Cover photograph, design & post production Mark Dallas Models (background l-r) Rina Nakazawa, Veronica Arruda,

Younmin Lee, Louise Burenby, Yi-An "Amber" Chen (foreground l-r) Aline Fischmann, Berry Saeng, Hyunjin Lee, Aline Fischmann's head

Layout Louise Burenby Mark Dallas

Layout Assistant Rina Nakazawa

FUTURE PERFECT Issue #9: Dec '13

Send comments to futureperfect.editor@gmail.com

Waste Alternatives and the Packaging Apocalypse Hyunjin Lee and Yi-An Chen Just Playing Games or Preparing for the Future? Ana Carolina Antes Oliveira Booze & Bites on a budget Young Hyun Lee Happy Capitalistmas Alejandra and Michelle Vegetarianismthe Win-Win Diet Louise Burenby and Rina Nakazawa Black Friday or Buy Nothing Day? Younmin Lee and Veronica Arruda Dealing with the Over-consumption Hangover Berry Saeng and Ariel Mosaic vs. Melting Pot: a comparison of immigrant cultures Aline Fischmann NGOs or No-Gos? Yoon Hee Kim Where the money went last time

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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013 HOLIDAYS

November Wed 27 Thurs 28 Fri 29 Sat 30 December Sun 1 Mon 2 Thurs 5 Tues 10 Sat 14 Sun 15 Sat 21 Mon 23 Hanukkah (till 5 Dec) American Thanksgiving Buy Nothing Day (N America) / Black Friday Buy Nothing Day (International); St Andrew's Day (Scotland) World AIDS Day Cyber Monday Father's Day (Thailand) Human Rights Day Monkey Day Zamenhof Day Solstice Festivus (for the rest of us); HumanLight ILSC closed all week Christmas Eve Christmas Day Boxing Day; Kwanzaa (till Jan 1) ILSC opens for Session 1* New Year's Eve *ILSC will be closed on Jan 1

THIS MONTHS CONTRIBUTORS

Hyunjin Lee, Yi-An Chen, Ana Carolina Antes Oliveira, Young Hyun Lee, Alejandra Gutirrez de Velasco Medina, Michelle Noronha, Louise Burenby, Rina Nakazawa, Younmin Lee, Veronica Arruda, Berry Saeng, Ariel Park, Aline Fischmann, and Yoon Hee Kim

Tues 24 Weds 25 Thurs 26 Mon 30 Tues 31

Waste Alternatives and the Packaging Apocalypse

By Hyunjin Lee and Yi-An Chen
Have you ever noticed when you just want to buy a small USB, its packed in something the size of a book? Not only that, but the blister pack it comes in is virtually impossible to open without 4 sharp, dangerous tools! During certain holidays, such as Christmas and Saint Valentines Day, products wrapped with elegant, delicate, colourful and varied types of packaging sell well because they catch customers eyes. A bottle of wine that might otherwise cost $20 is sold at $60 because of the elegant

packaging, which might be an oak box and a bottle wrapped with ribbons. Wellwrapped products are more expensive due to the cost of packing materials. Manufacturers focus not on content but packing because they hope it sells well and know the look of the product is one of the most important factors to market. Despite this, people still prefer to buy well-wrapped products. But after all, what happens to this expensive packaging? It goes straight into your garbage bin! In Korea, there is a variety of celebrations such as White Day, which is when men give candies to women. Another is Pepero Day, when friends exchange Korean cookie sticks that look like chopsticks. On 11th of November, the numbers of that day look like four sticks of Pepero. Even though these celebrations are created by big companies, people trust them and want to

celebrate. For these reasons, manufacturers produce more exaggerated packaging for the products. This is especially true in Taiwanese and Chinese culture, where the gift receiver wont open gifts in front of the giver so its important to wrap your gift. The more sophisticated the packaging, the more you care about the receiver. Packaging Link to Carbon PollutionPopular packaging materials like Styrofoam and blister packs cant be recycled so their worth goes 5 from dignity to trash in just one day. Although we can recycle materials such as paper labels and glass bottles, it still wastes

