Amelia Wilson: Chicago Talk

Everyone. And I do mean everyone. Is talking about coronavirus or “Covid 19.” It started out as a terrible flu in China that no one could have predicted would cause such a big scare across the globe as it turned into a pandemic. The scare is reasonable as we don’t know much about Covid 19 let alone how to prevent it. Everyone everywhere is sending out emails, phone calls, and messages in every shape and form about “washing your hands often!” “Cleaning continuously touched surfaces” “avoiding crowds.”

In all honesty, I am a bit worried. If only because of the mass hysteria I see in reaction to the virus from day to day.

As many of you know, I live on the outskirts of chicago and frequent the city multiple times a week. My college campus has sent out a number of emails about the virus and all of my professors have spent at least ten minutes per class period talking about the illness.

At first, chicagoans joked about it. Memes were created and shared, and we all had a good laugh. Now, things have become a little more serious. Though many of us agree that we don’t think it’ll affect us, we are all taking precautions. People ARE washing their hands more. Wearing gloves on the train. Avoiding close contact with people. And more.

My school has already spoken with professors on actions to take should the school close. Many events are cancelling or aren’t receiving as much attention as per usual. And of course, people are buying out cleaning supplies like crazy!

I work for Target and have witnessed first hand the devastating lack of hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, and Lysol. For the last few weeks, it’s been an immediate “sorry we’re all out” response in regards to questions of hand sanitizer in stock. I’ve heard rumors of supply shortages for other items including canned food and bottled water. While I’ve also heard rumors that Walmart and Meijer are taking losses for a shortage of in coming products. Are these rumors true? It’s hard to say.

But what is a fact is that less and less people are travelling. Airline prices are plummeting to appease travel goers to travel. Demand for shelf foods and cleaners is too high to maintain. And people are becoming more wary of those around them than ever before.

Chinatown, usually bustling around this time of year, is more similar to a ghost town. I pass by on the train some days and hardly see a soul in sight.

I’ve heard about the stock market closing to prevent people from frantically selling out. Though personally, I don’t pay enough attention to stocks. I know the market is fluctuating a ton, but that’s about all I know.

Chicago itself is still continuing on day to day activities. My school in particular has continued as normal. Life has not stopped. Rumors of potential quarantine are still laughable in the city, though I’m sure I’m not the only one who has grown mildly concerned.

Is it safe to visit Chicago right now? Yes. As I said, Chicago is as normal as it’s ever been. Personally, I’m not sure if I’ll be travelling anywhere soon. If I do, it will probably remain in Indiana or at least the U.S. There’s no telling when or if things will get worse, but for now, we should remain as prepared and cautious as we can.

If you like this post, check out some similar posts of mine below:

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Feel free to leave a comment below and let me know what you think of Covid 19 and how cities near you are reacting.

You can also email me with questions or concerns you may have at info.amelia.wilson@gmail.com

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Disclaimer: All of the views and opinions in this post are solely my own and are not sponsored.

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On my recent trip to Chicago I discovered something interesting: cook county places a 5% tax on plastic bags/bottles when purchased. At first glance, I really like this idea. I’m an environmental activist and I approve of any little thing that can help. And I bet right now you’re waiting for that “but” and you’d be right to wait.

Despite this tax, I am not too thrilled about what it means for consumers.

Alright, hear me out.

From source Illinois Policy the new tax is defined as such:

“In 2007, Chicago passed a five-cent per bottle water tax. The intention was that this tax would reduce the stream of plastic being discarded. Ald. George Cardenas, 12th Ward, told USA Today ‘It’s not a tax on water, it’s a tax on plastic.’

Of course, the bottled water tax is not the only tax being paid. Consumers must also pay the grocery sales tax rate of 2.25 percent. That means, on a 1-liter bottle of water purchased in Chicago for $1.49, taxes will tack on an additional $0.08. That’s an effective tax rate of 5 percent.”

This is great because it encourages consumers to use reusable bags/bottles and to face the tax if they choose not to. My complaint about this is simple; there is no mention of alternatives. It’s a little unreasonable to assume that all consumers will bring their own refillable bottles and reusable bags each time they go to the store.

The key word is “all.” Some people are used to bringing their reusable bags/bottles wherever they go. However, and quite sadly, not everyone is used to this. I suppose this tax will force train people into getting to the point of reusable alternatives as the norm. However, at first, it’s not the best way to go about implementing ethical and sustainable alternatives.

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This is my personal opinion, but I think stores/companies should have some more reasonable alternatives. I know the companies did not make the law. Though, I would like to see them responding with a “problem-solving attitude” toward this new tax.

For example, there are no more plastic bags. There should be paper/biodegradable bags available for guests who aren’t used to bringing their own bags. There should be more reusable bags for sale near the checklanes.

Plastic bottles shouldn’t be sold without glass or reusable alternatives on the shelf as well. Heck, it’d be a lot more convenient for all if people could buy water through a fill station or something similar.

