Grace Liu

Meet the EcoReps – Bailey Glenetske ’25

Hometown – Antigo, WI

How do you engage with sustainability?

Recently, I’ve been working on reducing my food waste and single-use plastic consumption. Also, I usually opt to eat plant-based proteins like Beyond Burgers, non-farmed meat, or wild-caught fish.

What do you study and why?

I study Politics and am getting certificates in Environmental Studies and Values & Public Life! I’m especially interested in the geopolitics of decarbonization and climate change and hope to work as an environmental lawyer or advisor after graduation.

What other campus groups are you involved with?

I’m a member of the Daily Princetonian (check out some of my news articles!), and also work for the Office of Sustainability as a Campus-as-Lab research assistant.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I absolutely love taking naps… and going backpacking, taking care of my plant babies, and playing ice hockey!

Share a fun fact about yourself!

I grew up hunting whitetail deer on my family’s 80-acre farm in Wisconsin!

Meet the EcoReps – Frida Ruiz ’25

Hometown – Cranford, New Jersey

How do you engage with sustainability?

I engage with sustainability in various ways from reducing my carbon footprint and consumption as an individual to engaging in direct action to promote sustainability within my communities. In my junior year of high school I founded- and still am actively involved in- an environmental education organization called The Green Cause, where high school students create lesson presentations and other educational content for schools and social media. I created this platform to empower high school students to actively participate to improve their communities and create educational resources for schools.

What do you study and why?

I am a mechanical engineering student because I am passionate about renewable energy/ technology. The transition to renewable energy is one of the most important global projects, and I want to contribute by either working with battery technology or nuclear fusion.

What other campus groups are you involved with?

I’m President of Princeton Student Climate Initiative, which focuses on pursuing different climate initiatives ranging from collaborations with Princeton’s municipality to creating awareness of various environmental issues. We are currently in the process of establishing environmental volunteering opportunities with the PACE Center. I also am a partial member of 2D Co-op, which practices sustainability by composting and only cooking delicious vegetarian & vegan foods. Although not related to sustainability, I am a Humor Writer at The Daily Princetonian and plan to get more involved in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy hanging out with friends, hiking, thrifting, partaking in photography, and writing humor articles where I get to unwind and satirize Princeton events.

Share a fun fact about yourself!

I own way too many green pieces of clothing, please help

Black Women and the Inherent Racism of Redlining

Author: Jayla Cornelius ’23

The textbook definition of redlining is “the discriminatory practice of denying services (typically financial) to residents of certain areas based on their race or ethnicity.” Very commonly in the world of mortgage lending practices and homeownership, people of color are denied loans and renting contracts because of preexisting stereotypes amongst realtors that often deem them as incapable of keeping up with the property and/or making timely payments. This is, at least, what they claimed was their reason behind denying millions of African Americans access to certain neighborhoods across the country. But, as we dig deeper, we can uncover a long history of discriminatory practices that have strategically and effectively pushed Black Americans into certain areas, usually more decrepit ones, and creating a distinctive “red line.”

If we were to dive into historic records and search for obvious instances of redlining, we would have a pretty unsuccessful turnout. The reason why this modern form of segregation has been able to persist for so long is because of its slightly elusive nature. Minority neighborhoods were stigmatized by being labeled as “High Risk” or “Hazardous” from supposedly credible sources like the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) that has created residential security maps of America’s major cities. Appraisers, loan officers, and real estate professionals then use this as evidence to funnel white homeowners into the more affluent, better-kept neighborhoods. Notably, this strategy not only works to keep white homeowners away from minority neighborhoods, but as you begin to associate certain areas with hazard, you begin to label the people as hazardous also.

Because the rabbit hole of bad housing practices is never-ending, I will now focus the rest of this article on specific instances where black women have been such targets of these bad housing practices. Since the 1970s, many real estate agents have taken advantage of the financial barriers and hardships that Black women endure to sell them mortgages on homes with inhabitable conditions. Yolanda, for example, is a homeowner in New Orleans’ predominantly Black 7th Ward who was backed into a corner and forced into a high-interest loan. The area is riddled with constant noise from the nearby interstate and higher rates of pollution than the adjacent neighborhoods. Many homes in this area are ladened with leaky roofs, broken pipes, and numerous other health and safety code violations. Climate change has continued to exacerbate this issue as increased rainfall and extreme temperatures will cause things like mold and mildew to fester in already unclean environments. Doris, a homeowner in Chicago, notes that “…so much water came in the basement that my washer and dryer was floating up on the water.”

