The Green Observer Spring 2024

The Green Observer is UIUC’s only student-run environmental publication.

Editor-in-Chief: Sophia Beem

Lead Designer: Erin Nibeck

Contributors:

SECS Media Working Group

Yesenia Adrianzen

Grace Denton

Spencer Durnell

Michael Gergeni

Liam Henry

Greg Huang

Josh Robinson

Minal Sarkar

Julia Spainhour

Izzy Wilder

CONTENTS

CUMTD Expanding ZeroEmissions Bus Fleet

Immersed in the Trees

Coral Bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef

Nature Photography

Lost Landscapes: Deforestation and Soil Erosion

Heat Waves Across West Africa: Heat Rising, Alarms Raised?

Eco-Bricking

Plant the Seeds for a Secure Future

The Privilege of Environmental Ethics

Nature Lanscapes

CUMTD Expanding ZeroEmissions Bus Fleet

By: Greg Huang

In the spring 2024 semester, the ChampaignUrbana Mass Transit District (MTD) is introducing ten zero-emission, hydrogen fuel cell buses. These buses will join a fleet of two articulated hydrogen fuel cell buses purchased in 2021, for a total of 12 zero-emissions buses in MTD’s fleet. With this development, CUMTD now has the largest fleet of hydrogen fuel-cell buses in the US outside of California.

MTD’s journey with zero-emissions buses began in 2017, when they received a grant to purchase two articulated hydrogen fuel-cell buses and construct a hydrogen fueling station. These buses would be the first hydrogen fuel-cell buses in Illinois, as well as the first articulated hydrogen-fuel cell buses anywhere in the US. Furthermore, the fueling station would be powered entirely by solar energy. This station allows buses to operate entirely on clean energy, without any reliance on the existing electric grid. The two buses, model New Flyer XHE60, entered service in fall 2021. Both buses carry a unique eco-friendly wrap, which sets them apart from the MTD’s diesel hybrid buses. Bus 2101 sports a fox wrap, while bus 2102 sports a butterfly wrap. For two and a half years, these buses have operated mostly on campus routes, transporting Illini to and from class, social events, housing, and more.

Soon afterwards, MTD started preparing for a larger order of standard length hydrogen fuel-cell buses, model New Flyer

“Public transportation has long been considered a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternative to private automobiles. However, most forms of public transportation are not entirely zero-emissions.”

XHE40. This would allow MTD to retire some diesel-powered buses near the end of their service lives, as well as expand the benefits of zero-emissions buses to their entire service area. The first of these buses was delivered in late 2023, and after several months of testing, these buses entered service in late February 2024. Like the older XHE60s, the XHE40s carry unique eco-friendly wraps, including duck, bee, cardinal, and frog. Unlike the XHE60s, however, these buses operate across MTD’s entire service area. As of April 2024, all ten New Flyer XHE40s have been delivered and five have entered service. When all the buses are in service, MTD will have twelve hydrogen fuel-cell buses in total.

Public transportation has long been considered a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternative to private automobiles. However, most forms of public transportation are not entirely zero-emissions. Although many cities have electric-powered rail systems, these systems have high construction and costs, and are economically viable only in major cities and along the busiest corridors. Buses, which are almost always powered by fossil fuels (usually diesel fuel), remain the predominant, and often only, means of public transportation in most cities and towns.

There are two types of zero-emissions buses: battery-electric and hydrogen fuel

“...improvements have allowed electric vehicles to become commercially viable for the first time. However, challenges remain with batteryelectric vehicles, especially buses.”

cell. Over the last decade, advances in battery technology have drastically decreased the price and improved the performance and range of electric vehicles. For example, a new Nissan Leaf cost approximately $35,000 in 2011 (equivalent to $47,000 today), while a 2024 Nissan Leaf costs only $28,000. These improvements have allowed electric vehicles to become commercially viable for the first time. However, challenges remain with battery-electric vehicles, especially buses. Batteries can take hours to charge, and battery range can be highly variable depending on weather conditions. In particular, battery-powered vehicles perform poorly in cold conditions; as a result, some battery-electric buses have auxiliary diesel heaters for winter service. These factors has limited the usefulness of battery-electric buses at many transit agencies.

Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, on the other hand, work differently from battery-electric vehicles. A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle produces electricity via electrolysis of hydrogen; the only emission produced is water vapor. Unlike a battery-electric bus, a hydrogen fuel cell bus can be fueled in minutes and range is not weather-dependent. However, producing the hydrogen fuel is costly and energy-intensive. Today, most hydrogen is produced from refining

natural gas, meaning it is still a fossil fuel. However, the MTD’s fueling station produces hydrogen by using solar power to split hydrogen from water. Although this process is entirely zero-emissions, it is still equipment and land intensive, and scaling it up to produce enough fuel for the entire fleet remains a major challenge.

In recent years, most transit agencies in the US have procured small, experimental fleets of zero-emissions buses. However, scaling up the currently small fleets

to serve entire cities and metropolitan areas remains a major challenge. The performance of battery-electric vehicles still needs improvement, which will depend on improvements in battery technology. Bus depots will need to be retrofitted with charging systems, maintenance procedures must change dramatically, and transit agencies must work with power companies to increase the energy capacity of the electric grid and develop emergency procedures. If hydrogen fuel-cell is chosen, transit agencies will either have to

to procure hydrogen fuel from non-renewable sources, or make substantial investments in on-site production. Most transit agencies anticipate that ultimately, their zero-emissions bus fleets will contain a mix of both battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell buses.

Looking forward, MTD is seeking additional funding to expand their hydrogen fueling station to accommodate more hydrogen fuel-cell buses, aiming to become 100% zero-emissions by 2040. Many other agencies have also committed to operating an entirely zero-emissions fleet in the coming decades. MTA New York City Transit, the largest transit agency in the US, has committed to an entirely zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040. King County Metro in Seattle has set an even more ambitious goal, of becoming entirely zero-emissions by 2035. Also, California has committed to making all public transportation statewide zero-emissions by 2040. As the technology of both battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell buses improve, and larger deployments drive costs down through economies of scale, zero-emissions buses will take up an increasingly large share of the fleet at transit agencies around the country. The momentum for zero-emissions buses is strong, and it is only getting stronger.

“MTD is seeking additional funding to expand their hydrogen fueling station to accommodate more hydrogen fuel-cell buses, aiming to become 100% zeroemissions by 2040.”

A Reflection on Costa Rica by Izzy Wilder

Over spring break, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to the breath-taking country that is Costa Rica. I had planned on going on this trip when I committed to Illinois, and I heard about it through friends, but I was not prepared to truly experience this adventure. Each aspect of this trip was unique and exciting in its own way, but some of my favorite parts were our long, immersive hikes. As we were engulfed in the misty clouds of the rain and cloud forests, focusing and connecting with all of my surroundings was the easiest it’s ever been.

On our first hike up to the continental divide—straight from our hotel’s entrance—was when I really was able to grasp how immersed in nature we were during this trip. After walking in through the shiny, metal gates of the reserves’ entrance, we were immediately sucked into the lush greenery. Colorful motmots, toucans, and quetzales flew above us, chirping away while cicadas hummed out of sight, and leaves of the epiphytes rustled in the treetops while the capuchin and howler monkeys swung above our heads. This soundtrack played constantly throughout our entire trip—dry, cloud, and rain forests all with this basic formula, although different types of species as the instruments.

We began our next strenuous hike from a tiny parking lot that would take us down a two-mile path through the expansive Bosque Eterno de Los Niños (Children’s Eternal Rainforest) to our beautiful destination of the San Gerardo Field Station. This rugged path—although mostly downhill—required us to watch our steps, but also examine the nature around us from the volcanic floors to the green trees reaching out to the sky. Our guide, Mark Wainwright emphasized learning from everything we came across. As we trekked, at random, Mark would whip out his giant butterfly net, pause, and then swing his net into the bushes as we waited expectantly for an explanation. Many times, he turned around with some colorful insect, usually a bright butterfly that was flittering around minding its business.

Listening to and observing nature are just a couple ways I was able to connect during this experience. Bringing these simple acts with me will allow me to continue to connect with nature at home. Taking even just a single minute outside to pause, breathe, and listen is so relaxing and a calming tactic I suggest everyone should try to implement into their daily life. Being so fully immersed in nature and new surroundings is a freeing feeling I never want to forget. Taking this mindset back home to be able to center myself is a goal I hope to commit to and remind myself of always.

