Volume 21 Issue 2

The

TRAIL The TRAIL

Vol 21 Issue 2 Fall 2025

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Table of Contents Pointe Shoe Sustainability Lindsey Wiessner

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LEAVE THE LEAVES! Or Face the Curse of the Woolly Bear Caterpillars Katie Marra

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Bonfire Night: Protect Tradition or the Environment?

Lauren Barnett

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Don’t Buy Labubus For Christmas! 14 Darsitta Bhattacharya

Tu Bishvat Evan DeAngelis

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Tale of the Tree: Christmas Trees and Their History Sofia Little

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Student Photos

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A Springtime Holiday in Greece Orli Ashkenas

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Works Cited Writers’ Team

Are the Winter Olympics Melting Away?

Anna McHugh

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Interested in joining The Trail? Reach out to us at epibtrail@gmail.com and our insta: @epibtrail

Meet our Staff

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Letter from the Editor

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Sofia Little

November 4 , 2025, Election Highlights Marshall McCullough

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Balancing Celebration & Sustainability Nader Rawshani

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Student Photos

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Staff

Orli Askenas

Lauren Barnett

Writer & Graphic Designer

Writer

Darssita Bhattacharya

Logan Bruno

Writer & Editor

Editor & Graphic Designer

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Will Clark

Evan DeAngelis

Anastasia Formelio

Bella Fowler

Editor

Writer & Editor

Graphic Designer

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Editor; Director of Communications

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Staff

Lauren Koo

Sofia Little

Olivia Martinolich

Marshall McCullough

Editor-in-Chief

Graphic Designer

Editor

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Writer, Editor; Technical Advisor

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Staff

Anna McHugh

Aleen Mirza

Annika Noel

Parie Patel

Graphic Designer

Writer & Editor

Editor

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Staff

Caleigh Pokallus

Nader Rawshani

Writer

Writer & Editor

Lexi Tassone

Lindsey Wiessner

Graphic Designer

Writer & Editor; Head of Table of Contents Publishing Table of Contents

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Molly Yesalavich Graphic Designer

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers, This issue of the Trail is centered around holidays. We are always focused on collaboration, and this year was no exception. We worked together to come up with ideas for this and future issues as a way to further our writing and creativity skills.

Around the holidays, it is very easy to get distracted or overwhelmed. For this issue, we focused on topics such as the holiday season and how we can do our part to be more mindful consumers who overwhelm the planet less.

We explored both the good and the bad that come with the holidays, and how they impact different cultures. I wanted writers to avoid talking only about Christmas, so we branched out to other topics—commonly purchased Christmas presents and holidays around the world were also discussed.

This issue was especially fun for me because I wrote a piece on Christmas trees and their history. Overall, this issue of the Trail gave us a lot to look forward to for the holiday season and beyond. How can we be more intentional in our consumption, and what is the value of ritual celebration?

Think on these questions as you read, and hopefully you—and your plants —had a happy holiday season and New Year!

Sincerely, Sofia Little Table of Contents

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November 4th, 2025, ELECTION HIGHLIGHTS By: Marshall McCullough New Jersey Governor In a decisive victory for the democratic party, Mikie Sherrill defeated Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli. Mikie Sherril ran her platform on lowering utility and housing costs and increasing funding for public schools (Calabrese, 2025).

Ciattarelli instead focused his platform on more conservative policy changes, such as property-tax relief, 20-week abortion restrictions, and ending taxpayer-funded abortions (Difilippo, 2025).

Virginia Governor Virginia also saw a historic first for their governor, electing the state's first female governor, Abigail Spanberger. Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican nominee Winsome Earle-Sears 57.6% to 42.2% (Schmidt, 2025). Just like the other winners from November 4th, Abigail Spanberger ran on economic issues, focusing on housing and grocery prices.

New York City Mayor The New York City mayoral election got national attention, as 34-year-old democratic Zohran Mamdani ran to become New York City’s first Muslim, as well as the youngest Mayor in over a century (New York Times, 2025).

Zohram Mamdani ran against Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent after losing the Democratic nomination.

Mamdani defeated Cuomo 50.8% to 41.3%. The winning candidate focused his campaign on affordable housing, free city buses, and lower food costs.

Maine Firearm Red Flag Law Maine’s Question 2 proposed allowing courts to issue “extreme risk protection orders” also known as red flag orders.

Red flag orders allow for law enforcement or household members to ask the court to temporarily remove firearms from someone who is deemed to be a danger to themselves or others.

Unlike Maine’s first question, question 2 passed with 60% voting for approval (Maine Morning Star, 2025).

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California Proposition 50 California Proposition 50, commonly referred to as Prop 50, was passed with a 64% vote. The measure will replace the current congressional district map, which was drawn by an independent commission, with a new map drawn by the legislature (Legislative Analyst’s Office, 2025). Prop 50 is framed as a defensive response to the redistricting efforts by Republican-controlled states, like Texas. Prop 50’s passing is likely to boost the Democratic Party’s representation in the next election.

Maine Absentee Voting & Voter-ID Restrictions Maine’s Question 1 was a referendum that aimed to significantly change the state’s voting rules. The referendum, if passed, would have eliminated two days of absentee voting, removed prepaid postage on absentee ballot envelopes, limited dropbox use, and required photo identification to vote, even for absentee ballots (League of Women Voters of Maine, 2025). The referendum was decisively struck down, only getting 36% approval.

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Balancing Celebration & Sustainability:

The Environmental Impact of Diwali

By Nader Rawshani Home to over a thousand languages and to major religions such as Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity, India is often regarded as a haven for different cultures. Moreover, when it comes to traditions and holidays, the country is widely known for its traditional celebrations, such as Eid al-Fitr and Diwali. However, a growing concern is the amount of pollution and toxins that plague India’s environment.

Amongst the world’s 30 cities with the worst air pollution, 17 are in India. Moreover, New Delhi – its capital – has concentrations of particulate matter nearly 10 times higher than the WHO guidelines. Especially in rivers, when looking at the Ganges River, it has grown so polluted that the civilians who use it have contracted toxins and illnesses (Harvard University, 2014). Although India faces significant challenges in terms of environmental sustainability, recent efforts to address pollution have been successful, with one notable example being implemented during one of India’s most popular holidays, Diwali.

Derived from the Sanskrit word dipavali, which means “row of lights”, Diwali is one of the major festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism (Narayanan et al., 2025). Lasting for five days from the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month,

Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika, this holiday is celebrated by cleaning, renovating, and decorating homes with flowers and other fancy decorations. This is to invite energies of wealth, prosperity, and well-being into the soul (Bhasin, 2021). On a more spiritual note, this festival symbolizes the victory of light over darkness (Firework Crazy, 2024). However, Diwali is a popular holiday in the country, and the way people celebrate it has negative environmental impacts.

