California is a climate leader—can other states follow?
California is a leader in climate-based action. But they’re also dangerously subject to its effects. The rest of the United States doesn’t have the option to wait until their own…
Opinions
For the sake of my country, Vassar needs to divest from fossil fuels now
The call for divestment from the fossil fuel industry is reverberating stronger than ever at Vassar College. In 2016, 91 percent of Vassar students voted in favor of divestment, yet…
Increasing G.O.P. voter suppression alludes to American history
A few years ago, I believed that some of the Republican Party’s ideas were hypocritical in nature, but given the hyper partisan atmosphere that has exacerbated in the last four…
Celebrity culture during pandemic reveals excesses of American reverence
Despite a national obsession with heavy words like “independence” and “freedom,” Americans seem obstinately stuck in the search for a figurehead––whether that be a politician or a reality TV star.…
EVs are the future, but do we want Tesla at the helm?
Miles travelled by light-duty vehicles—passenger cars and light-duty trucks—increased by almost 50 percent between 1990 and 2018. In 2018, the automotive industry accounted for 28.2 percent of all U.S. greenhouse…
Greenwashed: How utility climate pledges are purely performative
From a climate perspective, the new Biden administration is something to be happy about, particularly after a four-year stretch replete with climate change denial and rampant misinformation. Biden has made…
Fear and hatred rule the Republican Party, not Trump
Political commentators and analysts need to stop saying Donald Trump still has a grip on the Republican Party. Yes, there are still some senators and other Republican elected officials who…
What is America?
January 6, 2021. A day that will forever live in infamy began as late-night tallying of the vote in the Georgia Senate runoffs extended into early morning. I finally began…
The post-Trump recovery: Why we must convert norms into law
American democracy is obviously very flawed. The electoral college forces the voting system to be partially based on land rather than totally on population. In addition to this unequal voting…
Carbon neutrality ≠ political neutrality: The case for divestment
In 2020, Vassar reaffirmed its desire to become carbon-neutral by 2030 with a revision of their Climate Action Plan. There is one area, however, not mentioned in the revised plan:…