The Trail Volume 14 Issue 3 May 2022
Rutgers Department of Human Ecology
A Note to Our Readers...
As another semester comes to an end, The Trail staff would like to thank you all for supporting and reading our newsletter. We hope everyone did well on their final exams and is enjoying the warm spring weather (finally)! I want to say a huge thank you to my fellow leadership crew, Mia, Sarah, and Anna. Transitioning to a new leadership, online, during a pandemic was not easy, but we made it work. Special thanks to Mia for being a true leader - without her, the past few issues would not have been possible! As a graduating senior who has been a part of The Trail since freshman year, along with Sarah, it is sad to go, but we know that Mia, Anna, and the rest of the staff (current and new) will do an amazing job. I have really enjoyed writing and editing for The Trail the past few years and can’t wait to keep reading all future issues! Congratulations to all graduating seniors - we wish you well in all of your future endeavors! The world is your oyster!
Natalia
The Trail Staff
Leadership Crew
Writers
Editors
Michelle Delemarre
Natalia Binkowski
Sarah Ekenezar
Michelle Delemarre
Anna Forsman
Emily Laumbach
Enya Laumbach Jeremy LewanEmily Mahaffy
Jeremy Lewan
Priyal Patel
Anne Elizabeth Youssef
Angel Tello
Angel Tello Brianna Topchev
Editor-in-Chief: Natalia Binkowski Head of Designs: Sarah Ekenezar Head of Publishing: Mia Weinberg Head of Communications: Anna Forsman
Mia Weinberg
Graphic Designers Sarah Ekenezar Amanda Heckman Mia Weinberg
Table of Contents A Home Away from Civilization Sarah Ekenezar………………………………………………………………………………………………….1
Brownfields in New Jersey Priyal Patel………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
Combating the Sixth Mass Extinction Michelle Delemarre……………………………………………………………………………………………5
Sunshine Protection Act Angel Tello………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7
Bucket List for the Traveler: Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan da Cunha Jeremy Lewan………………………………………………………………………………………………….10
Analayzing the Ongoing Migrant Crisis Through a Climate Change Lens Enya Laumbach…………………………………………………………………………………………………13
The Problem with Whaling in Japan Mia Weinberg………………………………………………………………………………………………….16
A Collection of Poems Anna Forsman………………………………………………………………………………………………….18
Trail Mix……………………………………………………………………………………………………...22
A Home Away from Civilization By: Sarah Ekenezar These days, alternative energy sources and a deepening appreciation for the environment have encouraged city dwellers to leave in search of new homes that can make them feel closer to nature. This journey might go toward the off-the-grid route which is a relatively new movement centered around lifestyles that are independent of services and ammenities provided to municipalities, such as electricity, running water, and grocery stores. Additionally, "one of the defining characteristics of off-grid homes is the fact that they’re highly customizable" (Tanksalvala). The abodes gives people more leeway with housing design that would otherwise be restricted by standard housing codes, such as circular domes and tent-like structures. But before people rush to sell their homes in exchange for a self-made one, it is critical to keep the following points in mind. “Many American cities and states have deemed it unlawful for you to entirely remove yourself from the grid” (Erika). So it would be wise to research areas that would permit it in the first place. Furthermore, living in a region with an abundance of at least one key resource like water and a power source, to enable rainwater harvesting or light is fundamental (Erika). The transition to this way of living also doesn't happen rapidly. One way to carefully test the waters is to experiment with extended camping trips and The Trail | 1
gauge how well you manage with limited resources and socialization. Ultimately, offgrid homes are seen as a project that some people dedicate their entire lives toward customizing and expanding (Tanksalvala). Catherine King and Wayne Adams are such a couple that live together in a home dubbed Freedom Cove, a secluded area located in Vancouver Island, Canada. Their home is sometimes referred to as “a manmade island,” as it is a collection of connected housing structures that float on a river (Great Big Story) Said river serves as their means of transportation and their connection to the rest of the province (Great Big Story). Their mini island is tied to trees by the shore to prevent it from floating away. The structure also has different sections to feel cozier. “We have our main living house, we have the dance floor, the lighthouse building, four greenhouses” (Great Big Story). King and Adams make use of a large garden and simple tools like hammers and saws to repair items on deck. The collective structure weighs a whopping 500 tons or 1 million pounds, serving as a testament to all of its expansion projects over the years (Great Big Story). It helps that Adams is no beginner in the field of construction, as he made tree forts since the age of seven. “When I go to town, I get landsick,” he Great Big Story said in an interview
Works Cited Erika. “Off grid living: 12 things you must know in 2022.” Gokce Capital. https:// gokcecapital.com/off-grid-living/ With Great Big Story, showing how acclimated the couple became to boat living. On some days, he hops in a canoe to fish for dinner, usually catching a suitable amount in just ten minutes (Great Big Story). In less favorable weather conditions, he can cast his fishing line from indoors. Living as an artist, he had limited funds and thus prioritized subsistence living with his wife to live well. Their efforts have clearly paid off as their lovely home remains afloat and they continue to find contentment in their Cove.
