June, 2021 – Ecosystemic Magazine

Indigenous Voices in the Climate Movement

20Jun

By Irene ZNo Comments

Activism & Social Change

Indigenous Voices in the Climate Movement

By Irene Zhao, Sidwell Friends School Long before the beginnings of the modern-day environmentalist movement, Native Americans perfected a lifestyle that allowed their people to flourish in harmony with the Earth. Indigenous peoples continue to practice conservation today, remaining mindful of the limitations of natural resources and cultivating crops that keep the soil fertile for generations to come. As corporations continue to pillage the planet in the name of profit, Indigenous homes and lands are still the first to be plundered, and Indigenous peoples the first to defend their planet. For example, Oak Flat, an Apache Nation sacred site in Arizona, currently faces the threat of destruction. Despite years of Indigenous protest, multinational mining company Resolution Copper ...

Fridays for Future’s “No More Empty Promises”

20Jun

By Grace MNo Comments

Activism & Social Change

Fridays for Future’s “No More Empty Promises”

By Grace Morrison With scorching temperatures, rising sea levels, the loss of animals and their habitats, and constant natural disasters, it is clear that we are in the middle of a climate crisis that threatens life as we know it. Greta Thunberg recognized this when she began to skip school every Friday in an attempt to call for action combating climate change. Thunberg began this campaign in August 2018, quickly gaining support and attention from the media. Eventually, the movement became known as Friday’s For Future (FFF), which has been very active since the successful national climate strike it organized in September 2019 that gained the world’s attention. FFF’s main form of action includes issuing petitions, striking, and demanding action from governments. Their most recent campaig...

Environmentalism and the Patriarchy: How They Intersect

20Jun

By Isabel MNo Comments

Activism & Social Change

Environmentalism and the Patriarchy: How They Intersect

By Isabel Madauss, Sidwell Friends School Patriarchy infiltrates all sectors of life, including social justice movements, such as environmentalism. The case of Rachel Carson, an influential figure in the environmentalist movement during the 1960s, is a prime example of the intersection between patriarchy and environmentalism. Carson is accredited for bringing the American public’s attention to the negative impacts of humans on the environment. More specifically, her renowned book, Silent Spring, describes the misuse of pesticides and their detrimental effects on nature. After Silent Spring’s publication, Carson received extreme backlash for her critique of the chemical industry and the American government’s use of pesticides. Aside from the attacks on Carson’s research and the validity ...

What Can Hollywood Do to Combat the Climate Crisis?

20Jun

By Zahra LNo Comments

Pop Culture

What Can Hollywood Do to Combat the Climate Crisis?

By Zahra Lohoue, George School, and Grace Morrison It’s time for Hollywood to step up, and take action to address the climate crisis. With social media and the culture of the digital age, celebrities are at the center of the spotlight on and off stage. Their spotlight should be used to highlight issues around the world, such as the climate crisis. Although the news covers natural disasters caused by climate change, information about the crisis does not end up on many social media users’ feeds, therefore celebrities should use their large platforms to raise awareness and reach the masses. A few celebrities, such as Shailene Woodley, Alan Horn and James Cameron, understand the immediate dangers of the climate crisis and are taking action, which is a step in the right direction. ...

Which Plant-Based Alternative Milk is Best for the Environment?

20Jun

By Mila MNo Comments

Pop Culture

Which Plant-Based Alternative Milk is Best for the Environment?

By Mila Maltby, Sidwell Friends School When you walk down the milk aisle in your local grocery store, there are often rows and rows of plant-based alternative options: almond, oat, soy, and coconut, just to name a few. You might wonder, why not just drink cow’s milk? One reason is the significant environmental impact of the production and consumption of cow’s milk. Every day, farmers tend to approximately 270 million cows just to produce milk and other dairy products. Dairy cows and their manure emit large amounts of greenhouse gases: around 18% of all GHG emissions worldwide -- more than the entire transport sector, which includes automobiles, trains, ships, and planes. Additionally, cow manure and fertilizers often degrade nearby local water sources. Finally, dairy farming and feed pr...

