Homecoming 2018 – Welcoming Dalhousie’s Third Century

September 9, 2018 rbudd

Homecoming 2018

2018 celebrates DAL200, the historic 200-year milestone for Dalhousie University.

Dalhousie’s Homecoming 2018 will be known as the Homecoming that welcomed Dalhousie’s third century. Update your contact information to make sure you don’t miss out on receiving your Homecoming invitation!

The Rowe Atrium

On September 29, 2018 at 9:00 am, the Faculty of Management will be hosting a breakfast in the Rowe atrium. Join Dr. Tony Walker in room 1020 for a panel discussion, followed shortly thereafter by Dr. Rick Nason’s “Rick’s Rant.” Weather permitting, Dr. Peter Duinker will be leading a walking tour of the 200^th Anniversary learning groves.

Rick's Rant September 29, 2018 While many of us will be unable to attend Homecoming 2018, highlights will be shared via social media and Dalhousie News. Homecoming 2018 is about being members of a remarkable alumni community that remains committed to life-long learning and academic excellence. We look forward to your contribution within our CEGE Connection community. You will be joining other like-minded individuals who share our vision of inspiring transformative solutions for society.

Friday Reflection

September 7, 2018 rbudd

“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.”

Albert Einstein

Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia

JoAnne Akerboom: Parental Awareness and Interest in Social Media Use

September 6, 2018 rbudd

“The goal of my case study was to provide information to Christ the Redeemer School Division that can assist in helping parents and children use social media in a way that allows them to benefit from the positive impacts of connectivity and mitigate the risks that may arise.”

JoAnne Akerboom (MIM 2018)

JoAnne Akerboom, MIM Class of 2018, was presented with the prestigious 2018 SIM Research Award, Master of Information, for her capstone project, Parental Awareness and Interest in Social Media Use: A Case Study in St. Anthony’s School.

Today’s technology offers an increasing array of innovative tools for communication. These advancements promise unimaginable possibilities and well as unforeseen risks. In a recent telephone interview with CEGE Connection, JoAnne shared insights from her research that speak to the need for parental awareness within a world barraged by social media. As Principal of St. Anthony’s School, Drumheller, Alberta, JoAnne’s research in this area of information management reflects her vision to provide leadership within an environment where high quality academic education is provided in a safe, caring, and Catholic setting. JoAnne has submitted a proposal to present her findings at the Alberta Teacher’s Conference, Spring 2019.

JoAnne Akerboom

The Premise:

Picture this: A thirteen-year-old girl walks into the change room after gym class and takes a picture of her classmate undressing. She sends the picture to her classmates as a joke through snapchat. One of her classmates who receives the picture takes a screenshot and brings it to the principal.

Who is responsible for teaching this young girl about the appropriate use of technology? Is it the school? The parents?

This is one of many examples of the negative impact of social media. The irresponsible use of technology is a concern in our school division (Christ the Redeemer) and for many of our parents. As a result, our school division is developing curriculum to help address both the positive and negative use of technology with a focus on developing healthy relationships. Great initiative with another major element added – the involvement of parents.

Children access social media through multiple electronic devices – cell phones, tablets, computers and games systems. They can access social media at home and at school. We need to work together with parents and share information and resources that can keep our children safe and responsible. More importantly we need to help them understand and value the importance of healthy relationships that will help them navigate this evolving world of new technology and use it in a safe and responsible way.

The goal of my case study was to provide information to Christ the Redeemer School Division that can assist in helping parents and children use social media in a way that allows them to benefit from the positive impacts of connectivity and mitigate the risks that may arise.

Social media is a prevalent force in today’s society offering users the ability to develop and maintain social spheres in interactive, multimedia rich online environments. With this opportunity comes the risk of online vulnerability in which individuals can experience detriments to their psychological, reputational, or physical wellbeing because of their online experience.

Inappropriate use of social media is a concern for school administrators, educators and parents. We want our students to be cared for and safe. Parents and schools provide children with the tools to access social media, but how aware and interested are parents in their child’s use of social media? Given that parents are our partners in their children’s education, it is valuable to explore what parents know about the impact of social media on their children.

