humanity’s continuous carbon emissions.

Ever since the industrial revolution, man-made carbon emissions have increased dramatically. Until recent years, this increase of carbon in the atmosphere was mitigated by the ocean absorbing a significant amount of this output. However, this has not been without consequence; carbon

One of these migrating species is phytoplankton: a microscopic species that produces energy through photosynthesis and, much like plants on land, serves as the basis of many oceanic food webs. As global warming worsens, phytoplanktons slowly migrate deeper and deeper into the ocean. These organisms — which not only produce oxygen for themselves but also for a multitude of ocean species — will slowly grow more and more unproductive since they are further away from the higher ‘photic’ layer of the ocean, where they absorb the light they need to photosynthesize.

This has two major effects. Firstly, it will reduce the amount of energy supplied at the start of ocean food webs, thus reducing the overall

Much like the phytoplankton, warm-water corals — which serve as major habitats for many fish species and form an integral part of the seabed, supporting virtually all ocean species that call the subsurface layer their home — also have a certain temperature and acidity that they find optimal. However, unlike the phytoplankton, moving deeper into the ocean is not an option for corals since they’re stationary. They simply have to accept their grim fate.

The signs of this are apparent all over the world as corals lose their colour in a process called coral bleaching. Under these high-stress situations, corals expel the algae that serve as a food source for corals and give them their vibrant colours, leaving them as vulnerable, white shells. Along with their algae, corals effectively expel their inhabitants too, turning a once thriving habitat into a white barren wasteland.

All in all, the effects of climate change reach so much farther than the overt effects we see on the surface. When we look just below the horizon, we see the true impacts that we, as humans, are having not only on ourselves but also on other organisms and habitats all over the world.

When it comes to saving the environment, Frank Herbert’s Dune did it right

U of T’s Matthew Hoffman on how the climate fiction canon can blast us into a more sustainable future

world engulfed by sand. MEKHI QUARSHIE/THE VARSITY

The effects of the climate crisis go deep

NILIMA PAUL/THE VARSITY

Global warming affects ocean life as much as it affects us

Food solutions for a buzzworthy future

Vertical farming and robotic bees could help us tackle global food insecurity

Anuraag Kumar Nair Varsity Contributor

Our current era has witnessed the rise of global problems such as overpopulation, resource scarcity, and pollution. Two problems of particular importance are the rapid degradation of farm land and increasing stresses on food production systems.

With the world’s population crossing eight billion individuals as of November 2022, farming and livestock industries are under stress to meet humanity’s Herculean dietary needs. Currently, modern agriculture is extremely water-intensive, utilizing almost 70 per cent of the planet’s freshwater supply and contributing to about 21 to 37 per cent of total global emissions.

With rapidly shrinking ecosystems and dire shortages of arable land, alternative farming needs to move beyond looking into genetic solutions — such as creating high-yielding variety seeds — or promoting mechanical implements to boost output. Farming needs to be space-effective, benefit its local community, and reduce agricultural produce delivery, thereby reducing carbon emissions.

Vertical farming and its benefits

Imagine an indoor, temperature-controlled environment where crops are grown in enclosed stacks, each row on top of the other. The crops’ growth would be contingent on specified inputs of water, carbon dioxide, and nutrients — as well as emerging technologies such as artificial sunlight, vertical irrigation lines, and customized nutritional schedules.

While many methods of indoor crop production already exist, such as greenhouses and hydroponic gardens — crops cultivated without soil by only using water enriched with nutrients — vertical

farming stands apart, as it is fundamentally based on the optimization of space. An installation that supports vertical farming could theoretically eliminate the need for acres of arable land and soil while simultaneously eliminating transportation costs and reducing greenhouse emissions.

If vertical farming is sustainably integrated into urban planning, cities would no longer rely on transporting crops from rural areas, self-sufficiently meeting the food production needs of their residents.

Moreover, vertical farms in cities might help mitigate other municipal issues by reusing wastewater to irrigate crops. Using sewage in powering such installations could further energy efficiency as well.

