Climate Action Contest: Check out the second and third place winners (pg. 7) Friday, October 6, 2023 Volume LV, Issue 7 Est. 1969
CLIMATE ACTION CONTEST
[1st Place] Resilience, renewal and the power of nature: No disaster too big Alexandra Pérez-Robles Contributing Writer When I was eight years old, my brother and I planted two rainbow eucalyptus trees in our hillside backyard. My dad said he wanted the seeds to grow alongside us, getting taller by the year just as we would. I remember observing the neighboring shrubs, trying to spoil what my tree would look like someday. A few years later, my mother revealed her fondness for the flamboyan that took root in front of our porch. Referred to as a flamboyant or peacock tree, when its flowers bloom the vibrant red colors dance on every inch of the surrounding landscape. My mom told me she looked
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forward to it every year because she knew that regardless of what the tree endured, it would always bloom. It puzzled me then, the way she referred to a plant as resilient when earlier that week one of my classmates had trampled over delicate flowers when retrieving the soccer ball he had kicked out of bounds. Growing up in such a green environment like Puerto Rico, it was easy to take nature for granted. No amount of onomatopoeia can mimic the sounds of Sept. 20, 2017. On that day, my home was ravaged by Hurricane Maria. The whistling wind and sound of clanging branches provoked a fear I had never experienced before. During the storm, the flamboyan cracked—almost divinely—and its ever-solid trunk fell to the ground.
As the red flowers scattered, they were overtaken by all the other greenery razed by the hurricane. The once towering rainbow eucalyptus became another obstacle in the wreckage that littered my neighborhood streets. The aftermath consisted of picking up debris from the shattered windows and collapsed ceiling of my life-long home. My family spent six months without electricity or running water. Others on the island lost much more than just material possessions. Over 250,000 Puerto Ricans were displaced as a result of the natural disaster, not accounting for the thousands more that migrated later. An islandwide blackout left us with no means of communicating with loved ones and no way of knowing who survived.
It took me three days to contact the first few friends and family members. It took another two weeks to contact relatives who lived further away from the metropolitan area. Experts noted that the crisis was increasingly devastating due to the effects of climate change. With each passing year, higher activity is expected during hurricane season. It is no longer a matter of if there will be another catastrophic storm to devastate my community, but when. This fact should urge humanity to take action, to prevent any more homes and loved ones from being lost. Continue reading on page 7
Coventry Street Festival highlights revitalization efforts Zachary Treseler News Editor
On Sept. 30, Coventry Village hosted a street festival, drawing visitors from all around Cleveland, including Case Western Reserve University. The event showcased efforts to implement a revitalization campaign in the wake of COVID-19. Walking down Coventry Road, various stores hosted pop ups on the sidewalk, local artists were selling their crafts and various free giveaways were taking place. From a local ink printer to the Heights Tropical Sno, the street fair provided ample time for the CWRU community to reconnect with the local area. Efforts at creating a lively community in Coventry Village are becoming more difficult. Cleveland Scene reported that onethird of all commercial properties in the area are vacant. This is in combination with competition from other areas of Cleveland, from Tremont and Ohio City to CWRU’s University Circle, which have seen an uptick in investments and visits. The city had previously spent funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) on Coventry Village, having been awarded approximately $39 million from the federal government in 2021. At the start of August, the Coventry Village Special Improvement District (CVSID) began lobbying for a proposal to allocate $400,000 from the city’s ARPA funds to their district. This was proposed in the run up to a City Council meeting where many business owners made impassioned demands for these funds. Just before their speeches, the council approved a motion from the Mayor of Cleveland Heights Kahlil Seren, declaring the need to create a public works plan for the neighbor-
hood. “These vacancies impact morale, diminish street traffic and sales and dilute our unique cultural identity,” Mallory Kent, executive director of the CVSID, said in a statement intended for August’s city council meeting. The discussion surrounded where money to Coventry Village should come from and how much it should be. In September, Kent noted that the city never fully disclosed “how much money is available for allocation.” The CVSID originally requested $60,000 from the ARPA. The CVSID’s vision was not fully realized. On Sept. 5, Seren introduced his own legislation to give just under $175,000 this calendar year and roughly a similar amount for the next four years, totalling just over $900,000, to the CVSID. Money would not come from the ARPA, but instead from taxes that will be collected by the city in the future. On Sept. 24 it passed unanimously. “The City of Cleveland Heights is committed to Coventry’s success, and the recent steps we’ve taken—including reauthorizing its Special Improvement District, implementing our Shared Spaces program and reinvigorating our capital investment activities—will help it thrive,” Seren said. The legislation itself states that this is an “emergency measure necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety of the inhabitants of the City of Cleveland Heights.” Councilperson Gail Larson mentions how this proposal is set to evolve in the future. “This legislation is a normal piece that we approve when the Coventry Special Improvement District (SID) asks for an advance on the money that is collected from the property owners in the Coventry Business District,” Larson said. “Council expects to have one more meeting to hear one more time
The Coventry Street Festival engages students with local businesses and street performers. Courtesy of Coventry Village from the Non-profits, like Coventry Village, who are seeking ARPA funds before we finalize our allocation.” Councilperson Tony Cuda emphasizes the utilitarian nature of the legislation. In his view this is not something special and geared towards Coventry Village, but a procedural matter for the city as a whole. “What this legislation does is to give the Coventry SID their share of tax dollars up front so they can spend them on the basic needs of the business dis-
trict [without] having to wait to collect them,” he said. “The actual tax dollars are then paid back to the city once collected. We do this for all SID’s, not just Coventry.” Cuda said that the City Council is dedicated to helping businesses thrive. “We do that by allowing our SID’s to get their tax dollars up front to expedite improvements, and more recently, dedicating precious ARPA funds to revitalize Coventry and our other commercial districts.”
