July 2021 - Digital Time Capsule

July came and went in the blink of an eye. From the Olympics, little victories, a lawsuit and some space talk, July was not short of news. We’ve wrapped up the seventh month of 2021 and stuck it into a digital time capsule. Read more below!  

Tokyo 2020(1)

Does anyone really care about the Olympics or is it the most exciting thing to have happened in the past year and half? The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 are well underway and have dominated media conversations over the past couple of weeks. Before the games, there was intense backlash and criticism concerning the rising COVID-19 numbers in Japan and the importance of health and safety for athletes. This comes after increased and growing criticism of the IOC, International Olympics Committee for prioritizing revenue over athletes concerns, misconduct and unethical practices. As the games have continued, conversations have shifted in support and admiration for the athletes who have trained and are competing despite the trials and tribulations of COVID-19. 

One valuable lesson learned from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is that fans' support is unwavering. Even if we cannot come together physically, we can share experiences from all over the world. 

Going for mental gold

Simone Biles is the role model every little girl needs. Four-time Olympic Gold Medalist and American Gymnast Simone Biles bravely withdrew from several events for her own mental health and well-being. As the most decorated gymnast in the world, BIles struggled with the pressure and fear of being good enough and meeting the expectations of others. In an interview, Biles explained that she would have previously pushed through the mental turmoil risking a potentially serious injury not to let people down. Still, now she is prioritizing her health as there is more to life than gymnastics. Despite criticism, Biles has received outcries of support for her statement and the significance of her actions, putting her mental health first. 
Despite staying respectively quiet, Biles has been engaged and responsive to her support on social media. Read this statement Biles shared on her Instagram and Twitter about her situation. 

Celebrate a little (or a lot) of life’s victories

After over a year of being in lockdown, Truss Beverage Co. recognized we could all use something to cheer us up and help celebrate life’s little victories (ahem, being out of lockdown finally!). That’s why the cannabis beverage brand teamed up with beloved Canadian fashion designer, Hayley Elsaesser, to create a summer capsule collection inspired by three flavours of its sparkling cannabis beverage, Little Victory.

The collection released its first drop, Lemonade, on July 20 with two more drops, Dark Cherry and Blood Orange, available the following weeks. You can check out all the unique items (we’re talking bucket hats and insulated fanny packs) here. 

We’re back (..well almost!) 

We all felt the struggle when the warm weather was here, yet patio season wasn’t. We counted down the days for personal care services to open, because we no longer recognized the person staring back at us in the mirror. We also yearned to host a team meeting that for once, was not virtual. 

Now finally, after an impressive uproar in vaccinations, we’re finally in Stage 3 and can actually enjoy the summer. Two weeks since the re-opening and let’s just say our team Zoom calls look a lot different these days. Heads up - there’s no more blonde left in Ontario, as said by our President Sarah Crabbe.  

That’s the industry, baby

Who is on Lil Nas X’s PR team? We need to know. Lil Nas X has used controversy surrounding him over the past several months to promote his music and engage in public discourse about his image. Early this year, he released modified Nike 'Satan Shoes', aligning with the release of his song Montero - receiving intense backlash from the conservative community. Nike filed and privately settled a lawsuit against the company behind the 'Satan Shoes', even still Lil Nas X created a buzz on social media creating various TikTok's about his pending 'court date' and that he may go to jail. It turns out it was all a stunt to garner attraction for his new song Industry Baby, which follows the storyline of Lil Nas X after he is sentenced to prison. 

There is no denying Lil Nas X has used social media and any publicity about him in his favour, making him even more successful - and scandalous. 

Space Jam

Is it 1996 again?! Earlier this month, a certified classic got its long-awaited sequel --- Space Jam: A New Legacy. Not only was this the first theatrically-released film to feature the Looney Tunes characters since 2003, the film also stars basketball player LeBron James. Despite best efforts though, this sequel only scored a 27% on Rotten Tomatoes, getting some pretty negative reviews. HOWEVER, after its release, a THIRD Space Jam was in the talks with Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson as the lead, transitioning on the sports genre from basketball to professional wrestling. We love to see it.

Check out the trailer for Space Jam: A New Legacy here.

Check your medicine cabinet

Earlier this month, the Health Products Stewardship Association (HPSA) issued an urgent call to action for Canadians to clear out their medicine cabinets of expired or unwanted medications and bring them into a pharmacy for safe disposal. The call to action came after a recent study conducted by HPSA showed that 34 per cent of Canadians still do not know about proper disposal for unwanted medications and used sharps, despite the fact that, within participating provinces, 90 per cent of pharmacies offer take back programs. 

You can return unused, or expired prescriptions, over the counter medications and natural health products back to participating pharmacies to keep them out of the wrong hands. Learn more here.

Billionaire blast off

Unfortunately, we can’t talk about July 2021 without talking about the billionaire space race. From plans to colonize Mars to establishing industrial bases in space, two of these billionaires took flight this month, including Richard Branson of the Virgin Group and Jeff Bezos of Amazon, in the ultimate symbol of unhinged capitalism. 

Climate Catastrophe

With vaccines more readily available and restrictions easing up, I think we can all agree that as Canadians, we were looking forward to a summer spent outdoors, enjoying the sunshine and beautiful weather. This hasn't exactly been our reality. Across Canada, we have been hit by record-breaking heatwaves, uncontrollable forest fires causing poor air quality and either heavier than usual drain or drought. All the result of undeniable climate change. 

As one of the ten biggest greenhouse gas emitters in the world, Canada needs to take action. What may seem like an unusual or wacky weather summer may become our new normal if we as individuals, a nation and the globe take action against climate change. 
Learn more at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change.html.