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  • What Are Morals and Principles?

    What Are Morals and Principles?

    Your morals and principles mean a lot; it’s having manners, acts of kindness and common sense when communicating with others respectfully. Earning respect is an important part of maintaining friendships and relationships in order to obtain trust. Having ethics can be crucial in certain situations. This results in countless positive benefits such as good karma (for those who believe!), and healthy relationships.

    What are morals and principles? Morals and principles are doing what is considered the “right” thing to do. It can mean being the “bigger” person when being put in a difficult position.

    Moral: adjective

    (Entry 1 of 2)

    1a : of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior : ethical moral judgments

    Moral: noun

    1a : the moral significance or practical lesson (as of a story) The moral of the story is to be satisfied with what you have.

    b : a passage pointing out usually in conclusion the lesson to be drawn from a story

    Definition of principle

    1a : a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption

    b(1) : a rule or code of conduct

    (2) : habitual devotion to right principles a man of principle

    Trying to do what is “right” and to stand by your morals and principles can be tiring. For example, if your friend feels left out, on principle, you will make them feel included. That is if your principle is to always make people feel included and safe, in this instance. It can even be minuscule actions in our daily lives that enact our morals and principles, like picking up something someone dropped or saying positive things to people who are having a rough time. Any choice you make that positively impacts someone else can mean you are morally bound. Morality can also be about learning a lesson. Think of a time that you made a mistake. What did you learn from that choice? What could you have done differently? Chances are, the act you should have done, would have been the moral choice. We all make mistakes at one point or another in our lives but it’s important we keep in mind what moral decisions would look like in our lives.

    Morals and principles are very important in today’s society. Whether you’re at home eating dinner with your family, taking the bus, or even hanging out with your friends, it’s important to keep in mind how you’re portraying yourself to others. If someone bumps into you and apologizes, do you say, “Back off buddy!” or do you say, “That’s okay!” and walk away? As I said, morals and principles are used constantly and are important to build relationships and to be a good person. In short, your morals and principles can be a sign to what kind of person you are.

    So how do you have good morals? How do you become a truly ethical person? The easiest way to have these important values is to practice them consistently. Using manners, being selfless and generally being kind to those around you are all simple ways of practicing positive principles. The most important thing is to think before you speak or act; what are my intentions of this thing that I’m about to do or say? Is it positive? If you are concerned that what you are saying will hurt someone, it’s best to avoid that. Along with this, surrounding yourself with ethical people, chances are you will develop good morals as well. Hanging out with disrespectful, hostile people, the opposite is likely to occur.

    Every day, no matter where you go or who you are with, basic common sense and morals are being used. People don’t tend to lash out at people for no reason, and that is just the basics of having principals. The majority of us are kind and friendly. Our values are important to us and even if we disagree with something someone is saying, we remain respectful. Why wouldn’t you be? There’s no reason to treat someone terribly for something small that doesn’t matter in the long run.

    Thinking before you act is key to being an ethical person; through doing this you are predicting the outcome of what you say and the effects it will have on others. You are showing sympathy along with respect for other people. Overall, countless benefits result from being an ethical person and there’s always reason to treat people with kindness and respect.

    References:

    1. https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/morals
    2. https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/behavior/moral-principles-and-how-they-impact-your-life/

  • Lying Won’t Get You Anywhere!

    We have all lied before, whether it was about a crush we had or why we forgot to turn in homework. Small lies, or white lies as you may have heard before, are occasional lies that are told that don’t hurt anyone, yourself included. Lying can look many different ways. It can appear as cheating, keeping secrets and much more. Lying can hurt others, and it can also hurt yourself.

    Lying can get you in trouble with friends, family, school, work and even the law. When you don’t tell the truth and someone finds out, your integrity* gets pulled into question. Say you tell your friend that you can’t go to her party because you are sick, when really you got invited to another party that your other friend is throwing. Your friend believes you and says it’s okay for you to stay home and rest, but later, they see that someone posted a picture of you at the party on social media. Immediately your friend is going to be hurt and maybe even angry that you lied about what you did. You may lose that friend due to the fact that they don’t know your true intensions with them and if you are even a friend at all. You could also lose your job. Not telling the truth can make you lose friends, be on edge with family or even worse.

    Although lying might keep you out of trouble short term, it is never ever worth it in the long run. Everyone lies a little, it’s human nature; however too much lying can cause serious consequences. Remember, it’s always better safe than sorry.

