Sustainability Corner: How to stay sustainable in an unsustainable time

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Due to Donald Trump’s recent executive orders, there are concerns about the environment both nationally and globally.

The Lamron has previously created various articles discussing the potential good an individual can do around them by living and thinking sustainably. Though it is highly recommended to still partake in these activities, this is not that type of article. 

On January 20, 2025, newly inaugurated President Donald Trump issued 45 executive orders (EO) that, to varying degrees, affected various aspects of everyday life. For scientists and journalists alike, what is considered the most concerning are those combating environmental efforts nationally and globally. The specific EOs that raise environmental red flags are “EO 14162: Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements,” “EO 14155: Withdrawing the United States From the World Health Organization,” “EO 14154: Unleashing American Energy,” and “EO 14153: Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential.” 

Two of the four EOs removed the USA from the Paris Agreement [14162] and the World Health Organization [14155]— two international committees working toward global equality and relief from the issues of global warming and disease and global disparities. 

The following EO, according to WhiteHouse.gov, made it so the USA entered into a “National Energy Emergency,” which allows for “the heads of executive departments and agencies [to] identify and exercise any lawful emergency authorities available to them, as well as all other lawful authorities they may possess, to facilitate the identification, leasing, siting, production, transportation, refining, and generation of domestic energy resources, including, but not limited to, on Federal lands.” 

The final EO [14153] furthered the sentiment of EO 14154 by allowing for the complete deprotection of Alaska, as well as any federally protected land within its borders, for the sake of oil drilling and extraction— making the efforts to undermine projects like The Willow Project in vain. 

These EOs will have wide-spanning and long-standing effects on the USA and its currently rated yearly emissions rate, which the EPA reports as roughly “14.0 trillion pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents.” Now, this will, in turn, likely result in furthering the increase of less predictable seasonal weather and environmental conditions like extreme weather, i.e., “heat, floods, droughts, storms, and wildfires,” but most hazardous, “the [elevated] spread of harmful bacteria or viruses.” 

While The Lamron is not a source qualified to tell individuals about the specific effects and the potential severity of such, becoming more educated on this information in any respect is a great step to take. Even so, the potential damage that can be lawfully done because of this decision seems likely to outweigh any potential economic net gain. For qualified sources that specifically discuss the reasons for this, please be aware of where your news sources fall on indexes like the quality index and bias chart.  

On an individual scale, when it comes to retaining the policies and positions on a country or state-wide scale, one of the best and most underutilized tactics is to call or email Assembly and Senate representatives. 

The best way to find access to these sources is through the NY.gov website, where there is a Senator locator and an Assembly locator— which will then give you their contact information. For those local, Geneseo’s Senate representative is Pamela Helming, and the Assembly representative is Andrea Bailey. 

Action can be taken by calling these individuals and voicing concern through repetition and volume. Another action that can be taken when communicating one’s concerns is to protest and voice any concerns on a community-wide scale, though this will require more planning and organizing. 

As this presidency continues, it will be essential to keep informed and current on the actions taken, and orders passed, as they may affect daily life going forward. Remember, above all, it is essential to participate in governmental activity and voice concerns where they arise.