The Viewpoint August/September 2019

Page 1

The

Viewpoint Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Road Stafford, VA 22556

STUDENT NEWS Magazine MVHS

VOLUME 14 ISSUE 1 August | September Take a peek at pages 04, 12 & 13 focusing on current environmental concerns.


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Names with asterisks beside them need to contact Trisha Strahl to collect their prize! You can email at strahltl@staffordschools.net, come to room 503 after school, or come to room 311 before school. Abby Sussman Aeris Goemmer Albert Guziewicz Alex Perez Alessandro Almonte* Allie Carol Amanda Bailey Amanda Jackson Amelia Millard* Andre Marcucci Jr. Austin Butcher Ava Lohmeyer Ben Wood* Beth Mowry Bobby Bell Bree Nowicki Brenda Piper* Bruce Jackson Bryce Piper Carl Jones Carlos Leon

Charlye Whelan* Chase Bradshaw Chelsea Boakye Chris Robinson Cliff Davis* Cordelia Piper Dane Jones Dana Cofe Danielle Benson Danielle O’Toole* Dan Torrice 14 q the viewpoint Demi Thompson Diane Butler Donna Jackson* Enrique Deter Eric Hawkins Eva Dow Gabby Gilbert* Grace Kirkpatrick Gregory St. Val Hamza Florez

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Hannah Myers* Lainie Gray Penny Johnson Hector Ruiz Lance Roeske Rebecca Jackson Hellen Brigham Linda Brigham Rob Dixon* Jack Carrington Lucille Jackson* Rocky Lawrence Jacob Pollock* Maia Roscigno Rommel Cuizon Jeanne Aiman Manuel Vega Samantha Greer Jeff Jackson Marcy Martinez Sam Greer* Jenna Wilsher Margaret Gallagher* Sam Nicolosi Jillian Brence* Mario Aparicio Sandy Coffee Jim Stemple Martha Burgos Sarah Roeske advertisements november|december 2017 qthe viewpoint q13 John Pence MasonqOberle Sean Peters* october 2016 q advertisement Joshua French Meera Gurganus* Shauna Hall Josi Brooks* Meghan Johnson Song Lee Kaitlyn Spicer Melissa Brigham Sonia Rivera-Torres Kam Jackson Miguel Angel Santiago Steve Watkins* Karen Pesyna Mitchell Gonzalez* Tom Quash Kate Guziewicz* Nancy Heyward Wendy Drogo Katie Hascenecz Nick Wilson Zach Ebert* Kelly Lester Norman Aiman Kim Bright Olivia Ojeda* Kyla Mikesic* Pam Beebe


Index 01 Cover

13 Ecological footprint

02 Ad

14 Postres

03 Index

15 Ad

04 Skip a straw

16 Exclusion & abuse

05 Fall activites

17 Exclusion & abuse

06 Finding your fate

18 Aesthetic

07 Finding your fate

19 Aesthetic

08 Briefs

20 Grinds my gears

09 Halloween DIY

21 Chinese astrology

10 The quality of water

22 Our advice to you

11 Found in the tabloids

23 Our advice to you

12 Ecological footprint

24 EVS quiz

Editorial In today’s social climate, it is pretty difficult to be unaware of environmental problems. This issue, a number of our staff writers wrote about problems with clean water, plastic straws, and ecological footprints. In addition to those articles, which can be found in this magazine, the Viewpoint staff members took some time to reflect on how environmental problems affect them personally, and what they do to combat them. Some staff members make efforts on the small level to be environmentally conscious. Lexi Jackson said, “Whenever I go to the beach, I feel bad when there’s trash in the sand or water. I always pick it up and throw it away,” and JoJo Brigham said, “... I just start with smaller things that can help the environment.” Everything helps, especially when small movements snowball to create greater change.” That being said, the overarching idea our staff members felt was needed is a large-scale effort. Multiple staff members all either try to eat as plant-based as possible or are completely vegetarian or vegan to reduce their ecological footprints. Jules Torrice also pointed out the good that certain environmental foundations can do, and said she supports groups like 4Ocean. Caroline Pollock summed up everyone’s opinions nicely by saying, “I wish we could all pitch in together to truly make a difference.” All of our staff members, have changed their lives in small and large ways to save our environment and want the rest of the world to do the same.

Feature Figure Susan Lockhard is Mountain View’s first American Sign Language teacher who is also deaf. “My 1st year of teaching at MV is an awesome challenge! I am so excited to introduce and expose my students to my true language,” said Lockhard. She says it doesn’t matter what age, she enjoys teaching and that teaching is her passion. She loves making learning fun and interesting. Lockhard has two brothers and one sister. She grew up with her brother who is also deaf and says he was her inspiration. He was tragically killed in a car accident six years ago. Although she conquered the volleyball court and bowling when she was younger, Lockhard says her childhood was difficult and very limited compared to hearing children and what they had or could do. “My family is very supportive. My parents are hearing and signing well to communicate with me and my deaf brother,” said Lockhard. Lockhard says her greatest achievement so far is that,“I made learning, interesting, and fun and I taught students to sign and expose them my deaf culture.” She also loves cooking, baking sweets, and traveling. Her hobbies are watching movies, biking, walking with her dog, and painting. She likes painting the most because it’s relaxing. She also plans to knit and travel when she retires. Her family consists of three hearing children who can also sign. Her oldest daughter is 24 and graduated from Old Dominion University with a bachelors degree in speech pathology. Her only son is 19 and attending Germanna Community College and soon to transfer to Virginia Tech. Her younger daughter is 14 and attending Courtland High School as a freshman and plays volleyball and soccer. One thing she wishes everyone knew about her is that she is Deaf-friendly. Deaf-friendliness can mean different things to different people. Some perceive it emotionally, such as effortless empathy from hearing people who know how to meet a deaf person’s needs. Others see it as providing accessibility through communication or technology needs. As a bare minimum, deaf-friendliness includes eye contact, clear speech, patience, and willingness to accommodate a variety of communication needs. Lockhard’s favorite words of wisdom are “Stay strong and believe in yourself.”

The Viewpoint AUGUST|SEPTEMBER 2019 VOLUME 14 ISSUE I Managing Editors Isabella Roeske Danielle Piper Extra Editor Caroline Pollock Social Media Editor Javonna Brigham Photography Editor Jules Torrice Briefs Editors Aisha SantiagoBurgos Lexi Jackson Adviser Trisha Strahl

The Viewpoint is a cross-section of the news and opinions of the student body of Mountain View High School. It is a forum of expression published by Staples. Letters and art to the editorial board are welcomed and should be submitted to room 503.

