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stevenuniversallyreviews · 4 years

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Episode 131: Off Colors

“And this is Lars. He’s all human.”

Forty-seven seconds is an eternity in an eleven-minute episode. Steven and the Stevens (the song) is forty-one. The final scene of Winter Forecast, my favorite in the series, is an even thirty. And when Pearl first poofs in Steven the Sword Fighter, it may take her several weeks in-universe to come back, but it’s only seventeen seconds until Amethyst and Garnet reveal that she’s okay.

Off Colors ends with Lars at his finest, bouncing around from friend to friend to save their lives from an alien drone, culminating in a brave, goofy rodeo show on the robotic menace. He comically yelps as the machine bucks and sprays lasers everywhere, then the baker who was once terrified of letting people try his food yells “Eat this!” as he deals the final blow, solidifying the cartoonish victory we’ve seen time and time again in action shows for kids. But then the drone explodes, and it kills him.

Laramie Barriga, the first person we ever see Steven speak with, the first human who’s ever named on the show, a depressed grouch that has resisted every opportunity to grow but can’t help growing anyway, who after countless false starts has finally seen his inner hero emerge, dies a sudden, violent death. And he remains dead for forty-seven seconds.

False deaths abound in Steven Universe, from Pearl’s aforementioned poofing to the Pink Diamond faking her own shattering. But none feel as visceral as Lars’s, because it isn’t false. He not only dies, but we see his lifeless body tumble to the ground like a rag doll, and must linger with him as the weight of his death settles in. The Off Colors are jubilant at their victory, and their cheers create the discordant atmosphere that so often accompanies death, the shock and confusion as life goes on even as another life ends. Steven is the only person on the planet who understands that humans don’t die the same way Gems do, and he doesn’t need to say a word as he grasps for signs of life and finds none.

According to interviews with the crew, there was some question over when the episode would end, and whether this death would be a cliffhanger. I’m so glad they went with this approach, and not because I think it would be too brutal for young viewers (I was raised on Don Bluth and The Lion King, kids can handle it); reviving him in the next episode would be a pacing nightmare, but reviving him here forces that uninterrupted wait, a moment that can’t be escaped by the episode ending and focusing on something else until the next one comes on. Plus, I’d imagine it helped with the censors to have him come back in the same scene, because I’ve never seen a children’s show portray death with this much physical realism; in the rare instance of a character dying on-screen, it’s always a dramatic affair with a final speech and a last gasp, but Lars is dead before he hits the floor.

The other reason Lars’s death stands out is that even if it’s temporary, it’s permanent. The rules of Steven’s inherited revival powers aren’t examined too deeply, but it’s clear that Lars is no longer mortal in the way he once was. He’s pink, with white hair. He barely has a heartbeat. If he’s anything like Lion, there’s a chance he’ll never age. This and more will be covered in Lars’s Head, but even now, it’s clear that the Lars we knew died on a cold and foreign world, and it’s another Lars that wakes up.

There’s obviously more to Off Colors than Lars’s death, considering the episode is named for the new set of characters that we spend most of our runtime meeting. But its very first line, after another stylish pan down from the title card, is “Lars, are you okay?” Much like The Good Lars appears to be a Lars episode but ends up being about Sadie, Off Colors appears to be an Off Colors episode but ends up being about Lars. Every moment he’s on screen is a reminder that he’s an alien on Homeworld, from his earthly need for food to his battle plans adopted from Jurassic Park to his vital lack of a gem. Even before he literally changes color, he fits right in with the misfits.

But let’s not cut the Off Colors short. It isn’t easy to introduce four distinct characters at once, so each gets a quirk to make them stand out fast. The Rutile Twins have two heads that paraphrase each other. Rhodonite fuses the nervousness we’ve seen from rubies and Pearl into a whole new level of perpetual fear. Fluorite speaks in the deep, slow voice of a six-Gem fusion. And, of course, Padparadscha has visions of the recent past, a running gag that I don’t predict I’ll ever get tired of.

Still, even in this first appearance, there’s more to this little family than their quirks. We meet the Rutiles first, voiced by Ashly Burch (one of the 2010s’ best new talents and the co-writer of my favorite latter-day Adventure Time episode, Hall of Egress), and despite a lifetime on the run their instinct is to help instead of hide. Rhodonite, voiced by Enuka Okuma (who like Padparadscha/Sapphire’s Erica Luttrell is a Canadian actress who started young and has steadily built up a considerable resume), doesn’t let her anxiety or societal pressure stop her from living as a fusion, which in a way makes her braver than the more confident Garnet. Fluorite, voiced by Kathy Fisher (primarily an EDM singer for the band Fisher) is proudly polyamorous and has a lot of grace for a giant caterpillar. Padparadscha, voiced by the aforementioned Luttrell...well, she pretty much is just her quirk, but she’s still a delight.