    So how can you be more honest with others? Well, it starts with being honest with yourself. Once you are honest with yourself about your personal beliefs and values, it will allow you to open up more freely to others and you won’t feel the need to be misleading. You can find healthy and considerate ways to express yourself. The truth may not always be the easiest thing to admit or say, but in the end, you will gain lots of trust and respect from people. People who are honest with themselves are more likely to be trusted by others and to succeed in life. They are also more likely to gain happiness in their day to day lives and within themselves.

    Here are ten ways to become a more honest person (lifehack.org):

    1. Don’t think everyone is out to get you with their criticism: this will help you become less defensive and less likely to lie.
    2. Accept that you aren’t always right: this will allow you to be able to admit mistake.
    3. Realize that the fun is in the effort
    4. Take chances and opportunities.
    5. Do things as soon as possible, stop waiting until tomorrow.
    6. Consider others point of views.
    7. Don’t give up.
    8. Realize when you have taken on too much: that way you can ask for help from others and you will get things done on time.
    9. Accept your feelings.
    10. Quit doubting yourself.

    *Integrity: the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

  • Should I Follow in My Parent’s career Footsteps?

    Should I Follow in My Parent’s career Footsteps?

    Many children choose to follow in their parent’s footsteps career-wise; ever wonder why that is? Growing up, we become exposed to the reality of those jobs, the fun aspects of that career, as well as the challenges. However, children are often inspired by their parents, and often mimic parts of their lives, such as their likes, their dislikes, their career, and more. It is common to follow the lead of your parents, but it is also important to avoid the pressure to do so if you do not feel it is right for you. It does not matter if your siblings or friends are following their parent’s leads, you do not have to. There are likely so many other people feeling the same way.

    A lot of parents expect their kids to have the same career as they did, but try to understand that is not the only way to go. Despite your parent’s expectations, you have the right to go into any career pathway you want. Your parents likely want the best for you, and if a certain career will make you happy, they will most likely understand and support you.

    So, how do you know if following in your parent’s career footsteps is the right pathway for you? To understand if this pathway is best suited for you, it is best to visualize what you see yourself doing in the future as a career rather than what your parents visualize you becoming. Take a moment, close your eyes, and think about yourself in the future. Are you at a desk job, outside, doing something hands-on or dealing with money? What job do you feel would make you happiest? Putting your happiness first is key because studies show humans work best while doing the things they enjoy doing.

    Some parents run their own business and have high expectations of their children to take on the business after they retire, but if you are in this situation, remember that this is not your only choice. You have the right to decide your career path. If you base your decision off of the pressure you feel from your parents, you are likely to not choose a pathway you enjoy or will succeed in.

    One way to see what job is best suited for you is by completing some surveys. There are countless surveys online that ask a series of questions based on your traits, qualities and the things you enjoy doing. After processing, the results will tell you the jobs and careers that are best suited for you based on your interests and personality traits. You can also visit a guidance counsellor or career counsellor to get more guidance towards what area of interest you want to focus on in the future. If the results show that you should follow the same career pathway that your parents took, perhaps consider jobs within that career.

    Try your best to avoid other people’s opinions. People who follow their parent’s careers have various reactions; sometimes they love it, sometimes they hate it. You will never know unless you try. Think; which courses do you enjoy doing?

    Overall, choose what you want to do when you are older. If that is the same pathway your parents took, go for it! If it’s not, that’s okay, too. Your parents should support any decision you make. Try to relieve any pressure you are feeling about choosing a career. According to Career Advice Online, most people change their careers 5-7  times throughout their lives. Whether you choose to follow in your parent’s career’s footsteps or not, you’re not alone.

    References:

    1. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/01/learning/will-you-follow-in-your-parents-footsteps.html
  • Use Failure as Your Top Motivator!

    Use Failure as Your Top Motivator!

    School is harder than it seems. Not only is it hard to keep up with your grades, but with the people around you. I’ll admit, I am not a competitive person at all. However, recently I have found myself almost trying to compete to get better grades, and I don’t even know why. I don’t even get bad grades; I just can’t help the discouragement when I see that someone got a better mark. I constantly exert this pressure upon myself to the absolute best that I can, and most of the time it isn’t even to impress myself; it’s to impress my parents, my peers, my friends, my teachers and my newest companion, universities. All this pressure to do good makes me more anxious than usual during school, that causes me to perform poorly on tests. However, after all I’ve learned throughout my 3 years in high school, it’s that you must let all the negativity go. Every bad mark, every negative thought, every piece of discouragement that you have ever been told can be turned into motivation to encourage yourself to do better every day.

