Lauren Ritchie reflects on the devastating Maui fires and the plight of small islands like Hawaii and The Bahamas which have economies dependent on tourism while bearing the brunt of climate change impacts. She calls on the world to pay attention to the human faces behind the disaster and to trace these tragedies to their roots in colonial exploitation before it’s too late.

As a student attending a wealthy, predominately white institution, I’m no stranger to the volunteer stories of my colleagues and teachers. The tales of missionary trips to build schools in Africa (yes, apparently the entire continent?) and community service projects to build wells or create climate adaptation policies in underprivileged communities echo through the walls of elite universities and are boastfully uttered from the mouths of some of your favorite “activists” without fail.

The warranted uproar over global racism has also led to a greater conversation within the climate community about the need for an intersectional approach to environmentalism and the importance of social justice and inclusivity within environmental activism.

In the past few years, more and more people are waking up to the true cost of consuming fast fashion. The biggest abomination of all is how our society deeply ingrained the belief within us that clothes are made for short-term enjoyment and long-term disposal.

Deconstructing white supremacy, one statue removal at a time. Across the globe, statues and monuments dedicated to controversial historical figures with legacies of racism such as Edward Colston, Jefferson Davis, and Christopher Columbus have been torn down during Black Lives Matter protests. Whilst most conservative uproar explains that removing such statues “erases valuable history”, many others feel that the destruction of these monuments is long overdue.

From zero-waste tips and tricks to copious smiling selfies of middle-aged women sharing their favorite Trader Joe’s finds or the latest gems from their home gardens, it’s always very clear to me that the sustainability movement caters to a specific demographic of individuals.

In light of having both Black History Month and Valentine's Day fall during a global pandemic this year, I find it especially important to talk about self love and activist burnout, especially for BIPOC.

Here’s what natural disasters reveal about racism and poverty. Whilst many people think that natural disasters are “equal opportunity” catastrophes, the reality is that natural disasters impact different communities in different ways. In particular, events such as Hurricane Dorian highlight the existential threat posed to island developing states, that are largely comprised of people of color, by the ongoing climate emergency.

Worst of all, when I first heard the infamous line “Lizzie Mcguire, you’re an outfit repeater” in the 5th grade, I immediately understood the taboo and vowed to never incur the same tragic and humiliating fate as our on-screen Disney fav.

As our society adapted in the wake of a global pandemic, various lessons emerged about what the COVID-19 response could (and could not) teach us about fighting climate change.