Given how many characters we meet and the amount of time we devote to Lars’s heroism and death, Off Colors can’t do much with its new characters besides introduce them. But the episode reveals their struggles not only with their words, but the setting they hid themselves in. Rather than spend any amount of time in the high tech environment of modern Homeworld (the place that reared the likes of Peridot and terrified Lapis Lazuli) we head straight to the ancient remains of perhaps the oldest Kindergarten in the universe, a massive chamber in a hollowed world without any more room to form new life.

Like Earth’s Prime Kindergarten, it’s a perfect place for horror, this time from a drone that’s so relentless that it kills one of our characters. The drone’s theme resembles the opening of the Love Like You reprise and Holly Blue Agate’s motif, adding another layer of looming alien danger to the atmosphere, and the machine itself has the vicious efficiency of Peridot’s old robonoids. The world is old, but the technology hunting the Off Colors down is new, lending the sense of an endless struggle that must be endured rather than overcome.

Life on Homeworld is dictated by doing what you were created to do, but it’s important to show that deviating from this path doesn’t lead to instant happiness. If Gems could break away from their oppression with ease, it wouldn’t be much of an oppressive state, so the Off Colors trade lives in constant servitude for lives in constant survival mode. It isn’t as if we needed more evidence that Gem society is a mess, but there’s power in personalizing how misfits are persecuted to this day, compared to how the Crystal Gems were able to form in the past. The struggles from back then remain the struggles of the present, and the only way to fix them is with an outside push. We won’t see that push until the end of the series proper, but are primed to understand the power of external changers from Blue Zircon’s own ability to stand outside of the story and punch holes in the narrative the characters took for granted. It’s no wonder that Steven is fated to do the same thing.

It’s refreshing to see Lars and Steven get along from the start, instead of going through the usual ornery motions until they reach the sense of understanding they had in Stuck Together. It makes sense that we’d cut to the chase in an episode with this much to do, but given how often Lars forgets his lessons, it’s a nice change of pace for his growth to stick.

Even more refreshing is Steven forgetting about his martyr complex for a moment as his own survival instincts take hold: we see him instead channel the leadership lesson he learned with Peridot in the drill, assuring Lars that everything will be okay even when it’s clear that he doesn’t believe it. This time it’s Lars who must deal the barriers he sets up for himself, railing against his own cowardice and needing Steven’s positivity in the same way Steven needed his negativity on the spaceship. When Lars shows signs of an imminent panic attack, Steven gives him the same hand to the heart we’ve seen in Lars and the Cool Kids and Lion 3 and tells him that it’s okay to be afraid, a line Lars repeats to psych himself up for his last stand.

Steven also forgets about Zircon’s big reveal, which initially seems like a negative. As viewers, we’re invested in learning the truth about Pink Diamond and are made to wait even longer to get more clues. But I see this as the beginning of a major step forward, because even though Steven is hardly over his issues with Rose, this is where he starts focusing on where his priorities should be: his life in the present, rather than his mother’s ancient past. In Off Colors and Lars’s Head it’s all about escaping Homeworld and helping Lars and his new friends, then it’s straight to the Breakup Arc, and both journeys recenter Steven in a way that lets him grow enough to reexamine Zircon’s information through fresher eyes.

And as complicated as his relationship with Rose has become, let’s not forget that this episode ends with the first instance of her healing tears emerging from her son. He’s had healing spit for ages, his own Steven-y take on his mom’s power, but he evokes her far more directly as he revives Lars with a method that solves a mystery we weren’t even thinking about as we entered Homeworld: the origin of Lion. But more on that next time.

For now, it’s enough to have a full-to-the-brim episode of new friends and tense drama, written and animated to punch you in the gut with a surprise death that feels no less powerful when it’s half-reversed. The Off Colors show us problems unique to Gems (Homeworld society, fusion stuff, malfunctioning psychic powers), and Lars shows us problems unique to humans (general physical frailty, from hunger to the inability to shrug off explosions), but both reach an understanding that makes their imminent team-up feel as natural as can be. Each of them lives in fear, and each of them learns that the only way to work past this fear is to accept it and work together to overcome it. I know that they can be strong in the real way, and they’re about to prove it.

We’re the one, we’re the ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!

The streak of Love ‘em episodes holds strong. What seems to be a pure set-up episode is blown up by its shocker of an ending, and while it may lead to yet another cliffhanger, there’s a sense of completion as Lars goes from cowering mess to genuine hero.