Three Recommendations:

The recommendations that I presented were directed to Christ the Redeemer School Division but are applicable to other school districts. I look forward to presenting my findings to our parents at our parent council meetings this fall.

Recommendation #1: School Divisions should continue to develop and deliver curriculum to students on the responsible use of social media. School divisions could consider:

preparing a plan to communicate with parents on the development and implementation of social media curriculum and
partnering with community agencies such as law enforcement and health to create and deliver resources to both parents and students

Recommendation #2: Parents are encouraged to actively engage in ongoing conversations with their children on the use of social media; monitor their child’s use with the intent of supporting rather than penalizing their child and focusing on activities where there are more face-to-face interactions with their children.

Recommendation #3: The study demonstrates parents’ interest in more support and resources to assist them and their children in the responsible use of social media. Areas for further research include exploring the knowledge gaps in parents’ awareness of social media’s impacts and the potential for more supports for parents to better support their child’s use of social media and how the age of child may result in higher or lower levels of monitoring and conversation with parents

Acknowledgements

This MIM research project allowed me to explore and recognize our responsibilities to our emerging generation. My thanks to my supervisor Dr. Bertrum MacDonald, who inspired me to continue in the field of Information Management after the first course in the program. Thank you to the parents of St. Anthony’s School who were enthusiastic participants. My gratitude for the support of my colleagues and, in particular, Cora-Leah Schmitt, for her comments on the various stages of my paper. Finally, I want to thank my husband, Chris Curtis, and the rest of my family for endless support and patience.

JoAnne Akerboom, MIM Class of 2018, is the Principal. Anthony’s School, Alberta, Canada. “Making the World a Better Place To Be!” is the motto of St. Anthony’s School. As the principal of this school, her main responsibility is to provide leadership and support an environment where high quality academic education is provided in a safe, caring, and Catholic setting. JoAnne has graciously agreed to be a repeat contributor on CEGE Connection

Irena Stropnik: Happy Birthday Mary Parker Follett

September 3, 2018 rbudd

Mary Parker Follett 1868 – 1933

“We find the true man only through organization. The potentialities of the individual remain potentialities until they are released by group life. Man discovers his true nature, gains his true freedom only through the group.”

Mary Parker Follett, The New State: Group Organization the Solution of Popular Government.

Mary Parker Follett, known as the “Mother of Modern Management,” was born today, September 3, 1868, into a wealthy Massachusetts Quaker family. Joan C. Tonn, in the introduction of her book Mary P. Follett, Creating Democracy, Transforming Management, describes Mary Parker Follett as having a warm voice and a stylish wit. Her strength was centered on her ability to listen attentively and enjoy conversations that welcomed a diversity of opinion. She fervently believed that working together, embracing differences, had the potential to generate new thought, new ideas. It was all about collaboration.

Mary Parker Follett was the first woman to receive an invitation to address the London School of Economics and was sought after by President Theodore Roosevelt to be his personal consultant for managing not-for-profits and volunteer organizations. As we celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Mary Parker Follett’s book, The New State, there has been a resurgence in revisiting her theories, which cover a broad spectrum from management and public administration to social work, mediation and dispute resolution.

Dr. Carolan McLarney has explored the remarkable life of Mary Parker Follett since her doctoral days. In her May 15, 2018 post, Dr. McLarney discussed Mary Parker’s thoughts on Group Membership.

To commemorate the 150^th anniversary of Mary Parker Follett’s birth, Irena Stropnik MBA (FS) Class of 2012, shared her thoughts on Group Membership in response to Dr. McLarney’s article.

Irena Stropnik:

Irena Stropnik MBA(FS) 2012

Dr. McLarney’s discussion of Mary Parker Follett’s theories on Group Membership has provided me with much food for thought, given our current realities. Many of Mary Parker Follett’s ideas ring true in today’s world. We are in desperate need of ‘quality men/group members’ and effective leaders to navigate the complexities and challenges of today’s world.

