“It had never gotten old for him, flying. Never gone boring. Every engine start was a new adventure, guiding the spirit of a lovely machine back into life; every takeoff blending his spirit with its own to do what’s never been done in history, to lift away from the ground and fly.” ~ Richard Bach (2009), Hypnotizing Maria

Why Engines Are Relevant to Eco-Friendly Innovation?

When we dream about eco-friendly innovation, oftentimes we also disparagingly dismiss all the innovation that has enabled climate change, biodiversity loss, daunting wealth disparities, and more. 

This is a mistake. 

Yes, the carbon emissions produced from airplanes, cars, buses, and other modes of transport have caused us many problems. 

However, they also solved many problems we had before the Industrial Revolution. 

Hear me out. 

With the invention of the internal combustion engine, we were able to make travel and transport significantly faster and more efficient. 

What did this lead to?

Here are just a few of the effects:

Children who initially lived too remote to attend school now could, thus increasing literacy and empowering all economic classes. Agricultural productivity skyrocketed because instead of relying on human and animal power, we could use tractors and other farm machinery, leading to greater food security and economic growth. 

Postal services were significantly faster, enabling quicker communication across long distances. Finally, engine-powered vehicles improved waste collection and disposal systems, facilitating the transportation of fresh produce and medical supplies, enhancing public health and sanitation as a result.

That is a long list of incredibly impactful outcomes, all with a direct link to the same invention. 

While now the internal combustion engine has resulted in issues related to climate, waste, pollution, and more, the history of problem-solving and innovation behind it still hold several important lessons for anyone interested in driving change. 

Those are the lessons I am going to share with you now. 

#1: Efficiency 

First stop: efficiency. 

This is one of the greatest strengths of the internal combustion engine. If you boil it down, it’s as simple as this: air and fuel go in, an explosion takes place in the cylinders, and power is produced. 

In reality though, the efficiency of our modern-day engines took over 100 years to perfect. 

The lesson here?

Optimizing existing processes can lead to better resource utilization than implementing something completely new, which is crucial to eco-friendly innovation. 

Example from Engine History: The transition from steam engines to internal combustion engines significantly increased efficiency. Steam engines were bulky and less efficient in converting fuel to motion, whereas internal combustion engines offered a more compact and efficient power source.

#2: Problem-Solving Through Iteration 

Most of us live in a binary of pure success or absolute failure. 

In actual fact, during creative problem-solving, success and failure aren’t mutually exclusive. 

This is why it’s important to understand the concept of iteration– testing, adjusting, all while constantly inching toward an optimal solution. 

This embrace of trial-and-error can foster resilience and creativity, which are necessary traits to the eco-friendly problem-solver.

Example from Engine History: The development of the jet engine involved numerous iterations and prototypes. 

Frank Whittle’s early designs in the 1930s faced multiple challenges, but persistent problem-solving and continuous improvements led to the successful deployment of jet engines during World War II.

#3: Collaboration & Knowledge-Sharing 

In a world of politics and competition at every level, this may seem like a naive but obvious lesson- to actually talk, collaborate, and share. 

Nevertheless, it must be noted.

Creating platforms for collaboration and open knowledge-sharing can accelerate eco-friendly innovation.

Example from Engine History: The collaboration between Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach led to significant advancements in engine technology. 

Their partnership and sharing of knowledge resulted in the development of high-speed internal combustion engines, which revolutionized transportation.

#4: Societal Impact

Last stop: societal impact!

This is frequently the lowest on anyone’s list of priorities, but to truly solve any problem, it is vital to consider how your work impacts a wider community of stakeholders. 

Understanding this can guide responsible development and help avoid any further damage to our planet or to other people in society. 

For example, the development of renewable energy technologies not only addresses environmental concerns but also has the potential to provide energy access to remote and underserved communities, promoting social equity.

Example from Engine History: The mass production of automobiles powered by internal combustion engines, pioneered by Henry Ford’s assembly line techniques, transformed society by making personal transportation widely accessible. 

This had profound effects on urban planning, commerce, and daily life.

The Future: Eco-Friendly Innovation

Now that you have peeked behind the curtain at some of the most valuable insights from over a century of innovation on the internal combustion engine, it’s time to talk about the future. 

According to the European Union Joint Research Commission, over 80% of all product-related climate impacts are determined throughout the design stage of a product. 

This means that sustainable product design is absolutely crucial to lowering pollution, increasing accessibility to all demographics, cultivating water and energy security, and so on.

We have a responsibility to be stewards to our planet and society, and one of the most impactful ways to do that is through our careers. 

By applying these lessons from the intricate history behind the internal combustion engine, not only can you be inspired by those who contributed to such an amazing feat of engineering, but also empowered to apply your creativity and problem-solving to creating eco-friendly solutions. 

Thought to Action

1. Pursue: Pursue an free interdisciplinary education online to expand your awareness of other subject areas. 
2. Embrace: Embrace constraints to fuel creativity. Some ways you can do this are by:
   1. Setting time constraints or deadlines to complete a project. 
   2. Create solutions that work within environmental limitations, such as developing products or systems that are sustainable, energy-efficient, or adaptable to harsh conditions.
   3. Design for users with specific needs, such as accessibility requirements. This can lead to more inclusive and innovative designs that cater to a broader audience.
   4. Choose a prompt, theme, intention or idea to commit to as your starting point then base your project off this concept. 
3. Seek Out: Seek out collaborations with professionals from other disciplines. 
4. Diversify: Diversify your reading habits. Explore books, journals, and articles from other disciplines. 
5. Join: Join or create think tanks and innovation labs that focus on interdisciplinary collaboration. These environments are designed to foster creative thinking and problem-solving across various fields.

Sources

Before you dive into the vast ocean of online information, make sure you’re not sailing on a raft of rumors…Check your sources!

Bach, Richard. Hypnotizing Maria. Hampton Roads Publishing, 18 Sept. 2009.

Bowie, Desiree. “What Is an Internal Combustion Engine?” HowStuffWorks, HowStuffWorks, 18 July 2023, science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/internal-combustion-engine.htm. Accessed 28 July 2024.

Frankel, Andrew. “A Life Well Lived: Tracing 120 Years of the Combustion Engine.” Autocar, Autocar, 15 May 2021, www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/life-well-lived-tracing-120-years-combustion-engine. Accessed 28 July 2024.

“Gasoline Engine – Internal Combustion, Ignition, Efficiency | Britannica.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 2024, www.britannica.com/technology/gasoline-engine/Development-of-gasoline-engines. Accessed 28 July 2024.

“Internal Combustion Engine Basics.” Energy.gov, 2024, www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/articles/internal-combustion-engine-basics. Accessed 28 July 2024.

Loughlin, Bronagh. “Why Is Sustainable Product Design and Innovation Important.” Institute of Sustainability Studies, 25 Sept. 2023, instituteofsustainabilitystudies.com/insights/guides/why-is-sustainable-product-design-and-innovation-important/. Accessed 28 July 2024.

“Malevus.” Malevus, 5 Sept. 2022, malevus.com/history-of-engine/#google_vignette. Accessed 28 July 2024.

Rong, Blake Z. “​​the Evolution of the Combustion Engine​​.” Popular Mechanics, Popular Mechanics, 5 June 2018, www.popularmechanics.com/cars/car-technology/a19854205/the-evolution-of-the-combustion-engine/. Accessed 28 July 2024.

“Sustainable Product Policy.” EU Science Hub, 2023, joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/scientific-activities-z/sustainable-product-policy_en. Accessed 28 July 2024.

Todd, Benjamin. “This Is Your Most Important Decision.” 80,000 Hours, 24 May 2023, 80000hours.org/make-a-difference-with-your-career/. Accessed 28 July 2024.

