Think Globally Act Locally | The Power Of R

January is always a fantastic month to make positive change a reality in our day-to-day activities. Once again this year I had the honour of teaching a full week of classes at Mark R. Isfeld school. The curriculum for the environment unit is huge and there was a lot of information to jam into a short time, but it was awesome.

In the first day we discussed consumerism and its effects on the planet and people on it. The curriculum worked beautifully with my "Defining Your Own Success" presentation because the bulk of the terms I introduced revolved around defining levels of prosperity and poverty. The UN Human Development Index measures the quality of life on a scale from 1-165. Ranking at the top of the HDI is Norway. Canada is currently eighth on the list so we broke into what the differences between Norway and Canada are to discover and understand the systems we measure state success by. Then we analyzed countries at the bottom of the list like Zimbabwe and The Democratic Republic of Congo to compare the disparities between the developed world and developing states. After laying the foundation for some mental building, things got very exciting.

Many of the students started to make insightful connections that generated some great discussion about human impacts on the environment. Much of the focus was on resource extraction, that inevitably forms solid waste, and fresh water in the midst of issues involving climate change, population growth, economic morals and ethics, and our personal stake in the future of the earth's environmental and social well-being.

On day two I focused on water in the Comox Valley, provincially, nationally and globally. After surveying the big issues, we discussed how those issues impact us in the long-term. If 1.5 billion people do not have access to clean fresh water now than what will happen in the future with larger populations, more urbanization and growing contamination of the biosphere? How can we guarantee human flourishing under these difficult limitations? These were tough questions but the kids were on it and did incredibly well putting logical arguments together using several different approaches. Critical thinking skills are going to help us get a handle on these issues - and the class was applying there skills well that week.

Over the next few days the class and I debated possible solutions to the issues that involved working at different levels politically, economically and socially to direct change. I was really happy to hear after the week that everyone felt positive and found empowerment through understanding. To top it all off, I mean seriously the biggest bonus ever, one of the core sets of questions on the Provincial Exam that the kids all wrote, one week after our time together, revolved around water. Everyone crushed it because they had a good understanding of water rights and privatization, the issues around keeping water clean and available, environmental refugees and population growth, policy and lifestyle clashes - total - "you just got EDJA-MA-CATED and crushed it" - success.

Without a doubt I get so pumped working with classes on a long-term basis. The relationships, the connections, energy and the learning on all sides of the environment unit are so inspiring that it's impossible to deny that humanity is heading in the right direction. Thanks for the amazing time Isfeld and thank you very much Jouska Laquell for inviting me again to spend a powerful week with your students.

Throughout the year I have the privilege of visiting The House - of Carihi High. The vibe at the school is always friendly and I enjoy being there. The staff is super positive and happy to be at what they consider the best school in Campbell River. One of those bright lights is Wayne Demers. Wayne is a force of nature when it comes to teaching and it makes me really happy and honoured to visit his classes every semester. Jim Vining is another teacher that is an inspiration. Jim vacations in Mexico once a year with his family and they participates in recycling projects and random beach clean-ups. This term one of Jim's classes really intrigued me and it went a little something like this out of the gate: "hi my name's Zac and I'm here to talk to you today about our  solid waste issues in Campbell River." "Woe... that's disgusting," a hair twirling young woman blurted out from the back of the classroom. "Yes," I said, "I agree."

Solid waste is invisible in Campbell River and the Comox Valley right until you stand on top of it. We throw stuff away and it  teleports on a magic carpet made out of tax dollars to garbage mountain - it is the antithesis of Eden. Some would say we're living in a fantasy of over consumption and the result of that fantasy is starting to suffocate our biosphere. When the garbage arrives at the landfill it celebrates with the seagulls for the split second before it gets crushed by an 8 ton compactor and driven into the ground where it will live out the next 200o years. In Campbell River the waste is almost stacked high enough to break the tree line and see the ocean. That's pretty high; and, the landfill is almost full so it's closing shop in a couple of years. Soon operators will sort waste in Campbell River, load it onto trucks and transport it from Campbell River  to Comox Valley Waste Management Centre (formerly Pigeon Lake Landfill). "Shipping waste 40 km south and piling it on an even larger garbage mountain is 'disgusting,' and we should do something about it."

