Myers Park Hoofprint

The Myers Park High School Newspaper

Mabry Warren

Turning The Tide: The Mission of New Earth

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Diving into action, Wes Carter, the third-generation president of Atlantic Packaging, one of the largest privately held packaging companies in America has started his mission of transforming the packaging industry one wave at a time. A native of Wrightsville Beach, NC, and an avid outdoorsman, Carter founded A New Earth Project after recognizing the packaging supply chain his company was a part of was suffocating our oceans with plastic pollution. Rather than ignoring the growing crisis, Carter used his resources to right the ship and create a new goal of advocating and offering more environmentally friendly products. “When you’re embedded in the supply chain that’s creating the problem you can choose to keep your head in the sand and ignore it, but I couldn’t do that because I love the outdoors,” Carter says, driven by his profound passion for nature. 

In recent years, consumer brands have become more open to adopting more sustainable packaging but there is still a long way to go. “Seven to eight percent of the packaging that ends up at your house ends up in the environment. But if that packaging is made of paper in about 8-10 weeks it’s gone. If it’s made of plastic, it’ll be gone in a thousand years,” Carter explains. The vision of A New Earth Project is to design and test efficient fiber-based packaging that rids the world’s oceans of this plastic pollution. From the paper shipping mailers to the innovative mushroom packaging, these products can be recycled in your curbside recycling bin or will break down naturally becoming harmless to ecosystems it may end up in. Carter predicts the shift to more sustainable packaging can be seamlessly integrated into our society because of how common paper products are in our world today.  Like the Amazon cardboard boxes on your doorstep, all of them can be recycled in America’s established paper recycling systems. The right idea is for us to change our perspective from what we used to see as a waste to a resource. 

Though the idea of a clean earth is enticing, new changes in packaging are not always eye-catching. “The realization that I had is that sustainability needed to be branded. I wanted sustainable packaging to be awesome.” Says Carter, who built collaborations with some of the most impressive pro-surfers, snowboarders, and outdoor enthusiasts such as Koa Smith, Kelly Slater, and Cody Townsend to accomplish his goal. The team gathered perspectives from across the globe, from the thrill-chasers who hurtle off the world’s tallest snowy peaks to the pro-surfers who spend their days in the ocean. Their global perspectives enrich the narrative and enlarge the audience with their thousands of followers. “Ultimately the hope was that the outdoor industry would lead the sustainable packaging transition and that through storytelling we would inspire other brands to all join.” Says Carter. And he was right, inspired by the mission of A New Earth Project, Carter’s packaging customers such as William Sonoma, Urban Outfitters, and Bass Pro Shops have agreed to transition to sustainable packaging. “In a couple of months, we moved William Sonoma out of all of their bubble wrap, inflatable air pillows, and all of their foam to all paper-based packaging and eliminated 400,000 pounds of single-use plastics annually.” 

As the next generation of our world, we face the consequences of the dire impact of plastic pollution that’s altering our future. I saw this firsthand on a scuba diving trip in Bali last summer as I collected trash off coral reefs and observed piles of litter swamping the beaches. The future of our planet rests on the choices of today’s youth as we determine whether or not the solutions created by companies such as A New Earth Project will prevail. When asked for advice for our generation Carter answered; “We need young people like you guys out there to be conscious of who you shop with and rewarding companies that are making these sustainable shifts because ultimately consumer demand is what drives these companies more than anything else.” By choosing to support forward-thinking companies, our dollars can foster a market for not only sustainable packaging but also sustainable products that contribute to a legacy of environmental stewardship.   

PCP: F1

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Started in the 1950s, Formula 1 is the pinnacle of the motorsport ladder. Every season, from March to December, ten F1 teams race in Grand Prix on five continents. The sport itself gives the illusion of watching a “Championship” or “Superbowl” every race because it is unquestionably the hardest position to reach in the world of motorsport. With up to 50 almost all American drivers in the NASCAR series, Formula One is exclusive to the best twenty drivers in the world adding to the grandeur of it all. It is incredible to win a F1 race even once, since each practice, qualifying, and race outcome can be determined by margins of a thousandth of a second. Everything from the engineering of the car in the factory to the multitude of decisions made by drivers and engineers on the track during the weekend must align perfectly to produce a victory. To achieve this frequently enough to rack up enough points to win either a Drivers’ Championship or a Constructors’ Championship even harder, making the glory all that more spectacular. 

When looking at a Formula 1 car you’ll quickly realize that they are rocket ships compared to your usual NASCAR stock car. F1 cars are all about technology that is innovative, groundbreaking, and at the top of the field. Hence the name “Formula” which describes the elements of a car the team must adhere to when designing their car each season. About every six years, Formula One will come out with new regulations to dictate how the cars should develop and perform. This combined with the typical short drivers’ contracts keeps the stakes of the sport changing and the fans on their feet. The cars possess the world’s most efficient hybrid engines with numerous parts that are measured to precision. How else would they handle 22 unique and winding tracks impressively trickier than the repetitive ovals of NASCAR tracks. The innovation that goes into a Formula One car is often the technology that will be adapted to the newest and best road cars. The aerodynamics and internal structures of these cars are way too complex for me, but if engineering is your thing, you have to look into Formula 1.

