SPECIAL EDITION by The Wichitan and Wai Kun

E V I S U L C X E Jan. 22, 2020 | thewichitan.com |Real Students. Real Stories. | Special Edition

H OTTE R TH AN

HELL! AUSTRALIA ENGULFED BY FLAMES

SCAN THE QR CODE BELOW TO DONATE TO A FIRE RELIEF FUND.

Jan. 22, 2020 SPECIAL EDITION

S T A FF EDI T O R I A L

GLOBAL WARMING: IT’S REAL

n entire continent has been on fire since September 2019, yet there are still people who deny climate change is a reality. Last year, one of Texas’s largest cities was drowned and caused millions of dollars in damages after two 100-year hurricanes hit Houston back-to-back. It’s tiresome to rehash facts and statistics to people who choose to be ignorant on this topic, yet it’s important now more than ever to take a stand and stop allowing people to entertain the idea that climate change isn’t happening. Water is literally creeping into people’s backyards who live on the coast, we saw what happened to Houston with Hurricane Harvey in 2018 where more than 80 million people were affected and are still being affected to date and an entire continent has been on fire for the entirety of winter break. These facts can’t be ignored or rebutted; individuals who choose to deny science and the factuality of this major issue with the world are the reason that steps toward resolution for climate change are slowed. This world was around before humans, and humans should not be the cause of its

demise in the blip that we’ve been on it. Still don’t think climate change is real? Here’s some evidence:

• Since the late 19th Century, the average temperature of the Earth has risen by 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit (0.9 degrees Celsius) which is a change driven mostly from an increase in carbon monoxide and other human-made emissions entering the atmosphere. • The year 2016 was the warmest on record with 8/12 months (January-September, excluding June) having record-high temperatures as well. • Greenland lost an average of 286 billion tons of ice per year between the years 1993-2016 while Antarctica lost 127 billion tons of ice per year within the same timeframe. • Glaciers are diminishing greatly everywhere around the world. • The amount of spring snow-cover has decreased in the Northern Hemisphere over the last 50 years. • The number of record-high

temperatures is at a constant increase while the number of record-low temperatures has decreased since 1950 in the U.S. with an increased ammount of intense rainfall. • Ocean acidification has risen 30% since the industrial revolution, and the amount of carbon monoxide absorption by the upper layer of the oceans is increasing by about 2 billion tons per year. • The global sea level has risen 8 inches in the last century. The biggest claim against climate change is that the world has always changed. Opponents claim climates change all the time. While weather patterns change from year to year, the climate is a more fixed average, and the reality is that Earth will continue to reach climate-tipping points. We believe electing officials who are educated in this matter will indubitably help this issue the world is facing, and individuals should educate themselves on what they can do to help this matter. The solution for decreasing the advancement of global warming is to reduce the amount of fossil fuels

EDITORS: Kristin Silva, Amos Perkins PHOTO EDITOR: Bridget Reilly Vol. 84 | No. 6

Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room D201 3410 Taft Blvd. | Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 wichitan@msutexas.edu | thewichitan.com @wichitanonline

DESIGNERS: Brittni Vilandre, Omar Combie BUSINESS MANAGER: Jeri Moore

ADVISOR: Jonathon Quam

we are burning and the rate we burn them at. If we don’t do our part in decreasing our carbon footprint, we are to expect more climate catastrophes throughout the 21st Century such as the Australian wildfires and Hurricane Harvey. If our leaders and activists don’t continue the efforts to reduce the rate of emissions entering the atmosphere, it will be difficult to undo or recover from said catastrophes if we don’t start changing the way we live our everyday lives. Young people have always been a driver for change despite stigmas, and while there will always be punk kids who give generations a bad rap by eating Tide Pods, there will also be 15-year-old activists named Time’s Person of the Year for taking charge and leading a movement in making climate change credible. Students, staff and faculty fought on campus to have recycling returned after administration members reported little to no interaction. To show that we care about the environment and what happens globally, not just on this campus, we have to be more invested and active in the news, what’s going on around us and how we live.

Copyright ©2019. First copy free. Additional copies $1.00 each. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication. Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief (250 words or fewer) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a email address, telephone number and address.

Jan. 22, 2020 SPECIAL EDITION

B E F O RE

A FT E R

PHOTO COUTESY OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE VITAL SIGNS

PHOTO COUTESY OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE VITAL SIGNS OF THE PLANET

OF THE PLANET

The amount that the ice has melted since 1979 is a direct result of ocean levels rising.

The amount of glacieral coverage in 1979 was significantly more than in current years.

PHOTO COUTESY OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE VITAL SIGNS OF THE PLANET

The current carbon dioxide level has jumped to a frightening level as opposed to previous years.

BE F O RE PHOTO COUTESY OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE VITAL SIGNS OF THE PLANET

The world temperature at normal rates in 1979.

