Fault Magazine - Sustainability Issue

SUSTAINABILITY ISSUE

The Sustainable Issue This month’s issue and articles, draw a specific focus on ideas of sustainability.

Each article visually and textually engages in sustainable categories, using minimal aesthetic qualities to further allow readers to be engrossed in the articles, accompanied by double columns, predominantly top heavy images, and single or double page images on title spreads.

The sustainable issue of FAULT is not only resourceful, though is factual and enlightening, forwarding an array of articles involving global issues, home and healthy living as well as science and technology. The general basis of this magazine is to give the reader clarity of the world around them, to make them think about it and to spark change in the way they see the world holistically. The magazine does not only mention these issues, but motivates the reader to hopefully create action in fixing mankind’s FAULTS and creating a healthier, more sustainable future.

06 12 32 44 54 4

FUTURE

06 The Sustainable Future

ENVIRONMENT 12 Marine Debris // 18 The Ballance Of Both Worlds // 23 Erase The Grey

HOME

28 What Is Upcycling? //34 The Happy Home

SELF

40 Sustanance// 46 Switch On To Happiness

CULTURE

50 Sustainability In Video Games// 54 Chose Your Own Escapism

SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

The

Sustainable Future

What will it take for mankind to come to terms with how close to the tipping point we are to irreversible damage to the world we live in.

Thomas Hadland

The

Sustainable Future “For it matters not

It takes 200 litres of water to create one latte, something that is bewildering when considering how

how small the beginning may seem to be: what is once well done is done well

forever.”

A

quote by philosopher Henry David Thoreau giving us an insight on the idea of creating a sustainable future.

‘Sustain’ in Latin has the meaning of being able to support, endure or maintain, and its up to mankind to save ourselves from what we have already set in motion.

much of an everyday item it is in Western Culture.

Looking further into every day items you could also see things such as the cup and plastic lid that is considered a consumable object. Plastic bags, lighters and plastic cutlery are all part of the problem due to their inability to biodegrade. The trouble with items such as these is that they do not break down for a very long time and the chemical bonds that bind them together are resistant to most natural processes.

Another thing that needs to drastically change is the use of fossil fuels. We need to start looking at more sustainable energy resources like uranium or thorium, which produces minimal waste and have a long

If we wish to create a sustainable future, we need to look

lasting use. When we look toward France and their

at the culture and the mind-set people have when it

nuclear power, we can see that minimal waste that

comes to many basic things in the world. Everything in

is produced. Since their use of nuclear power in the

is finite, and there is only a limited amount of resources

1980’s, the amount of waste that has been produced

to use before it is all gone. And it is with this knowledge

is no bigger then a football field, which is all auto-

that we need to look at renewable ways at sustaining and

mated with no pollution or green house gases. Given

preserving human life. Large developed countries have a

how dependent we have become on fossil fuels it is

tendency to considerably increase the stress on the planet’s

becoming increasingly obvious that climate change

resources, and this is a major contributor in the situation

is happening, and at a drastic speed. Electric and

that is unfolding. The countries that are contributing in a

water fuelled cars would be another way of effectively

significant way should look towards China, where they are

reducing the amount of fossil fuels that are used.

aiming to reduce the amount of energy consumption by 35% by 2020. The Chinese also have plans set in motion for a national strategy by looking at ways of saving energy, coal free consumption and renewable sources of energy.

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Restricting and setting boundaries of where cities can go to will help maintain the ecosystem. We are using about five planets worth of resources and with no way of sustaining it. A drastic or radical approach

SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

How much we are willing to take from the world before we

The way of dealing with this is “Radical Decarbonisation”,

actually start contributing to its wellbeing? One lecturer on

which is completely eliminating the use of fossil fuels and

‘TED-talks’ spoke of a way of trying to reduce the damage

completely turning towards clean energy.

we are causing, and of teaching the future generation to not contribute to or accelerate the destruction of the world.

Technology lies at the heart of this, but over the last forty

Johnathon Pomitt believes that a sustainable way of life is

fallen in love with fossil fuels, but we have a chance at

available to all of us, for seven billion people, however if

launching the third industrial revolution and a radical

the population increases to nine billion people by 2050,

redistribution of wealth. Pomitt believes that “Equity and

then that will be the point of no return. Five hundred and

technology” lies at the heart of building a permanent and

twenty billion dollars has been subsidized by the govern-

sustainable solution to this escalating problem.

ments on fossil fuels. This was a calculation done by the International Energy Agency, and it is a staggering and alarming figure.

10

years Pomitt has been sceptical of this. People have gullibly

But one thing is certain. Whichever way the world leans in the present, will certainly make for an interesting and consequential future.

SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

therefore may be needed in order to save the human race

“We cannot hope

in a way of thinking or an alternate lifestyle to reduce the amount of energy we currently use.

to create a

In the previous year of my studies an artist/lecturer who

sustainable culture

focused his work around climate change told us that scientists could decrease the effects of climate change, but at the expense of permanently disfiguring the sky.

with any but sustainable souls.�

More than 100 million tons of garbage are being dumped in our oceans every year, putting plants, animals and even ourselves in grave danger.

JULIA SOHN

Marine debris also known as marine litter can be redirected to the term “ocean dumping�. The term in general describes the accidental or deliberate dumping of human generated trash or toxins into lakes, rivers, oceans or other waterways.

Where does the garbage come from and what kind of impact does it have on us and our environment?

I

n the last years the production and consumption of plastic items has been increasing consistently.