What is eco innovation. “5 Benefits of Eco Innovation.” Greenly.earth, 13 Feb. 2024, greenly.earth/en-gb/blog/ecology-news/5-benefits-of-eco-innovation. Accessed 28 July 2024.

The post Unlock Eco-Friendly Innovations: 4 Powerful Lessons from Engine History appeared first on Green Also Green.

When was the last time you cooked something that filled your entire kitchen with smoke? 

You had to open the windows, call the alarm company, and confirm that no, you hadn’t burnt dinner. Well…maybe. 

Of course, this is a disaster. Yet the even larger disaster is that inefficient and dangerous cooking methods are still a reality for billions worldwide. This leads to missed education and work opportunities, serious health complications due to inhaling toxic fumes, and increased air pollution. 

In fact, the inhalation of toxic fumes is the second biggest killer in Africa. It contributes up to 60% of early deaths due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. 

Pexels, www.pexels.com/photo/lit-bonfire-outdoors-during-nighttime-1368382/. Accessed 31 Dec. 2023.

Millions of African women every day spend hours burning wood over basic stoves in poorly ventilated spaces. As a result, they inhale toxic fumes and smoke from animal dung, charcoal, firewood, coal, and agricultural waste. This contributes to approximately 3.7 million premature deaths annually worldwide, with women and children most threatened.

This is important and relevant, even to a person living an ocean away from these biomass stoves. 

Why? 

There are several reasons. Global health impact, economic interdependencies, resource management, geopolitical stability, biodiversity loss, not to mention ethical responsibility. 

But I am not here to convince you biomass stoves must go. Nor do I seek to depress you with statistics. 

Instead, I seek to ask how the fields of public health and pollution control can come together to uniquely tackle this interdisciplinary problem.  

Public Health + Pollution Control: Why combine them? 

By combining public health’s pre-emptive insights with the reactive measures of pollution control, biomass stoves have met their match.

The liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cook stove. 

Wait, you’re thinking. You mean like the gas stove in my kitchen?

Yes and no.

These stoves are similar to the kind in your kitchen, yes. 

As they are a type of gas stove, they work in a similar way to natural gas stoves. However, they use LPG, a flammable mixture of hydrocarbons including propane, butane, isobutane, butylenes, and propylene. 

They are also one of the most popular alternative fuels used in the modern day. 

But also, no. These stoves are different from what you have in your kitchen. 

They are smaller and simpler to use, although still very expensive. 

In fact, according to this 2023 Fortune article, a new cooking stove can swallow up to three-quarters of monthly income for a low-income household, depending on the technology. 

However, making this change will pay back as much as four times the upfront investment within a year, due to the higher efficiencies of modern solutions.

So what is the innovation here?

Providing LPG stoves to replace biomass stoves is at the crossroads not only of pollution control and public health, but also of social justice and engineering. 

The insight lies in this: indoor air pollution is not just a pollution problem. It is also a money problem, a health problem, and an education problem. 

Pollution control is a field marked by its dedication to keeping our environment clean and safe. In this case, it is about focusing on managing and reducing air pollution. But that is not enough. 

Pollution comes from people, and people have a long list of reasons for causing it. Most of these reasons boil down to one word: inefficiency. 

It is, in this case, the field of public health that helps to identify and address this inefficiency. 

As a discipline, it is not only about treating illnesses, but about preventing them too. It considers the big picture of health and policy in order to improve healthcare systems across all scales.

So when you combine these two fields, it becomes clear that pollution is really a people problem.

 As such, it calls for a people solution. 

The LPG stove is a great example of this, not because it is without fault (because it still has a long way to go), but because it tackles a multi-faceted problem with a multi-faceted solution.

 It’s a solution that offers financial gain as well as improved health. 

This is crucial, considering the harrowing effects of household air pollution (HAP) and the crippling implications of poverty. 

Arslan, Adams. Pexels, www.pexels.com/photo/outdoor-cooking-using-firewood-11126365/. Accessed 31 Dec. 2023.

In fact, according to this 2021 article in the journal Nature, “for 3 billion people living in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), the simple act of cooking is a major health and safety risk”. 

Overall, household air pollution accounts for 3.8 billion premature deaths annually. 

On the flipside, this means that billions also stand to benefit from cleaner cooking technology. 

Not only this, but cleaner cooking technology could also act as a remedy to deforestation and climate change. While LPG gas is indeed a fossil fuel, much like oil and natural gas, it emits half as much carbon dioxide as cooking with charcoal. 

In fact, achieving universal clean cooking access worldwide would cut global carbon dioxide emissions by 1.5 billion tonnes, the same amount generated by all planes and ships today.  

What does this teach us?

There is a synergy between social justice and engineering. And that synergy is a source of tremendous innovation.

In a world divided by haves and have-nots, the voices of socially-committed citizens identify the gaps that engineers, policy makers, and entrepreneurs can apply their expertise to. 

The lesson is to run toward collaboration, not away from it, and in doing so, untangle the problems we once thought unapproachable. 

Thought to Action 

1. Adopt Energy-Efficient Cooking Practices: If applicable, switch to more energy-efficient cooking appliances in your own home. For example, using electric or induction stoves can reduce reliance on biomass fuels.
2. Promote Sustainable Cooking Habits: Share recipes and cooking techniques that require less energy or a lower carbon footprint.
3. Consumer Choices: Support businesses that provide eco-friendly cooking options or that invest in clean energy. This can include purchasing products from companies with sustainable practices or investing in green technologies.
4. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Implement and advocate for waste reduction strategies in your community. Less waste can mean less biomass burning, which contributes to indoor air pollution.
5. Advocate for Clean Air Initiatives: Write to local representatives to support policies that reduce air pollution, such as incentives for clean cooking technologies or stricter emissions standards for industries.

Sources

Check your sources!

“The Human Health and Conservation Connection.” World Wildlife Fund, https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/the-human-health-and-conservation-connection. Accessed 31 Dec. 2023.

“How Embracing ‘One Health’ Approach Can Create a More Sustainable Planet.” United Nations Environment Programme, https://www.unep.org/technical-highlight/how-embracing-one-health-approach-can-create-more-sustainable-planet. Accessed 31 Dec. 2023.

“Air Pollution Solutions: Technology.” Kaiterra, https://learn.kaiterra.com/en/air-academy/air-pollution-solutions-technology. Accessed 31 Dec. 2023.

“Access to Modern Stoves: A Game Changer for Africa’s Economic Development.” Fortune, 5 Dec. 2023, https://fortune.com/2023/12/05/access-modern-stoves-game-changer-africa-economic-developmentand-equivalent-carbon-dioxide-emissions-world-planes-ships-adesina-birol/. Accessed 31 Dec. 2023.

“Nigeria: How Clean Cooking Helps the Climate.” BBC Future, 3 Nov. 2021, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20211103-nigeria-how-clean-cooking-helps-the-climate. Accessed 31 Dec. 2023.

“Darfur Low Smoke Stoves Project, Sudan.” United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, https://unfccc.int/climate-action/momentum-for-change/financing-for-climate-friendly/darfur-low-smoke-stoves-project-sudan. Accessed 31 Dec. 2023.

“Zero Carbon Clean Cookstoves for Africa.” United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, https://unfccc.int/climate-action/momentum-for-change/activity-database/zero-carbon-clean-cookstoves-for-africa. Accessed 31 Dec. 2023.

“Household cooking fuel estimates at global and country level for 1990 to 2030.” Nature, 2021, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-26036-x. Accessed 31 Dec. 2023.

“LPG: An Alternative Fuel.” HowStuffWorks, https://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/alternative-fuels/lpg2.htm. Accessed 31 Dec. 2023.

