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Researcher finds increase of traumatic brain injuries among precariously housed population

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model of a brain
Scientists hope to spread awareness of TBIs and their causes for better treatment and prevention. PHOTO: Robina Weermeijer / Unsplash

By: Nathaniel Tok, Peak Associate

Dr. Tiffany O’Connor, SFU’s recent psychology alum and now a clinical neuropsychologist at Hamilton Health Sciences, has found a relationship between the precariously housed population in BC and high rates of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).

The Peak reached out to O’Connor to find out more.

“Compared to more affluent populations, the literature on TBI in precariously housed persons is limited,” O’Connor said. “We hoped to develop a comprehensive study of TBI in precariously housed persons to develop a better understanding of the rate of TBIs, what types of TBI events were occurring, and who was experiencing them.”

Precariously housed people, as defined in the research article, are “low-income tenants residing in substandard housing often as their only alternative to homelessness.”

According to the CDC, TBI is “an injury that affects how the brain works.” It is usually a result of physical damage to the brain.

O’Connor’s research took place between December 2016 and May 2018 and showed that TBI events were caused by a variety of events, but most often due to falls, assaults, and pedestrian/vehicle accidents, or sporting incidents. She speculates these occurrences could be due to poor living conditions, substance use, and mental and physical disabilities. Previous TBIs can also lead to future incidences. O’Connor also found “schizophrenia spectrum disorders resulted in lower likelihood of TBI.”  

While speaking to SFU News, O’Connor said members of the community often experience conditions such as “social and occupational challenges.” In her interview with The Peak, she added the precariously housed population also face “cognitive impairments,” in addition to higher rates of TBI events. These various factors mean it is difficult to recover from TBI events.

O’Connor highlighted the need to engage in research and outreach with the population.

“Right now we are working to increase awareness of this TBI epidemic.” O’Connor said. “Individuals living in precarious housing would benefit from education on how common TBIs are, what the symptoms of TBIs are, and what they should do if they experience one.”

The team hopes education will help prevent the adverse effects of TBI in the population and are working to increase awareness of TBI events. Awareness among health care providers and screening of TBI events will be especially important as mitigation strategies, as it can enable earlier access to care.

The researchers plan to undertake an examination of how TBI events affect “cognitive and daily functioning.” From there, they can establish different recovery methods. .

“We as a society can build better understanding and compassion, and work towards better prevention and treatment efforts to improve the lives of those living in precarious housing,” said O’Connor.

The full research article is available online.

SFU hockey wins the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League Championship

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SFU posing on the ice with the Championship after the game
SFU hoists the cup for the first time since 2011. Image courtesy of SFU Hockey Twitter

By: Greg Makarov, Sports Writer

For the first time in history, SFU went undefeated during the regular season and playoffs, winning all 14 games and capturing the championship with a 2–0 win. 

The Peak spoke to SFU hockey forward Garret Hilton about the team’s mentality during the quarter finals match up.

Hilton is a third year student whose goal was to “play in all situations and be a difference-maker when called upon.” He has done his part and then some, finishing the regular season as the second best scorer in the league with 17 points, and the leader scorer for his team in the playoffs with six points in two games.

Playoffs and Championship

SFU took on the Vancouver Island University Mariners (VIU) in their first playoff game on March 4. This matchup was anything but easy. Although both teams rely heavily on speed, the VIU team was physically bigger, and were not afraid to use their size: resulting in big hits and effective board battles. 

In the first period, VIU kept SFU off the puck, barging into the offensive zone and putting two pucks past goaltender Michael Lenko. To start the second, SFU began grinding away to get themselves back into the game. They went to work tiring out the VIU team. The effort of the home team would have translated to goals if not for VIU goalie James Brendeland. Nevertheless, SFU forward Ryan Riggs scored to cut the lead in half heading into the third. 

