By Pierre Guerrero

On January 20, 2021, the United States of America underwent a highly secured historic transition of power. Vice President Kamala Harris was inaugurated the first black, the first Asian–American, and the first female Vice President in United States history. This is a historic point in history marking our nations treacherous and slow rise to equality.

The actions of the United State’s new leadership will be in great contrast to the actions of former President Donald Trump. Many actions made by President Trump are being/speculated to be reversed by recently-inaugurated President Biden, such as the executive order to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord that President Biden signed. President Biden is also reinstating the U.S. as part of the World Health Organization, a key component to his viral elimination process. He is immediately halting construction of the Mexico-border wall that has cost the U.S. over $15,000,000,000, even though Trump repeatedly claimed Mexico would pay for it. The Supreme Court plans to debate the authenticity of Trump’s redirecting of DoD funds for the wall on February 22.

Interesting read: The moving process, which takes many families at least a week, is completed in just one day for White House residents. A four-floor, 132 room mansion must be emptied of previous residents personal possessions and stocked with the possessions of the new occupants in less than 13 hours. No movers are included in the process, as this would pose a high security threat. Instead of movers, the approximately 80–100 White House staff members do all the moving amongst themselves. Typically letters are written to thank White House staff and welcome the new First Family, and while President Biden said Trump did write a “very generous letter”, Melania reportedly outsourced her staff thank you letters and just signed her signature.

Biden’s furry friend, Major (German Shepherd), is the first dog to ever go from a shelter to the White House, breaking canine barriers!

By Pierre Guerrero

In November, Denmark culled millions of minks. Why? Something you would never guess; COVID-19. These carcasses from the culled and buried minks recently started to pop out of their “mass burial sites” and Denmark is considering performing a disinfection and cleaning of some sort before burying them again.  According to local police, they were lifted by the pressure from gases released by their decomposition.

Now the United States faces a new predicament branching from the same problem; COVID-19 outbreaks are now in mink farms in the U.S.. Some of the farms reporting COVID-19 outbreaks are in Utah, Oregon, and Wisconsin, with the ranchers in Utah losing close to 10,000 minks due to the new virus mutation. Now that this COVID-19 mutation has passed on to minks and passed it back to humans from the minks, there is a high possibility that certain wildlife/domestic species have contracted it unbeknownst to us.

Luckily, no one is walking their dog around minks, and, unlike Denmark, minks are not a large resource in the United States. The mystery still remains of whether or not this new mutation can harm other creatures, but we are all still waiting for the right vaccine to fix this mess.

By Leah Modica

With over 100,000 employees, 70 world wide offices, and 2.5 billion android users, Google has reached sustainable goals no other company ever has before. Google has been Carbon Neutral since 2007, with plans to operate on Carbon-Free energy in 2030. 

In September of 2020, Google formally released their Sustainability Report to the public. Within it’s 26 pages, the company explained their completed feats as well as the steps they are taking to reach their carbon-free goal. 

They were able to secure the spot for carbon-neutrality by taking the “approach focused on three key levers: driving energy efficiency, procuring renewable energy, and purchasing high-quality carbon offsets for all the emissions that we can’t yet eliminate, like employee travel and commuting.” 

Being carbon neutral means that they have been producing as much renewable energy as they have been utilizing. You may be wondering about their sustainable efforts prior to 2007; “As of today, we’ve procured enough high-quality carbon offsets to neutralize all of our emissions since our founding.”

They are able to produce renewable energy through their vast solar farms. Alabama and Tennessee house their two largest solar farms, which produce a “combined total of 413 megawatts of electricity at its peak” (enough to power 413,000 homes). 

Google has also taken monetary sustainable actions in issuing $5.75 billion of sustainability bonds. “These investments will ramp up support for a wide variety of issues vital to a sustainable future –  clean energy, green buildings, clean transportation, circular design, affordable housing, racial equity, COVID-19 response, and support for small businesses.”

More companies MUST be like Google. They have truly set the sustainable corporate benchmarks. Their solutions are simple, yet extremely effective. There should be other corporations, both large and small, trying to match Google’s efforts of becoming carbon-free. 

