by Courtney Wight '26 on December 11, 2025

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Opinion - Campus

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Christmas time is coming around, which means fun movies, baking, and decorating. Yet, I find myself stressed for the upcoming weeks, and not just from finals. Christmas time also means buying gifts for loved ones. Choosing and buying gifts can be stressful! While Christmas gifts are a central part of the holiday season, the excessive waste that goes along with buying gifts is often overlooked. 

Whether it is a new book for your brother or another sweater for your grandma, gift giving to most people means buying something new. Choosing which gift to buy can be hard to figure out. No one wants to open a present and see something they’re never going to use, creating a need to balance buying things people actually want without making it boring. I am ashamed to admit it, but I have reached the age where a new pair of socks for Christmas is actually a great gift. While they may not be flashy, like a new iPad or Xbox, they will be used constantly.

Another tip to reduce waste could be to not buy a “thing” at all. Instead, think about giving an experience. I love watching musicals, and my mom likes to give me tickets to see a show on Broadway as part of my Christmas gift. This can also be something as small as gifting your family a Spotify Premium subscription. Again, while this might not be the most glamorous gift, physically sitting underneath the tree, it will definitely be used consistently throughout the year.

It can also be hard to find a gift for everyone, especially in large groups. To reduce gift-giving stress, try to organize a Secret Santa-style gift exchange if possible. This will reduce the overall amount of gifts purchased, not only helping your wallet but also leading to better gifts. For example, if you need to buy all of your cousins’ gifts, you probably cannot spend as much on each person. However, in this case, you can focus on finding one really good gift for a singular person, hopefully reducing some holiday stress.

Finally, try to find gifts locally if possible. Whether it is going to your local thrift store or Christmas market, there are amazing secondhand and handmade gifts for the Christmas season. It may be easier to simply order everything on Amazon, but a truly thoughtful gift cannot be chosen and shipped overnight. I recently visited the Providence Flea Market and found an amazing gift for my sister. While I could have bought something similar on Amazon, it felt better to support a local artist who is actually passionate about their work rather than a corporation.

So this holiday season, try your best to find a thoughtful, useful, and hopefully locally purchased gift for as many of your loved ones as possible.

by Courtney Wight '26 on November 13, 2025

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Opinion

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Have you noticed the bin off to the side of the dish return in Ray Dining Hall and wondered what it’s for? Do you know the bin is for composting, but are just unsure of what to put in? These are all great questions with relatively simple answers.

Providence College implemented composting programs in all of the on-campus dining halls, including Ray, Alumni Dining, and the Diane Parrett R.N. Cafe. From April 2022 to September 2025, across all dining locations, 639.9 tons of compost have been collected. Whether it is students putting their uneaten food into the bin by the dish return or dining hall employees composting in the back, all these individual efforts are extremely important to minimizing food waste on campus.

Composting is an easy way to reduce food waste. The process allows for food scraps that would be thrown away and left sitting in landfills to be transformed into soil that can be used in gardens, farms, or various other sites. This creates a more stable economy as the food waste can be funnelled back into the system, providing nutrients for soil to grow more food. This process is extremely beneficial because, at the same time it reduces food waste and minimizes the production of ethane, it also enriches local soil, helping local farmers.

Composting can be done on various levels. Obviously, on-campus composting is on a much larger scale than an individual household. Nevertheless, building these sustainable habits is important. 

Growing up, my grandma always composted her food scraps at her house and then used them in her own garden. While this is not on the same scale as PC, it taught me from a young age the importance of reusing what one has. Many of the scraps she was putting into the composter were from her own garden, creating a cycle with minimal waste.

The compost on campus is different from a regular at-home composter. While an at-home composter may only take scraps from fruits or vegetables, the compost in the dining halls can take all food scraps. So, if the chicken at Ray was looking particularly disgusting and you didn’t eat it, no worries—just put it in the compost bin before placing your plate on the dish return.

At the moment, composting for students is only an option at Ray, but employees at Alumni and Mondor compost all food scraps back-of-house. I know sometimes it is stressful at the dish return, especially when you’re late for class, but composting only takes a minute. So, next time you’re at Ray, try to make an effort to place your food scraps into the bin and help minimize the food waste our campus produces!

by Courtney Wight ’26 on October 30, 2025

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Opinion

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While we may view pumpkins during fall as merely a decoration or a carving activity, pumpkins are still food! In 2020, it was estimated that out of the two billion pumpkins produced in the United States,1.3 billion of them ended up in landfills. Pumpkins don’t have to be thrown away, and there are a variety of alternative options on how to reduce pumpkin waste. 