    I particularly remember getting a 55% on a math test. That had been the first low mark I had received on a test this year. I am part of the STEAM program in my school. In truth, I don’t even want to pursue a career in the STEAM fields: I despise science, math and robotics. Math is arguably my worst subject in school, but all my friends (who are all in STEAM) are amazing at it. Whenever they got a good mark, of course I would be over the moon for them, but I often lied about my mark when they asked just so they didn’t think that I was stupid. Since then, I have decided that I will no longer do that. I have come to realize that math is just not my best subject, and that is completely alright. Failure isn’t necessarily a bad thing, making mistakes is good. Making mistakes can help you grow if you learn from them. Use your failures and insecurities to motivate you. Use them to drive you to do better and keep on trying. If you fail, try again. Keep on going.

    Sometimes it is hard to have a positive outlook on grades in school. Below I have included my main tips that I have learned to try and apply more to my daily life at school.

    Pay Attention to Yourself: One of the biggest problems that I have personally had in my high school experience is comparisons. I constantly compare myself to my friends, but I have realized that I must focus on myself and my growth. One thing that you must remember is that in the end, you must go to University, you’re the one who’s going to have to do the test or finish that project. Independence and focusing on yourself is key. Do not compare your grades to anyone else’s, don’t compare their project to yours, or their essay to yours. You must trust yourself and trust that you know what you are doing. If your friend performs better at science than you, that’s alright. You focus on yourself and keep looking for that passion of yours.  Everyone is on their own path.

    Remember That You Can’t be Good at Everything: It is alright to have a low mark in a subject. Everybody has something that they are good at. If you haven’t found it yet, you have got to keep looking. Even if you aren’t amazing at something but you love to do it and are passionate about it then that’s amazing! Passion is an essential attribute of success. We often believe that we must be amazing at something to love it, but we don’t. If you are doing what you love, then I’d say that you’re successful.

    Your Best is Enough: Always perform to the best of your ability. Even if you don’t like the subject, do the best that you can. If you give it all your effort and you still don’t get the mark that you wanted at least you’ll know that you gave it everything that you had. If you fail, you must keep going. Look at the

  • How to Create an Eco-Friendly Dorm/ Lifestyle at School!

    How to Create an Eco-Friendly Dorm/ Lifestyle at School!

    By Erin Rebello

    It’s that time of year when university acceptance letters are coming out and high school senior students are getting excited about leaving their homes to live on their own. Though the “dorm life” is a dream for many, it can actually be quite stressful not to know what to expect before moving into a new place. Not only this, but the amount of waste produced by students living on campus is much higher than you might imagine. It’s not easy living green when you’re on your own for the first time, and on a budget. There are ways that you can reduce your ecological footprint to help the planet:

    Schoolwork

    When in university or college, education should be your number one priority. Even so, there are several ways to reduce your carbon footprint while keeping up your grades:

    • Avoid unnecessary printing. Although you cannot (and should not) skip assignments that must be turned in on paper, it’s good to have a conversation with your profs in advance. With the availability and accessibility of online submission software, you may be able to hand in your work online. As a matter of fact, many universities are already switching to this paperless option, so you may not even have to ask!
    • Skip the notes- well, the paper ones! Although it can be fun to take a hardcopy of your notes on paper, with numerous courses throughout the school year, this quickly adds up! Instead, try taking notes on Google Docs or Microsoft Word, to avoid having to use paper every single lesson. If you use software such as the Google Suite, you’ll also be able to access your notes from anywhere, so you won’t have to worry about losing your notes or forgetting them in your dorm! If you still love the physical aspect of writing, consider trying out the Apple Pencil and I-Pad pro. The software Procreate allows you to take stunning notes with the Apple Pencil at the tap of a button. Easy peasy and Mother Nature approved!

    Food and Meals

    While gaining your diploma, you’re sure to need brain food to keep you going! When reaching for nourishment, remember that there are ways to eat that are sustainable and good for earth!