Top Twenty-Five

Steven and the Stevens

Hit the Diamond

Mirror Gem

Lion 3: Straight to Video

Alone Together

Last One Out of Beach City

The Return

Jailbreak

The Answer

Mindful Education

Sworn to the Sword

Rose’s Scabbard

Earthlings

Mr. Greg

Coach Steven

Giant Woman

Beach City Drift

Winter Forecast

Bismuth

Steven’s Dream

When It Rains

The Good Lars

Catch and Release

Chille Tid

I Am My Mom

Love ‘em

Laser Light Cannon

Bubble Buddies

Tiger Millionaire

Lion 2: The Movie

Rose’s Room

An Indirect Kiss

Ocean Gem

Space Race

Garnet’s Universe

Warp Tour

The Test

Future Vision

On the Run

Maximum Capacity

Marble Madness

Political Power

Full Disclosure

Joy Ride

Keeping It Together

We Need to Talk

Cry for Help

Keystone Motel

Back to the Barn

Steven’s Birthday

It Could’ve Been Great

Message Received

Log Date 7 15 2

Same Old World

The New Lars

Monster Reunion

Alone at Sea

Crack the Whip

Beta

Back to the Moon

Kindergarten Kid

Buddy’s Book

Gem Harvest

Three Gems and a Baby

That Will Be All

The New Crystal Gems

Storm in the Room

Room for Ruby

Lion 4: Alternate Ending

Doug Out

Are You My Dad?

Stuck Together

The Trial

Off Colors

Like ‘em

Gem Glow

Frybo

Arcade Mania

So Many Birthdays

Lars and the Cool Kids

Onion Trade

Steven the Sword Fighter

Beach Party

Monster Buddies

Keep Beach City Weird

Watermelon Steven

The Message

Open Book

Story for Steven

Shirt Club

Love Letters

Reformed

Rising Tides, Crashing Tides

Onion Friend

Historical Friction

Friend Ship

Nightmare Hospital

Too Far

Barn Mates

Steven Floats

Drop Beat Dad

Too Short to Ride

Restaurant Wars

Kiki’s Pizza Delivery Service

Greg the Babysitter

Gem Hunt

Steven vs. Amethyst

Bubbled

Adventures in Light Distortion

Gem Heist

The Zoo

Rocknaldo

Enh

Cheeseburger Backpack

Together Breakfast

Cat Fingers

Serious Steven

Steven’s Lion

Joking Victim

Secret Team

Say Uncle

Super Watermelon Island

Gem Drill

Know Your Fusion

Future Boy Zoltron

Tiger Philanthropist

No Thanks!

6. Horror Club 5. Fusion Cuisine 4. House Guest 3. Onion Gang 2. Sadie’s Song 1. Island Adventure

(Despite the header image looking very Sugary, there’s no official promo art; that lovely picture is actually from the wonderful ferryperson.)

#off colors #steven universe #su #steven universally #review

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tsgparkcityutah · 4 years

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Making Spirits Bright

THE STORY BEHIND THE BEAU COLLECTIVE AND ALPINE DISTILLING PARTNERSHIP

Sara and Rob Sergent, Lindsay Cunningham and Whitney Kozlowski

The Beau Collective and Alpine Distilling are two local Park City staples who are not only disruptors in their own industries, but also big on community and lending a helping hand. So when The Beau Collective’s lease was coming up and it looked like they might not have a home, Rob and Sara Sergent of Alpine Distilling swooped in and helped save this beloved Park City fitness institution.

While sitting down and chatting with the Sergents and Beau Co-Founders Whitney Kozlowski and Lindsay Cunningham, you could feel the love and synergy that they have for each other.

Whitney and Lindsay started The Beau Collective back in 2015 in the basement of a hotel gym. They realized that regular exercise is a big priority for the people of Park City and saw a need for a more team-based small group fitness class, with a strong community component. These powerhouse women created a program treating fitness like a progression, where participants can sign up for specific time slots 12 weeks at a time, investing in their health and creating relationships with teammates.

Lindsay Cunningham and Whitney Kozlowski

Rob: “Very rarely do you get to live in such an energetic and inspiring community and find a business that totally encapsulates everything about why you moved to a place. There's no food, no spirits, no ski resort, anything, that sums up Summit County, in our opinion, better than The Beau Collective. They've tapped into the spirit of what it means to live here, and it manifests itself as exercise because we're a very active community, you don't casually move to Park City, you have to be very deliberate. So everything that they've done is, I think, a direct reflection of exactly the energy that we all have.”

Sara and Rob wanted to create something where as a family, they could work together and show their kids the value of waking up early, mopping floors and breaking down boxes, while creating a responsible and sustainable business which gives back to the community. They've approached distilling from a strong sense of heritage, with Rob hailing from Eastern Kentucky and Sara studying and earning her diploma in gin making at the Edinburgh Whisky Academy.

