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The Student News Site of Rochester Adams High School

The Adams Kilt

The Student News Site of Rochester Adams High School

The Adams Kilt

Many students like to work at restaurants or stores in the area like Brueggers Bagels.

Different Workload, Same Work Ethic

November 8, 2018

Imagine walking into the restaurant, department, or grocery store where you are currently employed. You clock in like normal and set everything up so you can work hard the next few hours. You have lots...

A screenshot of the screen time category in Apples settings.

Are Students Struggling with Screen Time

Peter Massura, Staff Writer November 8, 2018

With the new Apple update IOS 12 comes a new feature in the settings: a gadget known as screen time. which displays the total time spent on the phone for the day and the average for the week. This is supposed...

In 2018, most people in the United States are made aware of the state of the environment. One outcome has been to limit the use of straws or plastic coffee cups; however, a bigger problem is that large franchises and other companies are dumping excess waste into the ocean and emitting greenhouse gasses. So why does there seem to be so much blame put on people instead of corporations?
A recent study by The U.N. indicates that if the world does not act quickly to change the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the air, global temperatures could reach an irreversible point by 2030.
“In our study we show that there are strict deadlines for taking climate action. We conclude that very little time is left before the Paris targets [to limit global warming] become infeasible, said one of the study’s authors, Henk Dijkstra.
The planet needs to cut annual carbon dioxide emissions by about one billion tons in order to remain at safe levels. Some believe that this study will cause people to take action to better the environment, recycle more, and use less plastic waste. The problem with this mentality is that each individual person can only create so much waste, but large companies have the ability to create landfills that are dumped straight into the ocean.
According to a news reports by The Guardian, just one hundred large companies are responsible for 71 percent of carbon dioxide emissions since 1988. Some of these companies also have reserved fossil fuels, which if burned, could put the environment at an even higher risk. These large companies are in charge of producing coal, oil, natural gas, and cement. While companies producing harmful materials are at fault here, large companies in general are also at fault. Household names like Tyson Foods and Perdue Farms have been caught dumping an estimated 206 million pounds of waste into the ocean and other waterways. These companies have the ability to pollute the water supply by government loopholes found in court cases.
Company dumping is not a concerning issue for most people, due to the fact that it is so far removed from everyday life. What people are not realizing is that many large companies are dumping into our water supply and even areas closer to home. Houston, Texas has the largest petrochemical complex in the United states. A company called Wright Containers was in charge of holding 330 gallons of toxic waste, but is now facing charges for dumping these chemicals into a neighborhood storm drain. Among the waste was a chemical that scientists speculate causes cancer.
 According to an article from Binyamin Appelbaum and Jim Tankersley of The New York Times, President Trump wants to allow some companies to self-regulate on environmental issues. His environment protection agency also suggested letting cars and trucks release up to an additional 930 tons of greenhouse gas. Some fear that after the United States withdrawal from the Paris Climate agreement, it will be hard for the country to work towards safer climate control techniques.
“By leaving the Paris climate agreement it shows how much our country really cared about global warming. Now that it’s a hot topic again our government is forced to do something, but how much can the United States do alone when large companies still run the country?” said junior Kelley Whitehouse.
While it is still an issue, limiting straw use is not the cause of global warming. Pollution and greenhouse gas emission can be taken into civilian hands, but at some point, companies must limit these as well or else environmental problems will be declared irreversible.

Global Warming: Community or Company

Jane Fisher, Staff Writer November 7, 2018

In 2018, most people in the United States are made aware of the state of the environment. One outcome has been to limit the use of straws or plastic coffee cups; however, a bigger problem is that large...

Picture shows Kavanaugh yelling as a response to a question.

Kavanaugh in Question

Jane Fisher, Staff Writer November 7, 2018

The conversation of Brett Kavanaugh’s guilt or innocence in his sexual assault investigation has been one of the most debated arguments in the country for months. Since the Senate hearing, many are now...

A group of Virtual Enterprise students collaborating at a workshop.

Business Booming in Virtual Enterprise

Abby Stone, Editor November 7, 2018

Imagine a class that is run by students instead of teachers. Initially, this might sound like a recipe for disaster, but it is nowhere near that in the Virtual Enterprise (VE) class. Virtual Enterprise...

Students using their laptops to research sources.

Spotlight on AP Capstone

Kristen D'Souza, Staff Writer November 7, 2018

Walking into the AP Seminar class at Adams is a new experience every time. On a given afternoon, students might be gathered in a circle for a conversation on gentrification. The next day, the class...

Michael Myers from the movie Halloween.

“Halloween” Movie Review: Is There a Boogie Man on Halloween?

Sophi Noll, Staff Writer November 7, 2018

Looking for a movie to make Halloween night a little more interesting? Wondering if there is a boogie man on Halloween night? “Halloween” is a horror film starring a serial killer named Michael Myers,...

Midterm Election voters receive a sticker to wear and encourage others to go out and vote as well.

The Women’s Wave Makes HERstory – News

Grace Ryba, Editor In Chief November 7, 2018

Leading up to election day, voters are pounded with television ads, phone calls, and mail encouraging them to go out and vote on Tuesday, November 6. Following the election, for the first time in Michigan...

A pile of college information packets and test books.

Does Parental Pressure Play a Role in Career Choice?

Samantha Moilanen, Editor November 7, 2018

Should every high schooler have his/her whole life planned out by the time he/she turns eighteen? How involved should parents be in making these major life decisions? During the last few years of high...

Stars made famous by Vine, including Lele Pons, Logan Paul, and Brittany Furlan.

Vine Loops Back

Maddy Fleury, Editor In Chief November 6, 2018

After a long day of educational endeavors and extracurriculars, one of the most trendy ways this generation has chosen to spend its free-time is on the once-popular app known as Vine. Whether users...

High school classrooms are becoming more like college lecture halls as class sizes increase.

Bigger Is Not Always Better

Amanda Mazzuchi, Staff Writer November 6, 2018

Increasing student achievement and lessening class size has been a topic up for debate for a long time. For many educators, it makes sense that if the class size is smaller, there is more one-on-one time...

The two brands contrasting styles are put on display.

The High-Fashion Plague Strikes Streetwear

Joe Riera, Staff Writer November 6, 2018

Popular London-Based Skate Brand Palace is set to collaborate with fashion icon Ralph Lauren, with a full lookbook on the brand’s instagram. The collection includes oxford shoes, a rugby jersey, a button...

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