Staff Writers Catelynn Aiman, Ceci Alvarez, Javonna Brigham, Aisha SantiagoBurgos, Lexi Jackson, Sean Jones, Danielle Piper, Caroline Pollock, Isabella Roeske Jules Torrice, and Claire Watkins Front Cover Isabella Roeske Danielle Piper 2014-2017 International Quill and Scroll First Place Articles 2014-2016 VHSL State Championship First Place Award 2013, 2014, 2015 Free Lance-Star Best Over All Newspaper 2011 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Rd. Stafford, VA 22556

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Skip A Straw

save a tu rtle

Discover how oceans and all of their complexity are harmed by plastic, straws specifically, and what you can do to help protect them and their ecosystems

by Caroline Pollock

n a single day, approximately 500 million straws are used by Americans, according to Eco-Cycle. This number of straws could circle the planet 2.5 times. It might seem like one tiny plastic straw is not an immediate threat to our oceans or Earth, but it is not the immediate threat that is the problem--it is the ultimate threat that by the year 2050 there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish. On pages eight and nine, you can read more about the ultimate harm to the planet caused by deteriorating ecosystems. You might speculate as to how your one straw can affect the lives of every sea turtle. Due to plastic debris, over one million marine animals are killed each year. Sea turtles are especially susceptible to the effects of consuming marine debris due to their bodies’ structure, according to Sea Turtle Conservation. When plastic makes its way into the ocean, it is broken down into “microplastics,” smaller and smaller pieces, instead of dissolving or biodegrading. These microplastics are an even greater threat to marine life because they block digestive tracts and alter eating habits. Plastics can end up in oceans in a number of ways. Straws, specifically, find their way to beaches from being littered, getting blown out of trash cans or being transported from motor vehicles. Not to mention, all gutters and storm drains lead straight to the ocean. This means any plastic in city sewage due to unsound waste management will dump plastic waste and all of its deadly straws straight into the mouths of sea turtles and their fish friends. Most plastic straws are too lightweight to make it through the mechanical recycling sorter. They drop through sorting screens and mix with other materials and are too small to separate. This contaminates recycling loads and ends up getting disposed as garbage, according to the Strawless Oceans Organization. “Due to the dangers that have continued to harm sea turtles, I have eliminated plastic straws from my daily living as much as I could. My family and I now use metal straws and have strayed from using the plastic straws distributed at restaurants. Many people say, ‘My one plastic straw can not affect the whole ocean,’ but I believe that every little thing has an impact on everything in the world. I try to make everything I do be positive so that every impact I make on this Earth is positive,” said business teacher Amy Ellis. A number

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of organizations including “The Last Plastic Straw,” “Skip A Straw” and “See Turtles” have gained support from sympathetic citizens from all over the country in an attempt to make a difference in the hurting lives of every organism affected by plastic. They each have their own unique way to reach donors, improve the cleanliness of our oceans and help the turtles. “Because turtles are such an elegant part of the ocean’s ecosystems, I believe we should do everything in our power to conserve them at all costs,” said senior Grace Dausman. Not only are organizations trying to hinder the plastic straw crisis, but even cities are joining the fight. Seattle’s act to completely ban plastic straws and utensils in their food services was an incredible social movement that went into effect last July. This ban was placed because the eco-conscious city was striving to limit the amount of trash that piled into landfills. With this, there would be more options that could be recycled or composted. These actions have set an example for the nation during this plastic pollution disaster and encouraged other locations to perhaps follow in suit and do the same. Large organizations are not the only ones that have made and can make a difference. Individuals are just as important to the movement. Volunteers have picked up more than 9 million straws and stirrers from beaches and waterways over the 30-year history of the International Coastal Cleanup, according to the Ocean Conservancy Organization. “There should be a way to recycle straws in a way that positively impacts our Earth, but also makes people content because they can use their plastic straws,” said senior Michelle Snow. Also, companies have begun producing straws with alternative material which is a step in the right direction. Companies have made these products more accessible, as well, in an attempt to help straw regulars and save the turtles. Plastic straws are used for maybe 10 minutes. Removing plastic straws from our lives may not be life-altering. Cleaning our oceans and helping our sea turtles may seem like a job too big for an individual, but the truth is, every single individual can make an impact. If we want to truly make a difference to save our sea turtles and clean our oceans, it is the help of every single person that will make that happen.


Apple Picking

Pumpkin Picking

Stribling Orchard in Markham, VA, about 50 miles away from Stafford, has a variety of apples ready for picking through early November. Their apple types include Greening, Ginger Gold, Gala, McIntosh, Empire, and Honey Crisp. Fall hours are from 9:00-5:00 Tuesday through Sunday. Another apple orchard in Markham is Hartland Orchard. They have 17 apple varieties that include McIntosh, Grimes Golden, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smith. Their fall hours are 9:00-5:00 as well. Bill Green from Hartland Orchard said, “Peaches are going fast, but apples are starting up for early varieties. We expect a good crop of apples in September and October.”

Belvedere plantation in Fredericksburg, VA is famous for their wide range of pumpkins. There are wagon rides to the pumpkin patch for guests to do their picking. Hours vary from day to day. The pumpkin patch is open until October 31. The pumpkins are 69 cents per pound or all you can carry for $29.99. Ashleigh Gray, social studies teacher, said, “[Belvedere] has the all you can carry special, so my dad and my husband will carry as many pumpkins as they can because if you can carry so many pumpkins it’s a certain price … They do sell [pumpkins] up at their little farmer’s market because they sell pies and honey and preserves.”

Striblingorchard.com Hartlandorchard.com

Belvedereplantation.com

Fall Festivities

Fall is just around the corner so make sure to plan fun activities

by Lexi Jackson

Corn Maze Corn mazes are enjoyable activities for children and adults. In Plains, VA there is a corn maze/fall festival until November 3. There are five acres of corn stalks to walk through. Fall hours are 10:00-6:00 on weekdays. To enjoy the night maze, arrive before 5:00, dress warmly and bring a flashlight. Junior Avery Lundgren said, “[Corn mazes] seem super fun because I’ve always seen them in movies, but I’ve never actually been in one.”