A FT E R PHOTO COUTESY OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE VITAL SIGNS OF THE PLANET

The world temperature change has increased dramatically over the course of almost 40 years.

Jan. 22, 2020 SPECIAL EDITION

Dog Leg Farm perseveres after bushfire devastation BRIDGET REILLY Hunter said. “Then we drove around and went ‘Oh god, no,’ friends had made for them over the years. PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR and saw the destruction and just burst into tears. It was horri“Just personal little things,” Annetts said. “We’re going ble. It was really heartbreaking.” ustralia’s historic town of Braidwood and the land of to sift through the rubble and see if we can find little tiny Yuin Country, located just over an hour from the AusAfter an hour of walking around assessing the damage, things. I left a ring beside the bed that I like. It may have tralian Capital Territory, was surrounded by a bushfire Hunter said their main feeling was relief. melted. Most of the soft metals melted, so it’d probably be just in late Nov. 2019. As the fire closed in around the community, a blob.” “It was almost like a sense of relief because we didn’t have residents were told they couldn’t leave and they needed to to wait anymore. We had spent a whole week waiting to see if After burning through their property, the North Black take shelter and activate their bushfire survival plan. While it was going to come,” she said. “So, we thought, ‘Oh well it’s Range fire moved onto other surrounding properties. The the town of Braidwood was left standing, a number of surdone now, at least we can sleep.’ We actually slept really well danger remained despite the fire spreading onward, and the rounding communities were reduced to ashes. that night, because we had been so tired.” scene was apocalyptic. Among the ashes was a self-sustainable property, Dog Leg Despite their four years of hard labor lying in ruins, the Two ringtail possums fall victim to the bushfires. It is esFarm, run by Angela Hunter and Jake Annetts, eight miles couple picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and got timated that over half a billion Australian animals have been west of Braidwood. The 27-acre property was built from the to work. killed in this 2019/2020 bushfire season. Jan 12. ground up four years ago. Using natural sequence farming “It was just a full time go after that,” Hunter said. “We got “For days, we still had fire crews coming through because and permaculture techniques, Hunter and Annetts turned back up here and thought, ‘Well what do we do now? Where trees would suddenly go up [in flames],” Hunter said. “We had their land into a flourishing wildlife sanctuary for native all this mulch lying around, which had big pieces of wood in Australian animals and plants. Before the bushfire, the couple do we start?’” The Braidwood community didn’t waste a second. A Goit and [the fire] would slowly work its way through, then hit a was planning a project to grow enough organic food to freely FundMe campaign was set up by friends, and offers of food, piece of wood and go up again and take out a tree.” share with people who need it because they “don’t think peoclothing, and furniture came flying in. ple who are struggling should have to go without really good Between building a new place to sleep and filling out healthy food.” Despite the loss, this power-couple has been “Everybody was like, ‘We can come help you. We can come paperwork, there has been little time for the couple to process making the best of the situation. “There does come a point, I think, where there’s only so much you can grieve,” Annetts said. “It’s not like we can change what happened. So we’re just getting on and trying to make the best of the situation. A lot of people have said to us they can’t believe how positive we are being, but we’re just being. We’re not really thinking about how we’re being; we’re just getting on.” Built just two years ago by the pair, their home was made from all recycled materials. “Our house was just a hand-built cabin. Everything we got was from the tip. The floorboards were from a friend of mine who was redoing his business and the windows came from Revolve (reuse and recycling facility),” Hunter said. In the days leading up to the devastation, the couple enacted their fire survival plan and evacuated to their daughter’s home in Braidwood, coming back whenever they could to check on their property. Despite the fire danger, Annetts checked on his neighbor, Chris, to see how he was. “I just hated the thought of him being left to fight the fires on his own, so I went to check that he was ok and he was quite confident,” Annetts said. “He had his radio, he had a plan, three IBCs (intermediate bulk containers) on the back of a truck, a pump and all that stuff.” It wasn’t until Annetts was standing on a different neighbor’s roof, Andrew, with embers falling around them that he realized Dog Leg Farm was also in imminent danger. PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN “I’ve never seen anything like it — it felt like we were Bombay, New South Wales. Ange Hunter and Jake Annetts self-built home didn’t fair too well in the North Black Range, Palabout to be hit by a giant. You could hear it in the distance. It erange bushfire. Jan. 8. sounded like a distant aircraft firing up,” Annetts said. That night, Hunter and Annetts sat in anticipation listenclean up,’” Hunter sawid. “Suddenly everyone came out of the what has happened to them. ing to the RFS radio when they heard a firefighter mention a woodwork, [and] the whole town was running around for us. “I do sometimes have a bit of a teary moment when I’m fire had broken out on their road. It was amazing, absolutely amazing.” on my own in the car and a tune comes on that sets me off,” “We got a call from Chris somewhere between 11:30 p.m. Similar to many other bushfire victims, Hunter and AnAnnetts said. “I have not fully let go yet.” and midnight saying the fire has gone through our place,” netts were only able to grab a few personal belongings before “New Year’s Day, I came up here by myself because I Hunter said. “He didn’t know if the house was there or not bethe fire hit. hadn’t been here alone, and the place had always been crowdcause it was dark and smoky so we had to wait until the next “We were able to get five or six guitars, the ones that we ed so I just wanted to come sit and take it all in,” Hunter said. morning just thinking, ‘Oh god, what are we going to face?’” use generally, the precious ones,” Hunter said. “[We also re“I thought, ‘I’m gonna have a sit and a bit of a cry and a bit Hunter and Annetts came up at first light the next morntrieved] my camera and important paperwork. We were kind of a release.’ There were flies everywhere, and it was smoky, ing to see what was left standing of their property. of a bit complacent, thinking, ‘Oh, it’ll be fine.’” and it was hot, and there was all this ash, and I just felt like I [couldn’t sit and cry]. We’re still in it, in the middle of it, so we “We drove up the driveway and I could see the shed and I Some of the items the couple lost included: two banjos, a was like, ‘Yes! The shed is ok! Maybe everything is alright,’” dulcimer, violins, a mandolin, a bass guitar and artwork that can’t even process it yet. We’ve just been go, go, go the whole