Since the inauguration of the world’s first vertical farming installation in Singapore in 2012, the concept of including vertical farms in urban planning mechanisms to provide for the cities of the future has seemed plausible. A systemic push toward vertical farming would not only help humanity meet its sustainable development goals but also provide new job opportunities and revitalize research on alternative farming.

The limitations of vertical farming and robotic bees

The vertical farming model is not without its own set of limitations and challenges. Even if vertical farming can help cut down on emissions, it’s important to consider how water-intensive it can be. While vertical farming can use up to 98 per cent less water than outdoor agriculture, it still requires a continuous water supply that could exacerbate stresses on urban water supply networks.

Moreover, while modern vertical farming units have successfully grown crops such as lettuce and tomatoes that don’t require much water, other

Carbon capture: The next big thing?

Elizabeth Xu Varsity Contributor

Given the current global projections of 34 billion tons of annual carbon emissions, simply increasing efforts to reduce emissions will not be adequate to prevent global warming.

Significant negative emissions — meaning the removal of carbon from the air — will be necessary to counterbalance the global carbon output. According to the US Department of Energy, President Joe Biden’s ambitious plan for a net-zero emissions economy would require annual capture and storage between 400 million and 1.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Canada’s goal is to capture and store 15 million tons of CO2 per year by 2030 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40–45 per cent from 2005 levels. This task can be accomplished through the natural process of carbon capture by trees or through carbon capture technology. However, as natural solutions such as planting trees are relatively expensive and time-consuming, carbon capture technology will be crucial in meeting climate goals.

Methods of carbon capture

Two common methods of carbon capture include direct air capture and carbon capture and storage. Direct air capture involves capturing and concentrating carbon directly from the air. On the other hand, carbon capture and storage involves removing CO2 from concentrated emissions streams, such as the smokestacks of steel factories, through processes known as pre-combustion.

Meanwhile, post-combustion is a third method of carbon capturing that involves separating

CO2 from fossil fuel combustion using chemical solvents. Post-combustion is useful as carbon can be stored underground for future reuse. For example, Toronto-based company CarbonFree develops patented technologies, such as SkyCycle™ and SkyMine®, to transform industrial waste to useful, commercial chemicals; for example, it can convert captured CO2 to sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda. Captured carbon can also be extracted for enhanced oil recovery, where CO2 gas increases the pressure of an oil reservoir, efficiently pulling the oil to the production wells.

Economic feasibility of carbon capture

Previously, carbon capture technology was not an economically viable solution for addressing climate change. In 2011, the American Physical Society — a nonprofit organization that represents physicists across many national laboratories and industries throughout the world — estimated the price of capturing a tonne of carbon using direct air capture technology was 600 USD.

However, recent advancements have made carbon capture more affordable, renewing optimism in its economic viability. In a 2018 paper in Joule, a scientific journal, the price estimate for the latest direct air capture technology by the company Carbon Engineering was reduced from 600 USD to between 94 and 232 USD per ton.

In fact, carbon capture and storage uses inexpensive materials to capture CO2 from dirty industry exhaust gas, making it even cheaper than direct air capture. With advances in the economic feasibility of carbon capture, the idea of companies offsetting their own carbon emissions is expanding beyond environmental benefits to becoming a potentially novel, lucrative industry.

crops with different irrigation needs are not as easy to grow.

The complexity of growing different varieties of crops requiring different nutritional inputs, water dosages, and times to gestate and grow means that any vertical farming facility would not only require a highly trained team of support staff to monitor crop production but also need to be powered 24/7 and have access to a steady supply of freshwater. Therefore, the operational costs of vertical farming remain quite high.

Perhaps the biggest and most complex obstacle by far is the tenability of indoor pollination mechanisms. The issue with using good old regular honey bees in vertical farming is that they are not as effective in such an enclosed space as they would be outdoors. Artificial light from LED lights might hamper their sense of direction, and natural pollination is always a painstakingly time-consuming process.

So, what is the suitable alternative? Robotic bees, of course. While they’re currently far from being a perfect technology, scientists worldwide are actively working to see how artificial bees can help pollinate under the right conditions by using artificial intelligence, spatial sensing, and mapping.

