Search Results

Written by: Caroline Kim January 9, 2022 It’s been about 2 full years since the first lockdown from the pandemic, and I remember how there was so much sudden change. Schools closing, people working from home, and everyone suddenly wearing masks among many other things. But how did it change the environment? Was the impact better or worse? During the first lockdown, because everyone was at home and travel was not permitted, the outdoors were quite empty of people. It was said that as a result, air quality was much cleaner and that there was less pollution/waste in the environment. For example, there was less noise pollution, better water quality, and better air quality. Another major impact of the lockdown was air travel: because vehicles and airplanes are a major part of emissions into the environment, the decreased travel significantly helped the environment. One significant greenhouse gas that also was initially decreased worldwide was NO2, as it was decreased by about 50% in China, 30-60% in specific European cities, 54% in Brazil, and about 25% in the US. However, the reopening of airlines, workplaces, stores, and schools were inevitable. As the virus itself surged and places reopened, many negative impacts on the environment were brought about. For example, I’m sure you see masks thrown on streets all the time; I certainly do. Hospitalizations and the need for more materials has led to more medical waste, plastic waste, pollution, and hazardous waste. Other issues involve the use of strong disinfectants such as chlorine as well as more plastic consumption. Overall there were some short term benefits and long term harmful impacts on the environment from this pandemic, but there’s always room for improvement: public transport, renewable energy, wastewater treatments, and of course improved human behavior. Sources: Rume, Tanjena, and S M Didar-Ul Islam. “Environmental Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic and Potential Strategies of Sustainability.” Heliyon, Elsevier, Sept. 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7498239/. Gardiner, Beth. “Why Covid-19 Will End up Harming the Environment.” Science, National Geographic, 3 May 2021, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/why-covid-19-will-end-up-harming-the-environment.

Written by: Caroline Kim January 2, 2022 It’s officially 2022, and we have our first snow day of the year tomorrow. Schools are canceled in the D.C. area where I live, and students are all excited to have an extra day of winter break. In honor of this season's first true snow day, I thought I’d make this week's post about snow. Many love snow for the activities it brings or for the view, and others seem to dread it because it adds more hassle and cold weather. But what are the environmental impacts that snow brings to nature? Is snow good? Bad? Snow often positively impacts the environment and works to not only regulate the climate, but also organisms and water systems. For example, the high reflectivity of snow helps cool down the earth. On the other hand, what is known as “blankets of snow” can quite literally form a barrier that traps heat below the surface of a layer of snow .This keeps plants, fungi, and other small animals below the layer of snow, warm. In some sense, this partial warmth that the snow brings allows organisms to thrive. Even within the water systems, snow proves beneficial: the melted snow flows into lakes, ponds, rivers. Winter snows help comprise many and sometimes the majority of bodies of water. Melted snow can also be beneficial to plants by acting as a source of water that may not have ideally existed had it not snowed. Although there are many benefits that come from snow, an issue is that excess snow can cause more flooding in the spring season and landslides. Extensive quantities of snow, when melted, can overflow rivers and ponds, which may be a cause for concern. The rapid melting of snow can ensue with landslides and higher amounts of debri. Those are the fundamental impacts of snow on the environment; what do you think? Does snow outweigh the good or the bad? Personally, I’d say that snow has an overall positive impact on our environment, and as always I’d love to hear your thoughts! Sources: McDonough, Margo. “A Healthy Snowfall Offers Variety of Environmental Benefits.” A Healthy Snowfall Offers Variety of Environmental Benefits : University of Delaware, 2011, http://www1.udel.edu/udaily/2011/jan/snow-environment-011911.html. “National Snow and Ice Data Center.” Environment : Climate | National Snow and Ice Data Center, 2020, https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/seaice/environment/global_climate.html. “Snowmelt Runoff and the Water Cycle Completed.” Snowmelt Runoff and the Water Cycle | U.S. Geological Survey, 12 July 2019, https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/snowmelt-runoff-and-water-cycle.