Consider different ways your business can improve working techniques in a more sustainable way and try to implement some planet-friendly changes!

For more information on Google’s sustainable efforts watch this short, yet informative video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNPas3AYtqw&feature=emb_title.

By Pierre Guerrero

As we all have learned in this wretched time, the world’s governmental systems are unable to fully control the actions of people. However, in order to try to contain COVID-19 the governments have been setting curfews, travel “bans”, and shutting down certain traveling industries. Whether citizens and the different governments like it or not, people WILL be traveling in greater numbers then we have seen for around the past half-year. People are finally figuring out their comfort levels, the scenarios in which they like to wear a mask, and sometimes even when or when not to social distance.

Here is something else you may not have considered; while the world is dealing with an outrageous surge in virus cases, the U.S. will also be going through the final confirmation of who our next President is. This means that Traveling this holiday season may not be the best idea. If travel is absolutely necessary, to avoid potential riots and highly packed areas, consider driving to your destination or going on flights that do not have layovers in major cities (Or consider flying into outskirt cities).

By Leah Modica

70% of the textile waste in the USA is sent to landfills. If that does not shock you, then you are part of the problem.

Sure, it’s easier to just rid yourself of your unwanted clothes. That instant gratification of a cleaned out closet and full garbage bin is what society is accustomed to. This out of sight, out of mind mentality is outdated and overdue for a drop down to reality. 

Our landfills cannot sustain this naivete. This is a call to action to start thinking outside the waste bin.

1. The old stand by: Donation Bins or Thrift Stores 

• If you consistently use the excuse of “I do not know the nearest donation bin” the solution is simple: type your zip code followed by “donation bins near me.” Kind volunteers have taken time out of their busy schedules to create awareness for these drop boxes. 
• Thrift stores are always taking in new inventory. Help your locals, to some this is the kindest act.

2. Get Crafty: UPCYCLE

• What is upcycling? It is the reuse of your old garments for a new purpose.
• Create your children clothes, yourself a vamped up new outfit, decor for your house; the options are endless. No need to worry if you are not crafty, the internet is full of ideas from beginner to advanced.

3. Get rewards from your favorite shops

• H&M, The North Face, and Levi Strauss & Co all have recycling incentive programs. Check out their websites for instructions.

By Leah Modica

Currently a massive 264-metre oil tanker stocked with 1.4 million barrels of crude oil is stationed off the coast of Venezuela. This vessel has sustained alarming damages as it sat neglected for years by the Socailist Veneuzelan President, Nicolas Maduro. Every day it is getting closer to capsizing. If this vessel does capsize, it will be 5 times greater than the disastrous Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 off the coast of Alaska.

Drone footage of the listing Venezuelan oil tanker, FSO Nabarima, taken on 16 October 2020, showing … [+] TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FISHERMEN AND FRIENDS OF THE SEA

This massive carrier was used as a stationary platform aide in the OPEC nation’s oil export. Due to slowed production from Covid-19 the FSO Nabarima has sat untouched for months.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has directed all his attention to the petty battles between his government and the oil workers union, rather than the oil-slicked problem at large. Very little resolutions have been made on this issue due to the consistent disagreement. 

The FSO Nabarima’s failing conditions were brought to light by an anti-government oil worker  Eudis Girot, who also heads the Unitary Federation of Petroleum Workers of Venezuelan. Girot phrased in a video posted earlier this week,”I invited you, Mr. President. Take a helicopter. Go out there. Do your own inspection.”

Russ Dallen, head of Caracas Capital Markets, supports Girot in saying, “That ship should not be in this shape except for neglect and stupidity,” who closely tracks Venezuela’s maritime industry. 

4 Sep 2020: reports in the local press of Trinidad and Tobago six weeks ago showed the risk of the … [+] TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO GUARDIAN

If capsized, the crude oil will damage, and very possible destroy the flushing ecosystem of the crystal blue Carribean. The surrounding nations will be beat down again in wake of the global pandemic. The Venezelan government and the OPEC will lose millions, if not billions of dollars in the clean up efforts. In order to save People, the Planet and Profits there needs to be swift actions in place for the FSO Nabarima. 