The final stretch of the game was the most nerve wracking. VIU player Caleb Franklin’s pass bounced off another player’s skates and found its way in the back of the net, restoring VIU’s two goal lead. SFU had their work cut out for them but Hilton said the team remained unfazed. “No one in the room really faltered from our game plan,” he added, “We just knew that if we could get within one, tie the game up, that the ball would start rolling for us.” 

SFU seemed to find another gear. Their passes became crisper as Takato Cox scored to make it 3–2. The goal was like a bucket of cold water that woke up VIU, who attempted to shut down an SFU comeback. This strategy was axed early after SFU team captain Mitch Ledyard scored to tie the game on a pretty cross-ice passing play. This seemed to displease the Mariners, who began to press on with physical play, resulting in a hooking penalty. 

SFU forward Kyle Bergh capitalized on the powerplay with a sneaky wrist shot to give SFU their first lead of the night. At this point, SFU was dictating the play, and Hilton sealed the deal with a wicked snapshot before adding an empty netter to give SFU a commanding 6–3 lead. 

The quarter finals were a true test for SFU, who found themselves down a goal heading into the third period — far from an ideal scenario. However, SFU didn’t back away from the challenge. Hilton expressed the team’s success winning games this year gave them much needed confidence. “We’ve kinda just found a way all year to win, no matter what the score or the adversity.” 

Congratulations to coach Mark Coletta and his SFU hockey team on a magnificent season! Hopefully the successes at this level may bode a future promotion to the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Council to investigate information breach in March 2 meeting

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the SFU stadium and track
PHOTO: Krystal Chan / The Peak

By: Yelin Gemma Lee, News Writer

Council establishes ad hoc committee to investigate public disclosure of in-camera session

Acting SFSS president Corbett Gildersleve moved a motion to task an ad hoc committee to investigate the public disclosure and potential breach of information disclosed in the in-camera session portion of their February 16 Council meeting.

Gildersleve explained ad hoc means the committee meets as needed rather than regularly.  In-camera sessions are when Council’s discussions are held in private without public access or on recording “under certain limited conditions.” These limited conditions include litigations involving SFSS and human resource matters. 

After the Council’s decision to temporarily close the SUB due to safety concerns around the Omicron spread on campus, SFSS executive members received three letters from SFU between January and February 2022. These letters expressed concerns about the closure of the SUB. The last letter notified the SFSS Executive Council that SFU  “considered the closure of the SUB to be in breach of the lease.” 

During the Council meeting on February 16, Council resolved to re-open the SUB on February 22. During that meeting, they moved to an in-camera session to discuss the letters from SFU and a legal strategy in a confidential space.

“During the in-camera portion of the February 16 meeting, an unknown councillor posted to Reddit that the SFSS was concealing that it was in breach of its lease of the SUB,” the motion reads. “Subsequently, on February 25, 2022, SFSS executive members heard that a recording of the in-camera portion of the February 16, 2022 meeting was circulating.” 

In response, Council decided to open an investigation and to consider disciplinary measures through an ad hoc committee. The committee aims to finish the investigation by April 30, 2022 before the newly elected Executive Council takes over. 

The motion to approve this committee and investigation was carried unanimously. 

Science Undergraduate Society requests an $11,000 grant to support their Spring Formal 

Shariq Ahsan, president of the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) gave a presentation where he went over the proposal for the SUS Spring Formal and asked Council to approve an $11,000 grant to front the additional costs of operating the event off-campus. 

Ahsan explained this event is important to the members of SUS as they were unable to host big events like Frosh over the past couple of years due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

The budget breakdown for the $11,000 event included the venue rental ($4,500), catering ($5,000), staff expenses ($800), and miscellaneous and contingency ($700). 

Ahsan said the budget for the event is similar to that of previous events on campus. SUS is unable to host this event on campus due to the deck banquet hall being under construction. He said the proposed venue includes staff and a sound system, which would normally have to be purchased separately.