We use plastic daily and often a lot more th an we even realize ourselves. A vast number of plastic items is thrown out in the trash and cart away for storage every day. But where exactly do these items go in the end? Although a lot of countries have developed ways of recycling or reusing garbage, most of it is still dumped in the one place that is easiest to reach : the ocean.

Today our waterways contain more than 100 million tons of plastic altogether, and that is still only 80% of the total amount of waste polluting the seas. With numbers like this,

newspaper

6 weeks

paper towels 2-4 weeks

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cardboard box

waxed milk carton

2 months

3 months

apple core 2 months

cotton glove 1-5 months

photodegradable 6-pk. ring 6 months

cotton rope 3-14 months

it is no wonder that there are more plastic pieces in the ocean’s gyres than plankton by now.

Studies of the coastlines of Spain, France and Italy have shown that each square kilometer of land there contained approximately 1,935 items of garbage. More than 77% percent of that was plastic and 93% of it consisted of plastic bags. At the coast of North America and Hawaii, researchers even found garbage in a depth below 200 meters. The pollution of our oceans is extremely high all over the world. The number of waste floating in our waterways is frightening and still increasing day by day.

biodegradable diaper 1 year

wool glove 1 year

painted woodden stick 13 years

plywood 1-3 years

styrofoam

90 years

tin can & styro. cup 50 years

plastic 6-pk- ring 400 years

alum. can 200 years

plastic bottles

450 years

disp. diaper 450 years

monofilament fishing line 600 years

glass bottles undetermined

Once the garbage is released into the seas, it stays there for a long period of time. Most of human generated waste decomposes only within a long period of time. For some items like plastic bottles or aluminum it takes up to 450 years until they have vanished from our oceans completely.

Plastic bottles, bags or any other items made of plastic are the main problem of marine debris, because they don’t biodegrade like natural debris does. If it is exposed to water over a long period of time, it starts to photodegrade.

The plastic breaks down into its different chemical components and releases toxins into the water. The currents mix the toxins with the water and carry it away over the oceans, causing the destruction of ecosystems all over the world.

Every year up to 100.000 sea turtles, marine mammals and 1.000.000 other sea creatures are endangered by this effect.

As fish constantly swim in the water, they are most vulnerable to consume chemical toxins like this and so we also suffer the consequences of the pollution. When we eat the fish, the toxins also enter our bodies. Therefore one could say we all are consuming parts of our own waste. Scientists still are not a hundred percent sure what kind of longterm impact the toxins have on our bodies, but we know for sure that ingredients like plasticizers cause diabetes, asthma or also cancer.

We throw the waste into our oceans to easily get rid of it, but in the end it still comes back to us. Just because

marine debris timeline

we can’t see the danger doesn’t mean that marine debris doesn’t cause a threat to plants, animals and even to ourselves. To sum it up: We eat our own trash!

Besides the dangerous toxins that the garbage leaches into the water, there are also a lot of other problems that are caused by ocean dumping in general. After the waste is dumped into the seas, it is vastly carried away by wind and currents, spreading itself all over the world’s oceans. Often the debris accumulates at the centre of gyres or on coastlines, where it is washed ashore in enormous amounts.

When plastic floats in water, it creates a serious threat to animals, boats and coasts. Animals often get stuck in fishing nets, that have been left in the ocean by fisherman. As the animals often can’t manage to free themselves on their own, they get strangled by the ropes or starve to death.

Ropes and some plastic items stick to the animals, causing painful wounds that don’t heal and cause infections and diseases. A lot of animals also consume the floating waste, because it looks similar to their natural prey. After they eat it, the waste blocks digestive tracts and causes starvation or also infection. Especially fish and seabirds are endangered by this problem. The birds also often feed the garbage to their offspring, causing them to die a long and painful death even before they were able to spread their wings and fly for the first time.

dia shi o

ber ing

alaska

north pacific

shio kuro

ia forn cali

CONVERGENCE ZONE

orial equat north equatorial countercurrent

south equatorial

great pacific garbage patch - pacific ocean’s gyres

What is done to prevent marine debris?

What is the great pacific garbage patch?

T

he great pacific garbage patch is an enormous accumulation of waste, located in the middle of the pacific ocean. As the debris is carried along by strong currents, it ends up in the middle of great ocean gyres. The pacific ocean contains the largest gyre in the world. The amount of garbage within this part of the sea is suggested to be more than the double size of Texas and the patch, all in all, contains more than 3 million tones of plastic. Within this amount of waste, there are 3 times more plastic particles in this area than natural plankton. Islands within the gyres have their coastlines flooded by waste. Especially Hawaii and the small Island of Midway are significantly affected by this phenomenon. On Midway, an Island more than 20.000 miles away from any human civilization, seabirds starve, suffocate or die from infections each day by the waste we throw away so carelessly. All in all the great pacific garbage patch shows us that we are destroying ecosystems of places we haven’t even set foot on yet by simply not caring enough.

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T

here are some organizations such as the “5 Gyres”, “Heal the Bay” or “Marina DeBris”, that specialize themselves on the research, reduction and prevention of oceanic waste. Floating debris in rivers and harbors can be dealt with easily. The organizations use so called “debris skimmer boats” to collect plastic from the waterways or install big nets at the end of rivers to prevent plastic to find its way into the ocean. At beaches or coastlines a lot of waste is being picked up by hand or by beach-cleaning machines. The biggest problem though, is the removal of garbage already floating within the sea. The removal of artificial debris there is still in its infancy. Some projects have been started to try and make first efforts in the fight against marine pollution. Huge ships with large nets gather the garbage floating in the sea and platforms within the gyres are designed to catch debris carried by the currents.