By Leah Modica

Sustainability is a grey zone for many. It is an ambiguous term that entails various different definitions depending on whom you may ask. Politicians often use it as a crutch term to enhance their environmental proposals. Engineers may tell you the technical blueprint to Sustainability by drowning it in non-layman’s terms. For you, the basis you need to know is: Planet, People, Profit. 

These three P’s are known as the Triple Bottom Line Theory, which is an economic term coined by the business and engineering sectors. Sustainability is not just being eco-friendly. It encompasses every aspect of daily life and how to be beneficial to each of those three aspects. Many suggest that this theory can only be practiced through business, but I strongly believe it is capable of translating into everyday life. Whether you are looking to lead a more sustainable business or would like to do your independent push for green footprints; these three subjects will help you create a sound game plan. Let me dissect these down further:

Planet: This is the most recognizable sector of sustainability. Many confuse this as the only aspect. It can be argued that incorporating the planetary facet should be top priority; and truthfully it should. If you are a business owner, you should start asking yourself questions like, ‘How can your company produce less waste?’  It may seem unattainable to use the generally higher priced green products or to change the set in stone ways of production. The key argument to that is that a company that produces less waste not only saves the environment but saves time and productivity. Producing efficiently is also producing sustainably. Less waste + less production time = a sustaining work flow. This seamlessly transitions into everyday life. If you are from the younger generations, like I am, Reduce, Reuse,and Recycle have been drilled into your subconscious. Why not act on them? Create a sustainable lifestyle by producing less physical waste and time wasted. 

People: This is where things get personal. Not only are you asking the questions about how will your sustainable changes affect the people around you, but how will they affect your own life? Cliche, but in order to do good your mind and body must be good. This translates to companies as well. A company that is in good standings with employees that are whole-heartedly satisfied with their work is just as important as the products and services you produce. Creating less waste in your personal and company life, is how to be more sustainable. This waste means physical, mental and emotional.

Profit: On a community and personal level, you can gain profit through monetary savings, leisure time and peace of mind. Chase these profits, a sustainable life is immensely rewarding.

It is this simple; every change you make should have a positive outcome with benefits to yourself, the community and the planet. From my understanding on sustainability, this is the basis for which you should start analyzing your own and the public changes. You’ve only got one mind, nourish it. We’ve only got one planet, save it. 

By Regina Rodeghiero

Can you imagine being surrounded by vividly vibrant colors and unusual patterns on various birds flying about you? This is an everyday sight for birds, but as for humans, the sight is otherworldly and unimaginable. How do bird’s eyes and human’s eyes differ? When birds look at each other, they see an astonishing amount of pigments and patterns that adorn each birds’ feathers and beak, a sight that is inconceivable for the human mind. How is this possible? 

Birds can see ultraviolet or UV light. It exists because humans see wavelengths between 390 nanometers and 700 nanometers; this ranges from violet to red and is called the visible spectrum. Humans have trichromatic vision and therefore detect light with three kinds of retinal cone photoreceptors. The retina where these are located contains about 130 million photoreceptors that change rays of light into electrical impulses that travel to the brain.  Birds differ in that they contain more photoreceptors than humans and have four kinds of retinal cones instead of three. Bird’s eyes also use a retinal oil that contains pigments to protect its eye from the damage of ultraviolet light and filter out the extraneous wavelengths. Lastly, birds have a double retinal cone whose purpose is currently unknown. 

Birds are divided into two groups based on the color of light (wavelength) that their retinal cones detect most intensely. Scientists define the two groups as ultraviolet-sensitive or as violet-sensitive. These patterns and pigments help birds tell each other apart. For example, a male and female parrot that look indistinguishable to us may have UV patterns that make them appear diverse to each other.  Birds also rely on their perception of UV light for success and survival. These fluorescent pigments play a significant role throughout an avian species’ life in selecting mates, differentiating eggs, healthy fledglings, and foraging for food. 