Jess Dela Cruz, vice-president events and student affairs and several other councillors shared questions and concerns regarding accessibility, safety, and inclusivity plans and measures in place.

“Our Issues Policies do not support the use of security for SFSS events on or off campuses. So how are you going to work around the use of security and to ensure that Black, Indigenous, and people of colour who attend these events are protected and safe under the use of security?” asked Dela Cruz. 

Ahsan explained security will be reporting all situations to the SUS executive team and conflict de-escalation tactics will be used. Dela Cruz suggested a follow up meeting to address this and identified security and safety of intoxicated students as her main concerns with this event. 

On COVID-19 prevention, Ahsan noted the floor-plan of the venue will prevent crowding amongst guests and vaccine cards will be checked.   

After discussion and several amendments to the proposed grant amount, the motion to spend up to $9,000 to support the SUS Spring Formal was moved. 

The motion passed with 12 votes in approval, 6 in opposition, and 12 in abstention.

SFU considers legal action for Student Union Building closure

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Student union building
Council is now working on ways to secure meetings while ensuring accessibility.

By: Rastko Koprivica, Peak Associate

On January 20, the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) notified students that the Student Union Building (SUB) will be closed from January 24 until at least February 18. The decision to close the Student Union Building was made in a Council meeting debate that took three hours. 32 out of 42 councillors voted to close the building for at least three weeks.

In response to the SUB closure, SFU sent out three letters cautioning the SFSS Executive Committee on the potential breach of their lease agreement with the school. The Peak obtained the three letters from an anonymous source and has verified their authenticity with SFU and the SFSS.

The first letter was sent on January 20 from SFU’s vice-president finance and administration Martin Pochurko — the same day as the vote to close the SUB. The letter asked whether the SFU community would still be able to access the SUB’s public spaces. It cited the area of the lease which states the SFSS “agreed to allow reasonable access to the public areas of the SUB (which do not include SFSS offices) by the entire SFU community, during normal operating hours.” 

The second letter dated February 1 was sent by SFU’s Office of the General Counsel and University Secretary. It stated the university was receiving feedback from students and their “urgent need of areas in which they can rest and study.” The letter offered “workable options, such as limited staffing models” to facilitate a re-opening. The SFSS’ key factor in closing the SUB was to protect SFSS staff from contracting COVID-19.

The final letter, sent on February 14, stated SFU would be entitled to deliver a written notice of default of the lease to the SFSS if the SUB remained closed. A default means a violation of the rules set out in a contract. Two days later, during a Council meeting, the Council voted unanimously to re-open the SUB at a reduced capacity.

The Peak reached out to SFU for comments. 

In a statement, SFU legal counsel Francesca Hennigar wrote, “We know that access to the SUB is very important to our students. As the SUB is part of SFU’s campus, SFU’s expectation is for it to be available as an accessible pathway through campus, as well as a student space, when the university is open. The university reached out multiple times to SFSS to offer support about staffing concerns for the SUB, as well as to remind the SFSS of the lease guidelines for the building that speak to it being a part of the SFU campus and accessible to our community.” 

When asked about the SUB’s reduced capacity operation, Hennigar said, “Given that the public health mandated capacity limits have been removed in BC at this time, we hope that the SFSS moves capacity limits in the SUB to be more in line with the rest of campus.”

Currently the university is following its communicable disease plan which aligns with provincial guidelines on public indoor spaces and does not have capacity limits.

Many student groups have protested the return to in-person classes, citing COVID-19 safety and accessibility concerns. Multiple online petitions called for remote options and led to a walkout at the beginning of the Spring semester.  

In an interview with The Peak, SFSS acting president Corbett Gildersleve said the letters SFU sent to the SFSS were “primarily to put pressure on Council to vote the way SFU wanted. 

“We are confident that legally we are not in breach of our lease,” said Gildersleve. He said the SFSS is still “formulating [a] full response” to SFU’s series of letters. 

