Tuesday, December 3Royal Holloway's offical student publication, est. 1986

Tag: climate change

Four Cheap and Easy Ways to Mitigate Climate Change as a Student at Royal Holloway
Lifestyle, News

Four Cheap and Easy Ways to Mitigate Climate Change as a Student at Royal Holloway

With the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) happening in Glasgow, discussions surrounding mitigating and adapting to climate change are circulating around campus. Human activities (primarily deforestation, burning fossil fuels and agricultural practices) increase the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. The IPCC predict that rising global temperatures are resulting in more extreme weather, increased instances of natural disasters, the melting of glaciers, consequent rising sea levels, and mass extinction of species. Not only is climate change an environmental issue, it also has detrimental social consequences, affecting communities around the world unequally.  It is now more important than ever that we recognise th...
Climate Change and the Role of Carbon Demystified
Science & Technology

Climate Change and the Role of Carbon Demystified

Two years ago, we were warned by the UN’s Climate Council (IPCC) that we had 12 years left to limit global warming or face irreplaceable damage to the planet. Now, COP26 sees nations convening once again to try and reach an international consensus on how to battle climate change. With targets being set by the IPPC, it’s more important than ever to understand the science of climate change and how the planet came to be in this position. A Little History Although the term ‘greenhouse gas’ wasn’t introduced until 1901, the concept was first proposed in 1824 by Joseph Fourier. From there, our understanding of the greenhouse gas effect continued to evolve until the end of the century, with Irish physicist John Tyndall showing that different gases absorbed and emitted thermal radiation to ...
Orbital’s Madelaine Gray Covers Royal Holloway’s XR Protest: How It Happened & What Next?
Features, News

Orbital’s Madelaine Gray Covers Royal Holloway’s XR Protest: How It Happened & What Next?

“Climate change isn’t stopping,” says one of today’s protesters on location at Royal Holloway. “It isn’t slowing down for anyone. There’s no time to delay.” And so it would seem. It’s a chilly day on campus, one of the first on which you’d be hard pressed to find a student without a coat or scarf. There’s been the threat of rain all morning, from both the forecast and the ominous-looking clouds. But the protesters are undeterred. After all, with climate change comes the promise of more rainy days, even in perpetually sodden Britain. Since launching three years ago, Extinction Rebellion has been catapulted to the forefront of British media coverage of climate change. Their bold statements and radical approach, based on the historic practice of civil disobedience, has caused both a hu...
Civilization 6 And Learning About Climate Change
Science & Technology

Civilization 6 And Learning About Climate Change

I think Civilisation 5 is tied with Animal Crossing as one of my most played games. I have put around 400 hours into Civilisation 5 and most likely 100 hours in Civilization 6. I love the series and importantly its recent DLC adds another element to the game that is an important modern issue.  The Civilisation games are an empire-building, turn-based strategy game. You take a pick from over twenty historical nations and leaders. You then lead your nation from the Stone Age into the Information Age. While growing your empire you also progress to your ideal victory; will you dominate the world with your army or your religion, or be the first space fairing nation, or will you be elected as the world leader? The choice is yours.  To add to the micromanaging of building and e...
Talking Trash
Opinion

Talking Trash

Plastic is still a relatively new material, but it has transformed all aspects of our lives, and the world today would look very different without it. But 60 years later, 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste has been produced, and 79% of that is in landfill or in the natural environment. The impact of this is immense; plastic waste produces huge amounts of greenhouse gases, and can be fatal for marine life when it ends up in the ocean. The real issue lies with single-use plastic in the form of plastic bottles, food packaging, and the like, which despite being used only once, take 450 years to decompose. Reducing our use of these items could make a tangible difference, and we’ve all heard the stats, so what stops us from making more eco-friendly choices? Not buying single-use plastic a...
What’s the deal with…coral bleaching?
Science & Technology

What’s the deal with…coral bleaching?

The news broke earlier this week that a new coral reef system was discovered at the mouth of the Amazon River last year, appropriately named the Amazon Reef. The 9,500km² ecosystem was a surprise discovery to researchers when it was found off the coasts of French Guiana and Brazil, and an important one. 2016 was also the year that an obituary to the Great Barrier Reef, later revealed to be premature, went viral and spread panic about the state of the world’s coral reef systems. Rest assured, Nemo’s home is still alive and kicking, but is nevertheless under significant threat. Therefore, the locating of other reef systems is somewhat reassuring but coral reefs in general are suffering, mostly at the hands of a phenomenon called coral bleaching. Bleaching enamel or hair to possess pearly ...