To mark the victory over darkness, Indians celebrate by lighting fireworks. However, India has a population of approximately 1.45 billion people, and the amount of toxins released into the environment is substantial. These toxins stem from sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and other heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. Fireworks also release massive amounts of noise pollution (>120 decibels). This can lead to a variety of cardiovascular illnesses, and it even affects animals, as dogs can get stressed and birds disoriented. According to the Central Pollution Control (CPCB), the amount of tiny particles in the air in big cities increases from 3x to even 10x above the normal level. Especially in 2024, when observing these smaller towns, the amount of these particles increased by 400500% (Vitan Earth Foundation, 2025).

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In other studies, published by Springer, between 2019-22, it is during the Diwali holiday that these particle levels rise sharply.

Another study by Cornell University, PM2.5 increased by about 95% during Diwali (Manchanda et al., 2025).

Fortunately, the Indian Government has taken drastic measures to reduce the negative effects of the fireworks. Starting in New Delhi, the government has banned fireworks completely. Since fireworks are considered a Diwali tradition, India’s Council of Scientific & Industrial Research at the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute developed “green” crackers,

which they claim can reduce the environmental footprint by 30-50%, and reduce chemical usage by 30-70%. Unlike the traditional which uses a toxic barium nitrate, the greener version uses potassium and strontium nitrate, which is much less toxic. Concerning firecracker usage, this year, there are two specific time slots in which an Indian citizen can use firecrackers (Singh & Tyagi, 2025). This is in the fight against the immense pollution, but has it proved successful?

13 Reported by India’s parliament in March, the ministry in charge of pollution control stated that they used less than one percent of the $100 million. Moreover, the firecrackers are not the only ones causing widespread pollution, as vehicles, construction, demolition, and events like Diwali, for instance, are main contributors to the pollution in India. This is a major problem because the “green” firecrackers themselves cannot lower the amount of pollutants produced. Alarmingly, discouraging the use of traditional firecrackers has not been enforced because people still find ways to cheat the system. In October of 2024, the Delhi government’s attempt to track down the usage of traditional firecrackers turned out to be a failure because the 377 enforcement teams spread throughout a city of 20 million people couldn’t enforce the ban because the limited number of personnel affected the efficiency of the population control (Pragati, 2025).

Despite the problems associated with Diwali and its sustainability, the government’s first attempts toward lowering pollution are a positive sign for the future of India’s sustainability. It is a good first step to reduce harmful emissions produced by these firecrackers, but there is more work to be done.

However, India produces around 50,000 tons of firecrackers annually for its $723 million industry, and the country needs to decide whether some aspects of one of its traditions must change for the betterment of its ecological sustainability.

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Don’t Buy Labubus For Christmas!

By Darssita Bhattacharya Do we ever stop to realize how our daily choices harm the planet? With the latest TikTok trends fueling our cravings for toys, clothes, jewelry, and anything that is trending and materialistic, we continuously feed into the cycle of capitalism. We spend our hard-earned money on items that hold little to no value in the long term, and one of the most obvious examples I can bring up is Labubu figurines.

What are Labubu’s, you may ask? In case you aren’t addicted to TikTok, Labubu’s are collectable figures of different colors and varieties shaped like cute little monsters, and the current trend that has captured TikTok users' attention. This particular collectable craze that’s taken over social media is more than one trending doll, but it’s about how hype is a strong influence on individuals, especially Gen Z and younger generations.

Labubu’s are one of many examples that demonstrate how social platforms, when combined with marketing, can turn into a temporary desire for consumption.

I’ll tell you why you might want to think twice before buying your nieces and nephews this toy for the upcoming holiday season.

Choosing to buy it for your family members this Christmas supports the rise of consumerism in our current economy, where many of us are already struggling to barely survive, fuels capitalism in turn, and encourages a more materialistic mindset.

Along with consumerism comes environmental damage due to mass production. Altogether, Labubu’s are simply not worth gifting when there are plenty of better, more meaningful options available.

If you searched up what Labubu’s are specifically, the internet says it is “both a fictional character and a brand…it’s the name of a character in “The Monsters” toy series created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung” (Wang, 2025). But also they’re “vinyl faces [that] are attached to plush bodies, and come with a signature look – pointy ears, big eyes and a mischievous grin showing exactly nine teeth” (Wang, 2025). However, the rise of this toy starting from April 2024 is due to celebrities like Lisa from Black Pink, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and even the previous English football captain, Sir David Beckham,

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who have endorsed this item on social media (specifically Instagram) (Wang, 2025). Once celebrities start a trend, naturally, it increases in popularity, and then it progresses to becoming a fashion trend.

Going one step further, Labubus then started coming out with versions that are limited edition and with brand deals, even creating blind boxes to add to the element of surprise. This has furthered the everpresent temptation that we as consumers have a hard time resisting. While to us Labubu’s are the latest trend, to the planet, it is the newest threat imposed upon it.

These toys are “predominantly made with plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyester fabric, materials derived from fossil fuels…[and] the manufacturing process for these materials is highly polluting, emitting significant amounts of greenhouse gases and toxic substances” (One Stop ESG, 2025). PVC is particularly harmful as “the production and disposal of PVC release[s] toxic chemicals such as dioxins, known to have severe ecological and health implications” (One Stop ESG, 2025).

Chemicals are not the only issue from the manufacturing, as blind boxes happen to be the second most negatively impactful aspect of this toy. Since “each doll is individually packed in plastic bags and cardboard boxes… [with] the repeated purchases encouraged by th blind box model, packaging waste quickly accumulates…[and] ending up in landfills” (One Stop ESG, 2025). However, the idea of adding to the amount of plastic pollution and microplastics in landfills because of our needs, due to us being easily influenced by consumer behavior, and thus contributing to the cycle of waste, is saddening. Labubu’s are not the first product to cause environmental issues; it is part of the trend that the economy pushes, with other examples such as Beanie Babies, Furbies, and L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls, (One Stop ESG, 2025). No surprise, though, with the rise of the original Labubu dolls comes the rise of off-brand versions that add to the issue.

The market of counterfeit Labubu’s has been steadily rising in recent months, with one of the most notable bootlegs being the Lafufu series. These look-alike dolls mimic the originals but “often lack key details and

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afety standards”.

As recently as August of 2025, it was labeled as a safety threat (Phillips & Haynes, 2025). This is because “the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission… issued an urgent safety warning to Labubu collectors…warn[ing] the fake dolls present a choking risk, and other outlets warned of toxic materials” (Phillips & Haynes, 2025).

The situation is so far out of hand that “the largest seizure of Lafufu’s occurred in the Seattle airport in September 2025, when CBP officials seized over 11,000 collectables worth over $500,000” (Phillips & Haynes, 2025).

