Film on Antarctica takes you to a formidable world RIGHT ABOUT now, you’re probably feeling ready for a well-deserved break from the Christmas crazies. Peggy Trendel:Whittaker ECOINFO Here’s an ecological treat. the whole family wili enjoy: the new Omnimax film, Antarctica, which. has just opened. at the Science » World theatre. ‘ Blue Planet, Ring of Fire and now . Antarctica. are all. recent. Omnimax films that I have thoroughly enjoyéd. . That’s high praise indeed, as _ ve made a point of avoiding - nature. filrns since. I was a child, because each and every one of them is guaranteed to contain gvaphic scenes of something cute and.furry. being. ripped apart by something large and hungry. tory of the exploration of Antarc- tica and how nations today coop- eratively use the continent for scientific endeavors. This month’s World Wildlife International publication reports that an Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty was finally signed in Madrid on Oct. 4. The Protecoi, signed by the 40. member nations of the Antarctic ’ Treaty, commits all signators to “the comprehensive protection of § the Antarctic environment and its dependent ard assaciated ecosystems.”’ All mining and oil drilling is banned for at least the next 50 years. Shows are daily on the hour, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with ad- ded shows Saturday evening at 5, -7, and 8 p.m. Separate admission (net in- cluding Science World exhibits) is available only for the 4 p.m. and _ Saturday evetiing shows. Tickets are available at Scieace World, and must be purchased 15 minutes before showtime, or by calling TicketMaster at 280-4444. Congratulations are in order to .the Westin Bayshore, which has ‘recycled 111.5 tons of garbage over a nine-month period this yea©r. a We witness S the driest places on .: earth.- areas ‘where no rain has fallen for two million years... 99 ’ Somehow, Antarctica directors managed to resist the urge to spatter the screen with sea lion- ravaged penguin parts. ‘ ’ Instead, we feast our eyes on formidable landscapes and go underwater to swim inside We witness the driest places on earth — areas where no rain has fallen for two million years — and see how life, from playful penguins to tiny algae — has adapted to its icy environs. » The film. crew not only had to leam to live with the bone-chilling cold, which plummets to -40°F even in the summertinie, but with the never-setting sun. The South Pole experiences a sixemonth period of darkness in winter and a six-month period of sualight in the summer. We also learn a little of the his- The company recycles its card- board, computer paper, newspa- per, mixed office paper, glass, tin - and plastic and processes its kitchen wastes into a compost that they use in their landscaping. _The Bayshore’s program also demonstrates to other businesses the cost savings that can be ac- crued through recycling. By reducing trips to the landfill to 54 from 91, the company saved almost $10,000 in tipping fees. If you are starting to panic over the empty spaces still left on your Christmas gift list, panic construc- tively. You don’t have to launch into buying the packaged, glitzy Christmas specials at your local department store when despera- tion sets in. Our Green Planet Recipes for a cleaner, healthier environment Green Gift Ideas When deciding what kind of gift to © create a list of all of the "green" stores in the area gve,whynot. choose aenvrormental * personalize an ald book by recovering it with fatric theme. Base your idea on the 3Rs. » create your own environmentally friendly recipe book , Reduce Reuse Recycle © buy a subscription to your favourite environmental group © give a reusable spray bottle © ave a bird bath, bird feeder, or bird book *plant atree © give awater-saver shower head * old toys can be passed down or given to charity * give ahome Composter © give a window squeegee ® buy a “green” book - availab’s at all bookstores © buy a parcel of rain forest - available chrough interest groups and enviromental stores CLIP & SAVE Bet Phate submitted DIVERS ANITRA Wenden andPaul Butler from the Australia National Antarctic Research Expedition” explore, while filming, huge meltwater caverns inside the Chaoz Glacier near Davis station in east-. oo ern Antarctica. While I’m al! for supporting the local economy, I try to avoid buy- ing goods that are wasteful of resources, have a short lifespan or perhaps aren’t really a priority on the recipient’s gift list. Instead of funnelling your money into goods, remember you can buy a gift for someone that really is sustainable, whether it be an acre of rainforest ($25; call 1- 800-26-PANDA) or a membxr- ship in a local environmental organization. The Worldwide Home’ En-. vironmentalists’»§ Network (WHEN), which West Van- couver’s Andrea Wiiller started with a group of founding direc- tors, continues to grow and spawn such offspring as the 300-member : WHEN Australia. . Household memberships. are: $22. Members. are kept up-to-date .. on environmental tips and: news: updates through. the excellent : WHEN newsletter. For more information ‘call , 926-5079 or 926-2233. . m | * Please note changes i in \~ Holiday Advertising Deadlin esr Issue Wednesday Dec. 25 — Dispiay Deadline Thursday Dec. 19, 2 PM (Christmas Day) Friday Dec. 27 Sunday Dec. 29 Wednesday Jan. 1 (New Year's Day) Friday Jan. 3 Sunday Jan. 5 Friday Dec. 20, 3 PM Monday Dec..23, 2 PM Tuesday Dec. 24, Noon Monday Dec. 30, 11 AM Tuesday Dec. 31, Noon Classified Deadline : Monday Dec. 22, 10 AM Tuesday Dec. 24, 10 AM No change Monday Dec. 30, 10 AM No change No change All other deadlines for Classified Advertising remain the same throughout the Christmas Season. North Shore News Christmas Oifice Hours: General Office till 2:30, Classified ‘till 5 PM Christmas Eve - Christmas Day Boxing Day Closed Closed New Year’s Eve New Year's Day till 5 PM Closed Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.