4/24/21 Red & Black Issue

Red & Black

The Free

s t u d e n t n e w s pa p e r o f w a s h i n g t o n a n d j e f f e r s o n c o l l e g e w j r e da n d b l ac k . c o m W a s h i n g t o n , P e n n s y lva n i a April 23, 2021

WHAT’S IN THIS WEEK’S PAPER...

W&J Students Advocate for Earth Day PAGE 3

CURRENT EVENTS Biden’s climate change budget is still in the beginning workings of becoming enacted, and the administration definitely still has some things they need to clarify and work on. -P.8

DIVERSITY

Vanessa Nakate is a Ugandan climate justice activist, a prominent member of the Fridays for Future movement in Uganda and founder of The Rise Up Climate movement. -P.10

OPINIONS To conserve water, west coast residents have been asked to do whatever they can to limit water usage. To help combat this, Las Vegas water officials have been asking for grass to be replaced with less waterintensive desert plants, a call that has gone largely unheeded. -P.13

SPORTS

[A recent sports analysis] said that by 2050, one in four English Football League fields can expect to flood every year. -P.19

Courtesy Tony Columbus via wjsustainability.org

WJREDANDBLACK.COM

2 CAMPUS NEWS

Red & Black

23 April 2021

Student Spotlight: Carmine “Ragu” Bellini Reilly Oliverio Red & Black Editor

Carmine (Sam) Bellini ’21, known affectionatly as “Little Ragu” by his friends, is preparing himself for graduation in his final semester at Washington and Jefferson College. Bellini is from Mt. Lebanon Pennsylvania where he attended Mt. Lebanon Highschool.

While there he was a member of both the Tennis and Golf teams where he dominated in extreme fashion.

When looking at colleges Sam Bellini decided on Washington and Jefferson for a multitude of reasons. “I really liked the idea of being close to home and being close to Pittsburgh so I could watch the Steeler’s games with my Pops. I also had a cousin going to the school at the time and he convinced me looking at the school.”

Along with being familiar with the school and the area Bellini also had the chance to participate in college athletics here at Washington and Jefferson.

“A big reason I was looking the school was so I could continue in my golfing career and play athletics at a higher level.”

Bellini is a business major at Washington and Jefferson. He choose this major because, “I originally came into the school undecided but I decided on business because I thought it would give me a good opportunity for me to learn about the business world.” Bellini has already but his studies in good use working for his father’s business in the summers. “My dad is a big inspiration to me and has been successful in the business world and I want to follow in his footsteps.”

Upon graduation Bellini is going to try and continue increasing his knowledge in the business world. After may

he is planning on attending an apprenticeship and continue working with his father in both the business and real estate world.

Outside of his studies Sam Bellini participates in many different activities at Washington and Jefferson. He is a brother of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and a member of the men’s tennis team. “Although I originally came to Washington and Jefferson to play golf I really missed tennis and decided to take my chance at tennis again.” Bellini’s run at on the tennis team has been a successful one winning PAC first team in singles and PAC second team in doubles. He has also won player of the week a couple of times and helped the team achieve a PAC championship.

When not playing tennis or working on his studies Bellini is still an avid golfer. He and his companions golf on their free time. “Although I do not golf for the school anymore I still have a love for the game that burns too hard to diminish. I do get tired of beating my friends in golf and I still long for the competitive matches I used to play.”

Along with golfing Sam loves reading and has even starting drawling on his free times. “I have to credit my friend Molly for getting me into art, she has shown me how special a homemade art piece can be and the satisfaction of creating my very own work.”

Sam Bellini is excited to graduate in May and had a few shoutouts for those that helped him along the way. “I want to thank my Dad the “Big Ragu” and my Mom the “Sweet Ragu” for being an inspiration and for pushing me to be my very best! I want to thank my friends Wyatt Geary, Jacob Duda and Liam Sullivan for being a shoulder to cry on when I was at my lowest and lifting me up when I was at my highest!”

Courtesy Carmine Bellini

Carmine Bellini is nearing the end of his final semester at W&J.

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23 April 2021

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CAMPUS NEWS 3

W&J Students Advocate for Earth Day John Kiebler Red & Black Staff

For Earth Day 2021, several W&J students, faculty members, community organizations and climate change activists came together celebrate and advocate. Erin Herock ’21, with help from Marcy Saldivar ’21 and Rachel Karman ’23, spearheaded the virtual Earth Week Fair website (wjsustainability.org). Herock explained, “I started this website last year around Earth Day to connect the W&J community together during the pandemic.

Because the community is still half remote and half in person, I decided to re-run it with even more features this April.”

Saldivar contributed, “I wanted to get involved with the website because I believe topics, especially those involving climate justice, do not get enough attention.”

The website features blog posts and creative pieces, such as short stories and poems, from over 30 student authors. Blog posts were posted daily for a week organized by theme. Themes included wildlife conservation, environmental work by W&J students and alumni, travelling for environmental education, evolving food systems, intersectional environmentalism and sustainability.

Various blog post topics included animal rehabilitation, an alum volunteer experience with AmeriCorps, tourism in Costa Rica, hydroponic gardening, environmental and human rights issues at the US-Mexico border, and biophilic cities. Other aspects of the website are celebration ideas, W&J sustainability committee efforts and Washington County organizations

and sustainability initiatives. Karman is hopeful the website will educate the W&J student body, “I hope that students who maybe didn’t consider the health of the Earth before, start to notice how some human actions negatively impact our environment more than others!”

