Let’s take a trip back in time forty years ago to the year 1970 and look at what the world was like back then. If we managed to accomplish this I’m sure all of us would be stunned to see how different things were and would be amazed at how people lived their lives. It’s certain that a majority of you reading this are picturing an age before the advent of the internet, when no computers, cell phones, or ipods existed- the Stone Age essentially. Well, technically you’re right, but this isn’t what I’m trying to get at. During this period when Disco was emerging and short shorts were all the rage, nature was being degraded to such a level that instead of saying “Mother Earth” Minnewaska Park people were sarcastically muttering “Mother-in-law filth”. This was a time when polluted rivers (one of which actually caught fire), smog filled skies tainted with lead from gasoline, and mass deforestation were commonplace. Eventually, when people began to have their fill of this corrupted world, there were talks about what could be done to improve it, and this is where Earth Day came in handy. A U.S. Senator had the brilliant idea of creating a holiday based on raising people’s environmental awareness; and the first Earth Day occurred on Apr. 22, 1970.

As we already know, this unusual holiday quickly took root and became highly successful, not because of religious or national events, but because of a global crisis. The world was put into peril by us through our thoughtless actions, and it was solely up to us to correct it. As the famous environmentalist and philosopher Henry David Thoreau once noted: “What’s the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on.” Back before the “Green” movement gained momentum a house certainly wasn’t much use on account of the rampant pollution. But luckily through years and years of remediation the earth in many (but not all) respects has become much cleaner, mainly through newly implanted laws, recycling, and a myriad of other programs that transformed the earth from a cesspool into a more pristine place. Despite this cleanup, many problems still exist and a greater effort will be required in the future to correct it. And we must act quickly if we want to avoid having our cities and towns along the coast inundated, due to global warming. If we continue to journey down the path we’re on right now and keep increasing our environmental awareness however, it is almost certain our negative actions will be undone and destruction will be averted; but that’s assuming though that the world doesn’t end in 2012 first, so I guess we’ll just have to wait to see!

It’s pretty amazing though to think about how far we have come since the advent of Earth Day, and in the last ten years alone things have drastically changed. At the arrival of the millennium the word “green” was hardly heard anywhere, but now anytime the T.V. is turned on every commercial is using the word ten times in a minute. And within the last few months the packing of SunChips has been made out of plant-based material that’s completely biodegradeable.

It’s almost unimaginable to think where we’ll be a decade from now. Who knows, we could be eating our meals off of edible plates made from vegetables. I’m sure Homer Simpson would have a field day with this- an all you can eat buffet of dinnerware…. hmm but on second thought maybe not, considering it would be healthy, I suppose it would have to be smothered in butter first.

Regardless of what new techniques we implement, it’s a certainty that we’ll have changed a great deal- hopefully for the better. Things may constantly change, as they always do, but this will not happen if we don’t change ourselves first.

This holiday which was celebrated for the first time forty years ago has helped us along. Today, here at Manhattanville the college offers a little known degree in Environmental Studies. And while most people tend to stay away from courses that deal with environmental science in the fear that they’re too hard; believe me, as long as you make a conscious effort to learn and understand the fundamentals of ecology and sustainability, you will not only find yourself receiving good grades, but you will look at the world in a different way, and will realize it’s not all about consumption and modernization. As an Environmental Studies major, I strongly advise each student to take at least one course that teaches about some sort of environmental policy. However, if you really are against taking a science class, I still highly recommend increasing your awareness either by joining some club that relates to it, one such being ACT on campus, or simply just by spending some time outdoors. Why not take a hike? There are plenty of places to go around Westchester and if you’re really daring you may feel compelled to do a section of the 2,179 mile long Appalachian Trail which stretches from Georgia to Maine, and can be reached in less than an hour from here. The point I’m trying to make is that you should do something to help make the environmental situations at hand known and cared about. The smallest of things can make a big difference, just like Earth Day. In the beginning it was paid little attention to, but now look at it. So in conclusion, if we truly want to make an effective change, we have to first shift our attitudes and actions in order to obtain it- and that’s what this holiday preaches.