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The Case Western Reserve Observer Friday, October 6, 2023 observer.case.edu Volume LV, Issue 7
Stephen Sanchez’s “Angel Face”: An angel’s voice, but does it have an angel’s wings? Kethan Srinivasan Staff Writer
If you would describe yourself as the type to often get stuck in a TikTok death-scroll, then perhaps you need no introduction to Stephen Sanchez. In the last year alone, the up-andcoming singer has experienced a rapid ascent into the spotlight, thanks in part to the romantic nostalgia of his voice and lyrics. His debut single, “Lady By The Sea,” gives us a look at Sanchez’s penchant for writing about the kind of love found on the silver screen. The two EPs that followed, “What Was, Not Now,” and “Easy On My Eyes” are equally warm and inviting, with his voice giving you even more reason to swoon. Perhaps Sanchez’s biggest feat, however, is his hit single “Until I Found You,” which has racked up over 700 million streams on Spotify and has gone Triple Platinum just this past August. Inspired by his interest in 1950s records and vinyls during his childhood, the song oozes with nostalgia and the romance of another era, with his Roy Orbison-like vocals and a music video with retro imagery to match. Since that single’s release, Sanchez has had many an opportunity to make audiences elsewhere swoon just like his listeners, whether that is on late night talk shows hosted by the likes of Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers, or even as a surprise guest on Elton John’s headline set at Glastonbury. With such a rapid rise in popularity, Sanchez’s debut LP “Angel Face” was expected to live up to his previous works, and from the looks of it, Sanchez had no issue taking on that challenge. “Angel Face” is a rather unique take on how to construct an album, with Sanchez creating an entire story through the album’s music from the perspective of a character that is not himself. In fact, Sanchez himself has discussed how he enjoys writing from a perspective other than his own, rather
Stephen Sanchez’s new album “Angel Face” tells the story of the enamored Troubadour Sanchez and his love interest, Evangeline, with songs reminiscent of 1950s hits. Courtesy of Republic Records than reliving a moment from his past. The story follows the fictional character known as The Troubadour Sanchez, whose love for another woman—who is already dating a mob boss—results in his untimely demise. The story and its arcs play out in songs such as the opening track, “Something About Her,” which demonstrates Sanchez’s spacious range and serene falsetto, with the song acting as a catalyst for the beginning of the love story’s plot. Other songs worth singling out for praise include “Evangeline” and “No One Knows,” featuring jazz-pop artist Laufey. The
former piece is what sets the love story in motion, with the titular love interest being showered with affectionate words by The Troubadour Sanchez, while acknowledging that her approval will come with time. The latter song is more of a personal favorite, as its lyricism and overall production strike a different tone compared to the rest of the record. A slightly tempered-down ballad, “No One Knows” dives into the more heartwrenching aspects of love, where one’s love is long-lasting but rocked by many moments of resentment and sadness along the way. “Angel Face” is a compelling concept
Boulet Brothers’ Dragula Titans. You may also recognize the event’s host and CWRU alum, Anhedonia Delight, from CWRU’s own past drag shows. The performance as a whole promises plenty of laughs, gore, horror and, of course, “frights in tights.”
preservation demonstrations. As an added bonus they offer pumpkin painting.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door, plus an extra $3 if you’re under 21.
When: Saturday, Oct. 7 at 10 p.m. Where: Cedar Lee Theater
What to do this week(end) Kate Gordon Life Editor With Halloween right around the corner, there’s no shortage of fun, festive events going on around Cleveland—and right here on campus. Here are five of my favorites, from drag shows to cult classic movie screenings to Case Western Reserve University’s own Homecoming festivities. GlamGore: Holislay Spooktacular When: Friday, Oct. 6 at 9 p.m. (doors open at 8 p.m.) Where: Grog Shop Come to Coventry’s Grog Shop for Halloween-themed drag performances from six different Ohio-based queens and kings, plus extra-special guest Melissa Befierce from California. Melissa won the first season of the Boulet Brothers’ Dragula as well as the
Harvest Festival When: Saturday, Oct. 7 and Saturday, Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Where: Hale Farm & Village If you missed CWRU’s Farm Harvest Festival or if you just can’t get enough of fall-themed events, check out this Harvest Festival at the historic Hale Farm & Village. At this living history museum, learn about how the pioneers used to prepare for the coming winter with apple cider pressing, butter churning and food
Admission is $15 for adults. The Room
If you don’t already know, “The Room” is a terrible movie. Its dialogue is senseless and slurred, plot points are randomly dropped and then picked back up again, the actors can’t act and its multiple sex scenes are downright creepy. However, since critics panned it so badly upon its 2003 release, “The Room” has since become an infamous cult classic in which audience members shout and throw things at the screen à la “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Catch a screening at the Cedar Lee Theater this Saturday night for a wonderfully weird time that you won’t soon forget.
album that manages to avoid the pastiche trap that befalls similar works, while still remaining enjoyable to listen to. Admittedly, the few personal standout tracks leave something to be desired from the rest, but the album’s production as a whole is ethereal and heartwarming; it gives listeners a taste of times we never got to see ourselves and the classic style of love that we never got to experience. For those who wish to experience a bit more romantic escapism, consider giving “Angel Face” a listen, or perhaps visiting Sanchez at his upcoming tour stop in Cleveland at House of Blues on Oct. 15.
Tickets are $12. Therapy Dogs When: Monday, Oct. 9 from 2-3:30 p.m. Where: Kelvin Smith Library Are exams stressing you out? Then come to KSL this Monday to relieve any midterm-related anxiety and pet a selection of therapy dogs. Blue Bash When: Thursday, Oct. 12 from 7-9 p.m. Where: Freiberger Field Enjoy free food and entertainment at this CWRU Homecoming weekend kick-off event. Be sure to bring a picnic blanket as well to enjoy the fireworks show at the end of the night, sponsored by the University Programming Board and the Office of Student Activities and Leadership.