In reading through Dr. McLarney’s post, what struck me most was the importance of quality group members – not only willing to give their best but recognizing the importance that combined efforts build and add to the entire group. We must be committed to our own ideas but humble enough to listen to others and see how together, we can come up with an even better idea(s). This seems to contradict today’s individualistic society and norms. We are so busy looking out for ourselves and our own interests, that we fail to contribute to the larger society because we believe that, if the whole is better, we may somehow have less. Rather than judging others, seeing the potential in each other; to show empathy and endeavour to understand a situation from another person’s perspective.

Threaded throughout Dr. McLarney’s post was the notion of diversity (of thought, skill, effort, role) and inclusion (that we all must contribute to a better whole). The current business environment seems to understand this importance, but I believe, continues to struggle with how to really make his happen. How do we take into consideration everyone’s voice, their perspective, their thoughts? To me, the role of the leader is to orchestrate and facilitate this for teams. Whether it is a common vision or goal, or sometimes even stepping back to let others lead…we must consider how we want to function as a society and as business organizations.

“No member of a group which is to create can be passive. All must be active and constructively active. It is not, however, to be constructively active merely to add a share: it must be a share which is related to and bound up with every other share. And it must be given in such a way that it fits in with what others are giving. Someone said to me the other day, “Don’t you think Mr. X talks better than anyone else in Boston?” Well the fact is that Mr. X talks so well that I can never talk with him. Everything he says has such a ring of finality, is such a rounding up of the whole question, that it leaves nothing more to be said on the subject. This is particularly the kind of thing to be avoided in a committee meeting or conference.”

Mary Parker Follett, The New State: Group Organization the Solution of Popular Government. (1918, p.7)

Friday Reflection

August 31, 2018 rbudd

“It may be that when we no longer know what to do,
we have come to our real work
and when we no longer know which way to go,
we have begun our real journey.
The mind that is not baffled is not employed.
The impeded stream is the one that sings.”
Wendell Berry

Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois: A New Institute in Agri-food Analytics

August 30, 2018 rbudd 1 Comment

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois
Dean, Faculty of Management
Dalhousie University

Over the summer, I was able to think about my career, my family, and on the future of our Faculty. As most of you know that I am truly passionate about research in the broad area of food distribution and policy. Therefore, I have notified the university that I will be stepping down as Dean, effective September 1, 2018. Over the next few months, with the support of the university, I plan to devote a great deal of my time to preparing a proposal for a new Institute in Agri-food analytics, with partners on campus and across the country. I will have an office in both Halifax and Truro, starting in September.

I will truly miss serving our Faculty, staff and students. Over the past two years, we have accomplished great things together. Last year was one of the strongest fundraising years on record, with a total of $3.5 million in new commitments (including $450K in annual giving, another near-record).

I am also so proud that we have: launched CDL-Atlantic, gained Senate approval for an MSc program to enhance the Rowe School of Business’s research activity, proposed a significant revision of the MBA, changed the purpose of CEGE/CFAME and gave academic authority of graduate programs back to schools, renewed our Faculty complement in both the School for Resources and Environmental Studies (SRES) and the School of Public Administration (SPA), we partnered with the NSCC on a 2+2 agreement for our BMGT program which has seen accepted offers increase by 34% this year, supported the university in centralizing its entrepreneurship and innovation efforts, and the list goes on.

I am also proud of a few other accomplishments. As mentioned before, we recently learned that the Faculty of Management was granted its first SSHRC Canada Research Chair Tier I ($1.4m over 7 years), in renewable energy/clean tech. The CRC will be housed in SRES. The search is ongoing. This is a significant step forward for our Faculty. Our PhD proposal in resources and sustainability is also moving along the approval process. Several Faculties, including Science, Architecture and Agriculture have provided us with their support for the program.

We are also working with Computer Science and our other partner Faculties, Law, and Medicine to revamp the Masters in Electronic Commerce. Its new name (Master of Digital Innovation) and concept paper, was reviewed and supported by the Provost recently. These changes were long overdue.

The CDL-Atlantic has allowed 12 scalable start-ups to complete the program in Halifax and will continue their journey. It will be exciting to see our second cohort perform this Fall. Many of these businesses will resume their activities in our region, which is wonderful for our economy.

We also gave inaugural staff awards to recognize the work and dedication of our staff members, which was one of the highlights of my Deanship. They do so much for us.