This practice of selling homes to Black women that are in need of obvious repair is just one way that redlining can expose this demographic to unsafe environmental conditions. Things such as rotten wood and improper ventilation systems can cause various respiratory diseases and related health issues. The government has acknowledged their responsibility to help people suffering from housing discrimination but even this aid is “uneven and hard to obtain.” Through these findings and interviews from local residents such as Yolanda and Doris, we can recognize the disrepair of homes in certain areas as environmental racism that must be addressed in our environmental justice efforts.

This article’s main purpose is not to establish redlining as this new, harmful phenomenon. We have unequivocal proof that it has existed for decades. Our purpose is to keep this issue at the forefront of our minds as we continue the conversation around environmental justice issues. At face value, redlining may not seem to fit into the category of environmental injustices but if we continue putting Black women in homes with bad piping and non-potable water, it becomes an environmental issue. Instances such as the ones described above continue to put the health and safety of communities all over the country at an avoidable risk. Laws such as the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act that sought to combat redlining are still being maneuvered around in more discrete ways. While these elusive behaviors make our environmental justice efforts more difficult, the goal of creating equitable environments for all still remains possible. By engaging with this environmental justice series and keeping this conversation going, you are helping keep this issue at the forefront of this conversation so that, one day, we may all enjoy the feeling of safety and security within our respective communities in Princeton, and beyond.

Example of the original 1938 HOLC “Residential Security” map of Atlanta with color-coded gradation of neighborhoods by risk level. (Image Credit: Mapping Inequality Project, University of Richmond)

Sources:

https://theconversation.com/black-women-endure-legacy-of-racism-in-homeownership-and-making-costly-repairs-190881

HOLC “redlining” maps: The persistent structure of segregation and economic inequality

1977 Anti-redlining Law: https://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerscommunities/files/cra-npr-fr-notice-20220505.pdf

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/redlining.asp

Louisiana’s Slavery-Era Cemeteries Halt the Construction of a Petrochemical Facility

By: Jayla Cornelius

During the course of American history, many laws have been passed to help preserve historic sites and prevent large companies from unearthing sacred lands. The 1966 National Historic Preservation Act is an example of environmentalists’ attempts to require land developers to do adequate research and testing before obtaining approval for a construction site. The goals of this act were put into practice when Formosa, a Taiwanese industrial company, was met with swift backlash from community members living on the Buena Vista plantation in northern Louisiana. Residents hope to continue to formulate a political and legal case to prevent this facility’s construction, otherwise known as the “Sunshine Project.” In order to do this, they first had to dive about 200 years into past records to understand what truly took place on this plantation site that kept a long history of slaves in bondage.

Although there were many enslaved women, men, and children kept/kidnapped throughout the history of the United States, this case draws our attention to a particular young child named Rachel who died at the age of 11 in 1832 under unthinkable conditions. Although this is not the focus of this article, I would briefly like to acknowledge the “constant threat of disease, insufficient food, and rampant abuse” that many young children endured throughout all sections of America. Rachel’s name, amongst others, was uncovered fairly recently in a Louisiana archive and helps build the foundation to proving that this chemical facility may not only be of great environmental risk to surrounding residents but may also risk gravesite desecration.

Jane Patton, a campaign manager with a Washington DC organization, quotes that “the spiritual and religious significance of gravesites has been upheld by courts of law in the United States and in other countries over and over again.” Efforts from Jane and other members of grassroots organizations has continued to give voices and humanity back to people who had their identities taken away by slavery.

Fellow lovers of nature may understand me when I say that our environment often tells us all we need to know and speaks to us in various ways. In this case, nature tries to tell us the history of this terrain through various anomalies that might indicate gravesites. One of these anomalies is the clusters of vegetation still seen in otherwise flat and cultivated areas that could be remnants of past magnolia and/or willow trees that were often planted to celebrate the lives of those lost.