Feature Interview: Clean Energy in Developing Countries

20Jun

By Eric WangNo Comments

Interviews

Feature Interview: Clean Energy in Developing Countries

By Eric Wang, Sidwell Friends School Efficient and reliable energy infrastructure is important when it comes to the economic development of low-income countries. With the worsening climate crisis, the implementation of clean energy sources has become even more important. I sat down with Jie Tang, a current practice manager for the energy and extractives global practice and former lead energy specialist who has been with the World Bank for 15 years, to discuss the current status of clean energy in developing countries as well as where it will trend towards in the future. Oftentimes, the growth of clean technologies is hindered by their high Green Premiums. However, this is not exactly the case with renewable energy. Could you explain what the true cost-effectiveness of renewable...

The Rise of Cryptocurrency and How it Pollutes

20Jun

By Kiran BNo Comments

Global News & Policy

The Rise of Cryptocurrency and How it Pollutes

By Kiran Bishop, Sidwell Friends School, and Kit Levy, Sidwell Friends School The recent rise in popularity of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum begs the question: “How environmentally friendly are cryptocurrencies really?” To understand their impact on the environment, one must first understand what a cryptocurrency is and the nuances between the different tokens and coins. Cryptocurrencies are a form of payment that can be used online to buy goods or services. They are set by cryptography, which is the writing and solving of complex codes or algorithms. This process allows cryptocurrencies to address the “double spending problem” -- the concern that the same crypto token could be used multiple times. To ensure that this reuse does not occur, cryptoc...

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Climate Movement

20Jun

By Michael YNo Comments

Eco-STEM

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Climate Movement

By Michael Yao, Sidwell Friends School Artificial Intelligence is an incredibly powerful tool that has garnered a somewhat infamous reputation for its role in the targeted ads and eerily specific content recommendations of the modern world. However, AI’s aptitude at solving complex problems and rapid adaptation can also be used in more positive and impactful ways as well. One area that has attracted particular interest is its potential role to help resolve the climate crisis. In fact, research into how AI can be harnessed to address climate change has already begun. Dr. David Rolnick (Assistant Professor of Computer Science at McGill University) and his work have been at the forefront of this push. Together with several other researchers, Rolnick co-authored a paper investigati...

Spotlight on Engineering: Hydroelectric Energy and How it Works

20Jun

By Kiran MNo Comments

Eco-STEM

Spotlight on Engineering: Hydroelectric Energy and How it Works

By Kiran Mahurkar, Sidwell Friends School What is Hydroelectric Energy? Hydroelectric energy is any method that uses the movement of water to generate electricity for use. It can also be referred to as hydropower, hydroelectric power, and hydroelectricity. How Does it Work? The most common method of generating hydroelectricity is by placing turbines, devices that turn rotational energy into electricity through the use of magnets, in a place where water is flowing quickly, usually accompanied by rotors. There are three main methods that use this process to generate hydroelectricity. In the simplest method, known as “run-of-the-river,” turbines are placed in a river, usually on a dam that only partially confines water. As the water flows through the turbines, electricity is...

20Jun

By Gwyn FNo Comments

Global News & Policy

A Recap of Biden’s Earth Day Summit

By Gwyn Field, Sidwell Friends School On April 22 and 23, the Biden Administration brought together 40 world leaders to discuss the climate crisis for the virtual 2021 Earth Day Summit. According to a press release on April 23 from the White House, President Biden convened the 17 Major Economies Forum (MEF), responsible for nearly 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and global GDP, who “were also joined by the leaders of countries that are especially vulnerable to climate impacts.” Prior to the summit, the White House published a press release announcing the goals of the summit on climate change. These ambitions included “galvanizing efforts by the world’s major economies to reduce emissions during this critical decade to keep a limit to warming of 1.5 degree Celsius ...