“Off the Grid on a Homemade Island.” 8 Aug. 2016. Great Big Story. https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9WWzbzevTA Tanksalvala, Sarah. "Finding peace and purpose off the grid." Forbes. https:// www.forbes.com/hsbcpersonaleconomy/ finding-peace-and-purpose.html
All in all, off-grid living is arguably the a very sustainable way to make use of limited resources, but also requires a deep commitment and effort that may require extreme levels of patience from the average person. The couple’s lifestyle is quite fascinating to observe for that reason.
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Brownfields in New Jersey By Priyal Patel Brownfields are quite abundant in Currently, New Jersey is developing our daily lives. However, many people are better tools to help its economic and unaware of their existence. The EPA environmental conditions. The most defines a brownfield as “a property, the recent tool is a Geographic Information expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of Systems (GIS) mapping inventory layer which may be complicated by the created by the New Jersey Department of presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or Environmental Protection. The NJEDA will contaminant” (US Environmental use this layer to assess our economic Protection Agency). Brownfields can be growth and find the most efficient and created by developing industrial and commercial sites like dry cleaners and economically feasible options to redevelop these contaminated sites. This gas stations. Funding to clean up and reuse these sites is costly and increases mapping layer will help make “ valuable local taxes, so it is crucial for our information about brownfields sites easily administrations to map and locate these accessible” (Shinske and Hajna). Making sites correctly. this information readily accessible will allow more investors and developers to make the most environmentally sound decisions. It could help them better assess locations before deciding to build other brownfields. The mapping of these sites can help us prevent or help us track contamination outbreaks as well. Currently, the map includes information such as “acreage, cleanup status, and property owner contact information” (Shinske and Hajna). This information is crucial for smart planning, and the NJDEP is planning on adding brownfields from other municipalities throughout the coming years. In order to get other towns to investigate their brownfields and facilitate redevelopment
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of these sites, the NJEDA has created a Brownfield Impact Fund. This Fund will help assist organizations in the cleanup of these contaminated sites and encourage towns to join in the state's efforts to reuse and rebuild these sites for future use.
New Jersey is taking charge and cleaning up after itself. New Jersey is becoming more conscious of its environmental decisions and can better track the sites and their possible impacts on surrounding communities with tools like this.
Through the watchful eye of Governor Murphy’s administration, Works Cited Shinske, Caryn, and Lawrence Hajna. “NJDEP - News Release 22/P005 - Murphy Administration Releases New Tool for Brownfield Cleanup and Redevelopment to Improve Economic and Environmental Outcomes for New Jersey Communities.” NJ.gov, State of New Jersey, Depart-
ment of Environmental Protection, 14 February 2022, https://www.nj.gov/dep/ newsrel/2022/22_0005.htm. Accessed 24 April 2022.
US Environmental Protection Agency. “Overview of EPA's Brownfields Program | US EPA.”