Something to think about: “If a man walks in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer. But if he spends his days as a speculator, shearing off those woods and making the earth bald before her time, he is deemed an industrious and enterprising citizen.” -Thoreau

Recently, Governor Paterson has decided that in order to balance New York’s budget a significant amount of the state’s parks and historic sites may have to be shut down. His reasoning is simple: with the state $8.2 billion in debt something drastic must be done so it can get back on track. However, closing down both important natural and historic sites is a risky maneuver and it just may cause more harm than good.

At the current moment about 57 sites, mostly parks, will be shut down if Paterson has his way. Altogether this plan would save New York about $29 million a year. This sounds like a great deal of money saved, but in reality it will not be that much considering
the locations slated for closing will fall into neglect and disrepair.

Guards would most likely have to be posted at some in order to prevent vandalism,
and eventually once the state recovers financially and wants to reopen them, an ample amount of work would be needed to get them up to par. Both of these measures
would undoubtedly cost huge sums of money. So, if it’s looked at from this point of view, in the long run the state is not saving any money at all. In fact, this could just worsen the economic situation further and plunge New York into further debt.

A recent study done by the Political Economy Research Institute found that for every dollar the state spends on parks and historic sites, it gets five dollars back, mostly from tourism. By slashing the budgets for these sites, Paterson is literally throwing desperately needed money away. In a time when many New Yorkers are spending their vacation within state lines it would be an abomination to close nearby recreation locales. This would either force New Yorkers to go out of state where they would spend their money, and much more of it, or it would cause many individuals and families to not take any vacations whatsoever. Either way the state and citizens both lose out.

Above all, New York’s parks should remain open for the sole reason of enabling every resident to enjoy the natural, historic, and cultural splendor that the state has to offer. On occasion each of us requires a respite from the everyday hustle and bustle of life; and the best way to enjoy our relaxation is to visit one of the myriad sites the state offers. Hiking, lying on a beach, or learning a bit about the state’s heritage are things which should not be taken away for any reason; for they transcend our worries and let us enjoy life a bit more.

Governor Paterson’s proposal to close our state parks is not set in stone yet; it can still be averted if enough opposition arises. It’s highly important for each of us to voice our concerns on this matter if we want to save New York’s parks. In a time when it seems as though everything is falling apart and the nation is at the verge of some great calamity, we must remember that there are places to get away from it temporarily. It would be a pity to see them shut down while we sink deeper into both an economic and psychological depression. To avoid all these negativities, the parks must stay open permanently!

Where can there be found an aging (and some say a highly dangerous) nuclear power plant located in the Hudson Valley? Well, if you’re a resident of the region the answer is probably already known, for who could miss the bulky cooling towers and steam stacks that presides over one of the most dramatic landscapes in New York as they drive through the area? In Buchanan, a small picturesque town located about 36 miles north of New York City on a scenic and historic stretch of the mighty Hudson, looms the Indian Point nuclear power plant.

The massacre that took place at Fort Hood on November 5th is a clear reminder that terrorism in this country is still a major threat and needs to be dealt with effectively. Arguments can be waged as to what exactly this act of violence should be called, but no matter the label it doesn’t change the events that occurred. Some say the perpetrator, Major Nidal Malik Hasan did not commit an act of terrorism, but instead is just simply a severely mentally ill man who went on a murderous rampage; others however reason that he is in fact both a Muslim extremist and a terrorist. Whatever the reason, although the latter being more likely, the entire country was dealt a blow that shook us awake from our slumber and demonstrated that terrorism is still a serious problem that we have to combat.

For reasons still not entirely understood, in the early afternoon on that fateful day Major Hasan opened fire in a medical treatment center within the fort. Before doing so however, he bowed his head and shouted “Allahu Akbar”; the literal definition of this Islamic Arabic phrase means “God is the greatest.” Shortly after this he began firing at people in military uniform, but his targets were not solely constrained to soldiers, for he also shot and killed a civilian as well. Ultimately he fired about 100 rounds before being shot himself by a police officer. By the end of the rampage 13 people were killed and around 30 were wounded.

