On June 2, 2022, President Biden confronted the people of the United States in a public address, reflecting on the recent tragedies involving gun violence across the nation. The President focused his attention on voicing his view on the matter, urging the implementation of potential solutions to the problem at hand. These solutions include the banning of assault weapons, the increasing the minimum age requirement … Continue reading The Debate On Gun Control
The Grand River is a fixture in the downtown Grand Rapids area, the reason we have our name, and the reason our city grew here in the first place. Ever since the 1990s, and really gaining traction in 2010, there has been a project that aims to restore the rapids that we are named for and make the river more accessible to public use. It … Continue reading Restoration of the Rapids
Introduction When scrolling through this week’s publication, this article might seem like the most random one of all. Why does a lobster’s nervous system even matter? Well, not only are lobsters some of the most fascinating creatures on this planet, but their surprisingly complex nervous systems, comparable to those of humans, are not only the foundations of multiple research studies, but the origin of the … Continue reading The Complex Nervous Systems of Lobsters
These giant seabirds have the longest wingspan of any seabird, ranging from 6.5 to 11 feet wide. They are known for their massive body weight of 22 pounds, and average life span of 50 years. You don’t have to get a close-up look in order to see their unmissable slender wings that make them excellent gliders. Any guesses about which great flying creature I am … Continue reading All About Albatrosses
Xiao Wu, Rachel C. Nethery and Francesca Dominici of Harvard University published the first national study conducted on COVID-19 and air pollution in the United States on April 7, 2020. Due to the fact that many pre-existing conditions identified to potentially increase risk of death for COVID-19 are the same diseases affected by air pollution, they “investigate whether long-term average exposure to fine particulate matter … Continue reading Earth Day Read: Harvard publishes a study linking air pollution to COVID-19 mortality in the United States as the EPA resists tighter stricter controls on fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
Large cities in the US such as Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York have all seen a decrease of nitrogen dioxide, a gas produced by the burning of fossil fuels in cars and trucks. The lack of traffic is mostly caused by the social distancing rules that prohibit people from going to work and other businesses that are deemed “unnecessary.” It is important to note … Continue reading Earth Day Read: Air Pollution in Many Large US Cities has Declined Due to A Lack of Transportation
Air pollution and carbon emissions have fallen significantly in the past year, which is great news for the environment, but the question of what comes next is still disputed. Although there are many hopeful signs about pollution, the Center for International Climate and Environment Research in Oslo has estimated a drop in carbon emissions by only 0.3%, and some experts are worried that the issue … Continue reading Earth Day Read: Will COVID-19 Have a Lasting Impact on the Environment?
Proposed by the leaders of the Environmental Protection Agency, under Andrew Wheeler, on April 30, 2018, this rule would determine the research taken into account in future environmental decision making in the United States. The proposal states that “This action provides that EPA will ensure that the regulatory science underlying its actions is publicly available in a manner sufficient for independent validation.” Essentially, the EPA … Continue reading Earth Day Read: Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, the EPA continues to advocate proposed “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science” Rule
Orion Magazine is a wonderful source to learn about the natural world and how people perceive and connect to it. This article describes an ecologist, Carl Safina, and his work encouraging us to look at the world around us and realize that for most life on earth, life has not slowed down as ours has. In the article, he responds to a series of questions, … Continue reading Earth Day Read: Becoming Wild During a Pandemic
We are in a time of uncertainty and anxiety, but there is still much we should and can do for the environment. This includes volunteering with environmental efforts (safely) -remotely can be a good option. Many sustainability groups are providing virtual events and opportunities. There are lessons to be learned about climate change from understanding this pandemic. First, early action leads to less impact and … Continue reading Earth Day Read: Sustainability in the Time of COVID-19
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