Selena Easley ’21, with help from Kali Bunecicky ’21 and Kayla Stanczack ‘24, organized the first annual W&J Sustainability Summit on April 17, and it was composed of in-person, virtual, and hybrid events.

Easley explained, “As a graduating environmental studies student, I wanted to ignite conversations and bring attention to important issues surrounding sustainability, climate change, and

environmental justice across campus in honor of Earth Day.” The virtual summit featured keynote speaker Majora Carter, a prominent environmental activist. There was also a session hosted by Sharon Hodges and sessions hosted by several W&J clubs and initiatives such as Refugee Voices, Jay Birds, History Club, Black Student Union, College Democrats, Biology Club, Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society, Latino Cultural Association, and Society of Physics Students. There also was a virtual showing of documentary “From Paris to Pittsburgh.” On campus, there was a Sustainability Summit activity fair where several campus clubs gathered (social distanced) for giveaways,

games, environmental education, and more. These students are thrilled to spark the conversation surrounding environmental issues and sustainability at W&J. Herock concluded, “I hope the W&J community takes away that diverse perspective is so important in the conversation of how to tackle the climate crisis as well as other environmental disasters. We bring to the table our collective perspectives and talents, and we can make an impact on our future.” Easley added, “I hope that the Sustainability Summit becomes a new W&J tradition in regards to celebrating Earth Day. However, it is important that these environmental issues are discussed throughout the year and not simply in April.”

Courtesy wjsustainability.org

The W&J community comes together to celebrate Earth Day virtually.

4 Campus News

23 April 2021 Red & Black

Career Service Announcements Event:

Attention Seniors! Embark

Event:

Embark presents: “Job Search

presents: Group Career Coaching

and Post-Grad Planning in 2021”

Date:

April 28 and May 5

featuring W&J Alumni

Time:

7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Date:

April 21

Type:

Virtual – Go to the Handshake Events

Time:

7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Calendar to access the Zoom link

Type:

Virtual – Go to the Handshake Events

Description:

Group Career Coaching! Join certified coach, Jami Klingensmith from the

Calendar to access the Zoom link

Description:

Hear from recent W&J alum as they cover

Center for Professional and Career

topics like: managing your professional

Pathways for a high impact career

life during this complicated time, what

coaching group. In this deep dive you

it’s like to be a young professional

will explore all things career – job

in 2021, and managing your career,

searching, career management, and

graduate school, job searching, and

more!

transitions in your profession amid a pandemic.

Secured a summer internship? Enter our giveaway!

Career Services is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card. To be entered into this drawing you must email careerservices@ washjeff.edu with the news of a confirmed internship by April 30. We will draw names from the students who inform us, via email, on Monday, May 3. We will accept emails until 5pm on Friday, April 30.

23 April 2021

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Campus News 5

Follow @wandjcareerservices on Instagram The Career Services Office would like to know if you are following us on Instagram? If you are not, you definitely should be! Not only will you be kept well-informed about the events and programs we sponsor, but you will be entered into raffles all semester long. Names will be drawn from our followers for great prizes such as: a limited edition HydroFlask, Starbucks gift cards, W&J swag, and much more!

A Note from the Editor-In-Chief This issue is focused on environmental issues in honor of Earth Day 2021. The climate change crisis is evolving and becoming more dangerous than ever, so we want to bring awareness to various topics related to the environment. Throughout the issue, you will find several articles in each section focused on climate change, sustainability, environmental policy, and how the W&J campus involved on-campus and virtual students for an Earth Day celebration.

- Marcy Saldivar ‘21

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23 April 2021

Red & Black

Speak Out! How do you support sustainability for Earth Day? “I like to use reuseable water bottles and brita filters so I am not using plastic bottles anymore.”

-Vinny Catania ‘22

“I try to pick up as much trash as I can, especially when I’m outside and I see litter. I hate litter.”

- Juan Caputi ‘22

“I try and aviod unneeded plastic waste by usuing reusable water bottles and bars of soap instead of bottles of body wash.”

-Katie Hahn ‘22

Red & Black Established 1909 Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Campus News Editor Current Events Editor Diversity Editor Opinions Editor Sports Editor Social Media Manager Website Design Manager Distribution Manager Interim Faculty Advisor

Marcy Saldivar Erin Herock Reilly Oliverio Moll Kilbourne Amanda Fitzpatrick Paul Collier Nick Krugh Grace Depaul Raheem Clemons John Kiebler Kellin Cavanaugh

23 April 2021

Red & Black

Current Events 7

Current Events

New Georgia Voting Laws Cause Backlash

Courtesy ABC News

Protesters gather to oppose voter supression.

Moll Kilbourne Red & Black Editor

One of the most efficient ways of showing support or disdain for a cause is choosing where to give one’s money.

In a capitalist society, money is means of having one’s voice heard because the best way to further a cause is to donate money towards it. Following

the changing election laws in Georgia, many companies have withdrawn their business from the state, sending a clear message to the state that they do not support the decisions being made.

There is a significant amount of risk being taken by these companies that are pulling business out of Georgia and taking away from the state’s economy.