“Scaling Clean Cooking Responsibly: Tackling Air Pollution Through Woman-Centered Model in Nigeria.” Climate & Clean Air Coalition, https://www.ccacoalition.org/news/scaling-clean-cooking-responsibly-tackling-air-pollution-through-woman-centered-model-nigeria. Accessed 31 Dec. 2023.

The post Air Renaissance: LPG Stoves, A New Dawn for Public Health and Pollution Mastery appeared first on Green Also Green.

As a constant force throughout human history, agriculture itself has faced massive changes over the course of time, and will only continue to do so. From domesticating plants and animals to genetically modifying crops, humans have been environmental engineers for centuries. 

Despite this though, food insecurity is still a major threat to many. According to a 2023 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) report on international food security and nutrition, about 29.6 percent of the global population – 2.4 billion people – were moderately or severely food insecure in 2022, of which about 900 million (11.3 percent of people in the world) were severely food insecure. It is projected that almost 600 million people will be chronically undernourished in 2030.

This is not only an issue in rural areas. In fact, urban food deserts represent a critical issue in our cities, where access to affordable and healthy food is not just a convenience, but a necessity for a healthy life. 

What Are Urban Food Deserts?

Medical News Today defines food deserts as regions where people have limited access to healthful and affordable food, often due to low income or the need to travel significant distances for healthier food options. 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) further elaborates, defining food deserts as areas with poverty rates of 20% or more, or where median family incomes do not exceed 80% of the median in urban areas (or statewide in nonurban areas). These areas also have specific geographic criteria based on the distance from large grocery stores.

The issue is more pervasive than many realize. Between 2000 and 2006, the USDA identified approximately 6,500 food deserts. It’s estimated that around 23.5 million people in the U.S. live in low-income areas more than a mile away from a large grocery store, with 11.5 million of these individuals being low-income themselves. 

This situation leads to increased reliance on limited food options available at convenience stores or fast-food restaurants, often resulting in diets high in sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats. 

The consequences? Higher incidences of obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related conditions.

What’s the answer?

Fortunately there are many, but today I’m interested in one in particular: the Glasir project. 

What I love most about it is that it sits at the intersection of architecture and urban farming. As a result, it integrates food systems into urban design, enhancing local food accessibility, and building community through education.

With that said, let’s look at urban farming like an architect.

The Intersection In Action: Fram Lab’s Glasir Project

What first caught my attention about the Glasir project, glasir meaning “glowing”, was its name, given after a majestic tree in Norse mythology, Glasir, that was “the most beautiful among gods and men”. 

Indeed, through its artificially engineered symbiotic relationship with nature and surrounding communities, the Glasir project evokes this very idea, revisiting both modular design and vertical farming with fresh eyes and refreshing creative force. 

FramLab. “Glasir,” FramLab, www.framlab.com/glasir. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.

Modular Design + Vertical Farming 

The project acknowledges the significant challenges of modern agriculture, such as its high water usage and large land requirements, which contribute to deforestation and loss of biodiversity. With the expected growth of the world’s population and the increasing pressure on land and water resources, there’s a need for more sustainable and efficient farming practices.

Glasir aims to address these issues by introducing a community-based urban farming system that leverages the advantages of modular design-an approach which divides systems into smaller modules -and aeroponic growth systems- a method of growing plants suspended in air. These structures are capable of providing affordable, locally-grown produce throughout the year. 

“By combining the flexibility of modularity with the efficiency of aeroponic growth systems,” its website reads. “The project offers self-regulating, vertical farming structures that can provide neighborhoods with affordable, local produce year-around.”

Modular design offers flexibility, scalability, and efficiency in construction. It allows for tailored solutions that can adapt to various urban environments, making the most of limited space in densely populated areas. 

Aeroponic systems, on the other hand, represent a leap in agricultural technology. They use mist to deliver nutrients to plants, significantly reducing water usage compared to traditional farming methods. This system also allows for faster plant growth and higher yields, making it ideal for urban settings where space and resources are limited.

By combining these two fields, the Glasir project creates a model for urban farming that is both space-efficient and resource-efficient. Each tree is constantly adapting to user demands and environmental conditions, all based on an AI model and environmental sensors that enables the tree to optimize its growth and distribution of production modules in response to solar gain, temperature levels, prevailing winds, and the presence of adjacent structures.

FramLab. “Glasir,” FramLab, www.framlab.com/glasir. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.

Addressing The Challenges Of Urban Deserts

Glasir addresses the challenges of food production in urban environments, where traditional farming is impractical. By doing so, it creates a symbiotic relationship between urban dwellers and their food sources, not only offering a solution to the problem of urban food deserts but also strengthening communities. It reconnects urban populations with nature, agriculture, and local food supplies, which are often lost in rapidly urbanizing environments​​​​.

This project not only addresses the practical issue of urban food deserts but also fosters a deeper connection between residents and their environment. It is based on a subscription service model for periodic distribution of crops to households, businesses, and schools. In addition to this, its embedded cavities and terraces in the structures invite the community to harvest fruits and vegetables, play, and explore. 

Glasir’s approach goes beyond merely providing food; it cultivates a sense of ownership and responsibility towards the local environment and community well-being. This model demonstrates the power of interdisciplinary projects in not only solving practical problems but also in building stronger, more resilient communities​

By incorporating vertical farming structures into the urban landscape, Glasir brings food production closer to consumers. This proximity not only ensures access to fresh produce but also educates and engages the community in sustainable agricultural practices. Such involvement can enhance community cohesion, as residents collectively partake in nurturing and benefiting from these urban farms.

By melding the realms of architectural and agricultural innovation, the Glasir presents a compelling solution to urban food deserts and goes further to reinvigorate community ties, serving as an inspiration for future urban planning, demonstrating that when we bridge diverse fields of knowledge, we can create holistic solutions that address both environmental challenges and social needs, paving the way for more resilient and connected urban communities.

Thought To Action

1. Plan Your Meals: Start by planning your weekly meals. This helps in buying only what you need, reducing impulse buys, and minimizing food waste. 
2. Embrace Imperfect Produce: Buy ‘ugly’ fruits and vegetables. These are often discarded for aesthetic reasons but are just as nutritious and tasty.
3. Master Food Storage: Learn the best ways to store different types of food to extend their shelf life. For instance, keeping apples away from other produce prevents them from ripening too quickly.
4. Compost Kitchen Scraps: Set up a compost bin for organic waste. This not only reduces landfill waste but also provides nutrient-rich compost for your garden.
5. Donate Excess Food: If you have food you won’t use, donate it to local food banks or shelters. This helps those in need and prevents good food from going to waste.
6. Support Local Food Pantries: Volunteer at or donate to local food pantries and soup kitchens. This supports your community and helps combat local food insecurity.

Sources

Block, India. “Precht’s the Farmhouse Concept Combines Modular Homes with Vertical Farms.” Dezeen, Dezeen, 22 Feb. 2019, www.dezeen.com/2019/02/22/precht-farmhouse-modular-vertical-farms/#. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.

Denisa Ogoyi. “5 Challenges the Agricultural Sector Faces in 2023.” Earth.org, Earth.org, 13 Feb. 2023, earth.org/challenges-farmers/. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.

FramLab. “Glasir,” FramLab, www.framlab.com/glasir. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.

“Glasir | Framlab.” Framlab, 2016, www.framlab.com/glasir. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.

“Global Report on Food Crises 2023 | World Food Programme.” Wfp.org, 2 May 2023, www.wfp.org/publications/global-report-food-crises-2023. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.

“Item.” Who.int, 2023, www.who.int/publications/m/item/the-state-of-food-security-and-nutrition-in-the-world-2023. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.