According to Gildersleve, the re-opening of the SUB was not due to pressure from SFU. “The executives had met the week before and reviewed things like case counts, trends, and data we could find related to COVID-19 situation and from there we recommended to Council to re-open.”

Gildersleve discussed the reasoning for initially closing the SUB. “We chose to do a temporary closure where we have control of when we can ideally close and open,” he said. Gildersleve pointed out if staff are infected, the SUB would be closed due to exposure, and this would lead to more uncertainty in re-opening.

When asked for the rationale behind keeping the SUB at a reduced capacity, Gildersleve said the design of the building was a main factor. “A lot of the SUB is designed for social space. We’re talking about the food court area, where you’re not wearing a mask when you’re eating [ . . . ] that allows for Omicron to transmit,” he said. “The reduced capacity plan [ . . . ] reduces concentration in the building.” 

For more information on seating restrictions in the SUB, students can visit the SFSS’ website.

Brighter side: Coins, fountains, and wishes

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Peak Web
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A few coins are being thrown in the air. The backdrop is blurred.
Make a wish! PHOTO: Nikita Khandelwhal / Pexels

By: Jacob Mattie, Opinions Editor

Throwing coins into fountains, to the best of my knowledge, has no wish-granting powers. Trust me; I’ve thrown many coins into many fountains and I’ve yet to notice any tendency for these wishes to come true. I’m not likely to stop anytime soon though — although it costs a few dollars on occasion, I’ve found that flipping the odd coin is a powerful way to stay engaged with the world around me.

To be clear, I’m far from rich. Rent and groceries outpace my wages, which really pay more in experience and good vibes than anything fiscal. But when monthly expenses range in the thousands of dollars, a missing loonie here or there really makes no difference. What the lost coin serves as, however, is a statement — it’s a reminder that life exists beyond the sum of wages and receipts.

To my knowledge, nothing constructive has ever come out of a coin in a fountain. Maybe people passing by notice it and feel some sort of human connection. However, by and large nobody profits (except maybe the fountain cleaners). Even something as selfless as donating to a charity, carries some sense of purpose. A fountain does none of this. In fact,  just about any other action you can take is a stellar decision when measured against throwing coins into a fountain.

But having lost a handful of dollars to fountains, I find myself more likely to throw money and effort towards the spur-of-the-moment things I do find interesting, like a busker on the street, or the occasional bizarre knick-knack from whatever shop I find myself in. Taking up new hobbies is easier — I might enjoy it, I might not, but in any case it’s much better odds than anything I’d get from a coin in a fountain.

For the price of a couple dollars, that’s well worth it. And hey, if the wishes ever do come true? That’ll be a sweet bonus.

Harm reduction and the overdose crisis in BC

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It’s time we treat the overdose crisis for what it really is — a crisis. PHOTO: Aditya Chinchure / Unsplash

by Maya Beninteso, Peak Associate

For the past two years, BC has been plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic that has resulted in thousands of deaths. However, there are numbers we don’t see often: those of overdose-related deaths.

In a faculty lecture hosted by SFU Public Square, Harm Reduction in an Unprecedented Overdose Crisis, Dr. Kanna Hayashi said we are in one of the worst public health crises ever.

Dr. Hayashi said overdose deaths have been the leading cause of unnatural death since 2016. In April 2016, the overdose crisis in BC was officially recognized for what it is: a public health emergency. A whopping 993 people died due to a drug overdose that year, but the declaration did not stop the crisis from escalating. Nearly six years later, things have only gotten worse. In 2021, a suspected 2,224 people died due to a drug overdose, more than double the number of people who died in 2016. Dr. Hayashi broke down that figure and added that, in 2021, six people died every day. It’s important to remember these numbers are not mere figures, they are people. Despite public health officials declaring the overdose crisis an emergency, they have yet to treat it as such. 