Cornmazeintheplains.com

Ghost Tour Fall season often centers around Halloween and ghost tours allow for the spooky season to be a scary yet wonderful time. Ghost tours shoot a shiver up your spine and provide for a thrilling evening. In Fredericksburg, VA there is an outdoor ghost tour that welcomes all ages. Guides dress up in colonial clothing for the tour. It’s only available until October 31 on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 8:00 p.m. The tour is an hour and a half. Senior Cebila Everette said, “I like the thrill [of a ghost tour] because they would have people pop out and it was based on a true story.”

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Finding your

fate

A deeper look into a few colleges located in Virginia

by Javonna Brigham

College is scary. Finding the schools that interest you, trying to get accepted and preparing yourself can all cause stress on top of stress. There are about 5,000 colleges in the United States alone, which can make the process even more overwhelming. Some students pick a college based on the best school for their major, the location of the school or even just a liking of the school. The college decision making process is a very important part of your high school career, as it lays the foundation of the next (at least) four years of your life. There are many options to choose from. Choices like public universities, private universities and community colleges. Having somewhat of an idea of your path after high school is important to begin thinking about your freshman year, and working towards it and thinking more seriously as the years go on. It is stressful to think about though, so many people take their time when looking at colleges. “I have no idea where I want to go yet. I know I want to go to college but I haven’t even looked into any yet,” said freshman Madeline Crabtree. Senior year is prime time for applying for colleges, so it’s best to have top choices decided by then. “I decided over the summer. I would like to be a physical therapist and Shenandoah University’s physical therapy program is super good. The program has a 100 percent pass rate, and it’s close to home,” said senior Kallie Triplett. The research process for choosing a college can be lengthy and stressful. Start out with basic things. Would I rather stay in state or out of state? Remember some schools have out of state tuition, and some don’t. Would I rather go public or private? What are my major and minor choices? (If you’re an athlete and it genuinely matters to you) what division is this school? It’s necessary to have a top choice, but also helpful to have a few back up schools just in case. It’s very important to try to take the time and fit college visits into your schedule. Some colleges, like Liberty University, even have an option for you to “live” at the college for a weekend to experience classes, people and college life. According to Campus Advantage Consulting website, it is crucial to visit your college choices while in the decision making process. A visit is important because it can help you see how big the campus is and fun things they offer around campus. For example, senior Sugar Cassett visited a college over the summer to further look into her options. “My top choices are Howard University and John Hopkins University. In July I went on a summer program to John Hopkins, and I decided I wanted to go for med school,” she said. The college application process is a stressful but mandatory part of making the choice for the next years of your life. Colleges look at things like your GPA, SAT and/or ACT scores and the essay you send in. More competitive schools with a lower acceptance rate are going to be looking for a higher GPA or higher test scores, although not every school looks at both being high. For some colleges, higher SAT or ACT scores can make up for a lower GPA. If test taking isn’t your thing, that’s okay, there are schools that don’t require SAT scores. James Madison University and EPCI University are both colleges in Virginia that are test optional. Choosing a college can happen at any time in your high school career, unless your college has an application deadline, then you’ll have a time spot you’ll have to send your application in before. Many high school students choose their top college during their senior year. College applications themselves can be stressful. You want to look your best and showcase your qualities along with the achievements of your high school career. Peterson’s College Search website says that it is extremely important to be yourself when applying for college. Putting on a mask to impress colleges isn’t what they’re looking for. Showing your true self is important and can be seen through your essays and recommendation letters. Thinking about college is scary and stressful, but if you choose it, it’s a very important part of your life after high school. Taking time and doing research, having a process and being yourself will all make the college process less terrifying to think about.

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Harrisonburg, VA Public Average GPA: 3.5 Acceptance rate: 75% Division I-FCS

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Radford, VA Public Average GPA: 3.24 Acceptance Rate: 74% Division I (without football)

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Hampton, VA Private HBCU Average GPA: 3.68 Acceptance Rate: 36% Division I- FCS

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Richmond, VA Private Average GPA: 3.84 Acceptance rate: 33% Division I-FCS

Farmville, VA Public Average GPA: 3.37 Acceptance rate: 92% Division I (without football)

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What’s new at the View? South Pacific Play by Catelynn Aiman The Riverside Center for the Performing Arts is home to many talented actors and actresses. This past month they performed the musical “South Pacific” by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Before the play started, the actors or actresses served a meal. During this time, musicians sat on the side of the stage and warm-up. After two hours, when the audience finished eating, the lights dimmed and the orchestra played the overture. The time period is during World War II, and it takes place in Two Islands in the South Pacific. The performance as number such as “A Cock-eyed Optimist,” and “I’m gonna Wash that Man.” The main characters are Emile de Becque, played by Branch Fields, Nellie Forbush, played by Kate Marshall, and Lieutenant Joseph Cable, played by Joey Birchler. The plot was, Nellie falls in love with Emile and vice versa, even if he has killed a man. Emile has to go away and fight in the war. A group of navy sailors want to go to a private island, but first they have to convince Lieutenant Cable. Bloody Mary, a crazy lady, manages to convince the Lieutenant to take, she also manages to make him fall in love with her daughter. “I have enjoyed the whole thing,” an audience member said. “Bloody Mary is my favorite character.” The show was about three hours long with an intermission half way through.

National Art Honor Society by Ceci Alvarez National Art Honor Society (NAHS) has many new plans for the year, and they start with their new teacher, Charles Botzman. This is Botzman’s first time running NAHS. He said, ”I’m super excited! I’ve been involved in a few art centered groups at Kent State… I know I’ll be handling things at a more supplementary role rather than a leadership role but I’m super excited!” President Olivia Ojeda, Vice President Frances Stanley, Secretary Roshell Paloma, and Historian Emma Lanham run NAHS. They have worked hard to make many new plans this year from Homecoming to the Fine Arts Festival, and more. Botzman also has plans to “travel locally and plan events here at Mountain View that will get people engaged in the arts community.” In addition, he anticipates attending First Friday events with NAHS to experience new art gatherings and showcases.

