Loyola Marymount University – Page 3

Three alarming facts you need to know about the Pacific Northwest heatwave

13Jul

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Three alarming facts you need to know about the Pacific Northwest heatwave

2021 has been defined by catastrophic events related to climate change. The heatwave in the Pacific Northwest has broken several heat records and been defined by triple-digit temperatures. Graphic by Cristobal Spielmann. By Cristobal Spielmann 2021 has proven to be a year of noteworthy climate change-related events, none more evident than the recent heatwave sweeping over the northwest U.S. and parts of Canada. Here are some of the reasons why this heatwave should worry you. These heat records are indicative of an important measurement of climate change. One misunderstanding of climate change is that, because of increasing average temperatures, cold temperatures and record colds won’t happen or that the existence of colder days somehow ...

Opinion: Why you can’t blame the Pemex oil fire on capitalism

13Jul

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Loyola Marymount University, Opinion

Opinion: Why you can’t blame the Pemex oil fire on capitalism

The fire in the Ku-Maloob-Zaap field in the Gulf of Mexico spurred tons of memes and comments about the failures of capitalism. The pipeline belonged to a nationalized state monopoly. Graphic by Cristobal Spielmann. By Cristobal Spielmann If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve likely seen the striking image of a massive, hellish oil fire burning on the surface of the ocean. The fire began on July 2 as the result of a pipeline leak in the Ku-Maloob-Zaap (KMZ) offshore oil field in the Gulf of Mexico before being extinguished over 17 hours later. The KMZ field has been the major producer of Mexico’s crude oil since 2009, contributing to 46% of its national production, according to a column in the online Mexican news magazine&nbs...

How climate change is creating the new normal of California wildfires

5Jul

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Economy, Loyola Marymount University, Morgan State University, Science

How climate change is creating the new normal of California wildfires

Climate change’s impact on California cannot be understated. Businesses and homes are preparing for a more wildfire-prone future. Graphic by Cristobal Spielmann. By Cristobal Spielmann, Brian Jeffries Wildfires are getting bigger and wildfire seasons are getting longer as a result of the impact of climate change. The recent massive heatwave across the Western United States set new heat records on top of a decades long megadrought. The high temperatures and dry conditions makes California the perfect environment for massive wildfires. Businesses integral to the California economy, like the nearly $10 billion wine industry, are bracing for an increasingly drier, more fire-prone climate. “It seems like the weather’s more dr...

Young Republicans take up fight against climate change

29Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Louisiana State University, Loyola Marymount University, Policy

Young Republicans take up fight against climate change

Courtney Hope speaks at the Conservative Climate Rally in Miami, Florida, on June 5, 2021. Hope is running for national chairperson of the College Republican National Committee. Courtesy of Courtney Hope. By Domenic Purdy, Sami Beekman, Veronica Backer-Peral Republicans are three times less likely than Democrats to believe that addressing climate change should be a top priority of government. But change may be coming. Young Republicans — under age 39 — are twice as likely as their Baby Boomer elders to support climate action, according to the Pew Research Center. Young Republicans have taken a more active role than previous conservative generations in the fight against climate change, distancing themselves from former President Donal...

Four questions about harmful algal blooms, answered

25Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Loyola Marymount University, Science

Four questions about harmful algal blooms, answered

Algae are a crucial part of many ecosystems, but they can also overrun and choke out other organisms in the environment. There are many ways for people to combat the rise of these algal blooms before they become too destructive. Photo credit: Carol M. Highsmith via the Library of Congress. By Cristobal Spielmann What are harmful algal blooms? Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are large outgrowths of algae in bodies of water that result from an excess of nutrients, sunlight and other conditions that allow for such growth. Humans have a direct hand in causing some of these conditions. These blooms are fed by nutrients, like phosphorus, from fertilizer runoff in agriculture operations. Increasing temperatures from climate change only add to the growth. Le...

Five things to know about sustainable fashion

25Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Economy, Loyola Marymount University

Five things to know about sustainable fashion

By Kennedi Hewitt Via Anna Sullivan on Unsplash. Sustainable fashion is a huge hot topic. Want to learn more about what it means, but not too sure where to start? Here are a few articles to guide you. 1.) “Fast fashion vs. sustainable fashion.” Despite its many benefits, sustainable fashion is not the preferred method of clothing production. Fast fashion, which is more harmful for the environment and less sustainable, still dominates the industry. Read more about the pros and cons of fast fashion as it compares to sustainable fashion here. 2.) “Seven forms of sustainable fashion.” There are many ways to be sustainable in your fashion choices outside of shopping; sustainable fashion choices don’t start and end with buying ...

News Analysis: what does the transition away from natural gas look like?

22Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Energy, Loyola Marymount University

News Analysis: what does the transition away from natural gas look like?

By Veronica Backer-Peral Protestors oppose construction related to the restoration project at the SoCalGas natural gas storage facility at the Ballona Wetlands in Los Angeles. Photo from Maddie Cindrich. Demanding that the state of California close the Playa Vista natural gas facility less than two miles from the Loyola Marymount University campus is just the start. The more challenging step is determining what comes next. Natural gas was the most used energy source across California in 2018, amounting to a total of more than 2,000 trillion British Thermal Units (BTU) consumed every year. That’s the same amount of energy that 200 million burritos has. One of the natural gas storage facilities that provides energy to Californians was that of Aliso Canyon i...

Five questions about natural gas, answered

22Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Energy, Loyola Marymount University, Policy

Five questions about natural gas, answered

By Kennedi Hewitt and Maddie Cindrich A SoCalGas storage facility sits alongside the Ballona Wetlands in Los Angeles, CA. Photo by Maddie Cindrich. A group of Los Angeles activists are demanding that SoCalGas shut down its natural gas storage facility in Playa Del Rey. They worry about a potential blowout that could harm hundreds in the nearby community. Here’s five quick things to know: What is natural gas? Natural gas, primarily composed of methane, is a fossil fuel mostly located deep beneath the Earth’s surface. While it is one of the most commonly found sources of energy on the planet, alongside petroleum and coal, it is considered to be one of the least sustainable energy sources. In the 19th century, natural gas was mos...

The Battle over Ballona: Wetlands, SoCalGas and Protestors

22Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Community, Energy, Loyola Marymount University, Video

The Battle over Ballona: Wetlands, SoCalGas and Protestors

https://youtu.be/frRi643dfQU Edited by Cristobal Spielmann. Just outside the front gate to LMU, the Ballona Wetlands are the site of more than just flora and fauna. A SoCal gas reserve on the wetlands is drawing concern from activists and L.A. politicians alike. Watch to learn more about natural gas and the battle at Ballona. Check out more about the use of natural gas here, and why people oppose it here.

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

15Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

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,...