Indeed, they are losing not just important political ties with those in office, but also losing money for the company. There is no set manual on how to best handle economic flow coming in from these companies, but it

is important to note that this is not the only means of withdrawing support from elected officials. Companies pulling support out of Georgia by itself would not halt the restrictive voter laws from being passed, but this in combination with protests from the constituents can be powerful enough to demand that the laws do not go into effect.

These companies are not pulling out of the state quietly either, with CEOs of companies releasing statements condemning the voter laws and educating citizens on why they

feel their companies must go against them. The voter laws of Georgia already disenfranchise many Black Americans, stripping them of their political voice on matters such as this.

Even if this bill was able to be voted on, many would not be allowed to have their voices heard, making acts of rebellion against the passing of the law so important. The main mode of democracy is voting, yes, but there are other ways in which people are able to assert their opinions and ensure that their government is working in their best interest.

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Red & Black

23 April 2021

Biden’s Budget Produces Problems

Courtesy New York Times

46th President of the United States, Joseph Biden, lays out plan to combat climate change.

Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff

Recently, President Joe Biden laid out his budget plan for his goal to fight climate change during his presidency.

His plan is to give all of the budget to the agencies who use their resources to fight climate change in America.

His budget consists of $1.5 trillion dollars that is going to be put majorly to conservation. This comes as a major shock for the people of the United

States because of the dramatic turn around the Biden administration had displayed versus the Trump Administration, which allotted a lot less of the budget to fighting climate change. This is a 16 percent increase that falls into line with the Biden administration’s increase in funds towards non-defense agencies. Parts of this budget will go to agencies like the Interior Department, which Biden requested $19.1 billion for them. This agency plans to use the budget for conservation and for highpriority hazardous fuels and forest fire resilience programs. A more recent news release also stated that the Biden administration is calling for $4 billion

for Tribal Nations. Secretary Debra Haaland said in a written statement that, “President Biden’s funding request provides much-needed resources to Tribal Nations, prioritizes racial justice and equity, and invests in healthy lands, waters and a clean energy economy that will create goodpaying jobs.” This $4 billion request is roughly a 17 percent increase from the previous administration. This poses a slight controversy in Biden’s presidency so far because while he seems to be allotting a good amount of the budget to helping Tribal Nations and keeping sovereignty, he is still allowing oil pipelines to cut through their land. Part of Biden’s plan is to

reclaim abandoned mineral mines and oil and gas wells as part of his clean up initiative. The administration did not mention details on how it would encourage voluntary conservation on private lands. On these private lands, the people have a say in what they do with their land and what is in it. Yet, for the lands of the Tribal Nations, Biden is still allowing oil pipelines to flow through their land without letting these Tribal Nations have a say in the matter. Biden’s climate change budget is still in the beginning workings of becoming enacted, and the administration definitely still has some things they need to clarify and work on.

Diversity 9

23 April 2021 Red & Black

Diversity Earth Day 2021: Restore Our Earth Paul Collier Red & Black Editor

As the climate crisis continues to grow, its need for an urgent response grows as well. People exit a global pandemic and expect more to come based on environmental damage, and Earth Day 2021 looks to provide an energetic, passionate forum to help inspire people to create change and fight for environmental justice.

Titled “Restore our Earth,” the event plans to focus on combatting climate change and environmental destruction as a call-to-action following COVID-19. The summit is split into three days and coincides with President Biden’s global climate summit.

The first day, Apr. 20, will see a global collaboration led by Earth Uprising with My Future My Voice and OneMillionOfUs focused on youth involvement in fighting the climate crisis. Activists like Greta Thunberg and Licypriya Kangujam will be offering speeches, panels, discussions and messages on mobilizing and organizing to protest climate inaction and teaching how to effect change for climate. That evening, the Hip Hop Caucus will present what they call the “We Shall Breathe” virtual summit, focusing on

social issues like police brutality, poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic in a racial justice framework as a discussion of environmental justice.

On Apr. 21, Education international will lead a global, virtual and multilingual “Teach for the Planet: Global Education Summit” in which climate activists from every continent will focus on the role of educators in combatting the climate crisis and argue in favor of comprehensive climate education now.

On the final day, Apr. 22, EARTHDAY.ORG will host its second live digital Earth Day event, with workshops, panel discussions and performances focused on the Restore Our Earth theme. World climate leaders, nonprofit leaders, artists and climate activists will be discussing topics including climate and environmental literacy, climate restoration technologies, reforestation, regenerative agriculture, equity and environmental justice, citizen science and clean-ups. This event will begin at 12 PM Eastern Time and coincide with President Biden’s Summit on Climate, featuring 40 world leaders, livestreamed on Apr. 22 and 23.

The countries to participate in the event include 17 responsible for around 80 percent of global emissions and GDP and other countries showing strong leadership on the climate crisis.

Biden plans to discuss the economic benefits on environmental justice and

combatting the climate crisis while creating a call-to-action to act now on climate change and keep global warming within 1.5 degrees Celsius. The United States will have announced an

emissions goal for 2030 under the Paris Climate Accords and hopes this will inspire other countries to act ahead of the climate conference in Glasgow in November.

Courtesy LatestLY

The mission of Earth Day this year is “Restore Our Earth” and plans to focus on combatting climate change and environmental destruction following COVID-19.