Written by: Caroline Kim December 18, 2021 Last week, I talked about the effect climate change has on animals in the sea, but I also touched on the migration of animals such as birds and butterflies. Today, I’m going to continue this discussion: climate change can cause a major change in the migration of animals, and this change in migration pattern can negatively impact other species and the environment. In terms of initiating change in migration, the warmer weather can cause a change in the agriculture and environment. This means that the type of food certain organisms ingest will be different, their homes will be different, and the other species in the environment will be different. In order to survive and adapt, these animals change their migration patterns. Research suggests that these changes in migration can cause a geographic split in which different species of plants and/or animals can be forced apart. It can also cause pests/bacteria to spread in more areas or overpopulate an area. This imbalance could lead to a surplus ratio of prey to predators, and vice versa, causing issues among the entire environment. December is an exciting time of year with Christmas right around the corner, but there are a couple of details to keep in mind to make sure you are maintaining an eco-friendly holiday. Just like it was mentioned in the Thanksgiving blog, avoid wasting food; donate, measure out the perfect amount of food, or even save the food for later. Also, minimize your gift wrappings such as wrapping paper and plastic bags; excess garbage is almost never good for the environment. On the topic of plastic, consider using real Christmas trees, as they are not artificial or made of plastic. These real trees are biodegradable, have a much lower carbon footprint, and personally, I’d like to add that they smell much nicer. Additionally, be on the lookout for eco-friendly gifts and decor! Merry Christmas! Sources: “Migrating Species.” Conservation in a Changing Climate, 11 Sept. 2021, climatechange.lta.org/climate-impacts/migrating-species/#:~:text=The%20consequences%20of%20species%20migration,historically%20been%20unsuitable%20for%20them. Jessop, Andy. “Discover the Environmental Impact of the Christmas Season.” Commercial Waste, 4 Dec. 2021, commercialwaste.trade/the-true-cost-of-christmas/#:~:text=Accumulated%2C%20this%20means%20that%20during,food%20during%20the%20Christmas%20period.

December 14, 2021 Written by: Caroline Kim To animals, seas, mountains, and deserts are their home. We know that as humans sharing this planet, it’s important we do our part to preserve the environment. We also know that issues such as climate change can influence animals, but we haven’t explored that too much yet. So, today we are going to take a glimpse at how climate change influences butterflies and how pollutants can affect sea animals. Approximately 71% of the earth’s surface is composed of water, and about 20% of living organisms live in these bodies of water. The pollution, climate change, and different human induced activities all impact the environment and therefore the organisms living within the environment. For example, noises that humans make can largely impact the way fish and other animals communicate and interact with each other; this is because sounds travel much faster underwater. Fish and other underwater organisms make different noises and communicate to find partners, detect prey/predators, and prevent getting lost from a group. However, sounds from above the water such as traffic, construction, factories, and other exploration vehicles can cause excess noise, interfering with the underwater noises. As for pollution, the trash carelessly thrown out by people such as cans, plastic bottles, masks, and other garbage can directly harm animals; one example is the ingestion of plastic and garbage by animals, which can cause starvation/disease and lead to death. It’s important to keep in mind that the plastic wrapper that is left behind on the beach can be the direct cause of death in a sea animal. Shifting over from sea to land, I’m sure you can recall that childhood butterfly we always saw: the Monarch butterfly. As of 2020, the population of these warm-toned butterflies reached a major trough in 2020, causing many to believe an extinction of the species was near. To everyone’s surprise however, as of 2021, more than 100,000 of these butterflies were counted. Many suspect that the underlying cause is climate change. Not much research has been done on this yet, and we will revisit the correlation of climate change and migration in a later post, but what are your thoughts? Do you think climate change really is the answer or might there be other causes? Sources: Daley, Haven. “After Record Low, Monarch Butterflies Return to California.” MOppenheimTV, 17 Nov. 2021, www.moppenheim.tv/after-record-low-monarch-butterflies-return-to-california/. McFall-Johnsen, Morgan. “California Has 50 Times More Monarch Butterflies than Last Year - a Puzzling Blip in Their Path to Extinction.