“Key Messages.” Fao.org, 2023, www.fao.org/3/cc3017en/online/state-food-security-and-nutrition-2023/key-messages.html. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.

“Origins of Agriculture – Research, Techniques, Domestication | Britannica.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 2023, www.britannica.com/topic/agriculture/Research-techniques. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.

“Publication Preview Page | FAO | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.” FAODocuments, 2023, www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cc3017en. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.

“The Development of Agriculture.” Nationalgeographic.org, 2023, education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/development-agriculture/. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.

“This Modular Vertical Farm Could Sweep Away “Urban Food Deserts.”” Euronews, Euronews.com, 19 Sept. 2021, www.euronews.com/green/2021/09/19/this-modular-vertical-farm-could-sweep-away-urban-food-deserts. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.

World Bank Group. “Food Security Update| the Bank’s Response to Rising Food Insecurity.” World Bank, World Bank Group, 13 Nov. 2023, www.worldbank.org/en/topic/agriculture/brief/food-security-update. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.

The post Urban Farming + Architecture: Outgrowing Urban Food Deserts appeared first on Green Also Green.

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The transition to renewable energy systems has become an imperative in the face of climate change and environmental degradation. Europe has set ambitious targets for renewable energy as part of its commitment to combating climate change and transitioning to a sustainable energy future. The European Green Deal, a comprehensive plan unveiled by the European Commission, aims to make Europe the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

As societies worldwide seek to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and embrace cleaner alternatives, the need for innovative solutions has never been greater. Space technology, with its ability to provide comprehensive data and insights from a global perspective, has emerged as a powerful tool in supporting the green energy transition.

The European Union has made significant progress in increasing the share of electricity generated from renewable sources. In 2019, nearly 35% of electricity generation in the EU came from renewable sources, with a total capacity of 132 GW of solar and 205 GW of wind power. This achievement is the result of a combination of public policies, private investments, and efforts to promote renewable energy at both the utility-scale and self-consumption level.

In this article, we will explore how space technology is being leveraged to support the green energy transition. From monitoring greenhouse gas emissions to optimizing renewable energy generation and storage, space-based solutions are playing a crucial role in shaping the future of sustainable power. 

We will delve into the various applications of space technology, including satellite data analysis, energy forecasting, grid management, and even the potential for space-based solar power. Join us on this journey as we uncover the synergies between space and renewable energy systems, and how they are propelling us towards a greener and more sustainable future.

Monitoring Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Space

Satellites as Climate Observatories

Satellites have long been used as essential tools for monitoring our planet’s climate and environmental changes. Their ability to capture data from a global perspective enables scientists to gain a comprehensive understanding of greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on our climate. In fact, satellites are responsible for measuring half of all Essential Climate Variables (ECVs), making them invaluable assets in climate research.

The data collected by satellites allows scientists to track changes in greenhouse gas concentrations, such as carbon dioxide and methane, over time. This information is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of climate policies, identifying emission sources, and developing strategies to mitigate their impact. By observing Earth’s atmosphere from space, satellites provide a unique vantage point that complements ground-based monitoring efforts.

Offshore Energy and the Role of Space Technology

Offshore renewable energy, including offshore wind and ocean energy, is a key focus area for Europe’s clean energy revolution. The potential for generating renewable energy from offshore sources is vast, but it also presents unique challenges. Space technology plays a crucial role in identifying the most suitable locations for offshore energy generation and optimizing the performance of offshore renewable energy installations.

Satellites equipped with advanced imaging sensors can map solar geometry, radiation, wind speeds, water flows, and other environmental factors relevant to offshore energy generation. This data helps developers identify optimal locations for offshore wind farms and other renewable energy installations, maximizing energy production and minimizing environmental impact.

Space Technology for Renewable Energy Mapping and Forecasting

Solar Geometry and Radiation Mapping

Solar energy is a cornerstone of renewable energy systems, and space technology plays a crucial role in optimizing its generation and utilization. Satellites equipped with specialized sensors can map solar geometry and radiation, providing valuable data for solar energy planning and optimization.

By analyzing solar radiation patterns, scientists and policymakers can identify regions with the highest solar energy potential. This information helps in determining the most suitable locations for solar power plants, maximizing energy production and minimizing installation costs. Furthermore, satellite data allows for accurate solar radiation forecasts, enabling better energy planning and grid management.

Wind Speed Analysis for Efficient Wind Power Generation

Wind power is another key component of renewable energy systems, and space technology aids in optimizing wind power generation. Satellites equipped with radar and imaging sensors can measure wind speeds at different altitudes, providing valuable data for wind energy planning and optimization.

By analyzing wind speed patterns, scientists and energy planners can identify regions with the highest wind energy potential. This information helps in determining the optimal locations for wind farms, maximizing energy production and minimizing installation costs. Additionally, satellite data enables accurate wind speed forecasts, enhancing the efficiency of wind power generation and integration into the grid.

Remote Data Collection for Offshore Renewable Energy

Offshore renewable energy, including offshore wind and ocean energy, presents unique challenges due to the remote and harsh environments in which these installations are located. Space technology plays a crucial role in remote data collection, providing valuable information for offshore renewable energy planning, monitoring, and maintenance.

Satellites equipped with remote sensing capabilities can collect data on water temperatures, waves, tidal flows, wind speeds, and other environmental factors relevant to offshore energy generation. This information helps developers assess the feasibility of offshore renewable energy projects, optimize energy production, and ensure the safety and reliability of offshore installations.

Enhancing Energy Generation and Forecasts with Weather Data

The Importance of Accurate Weather Data for Asset Management

Accurate weather data is essential for optimizing energy generation and asset management in renewable energy systems. Space technology, with its ability to provide comprehensive and real-time weather information, plays a crucial role in ensuring efficient and reliable renewable energy production.

By combining satellite data with ground-based weather observations, energy operators can make informed decisions regarding energy generation and asset management. Accurate weather forecasts enable operators to anticipate fluctuations in renewable energy generation, optimize power output, and plan maintenance activities more effectively. This information is particularly valuable for solar and wind power installations, as they are highly dependent on weather conditions for optimal performance.

Real-time Data for Flexibility in Electricity Supply and Demand

The increasing share of renewable energy in the electricity mix presents new challenges in terms of grid management and balancing supply and demand. Space technology, in conjunction with advanced data analytics, enables real-time monitoring and analysis of electricity generation and consumption patterns, facilitating the efficient management of energy systems.

Satellite data, combined with other sources such as smart meters and sensors, provides real-time insights into electricity supply and demand. This information helps grid operators identify potential imbalances, adjust generation and distribution accordingly, and optimize the utilization of renewable energy resources. By enabling greater flexibility in electricity supply and demand, space technology contributes to the stability and reliability of renewable energy systems.

Improving Grid Resilience with Space Technology

Grid resilience is crucial for ensuring the reliable delivery of electricity in renewable energy systems. Space technology plays a vital role in enhancing grid resilience by providing valuable information on grid performance, monitoring infrastructure, and identifying potential vulnerabilities.

Satellites equipped with imaging sensors can monitor grid infrastructure, including power lines, substations, and other critical components. This data helps in identifying maintenance needs, detecting potential faults or failures, and optimizing grid performance. Furthermore, satellite-based weather monitoring allows grid operators to anticipate and respond to extreme weather events, minimizing downtime and ensuring the uninterrupted supply of electricity.

Innovative Solutions for Energy Storage and Grid Management

Energy Storage Technologies for Renewable Integration

One of the key challenges in renewable energy systems is the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. Energy storage technologies play a crucial role in addressing this challenge by enabling the efficient storage and utilization of excess renewable energy.