Spirit Week by Destiny Fitzgerald | Photo by Sean Jones The halls were full of quirky costumes and paint fumes due to the fact that it was spirit week recently. As the school prepares for Homecoming weekend, the student council aims to get the school pumped up by selecting amusing costume days made for not only students, but teachers as well. The spirit days this year were Athlete Day, where all the students dressed up in sports costumes and workout gear; Safari Day, many students dressed up as their favorite jungle animal or explorer; Western Day, a day dedicated to plaid, cowboy boots and hats; Hollywood Day, celebrity and character look-alikes donned the halls; and Spirit Day, a sea of maroon, orange and white swarmed around. Although there are many students full of spirit, Saige Beltran, junior, said, “Some people were not creative enough and a lot of the graduating class of 2021 were not as prepared as they should be.” Taziah K. Greene, senior, said that a lot of students in the school were “over ready for Western Day,” and it was true that participation was at an all-time high on Western Wednesday. Nevertheless, participation tended to fluctuate depending on the theme of the day, but overall, many people seemed pleased by the number of participants.

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DIY Halloween Decorations Try these easy DIY Halloween decorations by Aisha Santiago Burgos | Graphics by Lexi Jackson

Mummy Jars Items needed: • Rubber bands • Black and gold spray paint • Jar • Gold, black and white paint How to: Step 1 1. Spray paint your jar gold. 2. Wrap rubber bands around the jar. 3. Spray paint the jar and rubber bands black. 4. Remove the rubber bands. 5. Touch up the gold lines with a little bit of gold metallic paint. Step 2 1. Grab white paint and paint circles in the middle of the jars. 2. Then grab your black paint and paint small black circles inside the white circles to make the eyes.

Ghost Jars

Items needed: • Glass canning jars in various sizes • Rubbing alcohol • White glass or regular spray paint • Adhesive googly eyes How to: 1. Clean jars with rubbing alcohol. Let dry. 2. Place jars upside down on a tarp and paint with light coats until covered completely. 3. Once dry, flip over and paint any bare spots. 4. Place googly eyes on dry jars, then place them around the house for some extra spookiness.

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the quality of water psmag.com

wikipedia.com

The majority of people believe the Flint, Michigan water crisis is over and while that may be the case, many other places in the US are experiencing the same devastation by Lexi Jackson

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citizensfronethics.com

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webmd.com

Even in low quantities, contaminants in drinking water can drastically affect health in both children and adults. According to National Geographic, about 25 percent of Americans drink from water systems that infringe the Safe Drinking Water Act, which is a federal law that protects the US public drinking water supplies. This act also requires that the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, determine the level of contaminants in drinking water. The EPA regulates more than 90 water contaminants, however there are many more that are unregulated. Ana Avellane, junior, said, “It’s a problem that is affecting us currently and will continue to affect us in the future. People are also not too aware of the crisis which is bizarre to me because water is an essential part of life. If attention and solutions aren’t made right now, the shortage of clean water will increase.” Water contamination occurs mostly because water systems are old and poorly maintained. Almost everyone has heard of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, but it’s happening in so many other places as well. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, water systems have been contaminated by lead and in Penn Township, Pennsylvania water systems have been contaminated by fecal matter. Science teacher Lisa Fleming said, “I had not heard of the contamination in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, only in Flint, Michigan ... I think it has a lot to do with the media and what they decide to cover and how they portray it.” Contaminants such as lead, perchlorates and arsenic negatively affect your health even when consuming just a small portion, according to the EPA. The maximum contaminant level of lead is zero because it can affect people even in low quantities. Some health effects of lead in children include slowed growth, anemia, damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems and learning disabilities. Pregnant women can experience reduced growth of the fetus and premature birth. Lead contamination in adults can cause increased blood pressure, decreased kidney function and reproductive issues in both men and women. As stated in National Geographic, “An analysis by my organization, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), showed that almost all of Puerto Rico’s residents in 2015 got their water from systems that violated the Safe Drinking Water Act and nearly 70 percent of them got their tap water from sources contaminated with coliform bacteria, disinfection by-products, and more.” Having no other choice, people in Puerto Rico drank from toxic sources and many ended up in the hospital with gastrointestinal illnesses. Having access to clean water is a human right. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11 percent of the world’s population doesn’t have access to clean water. Not having access to clean water is a violation of human rights.

New York is one of the 10 states that require universal blood tests for children under three years old. As of 2016, New York schools are required to test their water sources for lead. Contaminants in the water affect young children harsher than adults so it is imperative that the water is uncontaminated. Lead is not the only contaminant that’s dangerous. Coliform bacteria, nitrates, uranium, mercury, and some toxic chemicals have been found in 98% of people’s blood in the US. Some solutions to prevent water contamination are replacing lead pipes, fixing deteriorating main lines, regulating pollutants, and improving protections and testing.

Junior Grace Kirkpatrick said, “If we were to do something about lead in school water, how many health problems would that prevent from developing in children? How many jobs would that produce if the government were to were to fund a project to get the lead of water?....This problem should have been fixed years ago. Europe does not have this problem and we are the richest country in the world. I think we need to ask government leaders to make changes and pass laws and bills to help our nation overcome this crisis.”


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Ecological footprint The ecological footprint, as defined by the Global Footprint Network measures “the ecological assets that a given population requires to produce the natural resources it consumes (including plant-based food and fiber products, livestock and fish products, timber and other forest products, space for urban infrastructure) and to absorb its waste, especially carbon emissions.” Carbon dioxide is one of the main greenhouse gases that is becoming increasingly evident in Earth’s atmosphere, causing the progressional warming of our planet. Every person has his/her own individual footprint based on his/her diet, consumption of resources, transportation methods, etc. The more carbon dioxide a person produces, the larger footprint that person has. The goal is to have the smallest footprint possible by renewing resources, minimizing animal consumption, and limiting fossil fuel usage. The Global Footprint Network works to calculate the overshoot day for Earth every year. This is the day the inhabitants of Earth will use up all of the allotted natural resources for the given year, and the start of digging into the resources of future generations. This day is calculated by the equation: In 1970, the overshoot day was December 29. This year’s overshoot day was July 29. The continued neglect of environmental concerns around the world will cause the overshoot day to shrink and shrink until it’s the first of January.

