Since the 1870s, the U.S. federal government has designated just under 60 different areas as protected national parks. In addition to these parks, there are over 400 protected areas that span across all 50 states and U.S. territories and cover more than 84 million acres in total. To many, national parks are the crowning jewel—the…
During my stay in Ireland, I’ve been effectively immersed in Irish culture, but above all, I have come to appreciate the amazing dairy products Ireland produces. Ireland, a dairy- and meat-heavy country, is akin to a wonderland for the unabashed foodie. However, the environmental consequences of Ireland’s agriculture industry, which accounts for the lion share…
A delightful surprise to some, and a terrifying, now-realistic fever dream to many others, Donald J. Trump will be the 45th President of the U.S. Though he failed to earn the popular vote, the U.S. nonetheless voted for a man who, on the surface, embodies the populist ideals white, working-class U.S. citizens feel necessary to…
In the tumultuous time following World War II, the U.S. and 44 other Allied countries met in New Hampshire for the Bretton Woods Conference to reconstruct the economic makeup of the global economy. It was here that Gross Domestic Product was set as a standard for countries to follow. The International Monetary Fund defines GDP…
Not once in the three presidential debates this fall was a question pertaining to climate change posed. If we have one more election cycle without at least one question regarding climate change, one could say that a pattern has emerged, given that this is the second election cycle where no questions about climate change have…
Wendell Berry, author and environmental activist, said, “To be interested in food but not in food production in clearly absurd.” To most people in the U.S., food is simply something one conveniently finds in a supermarket; it is also a commodity that never seems to run short, despite the prolonged hunger problem in the U.S….
Agriculture – a basic necessity, a cornerstone of the global economy and the root for the concern over food security – will play an integral role in how we as a planet move into the future. Currently, our goal to feed all the humans on earth requires the use of outdated and inefficient farming practices….
Thomas Jefferson once said, “Every generation needs a new revolution.” While I think most people could give a reasonable definition of the word “revolution,” there are a host of varied definitions suited to varied contexts. The Merriam-Webster definition most applicable to my area of interest defines revolution as “a fundamental change in the way of…
The clichéd proverb “waste not, want not” nearly parallels one of the fundamental ideas of natural capitalism, which is to ensure that no capital, whether it is natural, human, or financial goes to waste. This idea is based off the workings of nature, where resources are created, used, and recycled. Natural capitalism highlights the unnerving fact…
This summer, the Dakota Access Pipeline garnered media attention, igniting opposition across the U.S. and critique from international partners. According to Energy Transfer Partners, L.P., the Dakota Access Pipeline is a “1,172-mile, 30-inch diameter pipeline that will connect the rapidly expanding Bakken and Three Forks [oil] production areas in North Dakota to Patoka, Illinois.” For…