Beauty Talks with Jacqueline Marsh, Miss Earth Canada 2017

Jacqueline Marsh, a 22-year-old nursing graduate from Thunder Bay, Ontario, will represent Canada at the 2017 Miss Earth pageant in the Philippines next month. Know more about her in this exclusive Beauty Talks.

Tell us something that most people don’t know much about you.
I work full time as a Registered Nurse at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. I work on an orthopedic surgery floor with an amazing group of staff. Nursing is my love and my passion.

What is your beauty secret?
My beauty secret is using tea tree based skin care products to cleanse and moisturize my skin, as well as always using sunscreen when outdoors.

How would you describe your country to your fellow candidates?
I would describe Canada as a cultural mosaic that is home to people from across the globe. I love Canada because of how we embrace cultural diversity and accept each person as Canadian without any condition. In addition to our diversity, Canada is a perfect destination for eco-tourism because of our vast landscapes from coast to coast. Canada is home to sites such as Lake Louise, Rocky Mountains, the Great Lakes, prairies and so on.

What is the most difficult thing you did to prepare for the Miss Earth pageant?
The most difficult thing I did in preparation for the Miss Earth Pageant has been coordinating events in my community to raise awareness for environmental advocacy. I planned a meet & greet at my local mall and a Dinner and Dance in 3 weeks in addition to my other preparations. In order to educate people on living greener lifestyle as well as fundraise for the orphanage, I will be visiting in the Philippines.

What do you think will make you standout during the Miss Earth 2017 pageant?
I think that my confidence will make me standout during the Miss Earth 2017 pageant because I am a strong believer in body positivity and loving yourself for who you are.

Can you share with us your environmental project/advocacy?
My environmental focus is on water conservation. I am lucky to have lived next to the largest fresh body lake in the world, Lake Superior. Having lived with such abundance of water makes advocating for people to use this resource wisely of even greater importance. I believe that we are responsible for preserving our natural resources and we all need to do our part, by making small changes in our lives to save Mother Earth.

What do you think is the most urgent environmental concern that must be addressed right away and why?
I think that the most urgent environmental concern that must be addressed is carbon emissions. I believe this is the biggest issue facing our world today because as carbon emissions increase so does the temperature of the earth, which contributes to climate change. Currently, our world is facing record-breaking storms as a result of increased global temperatures.

People are accusing Miss Earth as a pageant that is only about planting trees for publicity. How can you prove them wrong?
I think that to say the women that participate in Miss Earth only plant trees for publicity is an insult to the advocacy of the hundreds of women who have participated in the pageant since 2001. In my own experience having seen the work that my fellow contestants having been doing leading up to Miss Earth 2017, these women are actively promoting environmental awareness and genuinely care about saving our planet.

Among the Miss Earth winners since 2001, to whom do you look up to as your role model and why?
I look up to Miss Earth 2007 Jessica Trisko-Darden because she was the first Canadian to win the title of Miss Earth. Jessica is a role model to me because of her work for environmental advocacy. During her reign, she attended environmental discussions such as the United Nations 2007 Climate Change conference, and Cool Energy Exhibition in Indonesia.

Finally, a message to all of your fans at Missosology.
If you want to help save Mother Earth but don’t know where to start, begin by making small changes in your lifestyle. Start by recycling, carpooling and being less wasteful.

Special thanks to Miss Earth Canada national director Mr Ronaldo Soriano Trono of ROSOTRO for the interview. Missosology.Org