Space technology contributes to the development of innovative energy storage solutions through data analysis, modeling, and simulation. By analyzing satellite data on energy generation, consumption patterns, and weather conditions, scientists and engineers can optimize the design and operation of energy storage systems. This leads to improved efficiency, increased reliability, and better integration of renewable energy into the grid.

Grid Monitoring and Maintenance with Satellite Assistance

Grid monitoring and maintenance are essential for ensuring the reliable and efficient operation of renewable energy systems. Satellites equipped with imaging sensors and advanced data analytics can assist in monitoring grid infrastructure, detecting potential faults or failures, and optimizing grid performance.

By analyzing satellite data, grid operators can identify areas of concern, prioritize maintenance activities, and optimize the utilization of grid assets. This proactive approach to grid management helps prevent outages, minimize downtime, and ensure the reliable delivery of electricity. Furthermore, satellite-based monitoring enables the early detection of vegetation encroachment on power lines, helping prevent wildfires and other grid-related hazards.

Virtual Power Plants and Peer-to-Peer Energy Networks

The increasing decentralization of renewable energy systems has led to the emergence of virtual power plants and peer-to-peer energy networks. Space technology plays a crucial role in enabling the efficient operation and management of these distributed energy systems.

Satellites provide real-time data on energy generation, consumption, and grid conditions, enabling the optimization of virtual power plants and peer-to-peer energy networks. By analyzing satellite data, energy operators can balance energy supply and demand, optimize energy trading and pricing, and ensure the stability and reliability of distributed energy systems. This contributes to greater energy independence, resilience, and sustainability in renewable energy systems.

The Role of Space Technology in Sustainable Space Missions

Green Hydrogen Production for Spaceports

Hydrogen is a promising energy carrier for space missions, and space technology is playing a crucial role in advancing green hydrogen production. Spaceports, such as Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, are exploring the use of green hydrogen produced through water electrolysis for various applications, including fuel cells and liquid hydrogen production for rocket propellants.

By leveraging space technology and renewable energy sources, spaceports can reduce their environmental impact, improve energy efficiency, and contribute to the development of sustainable space missions. The production of green hydrogen at spaceports not only reduces CO2 emissions but also improves energy dependability and competitiveness.

Solar Power Generation in Space

Solar power generation in space is a concept that has gained renewed interest in recent years. Space-based solar power systems have the potential to provide clean and abundant energy by harnessing solar radiation unfiltered by Earth’s atmosphere. This energy can be transmitted to Earth or used for various space missions.

Satellites equipped with advanced solar panels can convert sunlight into electricity, providing power for space missions and satellites in orbit. Future moon bases and other space habitats may also rely on solar power plants with regenerative systems to store energy for nighttime survival. Space technology enables the development and optimization of space-based solar power systems, offering a sustainable and efficient source of energy for various applications.

Thermal Systems and Cooling Innovations

The unique environment of space, characterized by the absence of convection, conduction, or combustion, provides valuable insights into thermal systems and cooling technologies. Space experiments conducted on the International Space Station (ISS) have the potential to revolutionize cooling in electronics and data centers, which consume a significant amount of energy on Earth.

By studying thermal processes in microgravity conditions, scientists and engineers can develop innovative cooling technologies that are more energy-efficient and sustainable. This has implications not only for electronics and data centers but also for the oil and gas industry, where fluid mixtures in the absence of gravity can improve resource extraction and processing techniques.

Exploring the Potential of Space-Based Solar Power

Advantages of Space-Based Solar Power Systems

Space-based solar power systems have the potential to revolutionize the way we generate and transmit clean energy. By harnessing solar radiation unfiltered by Earth’s atmosphere, these systems can provide abundant and continuous power, mitigating climate change and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

One of the significant advantages of space-based solar power is the higher solar illumination available in space, resulting in increased energy generation compared to ground-based solar panels. Additionally, space-based solar power systems can operate 24/7, unaffected by weather conditions or nightfall on Earth. This continuous power supply can be transmitted to different remote users on Earth, the Moon, or even other planets, offering a flexible and sustainable solution to the global energy demand.

Mitigating Climate Change with Clean Energy Transmission

The transmission of clean energy from space has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. By providing clean energy to remote or underserved areas, space-based solar power systems can replace traditional energy sources such as fossil fuels, reducing carbon emissions and air pollution.

Furthermore, space-based solar power can support the electrification of transportation, including electric vehicles and aircraft. The continuous and abundant power supply from space can create a sustainable and reliable charging infrastructure, addressing the limitations of current electric vehicle charging networks. This, in turn, reduces the dependence on fossil fuels for transportation and contributes to a greener and cleaner future.

Challenges and Opportunities for Space-Based Solar Power

While space-based solar power holds great promise, there are several technical and economic challenges that need to be addressed for its widespread implementation. The high initial costs of launching and maintaining space-based solar power systems pose significant financial barriers. However, advancements in space technology, such as reusable rockets and reduced launch costs, are making space-based solar power more economically viable.

Another challenge is the efficient transmission of power from space to Earth. Various proposals, such as wireless power transmission using microwaves or lasers, are being explored to address this issue. These technologies require careful consideration of safety, efficiency, and environmental impact.

Despite these challenges, space-based solar power offers tremendous opportunities for clean and sustainable energy generation. Continued research and development, along with international collaboration, will be crucial in unlocking the full potential of space-based solar power and realizing its benefits for humanity and the environment.

Collaboration and Research Initiatives

Cooperation between Space Agencies and Energy Sector

The development and deployment of space technology for renewable energy systems require collaboration between space agencies, energy sector stakeholders, and research institutions. Initiatives such as the Space and Energy Collaboration Workshop facilitate the exchange of knowledge, expertise, and resources between these sectors.

Through partnerships and joint research and development (R&D) activities, space agencies and energy sector stakeholders can leverage each other’s strengths and capabilities to drive innovation and accelerate the adoption of renewable energy systems. Cooperation in areas such as material testing, hydrogen technologies, photovoltaics, energy storage, and space weather forecasting can lead to breakthroughs and advancements in both space and energy sectors.

Identifying Promising Fields for Joint R&D

The identification of promising fields for joint R&D is essential for maximizing the synergies between space and energy sectors. By analyzing technology roadmaps and engaging with industry experts, space agencies can identify areas where space technology can contribute significantly to the advancement of renewable energy systems.

Fields such as aerogel manufacturing for insulation, high-temperature loop heat pipes for solar-thermal energy conversion, and compatibility of slush hydrogen with cryogenic upper stages have been identified as promising areas for joint R&D. These initiatives aim to develop innovative solutions, improve energy efficiency, and enhance the overall sustainability of renewable energy systems.

Technology Roadmaps for Space and Energy Synergies

To guide collaboration and research initiatives, technology roadmaps have been developed to identify strategic areas of focus for space and energy synergies. These roadmaps outline the key technologies, challenges, and opportunities in the intersection of space and renewable energy systems.

By aligning their efforts and resources with the technology roadmaps, space agencies and energy sector stakeholders can ensure that their R&D activities are targeted and impactful. This collaborative approach fosters innovation, accelerates technology development, and drives the adoption of sustainable energy solutions.

Conclusion: A Greener Future Powered by Space Technology

The convergence of space technology and renewable energy systems represents a new frontier in the pursuit of a greener and more sustainable future. From monitoring greenhouse gas emissions to optimizing energy generation and storage, space-based solutions are playing a vital role in shaping the green energy transition.

Satellites provide valuable data on climate change, air quality, renewable energy potential, and grid performance, enabling informed decision-making and efficient management of renewable energy systems. Space technology supports the development of innovative energy storage solutions, enhances grid resilience, and paves the way for the exploration of space-based solar power.