One obvious option is to eat the pumpkin. I know many people who, when carving pumpkins, save the seeds, roast them, and eat them. In addition to the seeds, the pumpkin insides can also be used as food. These bits can enhance flavors in vegetable stock, be added to soups, or be pureed and used in smoothies, oatmeal, and various other recipes. 

If you get absolutely sick of eating all the pumpkin insides, another alternative to the trash cans is composting. Many Americans have compost bins at home, and more cities across the country are adopting composting services. These services are similar to those for trash and recycling, as the composting materials can be picked up from an individual’s home by the city. By composting the uneaten food rather than throwing it in the trash, food waste can be reduced.

If your city or home does not have composting, the pumpkin insides can also be used to feed pets, farm animals, or wildlife. Some ways include leaving your pumpkins in the backyard or cooking up the pumpkin to feed to your dogs.

Any of these alternatives to the trash is better than simply throwing the whole pumpkin away. It is our duty to ensure that our holiday celebrations remain fun, but at the same time, do not rapidly increase the existing problems of climate change. This includes eating the pumpkin, composting it, or feeding it to animals.

by Ava Stringer ’28 on October 30, 2025

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Opinion

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By mid-October, Providence College transforms into the most quintessential collegiate New England atmosphere imaginable. The air smells faintly of pumpkin spice and apple cider. Halloween brings carved pumpkins glowing on porches, the same orange as the dying leaves. Nevertheless, it’s the Amazon Prime boxes stacked in the mailroom that really announce the season. We don’t celebrate Halloween anymore; we survive Halloweekend. Or, in a particularly cruel twist, Halloweekends—plural. Two full weekends, three nights each week, countless bar crawls, dorm parties, and themed “darties” that demand a small fortune’s worth of costumes.

Five distinct outfits. One backup “iconic” look. A prayer that one of them photographs well enough on a digital camera to justify the chaos.

Yik Yak insists you need multiple costumes. TikTok Shop offers identical links, and suddenly, everyone clicks “add to cart” like it’s a moral obligation. The result? A polyester parade. A sea of synthetic superheroes and viscose vampires, all sourced from the same fast-fashion empires we dramatically vowed to boycott last semester after that ethics lecture on sweatshops. Apparently, righteous outrage expires in next-day shipping.

Somewhere between the group chat polls, the Shein tracking updates, and the, “Should I be a fairy or a Formula One driver” crises, Halloween lost its sense of mischief. It used to be about the joy of mayhem, grabbing a pair of scissors, and seeing what happened. Now it’s an industrial process. The efficiency of consumerism has killed the thrill of chaos.

And let’s talk about money. We’re all allegedly broke, living off Ray omelets and swearing we’ll Venmo friends for Uber rides. Yet we somehow manage to funnel our last $200 into costume essentials. Wigs, fishnets, fake blood, angel wings, maybe a corset if your favorite influencer insists. The cost of pretending to be someone else for four nights straight could fund an actual vacation, or at least a month’s worth of iced coffees. And for what? To repeat the ritual next year when the trends change again?

Even the so-called unique costumes aren’t safe. Everything that once felt niche or clever is now mass-produced and micro-trended to death. Let me guess this year’s lineup for the chronically online: Sabrina Carpenter, Glinda and Elphaba duos, a Labubu, maybe the Louvre heist guys, or Hugh Jackman with his loaves of bread. The irony is that in trying so hard to stand out, everyone ends up looking exactly the same.

The desperation to be perceived as hot, funny, ironic, or different has swallowed the fun whole. We curate our costumes like resumes, hoping they’ll perform well online. Halloween used to be about imagination; now it’s about optics. Nobody’s asking, “What do I want to be”? They’re asking, “What will get the most likes”?

I spent this weekend in Salem, MA, which, to its credit, still knows how to do Halloween properly. There, people wore handmade cloaks and crocheted witch hats. They looked genuinely delighted, not desperate for validation. It reminded me that Halloween used to reward creativity, not overconsumption. There’s something almost radical now about not buying anything new, about showing up in something weird, handmade, or borrowed, and wearing it like you mean it.

