The Sentinel

Commentary |
I stopped sleeping because of climate change

I used to love rain and snowfall as a child, but now, whenever it rains, I fear landslides and unexpected destruction.

by Naman Joshi

India boasts a diverse and picturesque landscape. Uttarakhand, a state nestled within the Himalayan mountain range, is renowned for its rugged terrain and scenic beauty. The World Bank’s report, titled “Assessing Biophysical and Social Vulnerability to Natural Hazards in Uttarakhand State,” acknowledged that Uttarakhand is particularly vulnerable to floods and landslides due to its biophysical risks. These risks are exacerbated by social vulnerabilities, including poverty, inadequate access to healthcare and financial services, and marginalized populations.

I live in a small district of Uttarakhand called Champawat, known for its cultural heritage and breathtaking natural views. Many families in our area have never used fans in their entire lives because the cold climate made them unnecessary. Nainital, a district 208 kilometers away, had the highest rate of tree cover loss from 2001 to 2023, according to data from Global Forest Watch. This loss was primarily due to fires, with an average of 12 hectares lost per year.

During one incident, my parents visited our village, where more than 12 members of my family experienced a natural disaster in the form of a massive landslide. Our ancestral home was damaged in the disaster. At the time, I was in Delhi, India’s capital. My parents called me once to inform me about the heavy rain, but suddenly, their connection was lost. Due to the perilous and anxiety-inducing night and the lost connection, I was unable to get any updates about their safety or that of my other family members.

Many young people around me—both girls and boys—no longer want to marry because of climate change. They suffer from climate anxiety, a relatively new term that many still don’t understand. They fear the kind of life they could provide for their future children. Meanwhile, those with resources are buying air conditioners, worsening the situation in these hilly areas.

People in my district are surprised by the recent heatwaves. They aren’t geography experts, and there are no heavy industries nearby. They see greenery all around but don’t realize that climate connects everything—villages to districts, districts to states, states to nations, and nations to the global level.

I used to love rain and snowfall as a child, but now, whenever it rains, I fear landslides and unexpected destruction. These days, rainfall can occur in any month and in unpredictable quantities. Climate anxiety is a serious issue that must be addressed.

Recently, former President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement, but climate issues can only be tackled through cooperation and collaborative action. I lived in Delhi for almost eight years—one of India’s most polluted cities. While the government has introduced policies to reduce pollution, I’ve seen little real impact. Many still dismiss climate anxiety as a joke and believe climate change is a temporary phenomenon. Some remain unaware of heatwaves, mistakenly blaming the sun alone for rising temperatures.

If we truly want to sleep peacefully, we must act at the grassroots level. Today, I am a victim of this crisis, and unfortunately, no one can predict who will be next.

The fashion industry must adopt recycling in garment production, and social media influencers should raise awareness about climate change and climate anxiety. We must change our daily habits—ditching plastic straws and disposable cups in favor of sustainable alternatives without ignoring their environmental cost.

I dream of a future where everyone can sleep peacefully, without needing air conditioners or living in fear. I long for the days when I could enjoy rain and snow with my family, free from the dread of sudden climate-induced changes. I wish my financially struggling villagers could ease their anxiety about not being able to afford fans for their children, who now suffer from sleep disturbances due to rising temperatures. Their well-being weighs heavily on my mind.

About the author ~

Naman Joshi hails from Uttarakhand, India, and is a Doctor of Philosophy at Kumaun Univeristy Nainital.

Commentary |
The path forward for real environmentalism

by Sam Holmes

Guest Commentator

As the country and world grapple with an ongoing pollution crisis and demands for cleaner energy, the discourse on combating the negative environmental consequences of human civilization almost universally revolves around renewable energy and “sustainable living.” Yet, there is one crucial tool that is almost universally overlooked in this conversation, and that is the use of nuclear energy.

Despite its clear potential andproven track record of powering the lives of millions around the world with minimal environmental damage, the use of nuclear energy remains an issue that is very divisive. It’s time for us to embrace nuclear power as a cornerstone of what real environmentalism looks like, a cornerstone that prioritizes both sustainability and human prosperity.

At its core, environmentalism is about preserving the planet for future generations, safeguarding ecosystems, and ensuring that the constant stream of human progress doesn't come at the detrimental cost of environmental destruction. Yet, the universal consensus on how we should do so seems to be entirely focused on wind, solar, bioenergy, and carbon capture. While some of those efforts can be useful in certain circumstances, they are not without severe limitations.

For example, solar and wind energy are intermittent, relying on favorable weather conditions. They require vast amounts of land to even produce the same energy output as traditional sources such as oil or natural gas. Whereas in contrast, nuclear energy offers a much more stable, reliable, and highly efficient source of energy. In fact, nuclear power plants are built to withstand severe natural disasters of all kinds. Wind and solar, on the other hand, are often damaged beyond repair by mild tropical storms or even the occasional hail event.

Nuclear materials are by far the most efficient source of energy on the planet. A single uranium fuel pellet, which is roughly the size of a fingertip, contains as much energy as 1,780 pounds of coal, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute.

This high density of energy means that nuclear plants require less resources compared to their “renewable” counterparts. In addition, nuclear power plants on average only take up a measly one third of an acre of land, while the average wind farm spans a grotesque 2-40 acres per megawatts produced. Given that a nuclear plant produces on average 1,000 megawatts, at minimum, any given wind farm would require 2,000 acres of land to compete with nuclear energy’s output, as according to the U.S Department Of Energy.

Despite these advantages, the use of nuclear energy remains mired in public skepticism, often due to safety concerns and historical accidents like Chernobyl and Fukushima. These events are undeniably tragic with lasting environmental damage, but the media and academia have disingenuously shaped public perception, making nuclear energy appear far worse than its actual track record. Nuclear energy remains among the safest forms of energy ever invented, especially when contrasted to fossil fuels, coal burning, and “renewable” energy sources. While nuclear accidents can have severe consequences, nuclear plants are among the safest and most secure facilities on the face of the planet as a result of past incidents.

As citizens who truly care about the world around us and its longevity, we must call upon our state and federal governments to directly incentivize nuclear technology through tax incentives, joint public-private projects, and academic or federal grants to ensure maximum fluidity.

In summary, the path forward for real environmentalism requires a pragmatic approach that embraces all available tools. While solar and wind energy can be useful in certain circumstances like powering a home or providing energy in remote locations, they cannot even come close to powering the American grid let alone the world for that matter. Which is why nuclear energy, with its reliability, efficiency, and minimal presence, must be recognized as a cornerstone of our future global effort to conserve our beautiful planet.

It’s time to move beyond fear and misconceptions and embrace nuclear energy as the most powerful ally in our admirable fight to safeguard our home for future generations.

About the author:
Sam Holmes is a freshman at the University of Illinois. When he is not studying, he is constantly stimulating his mind and body, whether that be from doing wordles daily or going to the gym and lifting weights. He believes mankind's greatest truth is in embracing our fragility, finding the strength to live authentically and ethically within the mystery of existence.