(Planet’s Biocapacity / Humanity’s Ecological Footprint) x 365 = Earth Overshoot Day To combat the depletion of Earth’s resources, humans can adopt more sustainable living practices. Sustainable living is to live a lifestyle in which the least amount of resources are being used to limit environmental damage. All living things depend either directly or indirectly on Earth’s resources. Water, food, natural shelter, clean air and more are all necessary to support life. The problem that arises is that Earth’s resources are limited, and it takes time for them to replenish. Shane Yeskey, biology and environmental science teacher, said, “Through multiple science classes, I came to understand how we as humans have a responsibility to clean up our mess. If you’re taught as a kid that you clean up [the] mess that you make, we should be doing the same things as adults. If we make a mess in the world, we should be the ones to clean it up.” According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the largest contributors to global warming in the U.S. are fossil fuels burned by humans. Burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat and transportation releases large amounts of carbon. In 2017, about 29 percent of emissions were from transportation, about 28 percent were from electricity production, about 22 percent were from industry, about 12 percent were from commercial and residential, nine percent from agriculture and 11 percent from land use and forestry. While everything matters in terms of increasing sustainability, the real change needs “This planet is our to come from large corporations that use enormous amounts of fossil fuels without home and the one regard to the environmental effects. The Carbon Majors Report, published in 2017, found that just 100 companies make up over 70 percent of the global greenhouse place we need to keep gas emissions. living, without it we are

Gabby Gilbert, Senior

nothing.”

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u august | september 2019 u news


Reducing your ecological footprint is step one in diminishing the effects of climate change on Earth

by Bella Roeske and Danielle Piper For people on a budget, sustainable living often isn’t the main priority, and rightfully so; the cost of living is increasing, and buying organic, all natural and fuel efficient can stretch a wallet too thin if the wrong brand is behind the products. However, there are a number of cheap and simple ways to reduce your own ecological footprint that can be implemented into any lifestyle. The first way to lessen your footprint is one everyone should know already: recycle! Collecting glass, aluminum and certain plastics and recycling them conserves energy and natural resources, and reduces pollution and greenhouse gasses according to Stanford University. Picking up trash and recyclable items left on the ground also helps in the small scale of keeping a neighborhood and community clean Next, switching out some everyday products for reusable, sustainable, or locally made ones is a simple, but effective change to make. Reusable grocery bags and water bottles, bamboo toothbrushes, cloth towels and a thrifted wardrobe may seem like an extreme measure to take but most of the differences in prices are barely different than the plastic alternative, or even save money over time. Check out page 04 for more information about plastic straws. Senior Ameila Millard said, “I try to reduce the amount that I consume to limit factory production and I try to carpool and limit driving to reduce my emissions” Lastly, some miscellaneous things to change are to eat locally or home grown food and eat all the leftovers, switch to paperless billing, start a compost bin and plan errand runs to drive as little as possible. Simple steps like these towards sustainable living are budget friendly, but super effective if as many people as possible make the effort.

The United States and China are not the only offenders to high emission counts. The Global Footprint Network classifies different countries and nations by whether they contribute to the earth’s biocapacity, or if their footprints exceed the amount of essential biological materials, like the oxygen they produce. Some of the largest offenders have high population densities, and are influenced by technological advancements. The countries which have the best biocapacity to footprint ratio are located mostly in Africa and South America, have lower population densities, and more forest lands than the deficit countries. Despite the contributions of these countries, in 2016, humanity’s footprint was calculated at over 20 billion, increasing Earth’s deficit by roughly eight billion. If this trend continues, the Earth will creep further from being able to sustain human life until it can’t.

news u august | september 2019 u the viewpoint u 13


Puerto Rican postres Try these authentic and easy-to-make desserts by Aisha Santiago Burgos

Flan

Ingredients 1/3 cup water Custard: 3 large eggs 2 large yolks 7 tablespoons sugar Tools: 2 medium saucepans 6 ¾ cup ramekins Large baking sheet (2 inches deep)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream: Combine cream, milk, salt and vanilla in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer, then remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Caramel: Combine sugar and water in a different medium saucepan and heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and stir mixture occasionally until the syrup turns a caramel color, about

10 minutes. Using oven mitts, immediately pour caramel into ramekins and swirl so the insides are coated completely.

Custard: Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in a medium bowl until just blended. Mix cream mixture into

egg mixture gently, without lots of foam.

Pour custard through a sieve into the caramel-ed ramekins, dividing it evenly. Place the ramekins onto the baking sheet, then pour hot water into the sheet so it stands about

flikr

Credit: “The Perfect Flan” by Bon Appetit Note: this is not for the faint at heart! Cream 1 3/4 cups whipping cream 1 cup whole milk Pinch of salt 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise Caramel: 1 cup sugar

halfway up the ramekins.

Bake until the center is gently set, about 40 minutes. After baking in the oven, carefully take out the flan and let it cool for about 2 hours. When ready to serve, gently run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the flan. Carefully flip over onto a different plate and shake the pan gently to release the flan.

Quesitos

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, softened 4 tablespoons sugar (substitute with Splenda for a sugar-free version) 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed according to package directions 1 egg white

blogspot

Preparation

14 u the viewpoint u august | september 2019 u feature

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add sugar and vanilla extract to cream cheese in a medium or large bowl. Using a hand mixer, mix on low until cream cheese has a soft, whipped texture. Cut pastry sheet into 9 4×4 squares. Add about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture to the middle of each square at an angle. Fold pastry sheet by bringing one side to the middle, then the other side. Pinch in the middle to seal. (Alternatively, you can add cream cheese mixture along the side of a square and roll pastry sheet closed, pinching each side to seal.) Place quesitos on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly brush each quesito with egg white, then sprinkle sugar on top. Bake for about 12 minutes, until golden brown.


First Place Second Place

HoCo Picture Winners Third Place

Thanks for playing! See you at prom.

hoco picturesuaugust | september 2019 uthe viewpoint u15


I

n 2018, the United States Border Patrol reported that 400,000 immigrants came to the United States --100,000 more people than the year prior. Those immigrants came mainly from an area called the Northern Triangle, consisting of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. According to the Department of Homeland Security, over 760,000 Central and South Americans have crossed the southern border so far this year. These people came to America for primarily two reasons:work and asylum. In 2014, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, tracked a change in data that showed increasingly more families fled their home countries in search of refuge as opposed to single men looking for work. In the past five years, conditions in developing countries, including those of the Northern Triangle, have grown seemingly worse, as reported by the

Wikimedia

Exclusion & abuse Council of Foreign Relations. Rising crime rates have caused more and more families to flee to the United States and in order to provide safer lives for their children. President Donald Trump stated that the immigration at the southern border is a national emergency on February 19, 2019. He also declared a “Zero Tolerance” policy; this demands the criminal prosecution of every undocumented immigrant who crosses over into America in any place without patrol. Since the beginning of the Trump administration, NBC has announced 24 undocumented immigrants have died in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, custody, and 11 have died under U.S. Border Patrol.