Because a lot of the garbage also sinks to the bottom of the sea, there is no way to remove all of it from the ocean completely. There is a high number of plastic at the bottom of the oceans, too deep down to even determine how much it really is. We still have a very long way ahead of us to find a way to clean our oceans of waste and debris completely.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

What can YOU do to help?

T

he pollution in our waterways causes an enormous threat to all of us. It is very important that we all start to care more about how our garbage and especially plastic is being deposed of. Every one of us can make a small contribution to help.

The main theme for that of course is: recycling!

Plastic bottles can be reused very easily and paper also shouldn’t simply be thrown away. Other waste that stays in the oceans for a very long period of time is aluminum and

also styrofoam. Don’t buy any drinks in aluminum cans anymore, take wooden bags with you for grocery shopping instead of always getting plastic bags and sit inside for a coffee more often, not using styrofoam or plastic cups for take-aways.

Little gestures can achieve a lot in the end. We are the ones in charge of saving our oceans from even greater pollution.

We are where environmental sustainability begins!

E N V I R O N M E N TA L S U S TA I NA B I L I T Y

THE

BALANCE OF

BOTH WORLDS Letting Natural Systems function within artificial ones, is the true key to longevity JAMES HODGETT

When we think of Biodiversity, we think of a sustainable environment, equipped with all the necessary living organisms that live and thrive off each other within an ecosystem.

But when we think about Urban Biodiversity, it adds a whole extra dimension of necessities in order to be sustainable, due to the percentage of things which are artificial and man made within an Urban environment.

Most of these necessities which enable cities to thrive, have to do with their artificial infrastructure, such as roads, tunnels, water and waste pipeline

Increasing urban Biodiversity within cities, means increasing clean breathable air in urban areas, more overall shade and shelter from the sun and other weather conditions, and even reducing air pollution to some extent.

Green infrastructure is also something that is important in maintaining happiness in the lives of city dwellers, open spaces and sights of nature that provide escape from the hustle and bustle of everything man made and continuously moving within cities.

Parks and inner city reserves are some of the favoured places for people to spend their free time,

“Green Infrastructure is capable of boosting the quality of living in cities, more so than most people care to know� systems, electricity systems, transportation systems, telecommunications, and the list goes on.

All these artificial developments are necessary for the longevity and sustainability of an urban, man made infrastructure, which in turn makes living in cities and urban areas possible for concentrated populations of people.

But this is not the only type of infrastructure which makes urban living safe and sustainable for human beings.

A cities’ Green infrastructure, refers to all the natural elements of the urban environment, such as trees, parks and gardens, and this infrastructure boosts the quality of life in cities, more so than most people care to know.

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whether it be for exercise, sport, socialising, agriculture, recreational activites, or just purely for relaxation.

The Green infrastructure of our cities is seen both consciously and subconsciously in our everyday lives, it has reached a level of importance in modern day society where it has become an invisible element of the Urban jungle, moulding in as just another necessity of a thriving urban system, and it is indeed imperative, that things stay this way.

The green infrastructure is influenced and aligned with the shapes and forms of the city, and this is possible because it is a living, breathing organism, taking the shape, surviving and attaching itself to

E N V I R O N M E N TA L S U S TA I NA B I L I T Y

the cold and lifeless walls, buildings, streets and pavements of the urban environment.

Not to say that it is badly maintained, out of control and growing anywhere and everywhere, the modern day green infrastructure is tamed to a point where it is interconnected and works around the man made infrastructure, examples including power lines running through trees, vertical ecosystems on sides of buildings, and rooftop gardens that work as storm water reservoirs, accumulating large quantities of clean water and preventing much of it going into city waste systems.

As much as it is important to implement green infrastructure throughout cities globally, in order to help tackle big issues such as storm water preservation and clean air, there is another fundamental, underlying reason why Urban biodiversity is so important, and the answer is simply human happiness.

Being close to nature means being close to where we all originated from, and reminds us about what and who we are.

When the development and revolution of urban city environments came to surface, it presented itself as an artificial, man made threat, in that it was a first step towards removing and distancing ourselves from who we really are and our identity as the human race on planet earth, into something futuristic, alienated and withdrawn.

Urban biodiversity, implemented through green infrastructure, assures that we stay in touch with our roots from nature, while at the same time, moving into the future with technological advancements in the city.

In another world where modern civilisation has environmentally degraded the planet into a harsh, artificial dystopia, we as human beings would only be able to comprehend an unnatural sense of self, becoming far removed from any sort of intrinsic social and cultural traditions and values.

It is a peculiar yet fascinating phenomenon, on how much, trees, plants and nature play a role in our everyday lives, not just for producing the clean air we breathe, but by also simply giving a peace of mind, a breath of fresh air when strolling through a park in a busy part of town, a revitalising visual of a vertical garden whilst striding down a bustling crowded street.

These individual experiences of green infrastructure play a part in the lives of every single city dweller who is exposed to it in their day to day lives, giving people a subconscious peace of mind that the natural world is still alive and flourishing, even within the thickest of concrete jungles.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Air quality, What affects our environment, our population and what can be done to improve our current state and achieve greater sustainability Sean Fitzpatrick

ERASE THE GREY

“Pollution Should never be the price of prosperity�

A

n American Politician, author and environmental activist, Al Gore stated that “pollution should never be the price of prosperity. The natural environment should not suffer for the thriving population of the human species as we are the soul generator in the forever operating machine that is affecting our planet.... and not in a positive way.

We are destroying the world and therefore slowly destroying ourselves by careless choices and unthoughtful actions especially in relation to air pollution and the creation of smog which is our most common air quality problem.

