By: Iona Kim, May 1st 2022 Botanical gardens are beautiful, plant-filled conservatories often associated with their exquisite and one-of-a-kind greenery. They are technically used for illustrating the relationship between a collection of plants; however, it is often that botanical gardens are seen as simple gardens for viewing exotic plant life. Though botanical gardens are thought…
The Life of a Plastic Bottle
By: Margret Xun, May 1st 2022 About 4 ounces of oil, 20 ounces of carbon dioxide and 1.4 gallons of water later, I am used only once and then promptly thrown into the trash. You don’t remember me, but I am one of over 60 million polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic water bottles thrown away every…
Racial Disparities in Climate Change Vulnerability
By: Sophie Choong, May 1st 2022 For years, people have known the harmful effects of policies developed supposedly to improve city planning or shift resources to underserved urban neighbourhoods. From expropriation to redlining, these have disproportionately detrimental impacts on racialized Black and Brown communities. Not only are areas with the best resources and medical aid…
The Health Effects of Climate Change
By: Alisha Wang, May 1st 2022 There is no doubt that climate-related issues have many detrimental effects on the planet; one that most people are not fully aware of is the impact created on human health. There are a copious amount of negative physical and mental effects from environmental disasters.Rising surface temperatures often contribute to…
The Future of Green Energy
By Alisha Wang May 1, 2022 Fossil fuels are currently the world’s leading energy producers, with over 70% of the world’s energy dependent on it. However, fossil fuels are also extremely environmentally damaging. When they are burned, fossil fuels release a large amount of Carbon Dioxide, a greenhouse gas that traps heat in our atmosphere…
How Acid Rain Disrupts Ecosystems
Margaret Xun An ecosystem is a beautiful, complex network of countless plants, animals, and organisms working in tandem. Destruction to just one part of the ecosystem harms much more than just that section. Acid rain is an impediment that can disrupt this intricate structure. Acid rain can be described as any precipitate (rain, snow, hail,…
ECO-ANXIETY AND THE MENTAL HEALTH EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
By: Sophie Choong In today’s world, mental health awareness is becoming increasingly prevalent. As disorders like anxiety and depression have become better recognized, people have also begun to examine the causes of these issues and recognize that they often stem from several conditions or situations. While research has consistently found a link between socioeconomic conditions…
BEIJING 2022 OLYMPICS: ARTIFICIAL SNOW RAISES ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
Sophie Choong Man-made snow is a sight common at ski resorts across the world, and the Winter Olympics are no exception. Created by pumping water and pressurized air through snow cannons, artificial snow is used during warm winters, when the slopes are untenable with natural snow alone. Artificial snowmakers will occasionally add extra powders or…
The Environmental Impacts of the Russo-Ukraine War
Alisha Wang On February 24th, 2022, Russia declared war on Ukraine after years of conflict and tensions over Ukraine and its growing relationship with Western European states. While without a doubt, the worst part of the war is the humanitarian crisis that has resulted, a less discussed consequence is the war’s disastrous environmental impact. As…
The Pros/Cons of Electric Cars On Our Environment
Iona Kim The world of the future is often associated with the invention of electricity-powered cars. With promises of remarkable benefits, electric cars seem to be the best way to go for transportation in the modern era. Electric cars have attained much of their interest from the undeniable effects of climate change that have been…