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23 April 2021

Unsung Climate Heroes: Vanessa Nakate Amanda Fitzpatrick Red & Black Editor

Vanessa Nakate is a Ugandan climate justice activist, a prominent member of the Fridays for Future movement in Uganda and founder of The Rise Up Climate movement, which is working to amplify the voices of activists in Africa. Nakate has been fighting for environmental racism in the Global South to be included in climate catastrophe conversations.

A year ago, Nakate joined Greta Thunberg and three other European activists at a press conference in Davos. They were there, as Thunberg describes, “to hold leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum accountable for their continued lack of action on the climate crisis.”

However, at the press conference, an Associated Press photographer took a picture of the five activists and Nakate was cropped out of the final picture.

Nakate later told the U.S. news agency “You didn’t just erase a photo. You erased a continent.”

Despite this attempted action to remove Nakate and her achievements from the conversation, Nakate refused to be removed from the conversation. Ultimately, people do not all experience the climate crisis equally – and Nakate makes this clear.

Africa is the most exposed region to the adverse effects of the climate crisis, despite contributing the least to rising emissions. Nakate continues to lead the fight for climate justice, stating “At the end of it all, we are all affected by the climate crisis, though not equally, and that should be the motivation of

many people to fight for those voices, for those communities that are affected the most right now.”

Nakate has truly become a powerful voice calling for an end to all fossil-fuel investment across Africa. This is evident in her mantra, “We cannot eat coal. We cannot drink oil.” Thus far, Vanesa began the Green Schools Project whose mission is to transition schools in Uganda to solar energy. Further, she is a champion for educating and empowering girls and young women. This is recognized as the sixth most powerful climate solution according to exports at Project Drawdown.

Like Thunberg, Nakate is a prominent Fridays for Future Activist as Uganda’s first Fridays for Future climate striker. She began protesting against climate inaction outside the Ugandan government gates in 2019 alone, but as time went on, Nakate was joined by more and more people who started to get involved in different parts of the country. This led Nakate to found The Rise Up Climate Movement, which is working to amplify the voices of activists in Africa and provide a voice for the Global South.

In our current moment where we are experiencing a multitude of intersecting crises – COVID-19, racial injustice, climate change and economic inequality to name a few – Nakate’s voice is all the more critical to hear. While we are all experiencing the same storm, we are not all in the same boat. However, despite our different experiences, Nakate also reminds us the following: “The climate crisis is a life issue. We have to keep fighting until we see the action that we are demanding. Above all, I want people to stop dying as a result of climate change.”

Courtesy Readers’ Digest UK

Vanessa Nakate (24 years old) is a Ugandan climate justice activist.

23 April 2021

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Diversity 11

Byhalia Pipeline is Environmental Racism Paul Collier Red & Black Editor

Memphis, Tenn. gets all its water from the Memphis Sand Aquifer, making it one of the world’s largest metro areas to get all its water from underground.

This aquifer is protected by a layer of clay that sits between the surface, where the groundwater is pumped, and the groundwater itself.

The water for southwest Memphis is held in a predominantly Black community, in an area called the Wellhead Protection Zone 2, named this because it was set up to guard the water source from potential contamination. It also has what is known as recharge zones, where no protective clay layer exists so water can soak through the soil and resupply the water.

However, Plains All-American Pipeline and Valero Energy are now combining to build a crude oil pipeline directly through this protection zone.

This means residents will be at a risk of cancer if the pipeline where to break due to chemicals such as benzene found in the oil if the pipeline was to break, and the clay was to be breeched.

This is a more likely scenario than it might seem.

To begin, these residents already have a cancer risk that is four times higher than the national average due to air pollution. The health risks put on this community have also already increased, as the clay protecting the groundwater has been found to be breeched in several spots through forming cracks or holes. The pipeline is built not only to pass directly

Courtesy Commercial Appeal

The Byhalia community has risen up against the Byhalia Pipeline project. Fearful of contamination of soil and water as well as other environmental dangers, the Byhalia community has protested against this act of environmental racism.

by some of these forming cracks, but through the recharge zone where there is no protective layer at all.

And oil spills are also more likely than one would suspect, with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration recording over 4000 since 2010, and despite requiring system checks for pipelines, only 7 percent of these spills were discovered because of these checks. Plains

All American was responsible for 10 oil spills by itself from 2004 to 2007, which included 273,420 gallons of oil.

In fact, they are currently still cleaning a 2015 spill in California, which has cost $390 million to clean up.

Part of the issue is clear: these companies and the Memphis departments responsible for water safety are taking advantage of a minority community.

The clay should not be cracking in

the first place, and the zoning officials should have never approved a pipeline that can contaminate the water in a protection zone. However, the residents are continuing to fight against this environmental racism, as they carry out protests attended by people like Congressman Stephen Cohen in an effort to defend their community from environmental dangers carried out by risks like the Byhalia Pipeline project.

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Red & Black

23 April 2021

Superfunds: Your Unfriendly Toxic Neighbor Dylan Bertovich Red & Black Staff

Superfunds: an interesting name that was given to some of the worst polluted sites around the country in the 80s.

These sites are the remnants of nuclear plants, coal plants and other deadly industrial centers.