Focus on the nature around you, how the birds sing, the trees sway, the insects buzz, and hear the symphony of sound that comes together when you take a second to listen.

Coral Bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef

By: Julia Spainhour

The Great Barrier Reef is a dazzling wonder of the natural world, rich with diverse life and beauty. Located just off the coast of northeastern Australia, this is the most extensive coral reef system in the entire world, comprising nearly 3,000 individual reefs for a stretch of over 1,400 miles. The reef provides home to an incredible array of biodiversity. Any image you find depicts a colorful scene of fish and sea turtles swimming about, which actually make up only a small fraction of the life forms found in this region. In fact, nearly 9,000 species of marine life inhabit the Great Barrier Reef, including around 1,625 species of fish, 1,300 crustacean species, 3,000 mollusks species, and 2,000 species of sponges, among many species of mammals, worms, rays, jellyfish, anemones, and more. The reef provides the backbone for this vibrant ecosystem, supporting them as grounds for habitat, feeding, spawning, and nursery. Yet, under pressure from human activities, half of the Great Barrier Reef has been bleached to death since 2016, a number which continues to increase with the passing years. This article will explore the issue of coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef, and relate it to human-driven markets and externalities.

“Coral bleaching is a phenomenon rising in prominence in recent years, posing a significant threat to the health of the Great Barrier Reef”

Not only is the Great Barrier Reef a beautiful sight to admire, it also holds deep-seated importance to humans and the greater environment. One of its most critical services is shoreline protection. The intricate network of coral reefs acts as a natural barrier, buffering coastal communities against the destructive forces of waves, storms, and erosion. These are matters which only get more pressing in the face of rising sea levels and increasingly severe weather events due to climate change.

Additionally, reefs remove carbon from the ocean in a process that occurs through several mechanisms. Firstly, the calcification process by corals and other calcifying organisms removes carbon from the water column, effectively trapping it in the reef structure. Secondly, the organic matter produced by reef organisms, such as algae and coral polyps, is broken down and sequestered in the seafloor sediments, locking away carbon for long periods of time. The dense vegetation of mangroves and seagrasses that fringe the reef also contribute to carbon storage,

capturing atmospheric carbon through photosynthesis and depositing it in their biomass and sediments.

Beyond the crucial environmental impacts, the Great Barrier Reef also holds great economic value to the continent of Australia, worth $6.4 billion each year. For one, it supports commercial and subsistence fisheries, providing a vital source of food and livelihood for millions of people across the region. 90% of its contribution to the economy, however, comes from tourism for the scores of visitors that come each year, supporting over 60,000 jobs for locals. Preserving these services is crucial for ensuring the continued resilience and sustainability of both ecosystems and communities.

However, coral bleaching is a phenomenon rising in prominence in recent years, posing a significant threat to the health of the Great Barrier Reef and coral reefs across the world. Coral bleaching occurs when corals expel the algae living within their tissues, known as zooxanthellae, due to environmental stressors such as

elevated sea temperatures, pollution, or changes in water chemistry. Without the zooxanthellae, they lose both their vibrant colors and their primary food source, putting them at risk for starvation and disease. While bleached corals aren’t necessarily dead, they become much more susceptible to dying and have difficulty returning to their original states. The Great Barrier Reef is currently experiencing its fifth mass coral bleaching event in eight years, with 50% of the corals having died since 2016.

The primary driver of coral deaths is rising sea temperatures. The mining and burning of fossil fuels contribute greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, impeding heat radiated from the Earth’s surface from escaping and emitting it back into the ocean. Hotter temperatures put stress on the corals and cause the expulsion of zooxanthellae, triggering these mass bleaching events. Additionally, sources of pollution, from deforestation to agricultural runoff to oil spills, smother the reef, making it impossible for corals to feed, grow, and reproduce.

Addressing these issues requires an understanding of the role of markets and externalities in our environment. The market-based economy is driven by supply and demand, which control the production of goods and services. In an ideal world, what is supplied is exactly what consumers demand, with no extra costs. However, this is essentially impossible to accomplish. There will always

“The plight of the Great Barrier Reef stands as a poignant reminder of the interconnectedness between human actions and environmental consequences. ”

be side effects of market activities, called externalities, that impact other parties in the transaction without being reflected in the price of the product. Fossil fuel emissions and pollution are substantial externalities, as they cause harm to the environment, such as the Great Barrier Reef, but are not factored into the price of energy products. These externalities result in what economists call market failure, where the market fails to allocate resources efficiently.

