Teflon and Forever Chemicals
Written by Jake Rogers In 2001 a class action lawsuit was brought against DuPont Chemicals Company claiming that Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), commonly known as C8, was the cause of six different illnesses that were a result of contaminated drinking water due to chemical waste being dumped…
Bee Brains Busted
By Arden Benner A study released by the Imperial College London’s Department of Sciences last week illustrated the long-term effect pesticides can have on Bumblebee colonies. Neonicotinoids are a water-soluble type of pesticide widely used in global agriculture (although restricted in the EU and some American states). The study found…
Opportunities for Organic Farming in Developing Regions
[caption id="attachment_2397" align="aligncenter" width="728"] Cocoa producer in Ecuadorian Amazon. Image: World Economic Forum[/caption] Written by Jessica Devous With nearly 30% of the global workforce in agriculture, the impact of sustainable farming practices is crucial to the health of people and the planet. The organic food industry and growing agri-environmental practices…
Robots Saving Rhinos and the African Elephant
Written by Jake Rogers Artificial Intelligence continues to be a very controversial issue fueling a multitude of ethical questions on surveillance, data security, the potential loss of human jobs, and, in the most extreme, the fear of “the rise of the robots”. Could this same technology that is alarming to…
#OceanOptimism: Growing Positivity Among Rising Pollution
Fear, anxiety, and hopelessness are growing to define the age of the anthropocene. Mired in climate change, the prospects of a future suitable for children and grandchildren to come seem bleak. What stands out among threats of change and collapse for many is the threat to the ocean. The ocean…
Water Sustainability in Desert Cities
By Katelyn Neff Desert cities like Phoenix and Tucson face an increasing likelihood of severe drought conditions. Most likely to affect rising temperatures are concrete buildings emerging rapidly in urban sprawl, and the heat island effect in which urban temperatures spike higher than they do in the surrounding rural areas,…
Biodegradable Gel Can Prevent Wildfires
By Nathaly Garzon Wildfires have surged in recent years due to climate change. In 2018 alone, 1.8 million acres were burned by wildfires in California. Just last week, more wildfires broke out in the state as well. Scientists have predicted that the number of wildfires will continue to rise as…
Wildlife Conservation on Europe’s New Coastline
By Dane Gambrell Rising out of the marshy waters of the Markermeer Lake, five artificial islands make up the newly-constructed archipelago known as Marker Wadden. While the Netherlands has a well-known history of constructing dikes and dams to expand the country’s habitable territory, the Marker Wadden project is unique as…
Eco Village
EcoVillage, Ithaca New York Written by Katelyn Neff Eco Village Ithaca is a co-housing community. Co-housing is a form of community-oriented housing that has the privacy of individual homes with strong neighborhood ties and interests. Common houses are centered on sharing the space with one another, engaging in social…
The Atlantic’s Biggest Marine Protected Area
Written by Juli Miller Ascension Island is set to be the Atlantic Ocean's largest marine protected preserve. On August 24, the island's council ruled the 169,885 square miles (440,000 square kilometers) surrounding the island will be under the highest form of marine protection, barring all extraction activities and commercial fishing…