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the lion's roar
The Willow Project: A ticking 'carbon bomb' By Madeline Mechanic Today, the United States faces one of its most severe environmental threats: the ticking ‘carbon bomb’ known as the Willow Project, the largest oil extraction project ever proposed on US land. Led by ConocoPhillips Company, the project will take place on Alaska’s North Slope in the National Petroleum Reserve, a 23 million-acre wilderness holding up to 600 million barrels of oil. The project aims to generate jobs and revenue for the region as well as provide the U.S. with a reliable domestic source of energy. Despite sounding promising on paper, the Willow Project has received widespread backlash from climate activists, who have banded together to take action against the venture. More than one million letters have been written to the White House in protest. Petitions have been shared across various platforms, accumulating millions of signatures.
Past effects of climate change are irreversible and future effects are inevitable. In the present, there’s not much we can do but our own part.
The fierce internet resistance to Willow lulled me, and many others, into a false sense of security. Surely President Joe Biden wouldn’t risk losing voters and support a project that faced this much controversy. Surely, he wouldn’t betray his promise to protect the environment, a cornerstone of his campaign. On March 13, Biden did what politicians do best: he broke his promise and lit the fuse on the ‘carbon bomb’. The only saving grace was that Willow had been scaled back: only three-fifths of the drilling sights were approved, reducing the size of the project by around 40 percent and eliminating the need for 11 miles of road, 20 miles of pipelines and 133 acres of gravel. Biden claims to have done all that he could to pacify both the public and the company behind Willow. Outright rejecting the Willow Project would have been impossible for the administration without facing legal action from ConocoPhillips. However, the threat of legal action is nothing compared to the threat the Willow Project poses to our world. The site of the Willow Project houses hundreds of thousands of animals, along with several Indigenous communities who have resided in the Western Arctic for thousands of years. Oil and gas development risks the health and survival of Alaska’s inhabitants. Long-term consequences threaten food security, public health and the vibrant wildlife of the Arctic. On a larger scale, the Willow Project has
photo courtesy of CNN Politics
Climate activists gather outside the White House to protest the Willow Project. the potential to set back the progress made by teenagers. Nevertheless, we can take active the Biden administration. The Bureau of Land steps to reduce our own energy consumption Management has estimated that Willow would and live more sustainable lives. Past effects of climate change are iremit more climate pollution annually than over 99.7 percent of all single-point sources in the reversible and future effects are inevitable. In country, totaling to around 280 million metric the present, there’s not much we can do but tons of climate pollution to the atmosphere our own part. Even so, if there’s anything the Willow over the next 30 years. That’s equivalent to the emissions of Project has shown about activism, it’s yet an66 coal power plants or adding 2 million gas- other example of a common trend throughout history: that millions of people across the globe powered cars to the roads. The legal future for the Willow Project can rally behind a common cause. The thouis uncertain. We can cross our fingers for its sands of petitions and millions of letters might abolition, but it is in the hands of environmental not have defused this ‘carbon bomb’ yet, but organizations. Over the past few weeks, they environmental organizations still stand strong have been working to request an injunction and our support is nevertheless progress. The from the courts. If granted, an injunction light at the end of the tunnel is still within reach. The Willow Project, despite its huge could temporarily halt the project, giving environmentalists time to construct a more ramifications, has shed light on the good in the world: it has demonstrated the drive and paspermanent solution. When it comes to what actions we can sion of our generation, our care for the natural take, we’re not lawyers or politicians: we’re world and our determination to make a change.
Newton Centre slice review: A pizza my mind By Jenna Kriensky
photos by Bella Ishanyan
BILL'S PIZZERIA — 3/5
Jinny'S PIZZERIA — 2.5/5
Town Pizza — 3/5
Sweet Tomatoes — 4.5/5
Bill’s, which has gained a reputation as the iconic pizza party spot at the end of the soccer season, has its own take on the Italian classic. Offering both red and white pizzas on many crust options, including gluten-free, Bill’s impressive 18-inch pies clocked in at $17.99. In agreement with its industrial-sized slices, the pizza was quite heavy — not the best meal if you’re hoping to engage in any movement afterward. The crust was a highlight with a breadstick-esque crunch; however, the pizza lacked my preferred abundance of tomato sauce and instead was quite oily. Over the inadequate sauce quantity, the cheese was tough, ripping instead of providing a satisfying stretch.
Jinny’s serves their pizzas fired in a Valoriani oven at 700 degrees. This pizzeria offers only small 12-inch pies, and a Margherita costs $16 (which, when sized up to an 18-inch large, costs about $36 according to Roar calculations). They offer 14 pizzas and 18 topping options on their website, as well as a custom vegan crust. Vegan cheese, however, is currently unavailable. The slices, while petite, exploded in flavor. The cheese was incredibly rich and filling, and the crust was soft and puffy while still providing a crunchy snap with each bite. The tomato sauce was a tad salty, though, and the thicker crust piled with red sauce and fatty cheese was a bit too heavy for my tastes.
Town Pizza dishes out an incredible selection with its six regular pizzas, 10 gourmet varieties and up to three topping options. At $14.99 for an enormous 19-inch cheese, this joint offers an amazing bargain — perfect for a fun outing with friends. Each slice possessed the perfect degree of greasy cheesiness, which was quite the guilty indulgence. At the base was the classic New York-style thin crust. The sauce was a delightful middle ground between chunky and creamy, and the crust had a satisfying crunch while still being flexible. Even at an approachable price, the flavor marriage of the crust, sauce and cheese exceeded my expectations.
Sweet Tomatoes truly is sweet, with a caring owner who treats customers like close friends. A large 18-inch pizza cost $19.95. Their website boasts a whopping 17 specialty pizzas, and they offer vegan cheese at all locations and two types of gluten-free crust. The pizza itself is tantalizing, with chunky tomato sauce and a thin, crispy crust. While the structural integrity of each slice is slightly wobbly (you should plan to have a few napkins at your disposal), everything piled on top is a utopia for the tastebuds. The warm cheese stretches into thread-thin strings, and the flavors of each individual ingredient work together in wondrous harmony.