Now, the 5 cent water bottle tax is nothing new, however, the new fight to tax plastic bags IS. In an article by the Chicago Tribune, Robert Channick discusses the displeasure of multiple Chicagoans on the new plastic bag tax. The article states, “Chicago’s 7-cent bag tax went into effect on Feb. 1, 2017. The city keeps 5 cents per bag, while the retailer keeps 2 cents. The charge shows up on store receipts, right next to other municipal sales tax items such as the Chicago bottled water tax.”

The overall conclusion in the article was that consumers aren’t too happy about all of the taxes adding up on their receipts.

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Personally, I don’t mind the tax. It’s a good incentive to keep people away from non-recyclable plastic. But where are the alternatives? Why are people forced to carry groceries out without bags? Why are people taxed on water cups and items that should be FREE for the public? What solution can we offer consumers to keep them satisfied despite these taxes?

Many reusable options are not free. Plastic bags, in most places, are or have been. Water in a cup was free. If counties and states are going to punish people (through taxes) for using plastic, they should offer free alternatives and incentives for consumers to avoid these harmful plastics.

Though when we look at it...really look at it. Are counties and states taxing people to save the planet? Or, is it all a capitalistic plan to make money? It’s a win-win for the state and businesses right? Either way, a business will get 2 cents per bag, or 3 dollars for every reusable bag sold. We have to ask ourselves, are we here for the environment or are we here for the money?

As an environmentalist. I’m outraged. There should be free alternatives. There should be some sort of push to get consumers to use reusable alternatives. Target gives 5 cents off of each reusable bag used.

But I’m just a blogger, what do I know?

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Feel free to leave a comment below or email me with questions or concerns you may have at info.amelia.wilson@gmail.com

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Disclaimer: All of the views and opinions in this post are solely my own and are not sponsored.

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I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I get asked in one day “why are you moving to Chicago?” This always transpires after I answer the question, “so, what are you doing with your life?” Well, I’m here to answer both of these questions, and to throw some light on any confusion as to why I, a young nineteen year old girl, would choose to move three hours away from the life I know, into one of the biggest cities in the country, with about as much preparation as a teen for the SAT test.

So, what do I plan for my life? Well, I’ve only reached about as far as four years into the future. I want to go to college. So we’ll start there. A little over a year ago, I was a senior in high school, looking at colleges to apply to. By accident, I came across Columbia College Chicago. At the time, moving away seemed like a really good idea. My life was sort of a mess, my relationships with those around me were crumbling, and I honestly had no desire to stay in Indiana.

Life has since changed, and I have to admit, the move will be much harder now since taking my gap year. However, at the time, Chicago looked like a land of opportunity.

I applied to the college, got accepted, and decided that I would attend during the fall of 2018. That is not what happened. I ended up taking a gap year instead, thus deferring myself from the campus for another year.

Check out my post Why I decided to take a Gap Year below!

https://www.amelia-j-wilson.com/2019/01/why-i-decided-to-take-gap-year.html

So, I wasn’t going to College immediately. Instead, I’ve been working (at a consistent retail job as well as on my own personal business). Though I would like to note that despite building a life here in Indy, I am still moving to Chicago!

Why?

First, and possibly most motivating for me, is that Columbia offered a very nice scholarship to attend. This rules out most competition nearby simply because it’s more affordable. And since I’ll be paying for my schooling myself, this is appealing to me.

On the other hand, the school is practically my dream school. It’s a smaller, private college which appeals to my personal preference in classroom setting. It’s smaller, and there are no two-hundred+ student lecture halls. One reason I ruled out attending IUPUI was because of the enormity of the school. I don’t think I would do well in a class setting that large. It’s just not for me.

I ruled out UIndy because of cost. Uindy was my number one choice for awhile simply because of proximity and class size. However, I wasn’t offered any scholarship or financial aid to attend and that turned me away as a potential student.

However, the greatest thing about Columbia is that it specializes in the arts! I’m attending for English with a minor in Marketing. Columbia offers classes, courses, and majors that go more in depth for me than other colleges. Their English department has so much more to offer and as a student, I appreciate that. They also have a really good post-grad employment rate which is inviting to me as there is a ton of competition out there for my major.

Furthermore, the day I toured the school, I fell in love. I was intrigued by the environment and the cozy feel. I loved the city. And I loved the life that existed around the college.

I’ll admit, I have some reservations in moving to Chicago. I have built a life here, and there is a bunch of things that I will miss. However, I know that this will be most prosperous for me and I am equally excited to embark on this new adventure.

So yeah, these are the reasons I’m moving to Chicago. These are the answers to why I am attending Columbia. It’s only a four year plan and I have no clue where life will take me past that point. But I am excited.

Thank you for reading! If you like this, please feel free to check out similar posts: Why I decided to take a gap year, How I found my Peace of Mind, and What I’ve Learned from Living with Roommates.

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Disclaimer: All of the views and opinions in this post are solely my own and are not sponsored.