Though typically small in size, the scope and potential for these robotic minions are enormous. One current prototype is the RoboBee, a small,

insect-sized robotic bee developed by researchers at the Wyss Institute of Harvard University, which uses tiny artificial muscles that can contract and relax. According to the Wyss Institute, the goal of the RoboBee project is to “develop autonomous micro-aerial vehicles capable of self-contained, self-directed flight and of achieving coordinated behavior in large groups” — behavior much akin to that of a normal bee but more efficient.

The advantage of using such hard-working mechanical workers is that they would facilitate a more efficient pollination process and help tackle a number of issues, such as limiting pathogens, enhancing productivity, and theoretically helping in crop production for future space missions. Because robotic bees have longer lifespans than natural bees, their net productivity will be higher than that of regular bees, enabling them to work for longer periods.

The future for alternative farming is truly exciting and has vast potential to meet humanity’s current and future demands. Perhaps it wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume that in a few short decades, the vegetables in your burrito bowl from the local Chipotle could be sourced from an indoor farm down the block the size of a skyscraper, aided by tens of thousands of tiny, drone-like robotic bees. Sounds like something straight out of Black Mirror, doesn’t it?

Institutional involvement in carbon capture Notable players in the oil and gas industry are embracing carbon capture. For example, ExxonMobil, a natural gas company, projects that the carbon capture industry could reach a revenue of 6 trillion USD by 2050.

With other companies and startups following with large-scale carbon capture initiatives to build 100 facilities of large-scale Direct Air Capture by 2035, research company Wood Mackenzie predicts that carbon capture could attract 150 billion USD in investments by the end of the decade.

Technologists expect that carbon removal will follow the path of waste management, starting as an expensive endeavour and later evolving into a profitable business.

Government support can also play a crucial role in jumpstarting the carbon capture industry through initiatives such as the Inflation Reduction Act in the US, which provides financial incentives for corporations supporting carbon offsets. Buyers of carbon credits — a removal service of CO2 emissions to compensate for emissions made — including tech firms, are already seeking decarbonization services to bolster their environmentally-conscious image.

Microsoft plans to capture 2.7 million tons of carbon through Danish clean energy company Orsted, a renewable energy company. Additionally, major

tech companies like Alphabet, Meta, Stripe, and Shopify have joined forces with Charm Industrial to remove 112,000 tons of CO2 by 2030 by converting agricultural waste such as vegetable and fruit waste for biofuel production instead of leaving them to decompose and produce CO2 emissions. Biofuel is a more environmentally friendly alternative to petroleum because it produces fewer toxins and is biodegradable.

As interest in carbon capture can bolster a progressive environmental image, other sectors are also showing interest. JPMorgan Chase, a financial services company, plans to invest $200 million in purchasing credits from carbon removal firms.

Even some members of the oil industry are embracing carbon capture: the world’s largest oil producer, Saudi Aramco, plans to increase its carbon capture and storage capacity fivefold. It is working to make its Mega Carbon Storage facility in Jubail Industrial City operational by 2027.

While there are still challenges surrounding carbon capture, such as the cost of scaling up operations and reducing costs, the growing interest from various industries and the support of government initiatives hold great potential for addressing climate change, paving the way for carbon capture to become a game changer in the battle against carbon emissions.

Vertical farms offer a more space-efficient, local farming method. COURTESY OF LIANOLAND WIMONS

With the increasing economic feasibility of carbon capture, companies are investing more to reduce their carbon output. COURTESY OF MORGRE/CC WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Racing across the Outback: Blue Sky Solar Racing’s biggest challenge

The four-year development of the solar-powered racecar Borealis

Ahmad Khan Associate Sports Editor

U of T’s own solar-powered racing team, Blue Sky Solar Racing, is currently in Australia with their car — the Gen 11: Borealis — preparing to race in the World Solar Challenge (WSC), a 3000-kilometre route from cities Darwin to Adelaide.

Set to begin on October 20, the race will mark the culmination of four years of work for a team that includes over 50 U of T students.