In short, buying into the Labubu trend (whether it’s genuine or counterfeit), is simply not worth the chaos it fuels.

Supporting these products only feeds a system driven by overconsumption, unsafe production, and environmental waste.

Instead of investing in another short-lived fad that harms both people and the planet, we should be questioning why we keep allowing social media trends to decide what we value and purchase.

With the holidays coming up, we can do better than gifting toys that contribute to pollution and mindless spending. Our hardearned money can be saved for better uses, and we can give our nieces and nephews who are crying for gifts that follow trends, gifts that are thoughtful and personal.

Whether it be handmade items, experiences, or sustainable alternatives, these carry far more meaning and create less waste.

Choosing those kinds of presents not only avoids all this chaos but also shows real care for both our loved ones and the planet.

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Tale of the Tree: Christmas Trees and Their History

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By Sofia Little Have you ever thought about where Christmas trees come from? Not just which species, or which farm, but where the tradition of having a Christmas tree originated? Have you wondered about their impact on the natural world? As the holidays near, I have been focused more and more on reducing my carbon footprint as I shop for family and friends. But as I focused on presents, it dawned on me that they weren’t the only big purchase around the holiday season. Throughout my research, I found that Christmas trees have a rich history and an important place in many American homes, as well as outside of them.

The Egyptian sun god, known as Ra, was celebrated with green palms and papyrus reeds, symbolizing life’s triumph over death. Romans decorated their homes with evergreen boughs to celebrate the solstice with a feast, on the holy day of Saturnalia, for the god of agriculture, Saturn. The proto-Germans are credited with starting the tradition of Christmas trees as we know them today, even building them from pyramids of wood if evergreens and candles were hard to come by (HISTORY.com Editors, 2023).

Christmas trees were important even before the spread of Christianity, and long ago, people prized plants that retained their color throughout the winter. Spruce, various kinds of pine, fir, holly, and evergreen were all used to decorate homes and were believed to ward away evil spirits (HISTORY.com Editors, 2023). Instead of Christmas, many (but not all) ancient peoples celebrated the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year, which falls around December 21st or 22nd in the Northern Hemisphere. The sun was thought to be a god, and when winter came, it meant the sun god became weak and ill. The solstice was a sign that the sun god would grow strong again, and summer would come once more (HISTORY.com Editors, 2023).

So how did the Christmas tree tradition make its way to the U.S.? Throughout the 19th century, Americans viewed Christmas trees as strange, and even in the 1840s, they were seen as “pagan symbols” and rejected. However, Queen Victoria popularized the Christmas tree in 1846. As queen, what she and her court did became fashionable homemaking not only in England, but also in East Coast American High Society. Since 1850, they have been sold commercially in the United States (HISTORY.com Editors, 2023).

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18 So now that we know a bit about the history of these trees, let’s explore their story today. Christmas trees are planted widely, as many as 1,500 trees per acre, and they grow in every U.S. state. According to history.com, “Ninety-eight percent of all natural Christmas trees are grown on farms”. Christmas tree best sellers include: “Scotch Pine, Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Balsam Fir, and Blue Spruce” (HISTORY.com Editors, 2023). With all of these different types of trees to consider, it is interesting to consider an even more startling statistic: “over 80 million trees are consumed annually across the globe for Christmas,” (Gilbert, 2012). What does that mean for the well-being of the environment?

It turns out that some popular Christmas tree species are endangered species, such as the Fraser fir. Known for its pleasant scent and needle retention, about 50 million are grown for their use as Christmas trees. Fraser firs are listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List, and have been threatened by Balsam woolly adelgids, invasive insects that have been impacting these trees since they arrived from Europe.

So what can be done? There is an effort in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which has a lot of the species’ native plants and mature trees.

The Park Service has been collecting seeds to grow seedlings in a dedicated preservation plantation, as well as using insecticidal soap to kill the invasive insects (Moody, 2019).

Fraser Firs, both popular and endangered, are often chosen as the White House tree, but they are not the only endangered Christmas tree species.

The Saharan Cypress, Paraná Pine, and Yuanbaoshan Fir are also endangered (Fessenden, 2015).

So, should we keep buying Christmas trees? Are fake trees better for the environment? According to the Nature Conservancy, real trees are still the way to go. Real trees don’t require the massive amounts of carbon emissions used to produce and ship artificial trees. By buying real trees, you also support forests. This is because not all of the trees planted to be Christmas trees are cut each year.

This keeps tree farms in business, and it keeps the covered forest land healthy. Real can also be recycled after the holiday season, and organizations in almost every state collect them for conservation or habitat projects. Artificial trees, on the other hand, cannot be recycled and end up in landfills (The Nature Conservancy, n.d.).

Science shows that the best way to help our forests is to use them, but carefully. Sustainably managed forests store as much carbon as unmanaged forests most of the time! They can help us reduce carbon emissions by over 30% to slow climate change (The Nature Conservancy, n.d.).

The trees we use to celebrate deserve a celebration of their own, and World Dendrology Day is celebrated on September 22nd each year (World Dendrology Day, n.d.). Next year, I hope we all remember how much our Christmas trees help us when we celebrate the next World Dendrology Day.

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Protomaiga:

A Springtime Holiday in Greece Orli Ashkenas Through the people of Greece working with their local environment, nature, and Greek culture are closely intertwined to the extent that they simply cannot survive without each other.

Greece’s determination to survive through challenging times, such as wars and waves of occupation, has led the locals to learn how to be self-sufficient, utilizing what was literally in their backyards, shaping their culture and resourcefulness. Many islands in Greece, secluded from the outside world, have required their inhabitants to rely completely on the local materials available to them, such as olives, herbs, honey, sea salt, figs, and many other natural resources. This isolation strengthened a profound connection between the Greek people and nature, giving rise to traditions that reflect a deep respect for the environment. This connection is evident in Greek culture, where traditions often incorporate elements of nature, as seen in dishes featuring seasonal produce or outdoor festivals.

One of the most significant examples of this connection is May Day, also known as International Workers' Day, a holiday celebrated in many countries, particularly in Greece.

Celebrated since the time of Greek civilization, the day of Protomagia has been a celebration of both nature and the working-class population (XpatAthens, 2024b). On this Holiday, stores in Greece are closed, allowing the country's working class to celebrate the holiday.

Traditionally, Protomagia involves locals gathering seasonal flowers such as daisies, carnations, lilacs, roses, as well as other highyielding flowers (I Am Greece, 2020b). Once locals gather seasonal plants, they create wreaths and other decorations using those resources to beautify their homes, churches, and other public areas in villages (XpatAthens, 2024b).

The annual holiday is also celebrated by family and friends gathering together for picnics, dancing, outdoor festivals, and soaking up what their environment has to offer.

