consumerism
A summer Christmas in Costa Rica
January 5, 2026“Pura vida” is the unofficial national motto of laid-back, cloudless Costa Rica. It is the one-size-fits-all response to life’s greatest satisfactions: good food, weather, and company. Because Costa Rica is 10 degrees from the equator, it gets 12 hours of daylight starting just after 5:00 a.m. Locals wake up with the sun and have lengthy coffee breaks. “Puntualidad” is not a high-mileage word in this language. The Costa Rica I visited annually since I was small was detached from the hubbub in the capital, and I was allowed to teeter across the streets unsupervised to buy syrupy mangoes at my…
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Halloween needs to be more sustainable
October 30, 2024Halloween is just around the corner, and the unsustainability that comes with it is what should really give you a scare. Halloween waste amounts to a staggering 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste, equivalent to 83 million plastic bottles. To add…
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Back-to-school isn’t an excuse for mass consumerism
September 13, 2024With back-to-school shopping in full swing, many students have participated in the annual shopping spree of stocking up on snazzy supplies, the latest technology, and clothing galore. These days, it’s become a market of wants over needs. Students often partake…
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SFU researcher discusses impact of microplastics on marine life
November 8, 2021SFU researcher Rhiannon Moore and her team published their research on microplastics in the beluga whale food chain. The study found microplastics not only in beluga whale stomachs, but also in the stomachs of their prey. Her research group examined…
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We shouldn’t celebrate Black Friday
November 23, 2020Black Friday has never been a holiday for the people. From its conception to its frenetic present-day form, it has always been a way to encourage impulsive consumption. With the dramatic changes in our lifestyles ushered in by the COVID-19…
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Knowing the price puts a damper on consumer enthusiasm
August 2, 2017The enjoyment of activities and new items decreases as time goes on — the twenty-fifth bite of a chocolate bar is often less enjoyable than the first. However, researchers wondered how knowing the price of a given product might affect…
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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.
For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]
Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.
For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]