    • Although they are easily overlooked, disposable waste contributes to quite a lot of waste generated in dorms. When living on your own, it can be easy to use plastic cutlery, paper plates, and disposable cups to avoid having to do the dishes afterwards. This hurts not only the planet but also our wallet! Over time, it’s far more expensive to keep repurchasing paper and plastic products than it is to buy one set of quality reusable cups, plates, and cutlery.
    • Avoid the temptation of using meal delivery services. With the advent of apps such as UberEats, Skip the Dishes, Foodora, etc, instant food service has never been easier. As convenient and tempting as it may sound, it’s important to recognize the amount of additional carbon generated by the transportation of food, as well as the disposable cutlery provided. If you want to eat out, opt for on-campus options and try to dine in!

    Hygiene

    If there’s one thing you shouldn’t forget when living on your own, it’s hygiene! Keep your room (and yourself) smelling fresh with these eco-friendly reminders!

    • Instead of using harsh chemical cleaners to disinfect your dormitory, opt for more environmentally friendly alternatives! Brands like Common Good, Seventh Generation, and Mrs. Meyers are less irritating and more environmentally friendly in terms of their ingredients lists and business practices. You can also follow some simple DIY tutorials on Youtube to make your own cleaning products!
    • Switching your makeup, skincare, and body care products are also a crucial step on your path to being more eco-friendly. Look into brands that are fair-trade, eco-friendly, and cruelty-free for the most socially and environmentally friendly products to purchase! With a bit of research it’s easy to find products which generate far less waste than their drugstore counterpart.

    Lifestyle

    If you truly want to embrace the eco-friendly lifestyle, university is a great time to start! Below are a few ways to change up your general lifestyle to be better for the environment.

    • Thrift and buy goods and furniture secondhand. If you’re planning to live in a dorm, you’re probably preparing to do a lot of shopping for the furniture and wall decor. Instead of buying everything brand new, why not save money and do Mother Nature a favour at the same time by purchasing second hand furniture? Online second hand retailers like Kijiji and Craigslist make it easy to browse hundreds of options at once. You can also head to your local Goodwill or Salvation Army if you prefer to shop in person instead.
    • Thrift your clothing too! With thrifting making a comeback, it’s becoming trendy to purchase second hand clothing again! Capitalize on this trend and say no to fast fashion by bargain-hunting through the racks of thrift stores in your area. Grab a friend and you can make it an event!
    • The final thing that a lot of people tend to forget is the fact that eco-friendly tips you used back home also apply to dormitory life. Simple acts like taking shorter showers and closing the windows when the AC/heater is on make a huge difference in the long run. Keep up with the habits your parents have taught you in your own household and you’ll be able to continue being eco-friendly!
  • The Life Saving Benefits of Resting

    The Life Saving Benefits of Resting

    Getting enough sleep is very important for one’s health and well-being. It is just as important as exercising and maintaining a healthy diet. Several people do not get enough sleep because they are extremely busy. This is not healthy. It is important to work on managing one’s time to be able to get enough sleep for one’s age.

    According to the National Sleep Foundation, the following are the recommended amounts of time each age group should be sleeping per night:

    Age     Daily Recommended Sleep Time

    Newborns (0 – 3 months)    14-17 hours

    Infants (4 – 11 months)       12-15 hours

    Toddlers (1 – 2 years)          11-14 hours

    Preschoolers (3 – 5 years)  10-13 hours

    Children (6 – 13 years)        9-11 hours

    Teenagers (14 – 17 years)  8-10 hours

    Young adults (18 – 25 years)          7-9 hours

    Adults (26 – 64 years)          7-9 hours

    Older adults (65+ years)     7-8 hours

    As mentioned previously, there are several important reasons why everyone should be getting enough sleep every night. Here are a few of those reasons:

    1. Builds a Stronger Immune System

    Sleep helps the body repair, regenerate, and recover. There is research that shows that sleep can help the body fight infection.

    1. Helps Prevents Depression

    It is shown that those with sleep disorders, such as insomnia, are likely to show signs of depression.

    1. Leads to Better Concentration, Productivity, and Cognition

    Being wide awake helps your brain function better. Lack of sleep leads to sleep deprivation.

    1. Affects Emotions and Social Interactions

    Lack of sleep affects your emotional and social intelligence. This leads to them having trouble recognizing other people’s emotions.

    1. Lack of Sleep Results in a Greater Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke

    Getting enough sleep each night helps your body’s blood pressure regulate itself.