There is one method that has been used to tackle this crisis: harm reduction. Harm reduction techniques aim to provide individuals with safer means to engage in certain behaviours like consuming alcohol or drugs without completely abstaining from them. One of the most prevalent types of harm reduction is providing clean needles and a safe drug supply. 

Vancouver is renowned for its harm reduction practices — it’s the location of North America’s first safe injection site. Vancouver’s mayor at the time, the late Philip Owen, advocated for harm reduction practices to be used and was successful in establishing this safe injection site. It was opened in the Downtown Eastside in 2003 in response to two ongoing epidemics at the time: drug overdoses and HIV. 

Drug overdoses and HIV have been happening since the mid 90s. It appears Vancouver is not just known for its harm reduction practices, but maybe better known for its slow public health response time. 

September 2020 saw a steep increase in overdose-related deaths. Attempting to address the concern, Dr. Bonnie Henry issued an order that provided doctors and healthcare professionals the power to prescribe safer alternatives than the current street supply of drugs. Although there were high hopes for Dr. Henry’s order, there was still a 26% increase in overdose-related deaths from 2020 to 2021. So what happened to slowing BC’s overdose crisis?

Although efforts from the community and government have been present, there are visible gaps that need to be addressed. Addressing the issue goes far beyond clean needles and providing more healthcare professionals with the ability to prescribe medication. While helpful, these are only band-aid solutions to a bullet-wound of a problem. 

For one, therapy and addiction services are limited and can be extremely costly. For example, someone who is seeking a rehab facility for their substance use may opt to get treated in a government-funded or a private facility. Since government facilities typically have limited funding, they also have limited beds, less staff, reduced patient care, and short programs. This is not ideal for recovery since shorter rehab programs have been proven to have a lower success rate than longer ones. 

If you want a program that has a higher success rate, with better patient care and more resources, it will come at a price of up to $60,000. If addiction services were free, it would remove a significant barrier to accessing help.

Another way to combat the overdose crisis is education for youth and the greater community — especially when discussing the social and structural stigma associated with drug use. By educating individuals, we may warn them of the current toxic supply and increase awareness for the dangers thereof. This knowledge is necessary to combat stigma. What people fail to recognize is stigma is harmful in many ways and it can prevent someone from seeking treatment out of fear of judgment. Educating individuals on what it means to grapple with addiction, and informing them of the current overdose crisis, may greatly reduce the stigma felt by those who want to seek treatment. 

Whether due to the stigmatization of drug use, or some other bias, at the end of the day, people are dying. The truth is, the problem will persist without intervention and more needs to be done to address the overdose crisis. We need free and accessible mental health and addiction services. We need education to reduce stigma. What we don’t need is to roll into 2023 with another BC Coroners Service report stating there has been yet another dramatic increase in overdose-related deaths.

On March 9, 2022, the BC Coroners Service released its second death panel report on toxic drug deaths and has called for a “rapid expansion of safe supply within two months.” They have recommended the province move to a non-prescriber model for safe drug supply by May 9, develop a 30/60/90 day plan to achieve this, and develop a plan for a better care system regarding substance use. These steps are important in the fight against the overdose crisis. 

It’s been six years since the beginning of this public health crisis — when will the government treat it as such?

 

I feel as invisible as my disability

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Why do I have to shrink myself down to fit in? Maple Sukontasukkul / The Peak

by Olivia Visser, SFU Student

If someone asks me how I am, I tell them I’m fine. I am not fine. My neck can hardly hold the weight of my head most days. My stomach hurts every time I eat. My entire body has a constant baseline pain that never seems to decrease. Some days I can’t stand for more than a few minutes at a time. Usually, my disability is so overpowering that all I can do to cope is pretend it isn’t there. Truthfully, being disabled makes me feel infinitely small. How can I fit into a world that gives me no space to be myself?