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Dec. 2021, www.businessinsider.com/california-monarch-butterflies-make-promising-puzzling-rebound-2021-12. “How Much Water Is There on Earth? Completed.” How Much Water Is There on Earth? | U.S. Geological Survey, 13 Nov. 2019, www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/how-much-water-there-earth#:~:text=About%2071%20percent%20of%20the,percent%20of%20all%20Earth's%20water. Zhang, Sarah. “Why Are There so Many More Species on Land When the Sea Is Bigger?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 12 July 2017, www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/07/why-are-there-so-many-more-species-on-land-than-in-the-sea/533247/. Larson, Christina. “Under the Sea, Humans Have Changed Ocean Sounds.” MOppenheimTV, 4 Feb. 2021, www.moppenheim.tv/under-the-sea-humans-have-changed-ocean-sounds/. Reddy, Simon. “Plastic Pollution Affects Sea Life throughout the Ocean.” The Pew Charitable Trusts, 24 Sept. 2018, www.pewtrusts.org/research-and-analysis/articles/2018/09/24/plastic-pollution-affects-sea-life-throughout-the-ocean.

Written by: Caroline Kim December 5, 2021 Something I’ve recently looked into this past week is the Clean Water Act (CWA), formerly known as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Essentially, the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) can control pollution and water quality (surface water only) in U.S. waters through the CWA. This act was created as a result of increasing concern in the environment and the state of the nation’s waters. Though it was originally outlined in 1948, it was significantly amended in 1972, and again in 1977. The CWA helps maintain existing water quality requirements, funds the construction of several water treatment plants and prevents individuals from discharging any pollutants from a point source (wastewater treatments, factories, and sewage treatments) into navigable waters. Even though the earth has more water than land, more than 99% of that water is unusable by humans, only increasing the importance of how we regulate usable water. Around 80% of wastewater in the world is dumped into the environment in an untreated state, dangerously polluting waters. 1.2 million deaths are caused by unsafe water each year. Therefore, containing water pollution, the contamination of bodies of water by substances that threaten humans/the environment, is a goal worth working towards. Groundwater, which many Americans rely on, is an underground network of waters which means it can easily become polluted and spread to oceans, lakes, and streams. Surface water, which is what we refer to when talking about rivers/oceans/lakes, is relied on not only by humans but also by many other living things in the environment; because it is on the surface, we often find that trash is directly dumped into surface water such as in local parks. Now, how do we prevent water pollution? Just this weekend my school’s Green Club hosted a trash pick-up event at our local park. We were able to find about 6 large-sized trash bags within just 2 hours. And yes, most of it was picked up near the stream. Picking up litter is an easy and effective way to prevent water pollution; you can also compost your yard waste and wash your car so that the water drains into a grassy area rather than into the street. Pick up some trash today! Sources: EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act. EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/cwa-404/clean-water-laws-regulations-and-executive-orders-related-section-404. National Geographic Society. “Earth's Freshwater.” National Geographic Society, 9 Nov. 2012, https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/earths-fresh-water/. May 14, 2018 Melissa Denchak. “Water Pollution: Everything You Need to Know.” NRDC, 9 Nov. 2021, https://www.nrdc.org/stories/water-pollution-everything-you-need-know. Ritchie, Hannah, and Max Roser. “Clean Water.” Our World in Data, 1 July 2021, https://ourworldindata.org/water-access#:~:text=Water%20and%20Sanitation-,Summary,access%20to%20safe%20drinking%20water. “6 Ways to Prevent Water Pollution.” Raleighnc.gov, https://raleighnc.gov/SupportPages/6-ways-prevent-water-pollution.