US Environmental Protection Agency, US Environmental Protection Agency, 26 July 2021, https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/overview-epas-brownfields-program. Accessed 23 April 2022.
A brownfield site. Source: Wikimedia Commons
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Combating the Sixth Mass Extinction Taken by: Michelle Delemarre (03-14-20)
By: Michelle Delemarre
The sixth one is upon us. In the last issue, I discussed how anthropogenic climate change and human activities have resulted in the dawn of the sixth mass extinction. The previous five mass extinctions were caused by cataclysmic events brewing over millennia, but this one will be caused by humans over mere centuries. Witnessing the destruction of nature and the overall loss of biodiversity within our planet is heartbreaking to say the least. We must take it as a final warning and do something to combat the looming sixth mass extinction. The combination of anthropogenic climate change and habitat fragmentation are large contributors to the loss of biodiversity, and so they must be reduced in order to protect wildlife. Many nations have committed to the Paris Agreement, which aims to keep emissions below 1.5ºC (WWF, 2022). This will not only benefit us, but also wildlife. Many species have difficulty adapting to such a rapidly changing environment, which has resulted in the death of many animals on land and sea. In reducing the rate of change, we can expect to see
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biodiversity begin to recover. Of course, it is idealistic to expect the nations largely responsible for carbon emissions, like the United States and China, to embrace a transition to clean energy. This is why conservation methods, such as protecting land, captive breeding, and re-introducing vulnerable species into natural habitats plays an important role in combating the sixth mass extinction. The conservation of wildlife habitat is crucial; a stable ecosystem is necessary for the survival of marine, land, and avian animals alike. According to a report called Future threats to biodiversity and pathways to their prevention, “Designated protected areas now cover about 14% of Earth’s terrestrial surface and are often instrumental in reducing habitat conversion, hunting and extinction risks within their confines.” (Tilman et. al, 2017.) Creating conserved habitats with connecting corridors proves highly beneficial to the conservation of species, as it allows for migration from one area to another. Both animals and humans need land, and so the habitat of animals is often cleared for agriculture, timber, or the development of roads or buildings. It is important to note that conserving the
habitats of wildlife can impact the livelihoods of people who live near the habitats. Rather than isolate people from conservation efforts, they can contribute to the conservation with their expertise and knowledge of the local environment. Areas of high biodiversity would be protected, while agrarian fields would be in areas only with high yield. This way, a compromise would be met. As individuals, we must push for legislation to protect ecosystems in a way which will benefit both humans and animals. We can also proactively reduce the demand for land clearing by consuming less meat. We must never forget our dependence on nature; it is something that no longer can be dismissed. While it may not be possible to completely reverse climate change and the impact it has had on biodiversity, it is not too late to combat extinctions, and protect what remains of nature.
Works Cited Barnosky, A. (2011, March 02). Has the Earth's sixth mass extinction already arrived? Retrieved February 12, 2022, from https://www.nature.com/articles/ nature09678 Tilman, D. (2017, May 31). Future threats to biodiversity and pathways to their prevention. Nature News. Retrieved April 20, 2022, from https://www.nature.com/articles/ nature World Wildlife Fund. (2022, March 15). What is the sixth mass extinction and what can we do about it? WWF. Retrieved April 20, 2022, from https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/ what-is-the-sixth-mass-extinction-and-what -can-we-do-about-it
Taken by: Michelle Delemarre (06-28-19)
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Sunshine Protection
Act M
any of us are familiar with Daylight Saving Time, ecstatic when we have an extra hour of sleep and dreading the day a few months later when it gets taken away from us. In the future, we can see an end to this cycle, but first it’s important to know where it came from. Daylight Saving Time (DST) was enacted in the United States, following Germany’s 1916 effort to conserve fuel during World War I, and its period of observance has since been lengthened. Originally mandated for six months, in 2005, Congress extended DST to begin on the second Sunday in March and end the first Sunday in November. As a result, the United States now enjoys eight months of DST, and only four months of standard time (November to March). The United States has also gone through periods where we have had year-round DST, including in 1942-1945 and 1974-1975. Senator Rubio’s Sunshine Protection Act would eliminate the changing of clocks to standard time for those four months. In sum, if enacted, we would not “fall back” in November and would enjoy a full year of DST, instead of only eight months.
