Saanvi Bapat – Ecosystemic Magazine

Hurricane Katrina: African-Americans Once Struck Down Fighting Back

24Mar

By Saanvi BapatNo Comments

Activism & Social Change

Hurricane Katrina: African-Americans Once Struck Down Fighting Back

Written by Saanvi Bapat 2025 will mark the 20th anniversary of a huge tragedy, Hurricane Katrina. In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, causing widespread death, injury, and damage. But this tragedy also came with a huge racial component added. About one-half of those who were displaced came from New Orleans. New Orleans’ social and economic composition left the storm heavily impacting the poor and African American communities. In fact, 51% of those who died were Black, and the mortality rate among Black people was 1.7 to 4 times higher than that among white people for those 18 and older. In addition to this, initial reactions to the government’s response to the tragedy showed the divide between those of different racial backgrounds. Two-thirds of Af...

24Mar

By Saanvi BapatNo Comments

Activism & Social Change

On Climate Change & Wealth Inequality

Written by Saanvi Bapat Climate change is a problem that affects every single person all over the world. But in fact, those who are most affected are already suffering from socioeconomic inequalities. BIPOC communities, or those that are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change, even though they have contributed very little to it. There is a large intersection between racial wealth inequality and the impact of climate change. The racial wealth gap highly prevalent in our world today stems from the lack of financial access for those of color due to systemic and structural racism, and as a result, these people have fewer resources to face climate change. Climate change means higher temperatures, leading to many for...

How Plastic Dissolves Into Ocean and Animal Systems

26Aug

By Saanvi BapatNo Comments

Eco-STEM

How Plastic Dissolves Into Ocean and Animal Systems

Image by FLY Written by Saanvi Bapat Going to the beach to spend a relaxing day in the warm sand while gazing upon the vibrant blue ocean is something that many people look forward to. But below the surface, a disaster is slowly unfolding. Strolling along the shore and munching on snacks like chips, pretzels, and those mouthwatering sandwiches you packed in Ziploc bags may seem like a completely innocent act; however, if you forget to pick up one small runaway Ziploc or chip bag, it can contribute to a global crisis. There are about 75 to 199 million tons of plastic in our beloved oceans. All this plastic ends up here mainly because of three reasons: the lack of recycling, littering, and putting plastic products into toilets or washing machines. Of the total annual 260 m...

20Jun

By Saanvi BapatNo Comments

Eco-STEM

A Look At Fast Fashion Vs. Slow Fashion

Image courtesy of Rio LecatompessyBy Saanvi Bapat How many times have you gone to the mall and walked into famous stores, such as Forever 21, H&M, Zara, or Gap? How many of you are wearing clothes from those stores right now while reading this? I, for one, am typing this in a hoodie from H&M and pants from Forever 21. Buying from these stores means trendy clothes at little cost to your wallet but a rarely considered yet enormous cost to the environment. This is called fast fashion. Let’s look at another option. Think about your local small business boutiques and shops that might be family-owned or your neighbor’s start-up that was built from scratch. Buying from here is generally more expensive and you may have to pre-order that hoodie you want in your size two weeks in...