It’s been three years since Alpine Distilling came to fruition, and in that short time they’ve won multiple awards and have been lauded throughout the country. Alpine has established a make-your-own gin program, which peels the curtain back on what it's like to create a gold medal winning botanical spirit. And at the distillery, they are proud to be green certified and are also very conscious of stewarding the fragile, high desert environment we live in.

Sara and Rob Sergent

Lindsay: “One thing that's amazing about Alpine Distilling is how much they care about this community. I've gone to a lot of fundraisers and non-profit events sponsored by Alpine, and I think it really shows how much they care. When you go to these events and see that the bar is brought to you by Alpine, it creates a real standard for action in this community. And it's something I'm always impressed by.”

So how was the partnership initiated between Alpine Distilling and Beau Collective?

Lindsay: It's very rare for us personally and as a business to ask for help, and it came down to a situation in October where our future really was in jeopardy.

Sara: One of my greatest friends in town, who I only see at Beau Co had called me and told me Beau was going to close their doors. Rob looked at me and said “What do we do?” Beau Co is my adult outlet. These are my adult friends. The place where I connect with other Park City people who I want to spend my free time with.

Whitney: We had a plan A, B and C, and when plan C fell through, that kind of motivated us to ask for help. So after class one day, we pulled everybody together and said, we want you to know, we're so committed, we're working so hard and we are exhausting every avenue. We were standing in our old location and were kind of struggling with a way to proceed with one of these plans that we didn't necessarily like, but we were going to do anyway, just because we cared so much. We drafted this big text to try and figure it out, and when we set the phone down to really think about it the text went away, but then the phone rang 20 seconds later, and it was Rob. It still gives me chills. We picked up the phone and he said “Hey, we’re out of town and we just heard what happened. I feel like we have space and I hope it works. Can we put something together and can you come and see the space? I don't know if it'll work, but I just want you to know that nothing is more important than my wife's happiness and you are a big part of it”. That is what he said, verbatim.

Lindsay: So we went and saw the space and immediately said, “We’ll take it!” When we walked through the door, we looked at each other, and we both said, this is it! There's just a certain feeling you get when you walk into a room and when we saw the space, we just knew.

Whitney: I would say pulling up to the front door and just seeing the Alpine barrels outside made it feel like we speak the same language. You wouldn't necessarily put fitness and whiskey together, but here we are! Rob & Sara absolutely gave us a lifeline and enabled us to continue to thrive and do what we love to do on a daily basis.

Alpine Spirits and Beau Collective T-Shirts

Rob: In terms of synergies, there's a great study which shows that the alcohol soluble part of juniper berry is the most effective antidepressant on the planet, better than any drug. And what Beau Co does is give you an outlet to release all the energy, the alpha, the stress of balancing life.

Lindsay: Looking back, we had talked for years about trying to come up with ways that we could collaborate, and so it was like there was always something in the universe pulling us together to do something, but we just didn't quite know what it was. Now we know that we're meant to share a wall.

Whitney: I truly believe everything happens for a reason and “Making spirits bright” was a tagline we adopted over the holidays, but it doesn’t just have to be a holiday thing. This is what we all do on the daily, right? We make spirits bright. For our people, for our families, for this town. That's what I would say is our mission.

Rob: So, you know, the winners in this scenario are Sara and I, and Alpine. However this unfolds, we are grateful that they've chosen to share what they do, next to us, and as a partner trying to be successful in this very competitive community.

Whitney: I’m excited to see Alpine start to really get more traction. I mean, look at what they’ve been able to do in such a short timeframe, I think it speaks to what their success will be for the long haul. We're their biggest cheerleaders, because of how much they've done for us and our entire community. To be able to contribute to the success of someone else and to be such a steward in the community helps elevate all of us.

Lindsay: We're all community minded first. So I think as we go forward, it's going to be really fun to see what we can do together while supporting and watching each other grow.

The Beau Collective has solidified itself as a social hub for Parkites to challenge themselves physically, evolve internally and enjoy social “happy hours” post-workout. Their new found home at Alpine Distilling really creates a space that further encourages post-sweat, endorphin high conversation.

It’s been truly wonderful to sit down with Rob, Sara, Lindsay, and Whitney and hear the stories behind the collaboration of The Beau Collective and Alpine Distilling. We are so very fortunate to have them as a part of The Scout Guide Family. The Scout Guide is about fostering connections within our community. We are proud to represent local businesses like these and we are so excited to see what they have in store for the future!

Article, Interview, and Photos by Rachel Friedman Elberts

#love #community tsgparkcity

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lamentodelacruz · 5 years

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Raúl Cruz

8th May 1992, Friday, early morning, sunrise.

