“Can’t someone else do it?” For true Simpsons fans this was a memorable moment in television history. Okay maybe it wasn’t monumental but for environmentalists it was pretty fun. In short, Homer wants to become the sanitation commissioner of Springfield . As he struggles to come up with a slogan he stumbles upon the phrase, “Can’t someone else do it?”, which is likely the most insightful phrase about the human condition when it comes to recycling and waste management. Now I am sitting here on campus and I am having the worst time in the world trying to comprehend how to get people to recycle. I have just come back from my second meeting today about trying to make people recycle more, and I should add that these meetings were initiated by campus community members (not me). There is one monumental truth about recycling, it is hard. John Q. Garbagemaker won’t recycle just because the alternative is bad for the environment, or because our landfills are overflowing, or because it is univers...

So this week was actually super packed so please fasten your seat belts and place your seats in the upright position. We ask that you don’t try to get until we have reached our cruising altitude. Last week the University of Ottawa was fortunate enough to have a visit by Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. He delivered a lecture about tolerance and intolerance in a post apology area. I secretly wanted to hear someone mention that the land the University stands on is likely stolen land, but there was no such statement. Nevertheless the occasion was marked by the presence of several MPs, including Justin Trudeau. A little known fact is that the University of Ottawa will be hosting 2 massive conferences this summer. Both the meetings have a firm commitment to be more environmentally friendly, green conference is the jargon of the day. On Friday I hired a new student to work solely on green conferences. It is always amazing how many small things can be done to ma...

So every once and a while I fully intend on having guess writers for this crazy thing called blog. This is the first. Thanks Katherine -By Katherine Sullivan- Afin de conserver un brin d’équilibre mental au centre de ce chaos qu’est la grève des autobus d’Ottawa, j’ai du me trouver un passe-temps agréable, afin de braver les bouchons sur la pont, coincée entre un personnage jasant de ses problèmes de couple sur son blackberry et un groupe de jeunes filles discutant le dernier épisode de Loft Story. La classe, je vous dis. J’ai donc essayé la lecture, mais la nausée me monte rapidement à la gorge, et je ne voudrais pas ruiner le manteau de poil de la dame à mes côtés. Les devoirs? Eh bien, je peux vous assurer que compléter un devoir d’harmonie dans l’autobus ressemble à essayer d’enfiler une aiguille dans le noir. Par la suite, il reste l’option de la musique, qui ne me suffit pas. Texter des amis pendant plus d’une heure? Bonjour la tendinite du pouce! C’est alors qu’en faisant un br...