From this point on things always get more positive and really energized. I was sensing some real energy in the room but needed to diffuse my intensity a little to let everyone breath and figure out their plan. I asked "what do you do on the weekend in CR- you know - for fun?" "We party," one champion of excellence chirped from the center of the class. "I used to do that too in High School and it takes a significant am0unt of energy, time, money and coordination to throw a party, even if it is snowing in the bush. How many of you here help spread the word, coordinate, gather 'supplies' or participate in parties on the weekend?"  80% of the class raised their hands or nodded confidently. The other 20% were curious so I thought I would continue on my new tangent and catch up with them later on.

I read the class pretty well and now I wanted to turn the energy back up. I often feel like jumping around when the Juice starts flowing back at me from the audience... so I do. People think it's a little odd at first but entertaining. All that energy is too big for the room so jumping helps. :)

As I looked around there were some really good potential leaders in that class - men and women with charisma. They were loud, very clear in their delivery and motivations and, although slightly culturally misguided, incredibly idealistic when it came to partying. I get it - I was there once and in actual fact these kids have the skills and talent to pull off something big and positive for their community - fast.

I could tell they were the hub of the school's social network and the hub is where most things begin, fail  and succeed from. The "event planning," as I started to call partying, takes a lot of skill to do well and if I'm not mistaken this class does it well because the collective intensity level shot up ten notches the second I started to ask questions about the reality of weekends in Campbell River. Girls, boys and 'supplies' equates to opportunity for connections that make life worth living in High School. However, girls, boys and experiences that change the world for the better can make life incredible for everyone. "That's the real party that we are all capable of throwing and there are no headaches in the morning. When you are ready to create a real legacy with real rewards, contact me and I'll do whatever I can using my strengths to get you there or connect you to the people you need to meet."

Most teachers may have been uncomfortable letting this kind of conversation brew up but considering the chemistry and the honesty that started pouring out, Jim Vining confidently let  our day turn into something really worthwhile. Although my idealism is really obvious and admittedly really intense, it's a crucial part of  what I do. I know that I will be speaking and engaging in community building projects for the rest of my life, so when people hear that they know one person that they can turn to for direction when inspiration hits them.

In a few years from now these kids are going to be taking on roles in the community that require the most energy and the highest levels of intensity because they have those qualities... that's what I was thinking in the moment but here's the surprise finish; I have received more emails asking questions and commenting articulately, positively and passionately from this single class than all of the classes I have spoken to in the last six months combined. I'm excited to see what happens - the odds are heavily stacked that one of these leaders will be running a show full of brilliant, lasting ideas for this community. Watching the wheels turn is a powerful experience.

“Zac held everyone’s interest for two and a half hours. in fact we could have gone into overtime! A great discussion followed the presentation and students were inspired to do something – even one small thing – to make our home, the planet, a better place.” – Jim Vining – SS11 Teacher – Carihi High Secondary

In many of my presentations I speak about the Great Pacific Garbage patch. Massive amounts of plastic find their way into our water ways on land, make their way to the seashore and eventually start spinning around in the ocean.  Plastic lasts forever because it is a synthetic material (man-made) that doesn't naturally occur in our environment. There is a big push from people who are aware of this problem to eliminate plastic from our lifestyles. This will take time but something you we can do today is eliminate our use of one-time use packaging and we can be a huge part of the solution to stop the flow of plastic into the ocean.

If you have to make a choice to purchase food in a glass container or in plastic packaging, always choose glass. Glass is made from melted sand and it is completely inert, which means there are no chemicals in glass that will hurt your body. Glass does not hurt the environment either. When glass breaks, it eventually turns back into sand. Sand is a natural part of our environment so there is no pollution.

