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February 2024

Liberal Arts Competition

Thank you to everyone worldwide for participating in HNP Ontario's Liberal Arts Competition!

 

This year, HNP Ontario focused on sustainable solution of three industries: Businesses, Medical, and Engineering/Architecture. This competition was designed to utilize creativity in oder to raise awareness to the urgency of environmental issues!

 

For future competitions we will be accepting all sorts of medium including visual art, animation, essay, report, video, story telling and music. Use your creativity to explore more about sustainable solution AND opportunity to win a prize. Good luck! 

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Submission deadline: March 5th, 2024  

This Year's Theme:

Sustainable Practices in Industries

Grand Award Winners

Visual Art Grand Award Winner

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Empowering Earth: Sustainable Cities in the Palm of Our Hands by Dev Katyal

“This artwork symbolizes the concept of sustainable and renewable energy in urban environments. The hands cradling the Earth represent humanity's responsibility and ability to protect and nurture our planet. The urban cityscape depicted on the Earth's surface represents human civilization, highlighting the integration of renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and solar panels into modern city infrastructure.

 

The inclusion of wind turbines and solar panels within the urban landscape emphasizes the shift towards sustainable energy practices. These technologies not only reduce reliance on fossil fuels but also contribute to mitigating climate change and promoting environmental sustainability. As of 2021, solar energy accounted for approximately 4.9% of total electricity generation globally and wind energy accounted for approximately 4.2% of total electricity generation."

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Essay Grand Award Winner

“The True Cost of Fast Fashion” by Jasmine Su

     How often are we lured by the tempting promises of trendy clothing at an unbeatable price? What drives our desire for trendy clothing, even when we know the true cost? Do you find yourself eagerly scrolling through the digital aisles of Shein of H&M? Mahatma Gandhi once warned us that

"There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger and unhappiness." A reminder that in the face of such enticing deals, our moral judgment gets overturned all for the sake of an incredible bargain.

There are three main problems with the fast fashion industry. It destroys our environment, steals the intellectual property of designers, and uses unregulated labor practices.

     To start, fast fashion produces excessive wastage, pollution, and microplastics. it harms the planet that we take our resources from and can negatively impact our health as well. According to Earth.org, fast fashion is the second largest polluter and “accounts for about 10% of global pollution, ranking higher than emissions from air travel and maritime transport combined.” Our love for fashion certainly does come at a heavy price for our planet. Even more astonishing is that fast fashion encourages consumers to overconsume the fast-changing trends of products produced by companies. According to the UN Environment Programme, 20% of global wastewater comes from textile dyeing, and due to the loose regulation of certain countries, this contaminated water will gain access to rivers and lakes, harming civilians. And we discard around 92 million tons of clothe-related waste. Let’s make this easier to imagine, that’s a garbage truck full of clothes either incinerated or sent to the landfill every second! Due to their affordability and durability, nylon and polyester are now widely used in clothing, which makes them a major source of microplastics. Microfilaments from every wash are released into our sewage systems and wind up in our waterways. Annually five hundred thousand tons of toxic pollutants find their way into the ocean. The environmental impacts are detrimental, fast fashion not only manages to harm the environment but also harms human health.

     Leading on to this issue, fast fashion companies are also guilty of stealing intellectual property from artists and designers. Let’s use Shein, a Chinese fast-fashion giant, as an example of unethical

business practices. How did Shein climb so quickly to mass popularity? Well, Kristen Perry, a graphic designer who got her “Make it Fun” poster design stolen by Shein and resold might say that it “has grown rich by committing individual infringements over and over again,” as would many countless small business owners who got their work taken advantage of. Despite this, an egregious amount of teenagers are still lured in with the promise of ultra-low prices, keeping Shein in business.

     Lastly, fast fashion supports unregulated labor practices, exploiting workers and working conditions. The fast fashion industry employs around 75 million factory workers worldwide, and less

than 2% of them make a living wage. Even the European Parliament admits that the conditions of factory workers in Asia are equivalent to “slave labor.” Many garment workers are working up to 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. Not to mention, the textile industry also uses child labor because of the low skill requirements and its cheapness. The fast fashion sector has developed as a result of consumer desire for more items at lower prices. As a result, the workforce that supports the fashion industry is being dangerously exploited to make a greater profit.

     So what can we do to support a circular economy, a system in which materials never become waste and nature is regenerated? As consumers, we hold the power. we can make a difference between right and wrong. Slow fashion is a wonderful alternative, it promotes sustainable fashion, conscious consumerism, and advocating for minimalism. Small businesses and corporations alike can steer towards circular fashion if consumers send a signal to the suppliers. Sustainable fashion is a concept that emphasizes the use of natural materials such as organic cotton, linen, biodegradable fibers, etc... as well as upholds animal welfare. This leads to conscious consumerism, a movement that encourages consumers to buy less, choose higher-quality products, and prioritize social responsibility when shopping. Minimalism is, in turn, a lifestyle movement that is closely linked to the principles of slow fashion and encourages consumers to focus on quality in clothing choices to minimize excessive waste and overconsumption of clothing. Overall, the slow fashion movement is an opposing idea to the fast fashion movement, focusing on benefiting the environment as well as exposing the dark realities of fast fashion.