The plight of the Great Barrier Reef stands as a poignant reminder of the interconnectedness between human actions and environmental consequences. Its value as a biodiversity hotspot, shoreline protector, carbon sink, and economic asset cannot be overstated. Yet, the threats from coral bleaching underscore the critical need to address the market failures and externalities perpetuating environmental degradation. By embracing tax incentives to address the underlying drivers of coral bleaching, we can strive toward a future where the reef thrives once again.

Species shown are Northern Cottonmouth, a Great Blue Heron holding an unknown fish species, an unidentified insect on a cactus, and yellow trout lily.

Photos by Josh Robinson

Lost Landscapes

Deforestation and Soil Erosion

By: Sophia Beem

In a plain in Sub-Saharan Africa, the earth cracks dry and the sun beats down like a warning. The ground stretches out barren and pale brown. The relentless dance of water and wind has etched deep scars into the ground which crack lightning sharp through the subsoil. Here was once rich dark topsoil, the high-climbing canopy of the mossy afrormosia tree, reddish-brown mahogany, the bright white blooms of the flowering dogwood. Here was once a plethora of terrestrial biodiversity, fat dark insects, and many more hundreds of species. Now left behind is a haunting substrate of weathered rocks

and clay materials. This geology, a mosaic of shallow rills and dehydrated land, tells a story of human folly.

The large-scale exploitation of African forests began with European colonization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when natural resources were harvested and exported at unprecedented scales. About a quarter of the world’s species, which rely on soil health, are found on the African continent. Additionally, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture

“Yet with continued deforestation and soil erosion, the lungs of the world grow brittle and vulnerable, dissipating in the face of wind and water.”

Organization, 83% of sub-Saharan African people depend on forests and woodlands for their livelihood. Yet with continued deforestation and soil erosion, the lungs of the world grow brittle and vulnerable, dissipating in the face of wind and water.

In healthy forested areas, the intricate network of roots anchors the soil, compacting particles and holding them in place. Humus, the dark, organic material formed in soil when plant and animal matter decays, acts as natural fertilizer,

retains water, and improves cation exchange capacity. The broad green canopy of trees intercepts rainfall and prevents runoff. Imagine tropical moist forests of lowland broadleaf plants, cluttered with tree ferns and colorful orchids, home to hosts of bright-feathered birds and green smooth-scaled snakes and other wildlife, reliant on the soil as the soil is reliant on them. All of this, destroyed again and again, in ecosystems all across the world.

Though soil erosion can be a natural process, large-scale deforestation for human

infrastructure and economic gain directly contributes to this degradation. Soil, a complex matrix of minerals, organic matter, and microorganisms, must maintain a delicate balance to sustain life.

Without the organic shield of canopy and leaf litter, the soil is vulnerable to erosion. The more water that flows over deforested land, the more soil particles are displaced in a gradual chipping away at the makeup and nutrient health of the earth itself. Eroded soil depletes plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus,

potassium, and calcium. This does not affect only the site where it originates, but ecosystems outside the eroded area. The accumulation of sediments and nutrients where the water flows and carries away that displaced matter impacts the careful balance of other living organisms and soil properties. Runoff impacts water quality as it flows and carries with it the memory of stripped land.

When there is nothing left but pale sandy substrate, even the agriculture for which the land was destroyed suffers. Depleting soils are directly correlated with decreasing crop yields, which affects people who depend on agricultural outputs. Deforestation and soil erosion along with unfavorable climatic conditions define the productivity of farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Given the excess of the colonial legacy, analysis of soil productivity needs to include socio-political, historical, and economic factors to confront the complex reality of this issue.

As we witness the disappearance of once thriving ecosystems, we must not forget the soil. The very foundation of life on Earth is crumbling.

“Given the excess of the colonial legacy, analysis of soil productivity needs to include socio-political, historical, and economic factors to confront the complex reality of this issue. ”

Heatwaves across West Africa: Heat rising, alarms raised?

