Microplastics. What are microplastics? How are they an issue? Why should we even care about them? These are some of the questions I am going to be answering via my blog. Plastics. According to Harris (2020), “ Synthetic material made up of polymers that can be molded into shapes that are used for everyday activities”. There are numerous types of plastics that I will talk about in this blog, but my main focus today will be on microplastics. Microplastics are extremely dangerous to the ocean, and to us as humans due to their small size and their ability to dissolve. […]

Daniel Hilmer 12/11/2022 About Me Last summer I went on a trip to Flagstaff Arizona. I spent 2 weeks altitude training with some of the nations’ best distance runners. The cool brisk mountain air and the beautiful terrain ran through the Coconino National Forest (a portion of the world’s largest ponderosa pine forest). In one moment I’d be running next to some large ponderosa pine and a couple strides later I’d be next to a little shrub that aspired to be as tall as the older ones. It was then that I began to learn about the logging industry that […]

Abstract: In this blog I will be addressing controversies surrounding the practices of pesticide application and soil tilling in our modern farming systems. There remains much controversy regarding their negative and positive effects on the soil, the overall environment, and human health in particular, which has fueled continuing worldwide debate. I will advocate for the reduction or even elimination of tilling and pesticide practices in modern farming. Tilling disrupts soil structure, water filtration, and reduces microorganisms vitality and the nutrient content in the soil essential to healthy plant growth and development while pesticides kill microorganisms and decrease overall soil health […]

It’s not an individual task Climate change is a bigger and more complicated threat to the human race than nuclear annihilation. In his book, “21 lessons from the 21st century” Yuval Noah Harari, a historian and a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem writes nuclear annihilation will negatively impact the planet and everything on it [10]. On the other hand, climate change has different outcomes for different countries and to some extent independent individuals. Therefore, climate change can only be solved with the solidarity of all human beings. He explains this necessity through an example of a small Pacific […]

I will be addressing the act of removing beef from one’s diet to help reduce the demand for beef, which overall helps mitigate Climate Change. My position is that one should remove beef entirely from their diet, or at least reduce their consumption of beef raised in a feed-lot system. I personally do not consume beef. People might not agree with this lifestyle, they may like having beef in their meals, or do not believe that cows are a large source of methane as a greenhouse gas. I plan to address those concerns with alternate options and compelling evidence. I […]

In the past, agriculture has always been associated with expansive fields, roaming livestock, and large machinery. This stereotype exists for good reason—throughout history, farming has been a rural practice, involving tilling fields, driving large tractors, and monitoring acres of land. In many regards, this rural type of farming has been successful. Economically speaking, for example, farms in the United States contributed 134.7 billion dollars to the GDP in 2020, making up 0.6% of the year’s gross domestic product, which is more substantive than you may think considering that the GDP is made up of everything we consume; export; make in […]

Introduction In today’s world, fashion patterns and the mass market for clothing rapidly change, causing high production rates and many harmful effects to the environment. Fast fashion is increasing more than ever, but in order to save the environment and make a positive impact towards climate change, we must make an effort to both slow down the consumption of clothing as well as the production of textiles. The fast fashion industry harms the environment and people through the many types of waste it creates. This paper will highlight the negative effects that fast fashion causes as well as ways people […]

Do not immediately say no to cutting out meat. The positives of a vegetarian diet do not only benefit health, but they carry tremendous rewards for the environment and conservation of energy. The mass production of meat depletes land and soil in addition to producing greenhouse gasses through production and transportation. A vegetarian lifestyle requires less energy and causes the least amount of harm to the planet, making it the most efficient and sustainable lifestyle choice one can make. Sustainable diets can contribute to global food security, lower harmful environmental impacts, and promote healthy living patterns for generations to come. […]

I will be addressing the act of removing beef from one’s diet to help reduce the demand for beef, which overall helps mitigate Climate Change. My position is that one should remove beef entirely from their diet, or at least reduce their consumption of beef raised in a feed-lot system. I personally do not consume beef. People might not agree with this lifestyle, they may like having beef in their meals, or do not believe that cows are a large source of methane as a greenhouse gas. I plan to address those concerns with alternate options and compelling evidence. I […]