Ava Borskey

‘It taps another sense’: Artists’ role in the fight against climate change

12Jul

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

‘It taps another sense’: Artists’ role in the fight against climate change

This piece, titled Poux de sable à la Grande Île (Sand Lice on Grand Isle), was painted by Jonathan Mayers during his time in residency for A Studio in the Woods. By Ava Borskey BATON ROUGE, LA — Tucked away on the western bank of the Mississippi River in southeastern Louisiana, you’ll find an artistic and academic residency retreat known as A Studio in the Woods. Ama Rogan, the current managing director of A Studio in the Woods, has been with the program since its founding in 2001. “Our mission is really to support artists and scholars—and the general public that has access—to foster creative responses to the challenges of our time. Of course, a huge one is the climate crisis that we find ourselves in,” Rogan said. A program of Tulane University’s Bywater Institute, A Stud...

Education could reduce fashion industry’s carbon footprint and influence consumer behavior

5Jul

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Economy, Louisiana State University

Education could reduce fashion industry’s carbon footprint and influence consumer behavior

All fabrics used by KaylaLynn Apparel are made in the U.S. and Europe and are OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, meaning it has been tested for harmful substances and is harmless to human health. Photo courtesy of Kayla Sherman. By Ava Borskey BATON ROUGE, LA — When Bruce Cameron began teaching a sustainability class at the University of Wyoming in the ‘90s, he was pioneering a less-often offered course about the fashion industry’s impact on the environment. “It's evolved completely since then,” Cameron said. “Just about everybody has a class of this form if they have an apparel merchandising type of program on the campus.” Today, nearly 25 years later, Cameron serves as head of the Textiles, Apparel Design and Merchandising department at Louisiana State University, w...

Ocean warming could have negative effects on marine life and coastal communities

1Jul

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Community, Louisiana State University, Science

Ocean warming could have negative effects on marine life and coastal communities

Ocean warming could disrupt marine life ecosystems and have negative effects on coastal communities that rely on fisheries. Photo by thanhhoa tran on Pexels.com By Ava Borskey, Nicole Nguyen Jade Cave has lived near the ocean since her family moved to Fiji, a small island in the South Pacific, when she was 6 years old. “I was raised by a community of people whose history and culture are directly linked to the ocean,” Cave said. “It was a fundamental aspect of the identity of the country that raised me.” Now 17 and a resident of Cape Town, South Africa, Cave has continued to observe the impacts the ocean has on her life. “When I look at the ocean…I see coastal communities all over the global South whose lives, cultures, history and existence is held in that water,” Cave said....

Living on the edge: NASA centers and military operations at risk of sea-level rise

25Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Louisiana State University, Technology

Living on the edge: NASA centers and military operations at risk of sea-level rise

NASA's Wallops Flight Facility is a rocket launch site located on Wallops Island, Virginia. Photo by NASA/Wallops on Flickr. By Ava Borskey BATON ROUGE, LA — Amid the densely populated cities and tourist-scattered beaches of the U.S. coast, you’ll find a trillion-dollar economy home to science, technology and military operations.  As the Earth continues to warm and sea-levels rise, vital infrastructure along the coast, like NASA operation centers and military bases, will have to adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. “If you look at where Wallops is based, you look at Kennedy Space Center and even NASA Langley, we are on the coast,” said Laura Rogers, an associate program manager for NASA’s Applied Sciences Program. “We're at that front edge of where we're goin...

22Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

AUTHOR

Content Producer, LSU My name is Ava Borskey, and I’m a junior at Louisiana State University studying journalism. I write for the entertainment section of LSU’s on-campus newspaper, the Reveille. I’m also a member of Kappa Tau Alpha, the journalism and mass communication college honor society. As a member of Climate 360, I’m looking forward to exploring the many facets of climate change, while expanding my reporting repertoire alongside a team of journalists.

The shift to thrift: Resale market and thrift shopping poses reward for consumers—and the environment

15Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Economy, Louisiana State University

The shift to thrift: Resale market and thrift shopping poses reward for consumers—and the environment

By Ava Borskey Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com BATON ROUGE, LA — When she’s not busy studying Arabic or biology for her international studies major, Emily Clarke might be found shopping for clothes at a thrift store. For Clarke, the incentive to thrift, rather than buy from traditional retailers, is two-fold: finding unique, affordable clothing and reducing her environmental footprint. “As I grew up, I just learned more about human impact on the environment, climate change . . . and how my daily actions contribute to that,” Clarke said. “I'm very environmentally conscious about the impact of fast fashion and consumerism, so I really try to buy used clothes.” When it comes to waste harmful to the environment, the first thing that comes to mind f...

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,...