Element: Earth

Quality: Fixed

Color: Green, Pink

Day: Friday, Monday

Ruler: Venus

Greatest Overall Compatibility: Scorpio, Cancer

Lucky Numbers: 2, 6, 9, 12, 24

Date range: April 20 - May 20

TAURUS TRAITS

Strengths: Reliable, patient, practical, devoted, responsible, stable

Weaknesses: Stubborn, possessive, uncompromising

Taurus likes: Gardening, cooking, music, romance, high quality clothes, working with hands

Taurus dislikes: Sudden changes, complications, insecurity of any kind, synthetic fabrics

Practical and well-grounded, Taurus is the sign that harvests the fruits of labor. They feel the need to always be surrounded by love and beauty, turned to the material world, hedonism, and physical pleasures. People born with their Sun in Taurus are sensual and tactile, considering touch and taste the most important of all senses. Stable and conservative, this is one of the most reliable signs of the zodiac, ready to endure and stick to their choices until they reach the point of personal satisfaction.

Taurus is an Earth sign, just like Virgo and Capricorn, and has the ability to see things from a grounded, practical and realistic perspective. They find it easy to make money and stay on same projects for years, or until they are completed. What we often see as stubbornness can be interpreted as commitment, and their ability to complete tasks whatever it takes is uncanny. This makes them excellent employees, great long-term friends and partners, always being there for people they love. Earthly note makes them overprotective, conservative, or materialistic at times, with views of the world founded on their love of money and wealth.

The ruler of Taurus is Venus, the planet of love, attraction, beauty, satisfaction, creativity and gratitude. This tender nature will make Taurus an excellent cook, gardener, lover, and artist. They are loyal and don’t like sudden changes, criticism or the chase of guilt people are often prone to, being somewhat dependable on other people and emotions they seem to be unable to let go of. Still, no matter their potential emotional challenge, these individuals have the ability to bring a practical voice of reason in any chaotic and unhealthy situation.

Taurus – the Wandering Bull Being the one who betrayed their best friend, goddess Hera herself, this is an unfortunate being that has to wander the Earth in order to find freedom. As if something was always poking them behind their back, reminding them of happiness that once was, stinging and pushing forwards, they close up in their own worlds, lonely and separated from their core. To find love, a Taurus has to travel the world, change perspective or make a shift in their entire belief system and their system of values.

TAURUS LOVE AND SEX

One always has to be prepared to have patience for a Taurus lover. They are extremely sensual, touch, smell and all pleasurable senses being extremely important to them, but they also need time to create a safe environment and relax in their sexual encounters. When they create enough intimacy with a loved one, they become a bit gooey, sometimes even needy, and have to keep their emotions in check, holding on to practical reasoning, while embracing change and initiative of their partner at all times.

For long-term relationships they often choose people from the same social environment that are able to respond to their intellectual needs, but also the expectations of their family and close friends. Holding on to traditional values and the practical side to life, this is a sign that rarely chooses a partner who won’t fulfill basic expectations of their upbringing, often showing and receiving attention through gifts and material things. If they stick to the moral code too stiffly and refuse all taboos and adventurous approaches, they could end up swimming in frustration and anger issues they don’t know how to resolve, often manifesting through the person standing in front of them. Taurus compatibility with other signs can be complicated.

This is a sign of physical pleasure, hedonism and the flow of emotion that isn’t reserved for just anyone. Select the match in the widget bellow to discover who makes their heart jump:

TAURUS FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Friends - People born in this sign are loyal and always willing to lend a hand of friendship, although they can be closed up for the outer world before they build trust for new social contacts they make. Many of their friendships begin in childhood with a tendency to last them a lifetime. Once they make a clear intimate connection to another person, they will do anything they can to nurture the relationship and make it functional even in the hard times.

Family – Home and matters of the family are very important to every Taurus. This is a person who loves kids and appreciates time spent with people who love them, respecting family routines, customs, and present in all events and gatherings. They will enjoy hosting house parties for both their family and friends, and don’t mind cooking a meal for a room full of people if they just have fun in return.

TAURUS CAREER AND MONEY

Taurus representatives usually love money and will work hard in order to earn it. They are reliable, hardworking, patient and thorough, as an employee or someone in a position of power. When focused on a specific project, they will firmly stick to it, no matter what happens in the world around them. Stability is the key to understand their working routine. The search for material pleasures and rewards is an actual need to build their own sense of value and achieve a satisfying luxurious, yet practical way of life. Their job is observed as a means to make it possible.

Taurus is a Sun sign well organized with their finances, and all of their bills will be paid without delay. They care for their pension, taking responsibility and saving some money for a rainy day, able to make due with a really small and a really big salary just the same. Occupations that fit them are agriculture, banking, art, and anything that involves culinary skills.