So what exactly is smog you may ask? Smog simply is an unhealthy mixture of air pollutants, usually gaseous state or micro-particulate matter. It is often formed over urban areas, highly populated areas or manufacturing and industrial sites.

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There are two major categories of smog that affect human health and environmental health, and they are industrial smog and photochemical smog.

What is Industrial Smog?

Also known as grey air smog as a result of its colour, industrial smog is created by heavy industrialisation and the use and burning of abundant fossil fuels, such as coal, which release harmful airborne chemicals and gases into the air that we breathe. From the burning of coal, carbon dioxide is produced into the air. Not only does that happen, coal contains various amounts of contaminants including Sulfur and Mercury which are also leeched into the air from coal combustion.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

These chemicals and others produced from further reactions with the combination of soot are the main components of industrial smog and create its characteristic grey colour.

What is Photochemical Smog?

Photochemical smog or brown air smog is formed when sunlight drives chemical reactions between primary pollutants and normal atmospheric compounds, producing a mix of over one hundred chemicals where tropospheric ozone often being the most abundant. The main contributor is vehicle exhaust. Highly populated, urban areas are affected the worst from photochemical smog.

Environmental and Health Impacts You may think that air pollutants and smog are simply released and then disappear ‘out of sight, out of mind’, though when it may not be visable all of time, they always remain in the atmosphere just at different levels. Having all of these chemicals and pollutants in circulation amongst the air, ready to be breathed in with every breath taken, accumualting day after day, plays a major role in the stabilty of Earth’s environmental health and the health of the human population. A vital role in the stabiliy of Earth’s climatic temperautre is the Ozone layer. Even though Ozone in the tropospheric region is a pollutant, Ozone in

How we can make a difference the stratosphere creates a vital layer that protects the Earth from harsh ultraviolet rays. This layer helps to protect life on Earth by absorbing UV radiations damaging effects.

It is brought to our attention that the ozone layer is slowly deteriorating from air pollutants created and produced on Earth. The use of aerosols, propellants, fire extinguishers, and the manufacturing of plastics and foams all contribute in the slow destruction of the ozone and if this continues to happen at a steady rate, our planet will not gain any improvements in relation to a better environment.

It is not just the environment that is affected by air pollution. The everyday health of people is also affected by the presence of smog and air pollutants which can cause breathing difficulties, respiratory problems, illness and even more fatal outcomes like poisoning and contributing factors for mortality. If this doesn’t alarm you to think about the future of the world, the environment, everything living and to change current faults, improve our Earth, our health and everyday living, I don’t know what will.

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Even though there are current regulations in force for industrialisation and manufacturing sites monitoring levels of air pollution, there is still a lot of room for improvement we can achieve on an individual level to improve air quality, reduce smog and to stop destroying the ozone layer. We can limit the amount of vehicles on the road. The idea to find alternative ways of travel that will lessen the population of vehichles polluting the air. We could carpool, use public transport more frequently, ride a bike or even walk to our desired destination. Not only can we change the levels of smog pollution, we can have an impact on lowering air pollutuants that damage the Ozone layer.

We can reduce the use of aerosols we use, transitioning from spray deodorants to roll ons, bug sprays to light attractors and air fresheners to soy candles.

Even though these don’t seem like much at all, if we put this to action globally, it could make a big difference in air quality, especially in highly populated areas, therefore improving the health of individuals affected by respiratory problems and general overall health. Let’s make a change for the future.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

‘Make a change and breathe easy’

HOME SUSTAINABILITY

WHAT IS UPCYCLING? Getting into the nitty gritty of what upcycling actually is, its growing trend and how you to can upcycle.

KATHLEEN MAIER

What is upcycling?

We have all heard of recycling, but what is upcycling?

Upcycling is a growing trend amongst individuals and groups who often have an immediate concern for climate change. Unlike recycling, which requires energy to sort, collect and process through unwanted consumer materials (which are often then remade into new consumer products, often of lesser quality). Upcycling simply involves repurposing discarded or old materials into something useful or merely aesthetically pleasing.

Upcycling helps the environment in a number of ways: firstly, your old discarded items aren’t going to landfill sites where potent methane gas is released. Methane gas levels emitted into the atmosphere is significantly rising, “they are now more than twice the levels they were in the early 1800s” and roughly half of these emissions released are due to human related activities, such as landfill.

“Methane gas levels are now more than twice what they were in the early 1800s” As mentioned earlier, upcycling can also eliminate the recycling process which requires energy and resources. It can also get your mind ticking, and encourages you to create an innovative piece from either found objects or something which no longer serves its previous purpose.

Although the “upcycling” trend has become a popular concept recently, the innovation of this process originated in the late 1930s, to the mid-1940s at the time of the great depression. During this time families had very little economic and materials resources, so the repurposing of objects and materials were constant in everyday life. So really, your grandma was upcycling long before you!

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“So really, your grandma was upcycling long before you!”

HOME SUSTAINABILITY

YOU CAN UPCYLE! Upcycling is SO easy you can do it yourself, you can start with something as simple as folding over a newspaper and using it in a biodegradable flower pot. This is merely the starting point for your upcycling journey. Use old t-shirts and cut into strips of yarn, to then crochet a rug, basket, placemats whatever your creative mind can think of. Even by collecting vintage furniture from Vinnie’s, you can give it a new life with merely a coat of paint and some discarded fabric or even an old sweater. Even think of environmentally friendly ways of treating these products to reduce toxic emissions being released. For this issue of fault, we have decided to test out a new product by Porters Paints called “Chalk Emulsion”. This product is a matt finish, with a chalky, soft appearance. This unique finish goes straight over all those nasty polyurethanes and varnishes without a problem. Not only is this product super easy to use, it is also low in VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds). VOCs are the petroleum levels in the paint, which evaporate into the air as the paint begins to dry, and these toxic chemicals alone contribute to over 80,000 tonnes of VOCs released into the Australian atmosphere annually. This contributes to the pollution of the lower atmosphere and the degradation of our ozone layer.