By: Michael Gergeni

On April 3rd, 2024, thermometers in Kayes, a small town on the west side of Mali, read 119.3 degrees Fahrenheit. This was the highest temperature ever recorded in early April, anywhere in the world. It was the highest temperature ever recorded in April in Africa. It was the highest temperature ever recorded in Mali, regardless of month. In nearby Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso and a city of almost two and a half million people, temperatures hit 112.1 degrees that same day.

“Climate change has made this current heatwave about 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than usual. When combined with high humidity, it becomes impossible for the human body to regulate its temperature down.”

Kayes is not an anomaly. Western Africa has been in the midst of one of the most severe heatwaves in recent memory for the past couple years. High temperatures in the Sahel region of Africa – the area directly below the Sahara Desert from the coast of Senegal to the west to Eritrea in the east – have been creeping up earlier and earlier on in the year.

Western Africa is routinely subject to heavy heatwaves, but this one has been worse. The area typically sees waves of extreme temperatures hit around March or April, but this year’s wave started in February. According to climate scientists at the World Weather Attribution group, these would have been impossible without the effects of anthropogenic climate change. While the populations of the countries most directly affected, in Burkina Faso and Mali, have become well-acclimated to extreme heat, the recent

temperatures have proven to be too much: the Gabriel Touré hospital in Mali recorded 102 deaths from April 1st to April 4th. Last April, there were 130 deaths recorded over the whole month.

According to the World Weather Attribution group, climate change has made this current heatwave about 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than usual. When combined with high humidity, it becomes impossible for the human body to regulate its temperature down.

It is impossible to live normally, even for those who have adapted better to these temperatures, in temperatures like this.

In nearby Nigeria, the effects of the heatwave have been evident. Combined with damage to the critical infrastructure of the nation by the heat, medical experts in Nigeria have told Nigerians in Abuja, the

“The legacy of colonialism in Africa means extreme climate events, and disproportionate climate impacts.”

capital city, “[d]on’t even bother to step out from 10am to 6pm.” Medical professionals across the country have warned of the effects that the heat can have on cognitive development and the high risk of heat stroke associated with consistent heat. Extreme heat like this occurs, absent human effects, hardly once every 100 years. With current trends, we can expect similar events every 2 years.

As an area that hardly contributes to the climate change it experiences, there is a fundamentally unequal relationship at play. The legacy of colonialism in Africa means extreme climate events, and disproportionate climate impacts. Situated within an incredibly disparate culpability – over 92% of CO2 emissions come from countries in the Global North – African countries are fighting against Western emissions much more than their own.

“Climate colonialism”, as it is referred to, runs deep into the financial and discursive dynamics that African countries have with the Global North in relation to global warming. Lately, this has taken a progressive form, with positive climate action from wealthy countries being used to justify more extensions of violent colonial practices.

Financially, it takes the form of paradoxical practices like “carbon offsetting” – the practice of wealthy nations building carbon sequestration facilities in the Global South to mitigate their carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. On paper, this checks out – carbon sequestration, despite all its shortcomings, has some benefits. But when it operates to grab land for developments to cover up increases in emissions, no one benefits except them. Reforestation projects are another example of this. The term reforestation inspires hope, green imagery, and warm feelings about the future. Wealthier nations take up these projects in Africa to restore greenery and combat desertification. In reality, the projects are breeding grounds for human rights abuses and land grabs.

In a discursive sense, the headlines received from this seek to absolve all culpability that Western nations have in the creation of these climate disasters – the extreme heat in Kayes and West Africa is framed as a bad heatwave, but nothing uncommon to the region. Climate effects in Africa are under-covered by dominant news outlets in comparison to climate effects in Western nations. Local

African journalists who report on climate issues are often ignored by international agendas, a recent news study found, and regional climate data is often viewed as non-credible. The relations between the Global North and South on climate issues is still one characterized by the saviorism of the North and its belief of helplessness from the South, especially in Africa.

When we step back, this means nothing to the people in Kayes. They are in the midst of an incredible heatwave. Policy doesn’t matter today. But looking at tomorrow, and next year, we need to act. Climate colonialism is unbearably heavy for those it effects most directly. Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate summed it up as such: “We cannot adapt to starvation. We cannot adapt to extinction. We cannot eat coal. We cannot drink oil. We will not give up.”