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By Angel Tello This plan has many benefits to both u us and our environment. If enacted, we can see a reduction of car crashes and car accidents involving pedestrians due to better aligning daylight hours to drivers’ standard work hours increases visibility, according to the American Journal of Public Health and the Journal of Safety Research. This can also reduce the number of vehicle collisions with wildlife by 8 – 11 percent by shifting normal traffic patterns to an hour off from nocturnal wildlife’s behavior. Studies have shown that a full year of DST can reduce the risk for cardiac issues, stroke, and seasonal depression. It can also reduce childhood obesity and increase physical fitness. According to studies published by the International Journal Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity and the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, children see an increase in physical activity during DST. The Journal of Environmental Psychology found that DST increased pedestrian activity by 62% and cyclists’ activity by 38% because of additional daylight. It can additionally reduce the number of robberies by 27%.
According to a 2015 Brookings Institution, because of additional daylight in the evenings. We can also see benefits to the economy, according to a study by JP Morgan Chase, which found that there is a drop in economic activity of 2.2% – 4.9% when clocks move back. With a full year of DST, we won’t experience this percentage decrease. Also, we can see a boost in the agricultural economy, which is disproportionately disrupted by biannual changes in time by upsetting the synergy between farmers’ schedules and their supply chain partners. We can see a reduction in energy usage, as a 2008 study by the U.S. Department of Energy found that during the 4 weeks the U.S. extended daylight savings from the 2005 law, there were savings of about 0.5 percent in electricity per day. Later studies have also shown that the energy savings are minimal, but a small savings does occur, nonetheless.
Overall, enacting this policy can have many benefits for both the economy and health of the public and can be one of the few bright positives coming out of Florida recently.
Sources Manfredini, Roberto. “European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences.” European Review,
2018, https://www.europeanreview.org/wp/wpcontent/uploads/750-755.pdf. Sipilä JO;Ruuskanen JO;Rautava P;Kytö. “Changes in Ischemic Stroke Occurrence Following Daylight Saving Time Transitions.” Sleep Medicine, U.S.
National Library of Medicine, https:// pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27938913/. “Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).” Mayo Clinic,
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 14 Dec. 2021, https:// www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonalaffective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651. Farrell, Diana. “Shedding Light on Daylight Saving Time.” Shedding Light on Daylight Saving Time, Nov.
2016, https://www.jpmorganchase.com/institute/ research/cities-local-communities/jpmc-institutedaylight-savings-report. Matulka, Rebecca. “Top 8 Things You Didn't Know about Daylight Saving Time.” Energy.gov, 6 Mar.
2014, https://www.energy.gov/articles/top-8-thingsyou-didn-t-know-about-daylight-saving-time. MCFERRIN, CLAY. “Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent.” Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent
| The Sun-Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2022, https:// www.tallahatchienews.ms/editorialslocal-content-opinion/make-daylightsaving-timepermanent#sthash.QvRbFNss.dpbs.
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Bucket List for the Traveler: Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan da Cunha
Looking to get away from it all? Well, I have the escape of a lifetime for you, “far from the madding crowd” (Millington)! Like a green iceberg lost adrift in the turbulent sea, flung thousands of miles away from any other landmasses, lies the most remote inhabited island archipelago in the world: Tristan da Cunha (National Geographic Society, 2017). It’s about as far as you can get off the beaten path!
By: Jeremy Lewan
(The only exception is the team of less than 10--meteorologists, medics, engineers, biologists--employed yearround by the South African Weather Service at the Gough Island Weather Station (Gough Base, 2018).)
The Gough Island Weather Station
Tristan da Cunha sits almost smack-dab in the center of the remote waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, over from even its closest neighbor, St. Helena!