HOW TO ATTRACT THE TAURUS MAN

If you are in search for a strong, loyal and generous man, Taurus is the person you are looking for. He is trustworthy, patient and tender when in love, always in search for a returned emotion. He will not pick on subtle hinds and suggestive looks from those who flirt with him, being a bit slow on the uptake as if waiting for someone to ask them out. He dislikes artificiality of any kind, and values conversations filled with genuine statements, especially when it comes to compliments and love declarations.

A Taurus man needs time to build trust and anyone on a chase for his heart needs to take the time earning it. As a person of very few words, he will seem impossible to penetrate at times, as if nothing can touch him. An invitation for a delicious home-cooked meal is always a safe bet when dating this man, as well as choosing a place that is comfortable and cozy, rather than popular or modern. Turned to nature and common thinking, he will see sex as something that comes when the time is right, rarely puts any pressure on his partner and feels like it is something to be enjoyed, not so much something to crave for. A part of his fixed, static character is the potential inability to forgive betrayal, and he needs to feel truly safe to settle down with one partner for good.

#{ hc: raúl }

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yuvilee · 5 years

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29th October 2019 Student-led seminar 2

Text: Littler, J. (2010) 'What's wrong with ethical consumption?', in Lewis, T., Potter, E. (eds) Ethical Consumption: A Critical Introduction, Oxon: Routledge, pp. 27-39.

Table of content:

Introduction: What is Ethical Consumption anyway? Main part: About greenwashing Questions that emerged for me: Way outs - maybe? So what can I do for a start? Social Media Boycott Conclusion Notes: Books and articles Pictures

About the author: Jo Littler is a speaker at the Center for Culture and Creative Industries and Research Director in the Department of Sociology, City University London. She received her doctorate in culture and communication at the University of Sussex. Among other Universities she also taught at Middlesex University with a focus on media and cultural studies.

Her interests are within interrelations between society, politics, culture, and her research fields are mainly on meritocracy, gender, consumer culture, heritage and also celebrity.

Some of her latest works (selection): Littler, Jo (2017) Against Meritocracy. Routledge. Littler, Jo (2009) Radical consumption : shopping for change in contemporary culture . Maidenhead: Open University Press/McGraw-Hill. Littler, Jo (2008) Gendering anti-consumerism: consumer whores and conservative consumption. Palgrave MacMillan.

What is Ethical Consumption anyway?

There is a multitude of layers to this topic that it seems rather impossible to draw a straight line between what is part of it and what is not. Are we talking about animal welfare, is it the whole environment with a focus on renewable energy, is it about people ethics with a focus on code of conduct and ethical trading schemes, or human rights, modern slavery, do we include political and environmental donations, or do we check for boycott-ism, and ethical accreditation as well, just to name a few?

It gets even more complex when we look at the middlemen like delivery-drivers, people in warehouses and on cargo ships or trains, the third world farmers and helpers where poverty and child labour exists, the waste from unused groceries, textiles, outdated technology products.

In our generation we are more connected with the world than ever and trade-supplies are global. Never before in human history was the supply of consumable items greater. This makes it more difficult than ever to be an ethical consumer and to consider all the different choices and their side-effects.

Is living up to be an ethical consumer really that difficult? Is it just a way to ease a guilty conscience for those with enough money to afford it? And would this mean that poor people are excluded and cannot take part in conscious consumption?

This essay is full of questions as on the one hand I strive to be as conscious as possible and on the other hand I’m very afraid of wrong choices as I will elaborate on later.

About greenwashing

It’s not only about the consumer but the industry as well. Discussions about global governance and ethics were already high in the late 20th century(1). Following the introduction of the then United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan of Global Compact during the World Economic Forum, the UN itself became a moral authority for global values and governance(2).

But even though there is regulation through the UN and following campaigns, can I trust companies that advertise a green and ethical stance? Should I be charged more for the feeling of having done something for the environment? For example, sales campaigns that promise that the added 0.10 pounds of the bill go to WWF or similar organisations - is this really being done? How can we be sure and how can we trust a corporation to do this when all the time we hear news about big companies taking shortcuts, polluting, sometimes even breaking the law in order to make a profit?

Above: My screenshot (Dictionary Cambridge, 2019) Definition of capitalism UK

Above: My screenshot (Dictionary Cambridge, 2019) Definition of capitalism US

In our capitalistic world most companies are the victim of their own goals: the run for profit. If they are not regulated by the state or by themselves through responsible owners and shareholders, they will use all options at their disposal to sell their products. Hence the findings by Krauss are of little surprise and the statement of Littler becomes very valid:

‘(...) corporations can indeed be of progressive value, but, crucially, only at the whims of corporations themselves; and in addition corporations may hype their claims or use them to hide more exploitative aspects of their practice.’(3)

Questions that emerged for me:

Is it true that it takes great effort and time to find products and companies that are really responsible and that most of them in turn are more expensive? There does not seem to be the one “Right Way” to live responsibly but many. It’s a jungle of options and sometimes the first glance, the claims of a self-proclaimed green company, are just a sham as Littler points out with examples of Wal-Mart or Home Depot(4).