Collaboration between space agencies, energy sector stakeholders, and research institutions is essential for maximizing the synergies between space technology and renewable energy systems. By aligning their efforts, pooling resources, and sharing knowledge, these stakeholders can drive innovation, accelerate the adoption of sustainable energy solutions, and create a greener and more sustainable future for generations to come.

In the quest for a sustainable and carbon-neutral world, space technology proves to be an invaluable tool. As we explore the frontiers of space and technology, we unlock new possibilities for renewable energy systems, leading us towards a future powered by clean and abundant energy sources. Let us embrace this convergence of space and renewable energy, and together, we can build a greener and more sustainable world.

Thought to Action

1. Weatherproofing: Seal gaps, insulate windows, and weatherproof your home to minimize heat loss or gain, decreasing your energy usage.
2. Carpooling and Public Transit: Opt for carpooling or public transportation to reduce fuel consumption and lower your carbon footprint.
3. Bike or Walk: Whenever possible, choose biking or walking for short trips to decrease fuel consumption and promote a healthier lifestyle.
4. Energy-Efficient Driving: Adopt fuel-efficient driving habits, such as smooth acceleration and maintaining steady speeds, to save on fuel costs.
5. Reduce Meat Consumption: Eating less meat can indirectly lower energy consumption, as livestock farming requires significant energy resources.
6. Local and Seasonal Foods: Choose local and seasonal foods to support regional agriculture and reduce the energy spent on transportation.
7. Reduce Water Usage: Lower water consumption through efficient faucets, showerheads, and minimizing wasteful practices like running taps.

Sources

sascha.deutsch@esa.int. “How Space Supports the Energy Transition.” ESA Commercialisation Gateway, 13 Sept. 2020, commercialisation.esa.int/2020/09/how-space-supports-the-energy-transition/. Accessed 10 Oct. 2023.

“Space and Energy.” Esa.int, 2023, www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/Space_and_Energy2. Accessed 10 Oct. 2023.

“Space, the New Frontier of Renewables.” Enelgreenpower.com, 25 May 2022, www.enelgreenpower.com/media/news/2022/05/renewable-energy-space. Accessed 10 Oct. 2023.

UK Space Agency. “UK and UN Join Forces in Using Space Tech to Tackle Climate Change.” GOV.UK, 10 Nov. 2021, www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-un-join-forces-in-using-space-tech-to-tackle-climate-change. Accessed 10 Oct. 2023.

ways. “5 Ways Big Tech Could Have Big Impacts on Clean Energy Transitions – Analysis – IEA.” IEA, 2021, www.iea.org/commentaries/5-ways-big-tech-could-have-big-impacts-on-clean-energy-transitions. Accessed 10 Oct. 2023.

The post How To Use Space Tech To Transition To Green Energy appeared first on Green Also Green.

– “To fossil fuel or not to fossil fuel”, Inspired by William Shakespeare…but not written by him

Pixabay. Pexels, www.pexels.com/search/wind%20mills/. Accessed 25 Sept. 2023.

You rely on the energy industry every day. Turning on the lights, making a cup of tea, charging your phone…the list of simple tasks like these goes on. Where that energy comes from, who controls it, and how it affects the environment is a much trickier matter. 

“Energy” is a heated topic, especially in the face of both a cost of living and climate crisis. It’s one of those necessities that are charged with political baggage and still somehow unite us as humans. Since the beginning of history, our ability to harness energy from outside of ourselves is what propelled us into the future. Now, we are in an era unlike any we’ve seen before, an era of pivotal choice: Do we continue our reliance on fossil fuels or leap into the age of nuclear and renewables? How do we make the switch? What are the risks? What will it look like?

Many individuals much more qualified than me have already given their answers to these questions, and I wholeheartedly encourage you to go see what they think. I, however, am going to give you something entirely different. 

Instead of asking “What are the obstacles? What should we do? How do we make it happen?” I’m going to ask “How do we reframe the problem?”, and more specifically “What are we missing?”

Yes, you got that right. I’m going to play devil’s advocate for the greater good, taking some of the (in my opinion) strongest challenges to transitioning away from fossil fuels and considering what they get right. This serves to highlight the weaknesses in the way we currently think about the transition, and understanding these weaknesses is the first step to truly addressing them. 

So let’s dive in. 

Ideally, decisions in the energy industry would be guided by three main factors, known as the energy trilemma- affordability, security, and climate challenges. Any truly successful shift toward green energy would, in theory, satisfy each of them. 

van Heerden, Frans. Pexels, www.pexels.com/search/dam/. Accessed 25 Sept. 2023.

So what are they?

First, affordability. This aspect of the energy trilemma asks whether energy is affordable and accessible to all individuals and businesses. The current answer? No. As it stands, energy prices are highly volatile, in part due to policies transitioning away from fossil fuels, in part thanks to the geopolitical pressures of the Russia-Ukraine War. 

Next in the energy trilemma are climate challenges. In the COP26 conference in Glasgow, it was agreed upon that countries would phase-down coal power and phase-out “inefficient” fossil fuel subsidies.

Many would argue that the opposite has occurred. In fact, the 2023 synthesis report from  Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that there is a gap between “declared national ambitions” and “current implementation for all aspects of climate action”, making it likely that warming will exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius in the 21st century. Furthermore, according to Our World in Data, 73.2% of the global greenhouse gas emissions come from energy. This reiterates that reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the energy industry is particularly crucial. 

Last but not least, there is energy security. Similar to “affordability”, but slightly different, energy security is about whether energy production is stable and reliable. This involves a diversification of energy sources, resilience in infrastructure, having adequate storage facilities for energy, etc. The International Energy Agency (IEA) defines it as “the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price”. 

So there you have it, the energy trilemma- affordability, climate challenges, and security. These three considerations are being constantly juggled as the future of the energy industry is written. In fact, they are such a pressing concern that the United Nations’ seventh Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) is “Affordable and Clean Energy”, which outlines the goal of ensuring “affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all”. 

So we’ve established that we want “affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all”. Now, let’s hash out some of the more prickly points. I wholeheartedly welcome you to disagree, change your mind, and second guess. 

“Fossil fuels are needed for the economy to grow- a transition away from them would hurt the economy.”

The historical precedent for this is undeniable. How can wealthy nations expect emerging economies to grow without coal- especially when that’s how they did it during the Industrial Revolution? To add insult to injury, fossil fuel subsidies in these affluent G20 nations continue to reach dizzying heights. According to the International Monetary Fund, in 2022, fossil fuel subsidies even increased by $2 trillion USD from 2020 to 2022 despite COP 26 pledges to phase out “inefficient” fossil fuel subsidies. It’s a classic case of “do as I say, not as I do”, and unfortunately for those G20 countries, everyone hates a hypocrite. 

So clearly we rely economically on fossil fuels, right? 

The current volatile energy market begs to differ. Amid geopolitical tensions resulting from the Russia-Ukraine War, energy prices have spiked, trade flows have shifted, and supply shortages have created more pressure on countries to build long-term energy security. Between May and October of 2022, Russia cut gas flows to the EU by 80%. This is not even considering the pressure to develop more climate-friendly energy policies as a result of COP 27 and 28. 

So the 2023 energy landscape is a different beast than it was even a decade ago. The problems are different, so the solutions are too. After considering fossil fuel supply shortages and stricter climate policies, are fossil fuels the way this economy is going to grow? It doesn’t seem like it. 

So why not just use renewable energy instead without this whole debacle? Ah, good question, and the answer again harks back to the energy trilemma: affordability, security, and climate challenges. 

That brings us to energy security. 

“Renewable energy sources do not provide a stable source of energy like fossil fuels do.” 