Tristan da Cunha is a British overseas territory consisting of six small islands: Tristan da Cunha, Inaccessible, Nightingale, Middle, Stoltenhoff, and Gough (Murray, 2014; Isaacson, 2020). Of the six, Tristan da Cunha Island, referred to simply as Tristan by the nearly 250 residents who live on the archipelago, is the only inhabited island (Isaacson, 2020).
All residents on the island live in a small settlement, Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, and are descendants of the original nine male founders on the island (Green). The nine surnames--Collins, Glass, Green, Hagan, Lavarello, Repetto, Rogers, Squibb, and Swain--preserve and are held dearly by the island’s eighty families (Green). Ethnically ambiguous, they are of diverse ancestry, including Scottish, Dutch, Italian, and American and speak a TristanianEnglish patois, a dialect influenced by Afrikaans, Italian and American tongues The Trail | 10
(Isaacson 2014). They live without locks on their doors and with windows open and children are allowed to play freely without fear of harm. Everyone shares resources; they help each other communally.
Conrad Glass, the island’s only police officer and former chief islander
There is no air service to the island, so it is accessible only to those who are able to afford thousands of dollars to sail there on a mailship or research vessel. Also being able to afford to spend a month on Tristan before the ship makes its returning voyage from either continent adds an additional barrier (Isaacson, 2014). Since there are no hotels or motels, visitors must lodge with one of the families, providing them with an excellent opportunity to become acquainted with the local people and immerse themselves in Tristanian culture. In addition to those with a taste for unusual and extraordinary vacations, the island beckons many other specialists.
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Lobster-lovers delight on Tristan. The crustacean is a main staple of the local diet and the island’s chief export, carefully and sustainably harvested (Redfern, 2016b). Anyone who enjoys eating lobster will be happy at mealtime on the island. Potatoes often accompany every meal-boiled, baked, mashed, stuffed, fried, you name it!-- as every family owns several fields in the Potato Patches to grow their primary and vital potato crop (Issacson, 2014). Volcanologists rejoice as they climb to the nearly 7,000 foot Queen Mary’s Peak, the top of the massive shield volcano that forms the island (Murray, 2014). It is an active volcano, having last erupted in 1961, almost destroying the village and forcing the inhabitants to evacuate for a short period of time (Redfern, 2016a). Those who wish to explore or just commune with nature without accidentally stepping on a loathsome reptile will be happy here, as there are no snakes on Tristan (Grundy). (St. Patrick must have sent one of his deputies.) Lovers of marine and avian wildlife will have an unparalleled experience observing native and unique species. Schools of Tristan five-finger, Tristan wrasse, and False Jacopever are abundant, weaving among the 150-foot-tall giant kelp forest high-rises they call home (Grundy; Redfern, 2016b).
The giant kelp cities are constantly growing too, at an accelerating rate of over a foot a day (Redfern, 2016b)! Subantarctic fur seals, and many varieties of whales and dolphins also find themselves indulging lavishly in the rich Tristan waters (Grundy; Redfern, 2016b).
reported on the island and the British Ministry of Defense went to great lengths to deliver and administer OxfordAstraZeneca vaccinations to all of the residents (Adams, 2021). With the pandemic waning, travel to this most remote and intriguing of destinations seems possible in the very near future, after which you can boast to your other well-traveled friends that you have gone to a place they have never even heard of before. References Adams, P. (2021, April 29). Covid: How the UK has been getting jabs to remote territories. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56923016
Giant kelp forests provide a habitat for a multiplicity of unique marine species.
There are three native albatross species that nest exclusively on the Tristan da Cunha Islands: Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross, sooty albatross, and Tristan wandering albatross (Grundy). Hundreds of thousands of Great Shearwaters also breed exclusively on the islands (Redfern, 2016b). Tristan is home to a sprawling community (up to 75% of the world’s population) of Northern Rockhopper penguins, known on the island as pinnamins (Grundy; Redfern, 2016b). Although one of the smallest penguin species, they are some of the most agile, and can be seen swiftly catching a bite to eat in the teeming waters off the coast of the island (Grundy).