    Everyone has trouble sleeping at some point. Some more than others. There are many ways to help get better sleep at night. These changes range from lifestyle changes to redecorating. Here are some tips to help sleep peacefully and soundly at night:

    • Stick to a sleep schedule. To help regulate your sleep schedule, you should wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day. This includes the weekends.
    • Control how much light you’re exposed to. In the morning, expose yourself to sunlight. Also, avoid exposing yourself to bright lights before bed. These bright lights can keep you awake.
    • Exercising throughout the day can help you sleep at night. It’s better to exercise earlier on in the day. Exercising too close to when you go to bed will keep you awake.
    • Have an appropriate sleep environment. Make sure your sleep environment is quiet, cool, and comfortable. Also, reserve your bed for just sleeping. Do not eat, watch TV, or use technology while in your bed. This will help you associate your bed with only sleep.
    • Clear your head. There are times when your thoughts leave you unable to sleep at night. This is completely normal. One way to clear your head before you sleep is to meditate and do simple breathing exercises until you feel relaxed enough to fall asleep.
    • Have healthy eating habits. Your eating habits also play a role in how well you sleep. To get better sleep, it is best to limit caffeine, avoid big meals at night, avoid drinking too many liquids in the evening, and cut back on sugar.

    In conclusion, getting enough rest should be one of everyone’s daily goals. It is very important, and not getting enough sleep often can be dangerous. Being aware of the importance of sleep and learning some tips should be helpful. Remember to always get the recommended amount of sleep for your age! Sweet dreams!

    Resources:

    https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325353#lower-weight-gain-risk

    https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-why-good-sleep-is-important#section2

    https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/getting-better-sleep.htm

    https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/healthy-sleep-tips

    https://www.sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times

  • The Benefits of Helping Out at Home

    The Benefits of Helping Out at Home

    Chores are a pain! That is one thing that many adults and children can agree on. But they are a very important part of everyday life and no home can get by without all its chores getting done. Your parents might be asking you to do more around the house. Maybe you feel guilty about not doing as much as you could. There are many ways to start building the habit of getting chores done on a regular basis. Your family will appreciate it, your home will be better off for it, and you will benefit in a number of ways.

    The sooner you start helping out at home, the quicker it will become a habit. If you are finding this hard to do, keep an eye out for smaller and easier tasks. Put away toys or games when you are done, fill up the pet bowl with food, or take messy plates from the table to the sink. These actions take just seconds to do, and you can see the immediate good that comes from them: a cleaner room, a happy dog, and an empty table. You can feel it too! It feels good to contribute to the household and help out your family.

    As you start picking up this good habit, be on the lookout for bigger chores to take care of. Take note of what you see your parents doing, and ask what needs to be done daily and weekly. Every room has to be vacuumed, leaves in the yard have to be raked, and the dishes all have to be cleaned. You are not just being a good son or daughter, but also being a good team member in the household. These important skills will stay with you as you grow older and move out into your own home that will have its own chores in need of getting done.

    A study from Harvard University found that children who do chores end up doing better later in life. They were more likely to be happier, healthier, and more independent once they grew up. It helps you feel more confident and more positive about yourself. As you grow older, focus on the chores that you will really benefit from making a habit once you are on your own. Prepare meals for yourself and the rest of your family, do the laundry (and fold it too!), and clean hard-to-reach nooks and areas under or behind furniture or appliances. Your future self will be glad you did!

    Start by talking to your parents about wanting to do more to help out. If this has been a problem before, be honest about why you were not doing your chores – whether you were tired from school or simply figured your parents would do them instead. Now be on the lookout for the little tasks that make for a cleaner, nicer home. Slowly make a routine out of bigger and more important chores. You will better connect with your family, be prouder of your home, and be better prepared for the future. Chores may be a pain, but the rewards are worth it!

    Sources:

    Aha! Parenting. “6 Reasons Kids Don’t Help Around the House – and What You Can Do About It.” https://www.ahaparenting.com/blog/5_Ways_to_Get_Kids_to_Help_Around_the_House

    Morin, Amy. “The Importance of Chores for Kids.” Verywell Family. https://www.verywellfamily.com/the-importance-of-chores-for-kids-1095018

    Our Family Wizard. “5 Ways to Get The Kids Helping Around The House.” https://www.ourfamilywizard.ca/blog/5-ways-get-kids-helping-around-house

  • Making Friendships In Post-Secondary School

    Making Friendships In Post-Secondary School

    Making new friends doesn’t always come easy. Sometimes it’s just more comfortable to keep the old friends that we have instead of trying to meet anyone new. But, in the process of pursuing a post secondary education, it’s normal to become distant with old friends and want to make new ones. The question is how?