To lower my ecological footprint I have been using recycled yogurt and margarine containers to carry my lunches in - things like sandwiches and carrot sticks, but I am making a permanent switch to glass. Pyrex glass containers are becoming more readily available and they are perfect for lunches and left overs. Thick, durable pyrex glass containers are heavier than plastic but you can feel good about knowing you are not eating any inorganic chemicals like Bisphenol A that may leach out of the plastic.

Plastic is made from oil that comes from the ground. Oil fuels our cars, and it can be used to create electricity but oil is a non-renewable resource that is clogging our atmosphere with greenhouse gasses. If we start using glass and porcelain instead of plastic again like humans have done through history for thousands of years, we can collectively slow the gasses in the atmosphere and stop plastic from ever getting into the ocean. That is a world that I would like to live in - plastic free and healthy for me, you, our families, friends and environment.

I am inspired by the energy of Lake Trail Middle this year in Courtenay. I had the pleasure of speaking with them about making a lifestyle shift to change the world. The school is now buzzing with ideas to reduce solid waste in the school, control frivolous spending habits and make the hallways a happier place to be with free hug campaigns.

I was invited by counselor Heather Riedle and principal Laurie Carpenter to deliver three presentations that would give me time with every student in the school throughout the day. The students and staff were amazing and that filled me with incredible amounts of energy. My goals for the day were to help kids understand the coercive world of marketing, engage their critical thinking skills to interpret messages behind powerful brand campaigns and open a road to boost their individual self confidence by redefining their own individual definitions of success. Reducing... eliminating solid waste is my mission and there is a direct relationship between purchasing and self-confidence. Creating a strong identity is easy if you take a break from buying more than you need.

I spoke of my own experiences to hundreds of kids. I have a terrible time wrestling with a shoe fetish. That's right, shoes. My situation started early when Micheal Jordan unknowingly blew my mind with his high flying domination in his second dunk contest. Well, he only beat Dominique Wilkins by 2 points for the win but I was very impressed. I wanted to "be like Mike" and "just do it," because Mike was a somebody and I wanted to be a somebody too. "It's the shoes" and they were "banned by the NBA." After months of brainwashing I staged a full fledged begging and pleading campaign on my loving parents. They eventually bought me a pair of Air Jordan Generation 3's for my birthday and I never looked back.
 

By the time I had hit high school I was rolling three pairs of basketball shoes in any given month. I lived in Europe when I was 16 and I was shocked to see a sticker price of $500 on a pair of Jordan's. Knowing that made me feel like a superior human being just wearing them - I was elite - I was a somebody - people wanted to be me now - I was better than any European kid and most North Americans. What? Who are you? What kind of marketing poison have you been drinking Zac? I was a jerk.

Obviously no person is more valuable than another. The false sense of self that I felt and pushed on other people was  destructive to my character and everyone around me. My shoe fetish was also making my world a horrible place to be. If I wasn't buying the latest pair of Jordan's or keeping them spotless, then I was worthless.  When you sink your identity into material goods, no matter what they are, then you better be prepared to have a tattered, old, lost and broken identity. Things come and go in our lives. We out grow shoes and we all have smelly feet at the end of the day no matter what shoes we  wear. Just keep it real and be yourself - it's free.

When I came to grips with my shoe fetish my world started to improve, my confidence became stable and elevated; people supported me more than ever. I was turning into a nice person that was secure and more fun to be around because I didn't take myself so seriously. I began living from a place that started with me - not a new pair of leather and plastic kicks. After a year of conscious effort I began a long journey of adventure, self improvement and positive actions that changed my world for the better.

Be more than the shoes on your feet and kick your buying habits to stop creating waste. To hear the end of this powerful story, or request a customized presentation that fits your lesson objectives involving solid waste reduction or water efficiency please contact me and book your free Power Of R presentation today (for SD71 and SD72 only).