THE VOICE

6

Organic
or not,
put it on

ven in Vancouver where
E sunlight is scarce, skin-dam-
aging rays

are still emit-
ted and organic
or not, people
should wear sun-
screen every day.

By just follow-
ing this rule, they
can give their
skin a younger

_~
OPINION

look and protect NATALIA
it from perma- BUENDIA
nent skin dam- CALVILLO

age, but it’s im-
portant to keep
in mind that
not all sunscreens that are labeled
as “organic” are completely free
of un-processed ingredients. Jen
Rashleigh, the founder of Farm-
ers on 57th, taught a workshop last
Saturday to show individuals how
to make their own sunscreen and
to be aware of what people put on

their skin.

“Calling it organic
would be like calling
ibuprofen a natural
remedy."

‘The marketing language and
chemistry facts differ a lot and this
new misinforming trend of using
the word “organic” to sel+] products
to those that want a healthier op-
tion is everywhere.

After reading labels of expensive,
‘organic’ sunscreens I noticed most
of them contain zinc oxide plus
other hydrating compounds.

“One-hundred per cent organic
sunscreens” are misusing the label.
Zinc oxide must be processed in a
lab and it comes from an inorganic
mineral called zincite. Calling it
organic would be like calling ibu-
profen a natural remedy. A study
published by Lisa M. Martorano,
Christian Stork and Yang V. Li in
the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatol-
ogy, mentions that zinc oxide, an
inorganic compound, filters the ul-
traviolet light spectrum and is used
to protect against the carcinogenic
and photo-damaging effects. That
information sounds great but in the
same study it is also concluded that
“the accumulation of free or labile
[zinc ion] from sunscreen causes
[cell damage].” Therefore, it is still
toxic and damaging to our skin.

The skin is the largest organ in
the body, whether it is mineral or
chemical, just wear sunscreen. The
slight toxic effect from sunscreen is
better than the permanent damage
the sun can do to your skin.

We want to hear from you

| THURSDAY, NOV. 9, 2017 |

EDITOR RICA TALAY

Viewpoints

Mobile housing units aimed at helping the homeless transition off the streets are bringing some Vancouverites into direct contact with their own conflicting

attitudes towards the welfare of their fellow citizens. PERRIN GRAUER ILLUSTRATION

Fear of homeless diminishes us

ear will always speak the
loudest, and the only so-
lution is an authentic en-
counter
with another
human being.
As = modular
housing de-
signed to stabi-
lize people while
they transition
off the streets
begin to pop up
in neighbour-
hoods around
the city, some

OPINION

PERRIN
GRAUER

residents are concerned that it will
incline the crime rate within their
community.

These residents are making it
clear that they are both sympathetic
to the plight of the city’s homeless
and yet they are unwilling to share
a fence with them.

And I’m usually quick to criticize
those who lament the suffering of
the vulnerable, but who oppose any
solution that brings that suffering
closer to home.

I would cry shame that anyone
could allow fear to trump empathy
for a fellow citizen.

But then a week ago, my house-
mates and I discovered that a young
homeless man, clearly in distress,
had taken up residence in our laun-
dry room. And without a moment’s
hesitation, we tossed his belong-
ings into the alley and told him
unequivocally that he should never
return.

We didn’t offer to find him shel-
ter. We didn’t offer to feed him or
make a call to an outreach clinic on
his behalf. We were scared.

The power of fear completely
overrode everything I have claimed
to stand for and everything I have

learned from a decade of living and
working in the Downtown East-
side. So, I understand the fear that
many have expressed regarding
modular housing in their neigh-
bourhoods.

The real problem in creating a
city where everyone has a home
is it’s going to take trust, patience,
courage and empathy. And those
things are impossible to legislate.

So, until each of us take the time
to reach out to those that we might
otherwise fear, fear is our city plan-
ner. And that’s no city I want to live
in.

Lukewarm reception of HVAC system in

lege’s Building A, then you

must understand what I mean
when I say the temperatures are
whack in here.

The new installation of a cooling
and heating system that will self-
calibrate a year from now to cater
to each season is leaving students

I. youre ever in Langara Col-

in) March of
2018, which
means some stu-
dents and faculty
members are left
to freezing their
toes off during
the winter sea-
son.

ail
OPINION

is as hot as the Sahara Desert.

I'm tired of constantly having to
take my coat on and off when I’m
switching from classrooms. I’m get-
ting hot flashes and I’m way too
young to be feeling like I'm going
through menopause.

Now I know that it sounds like
I'm making a big fuss out of a little

Building A

working in below freezing temper-
atures. Sometimes in some rooms
it even feels like it's colder indoors
than outside.

While the college fails to find a
temporary solution, I've resulted to
using the heat that’s coming from
my computer to warm my cold soul.

Tm just hoping that Langara will

Journalism instructor Erica and faculty members either wear- One side of issue, but I wouldn't be complain- find some sort of solution by the

Bulman oversees The Voice. ing their winter coats and toques in the building is as RICA ing if the college didn't decide todo time it starts snowing, or I might

Email: ebulman@langara.ca class or their tank tops and t-shirts. cold as Antarcti- TALAY this switch during the start of the have to start bringing my own blan-

The system will be fully installed ca and the other cold seasons, leaving some students _ ket and a portable heater to class.
Trevor Nault
Room A226 Rica Talay Cass Lucke Lisa Tanh
—= §=—sLangara College Duncan Anderson SaSa Lakié Myra Dionne CONTACT
Kurtis Gregory Evan Hagedorn Natalia Buendia US

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