Michelle R. Matisons

Michelle R. Matisons, Ph.D., is an adjunct philosophy professor and a freelance writer who lives in the Florida panhandle. She has taught on several college campuses and is the author of numerous articles on topics as diverse as emerging technologies, education, and criminal justice issues. You can reach her at michrenee@gmail.com.

Articles by Michelle R. Matisons

• State, city efforts address US exit from Paris climate agreement

  When President Trump announced the U.S.' exit from the 2015 Paris climate agreement on June 1, 2017,…

  Tuesday, June 12, 2018

• California’s new home construction law embraces solar power

  The year 2020 marks a sunny turn for solar enthusiasts in California. That is the year that solar panels…

  Tuesday, May 22, 2018

• Are the new ideas to stop climate change crazy or potential panaceas?

  What do reflective sand, water pumps, tiny flying robots and space umbrellas all have in common? They…

  Wednesday, May 09, 2018

• Can lawsuits spur climate change action?

  Whether or not you believe humans are responsible for climate change, we are all inundated with information…

  Wednesday, April 25, 2018

• New study reveals Android apps violate children’s privacy

  ​If you are a parent or teacher who spends time with children, you are aware that device use and screen…

  Wednesday, April 18, 2018

• New eviction database highlights affordable housing challenges

  Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights includes housing as necessary to establish "an…

  Monday, April 16, 2018

• Environmental fallout from 2017 hurricanes still ongoing

  ​Among much disagreement about almost everything, there is one thing everyone is likely to agree on:…

  Wednesday, April 11, 2018

• Who’s lined up to build Trump’s Mexico wall?

  A move like this comes on the heels of deeply partisan activity surrounding the Wall. It was originally…

  Tuesday, April 10, 2018

• Law enforcement supports variety of gun control reform efforts

  In response to the Feb. 14 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, President Donald Trump has announced…

  Thursday, February 22, 2018

• New school security measures include bulletproof backpacks

  In the wake of the Valentine's Day massacre that killed 17 students and staff at Parkland, Florida's…

  Wednesday, February 21, 2018

• States introducing legislation to import Canadian drugs

  The rising cost of prescription drugs is not a new story. But as continuing efforts to lower prices have…

  Monday, February 19, 2018

• Grief counseling plays major role in school shooting recoveries

  On Feb. 14, a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, murdered at…

  Thursday, February 15, 2018

• Will cryptocurrency help or hurt Puerto Rico’s rebuilding efforts?

  Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum have been all over the news lately, as they have generated…

  Thursday, February 08, 2018

• Minneapolis’ Super Bowl LII stadium sports innovative sustainable design

  Whether you are a football fan or not, you probably know that Super Bowl LII is scheduled to happen Feb.…

  Thursday, February 01, 2018

• New York City leads global fossil fuel divestment campaign

  NASA recently reported that 2017 was the second-hottest year on record. Climate scientists did not expect…

  Thursday, January 25, 2018

• Mudslides devastate Montecito, California

  ​After a deluge of rain was forecasted following containment of the Thomas Fire — the largest fire…

  Monday, January 15, 2018

• New York City ends misdemeanor bail, signaling reform trend

  ​As jail populations suffer severe overcrowding, more cities and states are pursuing bail reform measures…

  Friday, January 12, 2018

• Should Apple do more to limit children’s screen time?

  Eye problems, bad posture, carpal tunnel syndrome, social disconnection, depression, insomnia. All of…

  Friday, January 12, 2018

• Vaccine limits, medical supply shortages complicate an early flu season

  ​The flu season is here again, in case you have not heard. This year there are special concerns related…

  Thursday, January 11, 2018

• Mudslides, flash flooding pose new threats in California

  As 2018 kicked off with most of the East Coast enveloped in freezing cold temperatures, news about the…

  Monday, January 08, 2018

• Defiant winds threaten to spread California wildfire

  It has been another challenging week in Southern California, as several fires are now contained. However,…

  Friday, December 15, 2017

• New app collects spare change toward bail

  The U.S. prison industry currently holds 2.2 million people behind bars. Of that number, an estimated…

  Wednesday, December 13, 2017

• Los Angeles inferno wraps up 2017’s year of disasters

  There's no rest for the weary, is there? 2017 has been a year of natural disasters related to climate…

  Thursday, December 07, 2017

• Time’s Person of the Year reflects new norms in business culture

  ​After the dust settles, the financial damages accrued by brand names and individual reputations will…

  Thursday, December 07, 2017

• Good and bad news for Houston’s post‑Harvey rebuilding efforts

  ​Recovery efforts are still underway after the devastating hurricanes and wildfires in late summer…

  Monday, December 04, 2017

• New global alliance targets coal production

  Prior to global awareness of coal mining's role in climate change, experts projected that coal would…

  Thursday, November 30, 2017

• Big Tobacco releases court-ordered ads

  It is difficult to separate Thanksgiving Day from the beginning of the Christmas season, and many of…

  Tuesday, November 28, 2017

• California to test firefighters’ toxic exposure

  Now that the ash is settling after the California wildfires that engulfed more than 8,000 homes, buildings…

  Thursday, November 16, 2017

• How will Puerto Rico fix its energy grid?

  Puerto Rico's death toll from Hurricane Maria remains hotly contested. The official government number…

  Tuesday, November 14, 2017

• Florida debating generator requirements for nursing homes

  We have heard quite a bit about the demand for generators since recent hurricanes had a devastating impact…

  Thursday, November 09, 2017

• Burned California neighborhoods consider production-scale home rebuilding

  As people begin to recover from entire neighborhoods destroyed by recent California wildfires — approximately…

  Tuesday, November 07, 2017

• Hospitals managing post-Maria medical products shortage

  Before Hurricane Maria hit, many people did not know Puerto Rico housed 89 facilities that manufacture…

  Monday, October 30, 2017

• Tesla testing its solar capabilities in Puerto Rico rebuild

  ​Amid reports coming out of Puerto Rico's devastation, there is news of an effort to bring solar power…

  Thursday, October 26, 2017

• California wildfires are a public health risk

  Beijing, China, is the greatest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, exacerbated by its growing power…

  Tuesday, October 17, 2017

• California wildfires threaten wine and tourism industry

  Earthquakes, hurricanes, fires — what's next? As we have all been witnessing, recent extreme weather…

  Thursday, October 12, 2017

• Skilled labor shortage impacting rebuilding efforts

  In the last two months, we've witnessed historic Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria severely damage Texas,…

  Friday, October 06, 2017

• Puerto Rico’s pharmaceutical industry faces post-Maria uphill battle

  Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lily, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novartis. These are just…

  Monday, October 02, 2017

• Save the pets: How did animals fare in Harvey, Irma?

  ​We all love our pets, but sometimes amid the evacuation panic caused by hurricanes, pet safety takes…

  Friday, September 29, 2017

• Florida nursing home deaths shine spotlight on private care industry

  ​Many headline-worthy stories emerged in the days after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma touched land. One…

  Tuesday, September 26, 2017