On July 5, as temperatures rose and Ann Arborites flocked to the river to spend their day on the water, they were met with a disappointing development. A sanitary sewer main break occurred that morning causing sewage to enter a storm pipe and empty into the river.

In our current political climate, environmental issues typically fall along party lines. Stereotypically, liberals tend to adhere to environmentally friendly policies and climate change awareness, while conservatives do not embrace these issues in their platforms. While the politics of sustainability is definitely affecting the way people view climate change and personal habits, there is also a basis of psychological factors that can determine a person’s view and use of these methods and policies. 

A pop-up in my Facebook browser prompted me “How much do you think Facebook cares about its users?” I thought about it for a bit, and decided that “neither agree nor disagree” most adequately summarized my feelings. 

So when Facebook thanked me for my feedback, promising to “use it to improve Facebook,” and asking me to share any additional thoughts, I decided to do my civic duty and participate in the democratic process.

The Met, MoMA, the DIA, even our very own UMMA: There’s one thing these so-called “high art” institutions have in common — the art is usually displayed on white walls. This is done intentionally to avoid distraction, to create a void-like space in which you can experience the art while expelling your prior biases, so you may receive each piece of art with a more open mind. Those in charge of the walls can't seem to be influenced by their own design, however, as the problem with these white walls is that most of the art that adorns them is, in fact, white — and male.