Bagging the Problem: The Case for Eliminating Single-Use Plastic Bags   Introduction   Since the first Earth Day in 1970, we have accomplished many environmental victories throughout the years. For instance, we got the Clean Water Act passed in 1972, the Toxic Substances Control Act passed in 1976, […]

Bag it up: Implications of Single-Use Plastic Bags Update: I just realized that the UPUA recently voted to pass a resolution in support of a plastic bag tax at Penn State, which will go into effect in the 2024-2025 school year. Therefore, I am going to keep this […]

As part of my “This I Believe” project, I discussed my experience working as a mentor for an after-school program at an elementary school. While reflecting on my memories, I realized how much of an impact this experience had on me. Although I have always enjoyed working with […]

For my Personal Is Political blog, I will be comparing my experiences as a woman to those of my mother and grandmother when they were growing up. I am interested in learning how feminism has evolved throughout different generations. I always enjoy listening to my grandmother’s stories about […]

I walked into the elementary school classroom and was instantly filled with a sense of warmth and familiarity. The walls were adorned with student artwork and colorful posters, and the desks were arranged in small clusters around the carpeted room. The faint smell of aged crayons and paper […]

For my “This I Believe” podcast, I want to discuss my experiences volunteering with children, and how they shaped my outlook on service. I volunteered at a local elementary school during high school, and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I mentored young […]

Question 1: New Civic Activities Since the pandemic has struck, can you think of new “civic activities” that have arisen? What are they? What are the civic commonplaces that they embody? Since the pandemic struck, young individuals have been missing out on critical civic development both in school […]

This past October, I had the privilege of attending the 2023 Pennsylvania Student Voting Summit, which was held at the Penn State HUB-Robeson Center. This summit provided me with a remarkable opportunity to listen to a diverse group of faculty members, administrators, and non-profit organizations who spoke on […]

(Draft of Essay) A single can of gasoline, oil, or dissolvent can pollute millions of liters of water. The water we wash the dishes with. The water we bathe in. The water we drink. Water pollution often goes unnoticed; however, it is a very real and prevalent issue […]

After listening to Noelia’s civic artifact speech on climate change, I was very intrigued. I loved the way she introduced her topic with this or that questions. Not only did it allow the listener to learn what the speech was going to be about, but it also engaged […]