Written by: Caroline Kim 11/21/21 As we reach the end of November, Thanksgiving is most likely on everyone’s minds. It’s been on my mind for sure. We all look forward to big feasts, and family gatherings, but it’s important to keep in mind the environment. During the holiday season, it’s very easy for environmentally unfriendly practices to reach an apex. One of the largest concerns is carbon emissions: the carbon released into the air. These carbon emissions make up about 80% of greenhouse gas emissions, which can affect weather patterns, global temperatures, agriculture, and sea levels (see previous posts for more info). In fact, the U.S. is the 2nd leading country in carbon footprint shares, meaning we have some work to do. Two of the leading causes for carbon emissions include travel and food, two very relevant factors during Thanksgiving. One of the most well known Thanksgiving dishes is turkey; it’s environmental cost is much lower than other meats such as beef, but the impact isn’t nonexistent. In fact, a 16 pound turkey’s carbon footprint is about 43 pounds of CO2. If turkey isn’t a favorite, consider making more plant based foods, which have a significantly lower carbon footprint. Shop local foods, foods in season, and avoid wasting foods. For example, freeze your leftovers for later, eat the leftovers the next day, or give some extra food to family and friends. Speaking of family and friends, we know thanksgiving means family reunions and friendsgiving gatherings. The increase in travel can once again influence carbon emissions, and negatively impact our environment. To minimize this, consider carpooling: it’s easier, an eco-friendly practice, and often more fun. Along with the holidays should come even more mindful practices; don’t forget to thank the earth this Thursday. Happy thanksgiving! Sources: “Nine Tips to Reduce Your Environmental Impact This Thanksgiving Holiday.” UCSB Sustainability, https://sustainability.ucsb.edu/nine-tips-to-reduce-your-environmental-impact-this-thanksgiving-holiday. “The Environmental Impact of Your Thanksgiving Dinner.” Haultail On-Demand Delivery Network, 8 Nov. 2019, https://www.haultail.com/news/the-environmental-impact-of-your-thanksgiving-dinner/. “What Is Your Carbon Footprint?” The Nature Conservancy, https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/. Cairoli, Sarah. “Consequences of Carbon Emissions for Humans.” Sciencing, 29 Apr. 2019, https://sciencing.com/consequences-of-carbon-emissions-for-humans-12730960.html.

Written by: Caroline Kim November 14, 2021 In this final part of our discussion on Deforestation and the many factors that are influenced by it, rainfall, pastures, agriculture, and climate will be the central topics of concern. The Article Effects of tropical deforestation on climate and agriculture by Deborah Lawrence and Karen Vandescar guides us through this summary. From mesoscale models, it has been concluded that while temperature is a continuous issue, the decline of rainfall was minor in studies of Amazonian deforestation. In west African countries, it was also concluded that monsoon circulation provides more than 75% of the rainfall; thus, it is very sensitive to deforestation. Rainfall has shown a pattern of increasing downwind of deforestation and decreasing upwind in both Africa and the Amazon. Transitioning into the topic of Pastures, both small and medium spatial scales were observed. At small spatial scales, measurements of the atmosphere above forested and deforested land in the Amazon have indicated an increase in temperature and decrease in evapotranspiration. Medium spatial scales, on the other hand, show that there are fluctuations in the cloud cover that comes with deforestation; measurements in the tropics even show that rainfall is sensitive to these forest covers. However, they claim that, still, further work must be done to truly understand the effect of local climate factors including deforestation, atmospheric fluctuations, and sea surface temperatures. The next aspect of deforestation to consider is its effect on agriculture; observations have shown correlations between tropical deforestation and water resources/crop productivity. Models have shown that large-scale changes in forests in a region could result in climatic impacts that limit the productivity of food in other regions. Changes in the mean yearly temperature and precipitation are also predicted to reduce the efficiency of the crop and affect where it can be grown. For example, the cold air deviations in South America affect coffee crops; these deviations are said to be likely to increase with the practice of deforestation. Deforestation has also been shown to influence diurnal temperature oscillation, and observations from the Amazon have shown the variability in pastures that in forests. Because of this possible variability, crops would need to not only increase their tolerance for a variety of temperatures (both cold and hot). Along with climate detriments, a decrease in rain can deprive the soil of its moisture and have overall extreme effects on agricultural systems. Lawrence and Vandescar’s main points are these: deforestation affects temperature/rainfall, which affects agriculture. Citations: Lawrence, Deborah, and Karen Vandecar. “Effects of Tropical Deforestation on Climate and Agriculture.” Nature Climate Change, vol. 5, no. 1, 2014, pp. 27–36., https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2430.