Luckily, not a single COVID-19 case was
Gough Base: South African National Antarctic Programme. (2018, August 29). Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://blogs.sun.ac.za/sanap/stations/ gough-base/#:~:text=Gough%20Island%20is% 20located%20at,weather%20observations%20are% 20more%20accurate. Green, C. (n.d.). Tristan da Cunha Population Update. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://www.tristandc.com/population.php Grundy, R. (n.d.). Wild Tristan da Cunha. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://www.tristandc.com/wildlife.php Isaacson, A. (2020, May 20). A Visual Dispatch from One of the World's Most Remote Islands.Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/20/travel/tristan-dacunha.html Isaacson, A. (2014, July 09). Tristan da Cunha: Island at the End of the World. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https:// www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/tristan-da-cunha Millington, P. (Director). (n.d.). Tristan da Cunha Website [Video file]. Retrieved April 27, 2022,from https://www.tristandc.com/ index.php
Murray, L. (2014). Tristan da Cunha. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Tristan-da-Cunha-islandgroup National Geographic Society. (2017, January). Tristan da Cunha. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https:// www.nationalgeographic.org/projects/pristine-seas/expeditions/ tristan-da-cunha/ Redfern. (Director). (2016a, April 08). Life on Tristan da Cunha – The World's Most Remote Inhabited Island [Video file]. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=n4ElF8awm90 Redfern (Director). (2016b, April 08). Tristan da Cunha - Wildlife and Heritage [Video file]. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fspkfxcrfwc
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Analyzing
Analyzing the Ongoing Migrant Crisis Through a Climate Change Lens By Enya Laumbach
T
urn on Fox News, and you’re likely to hear mention of the “Border Crisis” afflicting our nation. This is usually accompanied with a tantrum about how we should be protecting our own border rather than Ukraine’s. Right-wing pundits seem to have an effortless ability to drone on and on about the threat of thousands of undocumented immigrants swarming our border. When President Joe Biden slightly relaxed border policies, a Republican representative commented that we as a nation were, "rolling out the welcome mat for millions of illegal immigrants to rush to our border ultimately overpowering our already drained resources.” He further states, “everyone from the cartels, human traffickers and drug smugglers are standing idly by, waiting for May 23 to reignite their efforts to surge the United States with illegal immigrants, drugs and convicted criminals.” From the way the issue is being talked about you’d The Trail | 13
think that migrants were coming here to rob us blind, put drugs in our kids and, god forbid, spice in our food. But is the issue so cut and dry? Obviously not, as Tucker Carlson’s beautifully sheltered mind and miniscule worldview is capable of handling. These people believe it or not, are quite literally the opposite of criminals. They are refugees of a growing sort: Climate refugees. And they’re refugees because of the real criminals, us Americans. When it comes to global warming, the first world often pollutes without consequence, while the third world, in a more precarious economic and environmental position, is routinely the victim. Despite making up a far smaller proportion of global emissions. But how is it that climate change is creating refugees? While no established definition exists for climate refugees, UN Environment Programme
(UNEP) expert Essam El-Hinnawi defines 'environmental refugees' (interchangeable with climate refugeeism) as: '...those people who have been forced to leave their traditional habitat, temporarily or permanently, because of marked environmental disruption (natural and/ or triggered by people) that jeopardized their existence and/or seriously affected the quality of their life.’