EcoBrick Block-I by SECS Media Working Group

Eco-Bricking

By: Grace Denton

Plastic is overpowering our planet. Animals suffocate on bits called nurdles, which are broken-down pellets of plastic; pieces float onto beaches and ruin the natural landscape; whole islands of plastic form in the ocean. There are countless examples of the harm plastic has brought to the earth. A solution to this is ecobricks— single-use plastics stuffed in a plastic water bottle. All of the materials are things that people commonly use and throw away. This is a way to recycle and reuse this trash and turn it into something better for the environment.

To make them, you first need single-use plastics, like plastic bags, packaging, bubble wrap, or newspaper covers, and plastic water bottles, preferably of the same size to have uniformity in your projects. The key is to make sure the plastic is all clean (aka has not touched food) and the water bottles are not wet. Fortunately, you can clean the plastics using soap and water, but this does take more time.

After everything is clean and dry, take a metal straw, or just your hands, and stuff

the plastics into the water bottle. The goal is to make them hard like bricks; you should not be able to squeeze them. The straw helps you to reach the bottom, where it is usually most challenging to make hard. They should have weight and be sturdy.

When you create all these bricks, you can do whatever you want with them! Some common uses are art projects, bench-making, or even giving them to depots that accept donations. These places then send the bricks to developing countries, where they use them for larger projects with cement and other stronger materials. People can make homes, couches, gardens, and other large everyday items. More information on the bricks can be found on the official website: https://ecobricks.org/en/.

Although this is a great source of reusing plastics, this is not an excuse to the overall problem. The main goal is to still limit your plastic use. This is just a good way to utilize the plastic you do use or find.

“Plant the Seeds for a Secure Future”

Collage by Yesenia Adrianzen

The Privilege of Environmental Ethics

By: Spencer Durnell

When I observe my peers donning the aesthetics of environmentalism, I see the seeds of coast-to-coast defeatism and complacency planted in real time. Allow me to explain.

I am of the opinion that environmentalism, in its broadest terms and definitions, has permeated the mainstream. Take a sample of your typical Americans and you’d find that especially among the younger generations, many of them have found a place in their ethical framework for consideration of our natural environments. Most generally, that there are bad ways of interacting with our natural world and there are better ways of interacting with our natural world. Consider the swift adaptations of American markets to cater to consumer attitudes toward the environment. Soda bottles have become clear and allegedly more recyclable. Fashion brands now advertise their clothes as using “sustainable” materials. Oil companies have rebranded partially

or entirely to incorporate renewable energy in their operations. Whether or not these constitute greenwashing campaigns is of valid criticism on its own, but I use this to highlight the change in weight that the environment holds in the mind of the everyman.

This entrance of environmentalism into the consciousness of ordinary people is a welcome sight. With this momentum carries the further possibility to change more minds, to catalyze a broad movement, and to see concrete results. What is of concern to me here is the enabling of a certain kind of “pop-environmentalism,” an easily digestible movement that, through its casting a wide net, dilutes its purpose.

Issues pertaining to the environment are particularly nuanced and require careful considerations across disciplines to reach tangible solutions. My own casting a wide net for the term “environment” is

“Without any hope, you submit yourself to certain loss.”

a testament to its innate nebulousness. Where are the borders here for our “environment?” If I would embolden myself to make a great leap and say that there are none, that we are surrounded by and/ or are one in the same with our environment, then we are truly in the middle of one of the most complex issues of our time. Attempting to encapsulate it all for a greater use, for a set of values to place oneself with in this world, easily creates room for compromises and shortcuts.

It is precisely here, in this new environmentalist landscape, where I place the individual. Influenced through osmosis or a personal yearning for knowledge and justice, the individual thrusts themself in the issues of the environment. In time, they embody the broad strokes of the movement. From this moment branches two possible hangups, both leading to the same place.

The first problem is complacency. After adopting environmentalist ethos, the individual takes a step further. They find community, go to a few protests and town hall meetings, sign petitions, and so on. They have leveraged their time and voice in a real way and have taken their first steps towards actionable change. But what if they rest on their laurels? What if this set of values and actions, though

absolutely valid and necessary, becomes sufficient, that this care alone has been enough for one to commit to?

The second problem is defeatism. Our individual here takes the same steps as before with their activism. What if, instead of being satisfied, they become disillusioned? That in their immersion in the environmental problems of our time, they discover that these problems are so monumental, so embedded in our society, that it looks as though there is no way out?