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My father, an immigrant from the island . of Karpathos, often recalls Protomagia from his vivid memories of nature, family togetherness, and his home country on that day. He and his brother would be sent up mountains by their mother to collect flowers so their mother could create a wreath to hang on the front door. Also, my Father and his brother would spend time flying kites as well as fishing along the island’s shore. The major holiday, Protomagia, is dedicated to celebrating nature, taking pride in the changing of the seasons, and the fertility of their land.

As society continues to modernize its living styles by incorporating more technology and urban developments, the idea of spending time with nature is often overlooked. Finding ways to reconnect with nature can increase society's value of nature. The research article, "Time Spent in Nature Is Associated with Increased Pro-Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors”, by Nicole V. DeVille, explores how spending time in nature leads people to care about the health of the environment.

Finding ways to reconnect with nature can increase society's value of nature. The research article, "Time Spent in Nature Is Associated with Increased Pro-Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors”, by Nicole V. DeVille, explores how spending time in nature leads people to care about the health of the environment. To combat recent environmental issues, such as global warming, encouraging communities to interact with nature in various ways can foster a deeper connection with the environment, which can potentially lead to changes in behavior and ultimately improve the environment (DeVille et al., 2021b). Many of us live in urban areas with limited access to nature, but a great way to start appreciating the outdoors is simply sitting outside and journaling about what you see in nature.

Observing the smallest aspects that nature has to offer, even noticing a tree’s leaves changing colors, can open one's mind to the beauty of nature and why protecting the environment around us is so important.

Figure one: Herald, G. (2022, April 29). What is the custom of Protomagia (1st of May) and why do Greeks celebrate it? The Greek Herald.

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Are the Winter Olympics Melting Away?

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Anna McHugh

In a world plagued by hotter temperatures, increasingly severe weather events and droughts, and rising sea levels, the Winter Olympics have managed to persist, with the next Games upcoming in February 2026. But how will the growing impacts of climate change affect this worldwide cherished sports tradition? And can the Games adapt to the modern-day demands of sustainability and reduce their carbon footprint without compromising their splendor?

From February 6 - 22, 2026, the 25th Winter Olympics will be held in the host cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and will be officially known as the Milano Cortina Olympics.

The Games have been held over a wide variety of locations, beginning in 1924 in Chamonix, France. But over time, there has been an increasing worry about how climate change is going to impact the games.

The climatic conditions today have rapidly changed since the beginning of the games, as “the average global temperature of Earth has increased at least by 1.1 degrees Celsius (1.9 degrees Fahrenheit) since 1880” (NASA, 2022).

The IOC’s Sustainability Progress Report 20212024 discusses how reliant the Winter Games are on sufficient quantities of snow for their events, but in recent years, this has proved challenging since there has been a decrease in snowfall, and temperatures have become too hot to create man-made snow in certain areas (International Olympic Committee, 2024).

They have also identified different future locations for the Olympic Winter Games based on a variety of projections for the increase in greenhouse gas emissions over time. This means that depending upon whether the world continues to have low, mid-range, or high emissions, different cities will be considerably suitable to host the games (International Olympic Committee, 2024).

It’s no big surprise that both the Summer and Winter Olympics are major sources of carbon emissions. Looking at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) carbon footprint data from Beijing 2022, it’s clear that the biggest culprit of carbon emissions is from travel – making up 72.3% of the total emissions (International Olympic Committee, 2024).

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22 The majority of these travel emissions come from airplanes. This makes a lot of sense, considering in the 2022 Games alone, 91 countries and more than 2,800 athletes from all over the world competed. Another 8.9% of emissions comes from freight, and the rest from employee commuting, accommodations, building and vehicle energy use, food and beverage, and uniforms.

While it may be easy to cut back total emissions in some of these categories - such as utilizing energy-efficient housing accommodations, using electric vehicles for transport within the host location – the question of how to get all the athletes plus spectators there sustainably remains. Most people head to the games by plane, travelling from all over the world to see these athletes play. Is it feasible to cut back on the number of people allowed to come and watch the games? The answer is most likely no, as the ticket sales alone generate hundreds of millions to even billions of dollars, which helps to support the production of the games (International Olympic Committee, 2025).

Despite this, the IOC has begun to address climate change in recent years, critically examining current practices and future ones that may help keep the Games alive. For example, starting in the year 2030, those who organize the Games will be required to “minimize the direct and indirect Games-related emissions, strive to remove more carbon from the atmosphere than the Games projects emit, and use their influence to encourage stakeholders

to take climate action” (Olympics.com, 2022).

While these goals appear good on paper, they are quite broad and vague, making it hard to determine how these goals will be achieved and what specifically the IOC is expecting Game organizers and host cities to do in order to decrease their emissions. On their website, they include general changes they will make to reduce their emissions, such as “further reducing air travel, through implementation of new ways of collaboration” and

“pursuing efforts to minimise, reuse or recycle waste in our daily activities and events” (International Olympic Committee, 2024).

In the IOC’s Climate Action Report, it states that they are “taking concrete action to address the global climate crisis” (Olympics.com., 2025) by reducing direct and indirect emissions by 50% by 2030, compensating more than 100% of their emissions, and using their influence to inspire fans and stakeholders alike to fight climate change.

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23 They have begun to compensate for their emissions by growing an Olympic Forest that is meant to restore degraded landscapes “pursuing efforts to minimise, reuse or recycle waste in our daily activities and events” (International Olympic Committee, 2024). across the Sahel region in Africa (Olympic Forest, 2021). This initiative has aimed to grow more than 400,000 native trees across villages in Mali and Senegal. Their website claims that this forest is a big element of their strategy to address climate change.

Time will tell what the future holds for the Winter Olympics. The integrity of the Games will all depend on how the world moves forward in cutting back greenhouse gas emissions, including how the IOC and host cities address their own outputs. The 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics could be the start of new sustainable practices for the Games that can help ensure their future for generations to come.

While it’s important that the land in these countries is reforested and that the local communities benefit from the impact of the restored landscapes, it’s hard to see the connection between growing a forest thousands of miles away and reducing the overall impact of the Games. Solutions to the carbon emissions caused by the various factors involved in the Games such as transportation, accommodations, etc. - seem to be more pressing and potentially more effective solutions.

2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics. (2025, August 6). U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Italy. https://it.usembassy.gov/2026-winterolympics/

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Pointe Shoe Sustainability

By Lindsey Wiessner Growing up in the dance world, the beginning of winter will always remind me of annual trips to the ballet to watch performances. I can remember watching Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Sleeping Beauty during Winter Break as a child, and the holidays have always been associated with tutus and pointe shoes for me. With winter being a popular time to visit the ballet, the waste that is produced from these shows is increasingly important during this season. Perhaps the most wasteful aspect of the ballet is the seemingly unassuming shoes that dancers wear. Pointe shoes, which ballet dancers use to dance on top of their toes, are made of a mixture of paper, burlap, leather, and either satin or canvas fabric (Second Stage Dance, 2025). While shoes may not seem like a big deal at first glance, these shoes become worn out relatively

quickly and are unable to be safely reused, a fact that dancers learn when they first begin to dance en pointe. This problem, which is somewhat unique to the ballet world, prevents reselling of the shoes, which is a common solution to waste in the clothing industry.

