Introduction  Approximately 1.05 billion tonnes of food are wasted each year globally. The food that people are wasting does not go away, but instead is being dumped and sitting in landfills. That food is rotting and creating problems in the environment. It creates methane, which is a greenhouse gas that is 25 times as strong as carbon dioxide at heating the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. In addition to that, a more scary statistic is that researchers and scientists have found that for every kilogram of food protein wasted, 15 to 750 kilograms of CO₂ are emitted into the environment […]

Introduction What is vitamin D? Vitamin D is a nutrient the body needs, along with calcium, to build bones and keep them healthy. The body can absorb calcium only if it has enough vitamin D. Calcium is a major part of bones. Vitamin D also has many other uses in the body. It supports immune health and helps keep muscles and brain cells working. In many cases it has been shown that there is a low amount of vitamin D among the population but especially in athletes. In Figure 1, the diagram by Gatorade Sports Science Institute identifies the base […]

Figure 1: Vertical Farming Facility Audio Blog Overview: Introduction: In 2050, the world population will be around 10 billion, which is 1.8 billion higher than today. Currently, the world struggles to face the issues of overpopulation, which, as a result, has led to food insecurity, homelessness, and rising climate problems. Furthermore, Figure 2, a 2023 pie chart provides more detail on the idea, stating that roughly 9% of families with kids struggle with food insecurity. In fact, when 47 million Americans struggle with food insecurity and they “don’t have the access to an adequate supply of nutrients,” it’s clear that […]

Introduction Since the first colony ship arrived at Jamestown, the United States has suffered from a horrific rate of environmental change brought on by our reckless systems of agriculture, extraction of natural resources, and urban expansion, with one of the most notable impacts being a massive drop in national biodiversity due to habitat loss.  This issue has only worsened in the past half-century as we have continued to expand in industry, agriculture, and housing in order to keep up with a growing population, and begun to feel the effects of human-induced climate change (Rosenberg et al., 2019). So while we […]

Introduction The gut is a vital component of the human body and is one of the most complex portions of the body.  It is often referred to as the second brain because of the correlations it has with other body parts.  Systems like the gut-brain axis, the gut microbiome, and the digestive tract are all contained within the gut and regulate common bodily functions.  Most importantly, the gut microbiome is home to a large number of microbial colonies that are responsible for keeping one healthy and in peak performance.   Health of the microbiome is determined by the microbes themselves which […]

Introduction On numerous playing fields in my neighborhood and elsewhere in the nation, I observe this same crossroads. There are those who demand playing fields that are open almost year round and can withstand an entire day’s worth of games without becoming muddy. Then, there are those concerned with the prospect of being expected to play and play games on turf so hot it might as well be a frying pan and potentially filled with chemicals we are currently trying to extract from our drinking water. The decision to go with grass fields versus turf is no longer simply about […]

Have you ever wondered what fast food actually does to someone’s body over time, and how fast food companies became so ingrained in American culture? This blog post will go over everything that happens when someone ingests fast, processed foods. Having the right diet can help people live longer, be happier, and have a cleaner microbiome. This blog will cover all the health concerns that come with eating fast food, who the fast food companies try to target, who is the main consumer of fast food, and many more interesting topics.  What is fast food? The first topic that will […]

Introduction Every year, more than 70 billion animals will never feel the warmth of the sun or the taste of fresh grass. This is all due to the confinement of factory farming. Factory farming is used to increase profit while decreasing production costs. This is due to inhumane conditions in which significant numbers of cows, chickens, and pigs are raised in minuscule spaces, where they are most of the time unable even to take a step out of their confinement. These animals are unable to engage in normal animal behaviors and are essentially being raised for food. However, this extends […]

Understanding the Mechanics of Microplastics If you’re ever analyzing where the plastic you get rid of goes, you will find that it may never completely depart from you. Instead, you will come to realize your coexistence with microplastics–tiny, unseeable specks that pose detrimental harm to both human, wildlife, and environmental health. In fact, most Americans have enough microplastics in their brain to construct a plastic spoon. Urgently, we cannot dismiss the action we need to take to prevent these invisible invaders’ worsening consequences. The leftover plastic from production is often common in our society, with “The total plastic waste landfilled […]

How Fast Fashion Pollutes the Planet and Exploits People When you pick up a $10 t-shirt or scroll through a flash sale online, it is easy to forget the behind-the-scenes processes that each piece of clothing goes through before it reaches your hands. Each piece of clothing represents an intricate web of global production, from cotton fields and polyester factories to dyeing plants and sewing floors, spanning across multiple continents. Fast fashion, defined as the rapid production of inexpensive, trend-driven clothing, has completely transformed how the world shops. What was once a slow, seasonal cycle of fashion collections has evolved […]