A goal to have 90 percent of floating plastic reduced in the ocean by 2040, sounds incredible, does it not? That is the goal that the Ocean Cleanup has in mind and is in pursuit of fulfilling. So, what is the Ocean Cleanup? Started in 2013 by Dutch inventor Boyan Slat, the Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit environmental organisation focused on pollution cleanup in oceans and in water bodies that lead to the ocean. The concept of their technology includes a vessel that gets deployed into the ocean and goes through a route, picking up floating plastic along the way.…

Recently a new show known as Santa inc. has been released to the public. The show features talent such as Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman. However, the show has been drowning in negative reviews and disapproval. The only question is why audiences seem to dislike the show in such overwhelming numbers? According to Rogen from his personal Twitter account, the hate is coming from review bombing white supremacists. Rogen stated, “We really pissed off tens of thousands of white supremacists…” However, despite how confident Rogen is, the numbers aren’t exactly on his side. Considering the over one-hundred thousand dislikes on…

After a year and a half of the pandemic shutdown, it is wonderful to see things starting to “normalize” a bit on campus. But as this happens I have noticed that people, including myself, are tending to have a hyper-critical eye on how it happens. The new protocols are obviously not going to please everyone, but I think we could all use a shift in mindset to appreciate the creativity of others at this time.  I was guilty of being this critical eye recently when, browsing through the Green River College website, I came upon a link to “Ask a…

Stress. Too much and we find it difficult to function. But it is highly unlikely any person can live without some level of stress. Work, school, finals, relationships, and holidays all cause one’s stress levels to rise even though some of the stressors are exciting and fun. Layer on top of that the last couple of years of the dark cloud of Covid-19 throwing lives out of whack.  One common reaction to stress is seeking out comfort foods. Comfort foods is a term first coined by the Palm Beach Post in 1966. They are as unique as the individual or…

AUBURN, Wash. – The demand for vegan menus is continuing to rise and catching people’s attention.             With a recent boom of healthy diets in the U.S., an increasing number of people are interested in vegan menus that use plant-based foods. The Gallup Poll Social Series said in 2018, 3 percent of American people are vegan, and 5 percent are vegetarian.  The figure seems lower than some might expect, however, GPSS reports the data of growing sales of plant-based foods. The movement encourages restaurants to adopt plant-based foods.  “I see a lot of restaurants provide vegan options to customers in…

Nicotine use has increased significantly among teenagers since 2011 and the use of the drug can harm youth brain development, which impacts attention, memory and learning. The bright colors of some vaping devices draw them in, but the flavors and addicting effects of the drug are consistently bringing these teenagers back for more. To prevent youth e-cigarette use, health advocates are calling for the elimination of all flavored vapes and e-cigarettes. The FDA’s announcement in 2020 restricts some flavored e-cigarettes, but this policy contains loopholes that allow thousands of flavored products that appeal to the vulnerability of kids across the…

By Tatiana Marshall Virtual learning has led to a nearly 24 percent decrease in enrollment at Green River alongside stagnant levels of student success. Ryan Hawes, who has been the assistant director of the Placement & Testing Center at Green River for five years now, offers his insight on how virtual testing has impacted students’ placement into courses. “It seems like students are placing into college-level courses at a rate similar to pre-COVID,” says Hawes. He believes that some students may lack experience with technology, which could be hindering them in virtual classrooms. Nonetheless, Hawes remarks how “Some students are…

By Alison Barlow As diversity increases on college campuses, the importance of encouraging equity and inclusion has become more important for students and administrators.  The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) at Green River College has many programs to assist a variety of students, including students of color, refugees, and foster youth. ODEI is important because it helps students feel included, represented, and supported, according to Marwa Almusawi, director of ODEI.  As stated on Green River College’s website, “The office of Diversity creates inclusive spaces that promote intellectual discourse, diverse leadership, and social justice among students, staff, faculty, and…

By Shemar Young For The Current AUBURN, Wash. – Students at Green River College are feeling more socially isolated because of the pandemic and, as a result, engagement with student organizations is down dramatically. “Club life took a dip last year…we had about 15 clubs where we’re normally at 60,” said Dan Fergueson, director of student activities and engagement at the college. This year, student engagement is slowly climbing back up with 20 clubs now available to join.  During this past year and a half students have been forced to adjust to pandemic era schooling. This has led to seniors graduating and going off to college in unusual circumstances.  What’s happening at Green River…

  By John Fischeer For The Current This season for Gators Basketball will be one like no other. The team hasn’t been able to play for two seasons, but it has the skills and chemistry to go big this year. “My only predictions for this season are related to this group’s chemistry,” said Godfrey Drake, in his fifth year as coach of the team. “They are a legitimate family so I know they will give maximum effort on every possession. This is arguably our most talented and well-rounded team that I’ve had here… so it’s just about staying healthy and…