Let’s address the elephant in the room, or rather, the solar panels and windmills outside.

I’m just going to say it: It’s true. Solar panels are less efficient when it’s cloudy. Windmills don’t work without wind.  Hydroelectric power requires water to flow quickly. And fossil fuels? They just need to be burned, and that is within human control. 

I’ll let you in on a secret. Fossil fuels are not actually as “stable” as they promise. As I mentioned before, geopolitical instability and increasingly strict climate policies have forced countries to rethink their energy mix and precisely how much they want to depend on importing oil and gas from other countries. The war in Ukraine has highlighted this, resulting in spiking fossil fuel costs. According to this BBC article from January, many countries have even pledged to either end or restrict their oil and gas imports to curtail Moscow’s revenues and stifle its war efforts. 

Yet not only is an energy mix of predominantly fossil fuels therefore unstable, but it is also temporary. Fossil fuels are nonrenewable, which means we cannot replenish them once we’ve used them up. In a longevity-focused economy, the long-term goal should be at the forefront of decision-making rather than an afterthought. 

That said, innovation costs money.   

“The initial investment cost of setting up renewable energy infrastructure is higher than their fossil fuel counterparts.”

The age-old rebuttal to every too-good-to-be-true idea: “It sounds great, but…that’s how much it costs?!” 

It’s true. Or rather, it was once upon a time, but according to an article from The Conversation, the cost of generating power from wind and solar has actually fallen significantly- 40% for onshore wind and far more for solar and offshore wind. This World Economic Forum article from 2020 even states that the price of solar energy alone has fallen by 89% in the past decade. This is then supported by a 2023 article by the World Economic Forum, which suggests that “2023 could be the year that renewable power reaches a tipping point where power-generation emissions begin to fall”.

So the question is not whether renewables call for a high initial investment, but whether they are worth the price. Some would argue they aren’t, as renewable energy is “unstable”, requires a significant amount of land and mineral resources, and might mean job displacement for many people. 

However, it can also be argued that it is worth it. With the jobs that are lost, jobs will be created. According to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency, “accelerating energy transitions in line with a livable climate could double energy jobs up to 122 million by 2050”, with up to a third of these jobs in renewable energy. 

Now hold on a second, you’re thinking. You keep talking about these environmental benefits, but it’s more complicated than that…

—. Pexels, www.pexels.com/search/coal/. Accessed 25 Sept. 2023.

“The production and disposal of renewable energy technology has negative environmental impacts such as waste generation, resource extraction, conflicts over land use, and deforestation.”

No one wants to admit that “green energy” can sometimes seem…not so green. For example, it sometimes fuels deforestation, which many call the “green paradox”. Some recent wind turbine designs which include blades up to about 100m long require about 150 cubic meters of Balsa wood from the Amazon, which is equivalent to several tonnes, and has resulted in land disputes with native Amazonians. 

In addition to this, the transition to renewable energy can threaten human rights. Many indigenous communities exhibit resistance toward renewable projects, even despite showing strong sentiments that climate change should be treated as a top priority issue. The reason? Many renewable energy projects take place on indigenous land or even involve their displacement from the land entirely. 

Another “green paradox” is renewable energy’s intense demand for nonrenewable rare earth minerals. According to this 2021 review in the journal Nature, we are not yet at the point where the demand for these minerals, such as cobalt and lithium, can be satisfied through a circular economy even though that is the goal. For metals, like aluminum and cobalt, “for which end-of-life recycling is up to 70%, secondary supply still only accounts for 30% of their growing demand”. As of the time the report was published, lithium recycling only accounted for 1% of the demand. 

In comparison though, fossil fuels are entirely nonrenewable and incompatible with a circular economy. While renewables might currently rely on nonrenewable earth minerals, they at least function on renewable fuel (e.g. wind, sunlight, tides, wave power etc.), making them by nature a better fit with a circular economy. 

In regards to human rights, renewable energy also trumps fossil fuels, particularly considering the rights to water, health, and even life that fossil fuel consumption in the energy industry threatens. 

Taking all these concerns into consideration, it becomes clear that renewable energy is not perfect, nor is it a one-dimensional issue solely centered on the environment. So how do we navigate the transition? 

It starts with questions, skepticism, and a fundamental mindset shift. 

To really appreciate the scope of a green transition, it is necessary to acknowledge that it is not only an environmental imperative but also a social one. In my next article, I will examine the multifaceted aspects of this transition, reframing the intricate relationship between all three components of the energy trilemma that were introduced here. 

Thought to Action

Turn your knowledge into action.

1. Energy Audit: Conduct a thorough energy audit of your home to identify areas where energy can be saved and costs reduced.
2. Peak Hour Awareness: Shift energy-intensive tasks, such as laundry and cooking, to off-peak hours to help stabilize demand and reduce strain on the grid.
3. LED Lighting: Replace incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient LED lighting to reduce electricity consumption and lower your energy bills.
4. Unplug Electronics: Unplug chargers and electronics when not in use to prevent “phantom” energy consumption.
5. Smart Thermostats: Install smart thermostats to optimize heating and cooling, reducing energy wastage and saving costs.
6. Energy-Efficient Appliances: When replacing appliances, choose energy-efficient models that consume less electricity over their lifetime.
7. Solar Solutions: Consider installing solar panels or solar water heaters to generate clean energy and potentially reduce your reliance on the grid.

Sources

Check your sources. 

“A Green Paradox: Deforesting the Amazon for Wind Energy in the Global North.” OpenDemocracy, 2021, www.opendemocracy.net/en/democraciaabierta/deforesting-the-amazon-for-wind-energy-in-the-global-north-a-green-paradox/. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

“A Human Rights Agenda for Ending Fossil Fuels.” Human Rights Watch, 29 Apr. 2022, www.hrw.org/news/2022/04/29/human-rights-agenda-ending-fossil-fuels. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

“Accelerating the Transition from Fossil Fuels and Securing Energy Supplies – Environmental Audit Committee.” Parliament.uk, 2022, publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmenvaud/109/report.html. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

“Accelerating the Transition from Fossil Fuels and Securing Energy Supplies – Environmental Audit Committee.” Parliament.uk, 2022, publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmenvaud/109/report.html. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Bernhard, Adrienne. “How Limitless Green Energy Would Change the World.” Bbc.com, BBC, 7 Oct. 2022, www.bbc.com/future/article/20221006-what-would-happen-if-we-had-limitless-green-energy. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Bordoff, Jason. “Why This Energy Crisis Is Different.” Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy, 24 Sept. 2021, foreignpolicy.com/2021/09/24/energy-crisis-europe-gas-coal-renewable-prices-climate/#cookie_message_anchor. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Clifford, Cat. “How Higher and More Volatile Energy Prices Will Affect the Move to Clean Energy.” CNBC, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2022, www.cnbc.com/2022/03/17/what-higher-volatile-energy-prices-mean-for-clean-energy-transition.html. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Fleming, Sean. “Rising Prices Could Shake the Energy Transition.” World Economic Forum, 4 Oct. 2021, www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/10/energy-transition-risks-crisis/. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

“Fossil Fuel Subsidies.” IMF, 20 Sept. 2019, www.imf.org/en/Topics/climate-change/energy-subsidies. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Grubb, Michael. “Renewables Are Cheaper than Ever – so Why Are Household Energy Bills Only Going Up?” The Conversation, 18 Jan. 2022, theconversation.com/renewables-are-cheaper-than-ever-so-why-are-household-energy-bills-only-going-up-174795. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Herrington, Richard. “Mining Our Green Future.” Nature Reviews Materials, vol. 6, no. 6, 24 May 2021, pp. 456–458, www.nature.com/articles/s41578-021-00325-9, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-021-00325-9. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Horton, Jake. “Russia Sanctions: What Impact Have They Had on Its Oil and Gas Exports?” BBC News, BBC News, 13 Oct. 2021, www.bbc.com/news/58888451. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