Written by: Caroline Kim November 7, 2021 After last week’s overview on deforestation and some solutions, I thought I’d go more in depth on the topic. So, here is part 1 of a briefer analysis of the article written by Deborah Lawrence and Karen Vandecar’s “Effects of tropical deforestation on climate and agriculture”. This article provides some very insightful views on deforestation and all the different ways it impacts the world. The first topic this article reviews is general circulation models, which essentially allow researchers to model the effects of the climate (which is closely tied to deforestation) on the environment. Through this modelling method, researchers can predict the patterns of deforestation and its behaviors. The authors introduce the facts by making note of the fact that regional deforestation can vary from soil type, topography, vegetation, the land spread, and climate type. Because of all these factors, they explain that deforestation can never be conformed to one single outcome and behavior in all places. Through models, the authors were able to conclude that through deforestation, rainfall was reduced in certain regions such as the Gulf of Mexico, but increased in other areas such as the Arabian peninsula. After reviewing many studies with the general circulation models (GCM), information was found that tropical forest clearing exceeding 30-50% can cause reduced rainfalls which eventually lead to massive declines in the ecosystem and its function. This, too, varies according to the balance in land and oceans. The article also suggests that even small-scale deforestation in coastal areas can cause disruptions in the movement of moisture between oceans and continental interiors. Forests also tend to be important factors for the atmosphere as it controls evapotranspiration, condensation, temperature, and moisture. Next, comparisons are made between condensed and dispersed deforestation methods: smaller cells of deforestation that were separated by patches showed a smaller reduction in rainfall, but larger grids of deforestation patches showed even smaller reductions in rainfall. These findings signify the importance of how large patches of forest promote/sustain rainfall down wind. In terms of small-scale deforestation, it was found that small clearings resulted in increased rainfall over the deforested region. Simulations of rainfall were also done on forests, varying pastures, and it was once again shown that rainfall centers near deforested areas of land. They found that the magnitude of the increase in rainfall decreased as the size in patches of land increased. These are just some of the findings so far in this informative article, and the other half will come next week, but if you are interested, I recommend you give the article itself a read as it goes more in depth and shares some detailed data/charts. I hope you will stick around for more quick and informative reads! Sources: Lawrence, Deborah, and Karen Vandecar. “Effects of Tropical Deforestation on Climate and Agriculture.” Nature Climate Change, vol. 5, no. 1, 2014, pp. 27–36., https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2430.

