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‘We consume too much and we toss it too quickly’: Palomo-Lovinski encourages a circular fashion economy
Economy, Kent State University, Loyola Marymount University

‘We consume too much and we toss it too quickly’: Palomo-Lovinski encourages a circular fashion economy

Photo via Kent State University. By Kennedi Hewitt and Connor Fallon Before she was a beloved professor at Kent State University, Noël Palomo-Lovinski was a sustainable fashion designer in New York City. Ahead of her time, she got into sustainability as a new mom searching for more organic foods and products for her family. Over time it became a lifestyle.  “Once you start learning some facts about climate change you go down a deep rabbit hole and develop a passion,” said Palomo-Lovinski.  As a professor in the early 2000s, she used her experience to encourage her students to curate their fashion sustainably. She was met with backlash and told that she was destroying and limiting their creative practices. Despite this pushback, nearly 20 years...
What you need to know about the new Conservative Climate Caucus
Kent State University, Policy

What you need to know about the new Conservative Climate Caucus

By Grace Springer  The Conservative Climate Caucus, announced in mid-June, has over 60 congressional members. Photo by Louis Velazquez on Unsplash Recently, Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, announced the formation of the Conservative Climate Caucus with the purpose of educating Conservatives on climate policies that fall in line with conservative values. Here’s what you need to know.   The caucus acknowledges climate change as a threat but hesitates to call it a crisis  The formation of the caucus marks a transition in the ideals of the Republican Party. Former President Donald Trump’s administration overturned several climate policies, most notably by leaving the Paris Agreement in 2020.   Curtis rejects the label that Republicans do no...
“The Industry is Pretty Burnt Out, but so is the Planet” Personal Profile: Kayla Kobilis
Economy, Kent State University

“The Industry is Pretty Burnt Out, but so is the Planet” Personal Profile: Kayla Kobilis

By Connor Fallon  Kayla Kobilis with her 2021 Collection, "Anthropogenic". A sustainable fashion line featuring 7 different full outfits. Kayla Kobilis was one of the thousands of college graduates in Ohio in 2021, but her impact goes beyond that of the average student. Kobilis graduated from Kent State University’s School of Fashion, where she majored in fashion design with a focus on sustainability.    Kobilis created seven exceptional looks for her Senior BFA Collection, called “ANTHROPOGENIC”, that premiered at the KSU’s 2021 Annual Fashion Show. Kobilis’ collection is based on the Anthropocene, the geological period we are currently in. Kobilis took inspiration for the collection from cl...
3 Easy Steps to a “Clean” Closet
Community, Kent State University

3 Easy Steps to a “Clean” Closet

By Connor Fallon  Photo by Edward Howell on Unsplash Every day millions of people visit shopping centers and e-commerce websites to purchase the newest fashion trends. The fashion industry sells and produces between 80 to 150 billion garments each year, globally.   With that statistic, that means roughly two trillion, one hundred billion garments have been produced since 2000. While the industry continues to pump out clothes, consumers rid of their garments in droves. In 2018, landfills received 11.3 million tons in textile waste. The main source: clothing.   Our fashion footprint is incredibly large, and each person approximately contributes about 1,620 pounds of CO2, annually. To calculate your approximate fashion footprint, you ca...
Ohio Farmers’ Key to Combat Climate Change? Transition to Organic
Economy, Kent State University, Science

Ohio Farmers’ Key to Combat Climate Change? Transition to Organic

By Willow Campbell Sasha Miller, of Purplebrown Farmstead, checks on a young apple tree. June 13th, 2021 in Boston Heights, Ohio. Photo: Willow Campbell, Climate 360 Recent weather changes are threatening Ohio’s farmers, but a switch to organic practices could be part of the solution. All that’s needed now, is for the government to support the transition.   According to the Ohio Livestock Coalition, “Agriculture is the number-one contributor to Ohio's economy,” with almost 75,000 farms in the state, and one out of eight jobs in Ohio related to farming. Most of the state has warmed by about one degree (F) in the last century due to the larger effects of global warming, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2016. This change in cli...
Controversial policies result in Ohioans paying the price for dirty energy
Energy, Kent State University, Policy, Video

Controversial policies result in Ohioans paying the price for dirty energy

By Grace Springer, Willow Campbell, Spencer Hayes, Madison Ledyard-King, Connor Fallon  Perry Nuclear Power Plant cooling tower transfers exhaust heat into the air. Photo: Willow Campbell, Climate 360 COLUMBUS, OH — What has been dubbed by Vox and other news as “the worst energy bill of the 21st century” has put Ohio behind in the transition to renewable energy.   Ohio House Bill 6 is energy legislation that provided bailouts in the form of subsidies to two nuclear power plants and two coal power plants. The bill also reformed energy efficiency standards in the state.   The legislation passed by a slim margin in 2019 after a multi-million-dollar bribery scandal. The scandal involved several Ohio politicians including f...
Organic cotton farming proves to have environmental benefits, yet still lacks popularity among cotton farmers and businesses
Economy, Kent State University, Louisiana State University, Loyola Marymount University

Organic cotton farming proves to have environmental benefits, yet still lacks popularity among cotton farmers and businesses

By Kennedi Hewitt, Ava Borskey, Connor Fallon and Grace Springer When the cold weather comes around and people start searching for their most durable and fashionable heavy coats, brands such as Patagonia and Everlane are among the best rated clothing brands worn. However, in addition to being top manufactures for outdoor wear, Patagonia and Everlane are also renowned for their sustainable and transparent production practices, zero waste initiatives and environmental activism. Furthermore, they are celebrated for their commitment to using organic cotton over conventionally grown cotton.  Organic cotton is often advertised as a cleaner and more sustainable material in the fashion industry. Like other organic crops, it’s grown without the use of pesticides,...
Algal blooms brought on by climate change and nutrient runoff a danger to fishing, coastal communities
Community, Kent State University, Louisiana State University

Algal blooms brought on by climate change and nutrient runoff a danger to fishing, coastal communities

By Domenic Purdy, Spencer Hayes and Madison Ledyard-King An active algal bloom consumes Lake Erie where summer blooms have impacted fishing and recreational activities. “You have to adapt with time,” said longtime fisherman David Koch, founder of Sandusky’s Whites Landings Fisheries in Ohio.Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Summer is here. That means mouth-watering barbecues, sunscreen and fun on the water.  But thanks in part to rising temperatures due to climate change, vacationers may run into unwanted guests as summers become warmer: algal blooms.  Waterways separated by thousands of miles are experiencing a dangerous buildup of algae, not just ruining family fun, but threatening people’s livelihoods.  For blue co...