Meet Food Packaging Change Maker, U of A's Amanda Hardman.

Interviewed by Mohamed Warsame, VFC Student Intern from Edmonton, AB

Hello and welcome to YBB Connect’s Student Feature. My name is Mohamed Warsame and today we are speaking with Amanda Hardman. She is a second-year sustainable agriculture student at the University of Alberta. Amanda has developed a biodegradable lettuce packaging prototype. This clamshell package was made from sugarcane fibre and was designed to be more sustainable and produce less waste.

Q1. What made you interested in sustainable packaging?

I was looking to do a science fair project for my grade 12 year, and I was having a hard time deciding on a project topic. I was really interested in putting new use to waste products or underutilized products. I was also very interested in Tentree and how they use algae to create padding for their sports bags, recycled bottles for their clothing, etc. I was trying to think of a way to incorporate those two aspects into a project focused on sustainable agriculture, and after some research, I landed on using cellulose nanocrystals for food packaging! 

Q2. How did you acquire the resources needed to make the clamshell package? What were the costs associated?

I was able to find someone at Alberta Innovates in Edmonton to help me acquire liquid cellulose nanocrystals. I bought a 50 pack of bagasse (sugar cane) fiber to-go boxes to use as a substrate for the liquid cellulose. The people at Alberta Innovates were nice enough to spray the crystals on the boxes for me, so I only had to worry about purchasing the boxes! 

Q3. What was it like speaking at the Ag Summit? Was it your first public speaking event?

Due to the size and format of the event, participants didn’t have the chance to speak at the event. Because of the current pandemic, we participated in the summit via an online livestream over the course of two days. They had some fantastic speakers from various backgrounds to share their experiences in leadership and agriculture. It was very interesting to hear about their work and their experiences.

Q4. What steps do you think are needed to make your product ready to be marketed?

I would need to work on the design of the packaging. I only had two months to experiment on the proof-of-concept, so the aesthetic of the boxes has a long way to go. I also want to see if I can make the packaging more effective for perishable food storage.

Q5. Can you share any memorable experiences that happened at the Youth Ag Summit?

Hearing about global agricultural issues was super interesting to me! I often hear about Albertan or Canadian agricultural issues, so being able to hear about problems that I don’t normally consider was a welcome change. 

Q6.  Have you been approached by any NGOs about your product? If so, have you collaborated with any of them?

Besides receiving help with my science fair project with Alberta Innovates, I was approached in my grade 12 year to participate in the BEST Lassonde STEM Bootcamp in collaboration with Youth Science Canada. The three-day program was focused on moving our projects from a science fair project to a more business-focused project. It was a very fun experience to meet other innovators from across Canada and to learn more about STEM business development!

Q7. Can you explain further why you think your product would not work in some countries as intended? 

In less consumer-heavy countries, this packaging would be less useful. This packaging was made with countries like Canada, the U.S. and the E.U. in mind, where consumer supply chains are such a big part of how we live. In countries where this is less prevalent, there would be less of a need for this type of packaging. 

Q8. What’s next for Amanda Hardman? Are you working on any new projects?

Besides getting my degree, I’m not sure what’s next on the horizon! I know I’ll continue to work in sustainable agriculture, but who’s to say where I’ll end up!

We are excited to feature students in our community thriving and making an impact that direct effects the way we all live our daily lives. Thank you to Amanda Hardman on being our first guest and our student intern, Mohamed Warsame for leading this project for us. - YBB Co-Founders

Mad Love Monday - Dr. Melanie Morrill Ac.

Can acupuncture help with painful periods?

Searching for health care in Edmonton is not an easy task. Finding a doctor who is accepting new patients is hard and finding a provider who has the time to help you work through all your health concerns is even harder. I would know, I spent several years trying to find someone who would help me with my own painful periods. I’m Dr. Melanie Morrill Ac. and I had terrible periods. As a teen, I had such bad cramps I had to stay home with a heat pack and DVDs. I’d spend days hanging out in bed or on the couch waiting for the next cramp or wave of nausea to come from the pain.

It was frustrating and tiring. I was supposed to be learning, chilling with friends, and doing the things that teenage girls do and instead, I was at home with period cramps. Boo. I thought my Family Doctor would be sympathetic and understanding and she would help me resolve my cramps. My hopes were dashed after speaking with her about my nausea, cramps, and missed school days. She told me there wasn’t much to do, just take some over-the-counter medication for pain and nausea. I thought this was so unfair. How on earth can women run the world with 3-4 days of pain so bad it makes you nauseated? Nobody gets three days of sick leave each month for their period.

I knew there had to be a better way. After researching painful periods I learned it had an official name, dysmenorrhea and I found several scientific journal articles about how to treat it. (See Below) Multiple articles said acupuncture was as good or better than the Midol I had been popping like they were skittles. I tried acupuncture and it was life-changing. Seriously, I became a Doctor of Acupuncture because the relief I found was so profound that I needed to share this with everyone.

Being pain-free is joyful. I have not missed school or work since starting acupuncture. I have told all my friends about how much better I felt after acupuncture. It changed my life and now I have the honour of changing other people’s lives with this amazing medicine. No one with a uterus should be told they need to live with severe pain.