natural resources and emits carbon pollution. According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), about 44% of the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions come from products and packaging. Nestl Waters NA found that 55% of its carbon footprint comes from its bottles. CocaCola Co. says packaging is the largest contributor to the carbon footprint of several of its products. Bigger packaging also causes a larger carbon 6 footprint. Studies show that 5% (1,608,000 metric tons) of Apples greenhouse gas emissions are a result of transporting their products from assembly locations to distribution hubs in regions where the products are sold. At least their products are becoming thinner and lighter, which helps reduce the emissions produced during transportation. According to Apples web site, the packaging for iPhone 5 is 28 percent smaller than the packaging for the original iPhone shipped in 2007. That means that up to 60 percent

more iPhone 5 boxes fit on each shipping pallet and fewer boats and planes are used resulting in fewer CO2 emissions By reducing iPhone packaging by 28 percent from 2007 to 2012, we ship up to 60 percent more boxes in each airline shipping container. That saves one 747 flight for every 416,667 units we ship. Its good to have prettier packaging products and give them to favorite people but its a big problem to our environment. Here are some tips to prevent the environment from polluted. 1. Bare packing Some companies care about this issue so they started to provide bare packing such as LUSH. Theyd rather put their effort into the products instead of packing. 2. Bring your own coffee cup / Reusable cups The leading coffee shop Starbucks provides discount if you bring your own cups to buy a coffee.

3. Use recycled materials If you really need packaging, choose the recycled materials. 4. Reduce unnecessary subsidiary packaging materials Dont over packaging! Wrap your gift less than two layers. 5. Reduce colour printing Paint only important words or pictures on packaging. 6. Reusable packaging You can use bag or basket to replace packaging that they can reuse many times. Take out the packaging thinking, give gifts original meaningthemselves! It is time to focus not on beautiful packaging but what is inside in it. If we think this way, the gift givers and receivers will be happier than before. Lets enjoy environmentalfriendly packaging and give our Earth a break from the holidays.

Sources: Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, USEPA, Opportunities to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Materials and Land Management Practices, September 2009, http://www.epa.gov/ oswer/docs/ghg_land_and_ materials_management. pdf; Joshuah Stolaroff, Products, Packaging and US Greenhouse Gas Emissions, (Product Policy Institute,
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Just Playing Games or Preparing for the Future?

By Ana Carolina Antes Oliveira

would like to claim your points, this is a form of gamification. The AirMiles and loyalty points you earn are using game mechanics to get you to go back to their store. When you are using a website to learn a new language, and you have the option to help someone that is learning your native language, you can help by correcting the grammar and receive points for that. This is also a form of game thinking and mechanics involving user altruism.

On websites like Khan Academy, the idea is to show you what your current level in a specific field is and tell the areas in which improvements are needed in a way that you will understand and know your goal. Internal company websites are created for the employees to receive the latest information, train employees, engage and motivate them, use incentives to further engagement, foster healthy competition and

Did you ever see your little brother or sister in front of the computer or a video game, concentrating on a task and not giving you any attention? S/he might not just be playing as you assume: s/ he might be learning a new skill. With advances in videogame technology, games consoles are not used just for fun anymore. The new tendency is called gamification. It is the

use of game thinking and mechanics in a non-game environment to engage users in solving problems. This new way of using video games uses peoples natural desires for competition, achievement, status, selfexpression, altruism and sense of closure. You might not know that when you are at the checkout in the grocery store, and the attendant asks you if you

continuously processes.

evaluate

gamification to motivate you to achieve a better goal. In the medical field, doctors use the Xbox Kinect to assist surgeons with endoscopies used in small invasive surgeries, enabling them to cause the least damage by using gestures. The military uses gamification to train soldiers in necessary skills, preparing them to deal with real-life situations they will face on the battlefield.