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2023 Halloween costume ideas, from pop culture icons to childhood favorites Megan Abel Staff Writer Halloween is less than a month away, so it’s time to figure out your costume. Whether you are going to parties, hanging out with friends or attending events on campus, there are a lot of options to choose from, and figuring out what or who you want to be can be a headache. Luckily, I have compiled a comprehensive list of options for any and all Halloween plans. Easy DIY options with no sewing, gluing and (hopefully) no spending: A ghost. If you have only a white sheet and scissors, this is an easy option to put together. All you need is a white sheet and some scissors to cut holes for the eyes. If you want to spice it up, you can cut a lot of holes and pay homage to Charlie Brown— or call it Swiss cheese. A style shake-up. If you want to be something different, but don’t like traditional costumes or want to avoid buying one, put together different pieces of clothing from your closet or a roommate’s with a different style. You can go from preppy to goth, from dark and mysterious to bright and bubbly or whatever change you’d like. This can allow you to play with different makeup looks while wearing those old pieces of clothing in your closet that you normally never wear. Frat boy. It can be fun to mess around with gender roles and play with the “frat boy” stereotype. This look is complete with backward baseball caps, Sharpie-style facial hair, baggy shirts and tanks, lowrise pants, drawn-on six-packs and of course, fake “frat boy” names. Teacher. Have some fun and dress up as your favorite—or least favorite—teacher or administrator on campus. You could even use some of the costumes multiple times and change the accessories or shoes for different days. A week’s worth of teacher costumes, anyone? Movies: “Barbie.” This can mean dressing up as Margot Robbie’s iconic Barbie, Ryan Gosling’s Ken or any of your other favorite characters from the film.
“Oppenheimer.” To look like J. Robert Oppenheimer, all you need is a suit, a fedora and maybe a fake cigarette. “Spy Kids.” Whether you like the new version or the original, put on sleek black clothes and sunglasses to look like a spy from the “Spy Kids” movies. You can take it a step further and wear something from a later movie too, like the yellow robot suit. “The Nun II.” White face paint and maybe cool accent makeup can sell this look along with the nun costume itself. “Blue Beetle.” This costume is super cool, but maybe a little hard to find or make. To start, you are going to want to put glow light accents on a black and navy suit. Beetle arms are the hardest part of the costume to figure out— styrofoam or wire can help you with that, or you can try to make them out of foam and suspend them. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” For this one you will need either a turtle mask or green face paint, a colored eye mask and some way to make your body look like a turtle. This could be pillows or a hollow shell, or something from a
costume store. “Spider-Man.” Whether you like the animated version with
Courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes complicated” costume. “Monster High” dolls. These are the scariest dolls on the market. You can play around with the established couples from this brand, and complete the look with intricate makeup. Salt and Pepper. Cheesy, but a classic. Superman and Wonder Woman. Similar to Spider-Man, superhero couples are always a good idea.
Courtesy of IMDb
Miles Morales or any of the liveaction movies, it is always fun to dress up like your favorite superhero, villain or supporting character. TV shows: “Only Murders in the Building.” This can be a fun costume idea for a trio, where you dress up like the three main characters and have fun making a mystery out of the night. “American Horror Story”/”Supernatural.” Pick your favorite mythical creature or heroine from one of these shows and carry around salt, a book of monsters and some silver just in case. “The Bear.” Dressing up like an animal, whether it be a real one or a sexy one, can be interesting—or you can just dress up like the people in this TV show. Anime. Whether you like “My Hero Academia,” “One-Punch Man,” dressing up like anime characters is a lot of fun, especially when you are around people who have no idea who you are. Couples: Barbie and Ken. You can do a couple’s costume, or even an “it’s
Courtesy of Play Nintendo
Friend groups: Barbies. You and your friends could be any notable Barbies from the past or characters in any Barbie movie—not just the 2023 version. Dolls in general. There are a lot of fun things you could do with “Bratz” dolls, “Monster High” characters or any other doll brand. You will stand out amongst the Barbies in the crowd, while still playing around with childhood favorites. 1980s. Dressing up in a different era’s clothes can be a lot of fun, especially with a big group. The 1980s teen movie aesthetic is a great place to start, but some other good ones are the 1950s and the 1920s. “Bottoms.” This movie has a large ensemble cast, making it another perfect costume for a friend group. Mario/”Mario Kart.” Pick your go-to character and dress like them. You could even host a race with fake items. Pirates. Enjoy talking like a pirate and wearing sea dog clothes. “Sailor Moon”/”Winx Club.” With a little creativity, your favorite magical team can be a great costume for you and your friends. Renaissance. You can pick a favorite time period or even dress as historical figures to make your costume just a little “smarter” than your average Halloween-goer. “Mean Girls.” Choose your favorite group or duo from the movie and make a statement with any of its iconic outfits. You CAN wear pink on Fridays. Hopefully, you get some ideas or even choose a costume—or two— from our lovely list. If nothing here stands out to you, hopefully this list can function as a jumping-off point for your own costume ideas. Be creative, and have fun!
Fun
The Case Western Reserve Observer Friday, October 6, 2023 observer.case.edu Volume LV, Issue 7
4 by 15 orthogonal maze
What We've Been Listening To
Buffalo Replaced Mitski
Florence Matt Maltese
Kate Gordon
Fafo Zack Fox
Sara Khorshidi
The Only Place Best Coast
Beau Bilinovich
Auden Koetters
Tu m'as dit (P3gase Remix) Louane
Self Love Metro Boomin
Zachary Treseler
Crossword: 9/29 Solutions
Bowen Zhang
Weekly Horoscope The signs as climate disasters
Aquarius Ozone Pollution Pisces Tornadoes Aries Wildfires Taurus Floods Gemini Acid Rain Copyright © 2023 Alance AB, https://www.mazegenerator.net/
Overheard CWRU
Compilation of out-of-pocket things heard across campus
"I'm never finding love"
"Moths sh*t a lot"
"Safety pins that's two words"
"I know you did NOT just howl outside of eurowaffle"
"If you want to stage a coup send me a WhenIsGood"
"I'm now taking the same medication as my dog"
"I've never done softcore camping before"
Leo Hurricanes
"I've never done softcore camping before" Q: "Do you even know what a crackhead is?" R: "They do weed right?"