populations most vulnerable to either: Indigenous Central Americans. Indigenous Central Americans have seen a big increase in the number of persons seeking migration, both illegal and legal, in recent years. That is because Indigenous Hondurans are both majority small holder farmers and thus more vulnerable to food insecurity. They are also largely the victims of political violence due to issues between Does this characterize those immigrants indigenous land rights and private corporations. Furthermore, many coming from Central America? Absolutely. Climate change vulnerability prominent environmental activists have come from the indigenous community. manifests in two distinct crises The issue has gotten so bad that now, throughout Central America, food border services are desperate to find insecurity and political violence. Food and hire Quiche and other Mayan insecurity is a direct result of global dialect speakers. They are needed to act warming, with inclement weather and as interpreters for the influx of dry temperatures creating food shortages. Especially along the so-called indigenous Mayans with no English or even Spanish skills. Clearly, this is a last “dry corridor” , a dry stretch of agricultural land which holds a majority resort for many. The final result then is a humanitarian crisis, not a border one. of Central America’s poor smallholder farmers. The corridor's arid nature makes it incredibly susceptible to rising The worst irony of all is that temperatures. Additionally, political Republicans continue to on the one violence is an indirect result of climate hand decry the border crisis while also change. Take Honduras for example, playing into climate change denial. The where mining companies wield large cognitive dissonance exhibited in this, social, economic and political power and throughout right-wing circles, is and regularly carry out extrajudicial immense and shows a great dedication killings of activists. Making Honduras to the craft of deception. one of the most deadly regions of the world for environmental advocates. This violence spills over, and contributes to the flow of migrants out of the country hoping to escape said political violence. These two crises intersect at the The Trail | 14
However, what we can do is fight back against this disconnect? Educate people about how these two issues are connected, and that one cannot be argued against without also arguing against the other. That a solution that addresses climate change is one that addresses the border crisis. Then hopefully, we can shut Tucker Carlson up, together.
Work Cited https://www.foxnews.com/politics/goplawmakers-warn-catastrophe-southernborder-migrant-caravan-travels-us https://www.theguardian.com/ environment/andes-to-theamazon/2015/apr/22/honduras-worldsnumber-one-killing-environmentalactivists https://news.mongabay.com/2022/03/ honduras-bans-open-pit-mining-citingenvironmental-and-public-healthconcerns/#:~:text=Currently%2C% 20there%20are%20217% 20mining,near%20or%20inside% 20Indigenous%20territory https://www.humanium.org/en/focuson/environment/child-climate-refugees/ https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/ hondurans-flee-climate-change-violenceand-mining-project https://www.newyorker.com/ magazine/2020/01/06/a-translationcrisis-at-the-border
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The Problem with Whaling in Japan By: Mia Weinberg
Whaling is the act of hunting whales, and has been practiced by many coastal civilizations for hundreds of years. It was first recorded in Europe in the 12th century by the Basque people, who used hand-held harpoons to hunt whales off of their coast in present-day France and Spain. In Asia, Japan is the best-known whaling nation, with an industry that has been active since at least the 16th century. Japan is well-positioned to hunt whales due to its location in the Pacific Ocean, as migratory species travel along its coast during migrations. Therefore, Japan has long been able to commercially exploit these whale stocks. After a ban on commercial whaling was established in 1986, Japan has continued to hunt whales and has become the subject of international criticism. Japanese officials claim that whaling is a traditional part of Japanese culture that the country is unwilling to sacrifice in the name of conservation. Just how intertwined is whaling with Japanese culture, and how is the continued practice impacting marine ecosystems globally?
Using handheld harpoons to kill these massive marine mammals, the harpoon specialists among these early whalers were highly skilled. They traveled in groups of at least 300 people because it took so much labor to locate the whales and bring their carcasses ashore. During this time, whale oil was in high demand, as it was used for oil-burning lamps, and as an ingredient in soap, fertilizer, and pesticides prior to the use of kerosene and vegetable oil. Whale meat was also consumed by elite members of the population, but was not a significant part of the Japanese diet. This small-scale whaling continued for about 300 years, until the early 20th century. During this time, American and Norwegian whalers developed factory ships that allowed the industry to scale-up
Organized whaling was first recorded in Japan in 1570. Coastal villagers formed whaling groups.
