Greta Thunberg set the world on fire when she began to skip school to draw attention to climate change. In the few weeks since students across the globe held their own school strikes, Extinction Rebellion has taken over London. Extinction Rebellion is an environmental activist group that participates in civil disobedience in order to protest the way our governments have been approaching climate change. In the last week, their members have made camp in Trafalgar Square, marched in swarms across roads and bridges, and brought overground and underground Tube lines to a halt by climbing on top of the trains. Their actions are forcing locals to seriously evaluate how climate change is affecting their daily lives.
On October 14, Lungs opened at The Old Vic theatre, starring The Crown's Matt Smith and Claire Foy. In Duncan Macmillan's play, a young couple struggle to decide whether or not they should have a child. Claire Foy's character hesitates because having a child puts more strain on our struggling planet. Children have a massive carbon footprint. Our planet's ecosystems are drastically changing as humans multiply and dominate the world. While this debate may seem foreign, more and more Millenial and Gen Z couples will have to start asking themselves this question: is it ethical to bring more people into this world?
One thing that really scares me is my snot. Gross, I know. But every time I see black streaks in the slime on my tissue my stomach jumps into my throat. I can't escape the air pollution in London. Everyone smokes. The cars, trains, and airplanes are constantly filtering fumes through my window. I've started to wonder if studying here was a bad decision for my health.
I love being in the English countryside. The air smells sweeter. The sky looks clearer. I miss the stars when I'm in the city. When did our world get so bright that it outshines the stars?
Katie Joachim
<p>Katie Joachim is a senior at Hope College, where she is studying Theatre and Creative Writing. She has been a part of the theatre community since she was eight-years-old: 13 years in total! Most recently, Katie was the director of the Bay View Youth Theatre and she just finished up an acting internship with Hope Summer Repertory Theatre. When she isn't in rehearsal, Katie can be found knitting and watching the Grey's Anatomy, all while munching on a slice of freshly-baked cake.</p>