I believe our Faculty and University can achieve great things together. As a faculty member, I will continue to work to ensure Dalhousie and our Faculty continues to prosper in its third century of existence.

I would remiss if I did not thank my crew in the Dean’s Office: Janet, Vivian, Mike, Dominika, Louis, Anna, Marianne, Nicole, Sue and Jen and a few others who have since left the university. They have been a wonderful support throughout. Also, my directors over the past two years, Michelle, Peter T., Peter D., Bob, Lori, Sandra, Benoît, Jeff, Robert, Florence, Martine and Mary, all have been incredibly helpful and resourceful. Our Advisory Board members, led by Doug Reid, have also been a great support over the past two years. Louise, our Secretary at Faculty Council has done a great job keeping our group productive and disciplined, thank you Louise. As Chair of Governing Council, I also want to acknowledge Kevin Quigley’s outstanding work as Director of the MacEachen Institute for Public Policy and Governance. It was a pleasure to work with Kevin over the last few years.

And finally, the students. Our students at Dalhousie and in our Faculty are amazing citizens and I hope to continue to achieve great things with them over the next few years.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois
FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT
Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building
6100 University Avenue
PO Box 15000, Halifax NS CANADA B3H 4R2
Professor in Food Distribution and Policy
Faculty of Agriculture

Dal200a

Marine heatwaves are getting hotter, lasting longer and doing more damage

August 28, 2018 rbudd

Marine heatwaves are getting hotter, lasting longer and doing more damage

File 20180524 51121 1fwi0v0.jpg?ixlib=rb 1.1 — Marine heatwaves can kill off species and alter ecosystems.
(Shutterstock)

Eric Oliver, Dalhousie University; Alistair Hobday, CSIRO; Dan Smale, Marine Biological Association; Neil Holbrook, University of Tasmania, and Thomas Wernberg, University of Western Australia

On land, heatwaves can be deadly for humans and wildlife and can devastate crops and forests.

Unusually warm periods can also occur in the ocean. These can last for weeks or months, killing off kelp forests and corals, and producing other significant impacts on marine ecosystems, fishing and aquaculture industries.

Yet until recently, the formation, distribution and frequency of marine heatwaves had received little research attention.

Marine heatwaves occur everywhere in the ocean.
Eric Oliver/Dalhousie University

Long-term change

Climate change is warming ocean waters and causing shifts in the distribution and abundance of seaweeds, corals, fish and other marine species. For example, tropical fish species are now commonly found in Sydney Harbour.

But these changes in ocean temperatures are not steady or even, and scientists have lacked the tools to define, synthesize and understand the global patterns of marine heatwaves and their biological impacts.

At a meeting in early 2015, we convened a group of scientists with expertise in atmospheric climatology, oceanography and ecology to form a marine heatwaves working group to develop a definition for the phenomenon: A prolonged period of unusually warm water at a particular location for that time of the year. Importantly, marine heatwaves can occur at any time of the year, summer or winter.

With the definition in hand, we were finally able to analyze historical data to determine patterns in their occurrence.

Analysis of marine heatwave trends

Over the past century, marine heatwaves have become longer and more frequent around the world. The number of marine heatwave days increased by 54 per cent from 1925 to 2016, with an accelerating trend since 1982.

Yearly count of marine heatwave days from 1900 to 2016, as a global average.
Eric Oliver/Dalhousie University

We collated more than 100 years of sea surface temperature data around the world from ship-based measurements, shore station records and satellite observations, and looked for changes in how often marine heatwaves occurred and how long they lasted.

We found that from 1925 to 1954 and 1987 to 2016, the frequency of heatwaves increased 34 per cent and their duration grew by 17 per cent.

These long-term trends can be explained by ongoing increases in ocean temperatures. Given the likelihood of continued ocean surface warming throughout the 21st century, we can expect to see more marine heatwaves globally in the future, with implications for marine biodiversity.

‘The Blob’ effect

Numbers and statistics are informative, but here’s what that means underwater.