According to junior Kira Williams, President Trump’s policy is “making criminals out of people just trying to protect their families... Changes need to be made and Trump is not the right person to do it.”

Senior Darius Crouch said, “I think it’s unfair because everyone should be able to come to America and experience being free.” 16u the viewpoint u august | september 2019 u opinion


Tomas Castelazo Photography

Wikimedia

Matter may not be created nor destoryed, but humanity sure can be By Claire Watkins

Save the Children is another organization that has been aiding in national and global crises for the past hundred years. One current national effort Save the Children has adopted is aiding families who have been recently released from the United States’ Border Patrols’ detention centers where kids have often been kept in chain-link cages.

The American Civil Liberties Union at aclu.org is an organization that accepts donations to aid in funding legal costs immigrants have. The organization was founded nearly 100 years ago by Roger Baldwin. It is a non-profit and non-partisan organization that fights for justice within the United States with the motto, “Because Freedom Can’t Protect Itself.”

opinionuaugust | september 2019 uthe viewpoint u17


My aesthetic, my style Here are some popular young adult styles you might want to try by Juliana Torrice

SOFT GIRL The soft girl style is associated with those who typically dress in oversized jumpers or t-shirts, jeans or skirts, cute tank tops, pastel colors, tennis skirts, mom jeans and pastel or white socks. For shoes, they might wear chunky trainers or black school shoes. Some may put clips and headbands in their hair, wear pastel or chain necklaces. In their makeup, you may see pink or peachy tones. “I would consider my style soft and girly. I like to wear cute plaid dresses with the occasional turtle neck when it is chillier. I also like wearing pink skirts with either a pink tank top or a white one, along with my white filas. I also enjoy wearing trousers with turtlenecks and my filas. The only jewelry I wear are sterling silver rings, one necklace and the basic earrings and safety pin earring. I enjoy wearing whites, purples and pinks with some other occasional colors,� said Skylee Jones, junior.

18u the viewpoint u august | september 2019 u feature


NEON GOTH Gothic fashion is a clothing style marked by dark and antiquated features, according to Hypebae.com. This dark, sometimes ghastly, fashion and style of dress, includes the use of black hair dye, dark lipstick, and dark clothing. Neon Goth is typically associated with Cybergoth, a subculture that derives from elements of goth and rivethead fashion, people associated with the industrial dance music scene. However, this neon goth is heavier on the grunge side with pops of bright colors. “My style is Neon Goth. I would describe myself as a loud person with a loud and bold style. Normally, I would wear cargo pants with a black buckle belt, black Vans with ankle socks, [and a] neon yellow and green “playboy” tee-shirt. I connect chains to my belt hooks and cross them and wear a chain around my neck and necklaces as well,” said Hayden Warren, junior.

JUST MY STYLE Trendy, grunge, soft boy, soft girl, etc.,some people may say this is their style or aesthetic, but others may say they don’t have one set style. “I would describe my style as all over the place. I think it’s silly that people conform to these concrete ideas of ‘I can only dress this one specific way.’ I like to describe myself and style as whoever I feel like. I think confidence is a big part, too. When you wear something other than just some “basics” you have to focus on how you present. Therefore, a normal outfit would always consist of some kind of ripped jeans, with a cool graphic shirt, maybe a somewhat edgy motif, and some sort of layer on top. I would, of course, wear one of my many pairs of Vans and complete the style with some sort of chain and assorted bracelets or rings,” said Evan Stanfield, junior. feature uaugust | september 2019 uthe viewpoint u19


What grinds my gears This issue focuses on how the pay gap between men and women in sports isn’t as easy to fix as we think by Sean Jones But first, for your benefit My name is Sean Jones, and I like to complain, like a lot. Why am I telling you this? Well, as you can see, this is a “what grinds my gears” article. That means I will be complaining about things a lot, but not all the time. I will try to look on the brighter side of “what greases my gears” from time to time too. I hope you enjoy the topics I will be choosing through the year because this is not just an article that lets me vent, it is an article that allows me to inform readers with the proper information to argue these topics for yourself. So, now that we are nice and familiar with each other, let’s get into the article. The big hot topic of the sports world as of late has been the pay difference between women and men. Not saying they haven’t been big topics; however, over the summer there were two corporations that were in the spotlight: the Women’s National Basketball Association, or WNBA, and the U.S. Soccer Federation (more specifically the Women’s National Team, or WNT, and the Men’s National Team, or MNT).

WNBA So how bad is the pay gap between men and women in basketball? It’s pretty bad. No, it’s absolutely atrocious. Let me show you how disgusting the pay gap actually is. Let me describe to you a certain basketball player. This player has four gold medals, nine championship rings (including European titles) and is the all time leading scorer (for their respective league). So let’s play guess that basketball player! Is it LeBron James? Kobe Bryant? Michael Jordan? It is none of these men. The basketball player is Diana Taurasi! You might not know who she is, but by looking at what she has accomplished, you would say she is an accomplished basketball player. Her salary would say otherwise. Right now in the NBA, the lowest paid player in the league, JaKarr Sampson, is being paid $85,458 annually. Diana Taurasi, the Michael Jordan, or MJ, of her league, is being paid a grand, whopping total of $115,233 a year. To put that into perspective, the second lowest salary in the NBA (earned by Cameron Reynolds) is $108,953 annually. That is $6,280 lower than the best WNBA player’s salary. To add more fuel to the fire, let’s talk MJ, who in his rookie year earned $550,000. Yeah, he earned $550,000 just by being drafted. Hold on it gets worse, because his son, Adonis Jordan, (who is known to be a significantly worse player than MJ) was paid $350,000 to play for the Milwaukee Bucks. But before I let up on the statistics, let me add one more insult to injury, Michael Jordan still has the record for the largest one year contract salary for the NBA. Do you want to know how much it was? $33,140,000! With that much money I can buy fifty-three 400 ounces gold bars and still have $209,622.50 left, which is still more than Taurasi’s annual salary. So it’s safe to say that it might be time for women to get a pay raise.