When you use fitness applications like Nike+, which enables users to log in to the web site or mobile application and check their physical activity, it rewards you with points when you r e a c h specific 10 g o a l s . This is a way of using

Booze & Bites on a budget

By Young Hyun Lee
What do you have in mind for tonight? Dont say that you are going to stay in bed for the rest of evening. How about going out for drinks always have lots and lots of fun. By far, the green room is one of my favourite pubs in Toronto. This is a sketchy bar which you cant see even on

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So when you see your little brother or sister in front of the computer or video game, s/he might not just be playing or ignoring you when you are talking to them, but learning future skills that will be necessary for their future.

to warm up your body in this freakin cold weather? If youre thinking about where to go, these are reasonable places that I would highly recommend. I always come here with a big group of friends and we

the street. I clearly remember when I first visited there on the week of Halloween because the walk through the dark and spooky back alley which led me the entrance was kind of interesting and impressive and made it feel like a secret area.

The main floor has a smallish kitchen, stairs connecting up to the second floor, and a small door leading on to the patio and a bank machine. Both floors have their own bar and are decorated with funky and kind of darkish furniture, curtains that hang from ceilings, dim lightings, and arty pictures. Each room has its own individual musics which gives a nice atmosphere. I guess this is hands down one of the best hotspots for students, and it's definitely 12 very popular because it's always crowded with young

university students! This pub is a perfect place for student hangout because drinks and food are really affordable without being low quality, which is so nice! the food and the sangria are the cheapest Ive ever seen in this city. Domestic pints of beer are less than $5, and pitchers are about $12. A pitcher of Steam Whistle is under $12 and Mill Street Organic is under $13. In addition, The food here ranges from typical bar munchies like sandwiches and fries to Asian food such as Pad Thai, which is quite good

and very cheap. Also, there are lots of veggie options. Indie Alehouse is a small craft brewery, and as a daily beer drinker, that definitely made me raise my two thumbs up. This place is purely a beer connoisseur's place where you can drink freshlybrewed house-made beer. Indie Alehouse provides a different and unique option for beer lovers who wanna try different and unique kinds of beer. You can try the Breakfast Porter, the Instigator IPA, the Broken Hipster Belgian Wit and the Barnyard Belgian IPA. Personally, out of 10 available beers, I enjoyed the Dead Spadina Monkey, which tastes distinctively sour because it is fermented from sugar from local organic raspberries. Draft beer ranges from $5.50 to $6.50 a pint, and 1.9-litre growlers start from $18 to $22, which in my opinion, are well-priced. Indie Alehouse has dinner,

lunch, weekend brunch, and BBQ Wednesdays every week. In terms of the menu, it is a little bit limited in range, but all the food is so delicious: parmesan and sage popcorn seasoned with whipped bacon fat butter ($3), any kind of pizza ($15), mac & cheese ($13), burger with brisket ($15), shrimp tacos ($15), and cherry wood-smoked pulled pork sandwich ($13). Personally, I would like to recommend the Angry Hawaiian pizza if you are bold enough!
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Happy Capitalistmas
(Are you a devout dollar disciple?)
"Christmas! Its the most wonderful time of the year!" Or at least thats what they say around the world... Oh wait! Wasnt it Justin Biebers Christmas song of Mistletoe that sold 1,245,000 copies in the U.S.? From the late fourth century, Christianity began to celebrate Christmas as the 14 commemoration of Jesuss birth. This celebration has many traditions, including cribs, the Advent wreath, carols and Christmas Eve masses. All these traditions have deep significance for Christians, but there is something that many of you may not know. There is a new belief that is growing day by day and has taken over one of the most sacred celebrations. This new belief makes us all feel dissatisfied, makes us buy things we do not need and that

By Alejandra and Michelle

we cant afford and teaches us that the only happiness there is is wrapped in coloured paper or can be found in elaborate parties with copious amounts of alcohol. Christmas has become Capitalistmas for many reasons. Believers and nonbelievers celebrate the birth of Jesus and kids have learned that Christmas is just being good all year to receive gifts from a fat, bearded man dressed in red and white. When everything should be about a time of joy and peace, Christmas is actually about how many gifts you get. It doesn't matter if you are going to like it or not, the act of giving and especially receiving is the most important thing. North America hosts the leading capitalist powers in the world. According to About.com, last years Christmas sales increased