Building the Borealis

The process of designing the Borealis began with Blue Sky’s aerodynamics team, who created a simple conceptual design for the car. Afterward, Blue Sky’s other technical subteams joined in and designed their own systems, including the car’s suspension and electrical systems. At this point, Blue Sky had various designs they were considering and had to decide which was the most efficient and feasible to manufacture.

Next up in the process was the details stage — this is where the team got into the nitty gritty calculations. The mechanical team ran simulations to ensure the car’s safety, and went through load calculations, while the electrical team focused on making their printed circuit board designs. At the same time, the array subteam worked to find the best setup for the car’s different photovoltaic cells — devices that convert light into energy, also known as solar cells — to make the car as efficient as possible.

After this, the long and complex manufacturing stage began, in which the fabrication team spent more than a year creating the Borealis.

Rigorous testing followed, as the team ensured the car was ready for the Australian Outback, where it went via ocean freight.

Teamwork, coordination and cooperation

Waiting at the port was the Blue Sky Solar Racing team, headed by their two team managers: Nikitha Manickam, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student, and Aria Qadir, a third-year mechanical engineering graduate student.

Manickam deals with all the logistics of the team: dealing with insurance, testing locations, managing permits and race regulations, as well as timelining the entire project. Meanwhile, Qadir operates as the chief engineer, supervising all of the technical sub-teams, including aerodynamics, mechanical, structural, array, electrical, and strategy. Crucially, he also serves as the bridge between the different teams, ensuring coordination.

Coordination and cooperation were always a focus for the two leads. Creating a support system was essential to handle the challenges that come with being part of Blue Sky Solar Racing. Team members are given important tasks and responsibilities for specific parts of the process, from design to manufacturing.

Conflicting opinions was another challenge. Having an open environment in which they could make decisions as a team was crucial to moving forward. The team had to create a close-knit community for the unique challenges of the development cycle.

Challenges in the process

For over 25 years, the cycle for WSC teams to build a car and participate in competitions has been two years long. That cycle changed when

the 2021 WSC was cancelled due to COVID-19. Development never stopped for Blue Sky, who, following the news, had their sights set on the 2022 American Solar Challenge (ASC). Thus, Borealis was built with ASC regulations in mind — but unfortunately, it wasn’t finished in time to race in the ASC.

With their sights returning to the 2023 WSC, the team had to remodify the car. The team had to backtrack to the design stage to ensure that Borealis complied with WSC regulations. For example, the shape of the body of the car — the ‘aerobody’ — had to be modified to still be aerodynamic, but now with a license plate on the back, as required by the WSC. Alternatively, the ASC had stricter safety regulations, meaning Blue Sky had to replace sections of the car to make Borealis as efficient as could be for the WSC, which wasn’t as restrictive.

Even without the pandemic, the team already had their hands full with how they would handle the Outback. Heat exhaustion for the drivers was a big concern, as air conditioning couldn’t be incorporated into the car due to the loss of power it would cause. The lack of a consistent telecommunications signal also created additional logistical challenges to ensure the team could communicate throughout the race.

Ready to compete

Nevertheless, in spite of all the challenges presented by COVID-19, racing regulations, and Australia itself, Blue Sky Solar Racing and the Borealis are ready to compete.

Compared to previous generations of Blue

Sky cars, this car is lighter, meaning it’s more efficient. Reducing the width allowed the team to create a car with a lower drag coefficient, meaning the Borealis is also faster. The car is more powerful, meaning it can travel further, thanks to a jump in the technology of photovoltaic cells.

With the race set to begin on October 20, nerves on the team are high. Ending up in a good position will ensure the team acquires sponsors for the next development cycle.

“You just look back at all of the amount of time… sleepless nights, countless hours that [the team] have spent [on] the car. You want to end up in a good position,” Qadir said. That isn’t an easy task, especially considering that the lengthened development cycle meant the team lost skills and knowledge provided by previous team members who graduated.

Other teams competing in the WSC are made up of master’s students who take a year off from school for the project. However, Blue Sky Solar Racing is made up of mostly undergraduate students who do the project and school fulltime.

“It’s kind of like a ‘Holy crap’ moment, where you realize that you’re balancing these two things that take up so much of your time,” Manickam said in an interview with The Varsity. “The [fact] that we’re able to get the car out was like… we actually pulled that shit off?”