Written by: Caroline Kim Tuesday 11/2/21 Deforestation: a prevalent issue that seems to have become normalized. It’s the destruction and clearing of forests either by natural causes or by humans. Deforestation is inevitable in a way, but minimizing the practice would greatly improve the environment. Deforestation is currently occurring the most in the amazon rainforest. From last week’s post where I talked about climate change, you’d know that this is a huge issue. Deforestation along with climate change, can cause numerous issues such as erosion, loss of habitat (of animals), increased greenhouse gases, and flooding. Deforestation can be credited to farming, the grazing of livestock, mining, wildfires, and urbanization. In fact, you’ve most likely seen land being cleared for building new homes somewhere in your community. One of the biggest concerns regarding deforestation is the amazon rainforest. Within the past year, it lost over 10,000 square kilometers; for reference, that’s roughly 13 times the size of New York city. The majority of this is due to cattle ranching; this is the process of raising cattle on pastures, which is efficient, but clearly detrimental to the environment. Fortunately, improved farming techniques, technology, and conscious practices can help restore forests to their previous state and health. In fact, it can be as simple as planting new trees, recycling, and using less paper. A farming technique to help maximize nutrients for cattle while maintaining land size is a certain grazing system: cattle graze on a plot of land and move onto another plot and rotate until the previous plots of land recover. As citizens who don't directly farm, consider avoiding palm oil, lowering your meat intake, and buying sustainable wood products. More conscious practice tips can be found on the homepage of this website under resources and top picks. Citations: “Effects of Deforestation: The Pachamama Alliance.” Pachamama Alliance, https://www.pachamama.org/effects-of-deforestation. \Nunez, Christina. “Deforestation and Its Effect on the Planet.” Environment, National Geographic, 2 Nov. 2021, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/deforestation. Derouin, Sarah. “Deforestation: Facts, Causes & Effects.” LiveScience, Purch, 6 Nov. 2019, https://www.livescience.com/27692-deforestation.html. Butler, Rhett A. “Deforestation in the Amazon.” Mongabay, Mongabay, 4 Dec. 2020, https://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/amazon_destruction.html. Fernando Ribeiro, Maria. “In the Amazon, a Farmer Practices the Future of Sustainable Cattle Ranching.” Mongabay Environmental News, 21 Oct. 2020, https://news.mongabay.com/2020/05/in-the-amazon-a-farmer-practices-the-future-of-sustainable-cattle-ranching/.

Written by: Caroline Kim October 24, 2021 One of the most popular topics amongst environmentalists is the idea of climate change. This may be because climate change is a major contributor to increased heat, drought, insect outbreak, or maybe it’s because climate change compromises agriculture, heatwaves, ecosystems, infrastructure, and flooding. Regardless, it is a topic worth speaking about time and time again because even with the amount of attention brought on the subject, more can be done to improve climate change. An important subcategory on the topic of climate change is Agriculture/Farming. As much as 10.5% of greenhouse gases are emitted from agriculture; the largest contributors to these greenhouse gases are currently carbon dioxide and methane, and nitrous acid. Greenhouse gases are able to cause climate change by trapping the heat. I recently viewed a Ted Talk video by Deborah Lawrence (Environmental Science professor at the University of Virginia). Essentially, it was about the importance of teaching people to understand the issue of climate change in order for there to be meaningful contributions and improvements for our earth. She shared about how she had done research on a small village in Borneo for climate change and how to use the rainforest for agriculture without using it up. This research was important for climate change because the rainforest functions to take energy from the sun and regulate temperature patterns. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to convey to the villagers the purpose and importance of her research, so the villagers no longer allowed her to stay in the village. She emphasizes the importance of informing others about issues such as climate change and the value of research. She explained how many little decisions can lead to one big choice to be good stewards of earth and the environment. For more information on what/how you can be eco friendly, check out last week’s post! Citations: “Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet.” NASA, NASA, https://climate.nasa.gov/. “Climate Change Evidence: How Do We Know?” NASA, NASA, 12 Oct. 2021, https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/.

