8 Blueprint
OPINIONS
Dec. 16, 2016
Staff editorial: The global warming debate heats up time, and this is only the shortlist. These changes will cause an increase in weather-related deaths, kill our food supply and destroy the ecosystems of thousands of animal species. It’s time to panic. It may be hard to see initially what the big deal is about climate change because we’re only changing the temperature of the Earth a couple degrees. However, that seemingly small temperature change comes with consequences. The issue of climate change wouldn’t be nearly so much of an issue if everyone could acknowledge the problem and make it a priority. Unfortunately, approximately 30% of Americans deny climate change science. This includes our president-elect, who has tweeted that “the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese,” and that it is an “expensive hoax.” Here are the facts: climate change is real. It’s happening right now, and if we don’t do something about it within the next few years, we’re going to be facing disastrous consequences. Why
for people that far in the future. So to rally millions of people and get them to care about future generations is tough. However, if we had leaders who advocate for climate control, we might have a chance at fighting this innate struggle against personal sacrifice and uniting to fight climate change instead. Trump recently promised to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, eliminate the Clean Power Plan and bring back the coal industry. Taking these actions would not only negate the work that has already been done to fight climate change, but would set us further back in our efforts to restore the ozone layer and the Earth’s natural temperature. Illustration by Marisa Kasher How do we prevent this and stop ourselves do so many people deny or ignore the from killing our planet? There are facts? many small solutions, like conserving Part of the answer can be found energy, persuading your parents to in human psychology. It’s hard for do so or looking for alternatives when humans to make personal sacrifices it comes to the amount of energy you in the present to ensure the safety of use. It all makes a difference, as long generations in the distant future; we as people get together and make these simply didn’t evolve to have empathy changes.
Everyone has that one thing that makes them better at being who they are, something that drives their happiness, their true passion. We can all advocate for the things we love to do and want more people to do. Whether it’s a sport, activity, club, idea, etc., we all have something that makes our little world go round. Travel is what makes mine. After traveling to six different countries, I fully advocate for packing bags and getting on a plane across the world. The view of the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de TriomThere is so much more you can phe. learn from the world by experiPhoto by Kim Nothdurft encing it instead of reading about it in a textbook. Nothing compares to Berlin, Germany: Berlin reseeing Paris from the top of the Eiffel minded me a lot of the United States. Tower or walking the cobblestone It was modern and industrial, but streets of Spain. Here is a list of five still looked like nothing I’d ever seen of the major vacations I have been on before. The train brings you through and what I learned to appreciate by the city and each building you pass experiencing different cultures. tells its own story. In its own EuParis, France: In a country filled ropean way, it makes you feel like with history, you are bound to run you’re following a long line of history. into something that pleases you. In As you walk down the streets, it feels Paris, you can go to the Eiffel Tower, like you’re walking through your the Notre Dame Cathedral, the history textbook. You know what Louvre or you could just go outside happened with Hitler’s regime, but to of your hotel and be in a place you’ve see what’s left over of the city, makes never loved more. You read about you gain a new appreciation for what French art and history every year in happened during that time period. high school, but you’ll never appreToledo, Spain: Of all the places I ciate it until you see it. The Mona have been, there is no place like ToleLisa’s eyes really do follow you no do. Nothing makes you feel more like matter where you stand, and the food a piece of history. All of the roads are really is to die for. narrow and cobblestoned, lined with
shops mixed of three different religious cultures: Muslim, Jewish and Christian, that have come, conquered and been conquered in the little city on a hill. With a large fortress in the middle and cathedrals on every corner, it makes you want to drop your whole life as you know it and move there. By visiting a place so versatile, it taught me about religions that I never understood or accepted until I could see them for my own eyes. London, England: When you finally see a red telephone booth and a double decker bus in person, you’ll A busy cobble stone street in the town Toledo, Spain. fill a void in your heart you Photo by Kim Nothdurft didn’t even know existed. The best view of London is at night right on the Waterto it. With hundreds of hills and brilloo bridge with a perfect view of the liant flowers, it’s the perfect city for Eye and Big Ben. No matter what people of all ages. The Fisherman’s the weather is, you won’t want to Wharf is home to happiness and sea leave the bridge because you’re just lions, something you don’t see comtaken aback by the city’s gorgeousing from the Midwest. If there has ness. No matter how much you study ever been a place so filled with life, the history of England and the ideas it’s San Francisco. Plus, “Full House” that made up parliament, it won’t was filmed there. ever make you understand until you With all of that being said, there watch it work in action. is so much more in a city than there San Francisco, United States: is in the four walls of a classroom, or It doesn’t take an eight hour flight within the pages of a textbook. Travto get in touch with the world and eling gives you an understanding of people around you. All it really takes the world around you and allows you is an open mind and a new place to gain an acceptance for all cultures. you’ve never been before. I’ve been to If I could advocate for you to do anya lot of cities and although my heart thing with your life, I would tell you will always have a special place for to travel. After all, travel is the only Chicago, San Francisco comes close thing you buy that makes you richer.
By Michelle Hroma, Online Editor-in-Cheif Eileen Tyrrell, Online Entertainment Editor If everyone in the world lived the way people do in the U.S., it would take five earths to provide enough resources for everyone. This may not seem scary to some, but humans are causing more damage to the Earth than ever before. According to worldometers.com, the human population has increased exponentially in the past 50 years. With population increasing at this rate, more is being consumed than is sustainable. Crash course: there are renewable, nonrenewable and potentially renewable resources. Humans consume nonrenewable resources more than anything else; whether it be coal, oil, natural gas, etc. Unfortunately, acquiring and using these resources are detrimental to the planet. They can cause air pollution, water pollution, acid rain and more. Not only is the use of these resources bad for the environment, but they are nonrenewable. At the rate people use them, we will run out sooner than later. Shrinking ice caps. Rising sea levels. Stronger hurricanes and shorter winters. Acidification of the ocean. Crop failure. The revenge of the Earth is upon us as we begin to see the effects of climate change for the first
Travel brings life to the lessons learned within school
By Kim Nothdurft, Social Media Director