A marine ecosystem that had 30 days of extreme heat in the early 20th century might now experience 45 days of extreme heat. That extra exposure can have detrimental effects on the health of the ecosystem and the economic benefits, such as fisheries and aquaculture, derived from it.

A number of recent marine heatwaves have done just that.

In 2011, a marine heatwave off western Australia killed off a kelp forest and replaced it with turf seaweed. The ecosystem shift remained even after water temperatures returned to normal, signalling a long-lasting or maybe even permanent change.

That same event led to widespread loss of seagrass meadows from the iconic Shark Bay area, with consequences for biodiversity including increased bacterial blooms, declines in blue crabs, scallops and the health of green turtles, and reductions in the long-term carbon storage of these important habitats.

Similarly, a marine heatwave in the Gulf of Maine disrupted the lucrative lobster fishery in 2012. The warm water in late spring allowed lobsters to move inshore earlier in the year than usual, which led to early landings, and an unexpected and significant price drop.

More recently, a persistent area of warm water in the North Pacific, nicknamed “The Blob”, stayed put for years (2014-2016), and caused fishery closures, mass strandings of marine mammals and harmful algal bloom outbreaks along the coast. It even changed large-scale weather patterns in the Pacific Northwest.

Examples of marine heatwave impacts on ecosystems and species. Coral bleaching and seagrass die-back (top left and right) has affected marine habitats with severe ecological impacts on associated communities. Mass mortality and changes in recruitment patterns of commercially important species such as abalone and lobsters (bottom left and right) have had socio-economic impacts.
Dan Smale/MBA

As global ocean temperatures continue to rise and marine heatwaves become more widespread, the marine ecosystems many rely upon for food, livelihoods and recreation will become increasingly less stable and predictable.

The climate change link

Anthropogenic, that is human-caused, climate change is linked to some of these recent marine heatwaves.

For example, human emissions of greenhouse gases made the 2016 marine heatwave in tropical Australia, which led to massive bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef, 53 times more likely to occur.

Even more dramatically, the 2015-16 marine heatwave in the Tasman Sea that persisted for more than eight months and disrupted Tasmanian fisheries and aquaculture industries was over 300 times more likely, thanks to anthropogenic climate change.

For scientists, the next step is to quantify future changes under different warming scenarios. How much more often will they occur? How much warmer will they be? And how much longer will they last?

Ultimately, scientists should develop forecasts for policy makers, managers and industry that could predict the future impacts of marine heatwaves for weeks or months ahead. Having that information would help fishery managers know when to open or close a fishery, aquaculture businesses to plan harvest dates and conservation managers to implement additional monitoring efforts.

Forecasts can help manage the risks, but in the end, we still need urgent action to curb greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming. If not, marine ecosystems are set for an ever-increasing hammering from extreme ocean heat.

More information on this and related studies can be found on www.marineheatwaves.org.

Eric Oliver, Assistant Professor, Dalhousie University; Alistair Hobday, Senior Principal Research Scientist – Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO; Dan Smale, Research Fellow in Marine Ecology, Marine Biological Association; Neil Holbrook, Professor, University of Tasmania, and Thomas Wernberg, ARC Future Fellow in Marine Ecology, University of Western Australia

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Friday Reflection

August 24, 2018 rbudd

“A university is just a group of buildings gathered around a library.”

Shelby Foote

Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois – The trouble with edibles

August 23, 2018 rbudd Leave a Comment

The trouble with edibles

File 20180717 44103 1wtiscj.jpg?ixlib=rb 1.1 — No one really knows for certain what the market potential is for cannabis, much less for edibles, but growth opportunities are palatable.
(Shutterstock)

Sylvain Charlebois, Dalhousie University

On Oct. 17, smoking cannabis will become legal in Canada. As for cannabis edibles, they will take a bit longer: Cannabis-infused food products will be legal in a little less than a year’s time.

Once edibles are available, things will get complicated in Canada’s food industry. But with the right regulations, this is a profit opportunity that doesn’t come by every day.

Initially, Bill C-45 did not include edibles. That only happened last fall, when the parliamentary health committee decided that edibles would need to be included as well if the country was going to adopt a comprehensive approach to legalized cannabis.