Written by: Caroline Kim Saturday October 9, 2021 Earth is many things, but the first thing I think of when I hear the word “earth”, is home. It's home to not only 7.9 billion humans, 8.7 million species of animals, and 391,000 species of vascular plants, but it’s also home to an annual human production of approximately 2.6 trillion pounds of trash. In fact, in 2018, the U.S. alone produced over 292.4 million municipal solid, and nearly 50% of it was left to be thrown into landfills. Additionally, the average American produces over 2,000 pounds of trash each year. Plastic waste by Americans increased 40% from 2000 to 2018, and it is the hardest waste to recycle: only 8.7% of all plastic waste was recycled in 2018. Fortunately, there are some practices that you can immediately start incorporating into your lifestyle: stop littering, pick up trash, and consider the use of reusable containers as a pose to plastic bags. When you go on hikes, be on the lookout for trash, and pick it up! Bring friends and family with you and make it an event. It costs nothing, and you get great exercise along with some quality time outdoors. Excess waste and trash is only one of the many issues created by humans that harm the environment; Other harmful practices include overpopulation, pollution, the burning of fossil fuels, and deforestation, which has resulted in erosion, drastic climate change, and the deterioration of air quality. By harming the environment, we put all those living on earth in danger: sea creatures, plants, land animals, our pets, and our fellow humans. My goal is to promote alternative functions that would help decrease the damage done to earth. Some eco- friendly practices include biodegradable products, avoiding the use of bottled products, switching to reusable products, promoting ethically made fashion, and simply avoiding littering. In the upcoming posts, I will be talking more in depth about the individual concerns above, as well as the conscious practices. Sources: Dasgupta, Shreya. “How Many Plant Species Are There in the World? Scientists Now Have an Answer.” Mongabay Environmental News, 12 May 2016, news.mongabay.com/2016/05/many-plants-world-scientists-may-now-answer/#:~:text=Scientists%20now%20have%20an%20answer,-by%20Shreya%20Dasgupta&text=There%20are%20about%20391%2C000%20species,Kew%2C%20in%20the%20United%20Kingdom. Hallman, Carly. “The Trash One Person Produces in One Year.” TitleMax, 14 Apr. 2021, www.titlemax.com/discovery-center/lifestyle/trash-one-person-produces-year/. Deer, Ryan. “Landfills: We're Running out of Space.” RoadRunner Recycling, 4 Mar. 2021, www.roadrunnerwm.com/blog/landfills-were-running-out-of-space. “What a Waste 2.0.” Trends in Solid Waste Management, datatopics.worldbank.org/what-a-waste/trends_in_solid_waste_management.html. Society, National Geographic. “Human Impacts on the Environment.” National Geographic Society, www.nationalgeographic.org/topics/resource-library-human-impacts-environment/?q=&page=1&per_page=25.

Written by: Caroline Kim October 16, 2021 Leading an environmentally friendly lifestyle can be overwhelming and difficult at first glance: volunteering, going no plastic/waste, consuming exclusively sustainable goods, etc. However, there’s no need to worry because there’s many ways you can begin to incorporate healthy practices into your life step by step. You can start with building a simple habit such as bringing your own bag to the grocery store or bringing your own cup to your favorite coffee shop. There are so many ways we can contribute to this cause every day. Plastic is among one of the top items that pollute our planet. More than 300 million tons of plastic are produced annually, and about 8 million tons of this end up in our oceans. This inevitably results in the injuries and deaths of ocean creatures. Moreover, this excess plastic circulation/pollution poses a threat to food safety, human health, economic deficits, and tourism. Acknowledging this, consider switching biodegradable plastic bags (compostable), using reusable shampoo/conditioner/body wash containers, bringing your own reusable bag to the grocery store (as mentioned earlier), bringing your own containers for takeout, and using reusable straws. Plastic pollution may have seemed a bit more familiar, but what about beauty. Did you know the products you use when you get ready every morning could be harming the environment? Did you know your seemingly harmless beauty products could contain toxic chemicals, parabens, and phthalates? In fact, the same can be said about your clothes; Did you know polyester can take over 200 years to decompose? Not only can certain fabrics be detrimental to our environment, but it can also be unfair to those who work in labor factories for unethical brands. Therefore, consider checking to see that the beauty/clothing brands you purchase are eco-friendly: Everlane, Boden, Pact, thrifting, Alima Pure, and RMS beauty. Building up small habits and incorporating even the smallest eco-friendly practices makes a difference, so I encourage you to try some out! Sources: “Eco-Friendly Habits: 105 Ways to Live an Environmentally Conscious Life.” Eco Friendly Habits, 30 June 2021, www.ecofriendlyhabits.com/how-to-be-eco-friendly/. “Marine Plastics.” IUCN, 5 Dec. 2018, www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/marine-plastics.