I founded Accessible Acupuncture to address Edmonton’s overwhelming need for accessible, timely, effective, and inclusive healthcare. When you go to see your Doctor they should take your concerns seriously and they should not tell you that you are going to have to get used to period cramps because they last until menopause. I am excited to tell people that we can fix period cramps with acupuncture. Part of being accessible is taking patient concerns seriously. Another part is being a safe and welcoming space for everyone including LGBTQIA2S+, disabled people, BIPOC, and neurodivergent people. We need healthcare that is not dismissive, that is supportive, and without long waitlists.

I’m here to help everyone who needs acupuncture care, but I have additional training in pain management, uterine health, fertility, and pregnancy health. If you’re living with terrible periods acupuncture might be that missing piece you have been looking for. Acupuncture has been proven to resolve many different health problems and concerns, but on top of that, my success rate speaks for itself. 90% of patients who commit to treatment reach their health goals.

More Information about Painful Periods.

Dysmenorrhea, also known as painful periods, is one of the most common ailments that people with a uterus live with. Though it is a common practice to treat these painful cramps with heat or over-the-counter medication, a research study has proven that acupuncture for period pain works better, and has fewer side effects when compared to ibuprofen. (Shetty GB, Shetty B, Mooventhan A. Efficacy of Acupuncture in the Management of Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Acupunct Meridian Stud. 2018 Aug;11(4):153-158. doi: 10.1016/j.jams.2018.04.001. Epub 2018 Apr 12. PMID: 29654840.)

Menstrual cramps are part of menstruation, but painful cramps are not. The uterus is a muscle and it contracts to expel the uterine lining. The strength of the muscle contraction is determined by several factors including the level of prostaglandins in the body. Prostaglandins are hormone-like active lipids that your body uses for several functions including conception, menstruation, and inflammation. The more prostaglandins a person makes, the harder their uterine contractions are going to be. Acupuncture helps by working with the body to produce fewer prostaglandins leading to more gentle and less painful contractions.

What could you do without your painful period cramps?

“My experience with Dr. Melanie has improved my quality of life immensely... My first appointment, I felt like I was finally truly heard about how this was impacting my life, and together we made a treatment plan that worked for me. Dr. Melanie was confident that within 3-5 months she could improve my symptoms. I’ve been diagnosed with Endometriosis from my gyno....I can not thank her enough and if you’re experiencing similar symptoms or problems, I highly recommend trying acupuncture with her to help. 10/10 rating from me, she’s a hero in womens health, and I hope more women learn that this option is available.”

Carolyn S. Five stars on google reviews.

Patients highly recommend Dr. Melanie Morrill Ac. for her outstanding care, but more importantly for the fact that she goes above and beyond for all of her patients. There is no question of her love for her patients; when they voice their concerns, she listens, and when they meet their health goals, she shares in their joy. If you are living with painful periods and you are ready to be pain-free call the clinic to book your same-week consultation with Dr. Melanie Morrill Ac. today.

Submission by:

Dr. Melanie Morrill Ac.

Owner and Doctor of Acupuncture

Accessible Acupuncture ltd

p: 587-879-7122

a: 600, 11010 101 St NW Edmonton, AB

w: accessibleacupuncture.ca

Mad Love Monday | Stephanie Walsh - Steph Walsh Styling Inc.

Stephanie Walsh is a passionate Canadian entrepreneur. She is the owner of Steph Walsh Styling Inc. located in the beautiful Iron Salon in Edmonton, Alberta and she also is the Founder of BeautyBound Boutique, a new modern online beauty and lifestyle shoppe.

As a Master Stylist, her mission is to bring the newfound confidence to all clients that she works with by keeping innovative with cutting-edge hair treatments and creative hair styles. Her clients’ happiness and satisfaction are the secret to her success.

As the BeautyBound founder, her big vision is to continue to partner and support other female founders so they too can feel confident about their products and businesses, making Canada and the world a better place.

View fullsize

View fullsize

“My boutique was born with a desire to create a go-to stylized space where I can refer you to some of my favourite products that I personally use and absolutely LOVE!!! Nothing would make me happier than to see you reflect your amazing individuality while elevating your daily self-care, wellness and environmental imprint, infused with a luxurious experience to your everyday. Nearly all products are custom designed and proudly made by female owned businesses. A few of BeautyBound signature pieces are exclusively made in collaboration with some of my favourite creative women founders in Canada as supporting other women entrepreneurs and empowering them to live their best lives beautifully, has been a huge mission behind my business” - Stephanie Walsh

Stephanie believes that each one of us were always meant to be an individualistic expression of life and unique beauty.

Whether it’s through her artistic hair expressions or the products she features in her BeautyBoundBoutique, she inspires others to be boundless and live life to its fullest!

Submission by:

Stephanie Walsh
Owner / Master Stylist
Steph Walsh Styling Inc.
www.stephwalshstyling.com
5466 Calgary Trail, Edmonton, AB T6H 4J8

EMAIL | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK

@beautybound.boutique
780.240.9767