Certain companies, like the Pacific Northwest Ballet, use around 2000 pairs of pointe shoes yearly (Hilton, 2024). The winter season is extremely intense, with the New York City Ballet using 500 pairs monthly (Hilton, 2024). Additionally, since pointe shoes combine multiple materials together, they are unable to be recycled without first being disassembled (Hilton, 2024). Once taken to a landfill, paper will take anywhere from months to years to decompose, burlap will take between 2 months and a year, leather will take between 25 and 50 years, and satin or canvas that is synthetically created can take over 200 years (Second Stage Dance, 2025). Other components that are present in shoes in trace amounts, such as adhesives, break down into microplastics during decomposition (Second Stage Dance, 2025).

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With the number of dance companies around the world, the amount of waste that is produced just in the form of pointe shoes adds up quickly.

However, if shoes are able to be separated into their component parts, they can be easily upcycled or reused in a variety of ways. Satin fabrics that are undamaged can be sewn into clothing or hair accessories, and any component of the shoes can be used to create artwork (Hilton, 2024). The leather that is used for the soles of pointe shoes also has a large variety of uses and is one of the most commonly recycled parts of the shoe. For instance, the company Petit Pas creates bracelets using this leather as a way to reduce the waste that is going into landfills and to help establish a circular economy for pointe shoes (Petit Pas, n.d.).

As a dancer myself, these bracelets can be appealing, as dancers can wear an accessory that is deeply related to ballet and directly taken from old pointe shoes. Petit Pas is also planning to expand to other wearable products, which can potentially use parts of the shoes other than the leather alone (Petit Pas, n.d.). Additionally, the company is looking to obtain a patent that would allow

it to create upcycled furniture as well (Petit Pas, n.d.).

Certain ballet companies, such as the Scottish Ballet, have also taken matters into their own hands to reduce waste. The Scottish Ballet has set a goal to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero, and the reduction of waste from pointe shoes has been established as a key requirement for emission reduction (The Scottish Ballet, n.d.). The company is planning to use second-hand fabric whenever possible and has been working with a master's student studying sustainability to establish more ways to reuse or upcycle these shoes (The Scottish Ballet, n.d.). While the ballet world certainly has its work cut out for it regarding the reduction of waste from pointe shoes, considerable progress has been made already. If ballet companies and the outside industries continue focusing on ways to efficiently reuse the materials that make up these shoes, waste can be reduced significantly.

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LEAVE THE LEAVES! Or Face the Curse of the Woolly Bear Caterpillars…

By Katie Marra

The folklore of farmers says “the width of a woolly bear caterpillar’s orange band predicts the coming winter’s severity” (Kanuckel, 2023).

According to legend, the wider the orange band, the milder the winter, while more black indicates a harsh winter season. Woolly bear caterpillars are the larval stage of the Isabella tiger moth, Pyrrharctia isabella, a medium-sized moth found in cold and temperate regions across North America. The life cycle of these insects involves four stages, including the egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa, and adult moth. Woolly bear caterpillars are covered in setae, hair-like projections that give them their fuzzy appearance. These morphological structures are not only the topic of folklore, but they also function as both a defense against predators and a winter coat to keep them warm throughout the season. As the winter season approaches, between the end of October and the beginning of November, woolly bear caterpillars enter diapause, which is a dormant state comparable to hibernation. While diapause is a common behavioral adaptation among insects (Denlinger & Lee, 2010), woolly bear caterpillars are unique in that they produce their own antifreeze, which allows them to freeze solid over the winter.

Isabella Tiger Moth, Maryland Biodiversity Project

Most caterpillars will create a chrysalis or cocoon to protect themselves through the winter, entering the pupal phase, but woolly bear caterpillars survive the cold as fully developed larvae. The “antifreeze” compound is glycerol, a type of carbohydrate also described as sugar alcohol. Glycerol is a cryoprotectant, meaning it prevents the formation of ice crystals within the caterpillar’s body. This is done by lowering the freezing point of water within their hemolymph (bodily fluids) and preventing ice crystals from damaging cell membranes (Layne et al., 1999).

Woolly bear caterpillars are adorable, prophetic, AND they allow us to learn more about cryopreservation!

Woolly bear caterpillars are fascinating creatures, but how can we support and protect

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them so that they may continue to bless us with their visions for winter? Well, the most important action that can be taken is to preserve their habitats. This can be achieved on a small scale by simply not blowing, raking, or removing the leaves from your lawn. The antifreeze magic happens beneath the fallen leaves, where woolly bear caterpillars lie until the end of winter. Still not convinced? Are you reading this thinking, “Oh I don’t care about this stupid caterpillar and its specialized biochemical processes, I am going to suck all my leaves up and put them into plastic bags because I am EVIL”? Here is some food for thought: if this sounds like you, if you do not let the woolly bear caterpillars live a long life, you will be cursed. There are consequences to raking your leaves… grave consequences. Not only will you be depriving the soil of nutrients, contributing to landfill waste, and getting rid of natural weed suppression, but if you rake your leaves, you will be doomed to face the curse of the woolly bear caterpillars. At this

point, you know all about the setae of these caterpillars- brown and orange, fuzzy, coat-likebut what you might not know is that the clairvoyant coloring is determined by the life history of the caterpillar. Woolly bear caterpillars go through six molts- processes by which they shed their “skin” (exoskeleton) as they grow.

With each molt, the orange band on the caterpillar gets wider (Layne et al., 1999).

Therefore, the more a woolly bear can eat and grow, the more orange it will be, and according to legend, the more forgiving the winter. If you do not allow these caterpillars the habitat and resources to grow to their full potential, a frozen hell will reign down upon you and your crops.

You have been warned…

What kind of winter do YOU want to have?

Woolly Bear Caterpillars found in Ecola, Oregon. Taken on November 13th by Katie Marra Table of Contents

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Bonfire Night: Protect Tradition or the Environment?