Over the years I have learned, mostly out of necessity, to give myself adequate love and care. Part of self-love is allowing yourself to be visible, but sometimes I make myself invisible to please others or make things easier for myself. I’m slowly unlearning this behavior. Part of unlearning this is acknowledging disability is a part of life. Maybe it’s not always the greatest part of life, but it is a very common human experience. Yet I still feel like I have to shrink myself down from time to time. 

For example, elevators can be tricky to maneuver without my cane. I try not to assume that someone doesn’t need the lift, because I expect the same level of respect for myself. However, what should be a quick trip to catch my bus can turn into 10 minutes of waiting for the elevator. It’s especially frustrating when, for that 10 minutes, I’m standing behind groups of friends who just want to skip the stairs. Being invisibly disabled sometimes feels like I need to forcibly take up space instead of having it immediately accessible, just like any other able-bodied person. I don’t like to forcibly take up space, so I pretend that I’m okay. I pretend that I’m like everyone else. I wait for the elevator, and I miss my bus, because I can’t afford to risk any additional pain.

If I do make my bus and need to take a disabled seat, people often glare at me. Why would a young person without a mobility aid need to use accessible seating? I can stand, but it isn’t always easy for me and is often painful. Having a guaranteed seat close to the door can be a game changer for me. Multiple times, I have hurt my wrists holding onto the railings on the bus. By the end of a long day, my body can be in excruciating pain. 

Yet, I am still terrified of taking up space. I feel like it isn’t mine to take. I worry that I don’t deserve it because sometimes I have better days and I can force myself to stand if needed. Days of pain from standing and holding on are sometimes better than the judging eyes of strangers. I don’t really know why I do it to myself — the imposter syndrome from disability is very real. Between struggling to convey the severity of my symptoms to doctors, to getting friends and acquaintances to understand without pitying me, the easiest thing to do sometimes is act like nothing’s wrong.

If I need to wear a brace, people at work and school will continuously ask me invasive questions about what it’s for. I understand their curiosity because I have it too, but sometimes I hate feeling the need to fulfill people’s “need to know.” The truth is a long and complicated answer that I usually replace with “I just hurt myself.” Most people don’t want to hear about someone’s genetic disease or they don’t know how to respond if I do tell them about it. More importantly, they aren’t entitled to that information if I’m not offering it up. To avoid long, awkward, and repeated conversations, I make myself invisible again and again. 

Since currently, society is not generally accessible — I hope for the normalization of disabilities and all their intricacies. The last thing that I want is pity from strangers. Instead, I just want to be seen and heard for who I am, disability and all. Moreover, I want to feel like I can take up space without being questioned about my legitimacy. 

For the sake of this article, I use the term “invisibly disabled” because it most accurately describes my experiences. It does not entirely account for the dynamic nature of disability and the many nuances therein. Disabilities are never truly invisible. If you know someone well enough you can spot their signs: mood changes, displays of discomfort, oversleeping, undereating, the list goes on. Disability looks different on everyone and is endlessly fluid.

I hope that in time people lose the impulse to shrink themselves down to meet a social standard — which should adapt to include those with disabilities. This can only come through a long process of self-love and affirmation, as well as a more widespread social effort to normalize the complexities of disability. Allowing people to comfortably take up the space they need is a process that requires practice and understanding, but small changes can make a big difference in the lives of your disabled peers. If you are able to take the stairs, take the stairs. When you’re on the bus, leave the accessible seating open. Most importantly, try not to assume that somebody doesn’t need the resources they use. 

Do you know who this professional athlete is?

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Sports
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Question mark drawn on a chalkboard
This athlete recently signed on as a sports broadcaster for Turner Network Television. Pixabay / Pexels

By: Greg Makarov, Sports Writer 

This will be the hardest set of questions you have ever had to answer. If you answer them correctly, it will lead you to unimaginable treasure: our mystery athlete of the week. 

