Imagine something so small that it has attached itself to almost everything around you yet, you can never see it with the naked eye. Imagine blindly consuming toxins that circulate throughout almost every part of your body day in and day out, never conscious of the significant bodily damage taking place inside of you. What I am describing is the unfortunate reality for humans in today’s plastic-obsessed world. Microplastics exist in almost all corners of the environment, and their potential harm to human health and the environment has received increasing attention from the public and the scientific community. Through explaining […]

Introduction The unbelievably low prices of clothing and the super-high sales look enticing and make you think “Oh, why not just buy this cute outfit, it’s only X amount of dollars.” However, once you understand everything that goes on behind the scenes to make inexpensive clothes at a low price, you will think twice about your purchasing decisions. Fast fashion is the “rapid design, production, distribution, and marketing of clothing.” (Rashmila, 2024). On the surface, this process seems harmless and efficient, but after starting my research I very quickly realized that this is not the case. There are endless amounts […]

Abstract You may have noticed more electric cars or hybrid cars on the roads or more public charging stations appearing in parking lots. Electric cars are becoming more and more popular and have become a very quick hit on the market. There has been lots of information that electric cars are better than gas powered cars for the environment and about how environmentally friendly electric cars are. Of course this comes with some backlash that electrical cars are not as sustainable and beneficial for the environment as they claim to be. One example of a negative claim is that the […]

What is Cover Cropping? Cover cropping is a technique where farmers plant one or a mix of extra crops in their field as ground cover around their primary crop. Cover crops can have a wide array of positive benefits on both the soil in the field and the primary crop that they’re planted around, from suppressing weeds and pests to increasing the health of the soil microbiome. It’s a practice that has been known and used for thousands of years, however the majority of farmers are reluctant to adopt this practice because of perceived negative economic impacts and little to […]

Abstract Lithium mining is an industry that has seen a large increase in popularity over the last 20 years due to a revolution in lithium battery technology. Lithium batteries are used primarily in electric cars and consumer electronics and have progressed largely in size and energy capacity. The extraction and reuse of lithium is where the industry becomes problematic. While using batteries produces no harmful emissions, the same cannot be said for mining operations. They use powerful equipment fueled by gas and diesel engines, producing many carbon emissions. Furthermore, the recycling methods currently in place further exacerbate this issue. In […]

Introduction: Water bottles, Tote Bags, and Metal Straws: The Newest Trends in “Sustainability” With the continued increase in social media usage and the chronic need of consumers to keep up with new trends, our society is falling deeper and deeper into a habit of overconsumption. Recently, some of the most sought-after items have been reusable stainless steel water bottles. An emerging problem that I have noticed is the frivolous habit of buying items, like these bottles, that are specifically marketed to reduce waste and minimize carbon footprint. We are glorifying gluttony and materialism. For some reason, people carry water bottles […]

For this blog, I would like to address how plastics have made us softer as a group of people. Making us choose between our planet or making things more convenient in our personal lives because of how much we use plastics.  I believe that we would benefit from just focusing on one industry and focusing on its plastic use and then moving on from there. With all this research I have on plastic waste, the food packaging industry became the main topic because of how much plastic it uses compared to other industries. It uses so much unnecessary plastic that […]

Throughout time, farming has been pretty straightforward. You plant seeds, watch them grow, and tend to them accordingly. By “tending” here I mean watering them, keeping pests out, or tilling the soil, you name it. There are many different ways in which people farm, many techniques and technologies farmers incorporate in the growth of their crops, such as: a) The use of fertilizers and pest controls (a method of organic farming) b) Irrigation support, the use of sprinklers or pipes directly next to plants rather than just relying on rainfall C) Weeding/the removal of dead plant matter Permaculture on the […]

Solar cooking is the practice of preparing food using only the energy of the sun. Unlike traditional stoves, solar cookers are designed to take advantage of the sun’s heat to cook meals. For those who would prefer not to use fossil fuels or natural gas, solar cookers offer a convenient and eco-friendly option. It’s for these reasons that a growing number of individuals are switching to solar cooking. Millions of people around the world still use wood or dung as their primary source of fuel for cooking, despite the fact that doing so requires them to travel long distances and […]

By Luke Oliver Trevisani Introduction:  Western society in the present day has made it far too easy for individuals to consume processed foods. With the persistent marketing, the short waiting time, and the low price of processed foods people are attracted to processed foods as a regular eating option. Many individuals are aware that this is unhealthy as opposed to consuming whole organic food, however, few people have the knowledge of why organic food is healthier or the beneficial effects which eating organic foods has on an individual. According to Healthline, research has proven that processed foods have a negative […]