The team did pull it off, and now all that’s left to do is race. You can follow Blue Sky Solar’s journey on blueskysolar.org, which shows the team’s live location, or keep up with the team on their Instagram and LinkedIn.

Formula 1’s race to sustainability: A climate commitment or greenwashing? A dive into F1’s true impact on the environment

Elissa Diya Varsity Contributor

From travelling the world to competing with cutting-edge technology, Formula 1 (F1) has been notorious in motorsports for its luxury and glitz. However, behind the roaring V6 engines and the glitz of the pit lane lie significant environmental challenges.

F1 produces a large carbon footprint and has been heavily criticized by environmentalists and its drivers over the years for some of its practices. Some drivers have been taking individual climate action — for example, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel drove to most of his European races last season, opting out of flying, like he and most drivers normally do. Although F1 as a sport has committed to a greener future, it’s important to be conscious of whether its promises are attainable or if this commitment is an attempt to greenwash the sport.

F1’s biggest environmental challenge is its carbon footprint; with 10 teams, 20 cars, and 23 races held in different countries, F1 emits approximately over 256,000 tons of carbon dioxide every season. The sport’s environmental impact is undeniable, as F1 cars’ high-performance engines fuelled by gasoline burn copious amounts of fossil fuels each race. F1 should not be exempt as the entire world strives to decrease carbon emissions; its emissions are adding to the greenhouse effect, thus fuelling the climate crisis.

However, the primary contributor to the sport’s

carbon emissions is not the cars themselves. While high-performance engines do play a part in emissions, it is worth noting that only approximately 0.7 per cent of the sport’s carbon emissions stem from the usage of F1 cars. The rest comes from spectators travelling to and from the venues and the energy needed to power F1 race tracks, especially for night races. Additionally, the extensive international travel and logistics associated with car production and repair, as well as track maintenance, have increased significantly over the years.

Nevertheless, the fact that F1’s engines account for this percentage only highlights the carbon emissions generated by F1’s global operations, signifying the urgent need for the sport to address its environmental impact.

It is crucial to acknowledge the efforts the sport has made to increase environmental consciousness. Over the years, F1 has introduced many regulations to reduce its carbon footprint, such as by standardizing of cars to V6 engines — a much smaller engine that is intended to promote fuel efficiency and support environmentally-friendly racing.

Similarly, another debate regarding F1 consumption is tire usage and waste. On a standard Grand Prix race weekend, teams are given 11 sets of tires for the weekend. Some drivers deem the number of tires needed for each race unnecessary, while others disagree, asserting that different tire sets are essential for each country’s race track and what it demands. A huge concern is that drivers don’t use some sets of tires, such as wet or dry

tires, resulting in them being discarded.

As a result, F1 has committed to recycling tires as fuel for cement manufacturing. The recycling and repurposing of discarded F1 tires is a notable step toward waste reduction. However, why should the tires be transported to races if they won’t be used in the first place?

Similarly, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) intends to be net zero by 2030; meaning that by 2030, it intends to reduce its carbon emissions by 50 per cent. Its pursuit of net-zero waste is a

desirable objective, but it must achieve that goal with a sincere dedication to sustainability, to avoid the greenwashing trap.

F1 can move closer to this goal by employing significant changes like recycling tires, procuring racetrack materials ethically, and reducing carbon emissions from travel. To create successful outcomes, the FIA needs to be more transparent. F1 must address its environmental impact even as it continues to engage viewers worldwide. The sport’s recent commitments to sustainability are encouraging, but they are just the start. It’s time for F1 to improve its efforts, lessen its carbon footprint, and adopt better policies that help the environment. As fans, we have a responsibility to demand ethical behaviour from F1 drivers and support a greener, more sustainable future for the sport. Reducing F1’s harmful impact will benefit the environment and future generations.