“These toxic chemicals alone contribute to over 80,000 tonnes of VOCs released into the Australian atmosphere annually”

HOW TO: So, to kick-start your creative cranium we have included a DIY guide to upcycling your own piece of furniture.

What you’ll need: 1x piece of retro/vintage/old of furniture to upcycle (we have used a wooden armchair) 1x piece of 80 grit sandpaper 1x paint brush 1x damp cloth 1x stirring stick 1L of Porters Paints Chalk Emulsion, in selected colour (500ml size also available if painting small piece) 1x 850g Porters Paints Stucco Wax 1x spatula 1x soft rag Your own two hands

Step one: If your salvaged piece of furniture has any polyurethanes or varnishes on its surface, begin by taking sandpaper and slightly sand surface to allow a “key” for the chalk emulsion to grip onto.

Step two: Once your piece has had a light sand, collect your damp cloth and wipe down to clean off any dust. Now grab your stirring stick and stir emulsion thoroughly.

Step three: Now you’re ready to paint! Grip that brush and get going, the chalk emulsion will begin to dry as soon as it hits the surface, so try to be as neat as possible to avoid streaky lines.

Step four: When completely painted allow paint to cure and dry for about 2 hours. Then give the furniture piece another coat.

Step five: Once second coat is complete, wash out your brush and let piece dry for a further 6 hours.

Step six (optional) – Once the piece has finished dry time, you can create a “distressed” look. Collect your sandpaper again, or possibly some steel wool and rub down areas to your own desired finish (think of areas which would naturally ware away with use, to create a worn look e.g. edges, or where the object would be touched or carried) Step seven: Finally, collect your Porters stucco wax and using spatula, scoop out some wax and place on piece. Now with your soft cloth, gently blend wax onto surface until piece in entirely covered.

Step eight: Enjoy your brand new upcycled furniture piece!

Remember! This is merely the beginning of your upcycling adventure, so get your mind kicking and begin upcycling, you’re not only creating something unique and innovative but you’re also reducing your environmental footprint.

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HOME SUSTAINABILITY

Win-win ways to make the home Sweet, Simple and Sustainable.

AMY EY

SIMPLE. SWEET. SUSTAINABLE.

N

----------------------

owadays it seems to be pretty hard to keep up with the pace of the world, making it slightly harder to sit back and enjoy the simple things in life. The electricity bills and water bills are a pain in the neck, and while you’re trying to make ends meet you lose time and energy that could be spent with the people that you care about most, causing distance between you all.

Yep. This seems like a pretty grim picture. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Dear reader… it’s actually easier than you might think. It just takes a few simple steps and a few slight adjustments. Nothing major, don’t you worry.

In fact, you’ll barely notice the difference. There are so many little things that can be “fixed” within a second.

Is anyone watching that TV? No? Turn it off for a bit.

Is anyone in the room with the lights on? Nope? Switch them off. Is the tap dripping? A little bit? Make sure the tap is completely off. Is someone hogging the shower?

Switch the bathroom light off and make them stand in the darkness for a few minutes - they should get the hint… hopefully.

In theory this might seem to be a lot of effort and rather time consuming, but in practice? It’s surprisingly easy and quick to adjust these little things. And this method of saving power and water is actually sustainable, and you’ll be motivated to do it because, well, who’s going to say no to extra dollars in their pocket? Win-Win. But what about the rest of the home, you ask? This is where things get slightly more interesting.

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How many leftovers do you have that end up rotting and stinking up the fridge? Instead of chucking it, maybe find some ladies who feel clucky. What I mean is, get some hens. They’re surprisingly cheap to buy, low maintenance, and spend their days happily scratching away at the ground and at food scraps. Isa Brown Hens or Rhode Island Red Hens are good options (They’re not as loud and have a better temperament than the Australorps Hens). And you can use their crap as compost for a veggie garden. Give them the crappy leftovers, and you get yummy, fresh eggs to use for Sunday Morning Breakfast or for making fresh Pasta.

Omnomnom. Win-Win. On the subject of pasta, grow a veggie garden and use your own veggies in your recipes. It’s a good excuse to get everyone away from the Xbox or their iPads and go outside and have some family time in the sun. Or even just have some baskets with herbs hanging from the verandah roof or on a rack on the wall outside. Just put them where the dog can’t eat them (They’ll do it when you least expect them to, trust me). Again, this seems like a lot of effort, but what do you get? A shopping list that is SO much smaller - why buy veggies and herbs when they’re two or three metres away from the back door? Save the money, get fresh air, and have family time. Win-Win. Speaking of family time, this is one of the main issues that people find with sustaining a home that is happy as a whole. Ban phones at the dinner table. Unblock your mother on Facebook (if you’re game enough, unblock the grandparents).

HOME SUSTAINABILITY

“Life

can be Simple.

Sweet.”

Actually talk to each other - we use words.

Not “:P” and “:)” and “OMG”. I mean come on, emoticons and acronyms aren’t to replace our ACTUAL feelings. I highly doubt you’d be physically using them in a spoken sentence to anyone (ohemmgee?), let alone your family. Set some time aside every week - maybe a friday night when you’re all winding down for the weekend - to have a movie night and crack open the popcorn or bring out the good board games (Possibly not monopoly - the smart-arse who whacks a hotel on Mayfair wont be in everyone’s good books…).

