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Back to the Future: US Going Green
Written by: Associate Editor, Gabriella Verdone In one of his first acts as president, Joe Biden signed an executive order issuing the United States’ return to the Paris Climate Agreement. In 2017, former President Trump announced that the United States would be pulling out of the global coalition to combat climate change. President Trump’s decision for withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement stemmed from protecting the United States’ economic interest, as he believed the agreement unfairly burdened American companies. Trump argued that other countries who are among the world’s leaders in carbon emission, had fewer requirements under the agreement; this financially put the United States at a disadvantage. The Paris…
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The Lasting Effects of a Continent on Fire
By Mariah Almonte, Associate Editor “It’s hell on earth!” After four months of devastating bushfires throughout Australia, thousands remain trapped in seaside towns surrounded by fire and clouded with smoke. As temperatures continue to rise above 104 degrees Fahrenheit, “severe” fire danger alerts have been issued across the Continent. On January 1, 2020, Australia’s Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, deployed the military to provide aid and help evacuate thousands of residents from the southeastern coast. With no way out due to road closures and skies too clouded to fly, hundreds have sought shelter on the beach while living on boats and being transported on naval vessels as evacuations continue. Though the continent…
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Becoming Atlantis: Venice’s floods, Climate Change & Corruption
By Sharon Otasowie, Associate Editor A fragile treasure built on 118 islands off Italy’s northeast coast, it’s a miracle that Venice has managed to survive and thrive for more than 1,000 years. The city has built a naval and commercial empire and created an immense collection of palaces and churches, full of priceless paintings, to which an estimated 20 million tourists flock to every year. With the plan of an underwater fortress of steel designed to rise from the depths during high tides to protect the lagoon city of Venice, it’s among the most ambitious works of civil engineering in modern Italian history. But decades after the idea’s formation, Venice remains…
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Ecuador Agrees to Resume Fuel Subsidies After Weeks of Violent Protests
By Grace Mandry, Associate Editor For the past two weeks, the world has watched as conflicts unfolded in Northern Syria, Turkey, and the streets of Hong Kong. Meanwhile, in South America, thousands of protestors shut down the streets of Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Violence erupted after the President, Lenín Moreno, announced the end of fuel subsidies and controversial labor reforms. The protests are the biggest to occur in years. The government announced the law, Decree 883, as an austerity measure in an effort to secure a $4.2 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). President Moreno initially signed the agreement in March. Decree 883 ended forty years of…
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Old Enough to Save the Planet: Young Activists Lead the Fight for Climate Change
By: Frances M. Rivera Reyes, Associate Editor In this era of social media, distinguished by information overflow, young people have surprised the established system by taking leadership roles traditionally held by nation leaders. Children like Greta Thunberg have made headlines for initiating worldwide movements and expressing blunt frustration with the lack of urgency world leaders have shown in matters that will mainly affect newer generations. Adolescents like Thunberg are paving the way for the growth of movements such as the fight against climate change. Last week, a group of sixteen children ages 8 to 17, including Thunberg, filed a complaint with the United Nations against five of the largest carbon…