Formula 1’s massive worldwide fandom must be highlighted as well, the sport is a global phenomenon. Races are televised in over 200 countries attracting an average viewership of 12 million per race. That’s at least four times more than the NASCAR average of 3. Because of the traveling aspect of the sport, fans from every corner of the globe have a chance to see the action. Unlike Nascar which is only hosted and viewed in America. This partly stems from the fact that drivers are from all across the globe; from Logan Sargent from Florida to Yuki Tsunoda from Japan many fans learn about a variety of cultures and countries. In Italy, the home of the coveted Ferrari team, Formula One is a religion. Italians have a deep passion for their team. This strong, almost spiritual connection to a sport demonstrates Formula One’s power. 

What fans love almost as much as the racing, are the drivers. Watching 18 year old Max Verstappen race the RedBull car to his first win in Barcelona or Lewis Hamilton celebrating his 7th driver’s championship blows the minds of fans ready for the action. Formula 1 drivers demonstrate exceptional skill and bravery to push the car and themselves to the limit under extreme physical demands. Executing well under high pressure, at blistering speed, and maneuvering risky overtakes while responding to the split-second changes on the track takes not only pinnacle physical strength but also laser focus. Fans of Formula One are able to get to know and root for their favorite driver weekend and week out in a truly personal way.  The connection that an F1 fan can make to the sport and the levels of interest that are available to them, from the personal and social aspect of the driver to the intricate technical and regulative side of the sport makes Formula One the greatest form of motorsport.

Madame Web: Caught in Hollywood’s Trap

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Photo contributed by Creative Commons

If you have been on the internet lately you may have noticed how much criticism the public has for Madame Web, the latest superhero blockbuster to bomb at the box offices. The Sony movie, directed by S.J. Clarkson and starring Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeny, currently scores 13% on Rotten Tomatoes. By just scrolling on social media you will hear viewers say, “This movie is so terrible in a way that makes you angry” or “It’s so bad it’s worth watching” or maybe even “It’s like everyone working on the movie just showed up to get paid.” These reviews summarize the general perception of Madame Web as it continues to gather infamy as “the worst superhero movie of all time.”  

The inevitable result of a highly anticipated movie failing is that people will start pointing fingers. Despite having roots in the famous Marvel Comics, Madame Web’s failure can be traced to several causes. The combined perspective from viewers and critics is that the CGI is noticeably bad, the dialogue is unintentionally funny, and the acting is shallow and boring. In the words of The New York Times, “The story is absurd, the dialogue snort-out-loud risible, the fights uninspired.” The actors seem like they just met each other and are having zero fun. Almost every character is one-dimensional, underdeveloped, and stereotypical. The four superpowered spider-women of Madame Web, Cassie, Julia, Anya, and Mattie have no background or development of their abilities and storylines. The biggest problem with Madame Web is the audience has to scramble to follow along with a movie that has low quality acting, writing, and production. 

What’s a superhero movie without exciting action? Madame Web answers that with possibly the least amount of action in the history of the genre. The two “fights” against the underwhelming villain Ezekiel are just the main character Cassie hitting him first with a taxi, then a few hours later, hitting him with an ambulance. Even Cassie’s and Ezekiel’s final showdown possesses no action and almost zero suspense.   

In recent years Hollywood seems to have fallen into a trap of “woke culture.” Political agendas have become more of a priority amongst filmmakers who are trying to gain easy success because a movie is “politically correct.” Madame Web seems to fall into this category. The superhero genre has been portraying strong women for decades. There have been many movies starring strong female characters, like 2005’s Elektra, 1984’s Supergirl, and many more. While many of these movies have been hits, the ones filmed in recent years can’t seem to impress the public. The problem is not female superheroes but how they are written.  Audiences can easily see when directors such as Madame Web’s S.J. Clarkson are trying to paint female characters as unconventional and independent to grab at popularity and inclusiveness. The root of this issue is that superhero studios struggle to draw the line between a female superhero, and a superhero who is female. While female characters in film must continue evolving, good writing can not be compromised. Audiences don’t dislike powerful women superheroes, they dislike poorly written characters whose only selling point is their gender.Madame Web’s defeat spotlights the more extensive issue within the film industry’s tendency to prioritize political agendas over the art of storytelling. In the future, it would be wise for studios to recognize that the key isn’t gestures of progressivism, but in the creation of characters and plot lines with originality and depth. Female superheroes deserve more than just superficial empowerment. They deserve to be written with high quality and standards so their stories last through time.