The effort to change our relationship with the natural world, such as through oil divestment and renewables investment, industrial regulations, and green space allotments, can be both draining and fruitless. One can give so much of themself without really seeing the needle pushed. Prolonging this strife naturally breeds a doubt that can destroy hope. Without any hope, you submit yourself to certain loss.

Both complacency and defeatism carry the potential for a certain kind of negligence. Suddenly, the measures taken by other activists seem extreme and the individual struggles to identify with the movement. Give them some years, and they become moderate and deaf to the

cries of the marginalized. The critical focus on communities and the systems that hang over them is lost, the values found vain and insubstantial.

Though it seems that I am only entertaining vague what-ifs, I would like to make the assertion that these two symptoms of environmental mediocrity are not only possible, but probable among the college educated. Large swaths of the US are currently not nearly as vulnerable to environmental changes as are other regions of the globe (the Andes, Southeast Asia, the Sahel to name a few). Further, those of us with the resources to pursue higher education, those of a chiefly middle to upper class suburban background, are not likely to be subject to the brunt of the blow anyway.

This presents to us here an inherent privilege. Some of the most outspoken advocates for change are those least to be affected by those changes. For them, the ethic lies exclusively on moral grounds without any material pressure. Thus, their involvement is only an extension of their empathy. They don’t have to care. They will remain comfortable from their side. It is in the residence of this comfortable position that raises concerns for the settling in and moderation of prior values. When our generation finally assumes the leadership roles of our forebears, we must not lose focus. Assuming some in this privileged class are included, if they become moderate and compromise their commitment to the environment, they become saboteurs to the cause.

Consider the Sinemas and Fettermans of the world. Those who garner support through progressive rhetoric (some even calling themselves progressive) and then

“This regression cannot be tolerated. It kills momentum and gives grace to the mechanisms that perpetuate these earthly shocks.”

shift their stances as soon as they occupy positions of power. Kyrsten Sinema, for example, poses as a pro-labor, pro-environment politician, but then votes against minimum wage increases and climate funding. Their previous views capitulated so as not to rock the boat. Usher in more expressly oppositional political players, such as the immense body of pro-oil lobbyists, and suddenly change becomes utopian ideal and the status quo much more viable. This regression cannot be tolerated. It kills momentum and gives grace to the mechanisms that perpetuate these earthly shocks.

I say all of this because I have had the great opportunity to become acquainted with and quite fond of many students here that place themselves in the struggle towards sustainable, equitable systems. I wholeheartedly believe that there exists a tremendous potential for these students to take on key roles in the future, whether that be through policy, journalism, law, activism etc. It is then for me particularly personal and crucial to communicate that the road to systemic change is not for the weak of heart. Your ideals will be tested every step of the way, and if you bend them to walk through the path of least resistance, you will be fundamentally changed in time. When you are needed most by the people, you

will be indistinguishable from the same ideas you aimed to fight against. And when the pressure comes, if the trammels of moderacy bind us to mere solitary inaction, then we are lost.

It is not in these words that I wish to instill shame into and animosity between the environmentally concerned. It is unfair for me to set the barometer for appropriate levels of activism. I do not believe there is a cutoff point where I can decidedly say that this is where a person

is appropriately concerned or not. Everybody contributes however they can. I’d rather like to call to reflection one’s place in the system, and how their implicit distance from the principal damages may bring about a shakiness in belief that needs to be continuously put in check. Be loud, be brave, but be strategic. Keep learning, keep caring, keep building these worlds of understanding between each other. But never forget that how you position yourself now will make all the difference later.

“Be loud, be brave, but be strategic. Keep learning, keep caring, keep building these worlds of understanding between each other. But never forget that how you position yourself now will make all the difference later.”

Oil Pastel by Minal Sarkar

“Walk through Kangra-Dharamshala”

Watercolor and Pencil by Minal Sarkar

“Visit to Tsuglagkhang Complex”

(Left)

(Above)

Oil Pastel by Minal Sarkar

“Moments from Kabekona”

The Green Observer strives to highlight sustainability and environmentalism in its diverse facets. Our magazine uses EB Garamond, an eco-friendly font that uses less ink than comparable faces.

Photo Credit: Josh Robinson