But don’t waste time Instagram-ing pictures of the game and spend the time on social media - that defeats the whole point of a “family game night”. Playing games, watching movies, and just talking and listening to each other are some of the best ways you can sustain healthy relationships within the home, keeping it happy. I mean, who doesn’t love games and movies? And family who become your friends as well?

Win-Win. In a nutshell, it’s actually a lot easier than you think to have a happy home and to keep that happiness at a sustainable level. These simple tricks will easily get you on the road to sustainable happiness. And a happy home = happy family = happy life.

Win-win-win.

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SELF SUSTAINABILITY

A dabble into the lives of a Generation Y

Lachlan Keevill

“we adapt and overcome” M

illennial: a word used to describe the generation of people born roughly between 1980’s to early 2000’s.

Also known as the generation Y. Certain generations give rise to a certain character. Generation Y’s characteristics include us being tech savvy. Raised alongside computers and iPhones, we heavily rely on the use of technology to perform our day-to-day tasks and jobs. Our best friend Google says that we are “attention seekers” in response to our desire to be overloaded or “pampered” with guidance in almost everything we do. We “love to be loved”, and aren’t afraid of telling someone how good of a job we’ve done. Apparently that differs from other generations, but let’s be honest, sometimes we really do just nail it. Getting a little more personal, let’s look at us on a foundational, value related level. One of the bigger and broader notions of our generation is our ability to change as individuals.

“Not being able to sustain a set of characteristics that define who we are”. It’s a concept raised in our generation more than any other, defying a sense of sustenance. We seem consumed by it. More so in a social context, especially regarding relationships. As our generation is a being a heavily superficial group of people, this would be a logical conclusion to reach. We are more socially orientvated and partner dependent more than any other generation. Constantly sending each other “ILY”s and shit. Maybe we just love to love. But why is sustention within us as individuals such a heavily questioned concept? Isn’t growing what

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we’re supposed to do? By this point in our lives most gen Y’s are around 20 years old, give or take a few years. Surely that’s given us enough time to be able to realise that we have failed to sustain our identity since our birth?

We adapt and overcome. We change with everything we learn. Every time we’ve given up or quit, won or lost, every time we’ve spat the dummy and yelled, “fuck everything”, we have changed. With every hashtag, every bit of pain, every broken heart and tragedy, with every “FML” and “LOL” we have changed. And every damn time we’ve woken up pantless, less dignified and totally screwed in some old dude’s garden, we have changed. Our generation is only just beginning to sustain who we are. Yes, obviously we will always grow and change, but on a fundamental level of values we’re yet to fully sustain our identity as a generation.

There will always be lessons to learn and always be traits of an individual we’ve carried with us from a younger maturity. But Google says that guys are around 25 years old when our foundations establish a beachhead. For girls, Google says it’s a little bit earlier, around the ages 21-23.

Here’s some advice regarding some common concerns of a Gen Y. Blokes - being tough. Being able to lift heavy things in the controlled environment of a gym does not make you tough. And being a dick to other people also doesn’t make you tough either. “Growing a “Grade A” beard (although aesthetically pleasing and may be a manly display of hormone functionality and competency) does not automatically make you “tough”. Girls, are you wondering why your

SELF SUSTAINABILITY

dream guy hasn’t found you yet? It’s because his eyes are looking at all that ass in those denim undies you’re wearing. Do you want him to see your eyes? You know what has to be done. If you don’t want shallow guys, don’t wear shallow pants! Yes, we all know our generation is heavily accused of being the “pretentious, insipid, superficial” one, but don’t worry about that. Just keep in mind that those negative qualities are dominated by positive qualities such as virtue and integrity. Also, age is a number significant to time, and the number is black ink on a plastic card in your wallet. And it’s also on a certificate given to you at birth. So quit worrying about what opinion people may have of you because of your age, and just chill, age doesn’t matter from here on out. Congrats Gen Y, you’re still here.

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Your Girlfriend Having such a great time without my stupid boyfriend here. Glad he’s at home studying. He’s so stupid! Don’t even want him around anymore.

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Some Random was with All Of Your Friends at Somewhere Having Fun Without You

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Your Bestfriend These people I am out with now are the BEST people I know. I couldn’t possibly want anyone else around me right now. Everyone who is important is here. If you’re not here, you’re not important! <3 Chat (No one wants to talk to you)

SELF SUSTAINABILITY

Be alone. Be happy.

Negative thoughts can be created whilst alone.

How can this be stopped?

Samuel Weston

W

hat brings a smile to your face? Is it sharing memes with your friends on your new gadget or gizmo?

Going out for dinner with the family for some cultural tucker? Or laughing at some random fool who just face planted a glass door because they’re incapable of reading the little sign that says ‘pull’? Although proven effective at cracking a smile, these methods all rely on the actions of others to influence you and make you feel happy. So when you’re alone, in a room all by yourself, what brings a smile to your face then? Are the walls even graced with the site of your pearly whites? The short answer is, well, not even.

beach; Or even an Instagram post of fancy restaurant food accompanied by many tags and hash-tags), and to over analyse the situation, leading you to feel left out and lonely.

Be it because you didn’t have enough money to go out to the clubs, or you’re too busy studying to go out to dinner, it is possible to still have a good time on your own (even with the constant tweets from the Twittersphere flaunting how much fun everyone else is having on this damn rock). And no, dear children, I’m not talking about masturbation.