By: Lauren Barnett Every year on November 5th, across the United Kingdom, Guy Fawkes Day, also known as Bonfire Night, is celebrated to commemorate the Gunpowder Plot of 1605; the infamous failed attempt by English Roman Catholic conspirators to assassinate King James I and blow up the Houses of Parliament. The 17th century was a time of growing political tension as the Church of England was expanding and bringing intolerance against Catholics with it. In response to the religious persecution, the group of conspirators planned to take back the country on November 5th, the opening of Parliament. However, a fellow member of the group alerted Parliament via an anonymous letter, and the plan was betrayed. 36 barrels of gunpowder were discovered hidden beneath the House of Lords, the upper house of Parliament. Consequently, co-conspirator Guy Fawkes was arrested and taken into custody before being tried and executed for treason. His role was to light the fuse to detonate the gunpowder. In the four centuries since, this holiday has become a tradition. It involves burning effigies of Guy Fawkes with his infamous facial hair in a bonfire, as well as

displays of fireworks, representative of the gunpowder never used. Traditionally, in the 20th century, around the week of Guy Fawkes Night, children would raise money by asking “penny for the Guy?” while wheeling around homemade effigies; however, today this is a lost tradition (London Museum, n.d.). There are many versions of nursery rhymes recited, the most famous being: “Remember, remember, the fifth of November Gunpowder treason and plot We see no reason Why Gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot….”

Essentially, the cultural significance of this holiday is equivalent to the 4th of July for Americans, where each year hundreds of millions of pounds of fireworks are used in just one night (American Pyrotechnics Association, n.d.). Even though the royal family has significantly less power today, and the government is instead run by the Prime Minister, loyalty to the crown is

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deeply ingrained in British culture. Across the country, towns will organize their own Guy Fawkes Night celebrations, or people will celebrate in their back gardens. The bonfires may be used to make political commentary by burning effigies of modern political figures.

While these demonstrations of fireworks and bonfires spark joy in many, they pose serious environmental issues. On the one hand, the emissions from bonfires containing major pollutants contribute to air pollution, which has many detrimental effects in both the short and long term on the environment and people's health. November 5th is the most polluted night of the year in the UK, and poor air quality can cause serious respiratory issues (Redmore Environmental, n.d.). The fireworks in particular also pose threats to animals; Pet Encounter Cumbria, an animal attraction located near the Lake District of England, was especially hurt after this year's holiday celebration, for example. Their crocodile skink Toothless died due to stress from the vibrations, and their snowy owl Athena injured her wing after being spooked. The remaining animals were shaken up and struggling with their appetite. Burning of bonfires and fireworks are not exclusive to England; they are seen in celebrations all year round globally. In Valencia, Spain, fireworks are set off every day for 19 days in March to celebrate Las Fallas. Additionally, hundreds of statues are burned down as the culmination of the holiday that holds a lot of cultural

significance to Valencians. This is a global issue, which brings about the question: when it comes to regulating these sources of pollution, how can governments balance the needs of the environment while also maintaining tradition?

Similar to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the UK has an Environmental Agency (EA), which falls under the Department for Environmental, Food & Rural, one of the UK’s (EA), one of the UK’s 24 ministerial departments. The agency regulates what is allowed to be burned on Guy Fawkes Night. According to the EA, people tend to use the holiday as an excuse to burn their old furniture or household trash; however, treated wood, tires, plastics, rubber, and oil are not allowed to be set on fire due to their serious health and environmental impacts (Environment Agency, 2017). People can face a fine of up to £50,000 if they do not follow the regulations and illegally manage their waste. Additionally, the agency has the ability to prevent events where it is suspected that illegal waste will be burnt or other harm to the environment will occur by issuing a stop notice. The selling and usage of fireworks is also regulated in the UK, with strict

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consequences including fines and imprisonment. Nevertheless, fireworks are able to be bought and used under certain conditions; category 2 and 3 fireworks can be purchased by those 18 and over. Category 2 refers to ones suited to an average-sized family back garden, and category 3 are designed for large displays and require a minimum distance of 25 meters/82 feet (Child Accident Prevention Trust, n.d.). On Bonfire Night, fireworks are permitted to be set off for an extra hour- until midnight, rather than 11 pm. Noticing that the volume of fireworks is increasing each year, the owner of Pet Encounter Cumbria calls for something to change; “It's time the UK bans the sale of fireworks to the public and only operates under authorized, controlled and professionally ran displays” (BBC Cumbria). Similarly, RSPCA, the largest animal welfare charity in the UK, “wants the noise levels of fireworks reduced, their sales limited and firework-free zones created” (Bassingham, 2025).

Evidently, while Bonfire Night is a fun, autumnal holiday that has a lot of cultural significance, it causes a lot of different types of pollution, including air and noise pollution, which all need to be better regulated. These pose serious threats to the health of the environment, animals, and the public, and should be prioritized.

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Applied Jewish Philosophy of Stewardship and Sustainability Evan DeAngelis Celebrated as the “Jewish New Year for Trees”, Tu BiShvat (‫ט״ו בשבט‬‎) at its core, in touch with the climate of Judea, with a strong agricultural legacy. For thousands of years, this ancient holiday has been a tradition that tied the people to their land and renewed their bond with nature. Tu BiShvat still fits into modern Jewish life and conservation efforts perfectly.

Literally translated as “the fifteenth day of Shvat,” (Shvat being a Hebrew name for a lunar month), this holiday is celebrated by eating a feast of dried and candied fruits the night before a day spent planting (usually fruit) trees. In Israel, Tu BiShvat is observed as both a religious event and a secular national Arbor Day, during which millions of trees are planted annually (Morris, 2020).

In the Diaspora, most Jews celebrate by planting trees in both public and private spaces, making blessings as they give back to the earth.

The wisdom of planting so early in spring, as when the holiday occurs, is great, because seeds have time to cold stratify, and waiting until later in the season can run the risk of “shocking” larger transplanted trees. Most plants in temperate regions are dormant during the winter season and are therefore less likely to be stressed by changes during this time (Morris, 2020).

In the Diaspora, most Jews celebrate by planting trees in both public and private spaces, making blessings as they give back to the earth.

The wisdom of planting so early in spring, as when the holiday occurs, is great, because seeds have time to cold stratify, and waiting until later in the season can run the risk of “shocking” larger transplanted trees. Most plants in temperate regions are dormant during the winter season and are therefore less likely to be stressed by changes during this time. (Morris, 2020) In Israel, where it falls in climatic spring, tender saplings are added to the warm soil, oftentimes olive, pomegranate, cypress, and figs; and in recent years, the miracle fruit resurrected from the ancient times of Masada, the Judean Date Palm, too, has been planted.

Under Islamic and Catholic rule, the land was exploited and neglected for centuries. At this time, the Judean Date, a symbol of the Judeans since before even Roman conquest (this tree and its sweet fruits receive mention in Psalms and the Song of Songs. In fact, according to firstcentury scholar Pliny the Elder, none were as succulent or sweet as the Judean date palm) went extinct from overharvesting.