Virgo Rising Sea Levels
"When I was 18 I could buy beer. But that's because they could draft me and kill my *ss"
Tyler Vu/The Observer
Cancer High Air Quality Index
"I am locking myself in my room for six hours and I'm not coming out until I understand chemical systems, differential equations, and know how to code MATLAB"
Libra Heat Waves Scorpio Ocean Acidification Sagittarius Droughts Capricorn Avalanches
Opinion The Case Western Reserve Observer Established in 1969 by the undergraduate students of Case Western Reserve University
Shivangi Nanda Executive Editor & Publisher PRINT Elie Aoun Director of Print Téa Tamburo News Editor Zachary Treseler News Editor Kate Gordon Life Editor Beau Bilinovich Opinion Editor Puneet Bansal Sports Editor Lexy Jensen Development Editor Rebecca Warber Copy Editor Darcy Chew Copy Editor Sara Khorshidi Copy Editor Sarah Karkoff Copy Editor DIGITAL MEDIA Joce Ortiz Director of Digital Media Nandana Vinod Social Media Manager Aambar Agarwal Social Media Editor Shejuti Wahed Social Media Content Creator & Video Editor Clay Preusch Photo Editor Noah Henriques Web Editor DESIGN Auden Koetters Director of Design Anjali Bhuthpur Layout Designer Phuong Nguyen Layout Designer Bowen Zhang Layout Designer Lucas Yang Graphic Designer Tyler Vu Graphic Designer BUSINESS Khushali Desai Director of Business Operations Matthew Chang Business Manager Sophia Ran Business Manager Cayley Ng Business Manager The Observer is the weekly undergraduate student newspaper of Case Western Reserve University. Established in 1969, The Observer reports news affecting students and provides an editorial forum for the university community. Unsigned editorials are typically written by the opinion editor but reflect the majority opinion of the senior editorial staff. Opinion columns are the views of their writers and not necessarily of The Observer staff. For advertising information, contact The Observer via e-mail at observer@case.edu. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should be e-mailed to observer@case.edu or submitted on our website at observer.case.edu. Letters can be mailed to Thwing Center 11111 Euclid Avenue, Suite 01, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. For policy and guidelines related to the submission of Letters to the Editor, refer to observer.case.edu/submit-a-letter. The Observer is a proud member of CWRU’s University Media Board. Follow The Observer on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram @cwruobserver.
LTTE: An investment in education can help fix CWRU Jeremy Bendik-Keymer Professor of Philosophy In the Friday, Sept. 22 issue of The Observer, two articles addressed problems in the quality of Case Western Reserve University’s education. One addressed the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings and student life quality relative to tuition cost, and the other addressed the tortuous confusion of CWRU’s enrollment systems and website inconsistencies. I am sympathetic to both concerns, of course. But the issue of college tuition did not go into detail about administrative bloat and the lack of public financial support for universal K through professional degree/PhD education in this nation. The size of college administra-
tions has grown massively over the last few decades, whereas traditionally it was the faculty who were responsible for the main governance of universities. This has costs in terms of salaries and benefits. Senior administrators also make a great deal more money than faculty, who often struggle to make ends meet. At the same time, the U.S. does not support universal K through highest degree education, an investment through taxation that would bring down tuition costs everywhere, introduce further accountability measures and be a good investment in future generations and future economies. Still, given things such as they are, the main thing that struck me as missing from the editorials was a focus on the educational culture of CWRU. This
The Case Western Reserve Observer Friday, October 6, 2023 observer.case.edu Volume LV, Issue 7
Need-aware universities: Yet another flaw with the college admissions process The college admission process is shrouded in mystery. Few are privy to what exactly goes on in admission offices across the country, making it that much scarier for the high school seniors who, come August, are creating Common App accounts and brainstorming topics for the dreaded personal statement. Students particularly desperate for admission, though, might want to spend more time analyzing bank statements. American University, Boston University, Northeastern University, Tufts University and our very own Case Western Reserve University are just some of a concerningly large number of schools that are decidedly “needaware.” This means exactly what it sounds like: These universities consider an applicant’s ability to pay tuition when considering them for admission. Need-blind schools, conversely, don’t factor finances into admission decisions. In 2022, 115 American schools were considered need-blind institutions, though a number of these still considered economic status for certain students—namely, international students. Of these 115, a whopping seven universities had need-blind policies for all students, both international and domestic. These low numbers are particularly concerning given the fact that there are nearly 3,000 four-year institutions in the U.S. The decision to either disregard or consider a student’s ability to pay is by no means straightforward. Choosing a need-blind policy affects the financial aid available to admitted students as well as the financial stability of the given institution. This does not make these policies any less essential, though—especially not with the added difficulty international, first-generation and low-income students currently face. It simply means that the implementation of these policies must be done thoughtfully. Need-aware policies are most obviously harmful to low-income students. Qualified applicants applying to programs ideally-suited to their interests and career paths are rejected simply because their family’s income lacks the necessary number of zeros. Oberlin College admissions employee Elizabeth Myers Houston verified this sad fact in an old blog post: “We invariably find ourselves wait-listing or denying some students each year who are otherwise well qualified and appealing, due to a high level of financial need.” She also mentioned that some students “on the edge of admissibility” are admitted simply because “they can contribute to the costs of an Oberlin
education.” Because college is such an integral part of career preparation, the disadvantages low-income students face can set them back in the long run, keeping them from fully realizing their potential or reaching their goals. Unfair admission policies can also negatively affect the economy—a fact that Catharine Bond Hill, Vassar College’s president emerita, explains at length: When deserving students aren’t admitted to suitable colleges their “contributions to the economy… may be reduced.” This is especially a problem given the fact that lower income consumers are also not contributing much to other markets. “[T]axpayers subsidize higher education in a variety of ways,” Hill writes, “under the premise [that] it benefits society as a whole. These subsidies are significantly higher at selective institutions,” which then allows them to “reap the benefits of preferential tax treatment on endowment earnings and charitable giving.” The wealthier students attending these schools, then, are benefiting more from these subsidies than “their lower income peers.” How is that fair? Implementing need-blind policies is understandably difficult, especially without negatively impacting the amount of financial aid schools can offer to admitted students. And while it will often not be as simple as just allocating more money to need-based aid, this is a good first step. Hill also suggests that universities should begin acknowledging any “economic challenges” students managed to overcome in their pursuit of higher education. Additionally, Hill argues that “greater data transparency [might] encourage schools to take action” and remain committed to common goals such as “access and equal opportunity.” Such a step might also persuade policy makers to shift their attention towards helping lower income students as the available data will allow them to “see more clearly the implications of reducing their support for higher education.” “Need-aware” is a euphemism if I’ve ever read one, hiding an ugly truth behind somewhat mild language that doesn’t reflect the term’s implications. Need-aware policies are evidence that socioeconomic discrimination is very much in play during the admissions process, providing wealthier students a boost they don’t really need. In the wake of debates over affirmative action and legacy admissions, it is important to also acknowledge how socioeconomic status affects admission decisions—and why it no longer should. Maybe then, as Hill explains, we can restore at least some degree of trust in higher education institutions and the admissions process.