They sit in communities and leach their toxic chemicals into the air and water damaging the lives of the people around them, which almost always happen to be poor and minority groups. These communities have recently been the center of environmental justice campaigns in which superfunds are a focus.

Senator Carper in a recent speech called out this injustice, saying “Communities located near Superfund sites are disproportionately communities of color or economically disadvantaged communities, and those communities would also be more vulnerable when a Superfund site is compromised by a flood, hurricane, wildfire or another extreme weather event. Fortifying Superfund sites from the risks of climate change is not only a matter of good climate policy, it’s also a matter of environmental justice.”

The backlog of unfunded Superfund sites, in 17 states and Puerto Rico, includes an abandoned mine in Maine where an open tailings pit is contaminated with arsenic and lead; a wood preserving facility in La. contaminated with creosote and a toxic stew of volatile organic compounds; and a grain storage facility in Neb. tainted by a fumigant containing carbon tetrachlo-

ride. There are numerous within the surrounding area, mostly set in rural or minority areas.

These sites are in this area because the land was cheap to buy or due to a racist history that was one of the available areas for minorities to live. Future superfund sites are being built around

minority communities today and they seem to be unstoppable. Even good intentions often go wrong, with the Obama administration being a good example. In Jacksonville, Fla. there was talk of building a comprehensive health care center. But the program only included enough funding for a

study of fish and shellfish in local fishing streams, the posting of 24 signs warning of the hazards of eating the fish and a seminar on how to build rain barrels. This does almost nothing for the community, what they need are real changes to make their communities safer.

Courtesy CCK-Law

The word “superfunds” refers to some of the worst polluted sites around the country. These are remnants of nuclear plants, coal plants and other deadly industrial centers, and they contribute to air and water pollution.

23 April 2021

opinions Red & Black

Opinions 13

Ornamental Grass Bans Save Water Paul Collier Red & Black Editor

The west coast has been experiencing a decline in water for a while now, marked by issues like California’s 2015 drought and the recent report that California might be in for one of its worst wildfire seasons, which will come quicker and stronger than before.

To conserve water, west coast residents have been asked to do whatever they can to limit water usage.

To help combat this, Las Vegas water officials have been asking for grass to be replaced with less water-intensive desert plants, a call that has gone largely unheeded.

Now, however, Las Vegas intends to force the issue by becoming the first

city to restrict the usage of ornamental grass. The Southern Nevada Water Authority claims there are eight miles of unused grass in the Las Vegas metropolitan area which, if removed, will reduce annual water usage by 15 percent while saving 14 gallons of water per person per day in the metro area. They believe they can accomplish this if the bill they’re pushing passes, which would outlaw 40 percent of the remaining ornamental grass and replace it with desert plants like cactus, which require four times less water.

Officials also say this change should not be difficult for Las Vegas residents, as despite flashy fountain displays, the suburban communities have embraced conservation measures in the past.

While California previously banned watering ornamental grass, no state or major city has attempted a reduction of this scale.

While water officials have tried to combat the spread of grass, doing

things like offering homeowners up to $3 per square foot of grass removed, water consumption went up 9 percent in the last year, and these removal efforts have slowed considerably.

Meanwhile, Las Vegas went 240 days without measurable rainfall last year, their most on record, while the Colorado River that accounts for 90 percent of southern Nev. water has a questionable flow as result of these continual droughts. In fact, the allocated water for Nev. is set to be cut to help preserve the river.

Essentially, time is running out for Las Vegas residents as a water crisis becomes more apparent by the day.

These efforts seem extreme because of their unprecedented nature, but even then, this only calls for the removal of things like median grass that no one uses, and the effort might have to become more intense in the future.

It is time for the west coast to take their water crisis seriously, and help

College or its students, faculty, or administration.

The Red & Black welcomes all reader contributions, but reserves the right to reject letters of pure promotional nature, as well as letters which do not meet its standard of integrity, accuracy and decency.

The Red & Black also reserves the right to edit submissions.

Courtesy Gardening know How

Ornamental grass grows in a desert home’s backyard.

C ontac t

E ditorial P olicy The Red & Black is the official, registered student-produced newspaper of Washington & Jefferson College. It is published Fridays with the exception of exams and break periods.

Editorials are based upon the opinion of the respective writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper, the

preserve natural water ways, and at their current rate a lot of work, work like this new bill, will be required to save water in the west.

Letters are due on the Monday before publication and may not exceed 600 words. All letters must include the author’s name, campus box and telephone number.

Names may be withheld upon request under certain conditions on rare occasions. All letters may be submitted to redandblackstaff@jay. washjeff.edu.

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14 Opinions

23 April 2021 Red & Black

Paris Climate Accords Help Fight Climate Change Amanda Fitzpatrick Red & Black Editor

“A world that is safer and more secure, more prosperous and more free.”

President Barack Obama spoke these words in December of 2015, referring to the world we want to leave today’s children, when he announced that the United States had joined nearly 200 other countries and committed to the Paris Climate Agreement. However, less than two years later, President Donald Trump put this better future at risk by announcing his plan to withdraw from the United States from the accord, officially removing the United States on November 4, 2020 while simultaneously dismantling decades of U.S. environmental policy. American voters had their say in November of 2020 as well, and following President Biden’s day one executive order, the United States officially rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement on February 19, 2021.