     It’s undeniable that in our pursuit of the latest trends at low prices, we turn a blind eye to the harsh and unjust practices of fast fashion brands. It’s time we, as consumers, prioritize our planet over fleeting trends for cheap prices. By endorsing circular fashion, we can promote a more sustainable and equitable future for all. After all, what’s the point in having a closet full of clothes that are in reality, really just reminders of our despicable harm towards the planet?

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Honourable Creativity Mentions

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Artwork by Coco

As urbanization becomes more and more rapid,  urban green landscapes are severely squeezed. My artwork shows the solution to the growing demand on urban green places. My drawing illustrates how flora is integrated into buildings through vertical greening, which maximizes urban green covering while saving space. My drawing also includes sustainable components such as wind and geothermal energy, bicycles, and biophilic design, creating a link between urban and nature elements.  I think that in the context of climate change and technological development, adding green to cities can arouse people's affinity for nature. I believe that symbiosis between cities and nature is the best sustainible solution.

“Navigating the Path to Sustainable Healthcare: Innovations and Challenges” by Adil Mukhi

In recent years, the imperative for sustainable practices has extended its reach into every sector, including healthcare. The integration of sustainability and healthcare presents a plethora of prospects and obstacles as the sector endeavours to deliver high-quality medical services while reducing its ecological footprint. This essay investigates the value of sustainability certifications, looks at the obstacles that stand in the way of using sustainable practices in the medical industry, and suggests some possible ways to get beyond them. In the medical field, where the stakes are high and the environmental impact can be significant, sustainability certifications and labels, like B Corp, Fair Trade, and ISO 14001, act as crucial guides for consumers and businesses. One example of this impact is seen in asthma inhalers. A normal asthma inhaler has an estimated carbon footprint of 26.9 kg CO2/100 doses, whereas dry-powder inhalers have a footprint 10 times smaller, at 2.7 kg CO2/100 doses. Product design innovations aimed at eliminating HFA propellants could save over 13 Mt CO2 eq./y, showcasing the potential for reducing environmental impact through sustainable practices in the medical industry. (Harish Kumar Jeswani and Adisa Azapagic) For consumers, these labels offer assurance. When a healthcare facility or a medical product carries a sustainability certification, it signals to patients and customers that the organization is committed to ethical, environmentally friendly practices. This may have an impact on consumer decisions because people are beginning to place a higher priority on sustainability when making decisions. In addition, environmental management-focused certifications like ISO 14001 offer a standardized framework that companies can follow. They list the best ways to cut down on waste, use less energy, and handle resources wisely. Following these guidelines can result in notable reductions in the carbon footprint of the healthcare industry, which uses a lot of energy and resources. Sustainability certifications give companies a competitive advantage. By differentiating businesses as pioneers in environmental responsibility, they draw investors and customers who care about the environment. In addition to financial rewards, this can lead to a rise in brand loyalty as customers connect themselves with businesses that match their beliefs. The road to sustainable healthcare is paved with obstacles, notwithstanding its obvious advantages. The existing healthcare systems' rigidity is a major barrier. The medical industry frequently takes a long time to adapt because of ingrained procedures and infrastructure that impede quick shifts to more environmentally friendly options. The current state of affairs, which includes energy-hungry machinery and single-use plastics, poses a serious threat to sustainability. The price of sustainable transitions is another significant obstacle. Considerable financial outlays are needed to upgrade to environmentally friendly technology, put effective waste management systems in place, and build green healthcare facilities. In a sector where patient care is prioritized and funds are limited, the initial expenses associated with sustainability measures may be unaffordable. Progress might also be hampered by healthcare practitioners' ignorance and lack of education. It's possible that many medical professionals—including nurses and administrators—do not completely understand how their actions affect the environment or the advantages of sustainable alternatives. Bringing about significant change from the inside is difficult without the right training and awareness-raising initiatives. To get beyond these obstacles, a diversified strategy is required. First and foremost, all tiers of healthcare must adopt education and training initiatives. Understanding how healthcare activities affect the environment should be a fundamental part of the training curriculum for everyone from medical students to seasoned professionals. This has the potential to cultivate a sustainable culture from the ground up, enabling people to make environmentally friendly decisions. Second, government assistance and financial incentives are essential. Healthcare facilities can defray their early expenses by receiving grants and subsidies for sustainable activities. Governments can also implement laws that promote sustainable practices, such as requirements for the use of renewable energy sources or tax rebates for environmentally friendly technology. Another essential element of success is teamwork. Collaborations amongst private sector businesses, environmental groups, and healthcare facilities can spur innovation and information exchange. Pharmaceutical pollution can be decreased, for instance, by partnerships between waste management companies and pharmaceutical corporations that progress medication disposal techniques. In conclusion, there are difficulties involved in the pursuit of sustainable healthcare, but there are also significant benefits. Healthcare firms' commitment to ethical and environmentally friendly practices is signalled to investors and consumers through sustainability certifications and labelling, which offer guidance and legitimacy in this path. Through education, incentives, cooperation, and technological innovation, the medical industry can clear the path toward a healthier planet and populace by tackling obstacles like inertia, cost, and lack of knowledge. It is crucial to understand that, as we move toward sustainable healthcare, the goal is to rethink the role of medical services in a sustainable future, not only to stop carbon emissions. It is about making sure that personal recovery doesn't come at the cost of the environment. By cooperating and showing a common commitment, we can create a healthcare system which promotes the health of people and the environment.

“How Fair Trade is Leading to Sustainable Business Practices” by Anonymous

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THANK YOU  TO ALL OF OUR GREAT PARTICIPANTS!

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