Maybe the most original costume this year is the one that doesn’t come with a tracking number. Because honestly? The scariest thing about Halloween 2025 isn’t the ghosts or the ghouls. It’s the credit card bill that follows.

by Courtney Wight ’26 on October 2, 2025

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Opinion

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The Ever Complicated Question

Recycling is extremely important on campus, and all students should know how to properly recycle. It is disheartening to take my recycling down to the trash room and see that our recycling bins are absolutely disgusting and full of non-recyclable items. I understand not everyone may know how to recycle, but that’s okay! College is a place to learn, grow, and develop skills that will be used for the rest of your lives. Therefore, Providence College must emphasize recycling education to ensure the students who graduate from PC enter the world with the knowledge of how to live sustainably.

Recycling is simple and boils down to one rule: when in doubt, throw it out. If there is ever something that may or may not be recyclable, just throw it out. The contamination of recycling is detrimental, as all the properly recycled items may have to be discarded. Contamination is costing Rhode Island taxpayers, as the rejected loads of recycling have a fee of $20 per rejected ton and a maximum of $250 per load for the city or town where the load originated. Contaminated loads risk the overall operation, as there is a chance of equipment breaking due to the improper materials entering the recycling machines. While Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC)—the main organization that handles recycling within the state of Rhode Island—admits its equipment needs an upgrade, that does not change the need for recycling education across the state.

I have witnessed numerous instances on campus where students are confused about whether or not their items are recyclable. One case I frequently see is a half-full or almost finished Dunkin’ or Starbucks plastic drink cup. If the student deposits their cup into the recycling bin, it can contaminate all the other items in the recycling bin since the liquid inside will likely leak. To be properly recycled, all plastic containers must be emptied and rinsed before being placed in the recycling bin. In this case, to prevent contaminating the entire bin, a person should engage in the previous rule by throwing out their plastic cups.

Another recycling mistake I see many fellow students make is forgetting to break down cardboard. Cardboard is one of the easiest things to recycle, but many students fail at the final step. All cardboard must be broken down before it can be recycled. I have seen numerous recycling bins full in the trash room, simply because there are a couple of cardboard boxes that haven’t been broken down. Breaking down cardboard is an easy step that goes a long way to make sure the recycling is properly done and to make our trash rooms cleaner by reducing the likelihood of the recycling overflowing.

Finally, PC needs to promote the multipurpose recycling area located in Lower Slavin by Dunkin’. For example, there is a specific place to dispose of batteries since it is hazardous to throw them away with regular trash. This is a serious safety concern, and more needs to be done to educate students so they can enter the world with the necessary knowledge to not only live sustainably, but also safely.

I believe PC needs to do more to educate incoming students since they are least set in their ways and most willing to learn new habits. PC should mandate proper and updated signage regarding the recycling policies on campus, especially since recycling policies vary. Furthermore, all students living on campus should have a recycling bin in their dorms. I know this is not always the case; therefore, all students should know that if there is no recycling bin, students can put in a work order and Physical Plant will supply them with one.

I know many students across campus who want to do their part, learn to improve our campus, and keep it safe. However, without mass-scale initiatives pushed by the administration, widespread change is not possible. As a member of ECOPC for over three years now, we have tried to push recycling to be included in Freshman Orientation, yet we have not received the proper support to make this a reality. In my final year at PC, I will continue to educate others about proper recycling, but without the support of the administration, I am not confident the change I want to see is possible.

by Georgina Gamble ’29 on October 2, 2025

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Opinion

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How Much is Too Much?

Everyone’s favorite showgirl is on the verge of dropping her twelfth studio album—what does this mean for the environment? 

The short answer: nothing good. During her last era, The Tortured Poets Department album, Taylor Swift managed to sell 36 vinyl and/or CD variants for an album that had only 31 songs. Each variation has its own special qualities: a new deluxe song, a collectible album sleeve, or a different black and white album cover. We’ve all seen the TikToks—the completely absurd Swiftie shrines, the crazy, over-the-top merch, and vinyl unboxings. I feel it is safe to say Swift officially has world domination in both pop culture and landfills. 

It is important for me to say that I really do love Swift. Having the opportunity to see The Era’s Tour completely changed my life. Over the past few years, she has sparked a new meaning of girlhood for me and others across the world. As much as I love the glitter and screaming the bridges at the top of my lungs, I also have a lot of concern for the lack of sustainability at hand. 