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globally. Whales could now be processed at sea, making the entire process more efficient. This was done because coastal whales were killed so quickly in these nations that they were forced to expand their operations or the industry would not be profitable. Japan quickly adopted these new technologies, and expanded to the Antarctic, where they killed hundreds to thousands of whales a year for many decades. This transition coincided with the end of WWII, during which time whale meat became a dominant part of the Japanese diet as Japan recovered economically and socially from the war. This was the only period in Japan’s history in which ordinary people consumed whale meat regularly. As global concern over endangered whale species emerged, the International Whaling Commission was formed, and banned commercial whaling in 1986. Japan objected to this moratorium, claiming that its whaling was scientifically necessary. Between 1986 and 2015, Japanese whalers have killed over 15,000 whales, leaving populations decimated. This is problematic because whales serve many essential functions to the marine ecosystem, and to humans. One of the most important services provided by whales is their ability to mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration. This is the process by which whales’ bodies absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere throughout their lifespans, even locking the carbon away for centuries after they die. Great whales capture
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an estimated 33 tons of CO₂ in their lifetimes, which would otherwise exist in the atmosphere and warm the planet. Whales’ fecal matter also contains nutrients that are essential to the diet of primary producers like phytoplankton, which are the basis of the marine food chain. Japan has greatly contributed to the endangerment of several whale species, which has greatly affected the health of our oceans and will continue to do so. Nations continue to plead with Japan to stop its harmful commercial whaling practices, which it is disguising as scientific research. Not only is it false that whale meat is necessary to feed the Japanese population, but researching whales does not necessitate killing hundreds of animals a year. Japan’s irresponsible practices threaten the livelihood of oceans globally, and belong at the center of global discussion on climate change mitigation. References Arch, J. K. (2018). Introduction. In Bringing Whales Ashore: Oceans and the environment of early modern japan. University of Washington Press. Environmental Investigation Agency. (2018, September). Commercial whaling: Unsustainable, inhumane, unnecessary. Animal Welfare Institute . Retrieved from https:// awionline.org/sites/default/files/press_release/files/AWIIWC-report-final-2018.pdf Evans, L. (2020, May 6). Commercial whaling 101. National Resources Defense Council. Retrieved from https:// www.nrdc.org/stories/commercial-whaling-101 Pershing, A. J., Christensen, L. B., Record, N. R., Sherwood, G. D., & Stetson, P. B. (2010). The impact of whaling on the ocean carbon cycle: Why bigger was better. PLoS ONE, 5(8), e12444. doi:10.1371/ journal.pone.0012444 Roman, J., Estes, J. A., Morissette, L., Smith, C., Costa, D., McCarthy, J., Smetacek, V. (2014). Whales as marine ecosystem engineers. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 12(7), 377-385. doi:10.1890/130220
All We Are By: Anna Forsman
Growing up by ocean’s edge I lift my eyes and bow my head I’m made up of the sea undead Indebted to the hours spent Embedded in the bay’s cool hue The smell of sea, the city view I close my eyes, I think of you Through all the years, I love it here, too
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Timeless By: Anna Forsman
Born in rain I borrow your name For this new child’s place I am happy to stay We are grateful for place With our arms full of faith All the words you will say Like our love for this place We are written in stone We are a thousand years old All the light we will throw When our house feels like home
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All We Are By: Anna Forsman
The cracks in these walls Are the rivers of my mind These things happen all the time All the stress, it left these lines Still, I told you we are fine There’s a window, we are light The water laps up with the tide These things happen all the time
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Timeless By: Anna Forsman
I like how the songbirds speak into the evenings in Summer Stay here as the Sun is setting The stillest moments are the ones when I’m listening I take a walk up the stairs to find it is all as it is Simple, pure, uncluttered nothingness
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Trail Mix
"In winter I get up at night And dress by yellow candle-light. In summer, quite the other way, I have to go to bed by day. I have to go to bed and see The birds still hopping on the tree, Or hear the grown-up people’s feet Still going past me in the street. And does it not seem hard to you, When all the sky is clear and blue, And I should like so much to play, To have to go to bed by day?" -Robert Louis Stevenson
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