According to a recently published survey from Dalhousie University, 93 per cent of those favourable to the legalization of marijuana are also very likely to try at least one edible product. Recognizing this possibility, the parliamentary committee approved a neat little amendment and, voilà, edibles became part of the package.

The food industry is a $200-billion sector. It is a massive portion of our economy, split into multiple streams. Food retailing, food service, delivery, food trucks, institutional services, arenas, stadiums — there are channels of distribution everywhere, and food can get to wherever you are.

In less than a year, this will include cannabis — except that, unlike the smokeable version, edibles can be consumed by anyone without those around them knowing. It’s discreet, convenient — and potentially dangerous.

Labelling required

Health Canada was caught by surprise by the additional legalization of edibles, and is still trying to come up with an appropriate regulatory framework. Many questions linger about the distinct dangers that edibles pose, particularly for children.

Food companies are notoriously paranoid about food-safety issues, because they are always just one recall, outbreak or tragic incident away from closing their doors. All it takes is one child eating a cannabis-infused product and the damage to that food company would be irreversible.

Consumer sales of cannabis-infused food and drink are on the rise in California and Colorado.
(Shutterstock)

It’s critical that a regulatory framework be put in place that would include proper labelling of edibles, complete with THC content and intoxicant warnings, to assure both the public and industry that edibles and humans can co-exist safely.

With adequate safety measures, edibles present a hugely profitable opportunity for the Canadian food industry. No one really knows for certain what the market potential is for cannabis, much less for edibles, but growth opportunities are palatable.

In California, for example, consumers purchased US$180-million worth of cannabis-infused food and drink last year. This amounts to roughly 10 per cent of the state’s total cannabis sales. Sales are up 18 per cent since January of this year. In Colorado, where cannabis is also legal, sales of edibles rose by about 60 per cent a year over the past two years.

This kind of tremendous growth is what the food industry needs right now. The more consumers are exposed to cannabis, the more they will opt for the edible version. Quite simply, this is a potential phenomenon akin to what the industry saw with sales of gluten-free products.

Industry shake up

Edibles also stand to shake up current players in the food sector. For example, people may choose cannabis more often than a drink or two, and thus disrupt the alcohol industry. We could see some consumers substituting their usual wine, beer or spirits for a cannabis-infused spaghetti sauce, or possibly even cannabis oil. Or perhaps some will be opt for a pot muffin or brownie.

Will cannabis pesto be on your grocer’s shelf soon?
(Shutterstock)

In fact, many wine producers are concerned about what a mature cannabis market will look like. For Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia — where the wine industry is flourishing — this could be a problem.

We are already seeing cannabis beer being launched in different places in the country. But it’s not just alcohol that is susceptible, as edibles can take many different forms: candies are the number one food product containing cannabis sold in the United States.

It will be interesting to see how branding strategies will align with cannabis, too. Some people will choose cannabis to get high, but not everyone.

Beyond the psychoactive effects of cannabis, there is also the possibility of pitching it as a superfood. The cannabis plant is full of nutritional value. It contains protein, carbohydrates, insoluble fibre, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamins E and C and many other elements considered beneficial for human health.

For food manufacturers looking for a new value-added feature, cannabis could potentially be the next omega-3 or probiotic.

Uncertain stance

The Dalhousie survey questioned businesses about their plans for cannabis edibles. Almost 20 per cent of the food processing companies surveyed are either in the edibles market already, or intend to enter the market within a year.

But, a whopping 50 per cent of food companies in Canada are uncertain about their position regarding cannabis. Respondents cited different reasons, such as concerns over employees being trained properly, or not knowing what products will eventually be allowed into the market.

Many companies are also worried about how cannabis can affect their brands or their supply chain strategy with other partners in the industry.

With legalization, the stigma linked to cannabis will eventually disappear, but it will take a while. The food industry is known to be extremely risk averse, and it won’t be any different toward cannabis. Until the industry knows the consumer is ready, cannabis edibles will stay on the sidelines — but hopefully not for too long.

