Sunday, December 22Maximizing our Collective Impact

Tag: #editionone

It’s Time to Lose the Obsolete Tradition of Classroom Animal Dissections and Adopt a More Ethical, Safer, and Effective Method
5Feb By Hannah ParkNo Comments
Community News & Policy

It’s Time to Lose the Obsolete Tradition of Classroom Animal Dissections and Adopt a More Ethical, Safer, and Effective Method

By Hannah Park Millions of animals of over 170 species, including cats, frogs, and fetal pigs, are killed for school and university dissections in the U.S. each year, according to the American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS). However, anatomy and physiology can be taught as or more effectively as the traditional dissections, through digital programs, 3-D models, and synthetic animals. Through these methods and more, schools can easily adapt many non-animal alternatives that are both safer and are more ethical.  The history of this cruel and dangerous way of learning dates back to the sixteenth century, according to AAVS’s “History of Vivisection and Dissection” page of their “Dying to Learn” website. Andreas Vesalius, known as the founder of modern human anatomy, strongly believ...
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Apocalyptic: Northern Thailand’s Season of Smoke
22Jan By Nachel SuwansathienNo Comments
Eco-STEM

Apocalyptic: Northern Thailand’s Season of Smoke

By Nachel Suwansathien– Fridays for Future, International and Fridays for Future Newsletter Contributor You peer through the pane of a closed window and place your hand upon the glass. The blazing sun outside seems to scorch the earth, but all you feel is a gentle warmth against your palm. Outside, everything is gray. This is the driest season of the year, and anything that was once green has by now drooped and withered. Heavy, choking smog blankets the world, and everything seems to become one concrete-colored urban landscape. Even the sky is reduced to dreary gray, with touches of blue occasionally emerging. It is unlikely to be truly blue again for several months, until the seasonal rain breaks. You step outside, fumbling to get your N95 mask into position. On the worst of days, a si...
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The Principles and Mission of Ecosystemic
22Jan Avatar photoBy Elson BankoffNo Comments
Notes From the Editors

The Principles and Mission of Ecosystemic

We recognize the impact and importance of the dissident press. Newspapers, magazines, artwork, and writing have historically been great catalysts of social change in our world. These mediums hold the potential to spark curiosity, educate, inspire, enrich, and demand action. The ongoing fights for environmental justice, economic equality, and the liberation of the oppressed may be strengthened through our words and art. With this great responsibility in mind, we strive to uplift youth narratives, promote storytelling, draw attention to the realities of our world, and demand and detail change. We recognize that this ecological crisis has been caused disproportionately by the wealthy and most adversely impacts the poor and the marginalized. We deem the climate crisis a violation of human r...
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Interview With Youth Climate Activist and Leader, Mohab Sherif
22Jan By Tara PrakashNo Comments
Interviews

Interview With Youth Climate Activist and Leader, Mohab Sherif

By Tara Prakash, Sidwell Friends School I spoke with Mohab Sherif, a 17-year-old Egyptian climate activist who moved to Canada last year. He began his activism at 15 years old with the Fridays for Future Movement. He started with Fridays for Future Digital on campaigns like "Defend the Defenders," where he spoke about Alexandria (a mesmerizing city in Egypt) and the climate crisis. Later on, Mohab joined new groups and organizations like Mockcop26. He has attended youth-led summits like the Youthspeaks2021 by Earth Uprising International and has spoken on immigration and climate change. Graphic by Elson Bankoff Question: How did you become interested and passionate about the environment? Answer: It was something really from a young age. My family and I used to feed the animals ...
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Resolving On-Campus Waste: Proposal to Reintegrate Composting and Reusable Containers
22Jan By Eric WangNo Comments
Resolutions

Resolving On-Campus Waste: Proposal to Reintegrate Composting and Reusable Containers

Proposed by: Friends Environmental Action Team, Sidwell Friends School. Proposal conceived and drafted by Eric Wang, Elson Bankoff, and Kenji Ishi). Summary:  Amidst the current pandemic, Sidwell has naturally shifted away from conventional dining practices to reduce risks of COVID spreading. However, as things slowly begin to turn back to normal, FEAT (Friends Environmental Action Team) hopes to make lunch more eco-friendly by incorporating composting and reusable containers. If enacted, the following proposal will help reduce Sidwell’s waste footprint.  Status: To be Proposed Image by Elson Bankoff Approach:  As stated above, we hope to bring back composting and reusable dinnerware. Since all students are eating outside currently, we plan to place ...
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Build Back Better Bill Overview
21Jan By Abby KelsoNo Comments
Global News & Policy

Build Back Better Bill Overview

By Abby Kelso, Sidwell Friends School After President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Bill passed in the House of Representatives on Nov. 19, the $2.2 trillion measure now faces a long and arduous path through the Senate before it becomes law. Speaking in a press conference about the importance of passing the bill, Biden said: “[W]e need Congress to finish the job, to come together and make a difference in people’s lives.” The overarching goal of the Build Back Better Framework is to reassess the economy to benefit the middle class. The bill includes provisions to offer free universal preschool, to provide tax cuts for families, to expand affordable health care and to invest in affordable housing. CBS News states that $550 billion of the bill goes to stopping the climate crisis, an ...
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The Flaws in Climate Justice Lessons
21Jan By Alia BonannoNo Comments
Community News & Policy

The Flaws in Climate Justice Lessons

By Alia Bonanno, Phillips Exeter Academy Being a climate activist has become something akin to the likes of Chicken Little. In that story, Chicken Little alerts his town that the sky is falling. He stirs up a storm with his words and his town slips into catastrophe mode. In his story, the sky is not actually falling. His town scorns him for his claims, and he goes on a journey for redemption. Unlike Chicken Little’s story, in reality the sky is falling. The climate crisis is real. Like Chicken Little’s town, the government has scorned and ignored climate activists' pleas for help. Like Chicken Little’s story, climate activists are forced to make concession after concession to school administrations, politicians, and local governments around the world.  At a progressive enviro...
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