Telling the history of this land makes this story more real for people. The potential unearthing of Black residents’ ancestors and the potentially harmful chemicals being released from the site may be enough to halt the construction of yet another chemical plant inconveniently placed in a minority neighborhood. In this environmental justice series, I hope to provide short but coherent glimpses into injustices happening around the country. While I will continue to highlight environmental injustices that have negatively impacted many communities, I believe this story shows the brighter side of what can happen if we remain active on the front end to combat this harmful issue.

There is a long tradition, specifically in the South, of Black leaders doing their own extensive research and investigations to reclaim their land and, with that, their identities. This example in northern Louisiana shows how we as a community can combat the growing dangers of new fossil fuel infrastructure and work to protect any and all “descendants of men and women who were kidnapped from Africa; who survived the Middle Passage; who were transported to a foreign land; and then sold on auction blocks and enslaved.”

Here are some resources for anyone interested in exploring this issue further:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/sep/20/formosa-sunshine-project-louisiana-rachel-buena-vista-plantation-taiwan

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_c58e7f22-3997-11ec-909f-9bdd7461a90c.html

https://www.reuters.com/legal/louisiana-judge-cancels-air-permits-controversial-plastics-plant-2022-09-15/

The Question Linking Countries Around the World: Should We Ban the Bag?

By: Jayla Cornelius

The permanent ban of plastic bag usage in commercial spaces has been an ongoing issue linking cities around the world. In countries like Australia, the conversation continues as the local government considers the institution of the “Plastics Reduction and Circular Economy Act.” This act, much like similar acts being proposed in other countries, aims to “protect the environment and human health … promote and support the principles of a circular economy (and) reduce the impact … of items, waste from items and waste material on the environment and human health,” according to Environment Minister James Griffin. This act took effect June 1, 2022 and these efforts are coupled with encouragement from businesses and local store owners for consumers to switch to reusable bags.

Image Credit: Anna Shvets via pexels.com

This conversation in Australia is just as important to the one that started in Bangladesh back in 2002 when it passed its landmark bill banning single-use bags. This was an interesting bill not only because it would go on to pioneer the plastic bag ban movement, but also because the punishments for violating this act brought an added seriousness to the issue. According to Rule 6ka of Clause-5 under Section-9 of the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, the penalty for using plastic bags/products made of polyethylene or poly-propeleyne was astounding. For production of these banned items: 10 years sentence of “vigorous prison” or a 1 million taka (10,750 USD) fine. For sale, store, distribution, transportation, or use for commercial purposes: 6 month sentence of vigorous prison or 10 thousand taka (107.50 USD) fine. Although this ban proved difficult to implement and enforce, it highlighted the importance and severity of the issue as it blatantly affected the surrounding ecosystems.

To bring this conversation back home, we can take a quick look at what is happening here, in the United States. According to the most recent report published on February 8, 2021 by the National Conference of State Legislatures, eight states—California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New York, Oregon and Vermont—have banned single-use plastic bags. The famous question of “should we ban the bag?” is coming under fire, however. Researchers at the University of Georgia found that specific California communities with this bag policy “saw sales of four-gallon trash bags increase by 55%, to 75%, and sales of eight-gallon trash bags increase 87%, to 110%.” The intentions of this ban seem to be backfiring as the demand for unregulated bags increased. Overall, the researchers deemed that the effects of the ban are a net positive but the data serves as a warning to all concerned that this will not be an easy issue to fix.

To wrap things up for now, I would like everyone to reflect on the detrimental effects that plastic disposal has had on our ecosystems for decades. A list of major contributors to plastic pollution have poisoned, starved, and killed over 100 million marine organisms each year. Over this time, many grassroots organizations have advocated for the removal of plastic sources ranging from plastic soda holder rings to plastic bottles and cutlery. I encourage everyone reading to join me in continuing this conversation and finding ways on campus, no matter how small, to help us move towards a cleaner world.