is a university where classrooms are commonly filled with cheap chairs and threadbare environments, where there are not enough truly inviting study spaces and beautiful places of intellectual and social gathering and where the public declarations of the university are less than intellectually rigorous. For instance, senior administrators refer to students as “clients” in important addresses, rather than grasping the
historical tradition of what it is to be a scholar and researcher: not someone buying services but someone learning a new way of life as a form of mentoring for the future. One way to improve CWRU is to make it more economical, provided that the quality of education does not lag. Another way is to make the educational environment of a higher quality. We should work on both.
Rebecca Warber Copy Editor
6 Opinion
Friday, October 6, 2023
EDITORIAL
The fight against climate change isn’t over yet Climate Action Week is upon us. Posters and flyers have been set up all across campus, relaying quick facts and messages about the ongoing effects of global climate change. You might have seen the sign reading, “climate despair and climate hope are both real”—a nod to the many contrasting narratives about climate change. It can be difficult to make sense of all these messages. Is there anything we can still do? Where do we stand in the fight against climate change? Where do we go from here? While there are many reasons to believe that we are past the point of no return, there are also many reasons to believe that there is still work we can do. The solutions to averting the climate catastrophe lie in the genuine and consistent efforts of all of us. Take, for example, the students of South Baltimore who started their own youth-led movement to tackle pollution in their hometown. The move-
ment, called Free Your Voice, is run by students of Benjamin Franklin High School. It has gained significant traction in South Baltimore and has seen notable success: the student activists prevented their school from purchasing electricity from a new trash incinerator. The incinerator would have released millions of toxic pollutants into the air, causing severe health issues for residents. Their efforts in using their voice to draw attention to a problem in their community made a positive impact. And just recently on Aug. 23, over 120,000 acres of land in Idaho were reserved as a conservation area under new plans by the Bureau of Land Management. This decision helps to protect the wildlife in the area—including various bird species, mule and elk— from environmental degradation. The conservation area in Bennett Hills, Idaho is the third and largest conservation area since their introduction in
2017. The more land that we can conserve, the greater impact we can have on protecting the environment and the more promising the future looks for all of us. Here at Case Western Reserve University and in Cleveland, leaders and climate justice advocates are bringing attention to how climate change directly affects us. In April of this year, Cleveland held its first Decarbonization Summit, which focused on strategies to reduce carbon emissions. During the conference, Mayor Justin Bibb highlighted the city’s recent actions in reducing its carbon output. A clean energy coalition called Power a Clean Future Ohio plans to reduce emissions by 40% by 2030 and to finalize a much needed move to renewable energy by 2050. These actions are not just small steps towards building a better future. They are a commitment by our own leaders in office to tackle an issue that affects every single one of us.
On campus, organizations such as Sunrise CWRU offer an outlet for us as students to make our voices heard—and that’s what we need to do. Our voices are one of the best tools we have in this fight. Calling on our government representatives to take action and shining a spotlight on community initiatives are both equally valuable. Combating climate change is a monumental problem that won’t be solved in just a few years. It is understandable to despair about the state of the world today; increased and worsened natural disasters are not events to simply gloss over. But that despair doesn’t come from fear, but rather love for the only home we have ever known: Earth. While the road ahead may seem bumpy and uncertain, know that the fight isn’t over yet. There is still more work to be done, and we shouldn’t back down. When we stick together and campaign for common goals, there is nothing that we can’t do.
