Volume 8 • 2021 • Issue 3

T he film has won several awards including best documentary and best environmental film at the Sedona Film Festival. Sir David Attenborough called it “one of the most important films of our time” and CBC Radio Canada said it was “a film essential for the next generation.” Awards and accolades aside, Dr. Andersen was about to find out just how impactful this movie could be. Less than an hour and a half later, her perception of the toll that human activity has taken on the environment was changed forever. “It was a wake-up call,” she says. “I realized I needed to do something. Even before the show was over I was texting all of my family and friends and telling them to watch it.” PAGEANTRY AND THE MEDIA Originally from Iran, Dr. Andersen moved to Canada in 1994. She knew from an early age that she wanted to be a dentist. She was drawn to the combination of medicine and art; the opportunity to work with her hands and to work with patients. Like most people embarking on a career in dentistry, she had to work hard to get where she is today. Five years of undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto, followed by four years of dental school at the University of Western Ontario, eventually led to her achieving her goal of becoming a dentist in 2009. But during her university years, getting through dental school was not the only thing on Dr. Andersen’s agenda. She also developed a keen interest in pageantry and media work. In December 2000, she was crowned Miss Iran- Canada, and a year later went on to become Miss Ontario. During her third year of dental school, she started acting on the weekends, featuring in a popular satellite TV series, Leila , and in 2008 she starred in a short film Beyond The Mind . Although she describes her experience in the world of media production as “fun” and “something I was doing on the side,” it seems clear that it also armed her with a unique skillset that lends itself to advocacy and public appearances. “I got a lot of experience going on TV, interviewing and public speaking,” she says. “Because of that I feel comfortable in front of a camera or speaking to a roomful of people. I wanted to put some of those skills to a good cause.” One could be forgiven for thinking that Dr. Andersen’s infectious smile and upbeat temperament are at odds with the gravity of the situation–the catastrophic impact of human activity on the environment–but then I quickly realize that this is part of her method and her charm. She is not here to point fingers or to speak down to anybody, and she has long since acknowledged that she is as much a part of the problem as anybody else. Dr. Andersen’s mind is firmly set on the facts, and on finding positive solutions to those facts. But Dr. Andersen did not stop at texting her family and friends. She was not satisfied by just being outraged at a television screen. Since that fateful day she has channelled her newfound passion into positive action by becoming a regular speaker and advocate for ecological issues. She gives lectures in schools, hosts seminars for dentists, speaks at community events, and writes articles for recognized publications, including the Ontario Dentist journal. She has even set up her own YouTube channel, Alida Eco, to raise awareness and provide practical solutions to plastic pollution, and soon plans to launch an accompanying website, alidaeco.com . It is a significant commitment of time and energy, and there is no doubt that Dr. Andersen is up for the challenge. “Between juggling work at the practice and raising two young children, I realized there wasn’t enough time for everything. And so, for the past few years I have taken one day a week away from dentistry to devote time and energy to my advocacy work.” Since that fateful day Dr. Andersen has channelled her newfound passion into positive action by becoming a regular speaker and advocate for ecological issues. I ssues and P eople 33 Issue 3 | 2021 |