Here are some resources for anyone interested in exploring this issue further:

NSW plastic bag ban explained: How it affects you | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site

Single Use Plastics Ban Burwood Council (nsw.gov.au)

The Biggest Contributors to Plastic Waste in our Oceans – How Everyday Australians Can do their Bit – Eat Pray Workout

Which Plastics are the Major Contributors to Plastic Pollution? | rePurpose Global Blog

Bangladesh: world leader in banning plastic bags – Ecospearbd

Are plastic bag bans backfiring? | TechCrunch

Good News Friday 4/22/22

Author: Grace Liu ’23

Welcome back to Good News Friday and happy last week of classes! We’ve compiled a list of surprising and promising initiatives involving artificial whale poop, wind farming, and rewilding projects.

Artificial whale poop aids carbon capture: Whale poop is fertilizer for the ocean because it is rich in iron which is vital for plant growth. This allows the growth of phytoplankton, which sequester carbon. Inspired by this mechanism, a research group at the Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge is trying to artificially encourage phytoplankton growth using artificial whale poop. The feces imitation consists of a mix of nitrates, phosphates, silicates, and iron stored in rice husks. Using this method, they hope to increase ocean sequestration of carbon up to 50% from its current 30%.

Results of rewilding: Rewilding is a progressive approach to conservation with the goal of restoring the natural dynamics of ecosystems. The Global Rewilding Alliance and OpenForests have released a map of rewilding projects around the world, covering projects in over 70 countries and spanning 1 million square kilometers. For example, the recovery of the European Bison population is one of the success stories of these rewilding projects.

mage credit: Narcisa Aciko via pexels.com

Wind farms in Iowa: Hundreds of farms around O’Brien County have built wind turbines in their fields to generate renewable electricity. This trend takes advantage of the strong winds in Iowa and makes the state one of the largest producers of renewable energy in the US. In fact, 57% of the energy produced in the state in the past year came from wind. This arrangement is mutually beneficial for farmers because they can sell the electricity generated in addition to the crops grown on the land.

That’s all for this week! Check back next week for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!

Good News Friday 4/4/22

Author: Grace Liu ‘23

Welcome again to another Good News Friday! For this edition, we will hear about how city sponges can offer climate change protection, Honolulu’s lawsuit against Big Oil, and a traditional knowledge guide about the health of the planet in Finland.

City sponges offer climate protection: Due to climate change, both floods and droughts are becoming more intense. Most cities consist of asphalt and concrete which exacerbates these effects by increasing runoff after precipitation. However, officials around the world are trying to mitigate these effects by increasing the amount of urban vegetation in the form of green roofs, parks, and wetlands. These cities, dubbed sponge cities, help recharge groundwater and prevent flooding by mimicking how nature captures and stores precipitation.

Image credit: Troy Squillaci via pexels.com

Honolulu vs Big Oil: For the first time ever, a US judge has ruled against fossil fuel companies in a court case. The Hawaii capital is suing big oil companies Sunoco, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and others for flooding, erosion, beach loss, and damage to coral reefs due to climate change. In this unprecedented case, Hawaii Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Crabtree ruled in favor of Honolulu.

Image credit: Olivier Darny via pexels.com

Protecting Peatland with Indigenous Knowledge: Natural peatlands are vital ecosystems that foster biodiversity and act as carbon sinks. Unfortunately, Finland has destroyed more than 60% of its natural peatlands through draining. However, a nonprofit called the Snowchange Cooperative is supporting collaboration between indigenous knowledge holders and scientists to rewild these important wetlands. As a result, within the past decade, Skolt Sámi women have used their knowledge to guide restoration in the Näätämö River Basin in a way that honors the fragile ecosystem.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the stories this week and hope you have a restful weekend. Check back next week for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!

Good News Friday 3/25/22

Author: Grace Liu ‘23

Welcome again to Good News Friday! I hope you’re all enjoying the beautiful spring weather. To help raise your spirits further, today we have three uplifting stories about regenerative farming and wildlife conservation.

Regenerative Farming and Climate Justice: Regenerative farming is a practice at the intersection of agriculture and conservation and emphasizes respect for the land. In her book, Healing Grounds: Climate, Justice, and the Deep Roots of Regenerative Farming, author and professor Liz Carlisle tells the story of empowered female farmers who see the process of regenerative farming passed down from their ancestors. A few highlights include peach-grower Nikiko Masumot who inherited her land from her grandparents and mushroom farmer Olivia Watkins who is building a community investment fund to better support Black farmers.