  1. There is a wine brand named after this athlete.
  2. They were an active player from 1979–1999.
  3. This athlete holds a whopping 61 records throughout the regular season and playoffs.
  4. They were the captain of all four of the NHL teams they played on.
  5. If you take away all the goals this player has scored, they would still have the most points of all time based on assists.
  6. They were once the head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.
  7. They hold the record for most points by brothers in the NHL with their younger brother. 
  8. Their jersey number, 99, has been retired by all teams in the NHL.
  9. This athlete is most remembered for their time as an Edmonton Oiler. 
  10. This athlete said the famous quote, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

 

Did you figure it out? 

If you guessed Wayne Gretzky, then you’re correct! A truly baffling hockey player whose numbers and records are timeless, while his career resume is good enough to place him in the discussion for the best athlete of all time.

We need to start talking more about ocean acidification

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Peak Web
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A body of water near a city. In front of an orange sky, a pillar of smoke rises from a smokestack, looking identical to the clouds overhead. People stand in small boats, fishing. The surface of the water looks speckled and dirty.
Every ton of CO2 in the atmosphere contributes to making the ocean more acidic. PHOTO: Carlos "Grury" Santos / Unsplash

By: Luke Faulks, Staff Writer

Oceans are one of the planet’s largest carbon repositories, after forests. Largely thanks to phytoplankton, oceans absorb roughly a quarter of CO2 emissions every year. However, excess emissions caused by the burning of fossil fuels are changing the chemical make-up of the seas. This “ocean acidification” is an issue that’s occurring out of sight and mostly out of the public’s attention. That needs to change. 

Ocean acidification is a process making oceans more acidic, due to the absorption of CO2 into water. Since 1850, the ocean has become 26% more acidic; a shift so fast and so substantial, its rate of change exceeds that of any time in the last 55 million years. The result is an increasingly uninhabitable ocean, particularly for bivalve shellfish and coral whose shells and skeletons begin to dissolve.  

Shellfish like oysters, clams, and mussels play an important role in filtering out sediment and disease from ocean waters. The reduction in bacteria benefits the fish and marine mammals in nearby waters, and the decreased sediment allows light to reach plants on the seafloor, helping grow a better habitat for local fauna. 

Reefs act to reduce the effects of extreme weather events and flooding due to sea level rise. It’s estimated that nearly 200 million people depend on coral reefs to keep their homes, business, and lives free of the worst storm surges and waves. All that goes out the window if coral reefs die off. 

While species like algae and seagrass may benefit from an ocean that’s more saturated with carbon, scientists agree that the vast majority of impacts will be detrimental. Harmful algae blooms in particular are more prone to occur with an acidic ocean, contaminating farmed seafood and disrupting the environmental food chain. It’s now been shown that juvenile fish and crabs may have trouble adapting to increasingly acidic oceans, further unbalancing the food chain. 

Ecological impacts aside, there are also economic concerns. With much of the Canadian East coast being employed by the fish industry, detriments to ocean health translate directly into tens of thousands of jobs lost. It’s naive, at best, to believe a change in the ocean’s pH and food chain would leave the fishing industry unaffected. According to a 2013 study, changes in the ocean’s pH could result in a sharp decline in the mollusk, echinoderm, and coral population, which in turn would prompt a loss of habitat and food for fish of all sizes. Whether you’re more concerned for the well-being of the environment or for your end-of-year tax return, you should be paying attention to ocean acidification.

While acidification has generally been an issue that people have struggled to connect with, it’s starting to show up in our daily lives. Shoreline flooding, seafood scarcity, and dirtier oceans are issues that aren’t going to get any better. It’s time to start looking harder at ocean acidification as an unfolding environmental catastrophe rivaling land-based climate impacts.

Finding your soul style

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Various articles of odd clothing
Your newest threads. ILLUSTRATION: Jiamin Bai / The Peak

By: Kelly Chia, Staff Writer

Hello my little seeds,

Have you longed for the perfect type of clothing for your flesh vessel? Be not afraid. I am Sylvia XVII. I have descended directly from my plane to your simple world to deliver one message: you could be better. And I’m going to tell you how. 

