OPINION COMMENTARY:

Imagine if every package – bottles, boxes, or phials – didn’t go to waste but was reused, helping to reduce pollution and conserve resources. Rajan Mehta advocates for a Common Design Reusable Packaging system to standardize reusable containers across industries, reduce environmental impact, and create a more sustainable cycle.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Your senator greets you with a smile and makes you feel so important that you contribute to his campaign, only to learn that he doesn’t need your money; he’s a shoo-in for re-election. John Carroll urges people to direct their giving to competitive political races and social missions that serve their local communities.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

The 2024 election will be consequential, and fortunately, it's easier and more important than ever to become involved. Rex VanMiddlesworth presents a number of ways to do so, from working the polls to joining campaigns.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Cybercrime is a global threat, demanding enhanced international cooperation and protection of human rights. The UN is now negotiating a new cybercrime treaty. Lead US negotiator, Ambassador (Ret.) Deborah McCarthy, argues for the involvement of multi-stakeholders – private sector, civil society, NGOs, and academia – to help member states in crafting and implementing the treaty to more effectively combat global cybercrime while safeguarding freedoms.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

The global toll of air pollution is staggering with over 4 million annual deaths and many ailments; most caused by the smallest particles (PM2.5) hanging in the air. Rajan Mehta suggests small lifestyle changes that can help save us against this scrouge.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

The merits of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are being fiercely debated on university campuses and elsewhere in society. Dr. Judi Brown Clarke, a chief diversity officer at a public research university and Olympic medalist, advocates for incorporating Olympic values and game theory into DEI initiatives thereby creating inclusive campus environments.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Approximately 3% of deceased undocumented immigrants donate kidneys, yet only 0.2% receive kidney transplants. Dr. Joel Adler highlights this stark disparity and calls for a reexamination of the organ transplant system, advocating for eligibility based on fairness and medical need.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Much of the American diet consists of ultra-processed foods (UPF) that fuel metabolic diseases, ill-health, and unnecessary suffering. We must implement strategies to reduce UPF for our collective well-being.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Artificial Intelligence seems to be everywhere, from the agenda of world leaders to the limited series-style boardroom drama at OpenAI. Harvard Fellow, Paulo Carvão, discusses the challenges and importance of fair algorithms to ensure responsible and unbiased AI use.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

If you get pulled over, chances are you won't recall your rights due to the stress of dealing with the police. Anthony J. Mohr proposes a way to provide a rapid review of the dos and don'ts during traffic stops, potentially saving lives.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Achieving racial equity has gone beyond a moral imperative to become an economic imperative for this nation. Peter Williams explains how the Supreme Court’s decisions on affirmative action and student loan debt makes the problem worse.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

To combat the homeless crisis in America, bureaucratic obstacles that hinder those in need must be overcome. Harvard ALI Fellows Melinda Giovengo and Betsy Schwartz critically examine HUD's Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act and showcase how the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston, Texas has successfully implemented a multi-stakeholder approach.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

When the doors of college were reserved for whites only, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) gave African Americans the education they deserved and the strength to rise above bigotry. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decisions that throttle affirmative action, 2021 Harvard ALI Fellow Terry Edmonds reminds us of the role HBCUs played in the past and the expanded role they may play now.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

One of the biggest barriers to closing the achievement gap is access to tutoring and academic support. Stephanie Sylvestre, a technology executive, explains how generative artificial intelligence (AI), with robust safeguards, user involvement and education, can help bridge gaps in student performance, boost comprehension, and improve emotional well-being.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Technology and the marketplace have changed substantially in the last three decades, and so must our expectations about the obligations of online platforms. The Supreme Court issued an opinion on Gonzalez v Google that increases the need for congressional action on Section 230 at the same time that generative AI is in front of society highlighting the dilemmas about the ethical use of data and algorithms.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Fierce political polarization is threatening democracy in the world and acting as a barrier to crafting effective solutions to critical social challenges. Alice Lombardo Maher, MD, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, has succeeded in bridging the divide by bringing together people on opposite sides of the political spectrum and modeling the skills that are core to effective dialogue.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

In low-and middle-income countries, the stigma of mental illness and the lack of resources keep up to 90% of those in need from receiving appropriate care. Tsion Andine, an MD/MPH student inspired by personal experience living with someone with a mental disorder, wants to improve this number by tapping caretakers and the media.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Despite today’s polarized views about the role religion should play in U.S. public education, Dr. Irvin Scott, Senior Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, argues that partnerships between faith groups and schools can provide critical support for our most vulnerable children.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Studies suggest that too many young people believe what they are learning is not interesting and has no connection with life beyond the classroom. Courtney Welsh and Scott Hefter suggest new models and programs that would allow youths to structure their own curricula.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Like many from countries where poverty and unemployment run high, a large number of young people in Upper Egypt feel hopeless. Ahmed Elmoursi proposes setting up training academies in the region to address the skills gap and provide the needed bridge between school and work.