“Food waste” shouldn’t become just another buzzword Jessica Kwasny Contributing Writer It seems a bummer that stewarding our resources is surrounded by so many buzzwords. “Sustainability” and “Zero Waste” feel worn-out and meaningless after having seen them plastered across countless Instagram infographics. The phrase “food waste” could follow a similar trajectory. More often than not, being told to not waste food does nothing more than make you feel guilty for tossing out those moldy leftovers you forgot in the back of the fridge. But with food prices having bloated dramatically over the past few years, it is worth saving “food waste” from becoming just another buzzword. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the United States wastes 35% of its food supply each year, which comes out to between 161 and 335 billion pounds of food. The agency states that the nation’s food waste accounts for a loss of energy that would be “enough to power more than 50 million U.S. homes for a year.” These numbers might be disappointing, but they’re not shocking. In my experience, most people are aware that food waste is an issue. They’ve heard about how excessive quantities of food end up in landfills, but they also realize that finishing a helping of food that was a little too big isn’t a logical solution. After all, in the moments when we most often confront food waste, the food has already been produced, has spoiled or has no potential to be realistically redistributed to another person who needs it. We are left feeling useless, and as a consequence, the fight against “food waste” loses its meaning. It is reasonable to feel this way. The food system in the U.S. wastes a great deal of food before it ever reaches the consumer. Food waste does not only refer to the food scraped into the trash at the end of a meal, but also encompasses all of the losses that take place before food makes it to the table. Each stage of the process—including production, storage, processing, transport and distribution—sees food lost to fates such as spoilage, damage and
failure to meet consumer preferences. For instance, farmers often decide crops are better left in the field in the face of rapidly changing crop prices, labor shortages and strict aesthetic standards demanded by buyers and consumers later in the supply chain. Grocery stores are another key site of food loss, tasked with the challenge of keeping shelves filled with full stocks while avoiding overordering. Even so, 42% of food waste occurs at the level of the consumer. If we take a look at the steps leading up to our tossing of food scraps at the end of a meal, we can find a number of opportunities to minimize our contribution to food waste. Learning to store food properly, prepare appropriate quantities of food and avoid being swayed into impulsive purchases of foods you are unlikely to eat are a few places
to start. Additionally, the expiration dates on food labels frequently mislead people into throwing out otherwise good food. While this doesn’t mean food past its labeled expiration date is okay to eat, these dates are not magic numbers. With the exception of infant formula, expiration dates on food labels are neither federally required nor regulated to indicate food safety; rather, manufacturers determine date labels as they see fit. The food waste conversation has also sparked some creative solutions. Upcycled food, which refers to food products made from ingredients that would otherwise be discarded, has grown in popularity, offering a hopeful reduction in waste from food preparation. Overstock grocery stores and online retailers sell salvaged foodstuffs, often at cheaper prices than
conventional grocery stores. Grocers may soon benefit from improvements in artificial intelligence technologies for tracking inventory, thus helping stores avoid overstocking. The compost bins in our own dining halls and compost pickup services, such as Cleveland’s Rust Belt Riders, give food scraps a new life as soil. These innovative approaches give everyone the opportunity to contribute to a healthier environment and keep food from ending up in the garbage. While food waste is a big problem, there is ample room to have a positive impact. We can address the issue from many angles. People from all different disciplines are able to contribute solutions and implement better systems. It is not an impossible task to reduce our food waste, and it deserves our continued effort.
Lucas Yang/The Observer
Climate Action Contest
observer.case.edu
Opinion The Case Western Reserve Observer7 Friday, October 6, 2023 observer.case.edu Volume LV, Issue 7
[2nd Place] One Earth, infinite memories: The urgency of preservation Marina Kamperai Contributing Writer In the vast expanse of the universe, amid countless stars and galaxies, lies Earth. Not just a mere planet, but a living testament to the miracles of nature, a crucible of life and a sanctuary of unimaginable diversity. We stand on a spinning globe that has cradled civilizations, witnessed millennia and offered sustenance and shelter to billions. Yet, as its stewards, we find ourselves questioning: “Why is it worth conserving?” Ponder for a brief instant the symphony of existence that has blossomed on this world. From the melodious whispers of the forests, the rhythm of waves crashing on shores, to the symphony of city life—every note, every sound, tells a story of coexistence. The azure oceans that
cover three-quarters of its surface are not just expanses of water but are the very cradle of life. Within their depths, exist creatures that boggle the mind—bioluminescent beings, colossal cetaceans and corals that dance with color. And on the land, from the tiniest insect to the majestic elephant, every being plays a part in the grand tapestry of life. This Earth has been a silent witness to our milestones—our first steps, our joys and sorrows, our tales of love and loss. It has seen us build monumental structures and craft tales that span generations. Our histories, cultures and civilizations have been shaped by its landscapes. The mountains have fortified us, the deserts have tested our endurance, the forests have taught us harmony and the rivers have nurtured our souls. These are not just physical entities but a part of our collective psyche, our shared heritage.
Yet, what truly makes Earth incomparable and worth conserving is not just its physical beauty or the life it supports, but the emotions and connections it evokes. The smell of the first raindrop hitting the parched ground, the feeling of grass under our bare feet, the sound of leaves rustling in the wind or the sight of a setting sun painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson—these are not just sensory experiences but threads that connect our very being to this planet. They remind us of our childhood, of places we’ve been, people we’ve met and memories we’ve made. But Earth is not just a reservoir of our past; it is the hope for our future. Every child that is born inherits this planet as their home, a place to dream, explore and find their place in the grand scheme of things. It is a source of inspiration for poets, artists, scientists and dreamers. It challenges us to be better, to think big-
ger, to act with foresight. Tragically, in our quest for progress, we’ve often forgotten the cost at which it comes. We’ve been reckless, often taking more than giving back, pushing our only home to the brink. But therein lies the answer to our pressing question. Earth is worth conserving because it is a reflection of us—of our humanity, our aspirations, our flaws and our potential. To conserve Earth is to value life in all its forms, to respect the past, cherish the present and secure a future. In the heart of it all, we only have one Earth, not as an inheritance from our ancestors but as a loan from our children. We have been entrusted with its care, and it is our solemn duty to hand it over better than we found it. Let’s not just conserve it because it’s the only one we have, but because it embodies love, life, memories, hopes and dreams. After all, Earth is not just a planet; it’s home.
