Recent Events

Coral Reef Decline Update

Since the 1950s, humans have heard news of declining coral reefs. After nearly three-quarters of a century, the news has not changed. Since 2023, we’ve witnessed over a year of temperatures of more than 1.5 degrees C above the preindustrial average. Earth has lost up to over 50% of the coral population, not just bleaching, but mass die-offs. As of October 2025, the first tipping point of climate change has been reached. 

"We must move much, much faster on both reductions of emissions and strengthening resilience," U.N. climate chief Simon Stiell told world leaders at COP30. Currently, countries are on track to reduce emissions by only 12% by 2035. Based on these numbers, the latest estimates suggest that Earth's temperature will reach about 2.5 degrees Celsius of an increase this century. If the world passes 2 degrees Celsius of heating, an estimated 99% of the world's coral reefs could be lost, inferring that we would lose almost all of our reefs. These reefs cover a small amount of the sea floor but supporting an estimated 25% of all species of marine life. In addition, an estimated half a billion people around the world depend these reefs food, income and livelihoods. 

Now, the goal has merely dwindled down to hoping that these reefs will survive just long enough until humans keep emission under control. Despite the fact that these tipping points can happen over decades and centuries, longer than the name suggests, society has not been acting fast enough to stop the damage. Letting these concerns slide accumulates to larger, irreversible impact.

Tatiana Schlossberg

Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of John F. Kennedy, was an environmental journalist who worked for publications like The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Vanity Fair, and Bloomberg News. Schlossberg was a member of the Kennedy family and the Bouvier family. She graduated from Yale University and later earned a master's degree in American history from the University of Oxford. While earning her BA at Yale, Schlossberg wrote for The Yale Herald and later became the paper's editor-in-chief. 

Beginning her research, the environmentalist received the Charles A. Ryskamp Travel Grant for a research project that “explored the communities that grew out of the relationship between runaway slaves and coastal New England Native American tribes, particularly on Martha's Vineyard in the nineteenth century." By 2019, at the young age of Schlossberg published her first book, Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don't Know You Have. In 2020, the book won first place in the Society of Environmental Journalists' Rachel Carson Environment Book Award. 

On September 9, 2017, Schlossberg married physician George Moran at her family's estate on Martha's Vineyard. The two met as undergraduates at Yale. The couple had a son in 2022 and a daughter in 2024. Immediately after the birth of her daughter, Schlossberg was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. On November 22, 2025, Schlossberg revealed in a New Yorker essay that her leukemia had developed "a rare mutation called Inversion 3", which made it a terminal form of the disease. Countless treatments, such as bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy, and a clinical trial of CAR-T cell therapy, were unable to slow the progression of the leukemia. Her doctors informed her that she had one year to live. Schlossberg died on December 30, 2025, at the age of 35.

India’s Groundwater Crisis

India is currently in the midst of a groundwater crisis. The country is using its underground water reserves at a rate faster than which it can replenish. India is home to almost 20% of the global population, but only has access to 4% of global freshwater resources. With the population expected to increase even more in the coming years, water scarcity becomes a significant problem. Groundwater is essential for water security in India, as it is responsible for supplying an estimated 60-85% of irrigation and drinking needs across rural and urban areas. But, in many regions, notably Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, and parts of southern India, aquifers are threatened and are being classified as over-exploited or critical. This means that extraction of groundwater exceeds the rate of replenishment and water levels are dropping yearly. There are many factors that led to the current groundwater situation in India, with one of the most significant being unsustainable agricultural practices. Crops such as rice and wheat are extremely important to the Indian economy. The downside to this is that these crops are extremely water intensive. They rely on methods of obtaining water such as using personal wells and pumps compared to surface water, which adds to the scarcity of groundwater. Currently, farmers are drilling wells far deeper than they have in previous years. In states such as Punjab and Haryana, wells are being drilled to depths of 80 to 200 feet to reach a groundwater supply that continues to diminish. 

There are severe economic, social, and environmental harms that are associated with the over-use of groundwater. Farmers face rising costs as the depths to reach available groundwater continue to get deeper. This disproportionally affects smaller households and those who are unable to invest in the materials needed to access the groundwater. If crop patterns remain unchanged, the lack of groundwater will threaten food security for many as the current practices are not sustainable. Already, cities in India have faced “Day Zero” situations where cities have run out of usable water. In 2019, Chennai faced “Day Zero” and had to rely on water being transported from other cities to meet basic drinking and food needs for the people who live there. One key reason that led to “Day Zero” happening was the irregular monsoon seasons that occurred in India. Usually, water levels would replenish after monsoon rains. However, inconsistent rainfall, which can be attributed to climate change, led to the available water supply running out. This is a dangerous scenario that many cities may face if action is not taken to address it. Additionally, over-pumping increases the risk of water contamination, as it becomes more likely for pollutants from fertilizers and sewage to reach the depleted aquifers. A lack of water can disrupt natural habitats and damage the soil, ultimately harming the environment over time.

If not addressed, India’s groundwater crisis has the potential to deepen existing inequalities. Climate change continues to make monsoons more unpredictable, increasing the vulnerability of rural and urban communities. Potential solutions to the depleting groundwater include shifting towards greater crop diversification and having stricter regulations for water extraction. Some strategies include efficient irrigation and community-driven conservation to keep the groundwater levels from dropping further. Taking the time and effort to address this crisis is vital in sustaining agricultural productivity and ensuring the water security for millions of people.

Tips: Reducing Waste After the Holidays

After the holidays, many may find themselves left with a mountain of waste, from used wrapping paper, extra packaging, to leftover food. Here’s how you can reduce your environmental waste after the festivities have concluded:

1. Reuse packaging – After being left with so many packages from giving and receiving gifts, you may be inclined to throw it all away. However, gift boxes, tissue paper, ribbons, and bags can all be saved for next year. Additionally, plain cardboard and bubble wrap can be reused for shipping, storage, or returning items. Saving packaging for later use also comes with the added benefit of reducing costs for yourself in the long ron.

2. Donate unwanted items – You may find yourself with a surplus of items that you simply don’t need. Rather than leaving them to collect dust in your home or throwing them away, consider donating gently used toys, clothes, or gifts to local charities or thrift stores.

3. Compost food waste – Holiday leftovers, fruit peels, and other organic scraps can be composted to enrich soil rather than contribute to methane emissions in landfills.

4. Recycle carefully – When recycling, be cautious about whether certain materials are suitable. For example, many wrapping papers have glitter, foil, or plastic coatings that aren’t recyclable. Only recycle plain paper or separate the non-recyclable elements.

5. Plan for next year – Though it may seem counterintuitive, you should consider shopping for holiday decorations and wrapping paper right after the holidays, since this is when their prices are marked down the most. Consider buying eco-friendly wrapping paper or reusable bags now, to save for when the next holiday season comes.