Vinyls and the plastics used to create them are bad for the environment as it is. This, combined with the frantic feeling of exclusivity and novelty that comes along with owning every part of Swift’s anthology, is a complete recipe for environmental disaster. The overconsumption of the Swiftie community is real, and the carbon footprint is high. How many Taylor Swift albums can (or should) a person really own? How much Swift can we (the planet) handle? It’s easy to say many (at least a good handful) of these collectibles will end up in landfills at some point. However, it is also worth mentioning that while sustainability is being lost to the well-earned frenzy, a sense of artistry is losing its way as well. A perfect album cover should encapsulate the energy and aesthetic of the songs all inside one photo. It should be the most accurate snapshot of the music, like you know what you’re about to listen to just by looking at the cover. If it takes an entire collection of photos to even try to capture the vibe, then what’s the point? More so, what’s the point in hurting the planet in the process? This idea has been most prevalent to me more recently as Swift has been releasing new vinyl variations for The Life of a Show Girl. From the standard orange and green to the “Shiny Bug” and “Tiny Bubbles in Champagne” editions, it feels as though Swift is trying to let the Swifites pick their own aesthetic for the era. This push for fans to make the album their own seems genuine, but at the same time, it feels like another play that will keep consumption at an all-time high and leave the environment in the trenches.

by Courtney Wight ’26 on September 25, 2025

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Opinion

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As a native Albany, New Yorker, I’ve never had the experience of just driving for half an hour and spending time at the beach. I still am not a big beach person (I prefer the lake), but I can appreciate the appeal of living so close to the ocean. During my time at Providence College, I’ve had the privilege of participating in a beach clean-up with the Save The Bay organization.

Save The Bay is an incredibly important organization that works throughout the state of Rhode Island. From their shoreline clean-ups to a variety of educational activities, Save The Bay is creating an atmosphere that acknowledges and cares for the surrounding environment. Save The Bay even runs seal watching tours and operates their own aquarium in Newport. Additionally, this organization amplifies the voices of local communities in Rhode Island as it fights to protect environmental areas from developers and projects that would harm the waters and local wildlife. From supplying small tips on how to be more environmentally conscious regarding lawn care to providing resources for local petitions, Save The Bay plays an incredibly important role in protecting Rhode Island’s coastline and beaches.

Many students at PC, like myself, are not from Rhode Island, and should thus take advantage of all that it has to offer as the Ocean State. Through Save The Bay events, students can see different parts of Rhode Island and experience the beauty of its beaches while also volunteering and helping to keep these lands clean. 

Save The Bay clean-ups occur almost weekly in a variety of locations across the state. Students just need to create an account with Save The Bay to have access to all of the clean-ups across the state. Save The Bay provides all of the supplies, including trash bags, gloves, and trash pickers, so students simply have to show up and pick up trash.

While my willingness to spend a Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning picking up trash might be tied to my larger love for the environment, it also feels amazing to participate and be able to physically see how your efforts are improving the coastline. Sometimes we all need a break to experience nature, especially as classes start to pick up. Also, once you finish the clean-up, you’re at the beach! So, try at least once in your four years at PC to grab a friend, pick a beach, and help keep Rhode Island’s beaches clean.

by Isabelle Camoin ’26 on September 18, 2025

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News

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A Way Forward Amidst ‘Food Deserts’

On Wednesday, Sept. 10, Wanskuck Library debuted the People’s Garden of Wanskuck to the public by holding an opening ceremony. The garden’s development was spearheaded by Denise Brophy, a library manager who has been with Community Libraries of Providence for over a decade. Community Libraries of Providence is the largest library system in the state, formed by community non-profit members in order to save libraries across Rhode Island that were going to be lost due to budget cuts. After the Providence Public School District, the Community Libraries of Providence is the second largest free educational institution in the city. 

The People’s Garden currently houses many raised beds of vegetation and herbary throughout the property, along with a wonderful fairy garden, encouraging genuine flourishing throughout the library grounds. There is an array of berries, vegetables, and herbs to enjoy including a structured bed for mushrooming, peach and plum trees, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs like mint, sage, and lemon balm. 

The People’s Garden took a village to construct over the past year. Volunteers included friends, neighbors, local veterans, students at Providence College, members of the library, and a partnership with University of Rhode Island (URI)-Master Garden Project. URI-Master Garden Project picked up The People’s Garden as a project in February 2025.