Ultraviolet light and fluorescence constitute a significant factor in natural selection between male and female birds. To illustrate; depending on the species, a female might choose a male with more or less fluorescence that determines how healthy the male is and therefore, will produce healthier offspring. Next, the eggs have specific patterns that distinguish a mother’s eggs from those of a different species. A mother bird does not want to feed unwell hatchlings when the same resources could be feeding the healthy and likely-to-survive young. Therefore, the pigments and patterns on chicks tell the mother bird whom to feed while marks on their beaks tell her where to put the worms. Fowls use UV light to their advantage when foraging for food as berries reflect light, and for raptors as vole’s urine trails reflect light, possibly even  leading to its next meal. 

Birds have such a larger sense of color then us humans do, and as for food, they are able to sustain themselves thanks to this highly-sophisticated ability. A bird’s ability to see ultraviolet light is a vital part of their survival, and without it they might have become extinct. Scientists are studying this ability because it could lead to many technological advances in the future and a more comprehensive understanding about our world, for both our feathered friends and humanity itself.

By Nathan Wayne

The citizens of African-American communities have long-asked for police body cameras (also known as police cams and bodycams). Police excuses include the following; “they are too expensive”,  “mine was turned off”, and “it ran out of battery”. To the detriment of justice-seeking George Floyd protestors; this time that was definitely not the case. Police cam footage was released from one of the police officers who arrived at the George Floyd scene. The problem that people have with this was that after reviewing the footage, the final decision was to charge former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin with Manslaughter and Third-Degree murder. Third-Degree Murder is basically classified as involuntary/accidental, but many people wish Derek Chauvin to be charged with First-Degree Murder because in the footage you see George Floyd pleading for air.

A former Minneapolis club-owner stated that Derek Chauvin and George Floyd were once co-workers, bringing hope to George Floyd’s family for a possible First-Degree Murder Charge. If proven that they had previous encounters, the murder of George Floyd could have possibly been on purpose.

Usually if a police cam is not in use, police forces rely on bystanders to relay events. According to the Minneapolis Police Department: “disciplinary action would be taken if a police officer does not have [their body cam] on when arriving at a scene”. So in the George Floyd case, bystander reliance was not needed. Something that would have been helpful, though, would have been intervention by the Minneapolis Police Department itself, as Derek Chauvin had 18 prior complaints against him.

Aside from the George Floyd case we can see how justice has more recently been brought to two students who, as shown in bodycam footage, were allegedly pulled from their car at a protest on Saturday. This incident resulted in six Atlanta Police Officers being charged earlier today.

By Pierre Guerrero

We have three types of people during this pandemic: Those who do not think COVID-19 is real, those who want to open everything up immediately, and then those who want everything to stay closed until there are less cases. Though every single one of these “wants” have flaws. The problem is not so much the way that leaders are handling the shutdown, but mainly who is handling it. This has become a matter of Democrats Vs. Republicans.

It brings great sadness to my team when we see people judging leaders’ responses, rather than praising them for what they do. For example; Many conservatives do not agree with California Governor Gavin Newsom’s ideas, more specifically his COVID-19 response. Though, through his guidance we have less cases than many other East Coast states. The problem is that his “guidance” is viewed as more of a hindrance to some people because they think that this has gone on for too long. This is a tough issue to address because if we open up immediately we would not see the effects for a few weeks.

In New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, COVID-19 has unleashed its worst. This is something that we have yet to experience, which is both good and bad. This is good because not many of us have gotten sick or have seen others get sick. This is also bad at the same time because we do not have much to fear, as we have not experienced many detrimental effects of it. We are almost “stupid” in our knowledge of COVID-19 compared to those in the East Coast.

The majority of our population has come to the realization of this not being a hoax, but many still want their “freedom” or “rights” back. Health officials understand that YOU might be responsible and safe, but what about the thousands who riot and still believe that it is fake. Thousands of patients who have this virus will tell you “This is no joke”.

Keeping everyone home is safe but impractical. Parents need to have a place for their children to go while they take care of family members, or while they go to work. Senator Chang in Southern California said, “Everyone says this is the ‘new normal’, but I sure hope not”. While this is entirely true, it is very unhealthy to think that it is going to go away anytime soon. We urge you to write a letter to your local Senator, Governor, or Mayor, thanking them for providing news conferences to inform you. We know that it can be hard not to mention the negative things, but this is a time of uncertainty, and we need positivity!