    Getting Involved

    The most obvious answer is to get involved in your school community. That means joining clubs to meet people with similar interests or maybe even joining the student government and helping plan events. This is of course a sure fire way to meet new people and also socialize with these people frequently. Most likely, these clubs will have an activity for you to do so that you’re not stuck doing nothing, desperately trying to find something to talk about. It’s a good way to get out more and really be a part of your community.

    However, joining clubs and student governments can be a bit of a commitment. In my personal experience, I joined many clubs during my first few weeks at university, however as work began to pile up, I stopped attending these clubs in order to prioritize school. In the end, I didn’t get to build a strong enough connection with the few people that I did meet in those clubs because I wasn’t able to attend enough club meetings.

    Making Friends In Class

    Another option is to just talk to the people next to you in class and maybe that’ll create a friendship in itself. If they’re in your class, you’ll have someone you can message if you miss a class and need notes. This is something that I attempted my first few weeks of university, however, it proved to be a sort of unrealistic way to make friends. If your classes are in big lecture halls like mine, you’re not guaranteed to have the same seat every time you come to class. This means that it’s hard to consistently talk to the same person each time. And unless you made a strong connection in that first conversation, they just become someone you’ve talked to instead of a new friend. Furthermore, there’s actually not a lot of time to talk during class if the teacher is lecturing the whole time. The effectiveness of this way to make friends really depends on the type of classes you take.

    Making Friends and Improving Grades

    An unconventional way that I’ve made friends is through getting school help. Typically, in university, professors provide office hours: times outside of class where you can see them and ask about the material you’re learning. My school also provides learning centers for specific subjects that are staffed with more teachers so that they’re able to help more students. However, as there are only a limited number of teachers and many students, I’m often stuck just waiting my turn to ask a question. But, this also allows me to ask my fellow students for help on problems and then return the favour. I found this to be a pretty organic way of talking to people and it ends up being beneficial to the both of us. We end up bonding over our mutual misunderstanding of the class and we both either get answers to our questions, or at least get someone to bounce ideas off of.

    All in all, just starting a conversation is the best way to make new friendships. Whether you’re in a club, in class or getting help from a teacher, you’re not going to meet new people if you never try to engage with them. Most likely, they’re just like you. As long as you’re kind and open to the people you meet, it won’t be too difficult to make friends.

  • Making Green Choices with Your Career – 5 Options to Put On Top of Your List

    Making Green Choices with Your Career – 5 Options to Put On Top of Your List

    Climate activist Greta Thunberg made headlines in September 2019 when a video of her impassioned speech at the United Nations Climate Action Summit went viral. We all listened to what she had to say and we heard her loud and clear. When she was proclaimed Person of the Year by Time magazine and landed the cover, we all realized the message can’t get any clearer—we need to do better when it comes to the environment and we need to act now.

    And with all the recent environmental disasters that are happening in the world, it’s about time to take a hard look at environmental issues and consider what we can do to help.

    One option is to open your mind to a career that will have a positive impact to the environment and the world we live in. Below are five green career choices to explore.

    Zoologist

    The effects of the Australian bushfires are devastating as it has led to 16 million acres of land going up in flames and are gone forever. It’s even more so devastating if you put into account how it has led to the loss of 27 human lives and over a billion of animals and wildlife. If you have an affinity for animals, then a zoologist could be your top pick. Zoologists can choose to focus on different species such as mammals or marine life. And while the main responsibility would be to study the behaviour of animals, you also have to be prepared to commit to understanding the role of animals and their respective habitats and discovering the best ways in which we humans can best co-exist with them.

    LEED-Accredited Design Professional

    If you’re more of an outside-the-box thinker and look forward to getting your creative juices flowing, then a career in architecture will be an ideal option for you. Combine this with your love for the environment and you can look into a career as a LEED-accredited design professional. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environment Design, is one of the most internationally recognized green building certifications. The concept behind LEED was spearheaded by Robert K. Watson of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in 1993 and focuses on the environment-conscious design, construction, operation, and maintenance of structures. Canada is abundant in LEED-certified structures, such as the VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre in Vancouver, BC, Eighth Avenue Place in Calgary, AB, Manitoba Hydro Place in Winnipeg, MB, TD Centre in Toronto, ON, and the Planetarium Rio Tinto Alcan in Montreal, QC. Perhaps in the future you can add to the list.

