The Effect of COVID-19 on Climate Change

By: Vivian Pham, Staff Writer

COVID-19 pandemic caused the shut down of the majority of businesses as well as the dramatic decrease of fossil fuels exploitation. Waste-emission was practically ended because hundreds of thousands of factories stopped working, millions of vehicles stopped operating, which helped improve air quality in many places across the planet. Even the carbon emission was dramatically dropped globally. In short, all the measures in an effort to prevent the COVID-19  pandemic have had a positive impact on the climate and the environment within such a short time. But will this pandemic have a positive or negative impact in the long terms? 

Short-term positivity, long-term negativity

COVID-19 was, and is, an obvious catastrophe: overflown hospitals, increasing unemployment rate due to economic recession, etc. This pandemic crisis is also a turning point for another upcoming global crisis, which happens slowly but affects deeply. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterrres stated: “Whilst the disease is expected to be temporary, climate change has been a phenomenon for many years, and will remain with us for decades and require constant action.” 

Our reaction toward this pandemic will be the precursor for the climate change crisis in the upcoming decades. Efforts in recovering the economy – including economic boost policy, aiding funds, and programs for unemployment – will contribute in the shaping of the future economy and stabilize people’s lives. However, the carbon emission amount will undoubtedly remain on this planet for the next thousands of years to come. 

Changes in individual consumerism are not enough

It has been suggested that COVID-19 will be the main catalyst for the shift from consumerism to other concerns regarding climate change. However, quarantine and social distancing even contribute to an increase in consumerism since everyone rushes to grocery stores and stock up necessities. This is an iconic behavior of consumerism – the reason behind climate change.

Changes in individual consumption habits make people think that this is actually a positive sign for the environment. Some thought that after stocking up all the necessities, people might stop buying things uncontrollably. Changes in personal habits, especially in countries that have low consumption per capita, can lead to a lower waste emission. Nevertheless, this could only be a temporary consequence of peer pressures.

To make a better impact on decreasing global waste emission, changes in consumerism should not be limited at a personal scale, it needs to expand to a systemic scale. In China, a 25% decrease of waste emission was not because a person decided not to buy more toilet paper than needed, but because of the shutdown of industrial factories. 

COVID-19 is still a catastrophe to climate

1.     A declination in temporary waste emission.

According to Trafigura, a Singapore-based multinational commodity trading company, COVID-19 could cause the lowest oil demand in history, approximately 10 million b/d. This would have been good news for global pollution, however, it could signal a catastrophe because no one could guarantee whether the waste emission from oil consumption can still be maintained at such a low rate in the future. After such a long period of lockdown and social distancing, the economy will continue to operate, manufacturers will be recovered, and thus the pollution rate will increase again.

2.     A delay in shifting from traditional energy sources to renewable energy. 

The Economic recession due to COVID-19 has delayed the shift from traditional energy sources to renewable sources. Lockdown caused the markets and companies to close, which made some companies unable to maintain their budget for renewable energy projects such as solar panels and wind turbine installation. 

Suggestions for new projects have also been pushed back due to the discontinuation of the global supply chain (the majority of solar panels and wind turbines are produced in China). Bloomberg NEF, a strategic research provider covering global commodity markets and disruptive technologies driving the transition to a low-carbon economy, has lowered their expectations for the year 2020 in regards to the solar energy and electric vehicles market, indicating a deferral in the process of renewable energy shifting from traditional energy sources.

The Meaningless of A Repeated Word

By: Vivian Pham, Staff Writer

You were focusing on a good book when all of a sudden, you got distracted and lost track of the book. You had to re-read the paragraph again, but a weird thing happened. You stared at the words for a minute and suddenly, the word became unfamiliar. After a few minutes staring at it, you believe that it wasn’t misspelled, but it still looked like there was something wrong with it, even after you checked the dictionary. Are there any reasons behind this strange phenomenon?

In “Verbal Conditioning and Behaviour”, Dr. Jagannath Prasad Das defined “semantic satiation” as a loss of meaning of a word following its massed evocation as the word is repeated over and over again. When this study is expanded, it is suggested that this psychological phenomenon is applied for readers as well. In Dr. Leon Jakobovits’s 1962 doctoral dissertation at McGill University, he pointed out that when we stare at a word for a long time, this psychological phenomenon will be activated which makes the word look strange and unfamiliar, even with the simplest word.