The People’s Garden serves a mission that is multipurposed: educating the community on caring for and better understanding the environment, providing fresh produce to the community, allowing for access to whole foods, bringing together the neighborhood through a benevolent common cause, and supporting backyard gardens. The initiative is a part of an ongoing restorative project of public library grounds in the North End of Providence. A part of the mission involves programming and workshops to educate members of all ages in the community on how to garden and about native species local to Rhode Island in an attempt to sustain and grow our local ecosystem. 

The ultimate goal is to grow a healthier community in nutrition and connection. Amidst a world focused on mass production, outsourcing local agriculture, the opportunity to learn important lessons on local ecology and how to tend to a sustainable garden has been limited.

The People’s Garden demonstrates a hopeful and accessible solution to bridge the community through ecological education. This solution utilizes generosity, education service, care, and hard work. Wanskuck Library has embraced these qualities to provide for the community through its volunteers and staff, including Brophy. 

Although she is deemed the title of librarian, it may be more fitting to refer to her as a gold star example of what it means to be a good neighbor. Brophy is a light of hope in the community of Providence, modeling hard work in service for the community and its humanity. She will tell you all about the People’s Garden and the work that has been done to create it with a contagious smile on her face. Brophy cares about providing for the community in a sustainable way and believes in the People’s Garden as a bridge for the community.

The People’s Garden at Wanskuck Library is within a 15-minute walk from campus and is still filled with many service opportunities, whether it be simply acting with members of the community to tend to the garden or volunteering to construct more raised beds. Educational programming is offered to the public, and all students at PC who are interested in the initiative or gardening skills are welcome to attend. If you are simply looking for inspiration on a sustainable way to contribute to the community and engage in the outdoors, the People’s Garden is worth a visit and Brophy is a wonderful woman to connect with. 

“Together, we will care for plants and grow food. We will enjoy fruit from our trees and berries from our bushes. We will share fresh vegetables and herbs from our raised beds, and recognize the importance of pollination gardens in attracting bees and butterflies that support all efforts. We will learn about plants native to Rhode Island and New England, which support our ecosystem,” said a representative for the People’s Garden of Wanskuck Library.

by Kaelin Ferland '23 on June 11, 2023
Opinion Staff

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Opinion

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PC Community Unites to Speak Out Against the College’s Plans to Cut Down Historic Campus Tree

With the demolition of Fennell Hall expected to start this summer for the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, the school plans to cut down the over 150-year-old Grand Fennell Oak to make room for this building. Immediately, faculty from all disciplines, as well as students and families, began demonstrating their frustration and opposition to these plans. A student-created change.org petition has since been published online, asking for the College to rethink this decision. Amassing over 600 signatures in the first three days alone and over 1,000 in the first week, the petition has received great support from our campus community, proving how much the red oak is valued by our community members. From a monetary perspective, The Grand Fennell Oak is appraised at over $44,000, according to the tree asset value listed on the 2022 Providence College Tree Inventory and Management Plan. However, it’s clear that this tree has a significantly greater inherent, historic, and personal value to members of the Providence College community. 

Many petition supporters have brought up the environmental importance of trees, explaining that trees are important habitats for insect species, as well as important for air and stormwater filtration, as Jill Parrett, Director of Environmental Health and Safety, explains. Trees play an integral role in removing pollution from our air, converting it into clean, breathable oxygen. She also mentions that trees have the added benefit of alleviating stress and improving mental health. In addition, Parrett states that “mature trees with large canopies also provide a respite from the urban heat islands we live in.” Multiple comments on the petition similarly address how trees will be essential in helping us cope with increased temperatures due to climate change. As carbon dioxide concentrations continue to rise due to our reliance on fossil fuels, we will need trees to remove these pollutants from our atmosphere via photosynthesis. However, if we carelessly cut down trees, we threaten our planet and our very existence. It is especially important to protect large trees like the Grand Fennell Oak, as larger trees are much more effective at removing atmospheric pollutants than small trees. 

Additionally, native trees play an essential role in our ecosystem. As Providence College cuts down native trees and replaces them with non-native species, this will threaten the biodiversity we have on campus. For example, Audubon explains that scientists have determined that oak trees are home to more than 550 moth and butterfly species. This means that oaks are not only vital to the survival of these insects, but organisms that rely on caterpillars, moths, and butterflies as food. Audubon adds that in contrast, the ginkgo tree, a non-native species, supports just five  species. We need to prioritize preserving these valuable tree species and keeping our campus a natural environment where nature and biodiversity can flourish.  