I want to add one of my personal examples, Chiquita bananas which I preferred over their competitor Dole as of 2011 when they were in a lawsuit for greenwashing and water pollution as well as other factors(5).

Chiquita, certified by the Rainforest Alliance made me believe they were growing bananas responsibly and environmentally friendly, as much as that is possible despite the distance they need to travel from. In 2014, Chiquita suddenly became known for water pollution as well which raised the question about the Rainforest Alliance’s knowledge and partnership in that. I felt guilty and betrayed by the company, and almost like an accomplice to a crime(6).

Way outs - maybe?

We cannot be Superman and save the whole world, that much is certain. What we can do is create options for ourselves. In the end it might not change much in the grand scheme of things but it might make people around us become more aware of their consumer behaviour as well.

So what can I do for a start? There are possibilities available for ethical shopping like the fair-trade seal, using recycled paper, organic cotton or to buy regional produce. There are also options for reusing unwanted items like handing them over to charities or left-over collections. You can buy second-hand and there are even opt-ins for a weekly clothing lending bank so you don’t need to buy clothes at all.

Social Media Online guides and apps can help us to make ethical choices. There are books, consumer advice hotlines, magazines, and also the new media forms offer a wide selection of advice online, like https://thegoodshoppingguide.com/(7) In their reports they distinguish between four sections giving you the option to pick parts that are more important to you. The downside is that there are only few tested companies.

Boycott Another way to make an impact might be to boycott and spread the word, similar to what happened to Uber in 2017 with #DeleteUber(8) Both Uber and Facebook are facing enormous pressure and have modified some of their practices and committed to improvements.

Conclusion

‘One of the things you can do to be more responsible is to take greater ownership of your stuff,’ says Mr. Lai(9).

Life changes all the time. Recently I read in the news about the invention of plastic bags - they were introduced as a more nature-friendly alternative to paper bags(10).

That means we need to be aware of our surroundings and sources, we need to stay informed and be flexible with choices as the industry is flexible with prices.

And at the end of the day, however, it is still about finding our own way of living a happy life since there is only this one to live. The amount of effort every single one of us puts into researching and making informed decisions is, after all, also each individuals own decision and perhaps the first one we have to think about, before even looking at more detailed decisions.

Notes:

Books and articles:

Wilkinson, R. (2005), The global governance reader, London: Routledge.

cf. Bruno, K. (2005), Bluewash, New Internationalist. Oxford: New Internationalist Co-operative, (375), pp. 26–27.

Littler, J. (2010), ‘What's wrong with ethical consumption?’, in Lewis, T., Potter, E. (eds) Ethical Consumption: A Critical Introduction, Oxon: Routledge, p. 32.

ibid. p. 31-32.

Halverson, M. (2015), Dole, chiquita sued by seattle nonprofit, SeattleMet, 6 July. Available at: https://www.seattlemet.com/articles/2015/7/6/dole-chiquita-sued-by-seattle-nonprofit (Accessed: 27 October 2019).

Shemkus, S. (2014), ‘Better bananas: chiquita settles lawsuit over green marketing, but the legal battle isn't over’, The Guardian, 19 December. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/dec/19/chiquita-lawsuit-green-marketing-bananas-water-pollution (Accessed: 25 October 2019).

The Good Shopping Guide, (2002/2019), The good shopping guide, viewed on 27 October 2019. Available at: https://thegoodshoppingguide.com/ (Accessed: 24 October 2019).

Chen, B. (2018), ‘Yes, you can be an ethical tech consumer. Here’s how’, The New York Times, 12 December. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/12/technology/personaltech/ethical-tech-consumer.html (Accessed: 27 October 2019).

ibid.

Weston, Ph. (2019), ‘Plastic bags were created to save the planet, inventor’s son says’, The Independent, 17 October. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/plastic-bags-pollution-paper-cotton-tote-bags-environment-a9159731.html (Accessed: 27 October 2019).

Pictures:

Capitalism UK (2019) [Screenshot]. Available at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/de/worterbuch/englisch/capitalism (Accessed: 27 October 2019).

Capitalism US (2019) [Screenshot]. Available at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/de/worterbuch/englisch/capitalism (Accessed: 27 October 2019).

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tfdsupplies · 5 years

Text

Another School Year Starts - Advice to a New Teacher

New teachers face unique challenges from connecting with students to developing a work-life balance in a career that seems to follow them home every day. But they also have one of the most important and rewarding jobs on the planet, so those new-teacher-jitters are well worth it in the end. We've put together some advice to help you tackle your new and exciting career head-on.

