Viewpoints Archives - State of the Planet

The Pros and Cons of Working from Home

Looking at remote work from the perspective of management, one can see advantages and disadvantages; organizations will continue to search for the balance of in-person and remote work that best fits their operation.

by |March 27, 2023
partially constructed wind turbine

The Squeeze on Powering the Open Road

Transitioning to electric vehicles and renewable energy will require us to use limited, difficult-to-attain natural resources. Extracting those minerals has environmental consequences, and we don’t even know if the planetary supply can meet such a vast demand.

by Pearl Gray |March 24, 2023

The False Trade-off Between Green Energy and Toxic Chemical Regulation

The long and tortuous effort to regulate toxic chemicals in America has now come up against an ironic obstacle: anti-environmental lobbying by the manufacturers of batteries and other renewable energy technologies that rely on toxic substances.

by |March 20, 2023
Flooding in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Should We Stop Using the Term ‘Natural Disaster’?

The words we use to describe events matter. Would a different term elicit more substantial change?

by Ella Jacobs |March 14, 2023

Organizations Ignoring ESG Issues Are Asleep

The attack on an ill-defined concept called “woke” public policy has now been extended to attacking managers and investors who have the “nerve” to pay attention to a company’s environmental footprint, organizational governance practices and social and community impact.

by |March 13, 2023
a tick on a stalk of grass

Tick Tock: CDC Takes Its Time Treating Chronic Lyme Disease

A student’s long and painful journey toward diagnosis and treatment shows the urgent need for chronic Lyme disease awareness and funding.

by Grace Burns |March 10, 2023
rising water levels submerging the family's belongings

Flooding in Jakarta: A Call to Increase Climate Change Awareness

Despite being frequent victims of climate-driven disasters, Indonesians are largely unaware of climate change and its impacts. Education, media attention, and conversations could be key to shifting those perceptions.

by Sharah Yunihar Saputra |March 3, 2023

The Impact of the SEC Climate Disclosure Rule on Sustainability Education and Management

Sustainability professionals must be equipped to manage in the evolving regulatory landscape that the SEC climate rule will bring.

by |February 27, 2023
Green forest with skyscrapers in the background.

Opinion: Why Environmentalists Should Oppose ‘Cop City’ and Defend the Atlanta Forest

A Sustainability Management graduate student discusses questions of environmental injustice in Atlanta, Georgia, as one county prepares to turn a large greenspace into a police training facility.

by Aditi Desai |February 24, 2023

The Ohio Toxic Train Wreck and Government’s Failure of Regulation and Response

We need to improve the way we regulate the transport, use, and disposal of toxic substances.

by |February 20, 2023