My little cosmological quiz will reveal everything. Are you ready for your absolute truth, my children?

  1. What lyrics resonate with you most?
  • “My heart will go on” — “My Heart will Go On,” by Celine Dion. Classic human, so sentimental.
  • “I need my golden crown of sorrow, my bloody sword to swing / My empty halls to echo with grand self-mythology” — “King,” by Florence + the Machine. Oh, you and your hero moments.
  • “I place my legs in a cage of spandex” — “Tight Pants,” by Leslie Hall. You are so transcendent, darling. Unique!

 

  1. When you think of style, what comes to mind?
  • “An old-fashioned roller rink, holographics, and a spicy little tweed sweater.” You smell stuffy, but interesting!
  • “Anime posters, mom jeans, and at least two studded belts.” Wow you love yourself a 90’s trend don’t you? 
  • “Style as a whole is too broad to be limited to one answer in a three-answer multiple choice.” A bit insulting, but I am a benevolent being. 

 

  1. What, in your opinion, is the perfect afternoon snack?
  • “Tangerines cut neatly with no trace of their skin, paired with a light cheese and some pomegranate seeds.” You have class.
  • “An unacceptable amount of cheese puffs shared intermittently with the ephemeral raccoon sitting on your apartment steps.” You, too, have class.
  • “ . . .” Silence? Really? If I had nerves you’d be getting on them . . .

 

  1. Let’s get personal, my little featherless doves. Do you believe in life after love?
  • “I can feel something inside me say, I really don’t think you’re strong enough, no~!” Beautiful. 
  • “Honestly, I don’t know. Love can be difficult, and no one tells you that being vulnerable is so odd.” Oddly introspective. 
  • “Blergh. Stranger danger.” How dare you, I have known you since the dawn of creation. I will know you far afte — don’t you dare start reading the next question!

 

  1. Sigh. Be honest, children, do you like Sylvia XVII’s quiz? Is it too proto-millenial?
  • “No, it’s genius!” Oh, dearie, I know.
  • “No, I feel like we’ve really gotten to know each other.” For all eternity! 
  • [redacted.] Being difficult will not stop me from reading your essence in a five question quiz, villain.

 

If you answered mostly A’s, I’ve assigned you the perfect style for your soul: Discotheque Academic

Ah, you old-fashioned soul. You dream of 80’s songs and spandex in a time that’s actually brought back every decade from my observations. This is the perfect style for you, my friend. You just like to be a little old guy with your boxy black glasses, leg warmers, and your giant corduroy blazer, don’t you? Of course you do, newspaper reader. 

 

If you answered mostly B’s, I know this style will resonate with you to the core of your being: Anime Mom

There is no easy way to say this. You embody an animated character’s mother with your very essence. It’s time you wear a side braid, some loose mom jeans, and a graphic tee that says, “Live, Laugh, Love” with the face of Carla Yeager. Also, start practising your face of shock as you receive a letter about your supposed anime child as they achieve hero status, or face great tragedy. You never know. That’s the exciting thing about being the Anime Mom aesthetic! 

 

If you answered mostly C’s, you’re no fun and I don’t like you. But I am merciful, so this is what style you suit best: Egg Abomination

So you’re one of those people that just like to pick the spicy answer just to see what happens, huh? Well, let me tell you, egg abomination. Sylvia XVII, and those before them, have never seen such complete disrespect. So your style is both nothing and everything: you are the yolk of the universe, and incredibly dull. As an ovum you can be made in so many different ways if you accept my guidance. But you choose to stay a contrarian egg nonetheless. 

Wait, what do you mean you’re here to stop my quiz based fashion intervention? AGH, NO! One can’t defeat me and the toxic cyclical relationship of fast fashion and its accompanying trends! 

You will not slow me forever! I will be back, and you will be fashionable, you egg!

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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us:
[email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024