22.4% in the US compared to 2011. The magazine Static Canada publishes Christmas by the Numbers every year. In 2009 it said that Canadians spent $405.5 million on

example is Bill Talen, better known as Reverend Billy; he is a Dutch-American actor who created a character of a street preacher. Reverend Billy began to appear on street corners in Times Square. His sermons were focused on The evils of consumerism and advertising. Over time he became more famous and created the Church of Stop Shopping, a non-profit organization now with 50 performing members. They use theatrical forms such 15 as singing, dancing, acting and preaching, to build a powerful critique of economic systems in order to instill a sense of responsibility in their audiences. Billy and his church have been preaching in big stores like Wall-Mart, Disney Store, Starbucks, Macys and have even preached on Wall Street. Meanwhile, there is a campaign called Buy Nothing Xmas that started on Canada's West Coast in 2001 by Canadian Mennonites, a community of Christians that believe Jesus

candies, $840.4 million on television, audio and video, $164.6 million on decorations and bought 4.5 million turkeys. Do we really need this to commemorate the birth of Jesus? Many people think that we dont, and they have decided to do something about it. One

gave lessons on how to live a spiritual lifestyle. They say the capitalist system is heartless and based on self-interest, so they try to help people in need. This movement is a protest against the commercialization of Christmas and they try to re-design a Christian lifestyle that is richer in meaning, smaller in impact upon the earth, and greater in giving to people less-privileged. We should all listen to Billy and the Canadian Mennonites 16 because many p e o p l e believe that happiness can only be achieved with c o n su m p t i o n and a big Christmas t r e e .

The more you consume, the closer you are to the capitalist kingdom. Many people are worshipping the dollar and they dont even realize it because our new churches are shopping malls, the new saints are celebrities, our new guardian angels are credit cards and our new god is MONEY. Instead of a star or a fairy, it should be a dollar-sign at the top of the tree. Maybe we should follow the Biebs Mistletoe advice after all: Don't you buy me nothing!

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Vegetarianism the Win-Win Diet

Meat consumption has risen over the years and, since Christmas is coming, the selling of turkey, ham, chicken, sausages and other meat products is going to increase around the world. This is a problem in several ways, and this article is going to make you aware of a few of them. Lets start with the environmental destruction! Growing animals for food destroys forests and rain forests. According to Greenpeace, over 260 million acres of forests in the US have been destroyed to raise grains for livestock. In the Amazon, more than 2.9 million acres of rainforests were destroyed from 2004 to 2005 to grow feed. If we reduce our consumption of meat, we can help protect forests. Needless to say, forests are important habitats for

By Louise Burenby and Rina Nakazawa

many animals and their destruction contributes to global warming. Another problem is that animal husbandry causes pollution. A huge amount of transport is required. According to American animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), producing one calorie from animal protein needs more than three times as much fossil fuel as doing it from plant protein. In addition to this, according to the Worldwatch Institute, 51 or more percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions are caused by raising animals for food. Fossil fuels and greenhouse gases are the main cause of global warming, so if we eat less meat, we can slow down global warming.

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Animal husbandry requires an enormous amount of water not just to grow grains for livestock, but also to clean barns and trucks and to process meat. According to PETA, producing 1 pound of meat requires more than 2,400 gallons of water, whereas raising 1 pound of wheat requires only 25 gallons. Therefore, cutting down on meat consumption will save another scarce resource. Additionally, we can use less electricity since the cost of heating and lighting barns is huge. Meat production has devastated the environment. Having a vegetarian diet is one way to help save our precious natural surroundings. One of the most common arguments for eating vegetarian food is the way that the animals are treated. Many still dont care about it nor even want to know about it, but the truth is that just a little research will reveal tons of facts that would make even the biggest meat lover think again.

As a result of today's increasing meat consumption, we raise animals on big farms, and we are trying to make as much money out of it as possible. The way the animals feel isn't all that important to the consumer and the environment on the farms is usually really bad. First of all, most of the animals live in small cages without the possibility of going outside, or even moving. It's crowded, stressful and far away from 19 the life that chickens, pigs or cows are used to. Its also common that the animals are given different kinds of hormones to grow faster and bigger. For example, chickens are given a hormone that makes it possible for the farmer to raise them faster and earn more money at the same time as we get bigger fillets on our tasty sandwich. Sadly, the chickens have to suffer. Their thin legs can't bear their excessive weight, and as a result, they often break.