Despite the United States’ apparently tumultuous relationship with the Paris Climate Agreement, the world continued to make progress since 2015 with and without our involvement. Here’s a look at what the Paris Climate Agreement does and why it’s so important to the future of our Earth.

In short, the Paris Climate Agreement charted a new course of action in the effort of combatting global climate change through requiring countries to make commitments and progressively strengthen them. Nearly every nation adopted this agreement in 2015 to address climate change and

its negative impacts. Specifically, the agreement aims to substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to limit the global temperature increase in this century to two degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, while pursuing the means to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees. Within this agreement are commitments from all major emitting countries to cut their climate pollution and continue to strengthen commitments over time.

Additionally, it includes a pathway for developed nations to assist developing nations in their climate mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Ultimately, this agreement is dependent on transparency, so it creates a framework for the transparent monitoring, reporting and increasing of countries’ individual and collective climate goals.

Since 2015, 197 countries, with the last signatory being Syria, have endorsed the Paris Agreement. Of these 197, 190 have solidified support with formal approval with the major emitting countries who have yet to formally join being Iran, Turkey and Iraq. Unlike the Kyoto Protocol, which also sets out to address climate change, the Paris Agreement does not have top-down legally binding emissions reduction targets or penalties for noncompliance for developed nations only. Instead, the Paris Agreement requires all countries do their part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Though this allows greater flexibility and national ownership, specific countries emit significantly more greenhouse gases. In this way, the Paris Climate Agreement does not place greater blame or responsibility on the nations that are greatly contributing to the climate crisis, nor does it include any language about the commitments each country should make. Further,

Courtesy Wall Street Journal

President Biden signs an order for the United States to rejoin the Paris Climate Accords.

the Paris Agreement contains no harsh penalties for countries not meeting their targets. Rather, it relies on its system of monitoring, reporting and reassessing to move the world closer to the broader objectives of the goal.

Despite the lack of penalties, the Paris Agreement does require countries to announce their next round of targets every five years, unlike the Kyoto Protocol. Despite the important aims of the Paris Agreement which ultimately sets to cap the global temperature rise at 1.5 degrees Celsius in this century, studies have shown that the national pledges countries have made will not be large enough to keep temperatures under that limit.

In fact, it is estimated that the targets the countries laud out are expected to limit temperature rise to abut 2.9 degrees Celsius, almost double the cap set out by the agreement. As the Paris Climate Agreement matures, it must

also grow and nations involved (specifically the world’s biggest emitters) must firmly commit to phasing out fossil fuel investment and invest in environmentally friendlybased solutions.

Overall, the communities who commit least to global emissions are often the ones already showing wealthier nations the way forward, so these communities must be uplifted by the agreement and protect those throughout the Global South who are faced with the brunt of climate changes. This needs to include formally protecting Indigenous knowledge and rights, considering Indigenous peoples protect 80 percent of the planet’s biodiversity while comprising 5 percent of the global population. With these changes, the Paris Climate Agreement can move closer to accomplishing what it has set out to do.

23 April 2021

Red & Black

Opinions 15

Police Demonstrate Incompetency in Daunte Wright Shooting Paul Collier Red & Black Editor

It is not a police officer’s job to administer justice; that is the court’s job. It shouldn’t be the legal system’s job to execute people, let alone that being an officer’s job. We shouldn’t let governmental officials learning they need to react when an officer commits an abuse allow us to become complacent in demanding justice.

Yet we’re stuck repeating these same truths following yet another shooting of an unarmed black man by police in Minneapolis. The name of the victim is Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old murdered when officer Kim Potter claims she accidentally pulled her gun instead of her taser and fired it into Wright’s side, prompting him to drive until he made contact with another

car. He was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived.

Both Potter and Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon have since resigned, and Potter has been charged with second-degree murder.

Besides the ridiculousness that is a veteran officer claiming she mistook her gun for her taser, the two ran away before the problem could even unfold, leaving more issues in their wake as Minneapolis undergoes what is essentially military occupation over peaceful protests for the Derek Chauvin murder trial and the new murder of Wright.

Wright had been pulled over for an expired registration tag, at which time he called his mother for insurance information. The other officer at the scene, Anthony Luckey, found Wright had an outstanding warrant over a misdemeanor weapons charge. They refused to tell him why he had to step out of the car until he did so, and while cooperating at first, the officers at some point allowed the situation to spiral

until Wright re-entered the vehicle, at which point Potter yelled she was going to tase him. After crashing, the girl in the car with Wright called his mother again, but officers told her to hang up.

As previously stated, the medical examiner has ruled the death a homicide, and Potter has been arrested. But that’s not enough.

First of all, registration taxes are set up directly against the welfare of communities that are already targets of racial injustice. The re-registration of a car someone pays off, owns, or rents is not an issue of government oversight, and it is surely not a reason to kill somebody.

Second, it is evidence of lazy investigative work that a man that they wanted to arrest is randomly picked up on these mundane issues. Yet again, this is not a reason to kill somebody.

Both issues show the deeper systemic inequity in the justice system, both pushing people down and using state forces to keep them down. This is

even worse when that state force can openly kill somebody and claim it was an accident, or a switch between a gun and a taser. This is somebody’s life, placed continually in the hands of an obviously flawed police.