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In the year 2005, that changed. “In the mid1900s, archaeologists discovered date palm seeds stored in an ancient jar in the ruins of the palace of Herod the Great in Masada, Israel. The conditions were dry and arid enough to preserve the seeds for 2,000 years.” (Vine, 2021) The trees were sprouted by two brilliant women heading up this project, Dr. Sarah Sallon and Dr. Elaine Solowey.

The pair has sprouted 7 trees from the original. seeds from the ruined fort of Masada.

Methuselah, a male tree, was the first, followed by a larger attempt that bore 4 males and two females, Judith and Hannah. “In June of 2020, Hannah became the first Judean date palm tree, resurrected from the dust of ancient seeds, to bear fruit.”(Vine, 2021). The most recent flush of fruit produced almost a thousand dates, journalists and scientists are happy to report that they are delicious. Even so, having missed centuries of selective breeding, they are less sweet than the modern date. The secret to keeping this precious handful of indigenous fruit alive is the Israeli invention that enabled the Jewish people to revive the land of their ancestors to its original state: the drip irrigation system.

The 20th century Israelites did not find their promised land, 'Rowing with milk and honey," as their forebears did 3,300 years ago. They came to a land of encroaching sand dunes along a once-verdant coast, of malarial swamps and naked limestone hills from which an estimated three feet of topsoil had been scoured, sorted and spread as sterile overwash upon the plains or swept out to sea…” (Scientific American, 2010) Starting when the area was still a British colony and moving into the 1960s, agriculturalists began trying to revive the land, much of the effort taking form in the drainage of these swamps, and use of that water in conjunction with crop rotation. This all cultivated in drip irrigation, a technique developed by the engineer Simcha Blass. (Emoreno, 2020) The present day of environmental restoration is interesting and important, but one still wonders where it connects to the religious values themselves. The two core concepts at play are Bal Tashchit, and Tikkun Olam. “The commandment of bal tashchit—do not destroy or waste—has long been considered central to a Jewish environmental ethic.” The general prohibition against needless destruction, derived from a verse banning the destruction of fruit trees, is interpreted to concern not directly or indirectly destroying anything that may be of use to people. It applies to wasting energy, clothing, water, and more. According to the Talmud, this prohibition also includes wastefully burning oil or fuel. (Neril , n.d.)

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Many modern Jewish communities with great concern for the environment point to examples such as these as reasoning for following in the footsteps manifest in those Jewish principles as they understand them, pursuing sustainable practices as a holy act. This comes in tandem with the second great pillar of Jewish environmentalism: the principle of Tikkun Olam. It is in Tikkun Olam that we see the values of Tu BiShvat manifest. Tikkun Olam is the Jewish concept of repairing the world.

(Troster, 2008) This idea has multiple interpretations, whether it means repairing a rift left in reality itself by the creation of the world, or repairing the natural world and maintaining the creation that was given to humanity. Many Jews, especially in the modern era, tend to adhere to the second listed form of the concept. The idea, therefore, is that the duty of the Jewish people is to restore the world and help bring about the coming of “paradise” by means of environmental restoration. So, at the turning of the year for trees, we bless them, love them, eat of their fruits, and replenish their numbers upon the earth (Morris, 2020) (Troster, 2008).

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In closing, it is best to emphasize that sustainability, remediation, and preservation are truly at the heart of this ancient faith, from the very beginning. As the Torah says: “When God created the first human beings, God led them around the Garden of Eden and said: “Look at my works! See how beautiful they are — how excellent! For your sake I create them all. See to it that you do not spoil and destroy My world; for if you do, there will be no one else to repair it.” - Midrash, Genesis.

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Over Consumption Your paragraph textof Black Friday

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Caleigh Pokallus

We all love Black Friday sales; however, Black Friday is one of those holidays with the biggest carbon footprint due to consumerism. In recent years, it’s estimated that 80% of Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases are thrown out after little to no use. Most Black Friday purchases soon end up as waste (Leeds, 2019). Along with the excessive amounts of waste produced by the holiday, the volume of purchases made during this super-sale period has only risen as the years pass (Hub, n.d).

Not only are many purchases being thrown out, each of those purchases likely comes encased in some sort of shell, such as a plastic bag, plastic box, a cardboard box, or all of the above. Cyber Monday deliveries all travel through the mail to reach the customer who purchases the product.

This method uses different forms of packing material, resulting in excessive amounts of plastic and cardboard waste. Some people may believe this is an acceptable strategy because this waste is recyclable; however, “In the United States, only about 5% to 6% of plastics are being recycled each year—a paltry rate…A total of 95% of the plastic used in packaging is disposed of after one use…”

(Main, 2023).

People assume that every bit of plastic they recycle is repurposed for another product, but as shown here, that is very much not the case (Tigue, 2023). A study from 2015 found that household products were responsible for 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Along with this, consumer goods and their plastic wrapping are one of the leading sources of physical waste across the world (Tigue, 2023).

Large companies already have disproportionately high levels of waste and greenhouse gas emissions as opposed to an average household. Over Black Friday weekend, the amount of waste they contribute advances even further, leading to an excessive amount of waste produced. Phil Purnell, a Civil Engineer, came forward to state: “The consumption of all of that material has an enormous environmental impact, not just in terms of the pollution that’s created during mining and the depletion of natural resources to create the things you buy, but also in terms of carbon from transportation” (Tigue, 2023).

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33 In 2019, Purnell also took part in a study that concluded that up to 80 percent of goods purchased during Black Friday, along with their plastic packaging, end up in landfills or are incinerated very shortly after purchase (Tigue, 2023). Along with this, a study done by transportenvironment.org found that: "1.2 million tons of CO2 would be emitted by trucks transporting Black Friday packages to warehouses and stores around Europe. That’s 94% more than in an average week" (Poggi, 2022).

It is very clear that Black Friday has an increasingly negative impact on the environment. Big corporations disregard this negative externality due to the fact that this holiday continues to line their pockets. Over the years, Black Friday has only become a bigger deal and an excuse for consumers to purchase that product that they “have always wanted”, despite most of this demand being manufactured. In this instance, average families aren't even to blame. This is the work of large companies, making goods so expensive that people can only buy them one weekend a year without sacrificing all of their hard-earned money. In order to prevent irreversible damage to the environment, fewer people need to take advantage of Black Friday’s enticing sales and stand up to these companies in order to protect future generations.

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By: Lindsey Wiessner 6

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References November 4th, 2025, ELECTION HIGHLIGHTS ‌ ‌Calabrese, J. (2025, October 16). NJ governor’s race: What are rep. Mikie Sherrill’s policies? FOX 29 Philadelphia.

