It’s safe to say I’m relieved that my group’s deliberation day has passed, and I’m ecstatic that it went well. While homelessness still affects Philadelphians, I think Group 2 did an outstanding job of discussing a few different viable options to address the problem.

There were definitely some disagreements in our classroom Thursday afternoon, but isn’t that the whole point of a deliberation? I’m thrilled that a variety of ideologies were represented during my group’s deliberation. Because people were respectful of one another’s beliefs, the ideological differences made for a riveting discussion that demanded critical thinking and open-mindedness from everyone involved. To put it into Dr. Bodaski’s words, the tea was a little hotter than it was for the previous deliberation, but it could still be sipped. I’m proud that my group facilitated a dialogue in which students felt comfortable expressing their beliefs.

I think that my group brought three truly unique approaches to resolving homelessness to the table. None of our approaches overlapped with one another, and each was extremely distinct in its reasoning. Though students suggested a combination of Approaches 1 and 2 to aid homeless people in Philadelphia, it was important that we presented those approaches separately because they represent entirely different theories, even if they would be more effective if employed simultaneously. As for Approach 3, the suggestion of hostile urban architecture definitely raised some eyebrows in the classroom, but students quickly shot down that approach. Furthermore, they did so respectfully, and they dissected the idea rationally and communicated their grievances politely rather than yelling over one another and arguing. All students showed great maturity when faced with opinions that differed from their own.

Lastly, I’m glad that Dr. Bodaski mentioned ableism at the end of the class after our deliberation. I believe my group addressed ableism to an extent, but he forced us to revisit the idea and to give it further consideration, which was entirely necessary. I’ll never take constructive criticism for granted.

I’m extremely appreciative for my group and for all the students that participated in the deliberation Thursday. I greatly look forward to Group 3’s deliberation tomorrow!

Have you ever wondered why you even tune in to the news? I mean, seriously. It’s rare that you view a daily broadcast on a major network in its entirety and aren’t left wondering, is anything going right in this country?!? Terror attacks, riots, economic problems, and political disputes dominate the news stations we view regularly. When the many issues of the United States are brought right before our eyes on a daily basis, it’s hard not to be a downer sometimes.

It can be a real pain to discuss problems that threaten our country as a whole, but it’s crucial that we do. Chief among nationwide news topics is climate change and its disastrous effects on our environment and on American citizens. Yes, thinking about the looming threats of rising temperatures, toxic air, filthy water, and rising sea levels is depressing and feels pessimistic, but if we don’t talk these issues over, they’ll all collapse on us eventually in the not-so-distant future.

While I briefly mentioned a few of the negative impacts of a changing climate already, it’s necessary that I explain why climate change is even a problem at all. I definitely understand the temptation to brush the issue off as natural and unworthy of public attention. After all, the climate has been changing forever. The natural cycle of the world includes ice ages and hot spells. Why is it some big problem now if it hasn’t been for millions of years prior?

This time, things are different. The rate at which sea levels and temperatures are rising across America is unnaturally quick. Sure, they’ve both steadily risen in the past, but the industrialization of the United Stares has dangerously accelerated that process.

Our usage of fossil fuels is the primarily culprit. Burning gasoline and diesel has depleted the ozone layer, which is a scientific explanation of global warming. Carbon dioxide and other harmful chemicals are released into our atmosphere when factories manufacture goods, when cars start their engines, and when energy producers mine for fuel. Because of how our atmosphere functions, we are essentially sealing ourselves in with toxic gases and reducing our protection from the rays of the sun.

I’ve established that the world is in fact heating up as a result of the actions of Americans. So, what are the implications of a warmer Earth for the United States specifically? Let’s talk about coastlines. The Gulf Coast and the Southeast will face the consequences of rising sea levels before anywhere else in the country. This region of the United States resides at a very low elevation and directly borders the Gulf of Mexico. Residents of the Florida Panhandle and southern Louisiana love their proximity to the beach, but this proximity very well may lead to their downfall. As global warming causes icebergs to melt into the ocean, places situated at low elevations are witnessing the sea creep farther and farther inland. These places experience frequent flooding, and it’s not at all unlikely that they’ll be underwater in decades to come.