How do we fix it? Okay, then just raise the salaries of WNBA players to NBA standards, WOOOOO! Everything is fixed! Except it’s not that easy because of one little “r” word: revenue. Here is the thing - women’s leagues just don’t produce as much money as the men’s leagues. Every NBA team during the 2016 to 2017 season made around $7.4 billion dollars combined in revenue, while the WNBA was estimated to have made $52.4 million in revenue. That is a huge difference! And that is the primary reason why we can’t give someone $33 million in the WNBA. You would literally be giving over half of the total revenue to one player. I don’t know about you guys, but that kind of sounds unfair to the other players in the league. Okay, so how do we get the WNBA more money? We have to go see their games. Shocking, I know, but that 2019 is theuonly 2 u the viewpoint u august | september typeway to do it. But here

20 u the viewpoint u august | september 2019 u opinion

we are again, asking why don’t people want to go to WNBA games? Well here is the thing, the women are playing catch up to the men when it comes to athleticism. Men in the NBA are just superior when it comes to athleticism. If you don’t believe me, take a second now or after the article to look up some dunk highlights from the WNBA and the NBA. You will see the difference. Also, the NBA has more games than the WNBA, so that also doesn’t help the WNBA’s revenue problem. Okay, I get it Sean, the pay gap isn’t as easy to fix in the WNBA, but you mentioned the U.S. Women’s Soccer team at the beginning of the article and you haven’t mentioned them since. Hold your horses, I was getting there. The reason I didn’t mention them yet was because they have a better chance of actually fixing the pay gap in their field (no pun intended).

WNT Why is that, Sean? Well, before we get to that, let’s see how bad the pay gap in soccer is. Luckily for us, the WNT filed a lawsuit that told us roughly how much money women and men make. So if men and women played the same number of games (in this case it is 20 games), then men would make $13,166 per game and women would make $4,950 per game. So, it looks like we have a pay gap here. Okay, so what makes this a better situation than the WNBA? Well, here is the thing, the MNT and WNT have the same employer. That’s right, the U.S. Soccer Federation is the same employer for the men’s and women’s teams. Also, they are based in the U.S. (big shock I know), which means that they have to abide by U.S. gender equality laws. So, all that the WNT has to do is prove in a court of law that they do the exact same job as the MNT and that the U.S. Soccer Federation is in violation of the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and/or the Paycheck Fairness Act. We will see what happens in court (if it actually gets to court), but that can only change one unfair pay problem. You see FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or the International Federation of Football, runs the actual tournament. The tournament has a pool of money that’s distributed between the teams for participating in the tournament. So, as you can probably guess, it is grossly unproportionate between the men’s and women’s teams. By how much? The women’s pool is $30 million, while the men’s pool is a shocking $400 million. But since FIFA runs the tournament, and they are bound by international law, there is not a lot legally that the U.S. WNT can do. And when it comes to the professional leagues, they suffer from the same problem as the WNBA. The National Women’s Soccer League and Major League Soccer are both separate leagues and that means they make revenue separately.

For the last time, tell me how to fix it. Okay Sean, we get it. This isn’t as easy of a fix than we thought, so how do we fix it? First things first, we need to keep bringing this problem up. Now, don’t shove it into people’s faces as often as possible, but keep this problem in the spotlight and protest for equality. It will all chip away at the marble that is inequality. As sports fans, we also need to do our duty to these players and go see the women’s games more often. By choosing to see a women’s match over a men’s match, you start to give the leagues more traction. This leads to more televised broadcasts, which means more people watching. With them being more in the spotlight on television and streaming services, they would start getting offers for sponsorships and more merchandise would be sold. And this would make a whole lot of money for the teams and league. With this new found cash, the leagues and teams can use it to get better stadiums, state of the art practice facilities, and, most importantly, gives the teams more money to pay players.


Chinese Zodiacs

Learn about your personality and what this year has in store for you by Catelynn Aiman The origins of Chinese zodiac lore is a intreganing story. According to Chinese New Year website, the Jade Emperor, who ruled over China, needed 12 animals to be his new palace guards. The Ox was first in line, but the Rat jumped on the Ox’s back to cut in front of him. The Tiger and Dragon did not like this, but settled behind the Ox. The Rabbit, however, was not as complacent, so to get up a little more in line the rabbit raced the dragon, who was in front of the rabbit at that time. The Dog became angry at the Rabbit and bit it, so he was sent to the back as a punishment. The Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey and Rooster, who lined up in this order, bickered among themselves. Lastly, the Pig came after everything was over. Rabbits are born in the years 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 and 2023. Rabbits are

Roosters are born in the years

1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 and 2017.

serious people, and give a lot of attention to everything they and most of them want others to do the same. Rabbits attention to detail will help them achieve academic success, but concentration will be hard, because there will be multiple distractions.. Because Rabbits are quiet individuals they might struggle to communicate in the workplace. However, they need to talk openly to build strong relationships and succeed in the workplace. Rabbits are compatible with dogs, pigs and goats because they will bring peace to each other.

Tigers are born in the years 1926,

1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 and 2022. Tigers are brave and active people,

who love a good challenge and adventure. For tigers to achieve academic success, they will have to focus and work hard, and should seek help from friends and family if needed. Tigers, who do not slack off will have it pay off and will have good relationships in the workplace. Tigers are compatible with pigs, horses, and dogs because they are honest and loyal to each other.

Dragons are born in the years 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 and 2024. Dragons,

while they need love and support, are independent and strong. They should have an easy time with educational studies, and will be motivated to learn. In the professional sphere, Dragons should invest in a business plan of their choosing, and not be afraid to take risks in thier career. Dragons are compatible with Roosters, Monkeys and Rats because they bring out creativity and humor from each other.

1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 and 2020. Rats are Snakes are born in the years 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025. Snakes are deep thinkers, and are slow to build

meaningful bonds with people, but they love their select friends with all their heart. Overall, they need to learn to work with other people and need to apply themselves to get anywhere in the professional sphere. Snakes are most compatible with monkeys, roosters and oxen because they are opposites who balance each other out.