And not only this, but you are going to eat those hormones when you are having chicken for dinner! The transport to the slaughterhouse is also a stressful process that often means a long journey in a confined space both during the very hot summer and the coldest winter days. Then the slaughtering itself isnt a peaceful or quiet time for the animal in its final moments.
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argument for a lot of people to waive, but the animals aren't the only ones to suffer. Working conditions are often really bad in the slaughterhouses. The environment is stressful and, needless to say, horrific. Slaughterhouses are actually ranked as some of the most dangerous places to work according to the magazine Mother Jones. On the other hand, vegetarian food has a several good points. Not only does it further the environment,

The way we raise animals in an unnatural way is an

but you will also gain same land to grow 9000 kg of on a personal level since potatoes as it does to grow vegetarian food is healthy. 70 kg of meat. One in eight humans around the world is According to the Academy starving while the U.S feeds of Nutrition and Dietetics, livestock with more than 70% vegetarians and vegans of the grains they grow. enjoy a lower risk of getting different kinds of heart Have we motivated you to disease, diabetes and cancer! give vegetarianism a try? We But the last and maybe most hope so! You might think it important argument to eat troublesome to find recipes less meat is that its easier to and meals that you like in the feed more people. It takes the beginning, but there are over fifty restaurants s e r v i n g vegetarian m e a l s i n 21 Toronto where you can get inspired! So do it!, grab your lunch from one of the vegetarian restaurants today! That would do both the planet and your health a favour, and save natural resources at the same time!

Black Friday or ?

By Younmin Lee and Veronica Arruda

I am sure some of you are thinking about Black Friday and what you are going to buy. It is the day after American Thanksgiving, which is the fourth Thursday in November and is the 22 busiest shopping day of the year. On that day, people go shopping the most and spend a lot of money. Retailers can also get more money on the day. So on account books that are in the red (deficit), it begins to turn into the black (surplus), hence the name. On the other hand, theres Buy Nothing Day (BND). BND originated in Vancouver in 1992 by artist Ted Dave and was promoted later by Kalle Lasn from Adbusters magazine. It is now an international event, celebrated in more than 60 countries on the same day as Black Friday. The whole idea is about giving people a break on unbounded consumerism and making them think about overconsumption, environmental implications and even child labour. When we are shopping, we never think about who made it, how it was made or even if we really need it. With slogans like Spend a day without spending, 24 hour consumer detox, It's free!!! and fun activities such as Zombie Walks and Whirl-Marts, they draw people's attention to how excessive consumerism is affecting our lives. It is not just for one day, they say, but it is a start.

But how many people have ever heard about Buy Nothing Day? According to a survey we did outside the Eaton Centre on November 14th, only 1 out of 10 people knew about BND and almost 50% of the interviewees had a plan to spend more than $100. How much money do we spend every Black Friday? According to NRF (National Retail Federation), consumption is increasing every year. In 2010, the total spent was $45 billion over the four-day weekend following Black Friday. $52.4 billion was spent in 2011, an increase of 16%. 2012 hit a new record. $45 billion was spent during the same period. Following this increase in consumption, retailers open their shops on

the day earlier than before. They open at 5:00 or even at 4:00 in the morning. It seems that people want to consume more and more as years go by. According to Life-cycle Hypothesis of Consumption and Savings by Nobel Prize winner Franco Modigliani, people follow a standard economic behavior, and it does not alter just because of sales or discount events. The pattern of consumption is the same regardless our income and seasonal sales. As Saint Johns University Professor Joseph P. Farry said, Black 23 Friday might bring some spending into November that might have waited until December, and Buy Nothing Day vice versa. But the total amount spent wont change.

Even though our spending habits are fairly unchanging, we should think about our consumption. Do we consume what we really need? We always try to consume as much as we can. This is over-consumption. Canadians and Americans consume 5 times more than Mexicans, 10 times more than the Chinese and 30 times more than people from India.

Would not spending money for just 24 hours really make an economic impact? We dont think so, but maybe thats not the point. Perhaps this is purely a battle for our minds so that we can gain back the true meaning of the value of everyday life rather than the economic values given to the possessions that we spend so much time hoping to get for a bargain.

