What on earth do irises have to do with sustainability? In a world that's drowning in acronyms, I like to have mine mean something. It turns out that IRIS is a really common acronym. I get 90 million google hits for "iris", and 89.9 million google hits for "IRIS". So, maybe I should just be satisfied that despite it being the flowering season for iris, our IRIS (York U's Institute for Research and Innovation in Sustainability) made it to number 11 on the "IRIS" google list today.
"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade", which obviously has the corollary: "when you get given IRIS as the sustainability research institute acronym, find some sustainability meaning in it". Well, here goes: the iris family, or Iridaceae, includes many native North American species. Ahaa! IRIS has an ecological aspect. My favourite member of the Iris family in Ontario is blue-eyed grass, Sisyrinchium montanum, which is widespread on Manitoulin Island.
Irises are also a renewable resource. Not only are they beautiful garden perennials, but the leaves can be used to make paper. Orris root, which comes from three species of iris, including Iris germanica (left), is mainly grown as a crop in Italy, and is used as a fixative in perfumes and pot pourri. And here's an odd factoid - orris root is also used in the flavouring of Bombay Sapphire gin (but you can't verify this on their website, unless you are of legal drinking age).
And the other faces of iris? Iris was the Greek goddess of the rainbow, and generally a messenger and errand runner. Well, part of our function is to communicate the message of sustainability. And what about the fleur-de-lis? This important heraldic symbol, particularly of French Royalty, is usually thought to be a stylized version of the iris, but there's a ton of debate about that too. Making a link between heraldry and sustainability... that's a stretch, unless we are allowed to incorporate a fleur-de-lis in York's logo, and that's unlikely.
But, overall I am good to go with IRIS being a fitting acronym for a sustainability research institute.
Dawn Bazely
