http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/authors/1899/a-rachelle-foss Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Fri, 12 Jun 2026 02:23:08 -0400 Fri, 12 Jun 2026 02:23:08 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1560/omega-playing-for-change By A. Rachelle Foss - But Verdigo, a social enterprise comprised of a group of volunteers, all with full-time careers, has created OMEGA with change in mind. Utilizing the smaller community model, Verdigo is looking to affect change, using fun to motivate people instead of proclamations of doom. Notwithstanding their self-professed laid-back personalities, the passion of those involved with this venture is evident: "OMEGA is our first endeavour—a game to get people to continue or introduce ‘green' actions in daily life and to stretch the boundaries of their environmentalism" (S. Gangel, personal communication... Sun, 30 Oct 2016 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1560/omega-playing-for-change http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1332/breaking-the-cycle-changing-alberta-in-the-present-to-save-the-future By A. Rachelle Foss - Alberta's resource power lies within the energy sector; in particular, the oil and gas industry. However, this same energy sector is contributing heavily to the destruction of the landscape and is contaminating the environment. This destructive pattern may seem unrelated to the province's economy, but a closer look shows that they are, in fact, closely connected. This is largely due to a failure by both the industry and political leaders to have a vision for the economic future. Although oil and gas royalties, paid to the province for the right to use crown land for capital gain, provide considerable... Tue, 01 Sep 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1332/breaking-the-cycle-changing-alberta-in-the-present-to-save-the-future http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/956/an-investigation-into-the-impact-of-childrens-literature-through-a-review-of-dr-seusss-the-lorax By A. Rachelle Foss - This article is a brief overview of The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss, the story of a repentant ex-industrialist who tells a tale of environmental degradation in the name of industrialism, progress, and profit, heedless of warnings from the Lorax—who speaks on behalf of nature. The book imparts lessons on finding a balance between ecology and industrial progress, and taking the first steps to righting the environmental errors of the past. The Lorax, positioned as an important ecological text, has resonated with generations. It is the generations that follow who inherit the earth, making it paramount... Tue, 30 Sep 2014 04:37 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/956/an-investigation-into-the-impact-of-childrens-literature-through-a-review-of-dr-seusss-the-lorax http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/858/the-price-of-development-the-importance-of-preserving-local-agricultural-lands By A. Rachelle Foss - Regardless of the fact that we have long been warned of the negative impact of industrial farming, rural communities are being wiped out as local producers, like Riverbend Gardens, are put at risk in favour of urban expansion. The industrial food production industry is unsustainable, leading to increased energy consumption and food costs because of the gross use of energy to transport food hundreds kilometres from where it is produced. Toxic chemicals used to combat swarms of pests that are nurtured by acres of single crop farming have lead to the increase of these substances in our environment... Mon, 13 Jan 2014 11:39 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/858/the-price-of-development-the-importance-of-preserving-local-agricultural-lands http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/854/hoarding-plastic-waste-buried-alive By A. Rachelle Foss - Plastic is a ubiquitous part of our everyday lives. Popular for its versatility, it can be attributed to the creation of the numerous conveniences we enjoy in contemporary society. However, traditional plastic does not break down and thus has also become ubiquitous within the environment, and the mounting consequences to its extensive use is being seen. Recycling provides a degree of relief in our efforts to address this problem and can be a boost to the economy but there are barriers that reduce the effectiveness of this solution. In addition to the complex and arduous process of separating and... Mon, 13 Jan 2014 10:35 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/854/hoarding-plastic-waste-buried-alive