“Unconscious inference” was first proposed in 19th century by a physicist Hermann Helmholtz, where inference refers to the idea that the brain conjectures what might be out there, and the unconscious reminds us that we have no awareness of the process. This process constantly occurs since we were born. An example for unconscious inference is the brain tends to think the Sun moves around the Earth – sunrise and sunset. However, in fact, the truth is the Earth orbits around the Sun, it’s just the brain thinks that what we see is the Sun orbits the Earth. Likewise, when we read and perceive language, our brains are in an unconscious inference state. So, when we stare at a word longer than we should, this state of mind is interrupted, causing the brain to “question” the meaning of that word.

The study “Communication in the Real Word” from Minnesota University dug deep into the essence of language and claimed that the language system is primarily made up of symbols which combine to deliver messages. When we perceive language, we perceive the combination of factors that make a language meaningful, not perceive it separately. Therefore, when we read a word, we don’t just read letter by letter, we read the whole word structurally in order to avoid looking at the words by its letter and break its meaningful structure.

You Good?: How One Advocate is Stepping into the Mental Health Conversation (And How You Can Too!)

By: Madelynn Loring, Staff Writer

On March 25, Regis’s chapter of Active Minds hosted a Mental Health Summit to provide students with insight and resources into mental health struggles on campus. As part of this event, several speakers came to share their insights on mental health advocacy, one of whom was Abraham Sculley, a speaker and author who focuses on the stigma and resources surrounding mental illness. Here are some thoughts he shared about his mental health journey and his experiences on Regis’s campus. 

Can you explain what you talked about at Regis University?

My presentation focused on suicide prevention and how students can support their peers who may be in crisis. I also shared my personal experience battling with depression and the journey I have been on to overcome stigma and prioritize my mental health. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 15-44 in Colorado. However, statistics show that 67% of young adults will first tell a friend they are feeling suicidal before telling anyone else. As I shared in my presentation, suicide prevention starts with identifying the warning signs and then being courageous enough to ask, "are you thinking about suicide?"

As a speaker focusing on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, what did you think about this event on campus?

Across the country, students are asking for mental health support, whether it is increased access to counseling support or safe spaces for conversations about mental health. When institutions make an effort to put on events like this, it shows that the administration is interested in setting their students up for success. That makes me happy. What I know to be true is that success has everything to do with supporting the whole student. Academic achievement doesn't come when the focus is solely on academics. Instead, it happens when the approach to student support is holistic.

How often do you speak at events like these? What was unique about your experience at Regis?

I speak on campuses at least twice a month. COVID-19 has expanded our ability to reach students who are not able to attend an event like this in-person, so I've had plenty of opportunities to connect with students virtually. The difference between other campuses and my experience at Regis is that I saw a hunger and passion from students to advocate for themselves and support their peers. I received thoughtful questions from students that allowed me to see that Regis is going in the right direction when it comes to advocating for mental health and general awareness on campus.

What is it like doing presentations about mental health and suicide prevention, especially when sharing your own personal experiences with others?

I understand that it requires a level of vulnerability to stand in front of people sharing my journey through mental health recovery. It is not easy to talk about suicide, but it is necessary. When we are bold enough to share our stories and have honest conversations about the challenges students are experiencing, then it makes a lasting impact on those who listen. I love advocating, especially for those suffering in silence. I've been speaking since 2016, and it never gets old to connect with others in a meaningful way.

Do you have any advice for students interested in learning more about these topics or even pursuing a similar path?

Yes, I would advise them to get involved with their Active Minds chapter on campus. I also have a podcast, Unlearn The Lies. On the show, I share tools and education necessary to unlearn the lies about mental health and embrace the truth about what it means to be human. Another great resource to learn more about mental health, mental illness, and how students can support their mental health and their peers is Active Minds, at activeminds.org. For students interested in mental health advocacy and pursuing a similar path, I would invite them to apply to join my team at Speaks 2 Inspire (speaks2inspire.com) the mental health solution for young adults suffering in silence, as an intern. We are eager to partner with others passionate about our mission to eradicate mental health stigma.

Is there anything else that you'd like to add or share?

I'd like to remind students that you don't have to be an expert to help a friend struggling with their mental health. The willingness to listen is a powerful tool and can save lives. Also, I'd love to connect with students on social media! My Instagram handle is @abrahamsculley.

To get informed about events like this and stay up to date on what Active Minds is doing on campus, you can follow them @activeminds_regis on Instagram!

Waterless Beauty

By: Vivian Pham, Staff Writer

Water undeniably plays an important role in every producing stage of a product: from collecting and processing raw material to packaging, shipping and even customers’ consumption. If a makeup product contains little or no water at all, what is it like? The answer is waterless beauty/cosmetics. It’s beyond a beauty trend, it’s the key to environmental issues and global concerns.