Dealing with the Over-consumption Hangover

By Berry Saeng and Ariel

24

There is a sufficiency in the may be doing more harm world for man's need but not than good. for man's greed. Why do people consume Mahatma Gandhi. excessively? Does it relate to their self-esteem? Perhaps To live means to consume, one reason is that when you and consume we do. 24 buy the desired the item, hours a day, we consume maybe you feel a sense of air to breathe, water to belonging to a group. Another drink and food to eat. reason is advertising. Because But how much we buy as gifts we are exposed to ads, we and for holiday celebrations tend to follow celebrities

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who promote the products. Another reason is related to credit cards. When you use your credit card, you feel more comfortable than when you spend cash because the brain does not consider it overconsumption. Some studies document that consumption is linked to emotion. Marketing is the power which makes us go shopping. According to Adrian Furnham, professor of psychology at University College London, there are 4 26 stages of consumption. The first is need. You must relieve your thirst so you pay for a beverage. Its essential. The second is when something is broken or worn out, and so must be repaired or replaced. The third stage is when there is a better one available and you want to replace it. The fourth stage is for no reason other than you can! Emotional consumption is practiced by people who feel anxious, angry, or depressed. These feelings may cause us to go to shopping. Now how do we solve this problem?

The best becoming capitalism education.

way to avoid a victim of is through

up for what you want to buy or what you want to be. What we have to do now is not to examine one aspect of overconsumption but to attempt to synthesize the whole situation. Cultivate effective recycling habits. It is a good idea to learn how to make stuff you need, and it is another opportunity to express your own style. Even though clothes go out of fashion, you dont have to throw them away.

For example, you can follow some blogs which have lots of methods of redesign. Otherwise, donate clothes you no longer wear to charity rather than throwing them in the trash can. Though you dont need them anymore, maybe it will be useful for people who do. Before you act on impulse, remember the words of Gandhi and dont let your greed get the better of you.

These days, parents want to give everything to their children. When you go to the department store, you usually see a child asking, begging or even demanding his parents buy him that new toy. We have to change the education system to teach children that it is not always necessary to buy more stuff: if possible, broken items must be fixed rather than replaced by new ones. Create your own rules. Pick a month, any month. January would be a perfect opportunity for all sorts of good reasons. First of all, January is the start of the New Year, so everybody wants to make plans. In order to complete them, we will start to buy new things. Then we tend to over-spend. To prevent this, make a shopping list before you go shopping. Cultivate a good habit, such as keeping a housekeeping book. Fundamental habits often lead to overconsumption. Instead of falling into temptation, save

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Mosaic vs. Melting Pot: a comparison of immigrant cultures

According to the Free English Dictionary, mosaic is something resembling such a picture or decoration in composition, especially in being made up of diverse elements: a mosaic of borrowed ideas. When it comes to a mosaic of cultures, it means that a couple of cultures has 28 been coexisting on the same spot, without necessarily being mixed or integrated. On the other hand, a melting pot is a metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, the different elements melting together into a harmonious whole with a common culture, according to Wikipedia. It is known that people remaining from various coun-

tries have immigrated to North America, seeking better living conditions. However, the process has been happening in a very distinct way between Canada and the United States, in a situation where its possible to see two extremes: a big mosaic where in theory everything matches as a puzzle (Canada) and a huge melting pot where a lot of immigrants just forget where they are originally from (USA).

By Aline Fischmann

But when it comes to choosing a different country in which to live, it is just as important to learn the local culture/language and try to be integrated into this new society. And thats not quite what happens in Toronto. People from different origins live in their own neighbourhoods, have relations mainly with others from their countries and sometimes dont even learn English (or French). So what was supposed to be an interesting puzzle with different kinds of pieces matching together is actually a city of ghettoized enclaves. However, in order not to oversimplify the Canadian reality, it is essential to mention the Native People or Aboriginal, Indigenous, First Nations whose reality and living conditions are often forgotten. These groups have been marginalized and treated without any respect for their human rights, as if they werent Canadians like the rest of society. So is it really possible to have the ideal integrated society (as stated before) when the reality is much more complex, involv-

ing issues such as prejudice, marginalization and inequality? The other side of the coin is controversial as well. In the United States, the process of immigration has been happening now for a long time. Because of this countrys power and influence in all corners of the world (Americanization), what we see is people renouncing their cultures and personal habits to become simply American. A melting pot is not as interesting as it could be if the 29 unique aspects of different cultures were not only put together, but mixed and still existed that way. So the question is: is it worth moving to another place and losing your own history, language and culture? At the same time, whats the point in moving and living like you never really left the other place? More than that, is actual integration a possibility when so many people dont have any option other than being excluded from society?