Far from the Gulf Coast, California is experiencing problems that are related to those of the American Southeast but manifesting in much different ways. What does that mean? It means that rising sea levels aren’t a direct concern of Californians, but toxic emissions and an increasingly warm atmosphere are presenting the state with other threats.

Take Los Angeles, for instance. Upon hearing the name of the city, your mind probably conjures the iconic Hollywood sign, the Los Angeles Lakers, the entertainment industry, or one of the city’s prestigious universities. Did you happen to think of the thick smog that clouds the air above the city, though? This dark cloud can be attributed to the ridiculously heavy traffic on the roads of Los Angeles. Traffic is something that 99.9% of Americans experience regularly, but few experience it to the degree that residents of Los Angeles do. Sure, the additional time it takes to commute is a major inconvenience, but what’s far worse is the air pollution caused by so many cars running at once. It doesn’t take a genius to be able to tell that visibly dark air is harmful for humans to breathe.

Los Angeles is a densely populated urban area, so it’s no surprise that pollution affects the city. However, pollution isn’t unique to urban California. Wildfires are another relevant news topic related to climate change. The Mediterranean climate of the West Coast is much to blame for the infamous wildfires of California, but the aridity of the state bears a great amount of responsibility as well. California becomes increasingly dry yearly as a result of the burning of fossil fuels by humans.

What can be done to remediate some of the damage caused by humans and to prevent further harm in the future? We need to begin taking green initiatives seriously, specifically regarding energy. I’ve mentioned fossil fuels several times throughout this post because I truly see them as public enemy number one. If we were to make better use of solar, hydro, and wind energy, much of nature would heal and the United States would be less threatened by climate change.

Downhill is so easy. Moving feels effortless when momentum is on your side. While this applies to life generally, it rings particularly true in cycling. On a bike, if your path has even a slight downward gradient, you can fly so long as you don’t hit the brakes too frequently. In contrast, uphill can be super difficult, especially when biking. Cresting a hill on your own two feet isn’t easy, now add an awkward piece of machinery that isn’t helping you to move.

This is what I love about riding my bike. Depending on where and how you choose to ride, cycling can be a cakewalk or the most rigorous, intense workout you’ve ever done. There are places for both kinds of ride in my life.

When I think about cycling, my mind immediately travels to the beach. When I was younger, my family took a trip to Bethany Beach in Delaware every summer, and my brother and I had a blast there each time. Though we really enjoyed building sandcastles and goofing off in the surf, we probably had the most fun riding our bikes to go eat. In Bethany, there were two dining establishments that we frequented: the hot dog stand and the bakery. My ideal day back then included mounting my two-wheeled vehicle to grab a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich or a banana chocolate chip muffin at the bakery in the morning and riding my bike again to go get a post-swim hot dog in the afternoon. For me, the rides were a great opportunity to absorb the beach atmosphere and spend quality time with my family.

My Bethany days were spent on a children’s bicycle. Lots of time has passed since then, and I’ve been riding a full-size bike for several years now. Sure, I still bike whenever I visit the beach, but I’ve since discovered other places to ride. My favorite bike ride I’ve ever been on was when a few of my friends and I decided to rent a cabin outside of Burlington, Vermont for senior week last summer. We chose to spend the week up north as opposed to the beach because we were feeling adventurous. This feeling prompted us to explore Burlington. We stumbled upon a beautiful trail in the woods bordering the city. While it looked like we could go on an awesome hike on the rough terrain, a bike ride on it sounded even more fun to us. So, we took note and returned the following day with our bicycles. The ride that ensued was exhilarating; sharp turns on the narrow path trees and the sound of gravel underneath my tires made for a core memory with my friends.

Cycling has a special place in my heart, and I imagine it will stay there for a long time. Because riding a bike can be relaxing or intense, it is one of the many ways in which I enjoy the outdoors.