The Blue Sky Solar Racing team presents their new car, the Gen 11: Borealis. COURTESY OF NIKITHA MANICKAM VIA BLUE SKY SOLAR RACING

Anne Yeomans: A brilliant athlete, teammate, and sustainability enthusiast

Yeomans talks with The Varsity about Blues soccer, the current season, and green energy

Lina Obeidat Varsity Contributor

Anne Yeomans is a third-year chemical engineering student at U of T and plays as a forward for the Varsity Blues women’s soccer team. She’s pretty good, too — in her rookie year with the team, Yeomans was a starting player for almost every match. She sat down with The Varsity to talk about the beginnings of her soccer career, what it’s been like to play for the Blues, and what her plans are for this season and post-U of T.

Ringette or soccer?

Yeomans played virtually every single sport made available to her in high school, including ringette, field hockey, basketball, volleyball, and of course, soccer. Yet, it wasn’t until she came close to finishing high school that she had to pick a sport to commit to and carry on with into university.

The decision was difficult — at that point, Yeomans was torn between ringette and soccer. Ultimately, the decision was influenced by the fact that there weren’t many universities that offered ringette as an intercollegiate sports program and she found more success playing soccer. “More coaches [were] reaching out for [soccer],” she explained.

Becoming a Varsity Blue

Yeomans was introduced to almost an entirely different version of soccer in 2021 when she met Angelo Cavalluzzo, the associate head coach of the Blues women’s soccer team. She explained that in her experience, many teams sort of just “dump and run,” which means that they don’t put much thought into where the ball is going. Yet, Cavalluzzo was very focused on strategy and teaching the players to adapt to every move by the opposition so that they could “change the game” and allow it to continue in their favour.

That year, the team made it to the Ontario University Athletics quarterfinal, playing against the Western University Mustangs. Despite their devas-

tating loss, it’s a game that remains one of the highlights of Yeomans’ time on the team. Why? Because so many peo ple had showed up to watch them play.

I’ve got a pretty good view of Varsity Centre from where I live, so I’ll almost always know when there’s a soccer game happening. I’ll also likely be able to identify if it’s the men’s or the wom en’s soccer team that’s playing; while both teams are very talented and play at a very high level, the women’s team usually generates a smaller audi ence than the men’s team does.

As a result, the giant audience at the Mustangs game wasn’t something Yeomans was used to, so it was all very dreamlike for her. A good audi ence, Yeomans explained, “always makes a big difference in the game”; they bring a certain type of energy that “makes you kind of play harder” and gives each pass, each goal, a more gratifying feel.

The season ahead

This year, there are more rookies on the team roster than usual, which has changed the team’s dynam ic. Therefore, Yeomans is looking forward to getting to know the newer players better and strengthen ing the dynamic between them, “Because that has always been [the team’s] biggest asset — [their ability] to work together on the field.”

According to Yeomans, team building is in the small things. “I remember [how before the semester began], we walked around, and I tried to show them all [of] their classes and [help] find all their rooms and that sort of thing,” she explained. “Doing things like that, I think, is important just to make them feel welcome and more secure.”

Yeomans continued to explain that the sense of inclusion and security is important because it affects the way new players play She was once a rookie herself and knows how difficult it can be to enter into a team with older players. As a result, Yeomans is doing what she can to “take away that age difference” so everyone can do what they came to do and “just play soccer.”

Scoring goals for the planet

From plastic bottles to the pitch: Developing eco-friendly soccer jerseys

create a better environment. One of them is to recycle plastic.

When I asked Yeomans about her plans beyond this season, she told me she doesn’t see herself playing professional soccer after graduating from U of T. Instead, she plans to put her chemical engineering degree to use and work at an energy company.

“[Not] an oil and gas company,” she clarified. “I’d want to go toward an energy company that’s looking for green solutions and that sort of thing.” She is gearing up for that this academic year by taking several courses on topics like energy policy and the future of the climate crisis.

Yeomans believes people must be more educated about “what they can do on a community level” to combat the climate crisis. That education should not come from a place of fear but, instead, a place of hope.

As fans started to see the jerseys on their favourite players, it became evident that the pursuit of sustainability was not just a passing trend but a commitment that would shape the future of sports apparel for years to come.

Eco-friendly practices

“The inaction can then be comfortable,” she explained. “[Creating] a tendency to lean on other people to make lifestyle changes and… fix the world.”

