Here are four very serious problems with natural gas: (1) drilling & fracking cause major emissions that harm the health of people and animals within a mile or so of the site; (2) indoor uses of natural gas (including in gas stoves) produce nitrous oxides that endanger people's health; (3) fracking wastewater is toxic and often highly radioactive; and (4) natural gas is a … [Read more...] about What’s so bad about natural gas?
Environment & Ecology
Bright Green Lies
This book made me recall the line 'Stop the world — I want to get off'. (I think it's actually the title of a Broadway musical back in the 1960s.) I won't attempt to do a review of Bright Green Lies,* but the opening gives you a glimpse of the problem: “We need to stop being guided by the general story that we can have it all,” Derrick concluded, “that we can have an … [Read more...] about Bright Green Lies
Neocolonialism v. Stewardship & Rights of Nature
It's widely accepted that electric vehicles [EV] are a solution to the fossil-fuel problem. Unfortunately, the huge demand for lithium and other minerals is actually creating another massive wave of environmental degradation and environmental injustice. Have we learned nothing in the last 100 years about the disastrous effects of colonialism and irresponsible extraction‽ We … [Read more...] about Neocolonialism v. Stewardship & Rights of Nature
Carbon Dioxide Waste Injection in Our Forests?
[Source: SEHN, the Science and Environmental Health Network.] By Carmi Orenstein, Editor The federal government—continuing to crowd out the real climate solutions we so urgently need—has another wasteful and risky carbon capture and storage (CCS) plan in the works. The United States Forest Service (USFS) quietly announced that, for the first time, it could allow … [Read more...] about Carbon Dioxide Waste Injection in Our Forests?
Week Nine: The Final Countdown
I can't believe we're already in week nine of the "Rethinking the Food System" project. Looking at all of the material, research, and effort we put into this project is rewarding and honestly changed my perspective on sustainability. Coming into the project, I was worried about not being able to keep up with the science/environmental aspect of the project, since I'm an English … [Read more...] about Week Nine: The Final Countdown
Week Five: Halfway There!
Now that we're at the halfway point of our project, we can see the end product(s) coming into view. Although our meetings are decreasing each week, we still met with three people this past week. On Monday, we met with Dr. Nishika Vidanage-Lulejian, a public health professor at Cedar Crest College. She also works for the CDC. As expected, Dr. Vidanage-Lulejian explained some … [Read more...] about Week Five: Halfway There!
Week Two: The Complexity in “Rethinking the Food System”
It's now our second week into the food project, and the information just keeps expanding. The amount of resources, people, organizations, readings, and opinions we have acquired this past week is exceptional. I think I speak for everyone on the project when I say that this week has been one big information dump in the best way. Here's a very brief re-cap of the amazing … [Read more...] about Week Two: The Complexity in “Rethinking the Food System”
“Rethinking the Food System” Introduction Week
We're a week into the "Rethinking the Food System" project, and the amount of information and meetings we have lined up is great. Food systems are vast, intersecting, complex, and difficult to revolutionize. For this project, the other interns, Peter, and I are focused on offering more sustainable options to restaurants, schools, and other organizations that would benefit from … [Read more...] about “Rethinking the Food System” Introduction Week
IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report
The long awaited AR-6 report was released a few days ago. There are no surprises for anyone who's been paying attention, but there's lots of confirmation of how serious the problem has become and that there are still possibilities for reducing the impact — with actions, not words! Sticking to the basics, here are some statements about AR6: “The world is in deep trouble … [Read more...] about IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report
Plastics — a ‘toxics crisis’ from cradle to grave
We knew plastics are harmful, but a new report by the Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health makes clear just how much harm plastics do at every step of their lifecycles. As reported in Inside Climate News, "…global plastic production, use and disposal patterns are responsible for significant harm to human health, the environment, and the economy, and are … [Read more...] about Plastics — a ‘toxics crisis’ from cradle to grave