The archaic burnt orange cart descends deeper and deeper into the darkness. The light of day slowly vanishes and is replaced by lamps hanging from the rock ceiling. The air down here is damp, which explains the slight wetness of the jaggy stone walls. Now, the sky has disappeared completely, and the tunnel surrounds me. The cart becomes still, and my elementary school class steps off. Our guide jumps right into an enthusiastic explanation of the history of the coal mine. This field trip sure is eccentric.

To be honest, I could not have cared less what that guide had to say during my elementary school field trip… until recently. The Lackawanna Coal Mine in Scranton, Pennsylvania was a very popular class trip destination for all elementary schools in my area when I was growing up. The mine, retired of course, had become a museum. It was accessible to all of the public, and it served as an excellent example of the industry that dominated my hometown for centuries prior.

But wait… isn’t my Civic Issue Blog topic supposed to be environmentalism? Why are we still discussing a coal mine that hasn’t been used in decades? This is actually extremely relevant to environmentalism for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, Scranton, as well as many other parts of the United States, is still experiencing the negative consequences of coal mining today. Areas beneath which coal used to be extracted essentially become wastelands. Building structures above former coal mines is impractical and dangerous, because the ground is likely to collapse under the weight of a building. It has happened before, and, unfortunately, I am sure it will happen again in the future. The locations and existence of many coal mines were poorly recorded, making it entirely possible that a structure is built above one accidentally.

Aside from the direct safety hazard presented by coal mines, residual shale heaps and culm banks present problems of their own. The materials left over from coal mining provide no habitat for wildlife, and they can even pollute the surrounding area with their toxicity. Banks of shale or culm not only obstruct otherwise beautiful views, but they can also be poisonous to the environment.

While both structural collapses as well as the toxic byproduct of mining pose great threats to my hometown and lands beyond, what poses an even greater threat is the precedent set by our history of producing energy. Because we allowed our home to be polluted once, much of society expects us to allow it again. What does that mean? It means that while coal mining has largely become a thing of the past, new means of extracting energy from the ground are emerging, and they are not any better for the environment.

This new means is hydraulic fracturing, and its effects may prove worse than those of coal mining when all is said and done. Basically, shale is exploded from the ground through tunnels using a high pressure hose. The composure of the spray solution used by fracking companies to extract shale is a mystery to the public because that information is considered proprietary. The chemicals are likely toxic and very dangerous to the environment. The solution is particularly harmful to the water supplies of communities near fracking sites, contaminating them and rendering them unusable. Additionally, the fracking process consumes an absurd quantity of water, which is an extremely poor allocation of vital resources.

Fracking poses a threat to Pennsylvanians specifically because our state is home to the Marcellus Shale Reserve, a promising energy source for years to come. However, the controversy lies in whether Pennsylvanians are willing to sacrifice the cleanliness of their water to become a leading energy supplier in America. Sure, the economic opportunity presented to us is attractive, but is it worth polluting our beautiful home? I certainly don’t believe so.

Aside from the threat of hydraulic fracturing, my hometown faces another danger. In the past decade, a landfill has been developed barely a ten minute drive away from Scranton. A rancid smell fills the air within a ten mile radius of the site. My family and I plug our noses every time we drive by the landfill on the highway. There are even seagulls migrating to Scranton because they are attracted to the large quantity of trash that resides directly outside of the city. It is an environmental nightmare.

Why do we keep allowing businesses to walk all over us and cause harm to our home? Perhaps Pennsylvanians as a whole do not recognize the damage being done to the lovely state. Or, citizens are well aware that the practices of energy and waste companies are ruining Pennsylvania, but they are prioritizing the almighty dollar above all else.

I believe that Pennsylvanians know and care that the state is in danger, but nobody is sure what can be done to curb the danger. The answer is unclear to me as well, but, if you ask me, electing leaders who express care for the environment not only in words but also in actions is a crucial step that we must take if we stand any chance at saving our home. It is also important that we stop living in denial. I am certain that many Pennsylvanians will not admit that our land and resources are being threatened. The sooner we accept that we have a serious issue on our hands, the sooner we witness progress towards a cleaner future.