Informed Opinions
Students publish op-eds on the environment
by Christine Baksi
Opinion pages from Maine to Oregon have been enlivened recently with insightful commentary by Dickinson students. A requirement for Introduction to Environmental Science taught by Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Michael Beevers, the student-written op-eds were submitted to newspapers in students' hometowns or to a national media outlet. “I wanted students not only to wrestle with an issue and write persuasively about it, but also empower them,” says Beevers.
According to his course syllabus, Beevers’ assignment sent students on a deep dive into an environmental or sustainability issue. They conducted research on that topic, found an interesting and insightful way to communicate their position, and persuaded the wider public. “Throughout my research process, I kept in mind that if I did a good, thorough job, my piece could get published. This gave me motivation and made me more invested in my paper,” says Oliver Kruze ’18.
To date, a letter-to-the-editor and 10 op-eds have been published, including “We humans might like warmer temperatures, but shrimp don’t,” authored by Kruze and published on April 22 in the Bangor Daily News, his hometown newspaper in Maine. The piece grapples with ocean acidification, environmental politics and global warming's impact on the shrimping industry.
“Global warming has taken a direct toll on my hometown of Georgetown—a small fishing village on the coast of Maine. For the past two winters, the shrimping industry has been shut down, causing many of my friends’ families to be left without a job for a good chunk of the year,” says Kruze. “It's important not only for these families, but also for the public to understand why the industry has been shut down and what can be done about it. The public needs to know about many, often unheard of, contributors to the shutdown, such as ocean acidification. Once the public is informed, it is easier to persuade lawmakers and make a difference.”
More op-eds
- "Use cars more effectively, help fight climate change," The Delaware County Daily Times, by Chris McNeal '18
- "New windfarm will be boon for R.I.," Providence Journal, by McKinley Knoop '18
- “Sustainability should be taught in every school,” by Kristen Soltis ’17
- “NIMBY hinders renewable energy,” The Mercury, by Simon Aborn ’18
- “Another View: Here’s how solar energy is beneficial to society,” The Delaware County Daily Times, by Alexis Bonser ’18
- “Plant a tree for the climate, for clean air and for the future,” The Register-Guard, by Ingrid Brandt ’18
- “The disappearance of Cape Cod,” Cape Cod Times, by Meghan McCutcheon ’18
- “Where is Ecological Awareness and Sustainability In Harrison?” The White Plains Examiner, (page 9) by Melanie Singer ’17
- "My Turn: Schools should include more environmental education," The Advertiser News, by James Corti '17
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Published May 5, 2015