This domestic act of terrorism was most likely instigated from Major Hasan’s radical Islamic beliefs. From the information obtained thus far, it appears as though he was disgruntled with the current U.S. strategy in the Middle East. Hasan ignorantly believed that the United States was waging a war on all Muslims and that as a Muslim himself he could not fight his comrades. On the day of the shooting he was supposed to be deployed to Afghanistan, so it seems likely that as his ever increasing faith grew stronger and his stress was amplified he coped with it in a highly unconventional way, by – mass murder.

It’s catastrophes like these that show us that we can never cease our offensive on terrorist activities both foreign and domestic; we always have to remain alert and on guard. No one expected this tragic event to occur, and although we have many safety precautions in place, we can never fully prevent an attack. All we can do is crack down on terrorists and insurgents bent on destroying this great country. We must show them that we will not put up with their scare tactics. Major Hasan survived being shot multiple times, and now as he is recovering he will be put on trial for the premeditated murder of 13 innocent people. Hasan is no different from the men who will be tried shortly in New York for the 9/11 attacks; he is just as guilty as they are.

Although his methods were different, he accomplished the same things as the 9/11 masterminds, which was to achieve utter chaos by slaughtering and instilling fear onto the American people. Justice must be swift and firm as we determine the fates of these enemies of the United States, for the War on Terror is far from over.

With the 2009 elections finally over with, we now set our sights on next year’s races which include the New York governorship. The election in 2010 will most likely prove to be a highly exciting and drama filled event. This can be attributed to Governor Paterson’s record low approval ratings, which are the worst of any governors’ in over 27 years. Unless he somehow manages to increase his ratings dramatically, which at this point will prove to be incredibly difficult, we can expect to have a new governor this time next year. Currently, Paterson’s likely challengers will be the Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, and the former Mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani. Both of Patterson’s opponents lead him in the polls by significant figures. If these trends continue, Paterson will lose the Democratic primary and the showdown will be between Cuomo and Giuliani. If this is in fact the outcome there will be a very close race between the two men, for as of now Cuomo leads Giuliani by only a few percentage points. Next year will be very interesting as we determine Paterson’s fate, which seems to be spiraling downward as we speak.

There are many reasons as to why Governor Paterson has an approval rating of only 29%; some are entirely his fault while others can’t be pinned on him at all. In March of 2008, as he took office because the then Governor Elliot Spitzer was thrust out due to scandal, he was handed the job of fixing New York’s broken economy. Much of his unpopularity is due to the fact that he’s having a difficult time correcting it, and just about anyone in his position would. However, some of the techniques he has implemented have caused more harm than good, so as a result many New Yorkers are justifiably angry with his performance. In order to balance the budget Paterson has created, or wants to create, taxes on items ranging from soda to music. If he gets his way on everything, it will cost the average family an extra $3,800 annually; in this economy such a substantial amount of taxation will drain people to the breaking point. Moreover, he is also in the process of making unprecedented budget cuts. While it may prove to help the state in the long run, it severely weakens some essential services, many of which are provided to people with disabilities. By both raising taxes and implementing tremendous budget cuts Paterson is alienating much of the state. In addition to this, he has also drawn fire from many for his mishandling of choosing a replacement for Hillary Clinton’s vacant Senate seat after she ascended to the rank of Secretary of State. Right now it seems as though no matter what Paterson does he only creates more problems for himself, for even when he’s trying to do the right thing, he just can’t please anyone.

Despite David Paterson’s ratings and all the controversy surrounding him, he is still a man to respect and look up to. As New York’s first blind governor, he has overcome tremendous obstacles to be where he is today. Even those who dislike him still have to admire his strength and perseverance. Paterson’s fate will be determined a year from now; if he stands any chance of winning another term he’s definitely going to have to change things up for his current strategy is not working at all. But in all likelihood, even the most drastic changes will probably do him no good now. Nevertheless, we cannot write him off just yet, he still may surprise us. In the end though we all have to choose what’s best for New York State, if Paterson’s not, then maybe it’s time to elect one of his challengers. In order to carry the title of governor an individual has to be the perfect fit. Is Paterson it?