    Environmental Lawyer

    If your heart is in advocating for environmental causes and working directly with individuals or communities affected by mishaps due to neglect or abuse, a career as an environmental lawyer could be your best option. Environmental lawyers offer advise on environmental issues ranging from hazardous waste to water quality. Think Erin Brockovich who built a case against the giant gas and power company Pacific Gas and Energy in California by coming up with substantial evidence that linked a rash of illnesses to high levels of hexavalent chromium found in the drinking water and traced back to a PG&E compressor station. Brockovich became a worldwide sensation after Julia Roberts played her in a blockbuster movie and won an Oscar, but of course the bigger reward was gaining justice for a community.

    Geoscientist

    If being confined in offices isn’t your thing, a career to consider is that of a geoscientist, which as the name suggests will make you responsible for studying the earth’s composition, history, and natural resources. Taking this path, however, would require a great deal of travel and subject you to hot and cold climates, so physical fitness is a must for this job. In some cases, geoscientists may team up with environment scientists and in some level may expect to work indoors such as in labs to do research. A bachelor’s degree in geology is a good place to start, although a degree in engineering, physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, or computer science will suffice for employers. In any case, coursework in geology is a must.

    Conservation Scientist

    Like with the geologist option, a career as a conservation scientist is suitable if you have a fondness for the outdoors. This job involves coordinating with property owners and governments and work together towards the same goal of utilizing natural resources properly, which include national parks or forests. They work hard to serve in the best interests of the environment while at the same time making sure the needs of private citizens and/or business owners or the community are met. If this is something that interests you, completing a bachelor’s degree in forestry or anything related like agricultural or environmental science will put you in the right track.

    There you have it, five options for a greener career path. There are more of course and you can keep exploring and researching and see what best fits you.

    SOURCES:

    https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-green-dream-jobs-4154258

    https://www.environmentalscience.org/career/zoologist

    https://www.thebalancecareers.com/geoscientist-526022

    https://www.biography.com/activist/erin-brockovich

    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/read-greta-thunberg-s-full-speech-united-nations-climate-action-n1057861

    http://environment-ecology.com/environment-and-architecture/81-the-leadership-in-energy-and-environmental-design-leed-.html

  • Where Do I Inquire About Scholarships?

    Where Do I Inquire About Scholarships?

    A scholarship is a financial award that is given to a student in order to help them continue their education. There are different kinds of scholarships and they will all have different criteria to be eligible and to of course, be awarded the scholarship. It is often believed that you need to either achieve excellent grades or be a superstar at sports to receive a scholarship, but that is not the case. While some students get scholarships due to their academic or sports abilities, there are still other ways to receive scholarships.

    When looking for scholarships to apply for there are plenty of resources for finding ones that are a good fit for you. Talking to staff at your school is a good start, they might have information about scholarships you can apply for or other places you can find some.

    You can also look online, in fact, the site you are reading this on right now (jobspeopledo.com) has lists of scholarships posted each month, with information about deadlines, how much the awards are and where to apply for them. Other websites that have information about scholarships are scholarshipscanada.com and studentawards.com. Studentawards.com will send emails to you with information about scholarships you can apply for.

    If you have already been accepted and chosen the school you want to attend, another good place to find out about scholarships is at colleges and universities, often post-secondary schools have scholarships specifically for their students and students planning to attend there to apply for.

    You may also be able to get information about scholarships through your bank, setting up a meeting with someone from your bank to ask about it is smart. And if you have a job you might be able to talk to your employer, there is a possibility that the company gives out scholarships. If not you can also ask other businesses in your area if they offer scholarships.

    If you know what you are going to school for, look for scholarships in that field of study. It will make it easier for you to know which ones you should be applying for.

    Applying for scholarships is a good idea because post-secondary education is expensive and although being awarded a scholarship will not make the expense completely disappear, it can definitely help cut it down. A lot of scholarship application deadlines end in May, while some end before or after that, it is smart to always be on the lookout, and keep track of the deadlines. Each year so many scholarships are not given out because students do not bother to apply for them, which is even more reason to apply.

    As you can tell there are a lot of ways to find scholarships you may want to apply for, and there are lots of scholarships to find. So, get looking and get your post-secondary education at a price that will result in slightly less student debt in the future, because your education is important!