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Balancing Celebration and Sustainability: The Environmental Impact of Diwali ‌ hasin, M. (2021, October 26). “Deepavali”, The Festival of Lights - Divine Bliss International. Divine Bliss International; B Divine Bliss International. https://divineblissinternational.org/deepavali2021/? gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22736460898&gbraid=0AAAAADdXkSouWBjpv6nIksuYdQC_yAcpi&gclid=CjwKC AiA8bvIBhBJEiwAu5ayrOc3faWiKjXh1xK0wS37nygFF4VT6CEPOHZl16XRfVWrRopEE_61nxoCogEQAvD_BwE Firework Crazy. (2024, November 5). Why Fireworks are Important for Diwali. Fireworks Crazy; Fireworks Crazy. https://www.fireworkscrazy.co.uk/why-fireworks-are-important-for-diwali/ Harvard Divinity School. (2014). Pollution and India’s Living River. Harvard.edu; Harvard University. https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/religion-in-context/case-studies/climate-change/pollution-indias-living-river Manchanda, C., Kumar, M., Singh, V., Hazarika, N., Faisal, M., Lalchandani, V., Shukla, A., Dave, J., Rastogi, N., & Tripathi, S. N. (2022). Chemical speciation and source apportionment of ambient PM2.5 in New Delhi before, during, and after the Diwali fireworks. Atmospheric Pollution Research, 13(6), 101428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2022.101428 Narayanan, V., Basham, A.L., Gold, A.G., Doniger, W., Smith, B.K., Buitenen, J.V., Dimock, E.C. (2025, November 8).

Hinduism. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hinduism Pragati K.B. (2025, October 21). With Diwali Comes the Start of Air Pollution Season in New Delhi. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/world/asia/india-diwali-air-pollution.html Table of Contents

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References

Don't Buy Labubu's for Christmas!

Wang, F. (2025, June 19). Labubu: How the Pop Mart dolls conquered the world. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4ydxlm9n9o One Stop ESG. (2025, June 26). Labubu Dolls: The Shocking Environmental Truth Behind the Viral Toy Trend.

OneStop ESG. https://onestopesg.com/esg-news/labubu-dolls-the-shocking-environmental-truth-behind-the-viral-toytrend-1750945278080 Phillips, G., & Haynes Kiehn, S. B. (2025, November 1). From cute to criminal: The counterfeit Labubu crisis in the United States. Knobbe Martens. https://www.knobbe.com/blog/from-cute-to-criminal-the-counterfeit-labubu-crisis-inthe-united-states/

Tale of the Tree: Christmas Trees and Their History World Dendrology Day. (n.d.). World Dendrology Day. https://worlddendrologyday.org/ Gilbert, K. (2012, December 24). In the holiday spirit. The Molecular Ecologist. https://www.molecularecologist.com/2012/12/24/in-the-holiday-spirit/ (The Molecular Ecologist) HISTORY.com Editors. (2023, November 28). History of Christmas trees. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/articles/history-of-christmas-trees (History) Moody, C. (2019, December 4). Saving America’s endangered Christmas tree: Fraser fir. Discover + Share (Missouri Botanical Garden). https://discoverandshare.org/2019/12/04/saving-americas-endangered-christmas-tree-frasier-fir/ (Discover + Share) Fessenden, M. (2015, December 23). Meet the world’s most threatened Christmas trees. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-worlds-most-threatened-christmas-trees-180957622/ (Smithsonian Magazine) The Nature Conservancy. (n.d.). Real vs. fake—Which Christmas tree is better for the environment? The Nature Conservancy. https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/protect-water-and-land/land-and-waterstories/real-vs-fake-christmas-tree/ (The Nature Conservancy)

Protomaiga: A Springtime Holiday in Greece XpatAthens. (2024, April 29). Protomagia - May Day in Greece - XpatAthens.com. https://www.xpatathens.com/livingin-athens/taste-experience/greek-traditions/item/1494-protomagia-may-day-in-greece I Am Greece. (2020, April 30). Protomagia - May 1st — I Am Greece. https://www.iamgreece.org/culture/lifestyle/protomagia-may1st/#:~:text=The%20custom%20is%20weave%20a,its%20blessing%20inside%20the%20home.

DeVille, N. V., Tomasso, L. P., Stoddard, O. P., Wilt, G. E., Horton, T. H., Wolf, K. L., Brymer, E., Kahn, P. H., & James, P. (2021). Time Spent in Nature Is Associated with Increased Pro-Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(14), 7498. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147498

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References Are the Winter Olympics Melting Away?

International Olympic Committee. (2024). IOC–sustainability progress report 2021–2024 [Review of IOC–Sustainability Progress Report 2021–2024]. https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/International-OlympicCommittee/Documents/Reports/IOC-Sustainability-Progress-Report-2021-2024.pdf International Olympic Committee. (2025). Olympic marketing fact file (pp. 1–33).

NASA. (2022). World of change: Global temperatures. NASA Earth Observatory. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-change/global-temperatures Olympics.com. (2025). The IOC’s climate commitment. https://www.olympics.com/ioc/sustainability/climate Olympics.com. (2022). 100 years of Winter Olympic Games. https://www.olympics.com/ioc/olympic-legacy/100-yearswinter-legacy Olympic Forest. (2021). Olympics.com. https://www.olympics.com/ioc/olympic-forest I‌ mage Citation: 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics. (2025, August 6). U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Italy. https://it.usembassy.gov/2026-winter-olympics/

Pointe Shoe Sustainability Hilton, H. (2024, March 21). How artists are keeping mountains of dead pointe shoes out of landfills. Dance Magazine. https://dancemagazine.com/recycling-pointe-shoes/ Petit Pas. (n.d.). Our story. Petit Pas New York. https://petitpas.nyc/our-story/ Second Stage Dance. (2025, October 13). What to do with used pointe shoes: Can they be recycled? https://secondstagedance.org/recyclingpointeshoes/ The Scottish Ballet. (n.d.). Material World - Scottish Ballet. Scottish Ballet Material World Comments. https://scottishballet.co.uk/discover/news-and-articles/material-world/

LEAVE THE LEAVES! Or Face the Curse of the Woolly Bear Caterpillars…

Kanuckel, A. (2023, October 27). How Did A Woolly Bear Caterpillar Become A Weather Forecaster? Farmers' Almanac.

Retrieved November 16, 2025, from https://www.farmersalmanac.com/woolly-bear-caterpillar-facts Layne, J. R. (1999, April). Cold Hardiness of the Woolly Bear Caterpillar (Pyrrharctia isabella Lepidoptera: Arctiidae). The American Midland Naturalist, 141(2), 293-304. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2426919?origin=JSTOR-pdf&seq=1 Denlinger, D. L., & Lee Jr, R. E. (Eds.). (2010). Low temperature biology of insects.

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Bonfire Night

References

‌ merican Pyrotechnics Association. (n.d.). U.S. fireworks consumption figures: 2000–2023 [PDF].

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