What are waterless cosmetics?

Linda Treska, the founder of Pinch of Colour, stated that water serves as a popular filler ingredient, and it makes up 70% – 80% of the total component. Water also serves as a solvent which dissolves raw and active ingredients and blends them together. Besides, water-based products create a soothing texture which makes it easier for customers to apply on their skin.

However, is water a necessity in beauty products? According to Susanne Langmuir – CEO of AN/HYDRA – water is an ideal environment for bacteria growth, and manufacturers have to include a preservative to suppress the growth of bacteria in the product. 

Duy Khanh – co-founder of Skinlosophy – shared that contrary to the common perception that the more water a product contains, the more hydrated the skin. In fact, water evaporates, leaving the active ingredients and the remaining elements which are the main ingredients that keeps the skin hydrated. Additionally, consumers use a greater quantity of water-based cosmetics, leading to an increase in packaging and containers. Duy Khanh claimed that the efficiency and sustainability of water is not as much as it seems to be, and so the beauty industry is gradually shifting to waterless products. This leads to two types of formula:

1.     Formula for cake or bar form: soap bars, salt baths, bar-form cleansers, etc. These products need to be used with water.

2.     Formula for extractions, natural extracts replacing water. These products are denser than water-based products like cream or toner, more expensive, but more efficient using a smaller quantity.

The benefit of waterless cosmetics

According to the Autoimmune Association, preservatives in water-based products such as parabens are likely causing the immune system to weaken and reproductive disorders. Furthermore, Dr. Heather L. Brannon believes that water evaporation will take away your natural oil layer on your skin, hence making your skin drier.

Dr. Dennis Gross stated that over the past decades, manufacturers use saturated water with more calcium, metals, and minerals. This blocks collagen production and causes skin irritations. Hard water – water that has high mineral content – also causes clogged pores which makes your skin more susceptible to acne. Therefore, alternative ingredients such as coconut oil, argan oil, etc. will be excellent remedies. A study from Dr. Susan Hewlings showed that pure coconut oil is antibacterial and antifungal. Dermatologist Corey L. Hartma claimed that argan oil is rich in omega-3 and omega-9, thus providing moisture for the skin and the hair. Dr. Stacy Chimento also added that argan oil can prevent wrinkles on the skin, promote collagen-production as well as preserving melanin pigment to prevent hair damage.

How to recognize waterless products

To recognize waterless products, the simplest way is to look at the ingredients. Water-based products have words like “water” or “aqua”. It could also be “agua” in Spanish, or “l’eau” in French.

Waterless products will replace water with natural extractions or vegetable oil (argan, aloe vera, jojoba, etc.). Because water is removed, the product will be denser, so that every time you use it, a small quantity would be enough.

The Grass is Greener (and the Seat is Shabbier)

By: Sandra Vo, Staff Writer

A luscious expanse of fresh turf spans the area behind Clarke Hall, its greenery a welcome hue after Colorado’s bleak winter. I stare in awe at my phone screen from my position in the music practice room as the Regis University Instagram showcases the newly finished turf fields with a high quality drone video. It’s furnished with more than brightly painted lines, but also with the vigor of youth, the promise of thrilling sporting events, and the passion of college athletes sweeping the fields.  

The new turf is the result of a generous amount of funding and donations, a move on Regis’s behalf to demonstrate their love for their student athletes. I witness this stunning display of love from where I am sitting on the ratty piano bench, whose legs have been stripped of their wood varnish and whose seat is draped in a cloth so tattered that it literally hangs onto the bench by mere threads. 

It is good to know that Regis invests so much money into student activities. I furiously wave my music folder back and forth to fan myself, since the practice room is so sweltering that there are remnants of sweat on the piano from whoever had played it last. But surely, this is not because of a problem with the ventilation or air conditioning in the music wing, but because of how fiery hot our enthusiasm for the new turf fields is. Just imagining the future glory that will be made by the Regis lacrosse teams on those fields increases the practice room temperature by fifteen degrees. 

Many people in the music program have asked what is the difference between the new fields and the old ones. We have all reached the mind-blowing conclusion that the grass is greener. This is, understandably, a must for athletes, since no sporting event is a real sporting event if the grass is an unsatisfactory shade of green. 

I decide that such a breathtaking turf field deserves a beautiful serenade. My fingers align themselves on the sticky, ramen-stained piano keys, and although my fingers are in the correct position, the chord I play is discordant and cacophonous.

The practice room’s piano is out of tune. But I accept that as a necessary sacrifice, so that the turf field’s grass is greener (even if the piano seat is shabbier).