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Dear reader,
Happy Week 7! You might have seen the print edition of our sustainability special issue around campus during the past two weeks. Or you might have found a story or two in this issue that revolves around your love and hope for the environment at UChicago, in Hyde Park, and Chicago.
In this newsletter, we present you with coverage from each of our editorial sections on sustainability and the environment on and off campus. The Maroon’s Editor-in-Chief, Ruby Rorty, introduced the issue with her reflection on the institutional memory of this topic. Read the editor’s note here.
News
Deputy Editor Basil Egli writes in:
Michelle Lu and Noah Glasgow report on Phoenix Sustainability Intiative’s upcoming composting program in Renee Granville-Grossman Residential Commons, which is expected to start toward the end of the winter 2022 quarter.
News reporter Neive Rodriguez explores Chicago's climate future, talking to UChicago experts about climate prospects for the Windy City.
Eric Fang gets the scoop on the Committee on Campus Sustainability’s potential slate of new initiatives, including sustainability education, more charging stations for electric vehicles, and an expansion of the new Green Fund.
Olivia Chilkoti reexamines “Food Deserts” in Chicago’s South Side, specifically in Woodlawn and Hyde Park, and whether in recent years food access has grown as a result of new grocery stores.
In spite of University statements regarding no movement towards divesting the university’s endowment from fossil fuels, Anushree Vashist reports that UChicago’s incoming chief investment officer has reportedly committed to meet with members of the Environmental Justice Task Force during winter quarter.
Last but certainly not least, Suha Chang gets the buzz on Phoenix Farms, a blossoming recognized student organization and nonprofit that is spreading awareness of urban farming and beekeeping at UChicago.
Arts
Head Editor Isabella Cisneros writes in:
Arts reporter Solana Adedokun introduces us to Expositions, a new student-run magazine on campus that aims to foster conversations about environmental and urban studies.
Arts reporter Noah Glasgow discusses how Adam McKay’s satirical disaster-movie Don’t Look Up fails to advance the conversation on climate change, instead rehashing familiar tropes about the discourse surrounding the climate crisis.
Grey City
Editor Laura Gersony writes in…
More than ten years of divestment student activism have fallen flat in the face of an administration set on political neutrality. Could that ever change? Grey City reports.
Activists worry Chicago will pave over Hyde Park’s beloved Promontory Point. The City says it has no such plans. But after decades of feeling unheard, Southsiders want to make sure they have a say in the future of their neighborhood.
Viewpoints
Editor Ketan Sengupta writes in…
Viewpoints contributor Eva McCord argues for the University’s involvement in broader, more equitable forms of environmental justice across Chicago, Hyde Park, and the South Side.
Representatives from the Phoenix Sustainability Initiative make a compelling case for University-wide composting solutions.
The UChicago Student Action Environmental Justice Task Force writes an impassioned, insightful, and deeply relevant article on environmental racism, community development, and Chicago’s fraught history with environmental justice.
Sports
To address the high environmental costs of car travel, the Gen-Z population is looking for alternative ways to travel. UChicago undergraduates tell us about their experience commuting with bikes and skateboards—which, they said, are not only a form of transportation but a culture.
As efforts to increase sustainability have gained momentum across industry sectors, professional sports have demonstrated renewed and creative dedication to green solutions. Editor Alison Gill wrote about the eco-conscious competitions around the globe.