Image Credit: Darwis Alwan via pexels.com

2. Comcáac Sea Turtle Group: Within the past five years, the Grupo Tortuguero Comcáac has released more than 8000 endangered olive ridley hatchlings in Mexico’s Gulf of California. The sea turtle is a sacred animal to the Comcáac people, playing a primary role in many of their stories and legends. Even though the conservation group has limited resources, they work 12-hour shifts to safeguard the turtles.

3. Rope bridges for sloths: The Sloth Conservation Foundation with zooligist Rebecca Cliffe have been working together to build rope bridges in Costa Rica so that sloths can travel from tree to tree. Because of deforestation in the region, sloths have lost much of their natural habitat, but these bridges allow them to cross urban areas without having to climb down to the ground. Although the bridges were built with sloths in mind, more than 30 species of other animals have used the rope bridges, including monkeys, lizards, and frogs.

Thanks for reading, and we hope that these news snippets have brightened your day! Please go outside and enjoy the weather if you get the chance. Tune in next week for more positive environmental news and in the meantime, feel free to take a look at previous posts or share some good news with us!

Good News Friday 2/23/22

Author: Grace Liu ’23

Welcome back to Good News Friday! We’ve taken a break over the past couple of months, but we’re excited to be back with more hopeful developments in the sustainability sector. To kick off the series for this year, we will look at the greenhouse reductions of virtual conferences, oyster restoration efforts, and solar panels in landfills.

Virtual Conferences Mitigate Climate Change: According to a life cycle assessment published in Nature, hosting conferences virtually rather than in person can reduce their carbon footprint by 94% and energy use by 90%. Additionally, supporters of the virtual format point out that virtual conferences are more accessible and inclusive than in-person conferences. Other ways to make conferences more sustainable include having more plant-based food options.

Oyster Restoration Collaboration: Conservationists and community members have been working together to restore oyster populations in Chesapeake Bay. The method of restoration includes pumping oyster larvae out of a fire hose from a boat deck. The mission has been named Operation Build a Reef, and last year it led to the planting of 24 million juvenile oysters. This restoration is promising for the aquatic ecosystem because an adult oyster can filter 190 liters of water in a day.

Locating Solar Panels in Landfills: Communities around the United States have been considering converting landfills in to solar panel sites. Because many closed landfills are located in environmental justice communities, repurposing the landfill sites into non-hazardous solar farms could give these communities better access to clean energy. At the same time, these installations will create jobs and help offset CO2 emissions.

That’s all for this week! Check back next week for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!

Good News Friday 12/3/21

Author: Grace Liu ‘23

Hello and welcome back! We hope that your Thanksgiving break was restful and filled with good food. If you’re anxious about the elevated campus risk status, new covid variant, finals and projects, etc., that’s totally understandable. However, we hope that this article about potty training cows, plastic-free veggies, and coral reef recovery will boost your mood a bit.

Image Credit: BorgMattison via pixabay.com

Potty trained cows help fight pollution: It is an unfortunate phenomenon that cow urine produces a pollutant called ammonia which is harmful if inhaled and an indirect greenhouse gas. However, researchers have found that potty training cows to pee in a latrine called the “MooLoo” could lead to a 56% reduction in ammonia emissions. The cows trained using a combination of treats and spritzes of water show a success rate on par with children.

Image credit: Jerzygorecki via pixabay.com

France frees fruits of plastic: There are a growing number of grocery stores and supermarkets in Paris that sell produce without single-use plastic containers. Recently, the government announced that, starting next year, plastic packaging for produce under 1.5 kg will be banned. The plastic waste savings from this policy are estimated at over a billion units.

Image credit: visavietnam via pixabay.com

Nobel Prize-winning economic theory helps save coral reefs: Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia are applying modern portfolio theory (MPT) to identify coral reefs with the most potential to repopulate other damaged reefs. The stock market theory was developed by the economist Harry Markowitz in the 1950s to help investors maximize returns while minimizing risk.

Thanks for reading, and we hope that these news snippets have brightened your day a little! Please check back in next week for more positive environmental news and in the meantime, feel free to take a look at previous posts or share some good news with us!