Others add that it is our responsibility to protect Creation and serve as stewards of our environment as highlighted in Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Sí: On the Care of Our Common Home. Dr. Lynette Boos from the Mathematics and Computer Science Department emphasizes that we have “been entrusted with an irreplaceable resource for current and future students, and it is our responsibility to be careful stewards and not do anything short-sighted because it seems convenient.” Dr. Joe Cammarano of the Political Science Department similarly adds that these decisions cannot be based on short-term economic gain; rather, they must focus on and prioritize our long-term stewardship of our Earth. When the School of Nursing and Health Sciences opens, Providence College will undeniably grow economically; however, we cannot ignore the long-term consequences of these actions which would endanger the preservation of nature for future generations, he explains.

In his encyclical, Pope Francis highlights that we need to stop treating nature as a resource to be manipulated and exploited to our advantage. To cut down the Grand Fennell Oak would be in direct opposition to the words of Pope Francis. In his encyclical, he explains, “Each year sees the disappearance of thousands of plant and animal species which we will never know, which our children will never see, because they have been lost forever. The great majority become extinct for reasons related to human activity. Because of us, thousands of species will no longer give glory to God by their very existence, nor convey their message to us. We have no such right.” Cutting down the Grand Fennell Oak only perpetuates this trend of human destruction which the Pope is trying to warn us about. We have no right to carelessly destroy and rid our planet of its biodiversity. To do so would be to violate God’s Creation. Dr. Sandra Keating from the Department of Theology echoes this idea, explaining that the Grand Fennell Oak “does not belong to us; it belongs to the order of Creation. These are the types of decisions that have contributed to our current environmental issues.”

As explained in Laudato Sí, we owe it to future generations to preserve and protect plants, animals, and our environment. Providence College Alumni have explained similar sentiments. Beth Ferland ’94 talks about how she has multiple family members that have attended Providence College, all walking on the same grounds as the Grand Fennell Oak. “My dad walked by this tree, many of my uncles, myself, my husband, and now my daughter,” she says. “Looking forward to the future hoping my grandchildren will enjoy the tree and think of their parents, grandparents, and great grandparents who were witnesses to this grand tree.” Choosing to cut down this tree would erase an important part of history for many alumni, students, and faculty. 

Professors also have strong memories associated with the tree. Judd Schiffman of the Art Department, for example, has used the Grand Fennell Oak as a source of inspiration in his ceramics classes. He explains that in the studio, students have been making sculptures to place at the base of its trunk and honor the tree. Schiffman adds that he makes a point to walk underneath the Grand Fennell Oak when he travels from the studio to the art gallery in Smith Center for the Arts, explaining that “it creates an abundance of shade and feels like a wild, natural space in the midst of a very well-groomed and cared for campus.”

Dr. Boos, whose office is in Howley Hall, also has a strong connection to the red oak. Since her first day at Providence College, she has been “in awe of this tree,” something she continues to feel every morning when she walks into her office. Parrett adds that during her field work across campus, she loves observing the tree change from season to season, whether it’s watching the leaves change color or counting bird nests. 

Current students have also expressed their deep, personal connections with the Grand Fennell Oak. Lily Alessandro ’24 has lived in Fennell Hall since her freshman year. Although she is sad about the demolition of the building, she hopes that the tree can remain and “coexist” as our campus continues to grow. She explains that she chose to live in Fennell Hall because of its “closeness to nature.” Alessandro appreciates the naturalness of lower campus and this tree specifically, as much of the environment on campus is carefully pruned and landscaped. As a Catholic, she explains that the Grand Fennell Oak serves as a reminder of the beauty and mystery of nature, as well as God’s creativity and love for Creation. 

Another PC student, Sarah Klema ’23, lived in Fennell Hall during the pandemic, explaining that during this isolating time, the Grand Fennell Oak, which stood right outside her window, helped her feel less alone. She states that each day, “it became routine to greet the tree before entering [her] dorm, or to stand under its presence in a moment of contemplation when coming back from a walk.” She felt protected underneath its canopy, during a time in which she needed this comfort. 