Make Class Fun for the Students

and

Yourself

Nothing makes learning more effective than when the students are interested in the subject and eager to participate instead of staring blankly at a teacher who feels like her words are bouncing off their foreheads. So, get your kids' attention by making the class more fun. Consider developing an interactive teaching style that includes hand-on lessons and memorable learning activities. You could create a Jeopardy-style game using the material your class is working on. You could also create a "Bingo" game where you ask questions and students must find the answers on their "Bingo" cards. This is basically a multiple-choice assignment but in the form of a game instead of a worksheet. Not only will the students have more fun learning, but work will feel a lot less like "work" to you as well.

Provide Parents with Positive Feedback as Soon as Possible

No parent enjoys hearing negative comments about their children, no matter how good your intentions are. It's best to set a foundation of positivity by giving them good news about their kids as early in the school year as possible. If the first thing a parent hears from you about their child is negative, it could set an unpleasant tone in your relationship that might follow you throughout the school year. So, keep things as light as possible in the beginning. If it can be helped, save any negative feedback for a later time after you've already established a good relationship with the parents. You will eventually have to dish out some news a parent won't be happy to hear, but don't make it a habit to only inform parents of the problems with their children. Tell them about their kids' achievements in class and any strengths you observe that you would want to hear about if these were your own kids.

Develop Friendships Early On

Make friends with anyone and everyone who's a regular at the school. This includes teachers, students, custodians, secretaries, parents, and anyone else you have the chance of interacting with regularly. Help turn your workplace into a supportive, friendly environment. Be a companion to your fellow teachers. Show the students you care about their success by offering friendly advice. Smile when someone makes eye contact with you in the hallway. Any kind gesture, no matter how small, is one more step toward a more comfortable and happy work environment. Not only will this make your job more enjoyable, but you'll also have experienced people to turn to for job-related advice.

Observe Your Fellow Teachers

Whenever you get the chance to see how someone else teaches their students, be observant and take some mental notes on things you like about their different teaching styles. You can draw on those observations later and find ways to incorporate what you've learned into your own methods. If you notice students being particularly interested in a certain type of project you'd never thought of doing with your students, draw on that project for inspiration and see how something like that might fit in with your class. Don't be afraid to ask questions and get some pointers about those teaching styles either. Chances are, your fellow faculty members will appreciate your admiration of their methods and be happy to lend advice.

Organization is Key

With dozens of students depending on you to not only fill their brains with knowledge but also keep track of everything they accomplish in your class, organization will be the glue that holds it all together. Keep the files on your computer organized, keep your desk organized, and communicate with your students in a way that is organized and easy to understand. Don't just tell them what you expect on an assignment, write it on the whiteboard as a bulleted list or hand it out on a piece of paper. Kids aren't expected to have super-recall skills, so it's okay to spell things out for them and to provide visual reminders in case your explanation slips their mind. Keep the classroom as organized as possible so that you never have to waste time searching for something or shuffling through a large pile of papers on your desk. Most importantly, have an infallible method for collecting finished assignments. You never,

ever

want to lose track of a child's work after they've handed it in to you.

Have a Life Outside of Work

This advice indeed applies to any job, but you'd be hard-pressed to find one that surpasses teaching in its threat to take over your daily life. It's okay to spend some of your time at home grading papers and coming up with new teaching strategies or even developing that Jeopardy-style quiz you might be planning on using in class. But if you're coming home from work every single day and continuing your job at home, there's a good chance you'll be heading straight toward Burnout City. Work burnout is a serious issue that could impact your teaching abilities and affect your mental health if it goes on for too long. So, don't carry your work with you everywhere you go. Take time out to breath, to socialize with people outside of school, and to hang onto any hobbies that you enjoy.

Don't Worry About Being the "Cool" Teacher

Have fun with your students and let your personality shine through in your teaching methods, but always remember that you're the adult. Learning can be fun and teachers can relax and laugh with their students. But if a student becomes disruptive, don't be afraid to remind them who's boss. You'll likely be subjected to bad behavior on a yearly basis, so nip it in the bud as soon as it springs up. Being stern all the time might make for an uncomfortable classroom environment, but being nice all the time could be just as bad if you end up with students who mistake your kindness for timidity and believe they can walk all over you. Be nice, but always put your foot down when it's appropriate. You can be liked and respected at the same time.

Empathize with the Kids

While it is essential for your sanity to address any bad behavior from your students and to deal out the appropriate punishments whenever necessary, never forget that those kids are people too. It's easy to assume a child acting out in front of other children is looking to impress his classmates but consider the possibility that something deeper is going on in the child's life. Sometimes stepping into the hallway and speaking privately with a disruptive child about their behavior can have more of an impact than a trip to the office. Always try to see things through the student's eyes. Recognize the challenges they face and offer support and advice when you see them struggling.

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