In August of 2015, a heart-wrenching video of a sea turtle suffering through the removal of a plastic straw from its nostrils went viral. Whether or not you have seen this video, its effects haveContinue reading
Category: Student
Student
Fighting Climate Change at the Local Level
Climate scientists and decision-makers at all levels of government around the world agree on this – any approach to tackle climate change must be multi-faceted, with support from the local, state, and federal levels. CitiesContinue reading
Putting a Price Tag on The Environment: Air Pollution Deregulation
In the early 1990’s, the Clean Air Act provided the first steps prior to regulating air toxics emissions as a result of power plants in the United States. For many years, the EPA and CongressContinue reading
Invasive Species: Biting Back
The world’s aquatic ecosystems are suffering from overfishing. Simply put, overfishing occurs when fish are caught faster than they can reproduce and replenish their populations. While total global catch from wild fish stocks has leveledContinue reading
Prioritizing Carbon Offsets
Carbon dioxide is the most prevalent greenhouse gas and is the leading pollutant in the atmosphere, causing our Earth’s natural greenhouse effect to intensify and lead to steadily increasing atmospheric temperatures.[1] Before our geologic ageContinue reading
To Catch a Glimpse
I had never heard of such a creature as a porcupine caribou until I learned about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Porcupine caribou. They are caribou, and despite their moniker, they do not have quillsContinue reading
Single-Use Plastic and Its Effects on Our Oceans
Plastic in our oceans causes harm to all marine ecosystems from coral reefs to animal species. Annually, about 8.8 million tons of this plastic waste enters and pollutes our oceans.[1] In addition, plastic debris constitutesContinue reading
The Environmental Justice Implications of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline
In 2013, Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas Company, and Southern Company Gas began planning their Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) project that would run 600 miles through West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. InContinue reading
Adaptation to Climate Change in Policy: Dos and Don’ts
As proposed efforts to mitigate climate change in the United States are continually opposed by conservative voters and policymakers [1], proposals that instead look to shield our communities from the realities of a warming climateContinue reading
Transportation Justice in Portland
Transportation is central to human life. Healthcare, education, economic opportunities, and recreational and cultural spaces are all made accessible by transportation. Transportation access had been directly linked to higher employment rates and better health outcomes,Continue reading