Opinion – US Represented

How to Become Eco-Literate

a featured contributor — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 11:00:05 +0000

Life is expensive. Humans consume considerable amounts of resources daily (especially North Americans). Some of this consumption is necessary for survival, but most is excess, which ultimately ends up in our landfills and junkyards. Much of what we consume and waste can be given a monetary value, but the cost of extracting these materials cannot so easily be assessed. Forests are cleared, water and air polluted, ecosystems spoiled. Can you

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Physical Abuse: A Silent Tragedy throughout America

a featured contributor — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 08:16:46 +0000

Here’s a story about six young people from not so long ago who lived in a town called Freeport and dealt with physical abuse in various ways. Paul Henry was 12 years-old, a dreamy, quick-footed kid from a large family of all sisters and no father. He was walking home one evening in October from a friend’s house. It was dark already, the trees bare, the streets shiny black from

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10 Things Instructors Need to Know about Student-Veterans

DeLyn Martineau — Sun, 10 Nov 2019 23:21:40 +0000

Showing that you care can make or break the climate in your classroom. When they are motivated, student-veterans can be an asset to you. They can easily take on leadership roles, facilitate class discussions and meet deadlines effectively, but it’s up to you to set the tone. Knowing the rules of engagement can help you and your students succeed. Many are entering college with established lives, responsibilities, and family obligations.

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Hemp Is the Future of Paper

a featured contributor — Sat, 02 Nov 2019 07:49:41 +0000

Despite the prevalence of digital information exchange, paper is still widely used in North America, for anything from wedding invitations to ballot mail-ins to arts & crafts. According to the Forest Ethics organization, paper consumption in North America has declined, but global paper consumption has increased. However, despite the decrease in consumption, North America still consumes more paper per capita than anywhere else (see Figure 1 below). Because the need

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Ending Hunger Is Possible

Eric Stephenson — Sat, 26 Oct 2019 07:03:24 +0000

Anatomically modern humans have been fighting nature for around 200,000 years. The idea of ending hunger might seem especially implausible given the challenges. For instance, one influential fraternity of theorists argues that life will always be an ugly struggle due to economic Darwinism. In this model, a few fortunates get a whole lot while the rest suffer comparatively desperate lives and then die unceremoniously. All of this is supposed to lead

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Ten Reasons Why Small Dogs Are the Best Dogs

a featured contributor — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 12:47:12 +0000

Who says bigger is better? While most Americans seem to prefer the larger breeds—hunting dogs, guard dogs, herding dogs, and working dogs—I’m a cheerleader for companion breeds. And the smaller, the better. Why, I wonder, do they always come in last in the popularity contests? Is it a holdover from our rural history, when Timmy and Lassie were best pals on the farm? Is it tied to our bigger-is-better supersized

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