The resignations are a weak way to combat this by attempting to show understanding of an issue while the issue is never actually fixed. Wright was openly murdered. The police can no longer be allowed to carry out any system of justice if they cannot handle performing even simple tasks without violence.

The police cannot be allowed to continue to exist, because almost a year ago, George Floyd was murdered.

And in a year of demanding change, nothing has really changed at all.

Black lives still matter, and the police has still shown they have no regard to protect black people instead of needlessly slaughtering them. If they can’t perform even that most simple duty, then their entire purpose has been a failure.

Courtesy DW

Protestors demand justice for Daunte Wright after his murder by Minneapolis police.

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Red & Black

23 April 2021

Biden’s Infrastructure Plan Shows Commitment Paul Collier Red & Black Editor

President Biden is serious about his commitment to cause positive change to the global environment and help combat the climate crisis.

In Biden’s new $2 trillion infrastructure bill, $174 has been set aside to enhance the electric vehicle market to assist in moving on from gas-powered cars, and $100 billion is set to fund America’s electric grid and make it resistant to climate disasters. If approved, this plan will be one of the largest ever federal efforts to combat the emission of greenhouse gasses in America.

This will be accomplished by beginning a push towards emissions hitting net-zero by 2050.

The most important part of this plan is the mentioned $174 billion, in an ambitious project called the American Jobs Plan. While difficult to carry out even if the bill is passed, it includes measures like replacing all of America’s lead pipes and updating water systems, funding to install 500,000 charging stations across America by 2030, incentives to make Americans buy electric vehicles and money to retool factories to care for these vehicles and boost America’s supply of these vehicles.

Also included within the infrastructure bill is a mandate to update aging roads and bridges for the sake of becoming more resistant to natural disasters, which are expected to increase as the climate crisis worsens before we hopefully begin

abating its dangers. Millions of homes will also be updated to increase energy efficiency, especially in minority areas most susceptible to the climate crisis due to environmental racism.

Biden also plans to mandate the Energy Efficiency and Clean Electricity Standard, requiring a portion of American electricity to come from zero-carbon energy emission sources, like solar power.

Meanwhile, $35 billion will be invested in R&D for projects to mitigate the crisis while creating jobs, like in carbon capture development, $16 billion to employ workers to cap gas wells and reclaim coal mines to stop methane leaks and $10 billion for a Civilian Climate Corps to employ people to help restore land.

While some Democrats, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, criticized the plan for not going far enough and being industry friendly, other environmental groups praised Biden for his commitment to combatting climate change and taking his first steps towards spending his promised $2 trillion in combatting the climate crisis.

Meanwhile, he plans to suspend tax credits for fossil fuel companies to fund this, which politicians like AOC should be supporting.

I agree that this is a good first step.

While more work will need to be done, it is beneficial to cooperate with industries to begin working towards combatting climate change, and Biden has laid the groundwork necessary for influential changes far into the future.

In conjunction with his rejoining of the Paris Climate Accords, Biden is already showing promise as a president willing to take sensible steps to protect the environment.

Courtesy Alternative Fuels data center

An electric vehicle charging station sits outside a building. If passed, Biden’s infrastructure plan will contribute new stations to incentivize EVs.

sports

23 April 2021

Red & Black

17 Sports

W&J Baseball Falls For First Time

Courtesy gopresidents.com

Mike Graziani ‘21 looks to drive the ball to the opposite field.

Nick Krugh Red & Black Editor

For the first time in 2021 the W&J Baseball team lost a game. They went into the weekend sitting at 20-0 on the year and looking to add to the program best winning streak. The Presidents

came out hot on Saturday, taking both games of the double header. The starting pitching on Saturday gave the Presidents a great boost. In game one, Hnery Litman ‘22 went six shutout innings against the Chatham Cougars.

Litman struckout six while only allowing three hits. Peter Kalinski ‘22 and Tyler Horvat ‘23 added two RBIs each in the 8-0 victory.

In Gmae Two Horvat toed the rubber for the Presidents. Horvat went

nine shutout innings, allowing 3 hits, one walk , and struckout 10. Evan Sante ‘23 boosted the offfense with his three run home run. Pushing the Presidents to another shutout victory, 7-0.

The Presidents headed into the sunday sitting at 22-0, with a 22 game win streak. In game one the Cougars jumped out early 1-0 and hung on to a lead until the end to win 4-3. This snapped the program best 22 game

win streak and put the Presidents in a situation they weren’t accustom. In game four of the series the Presidents bounced back in convincing fashion, winning 9-2. Shane Fox ‘23 got the win throwing five solid innings striking out four Vhatham hitters. Adam Moore ‘21 and Adam Morris ‘21 combined for five RBIs for the Presidents.

W&J Baseball looks to continue the success this weekend against Franciscan Barons.

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23 April 2021

Women’s Lacrosse Looks to Finish Undefeated

Courtesy gopresidents.com

Captain Clara Sherwood attacks looking to score.

Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff

This academic year has been challenging for student athletes who have had not only to deal with complying with COVID protocols while attending classes, but also with sports practices and games. One of our teams who have thrived despite these obstacles is the W&J Women’s Lacrosse Team. The W&J Women’s Lacrosse Team endured a COVID caused delay to its game schedule that exceeded 365 days when the team came out on Mar. 13 for their first game of the 2021 season. This

season, the schedule for the Team was condensed to 10 games, 3 “out-of-conference” games and 7 regular season games.