The only question that remains is what can we, as students, faculty, families, and alumni, do to save this historic tree? Dr. Tuba Agartan of the Health Sciences Department explains that sustainability needs to be prioritized more at Providence College, specifically by incorporating sustainability initiatives into the College’s strategic plan and courses. From a student level, one of the best things we can do is speak out and express our opinions. Student support and advocacy has been imperative in implementing some of the most impactful sustainability changes on campus. From composting to reusable to-go boxes, these are successful initiatives that were brought up and proposed by students. By expressing our opposition to the destruction of the Grand Fennell Oak, students can play a critical role in saving this tree.

The Grand Fennell Oak existed long before Providence College was established. It would be careless to cut it down and lose such an important part of history and our ecosystem. As Dr. Keating explains, “At a Catholic College, we should be an example of commitment to protect Creation, not to destroy what is in our way.”

by Kaelin Ferland '23 on June 11, 2023
Opinion Staff

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Opinion

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Why We Need to Stop this Practice to Preserve Biodiversity

Despite the devastating impact it has on important pollinator species, Providence College still uses pesticides on campus. Pollinators including honeybees play a vital role in our ecosystem, responsible for pollinating over 80 percent of flowering plant species. Bees are also involved in the production of one-third of the food we eat. However, across the country, humans still heavily rely on the very chemicals that are responsible for killing countless bees each year. Pesticides are not species specific. When we use pesticides to eliminate certain pests, we kill all insect species in their path. We need to stop using toxic chemicals and prioritize the preservation, health, and safety of all species. 

The U.S. Department of the Interior estimates that 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used every year in the United States alone. This not only poses a threat to insect species but to humans, as pesticides can be transported via runoff into our groundwater. This means that pesticides also have a dangerous impact on marine and aquatic organisms. Additionally, because pesticides are sprayed onto fruits and vegetables, this means that pesticides are directly on our food. 

Pesticides and herbicides can cause both acute and chronic health issues. As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency explains, these chemicals can cause skin and eye irritation and, in severe cases, damage to the nervous and endocrine systems and cancers. Pesticides can also lead to respiratory issues due to inhalation. If pesticides can threaten humans at this level, it’s no surprise that bee populations are seeing dramatic population declines in recent years. 

These chemicals can also lead to a variety of side effects or sub lethal effects in bees. While these effects are not deadly, they are threatening to honeybee survival and function. Researchers have found that pesticides have a negative effect on memory, learning, foraging, breathing, reproduction, and body temperature regulation, all of which impede honeybee survival individually and as a species. 

Dr. Rachael Bonoan, a professor in the Providence College Biology Department who specializes in pollinator ecology, explains that one of the best things we can do to protect pollinators is to stop using pesticides. Instead of mowing the grass and landscaping frequently, we should instead embrace the natural variety of plants and wildflowers that grow on campus, including the weeds. Having a wide range of plant and flowering species significantly helps pollinators, but this plant diversity is threatened by the use of pesticides and herbicides. We should prioritize planting native plant species including coneflowers, goldenrod, and lavender which are popular among pollinators. 

There are also natural, unharmful alternatives to pesticides that are equally as effective as chemical pesticides, Dr. Bonoan explains. This method, known as Integrated Pest Management, involves introducing predators into an environment to naturally remove pests. Aphids, for example, are common agricultural pests that are controlled through IPM. By introducing ladybugs into their fields, farmers can naturally eliminate aphids that are destructive to crops. Similarly, the cucumber beetle, another pest that threatens crop yield and production, is drawn to cucumbers. By cultivating cucumber plants away from the fields, they are naturally deterred from crops.

Dr. Bonoan adds that supporting local farms is also beneficial for bees as well as humans because many local farms choose to avoid using pesticides in their fields. Furthermore, instead of using chemical fertilizers to keep our lawns green, we can instead opt for natural fertilizers that are composed of animal waste and other natural materials. These fertilizers encourage nutrient release in the soil, providing plants with important nutrients naturally such as nitrogen and phosphorus.  

It’s clear that pesticides are a huge threat to biodiversity. So why do we continue to use them on PC’s campus? It has been ingrained in us that we need to have a perfectly landscaped and green lawn, which continues to be the only acceptable way for many people. If we were to let the weeds, grass, and wildflowers grow, I would argue it would make our campus even more beautiful and natural, not to mention a place where biodiversity can thrive. We need to start rethinking what our front yards should look like. By continuing to rely on pesticides to make our environment unnatural and perfect, we only further harm ourselves and animals with these toxic chemicals. We need to start healing nature. In order for Providence College to truly be a part of the PVD Pesticide Free initiative, we need to fully commit to eliminating all pesticides on campus.