“When on your own, it is easy for this train of thought to become negative” When graced only by your own presence, and with the voices of ‘Me’, ‘Myself ’ and ‘I’ bouncing around in your skull, it is easy to trail off within your own world of thought – And when on your own, it is easy for this train of thought to become negative; Especially in younger people today. When on our own, by choice or for some other reason, it is sometimes very easy to see other people having a great time without you, (whether it be through constant Snapchat updates of friends taking bathroom mirror selfies; A Facebook update checking in at the

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I know what you’re thinking, “what else could I do by myself that makes me happy?” Well, the first step to feeling happy when alone is switching off all your social media accounts – If you’re at home studying and looking for a text to procrastinate with from one of your mates who went to the club without you because you said you had to study, do you really think staring at little green lights turning on and off all night will make you happy? No it won’t. And it won’t help you feel very good about being by yourself either. By signing out you won’t miss much in the world;

SELF SUSTAINABILITY

maybe a few dodgy nightclub photos and a few drunkenly typed statuses – The only thing that could possibly make you smile there now are AutoCorrect’s desperate attempts to make sense of the drunken decimation of the English language.

There’s so many ways you can enjoy yourself when in your own company, unless of course you’re studying; that never goes well for anyone. But use this alone time to do the little things that YOU enjoy. Try to attempt to understand the complexity of the universe or how women work…

Both topics will take far longer then a single night to understand. Take a break from everything and relax. Use the things you love as a form of escapism for an hour or so. They’ll give you something to focus on and time will fly – Whether it be through a good book or a groovy playlist, or getting up to date on Game of Thrones or any other serial you’re currently following. Everyone has different means of escape. Use your alone time for you to catch up on that latest series; download a new artists discography, to get to the next checkpoint or finish that last chapter.

Not only does this give you something to do when you’re alone, it will eventually allow alone time to be associated as something good, and you will look forward to it.

If you condition yourself to utilize your alone time for things you like doing, you will find yourself happier when alone. The ability to focus on the positive in your situation will also help prevent negative thoughts from forming.

After all, it’s important to realize that even though your friends are out on the town without you, you’re still their friend. Even if you weren’t invited, sometimes people do certain activities with different crowds of people; it doesn’t mean they suddenly don’t like you. And let’s face it, the purest form of love is that of a drunk call, so even if you’re at home sobering out, do remember that someone has to remember the drunk call that you’ll probably be getting anytime now.

Sustainability In

VIDEO GAMES Looking at the concept of sustaining originality in the intractive entertainment industry.

NATHAN COX

Sustaining Originality in Video Games

T

he interactive entertainment industry, what a fickle mistress she is. More specifically, we’re talking about entertainment in the form of video games! With every passing day, there are trends and popular demands coming from the gaming community, figuratively knocking down the doors to major game designer’s headquarters and pleading for new content. This mental image brings us here today to ask the question:

been happening for years now! Whether you realise it or not, a majority of video game developers have become increasingly lazy. But another question that arises which we must ask ourselves is whether this is entirely their fault.

The simple answer is no. As aforementioned, the gaming community has its popular genres of games which can shift from one day to the next. Developers struggle to keep up with the latest trends and more than often, a single idea will become exponentially relevant as more and more developers jump on the metaphorical bandwagon.

For instance, in June of 2012, an internet sensation

“Can originality be sustained in video game design?”

Video games have been around for decades now with the first actual ‘video game’ supposedly having been created in 1947. Since then, with the passing of time, there have been millions of games designed to captivate and capture the attention of the audience who plays them. But besides the sheer number of games that are conceived, developed and marketed, just how many of them are actually authentic?

One could argue that there really aren’t any conceptually and mechanically original games any more, since ‘new’ games actually derive parts from others that have preceded them.

However, the real problem appears when the games begin to become indistinguishable from each other. It’s

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exploded with the introduction of a terribly horrifying video game for the PC. Maybe you’ve heard of the fictitious legend of the Slender Man? Well, the developing company ‘Parsec Productions’ created the very first video game based on this fable and with its simple controls and utterly pant-wetting gameplay, the community fell in love with it.

The game has you walking around a dark forest, collecting pages and being stalked by Slender Man, an entity that can appear from out of nowhere. This concept and mechanic were unheard of in the gaming world up until this point.

Normally, a horror game required a long and detailed plotline in order to immerse the gamer and frighten them with the atmosphere and occasional jump scare. Some noteworthy examples of these style of horror titles of the

SUSTAINABLE CULTURE

time would be the ‘Resident Evil’ and ‘Dead Space’ series.

was aimed at the time.

So this was all and well, an original game with an original concept. However, when the gaming community reacted the way it did, the developing community reacted with an equal force. Within months of the original Slender Man game, literal hundreds, if not thousands of imitations, copies and rebuilds arose, flooding the gaming community with unoriginal and dull remakes. The first dozen might have been okay as the community begged for more content beyond the original, but you should be careful what you wish for. Popular websites for independent video game designers become swamped with these short horror titles with the same premise, to collect ‘x’ number of ‘y’ before ‘z’ catches you.

So these two examples both began with the introduction of a new idea that was well implemented and received. What conclusions can we draw from this? Sustaining originality is in the hands of the developer. But as is natural for originality of ideas, after a while, the metaphorical river runs dry. However, from our examples, we can see that things like mechanics and technology, when implemented properly, can help sustain originality! Before Slender Man, you never had to face an opponent, with no way of fighting back, which appeared to have a mind of its own and psychologically mess around with you. But then again, that’s another idea that can’t be used as an ‘original’ idea from now on.