All of these games will be limited to fellow members of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC). The limitation as to opponents is meant to limit travel and insure that opponents comply with the same COVID protocols required at W&J. The Women’s Lacrosse Team is well into its season and has compiled a 3-0 conference record, and an overall record of 6-0. The team’s last victory came against the Chatham Cougars.

Coming into this matchup, Chatham and W&J were the only teams possessing a perfect Conference record.

The end result of that game was 20-11 in favor of the Presidents. This year’s team is very talented. The team has

extreme depth on attack, midfield and defense and has received stellar play from goalkeeper, Kaitlyn Brown ‘24.

This year, the team is led by captain and midfielder, Clara Sherwood ‘22. The team came into the conference as the youngest team in the PAC. The Team is comprised of 7 freshmen, 8 sophomores, 4 juniors, and no seniors. While some may seem this as a disadvantage for the team, the W&J Women’s Lacrosse team took a different approach. They took this as an opportunity to be able to grow as a team.

Since the Team will not be graduating any seniors this year, the team is hopeful to stay together and build upon their play.

Head coach Alison Valerio has the same mindset, she said, “The best part of coaching is helping players develop

and grow as they adapt through their collegiate experience. Navigating this year’s abnormal season has had its challenges, especially with a younger team, but we’ve built an immense amount of resiliency that’s producing success. Our potential as a program is unmatched, but this year has been particularly rewarding.”

The W&J Women’s Lacrosse team looks to finish the regular season undefeated with an away game against Saint Vincent (Apr. 18), and home contests against Thiel (Apr. 21) and Waynesburg (Apr. 24) standing in their way. The PAC Women’s Lacrosse semifinals are tentatively scheduled for Apr. 28 and the Championship game for May 1. The weather is warming, so come out and cheer this amazing team on.

23 April 2021

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19 Sports

Global Sport Faces Climate Change Controversy

Courtesy Corporate Compliance Insights

Australian bushfires burned causing causing issues for the Australian Tennis Open.

Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff

A recent analysis is posing results that should be giving sports organizations and players something to worry about.

The new analysis said that by 2050, one in four English Football League fields can expect to flood every year.

This analysis does not only give a warning to English Football stadiums and organizations, but sports all around the globe. These sports include tennis, rugby, cricket and golf. Tennis,

rugby and winter sports should expect to face the challenge of increasing rain and raising temperatures. Even in the past, these sports have be affected, but as a collective, people did not act on it.

In 2015, when Storm Desmond hit Carlisle, it forced the football club to close down the stadium for two weeks, or when Japan suffered a typhoon last year, the Rugby Union World was not allowed to be held there due to flooding. Sports have already begun to be severely affected by the impactful changes in the world’s weather.

This past year, COVID-19 has reeked-havoc upon sports everywhere, but the author of this new analysis said that COVID-19 “is just a dress-re-

hearsal” of problems in the future for sports. Humans are living in a world that is just “way too hot.” In 2020, the Australian Bush Fires caused the Australian Tennis Open to be adjusted to keep everyone safe from the smoke resulting from the fires. Along with the rising temperature, rising sea-levels are also becoming an issue for sports like golf.

The analysis said that one in three British Open Courses will be damaged by rising sea-levels. The author of this analysis stated that sports are contributing to this problem due to arenas producing too much carbon emissions. Sports leaders and organizations are simply failing to realize the impor-

tance of this topic and are neglecting to look to the future to a world where outdoor arenas will be non-existent because of their failure to realize the importance of cutting down carbon emissions.

The International Sports Committee and FIFA have both signed a UN action plan to make sports carbon neutral by 2050, yet the majority of major sports organizations have not signed this plan. This analysis is calling for sports organizations to stop sponsorship from fossil fuel companies and for the players to speak out about this issue to get their fan base on board on stopping this terrible future from occurring.

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23 April 2021

Last Week’s Scores Apr. 17 Men’s Soccer vs. Bethany: 0-1 L W&J Baseball vs. Chatham: 8-0 W; 7-0 W W&J Softball vs. Saint Vincent: 10-9 W; 6-5 W

Apr. 18 Women’s Lacrosse at St. Vincent: 18-5 W Men’s Lacrosse at St. Vincent: 2-21 L W&J Baseball at Chatham: 3-4 L; 9-2 W W&J Softball at Waynesurg: 8-2 W; 6-3 W

Apr. 20 W&J Softball vs Thiel: 8-0 W; 8-0 W

Next Week’s Games

Courtesy GoPresidents.com

Apr. 23 Men’s Soccer at Grove City: 7:00 PM W&J Football at Westminster: 7:00 PM W&J Softball at Franciscan: 2:00 PM; 4:00 PM

Apr. 24 Women’s Lacrosse vs. Waynesburg: 1:00 PM W&J Baseball vs. Franciscan: 1:00 PM; 3:30 PM Women’s Soccer at Grove City: 2:00 PM W&J Softball at Grove City: 1:00 PM; 3:00PM

Apr. 25 W&J Baseball at Franciscan: 1:00 PM; 3:30 PM Courtesy GoPresidents.com