Democrats lost big in the US House in the 2020 elections but progressives emerged unscathed. Nearly every progressively-aligned candidate kept their seat this year, bolstering the claim that progressive values are in demand. Young people and Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) want and need bold policies on climate, healthcare, and racial inequity, and their demands were made clear in these elections.
Read MoreThis election season was nothing short of suspenseful. Citizens from across the nation came out in record numbers to elect the leaders of our country. Equally important, voters decided on a variety of propositions in their state, with wildlife enthusiasts from around the country anticipating Colorado's decision on Proposition 114.
Read MoreWhether you used soap when you washed your hands, ate bread or ice cream, fed your dog, or did your laundry, it is safe to say that a good portion of the things you used or ate today contained palm oil.
Read MoreIn our current reality, it is unfair to expect anyone to be operating at their optimal low waste lifestyle capacity. Many don't have the resources, are anxious about leaving their homes, or are physically or financially unable to maintain pre-pandemic low waste habits.
Read MoreThere are a plethora of reasons to be grateful for the holidays, whether it is the family gatherings and warm feelings or the more tangible items like seasonal foods and gifts. However, there is an overlooked, ugly side to all this merriment-- the holiday season’s troubling impact on the environment. Mass consumerism, coupled with excessive waste, are often not the first thoughts that come to mind when the holidays are mentioned.
Read MoreAs we continue to deplete our resources—and pollute our air and water in the process—the challenge to satisfy our energy needs continues to mount. How will our generation respond? The Energy and Sustainability Decal (ENERES 98), which will be offered in Spring 2021, aims to provide students with the tools to analyze alternative paths to a sustainable future as well as introduce a broad range of perspectives in the energy field.
Read MoreSocial media influencers and dietitians alike have made avocados the quintessential health food. Pinterest boards of the abundant ways to eat avocados--from guacamole to avocado toast-- have increased sales and popularity of the fruit. While seeming like a harmless commodity, this growth in demand has had environmental justice implications for the farmers who grow these fruits.
Read MoreThis year, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, launched a new project: the Earthshot Prize. The Earthshot prize at its core is simple: if you come up with an innovative solution to five core environmental issues you can win one million pounds. These core issues, or “Earthshots,” are: protect & restore nature, clean our air, revive our oceans, build a waste-free world, and fix our climate.
Read MoreAs climate change’s effects intensify even earlier than we all thought possible, the Arctic Circle faces twice the environmental changes than the rest of the world. The albedo effect, or the gradual reduction of earth’s reflectiveness to heat as polar ice melts, has endangered all communities in icy climates, as glaciers melt at an exponentially increasing rate.
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Indigenous activist at the National Day of Mourning in Plymouth, Massachusetts
For many Americans, the Thanksgiving experience is one deeply ingrained in family dinners, children’s books, and elementary school plays, where miniature versions of Pilgrims and Indians depict a respectful encounter and shared meal. The narrative usually ends there, the supporting cast of friendly Indians to exit stage left while the Pilgrims show off newfound agricultural skills and resilience in a new land. To say this narrative leaves out important details is an understatement.
Read MoreI used to live on an island called Tinian, and I had atomic bombs behind my childhood home. Not the literal bombs, of course, but life-sized replicas of the Earth-shattering fission bombs “Little Boy” and “Fat Man” whose fundamental designs came to be in our very own Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. These were the ones that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, effectively ending World War II and permanently shifting the global political landscape.
Read MoreWhile many lockdowns have now ended, the transitions schools and workplaces have undergone to allow for remote learning and working have led to a decrease in daily commuting. This major shift is one of the primary reasons behind the belief that COVID-19 is allowing nature to recover from the detrimental impact of human activity. However, this cannot be further from the truth.
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