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN Bombay, New South Wales. Ange Hunter and Jake Annetts selfbuilt home didn’t fair too well in the North Black Range, Palerange bushfire. Jan. 8.

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN Bombay, New South Wales. Two ringtail possums (native to Australia) fall victim to the bushfires. It is estimated that over half a billion Australian animals have been killed in this 2019/2020 bushfire season. Jan. 12.

time since it happened.” The remains of a path going to a little garden in the paddock of Dog Leg Farm. Jan 8. Like many Australians, they have been disappointed in the government’s response to the bushfire crisis. “I’m gobsmacked at the lack of interest in it to start with,” Hunter said. “You know, when it was coming, everybody was like the place is on fire, the place is on fire, and [Prime Minister Scott Morrison] was all, ‘No, it’s fine, it’s fine.’ Then he went on holiday and [David Elliott, Emergency Services Minister] went on holiday. They literally ignored it, until suddenly people died and then it was important.” In 2007, Professor Ross Garnaut led a climate change review, which looked at the impacts of climate change on Australia. The report stated that without sufficient action, the Australian fire season would intensify by 2020. The 2019/2020 bushfire season has surpassed Australian records, burning 42.3 million acres of Australia’s landscape with three months still left of the season. According to ecologists at the University of Sydney, approximately 500 million native wildlife have been affected, with millions feared dead. The death toll has risen to 28 people (including 5 firefighters), and more than 2,700 houses have been destroyed with 120+ fires still active. Hunter and Annetts are mystified as to why the government hadn’t taken action sooner. “They knew about this. They knew it was coming. They still pulled funding. They still didn’t give us what we needed. At the start of the fires, there were other countries [offering help]. I think the U.S. was offering us fire bombers, but he was going, ‘Nope, we got this. We don’t need it, we don’t need it,’ and then did nothing. The fire that came through here, that was over on the Tallaganda forest, if that had been firebombed when it first started, it would have stopped all of it from hitting us.” There are hundreds of organizations and charities across the country that offer help to victims of the bushfires get back on their feet. However, knowing about and finding aid relief has been a difficult task. “People have been sending us links, saying, ‘Do you know you can get a grant from the Red Cross?’ and we’re like, ‘No, we knew nothing about this!’ Why haven’t they got a government representative in town going, ‘Come to us, here are all the grants you can get, here are all the forms that you need.’ There’s nobody.” Hunter and Annetts have been able to see the positives in their dark times, noting that people are starting to realize that it’s the community that holds everything together. “We always used to say that if Braidwood was cut off from the rest of the world, we’d survive, and we have,” Hunter said. “We’ve had our roads cut off completely, but here we all are holding each other up and supporting each other — it’s amazing.” With the help of Jarrah Kidd, friend of the couple, they are working on re-configuring their shed so they have a place to sleep. Although Kidd needed the work, he offered to help for free. With the funds raised from the GoFundMe campaign and the intention of “putting money back into the community”, they have used some of the money to reward Kidd for his hard work. BlazeAid has also come to their side by helping mend and rebuild the damaged fences and chicken coop. To help with creating new gardens and the construction of another hand-built home, visit their GoFundMe page:

https://au.gofundme.com/f/dog-leg-farm

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN Bombay, New South Wales. BlazeAid volunteers hard at work fixing the chicken coop at Dog Leg Farm. BlazeAid is a volunteer organization dedicated to repairing damaged property affected by natural disasters. Jan. 8.

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN Bombay, New South Wales. Ange Hunter and Jake Annetts inspect a fallen eucalyptus gum tree. Jan. 12.

Jan. 22, 2020 SPECIAL EDITION

BUSHFIRE CRISIS