Yeomans is very motivated by hope. “The right steps are being taken and… life-changing innovations have been made and just need to be implemented,” she wrote. “I want to build off those innovations and be part of the teams coming up with more solutions.”

Apart from this admirable and optimistic vision, Yeomans is certain that soccer will remain a part of her life after graduation, whether she plays for a local or League1 Ontario team. Until then, Yeomans hopes to simply enjoy the years she has left with the Blues and see how much success they can achieve together.

sustainability regulations. Hopefully, sports brands can be pioneers in that change as well.

In recent years, soccer jerseys have become fashion statements — what was once considered sportswear reserved only for match days has evolved into a global style phenomenon. A particular fashion style of wearing jerseys with jeans and vintage shirts has even received the name “blokecore” among young soccer fans in the United Kingdom and North America.

As these jerseys grace runways, streets, and social media feeds, their unique connection of sport and style will continue to attract more attention. The Athletic reported that German club FC Bayern Munich sold the most soccer shirts globally in 2021, with over 3.25 million units. Considering the average price for a kit in the UK is 80 pounds, it doesn’t take long to figure out this is a huge industry.

We can’t understand the rising popularity of soccer jerseys without the term fast fashion: the rapid production of clothing — like soccer jerseys — at low cost, often at the expense of environmental risk and huge waste. There are ways manufacturers can prevent the horrible outcomes of fast fashion. Fortunately, sports brands and clubs have begun entering the era of sustainable, eco-friendly sports appeal.

Plastic bottle jerseys

So far, brands are focused on two key ways to help

The beginning of a profound shift in the sports apparel industry toward sustainability was in 2010. Specifically, Nike pioneered an effort to create environmentally-friendly soccer jerseys from recycled materials and set a precedent for future innovation in environmentally-conscious sportswear. Several teams, including Brazil, Portugal, and the Netherlands, wore these recycled jerseys by Nike — made from only eight plastic bottles each — in the 2010 World Cup.

As part of Nike’s Move to Zero initiative, Nike’s Vice President of Sustainable Innovation, Seana Hannah, explained to GQ in a 2020 article that Nike’s materials supplier transforms plastic bottles by chopping them into flakes, melting them, and spinning them into yarn. This process prevents the bottles from going to landfills. She adds that, compared to other jerseys, these recycled jerseys provide better performance than other non-recycled jerseys, with breathable material. As a result, they significantly reduced energy consumption in the manufacturing process, while also showing that fashion and environmental responsibility could coexist.

In the last 13 years, more than 7.5 billion plastic bottles have been recycled by Nike to make jerseys. Nike, Puma and Adidas have all established goals to produce clothing using mostly recycled materials in the near future.

Another beneficial action teams and brands can take is to gather used jerseys, and clothes from fans to prevent waste and recycle the material for future use. For example, Manchester City encourage fans to bring their old clothes to recycling drives in stadiums and be a part of a bigger change.

Professional leagues have also embraced sustainabil ity with aesthetically pleasing, eco-friendly practices. Major League Soccer’s launch of the One Planet Kit, entirely made from recycled plastic, not only appeals to the eye but also aims to connect emotionally with fans through visuals of the ocean. It sym bolizes the shared responsi bility for our planet's future.

These are efforts to make sports clothing sustainable, but they are still limited: cur rently, less than one per cent of clothing in general is recycled globally, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Further more, recycling alone can’t solve fashion’s sustainability issues. Instead, businesses need to change their mod els and governments need to enact

Jerseys symbolize what fans believe in and what they support. Fans adopting sustainability and environmental responsibility as an integral part of their support can lead to a deeper connection between sports and sustainability. This united effort can leverage the power of sports for the benefit of sustainability and environmental protection.

Atinc Goc Varsity Contributor

Anne Yeomans is one of the standout players on the women’s soccer team. COURTESY OF ARU DAS, SEYRAN MAMMADOV VIA VARSITY BLUES MEDIA

Several brands have committed to producing more sustainable jerseys. LUCAS GARCIA VIDAL/THEVARSITY