[3rd Place] Generation incineration: Searching for hope in the pre-apocalypse Ethan Teel Contributing Writer I was nine years old when I became fascinated with the apocalypse. On the ritualistic 25-minute bus rides to school, I chose the seat next to Ian, a nerdy older boy who would share with me his vast array of knowledge regarding the captivating worlds of science fiction and fantasy. The topics from Ian’s treasure trove which most piqued my interest were those which dealt with destruction and ruin on the widest scale imaginable. Stories of zombies, aliens, meteors and nuclear bombs made my young mind race even as the bus slowed to a crawl in the school parking lot. As I grew older, I ventured deeper into media depicting apocalypses and their aftermaths, armed with the preliminary knowledge that Ian bestowed upon me during those gloomy morning bus rides. The best post-apocalyptic stories have a harsh irony to them that depicts humans as the catalyst for their own annihilation. The Terminator features a world where malevolent AIs declare all-out war on their creators (topical in 2023!). The wild wastelands of Fallout would not exist without neofascist America’s bloodthirsty warmongering against an equally powerful China (topical in 2023!). Even The Walking Dead displays a world where the failings of the American medical system greatly accelerated the death toll of a deadly virus (not topical: zombies aren’t real). With all this in mind, you can imagine my disappointment with our current course for a slow and painful apocalypse. A fiery death awaits us, but it is one divorced from the wondrous bombast with which I often imagined the world would end. Yes, this is an essay about climate change. This past summer, I took a trip to Chicago with my boyfriend. We had a great time enjoying the city’s architecture and food, but there was something in the way that tainted the whole experience—we couldn’t see the sky. All summer, Americans like us were
dealing with the effects of huge smog clouds in their cities, created by the destructive wildfires wreaking havoc on Canada’s forests. This was a result of climate change, albeit a few steps into the catastrophe daisy-chain we’ve been experiencing throughout the 2020s. It’s easy to point out that the smog was temporary, but these noxious death fumes hanging over our country’s cities are just one tangible sign of the damage climate change is doing to our way of life. Emerging from the dark depths of Shedd Aquarium, we were confronted with a truly alien image—the towering Chicago skyline fading away into an infinite gray void above, the sun twisted and transformed into a hateful red orb glaring down at us from the cosmos. This was our reality now, one more unsettling than the wildest stories of doom and destruction. To think that this haunting sight was simply an auxiliary effect of the wildfires that were destroying people’s homes and livelihoods! The wildfires, too, were an auxiliary effect of the changing climates which disrupt human life with greater intensity each passing year. I am not an activist who will tell you the best ways to get involved with the fight to stop this from happening to our planet. I am not a scientist who will explain to you how much time we have before things get even worse. I am not a sociologist who can show you how climate change will disproportionately harm already marginalized communities. I am simply a nerd who reads a lot of fiction, just like Ian before me. These experts are worth listening to. They hold important insights and calls to action that need to be amplified so all of society can hear. Meanwhile I, the humble nerd, can only present you with this idea: It may not work. All of it. It might fail. The corporations may keep violating our planet for profit. Ignorance and apathy may triumph over unity and action. We may be stuck on this doomed world, left to endure as the heat rises to record highs again and again. And maybe, as the world burns and floods, as
the billionaires retreat into their underground bunkers and moon-mansions, the good people of Earth will engage in the act of collective immolation by the same sun that brought our ancestors safety, warmth and hope all those centuries ago. All that matters is that we try. That we fight. That we don’t lose hope. I am not a defeatist. I am not arguing that we simply should give up, but rather that you, as a human threatened by climate change, accept the possibility that this battle to save our species could be lost and choose to engage this prospect with hope instead of fear. I find eternal comfort in the fact that Earth has existed long before humanity and will continue to exist long after our time has passed. This planet has been host to a myriad of lifeforms before us and alongside us. I am faithful, too, that new life will emerge af-
ter us. I dream of a planet that thrives without humanity; new animal species capable of surviving the heat emerging from the ruins of our cities as the scorching sun vanishes behind the last crumbling tower. If they can see what we’ve left behind and have the capacity to recognize all that it means, do we want them to gaze upon a species that simply rolled over and died in the face of this threat to our existence? Or will they see our effort? Will they recognize those of us who had the courage to stand up and fight against the forces that are bringing about our annihilation? Will they see the anger and the drive with which we act to do something, anything, before the apocalypse kills us all? The narrative of humanity’s tragic devastation is still unfolding, and the ending has yet to be written. It’s up to us to decide how the story comes to a close.
No disaster too big from page 1 It is no secret that climate change remains a social issue. Mass migration, economic inequality, public health and other aspects of society are negatively impacted by the disastrous repercussions of climate change. While many accept the pessimistic view that it is too late to enact change, I refuse. We should all reject the notion that there is nothing to be done. After cleaning up the area, my dad found the two trees my brother and I had planted still standing. The flamboyan’s roots were still firmly planted and a year after Hurricane Maria, dozens of tiny flamboyans sprouted from the soil. The fallen blossoms I once saw as a metaphor for defeat and destruction became a symbol of renewal and life. It was then I fully grasped what my mom had been trying to tell me. This powerful tree remained even when all odds were against it. When a seemingly celestial force challenged its roots, the flamboyan had a solid
foundation and perhaps more importantly, a failsafe. Its seeds spread during the disaster, ensuring its survival for generations to come. Each sapling kept growing until we eventually had to repot and gift them to other members of the community. Just as my symbolic tree found a way to thrive, we can work together to combat climate change. We can build a more sustainable world, rooted in the lessons nature teaches us: resilience, renewal and the enduring power of life. It is vital to realize that the seeds of change can be sown even in the wake of catastrophe. Education is one of the most powerful tools we have to combat climate change and something that can be passed down to the heirs of our planet. The Earth, with its remarkable ability to regenerate, is worth preserving for future generations. We have the power to be the voice of this planet and to ensure that its beauty endures, so let us wield it.