Sylvain Charlebois, Professor in Food Distribution and Policy, Dalhousie University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Dr. Tony Walker: How to clean up our universal plastic tragedy

August 21, 2018 rbudd

How to clean up our universal plastic tragedy

File 20180626 112607 1oqu16h.jpg?ixlib=rb 1.1 — Plastic debris strewn across a beach.
(USFWS)

Tony Robert Walker, Dalhousie University

Twenty five years ago, I spent a summer removing plastic packing bands and plastic nets from 135 entangled Antarctic fur seals on Bird Island, South Georgia in the sub-Antarctic. Plastic marine waste discarded by the fishing industry were the primary source of entanglements.

A quarter of a century later, plastic is still a huge problem. In the past month alone, we have seen dead whales wash ashore with their stomachs full of plastic bags.

This ought to be a strong enough signal to trigger collective action to clean up and improve governance of the plastics that have become this century’s Tragedy of the Commons.

Governments and individuals all need to reconsider how we use and dispose of our single-use plastics (SUPs). Within just two generations we have produced and discarded so much plastic that we are now literally drowning in it.

Individual action

Recently, a former colleague in Newfoundland was so fed up at staring at a pile of garbage dumped on nearby public property that she took it upon herself to clean it up. The result was almost a truckload of trash comprising five full garbage bags and other miscellaneous pieces, most of it SUPs.

We all use SUPs, not just those countries with the largest populations, and so we are all are culpable in contributing to global plastic pollution.

Until recently, China was the world’s largest importer of recyclable materials (including plastics) from developed countries, such as Canada, the United States and European countries. But these imports have since been banned.

This has left many developed countries scrambling to figure out how to recycle or dispose of their SUPs, with many jurisdictions (from municipalities to entire countries) considering bans or fees on SUP bags.

Recently, Prince Edward Island took the big step to announce new legislation to make it the first province to ban SUP shopping bags. Seattle is the first major U.S. city to ban the use of plastic drinking straws.

Government support

Canada is planning to adopt a zero-waste strategy, and we recently heard more about these details in the non-binding G7 Ocean Plastics Charter, which was agreed to by five of the seven participating nations and the European Union (EU). However, neither the United States nor Japan signed the voluntary agreement.

National and international organizations have also made recent announcements about how to reduce and improve recycling, but all have committed to widely varying time lines to achieve these goals.

For example, the United Nations Environment Programme (with support from 42 governments), declared a fight against plastics, announcing their global Clean Seas campaign in 2017 to eliminate major sources of marine debris by 2022.

The following year, the European Commission (EC) adopted the first Europe-wide strategy on plastics, aiming for all plastic packaging in the EU to be reusable or recyclable — but not until 2030.

Lagging behind the international community, the United Kingdom announced it will eliminate “avoidable” plastic waste by 2042 — almost a generation away!

Meanwhile, Canada has also been soliciting comments and ideas on ways to reduce plastic pollution and improve recycling.

Corporations lead the way

With governments setting unambitious targets, it seems that large corporations are now showing leadership by listening to consumers who are demanding less SUPs in their packing and food containers.

Recently, McDonald’s announced that it would replace plastic straws with paper ones in all of its U.K. and Ireland restaurants, as of September 2018. This strategy may soon be rolled out in other jurisdictions. IKEA has also committed to eliminating all SUP products from its home furnishing range by 2020, including plastic straws, plates, cups, freezer bags, garbage bags and plastic-coated paper plates and cups.

Why has it taken so long to tackle this wicked problem?

Sure, the plastics industry has something to lose, and maybe governments also lack the will and technology to make the transition sooner?

But time is running out.

I’m just glad that the Romans invented viaducts and straight roads instead of SUPs, as we likely wouldn’t be here today if they had. Giving up a plastic straw, stirrer or bag might not be so bad after all.

If I have to choose between “Planet or Plastic”, I know which I’ll pick. What about you?

Tony Robert Walker, Assistant Professor, Dalhousie University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Archives for rbudd

Marine heatwaves are getting hotter, lasting longer and doing more damage

Long-term change

Analysis of marine heatwave trends

‘The Blob’ effect

The climate change link

The trouble with edibles

Labelling required

Industry shake up

Uncertain stance

How to clean up our universal plastic tragedy

Individual action

Government support

Corporations lead the way