If you’re not familiar with this, then another great example comes in a different form of platform. The recent video game for iOS and Android devices titled ‘Flappy Bird’ became an overnight hit. The developer Dong Nguyen claimed that at its peak, Flappy Bird was earning $50,000 every twenty four hours from in-app advertisements. With its simple yet frustrating, pick-up-and-play gameplay, the yellow pixelated bird became an immediate symbol for the internet. However, the game was removed in February of 2014 when the developer felt “guilt over what he considered to be its addictive nature”. Recognising its success, the developing community sprung and dozens upon dozens of remakes have been created in order to both sate the gaming community’s desire for ‘Flappy Bird’ and to capitalise on the empty space where the community’s focus

One can’t say for sure if originality can be sustained in terms of video games, but as time marches on, we can safely say that with the introduction of new technology such as virtual reality gaming with the Oculus Rift and modern versions of old consoles, the day that our game’s originalities run out will be postponed.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN

ESCAPISM

Travel that’s high on excitement, yet light on cost, the environment and your schedule is not just a fantasy.

RICHARD O’REGAN

b

a

Airline travel is fast becoming one of the cheapest ways to travel long distances, with more and more people flying than ever before. Yet every flight is a significant producer of harmful emissions, detrimental to a sustainable environment.

Even with quite significant reductions in the cost to the consumer, not many can afford to take a holiday or enjoy an adventure as often as they might hope.

Why not sustain your coffers, replenish your happiness and experience some of the greatest vistas your imagination has to offer.

MENZOBERRANZAN City Of The Drow

a

Experience the wonders of the religious capital of the infamous matriarchal dark elves. This truly unique city is carved into the natural stalagmite and stalactite formations of a deep underground cavern, the beauty and perfection is truly a sight to behold, yet as the city exists in almost absolute darkness, sight may not be an option.

Recommended for night owls. Claustrophobic and those with arachnid aversions are recommended to avoid.

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CULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY

d

c

MINAS TIRITH

KANTO

The capital city of Gondor, Minas Tirith is often referred to the White City by the local inhabitants, although the shear amount of blood let in the streets and in defence of the city may cast doubt on that particular title.

For those animal lovers there is the region of Kanto, where one might catch and train ‘Pokémon’ (including such genus of monterous flora/fauna as lizards, insects, feline, birds, fish, dinosaurs, bags of trash, puddles of grime, rocks, dogs, humanoid mimes, gas lamps, ghosts, trees, ice-creams, eggs, rats, bats, magnets and pretty much any other random thing you might encounter while searching through long grass), raise and care for your newly found companions, treat them with love, kindness and then fight them till the point of unconsciousness all while exploring a utopian interpretation of a Japanese region where even the largest of cities possess no automobiles and less than twenty buildings.

The White City

Here Be Monsters

b

Minas Tirith is carved into the sheer rock and worked into tiers that carry the City of Kings to a height of roughly 305m.

A must see for architectural and historical buffs.

Due to lengthy wars and sieges, Minas Tirithians can be a suspicious lot, expect long delays at the immigration counter prior to entry.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL Of Witchcraft & Wizardry

d

Interested in expanding your repartee of skills? How about a visit to the renowned school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Short course and day classes are on offer to the magic enthusiast, however places are limited and bookings are a must. Courses include: Introduction to Muggle Studies, Goblin Wars: An Overview, Introduction to Transfiguration, Introduction to Potions and Advanced Care of Magical Creatures. Interest parties should address their enquiries to Administrator via owl.

c

The helm of Bruenor Battlehammer

The sentient blade, Khazid’hea

Vampiric leather armour or the bear

The horn of Gondor Kōhī, elixir of life and vigor

Dantrag Baenre’s bracers of the blinding strike The Elder Wand, aka the Death Stick

souvenir sHOP Fill your backpack to breaking point with these tid-bits, just try and stay under the luggage limit

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CULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY

e f

SANCTUARY

Volunteer For A Worthy Cause

e

Would you like your holiday to mean something? For those wishing to get out there and do some real good in the world, the land of Sanctuary needs you.

Journey across breath taking and diverse landscapes that encompass anything from Gothic European, to Gothic Middle Eastern, to Gothic Central African. Oh and did I mention the armies of hell and the manifestations of some of humanities greatest flaws? Because there seems to be no shortage of them here.

On the upside, the economy is quite strong and finding money is never hard. Those wishing to participate should consult their local physician regarding necessary vaccinations and their insurance company on their life insurance entitlement.

THE LAND OF OOO Swords! Swords! Swords!

f

If you like your apocalyptic futures with a little more colour and a little less radiation sickness, venture to the picturesque Land of Ooo. Seen by many as the holy land of adventure, Ooo is best traversed with good friends and one or two hefty magical swords. Those with a rampant sweet tooth should consider keeping this to their selves as many of the anthropomorphic candy inhabitants of the bustling Candy Kingdom would find this highly offensive.

Snow lovers should try the ever powdery Ice Kingdom, fans of hot weather could pay the Fire Kingdom a visit, and for everyone else, there are plenty of treasure laden dungeons, all of which are easily accessible via your local flying Korean rainbow unicorn.

THE OLD KINGDOM

BRAKEBILLS

Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get enough of the undead? Why not take a bus and subsequent horse to the Old Kingdom where magic works, your mobile phone doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t and reanimated corpses hunger for living flesh. Analogue camera is a must.

Those wishing to further their studies in the mystical, or happen to find themselves in upstate New York, may wish to visit Brakebills Academy where a college-like magical education is offered to the intellectually elite.

Electricity Proof Since Forever

Academy Of Magic