"The hammer is about to drop on those who hold onto that aging paradigm. The new emerging generation wants life cycle accountability."

- Edward Burtynsky

These are just a few of the inspiring and empowering words Edward Burtynsky pours into his forward for Shift:Positions, the first of a series of books published by the OCAD Student Press. This collection of essays, written by a handful of OCAD design students, draws attention to a number of different environmental issues, while also offering some very creative and interesting insights on how to approach our day-to-day lives in a way that addresses sustainability, not as some tactic for relieving guilt, but rather as a basic standard for healthy and thoughtful living.

As Burtynsky so eloquently puts it, "Great ideas are being hatched between the covers of this book." My personal favorite is Chris Braden's short essay chronicling the Depletist Project he spearheaded with his ThinkTank class late last year, in which he set out to create a word to describe "An individual or group demonstrating apparent negligent or reckless disregard for the environmental consequences of their actions." Obviously the word they came up with was depletist. The main idea was to find a word that does to environmental negligence what racist did to racial intolerance. Quite brilliant I'd have to say.

As part of the release of the publication, the OCAD Student Press is throwing a book launch this Wednesday night (June 6th) at the Gladstone Hotel. They've promised a night of art, music, and some interesting readings from book contributors Chris Braden, Katherine Morley, as well as Ed Burtynsky himself. Sounds like it has the potential to be one hell of an inspirational evening.

The cover's only $5, and that price goes towards the purchase of a book as well. Oh, I should also mention that the book has been zero footprinted. Nice to see some people put their money where their mouth is.

Shift:Positions officially launches at 6:30pm this Wednesday, June 6 at the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen Street West).