In Canada, specifically in Toronto, a multicultural city, immigrants from all over the world have maintained their cultures throughout the years, which is a very positive feature in a globalized world.

NGOs or No-Gos?
By Yoon Hee kim
On November 7th, Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines. After this happened, Many NGOs (Non-governmental Organizations) wanted to deal with this disaster and help those affected. Meanwhile, one NGO I worked for named KHAP (Korea Federation for HIV/AIDS Prevention) educates 10- to 20-year30 olds about safe sex to prevent them from starting unsafe sexual relationships. They are trying to change many conservative minds, which would otherwise make it difficult for young people to protect themselves in dangerous situations. As you can see, NGOs take on many roles. Even though this is reason enough to justify the existence of NGOs, many people are not interested in them when they look for work. First of all, theres the question of salary. Although there are many enthusiastic people working for NGOs, they cant be rewarded for working as much as they would be in a corporate for-profit environment. Enthusiasm cant make them earn money. Because these kinds of organizations get financial support from the government, money that they have to spend on workers salaries cannot help being limited. To make matters worse, they have to work hard despite the low wages. Unless an NGO shows the results of their business, they cant receive funding the following year. One way to get enough funding from the government is if the public get interested in your intention to help people. It is also better for your goal

to coincide with society having problems related to your field. But actually, the public will often think your area of focus is less important than other more popular problems. They want to pay attention to what is in the news right now and dont want to think about the future, which our economic and political surroundings make them ignore. I consider people who want to start or work for NGOs pioneers or activists. As a result, it is hard for them to survive in our society.

are looking for employment want to imitate the rich. This is a trend in our society now. Why do some people want to take a volunteering job and give money to charity? Of course, increasing the quality of ones life is important, but it is also a fact that the smallest seeds planted now can make the biggest impact on the future and can change it for the better. They believe the phrase, I Can do it! is more than just a phrase.

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If you think you are that special kind of person, why dont The majority of jobseekers you get some more informawant to work for a big corpo- tion about NGOs right now? ration like Monsanto or Samsung. The government supports the big companies more than other smaller companies and has done this because politics is married to the economic environment. The rich want to be richer, and they want to connect everything such as economics, politics, and culture in order to grow their profits. Also, many who

Where the money went last time...

The for May the 2013 Journalism Class raised $120 Canadian Women's Foundation.

32 Future Perfect #8 Journalists (L-R) Miyuki Ichida, Andre Souza Concetti, Senior Director of Development Catherine Groulx of CWF, FP Editor & English through Jounalism teacher Mark Dallas, Fabiana Santana, Marta Cuenca Romo and Johana Nuez

If you have any ideas for content or charities for future issues of Future Perfect, or if you would like to advertise, contact us at futureperfect.editor@gmail.com

...and where your moneys going this time...

For information about where the money for this issue is going, turn to the back cover.

While everyone is worried about what they are going to cook for Christmas dinner, more than 400,000 Ontario residents40% of them childrenturn to a food bank for assistance every month. "Hunger is a constant reality for far too many families in Ontario," says Bill Laidlaw, Executive Director at the Ontario Association of Food Banks. The Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) is the provincial representative for food banks in Ontario. They are a network of 120 food banks that support over 1,100 hunger relief programs and agencies across the province. Since their inception in 1992, they have been committed to reducing hunger in Ontario through sustainable solutions that ensure the long-term health and success of communities across the province. To make this possible, help is essential. Even your small donation can make a big difference. Thank you for buying a copy of Future Perfect. Charity Registration Number: 13064 3737 RR0001