Sports
The Case Western Reserve Observer Friday, October 6, 2023 observer.case.edu Volume LV, Issue 7
Women’s soccer opens UAA Scores and play with 1-0 win over NYU Upcoming Puneet Bansal Sports Editor
The Case Western Reserve University women’s soccer team extended their win streak to six games last weekend, defeating Capital University 2-0 on Sept. 24 and beating their conference rival New York University by 1-0 on Sept. 30. The Spartans now hold an overall record of 9-0-1, including 1-0 against teams in the University Athletic Association. In the non-conference regular
Second-year Alexis Sassower scores her first career goal in opening UAA game against NYU on Sept. 30. Courtesy of CWRU
Athletics
season finale against Capital, the Spartans took advantage of the opponent’s aggressiveness early in the game. Second-year midfielder/ forward Ceci Dapino was taken down in the box by a defender, resulting in a penalty kick for CWRU. Fourth-year midfielder Aniya Hartzler wasted no time and swiftly found the back of the net on her third career penalty kick to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead. Hartzler’s goal was her first goal of the season and her 13th for her career. A moment for the history books, this was the 1,000th goal in the program’s 40-year history. The final goal came in the second half, which was set up by secondyear forward Molly Shamah. After dribbling past a defender on the left side of the field and entering the box, Shamah passed the ball toward the middle to second-year forward Andrea Silva, who quickly kicked it in for the 2-0 lead. The play gave Shamah her first career assist while Silva recorded her second career goal. The Spartans held the Comets scoreless for the game to notch their sixth shutout of the season. Their defense was anchored by fourth-year goalkeeper Maggie Storti, who saved three shots and lowered her goalsagainst average to 0.34. In the team stats, CWRU dominated all categories. The Spartans recorded 31 shots compared to Capital’s 7 and were led by second-year forward Alexis Sassower, who recorded 5 shots total and 3 shots on goal. Rolling with momentum, the sixth-ranked Spartans traveled
to Newark, New Jersey this past weekend and handed NYU their first loss of the season. The match was tight throughout, with neither team gaining an advantage over the other. The teams were tied in shots (10-10), but NYU had the advantage in saves (6-5) and CWRU had an advantage in shots on goals (7-5). In the 86th minute, Sassower started the scoring with a game-winning goal off an assist from fourth-year midfielder/forward Helina VanBibber. The goal was Sassower’s first of her career. Once again, the Spartans recorded another shutout. Storti, who played all 90 minutes, had four saves, bringing her goals-against average down to 0.30 and her season statistics to 9-01. She was named the UAA Defensive Athlete of the Week for her stellar play. The Spartans have six games left of their regular season. They will host 15th-ranked Emory University this Saturday, Oct. 7 at 11 a.m. on DiSanto Field before traveling to New York to face the University of Rochester on Oct. 14. CWRU will return to Cleveland for a two-game homestand against the University of Chicago on Oct. 20 and the third-ranked Washington University in St. Louis on Oct. 22. Both games will be held on DiSanto Field, with the UChicago game commencing at 5 p.m. and the WashU one kicking off at 11 a.m. The Spartans will hit the road for the final two games of the season. The team will face Brandeis University on Oct. 28 and the first-ranked Carnegie Mellon University on Nov. 4.
Spartans pummel Bethany College 34-12, record now 3-1 Puneet Bansal Sports Editor
Propelled by an explosive offense in the second half, the Case Western Reserve University football team defeated the Bethany College Bisons 34-12 on the road in West Virginia. The Spartans—who have been averaging 26.7 points per game on 397.0 yards per game—overpowered the Bison, who now stand 0-4 on the season. CWRU improved to 3-1 on the season. Bethany got on the board first, forcing a pick off CWRU’s fourth-year quarterback Alex Fromberg to set up an 8-yard touchdown for a 6-0 lead following a missed extra point. The Spartans snapped back at the end of the first quarter, with Fromberg redeeming himself from his first interception of the season with a 49-yard pass to fourth-year wide receiver Michael Wojkowski for the 7-6 lead. Fromberg continued to have a stellar performance, capping a sevenplay, 56-yard drive in the second quarter with a 3-yard run to give the Spartans a 14-6 lead going into halftime. In the third quarter, Bethany tried to bridge the game with a 38-yard touchdown to make it 14-12. However, the Spartans responded on the next drive, as Fromberg found third-year wide receiver Noah Coyne with a 49yard touchdown to extend CWRU’s
lead to 21-12. In the fourth quarter, Fromberg notched his third touchdown of the day after finding Coyne in the endzone again for the 10-yard score to finish off a six-play, 68-yard possession. Less than five minutes later, Fromberg rushed in a twoyard touchdown to bring the score to the final 34-12. The
Spartans were efficient with their offense, needing only 201 passing yards (compared to Bethany’s 206) and 150 rushing yards (to Bethany’s 106) to outscore their opponents, with total offensive yards going in favor of CWRU 351-312. Though Fromberg only had a completion percentage of 35%, he finished the game with three passing touchdowns on 192 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 67 yards. Coyne led all Spartan receivers with 105 yards on four catches, accounting for two touchdowns. Fourth-year defensive end Kaden Tong led the defense with a careerhigh 14 tackles (13 solo). Tong was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week. Third-year cornerback Dominic Sais also added 9 tackles (6 solo), including a tackle for a loss in addition to his team-leading fourth interception of the game. The Spartans will travel to Latrobe, Pennsylvania to face Saint Vincent College on Oct. 7. The 2023 Homecoming will be held on DiSanto Field on Oct. 14 at 2 p.m. against Westminster College. Third-year wide receiver Noah Coyne accounts for two touchdowns in the domination of the Bethany Bison.
Courtesy of CWRU Athletics
Games
Volleyball CWRU at Muskingum (9/30) - W 3-0 CWRU at Heidelberg (9/30) - W 3-1 CWRU vs Oberlin (10/4) - W 3-0 UAA Round Robin #2 CWRU vs Rochester (10/8) CWRU vs Emory (10/8) CWRU vs Hiram (10/11, 7 p.m., Horsburgh Gymnasium)
Football CWRU at Bethany (9/30) - W 34-12 CWRU at Saint Vincent College (10/7) CWRU at Saint Vincent (10/7) CWRU vs Westminster (10/14, 2 p.m., DiSanto Field) - 2023 CWRU Homecoming
Men’s Tennis CWRU at ITA DIII Men’s Central Regional Championships (9/2910/1) Doubles Champions - Vishwa Aduru and Diego Maza Singles Champion - Ajay Mahenthiran CWRU at ITA Cup (10/12-16)
Men’s Soccer CWRU at NYU (9/30) - W 3-0 CWRU vs Emory (10/7, 1:30 p.m., DiSanto Field) CWRU at Rochester (10/14)
Women’s Soccer CWRU at Capital (9/24) - W 2-0 CWRU at NYU (9/30) - W 1-0 CWRU vs Emory (10/7, 11 a.m., DiSanto Field) CWRU at Rochester (10/14)