Pigs are born in the years 1935,

1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007 and 2019. Pigs are

lucky and have beautiful personalities. They will not have it easy this year, and will need to stay focused. Pigs should take any opportunity they get for their jobs, and remember to stay calm when their workload gets stressful. Pigs are most compatible with tigers, rabbits and goats because they bring out the strength and intelligence in each other. Rats are born in the years 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020. Rats are smart,

and they think quickly. They are content with living a quiet and peaceful life. Rats are hard working and will maintain an average grade in school; however, those who work harder will achieve their goals. Rats are best made for a workplace environment, even though getting a job may be hard for them. Rats are best compatible with Oxen, Dragons, and Monkeys for they complement and understand each other.

Roosters are strong people, who just need love and affection. When asked if she thinks she is strong, Ryley Baker, freshman said, “Yeah, That’s true.” Their academic life will be a breeze for them, as long as they stay humble. Roosters will make extra money in their workplace, but need to be careful with how they spend it; they should spend it on friends and family. Rooster are compatible with dragons, snakes and oxens because they can work together and help each other achieve their dreams. Rats are born in the years 1924,

smart, and think quickly. They are content with living a quiet and peaceful life. Rats are hard working and will maintain an average grade in school; however, those who work harder than everybody else in the office place will achieve their goals. Rats are best made for a workplace environment, even though getting a job may be hard for them. Rats are most compatible with oxen, dragons and monkeys because they complement and understand each other. Monkeys are born in the years 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 and 2016. Monkeys are

Goats are born in the years 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 and 2027. Goats are the most selfless of the zodiacs. Misty Hines, Jun-

ior, said, “Yes I am selfless,” when asked if she thinks Goats will need to pay attention in school to succeed, and be mindful of their words and actions. Goats should not have to worry about any conflict in the workplace.Goats are most compatible with horses, pigs and rabbits because they can work out their problems together.

tricksters, who can achieve any dream they want to. They will have more opportunity to learn in their studies, but will need to be cautious if they want to switch their major. Monkeys will need to be smart about their jobs, and will need help on more daunting tasks. Monkeys are most compatible with snakes, rats and dragons because they have similar personalities and humor each other. Horses are born in the years 1918,

1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014. Horses need

space and freedom. They will need to work harder than anyone else if they want to make it, and will face challenges Oxen are born in the years 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, along the way. Horses will need to stay 1997, 2009 and 2021. Oxen are reliable and smart; they are good at clear of things that will anger them in the getting the job done. Dedicated and hard working oxen will strive for academic workplace, or else they will have a difficult success. Oxen should start something new, for example, a small business or time. Horses are most compatible with company. Although it might be difficult, their trait of hard working will show goats, tigers and dogs because they are and bring them success. Oxen are most compatible with rats, snakes and compelling to each other and are willing roosters because they hold the same goals in life and can support each other. to create strong mutual bonds . feature u august | september 2019 uthe viewpoint u21


Jay Snead, 12- “Take school seriously and listen to the people that told me to take school seriously”

“ OUR ADV ICE TO YOU” We asked upperclassmen at Mountain View one thing they would tell their freshman self by

Ceci Alvarez

22u the viewpoint u august | september 2019 ufeature

Jasmine White, 11- “I would say focus more in class and do not procrastinate! Do your homework the night you get it. Make more friends”


Jay Gonzales,12- “I would tell my freshman self to get everything straight now before you go down a hill, and not to fall under peer pressure, and to really just straighten up because this really ain’t a game.” Victoria Simone, 11- “I would say to really try hard to have good time management, put effort into making positive friendships, and experience highschool activities like games and tailgates”

Zach Burgin,12- “I would tell my freshman self to focus on my schoolwork and forget about relationships and other distractions and just get my education. I’d also like to tell my freshman self to bust my butt in football so it could be easier to get college offers.”

Dylan Doyle, 12- “Apply yourself because you can achieve as much as you let yourself and study study study to prepare yourself not only for a test or quiz but for life.”

featureuaugust | september 2019 uthe viewpoint u23


The

EVS Test

Take this quiz to determine the Environmental Value System with which you align best

by Bella Roeske and Danielle Piper

How do you feel about the idea of an “overshoot day,” (page 12)?

a) People should take action and try to limit resources consumed daily b) If people need to use the resources, then that’s just what happens c) People need to use more efficient cars, sustainable farming practices, and more technological advances to reverse the overshoot day Do you take efforts to limit your waste or to live “zero waste”?

a) Yes, I use reusable utensils and avoid buying items with excess packaging b) No, using reusable items isn’t a priority of mine c) I try, but I’m just one person-my efforts are small compared to high scale sustainability practices Do you consider yourself an animal person?

a) Yes, all of the Earth’s creatures are deserving of a protected and sustainable environment b) Sure, but humans will always come first c) Survival of the fittest

MV The Viewpoint

Are other countries that implement hydro-electricity, wind power, electric cars, and other clean energy sources on the right track?

a) Yes, but it would be better to use bicycles instead of cars, and less energy overall b) No, the government shouldn’t be able to regulate what energy people or businesses use c) Yes, people need to adapt to new technology Is eating organic and non-GMO, or possibly following a more environmentally-conscious diet like vegetarianism or veganism, a priority for you?

a) Yes, I buy and eat food with the environment in mind b) No, I eat whatever foods I like, or follow special diets for health reasons c) Yes and no; I may think about the health impact of foods, but generally do not have an issue with GMOs Do you believe humans are responsible for the current emission levels and deterioration of the ozone layer?

a) Yes and it is our job to fix the Earth b) It was not just humans. The Earth be like that. c) Maybe, but luckily we have the knowledge and resources to create technological change

@mvtheviewpoint

Mostly A :

s Ecocentrism, defined by The Ecological Citizen: You see the Earth and all its atmosphere, water, land, and ecosystems as crucial aspects of its health. You value the needs of humans like that of any other species secondary to the Earth’s overall health.

Mostly B :

s Anthropocentrism, defined by Oxford Bibliographies: You prioritize human needs, and generally value natural things based on their usefulness to humans. Environmentally savvy anthropocentrists advocate for sustainable natural resources, whereas less versed anthropocentrists may encourage human’s resource consumption without regard to the adverse effects this has for the planet.

Mostly C :

s Technocentrism, defined by Sustainable Environment: You, like anthropocentrists, believe humans have control over nature. Technocentrists may believe environmental problems exist, but see the issue as something to be solved by technological developments, not a reduction in industry.

@mvtheviewpoint feature u august | september 2019 u the viewpoint u 24


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