“How the Wind Power Boom Is Driving Deforestation in the Amazon.” Rainforest Journalism Fund, 2019, rainforestjournalismfund.org/stories/how-wind-power-boom-driving-deforestation-amazon. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

https://www.facebook.com/unep. “Why the World Is Missing Its Chance for Clean Energy.” UNEP, 2022, www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/why-world-missing-its-chance-clean-energy. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

“Human Rights Are Central to a Truly Clean and Green Energy Transition.” Amnesty International, 12 Sept. 2023, www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/climate-change/energy-transition/. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

“Investments in Renewables Reached Record High, but Need Massive Increase and More Equitable Distribution.” Irena.org, 22 Feb. 2023, www.irena.org/News/pressreleases/2023/Feb/Investments-in-Renewables-Reached-Record-High-But-Need-Massive-Increase-More-Equitable-Distribution. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Nations, United. “Energy Transition Is Good for Jobs | United Nations.” United Nations, United Nations, 2023, www.un.org/en/climate-action/energy-transition-good-jobs. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

News, BBC. “Why Is There a Global Energy Crisis and Who Might Suffer Most from It?” BBC News, BBC News, 30 Oct. 2022, www.bbc.com/news/world-63430824. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Niranjan, Ajit. “G20 Poured More than $1tn into Fossil Fuel Subsidies despite Cop26 Pledges – Report.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 23 Aug. 2023, www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/23/g20-poured-more-than-1tn-on-fossil-fuel-subsidies-despite-cop26-pledges-report?trk=public_post_comment-text. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

—. “G20 Poured More than $1tn into Fossil Fuel Subsidies despite Cop26 Pledges – Report.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 23 Aug. 2023, www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/23/g20-poured-more-than-1tn-on-fossil-fuel-subsidies-despite-cop26-pledges-report?trk=public_post_comment-text. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

“Public Supports Shift Away from Fossil Fuels despite Rising Energy Prices, Global Survey Finds.” World Economic Forum, 2023, www.weforum.org/press/2022/03/public-supports-shift-away-from-fossil-fuels-despite-rising-energy-prices-global-survey-finds. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

“Public Supports Shift Away from Fossil Fuels despite Rising Energy Prices, Global Survey Finds.” World Economic Forum, 2023, www.weforum.org/press/2022/03/public-supports-shift-away-from-fossil-fuels-despite-rising-energy-prices-global-survey-finds. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

“Renewables Are the Key to Green, Secure, Affordable Energy.” World Bank Blogs, 21 June 2022, blogs.worldbank.org/energy/renewables-are-key-green-secure-affordable-energy. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

“Respecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as Renewable Energy Grows (SSIR).” Ssir.org, 2018, ssir.org/articles/entry/respecting_the_rights_of_indigenous_peoples_as_renewable_energy_grows. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Ritchie, Hannah, et al. “CO₂ and Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” Our World in Data, 11 May 2020, ourworldindata.org/emissions-by-sector#energy-electricity-heat-and-transport-73-2. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Roser, Max. “Climate Change: How Expensive Is Renewable Energy?” World Economic Forum, 4 Dec. 2020, www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/12/renewables-energy-price-cost-cheap-climate-change-sustainability/. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Steiner, Achim. “How to Make Clean, Affordable Energy Available to Everyone.” World Economic Forum, July 2022, www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/07/3-ways-to-transform-energy-systems-for-a-sustainable-and-equitable-future-for-all/. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Thomson, Ewan. “6 Ways Ukraine War Led Energy Crisis Reshaped the World.” World Economic Forum, 8 Nov. 2022, www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/11/russia-ukraine-invasion-global-energy-crisis/. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

—. “We’re close to a New Era of Renewable Power Generation.” World Economic Forum, 12 Apr. 2023, www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/04/electricity-generation-solar-wind-renewables-ember/. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

Wallach, Omri. “Here’s How Clean Energy Will Change the Global Jobs Market.” World Economic Forum, 25 Mar. 2022, www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/03/the-clean-energy-employment-shift-by-2030/. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

“World Energy Transitions Outlook.” Irena.org, 30 June 2021, www.irena.org/publications/2021/Jun/World-Energy-Transitions-Outlook. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

The post The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Green Transition: To Fossil Fuel Or Not To Fossil Fuel? appeared first on Green Also Green.

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“We’re all just walking each other home.” -Ram Dass

(Scroll to the bottom for a glossary on some of the jargon used in this article)

I’ve come to the conclusion that there are two main reactions to words like “cyber”, “quantum”, and “AI”. Either these words make you shut down, overwhelmed by the fast-paced technological advancement overtaking the world, or they make you feel spunky and fresh, one with the cool kids of Silicon Valley. Along the spectrum that lies between these two responses are those of us who will throw words like “blockchain” and “quantum” into our sentences to sound more intelligent, those of us who stubbornly pretend to know how to fix wifi connection problems in front of partners or obnoxious siblings, and -of course- those of us who deflect our tech-related embarrassment with a condescending “okay boomer.”

That said, human connection is a serious business, and by association, so is anything that interferes with it. Ever since homo sapiens first had the intellectual bandwidth to think at all, we’ve been pondering this question. In recent years, however, the matter of human connection has gotten a lot more tricky. Now, rather than show romantic interest in someone through merely buying them flowers or asking them out, you also need to comment on or at least like all their social media posts, and never leave them on read. If you’re thinking “Who cares? Why not just call?”, then you might be from the generation who acknowledges texts with an “OK.” rather than “okay” or “ok” and doesn’t even realize how passive aggressive it comes across. If that still isn’t you, it might be the case that you use excessive emojis without realizing their meaning- mostly the fruit and vegetable emojis, which should just be off-limits if you don’t know what they stand for. 

Yes, it might seem trivial when you think about tech in the context of how you text your grandparents or block ex-boyfriends, but the way we interact on digital spaces is a much larger consideration than you probably ever realized. In fact, in 2021 the World Economic Forum placed digital inequality, adverse tech advances, IT infrastructure breakdown and digital power concentration among the top global risks, alongside risks like infectious diseases, climate action failure, and biodiversity loss. Among the top 10 risks by likelihood were digital power concentration, digital inequality, and cybersecurity failure. 

So yes, cybersecurity matters to you, particularly if you are a business-owner, policy-maker, banker, or, for that matter, anyone who depends on privacy and security online. In fact, according to IBM, the average cost of a data breach in 2020 was $3.86 USD million globally, and $8.64 USD million in the United States alone. This includes the cost of discovering and responding to the breach, the cost of “downtime and lost revenue”, and the “long-term reputational damage to a business and its brand”. 

Technology already advances at a high speed many of us struggle to keep up with, but the real cherry on top is that the emergence of the Quantum Computing age could throw into question our current methods of encryption, which many organizations rely on. This World Economic Forum post on quantum security even goes as far as to say this risk could prevent “technology’s true value from being realized” and that this issue requires immediate attention. 

That said, save the doom and gloom, because if we get cybersecurity right, it could strengthen cyber resilience in the power grid, preventing large-scale blackouts that can have severe socio-economic consequences for households, businesses, and schools. In fact, a six hour winter blackout in mainland France could result in damages totalling over 1.5 billion euros, which is equal to $1.7 USD billion. The healthcare industry would also benefit, as cyber attacks are sadly a very common occurrence. The most frequent of these are ransomware attacks on healthcare providers, in which hackers lock IT systems and demand payment to unlock them. According to a study by the World Economic Forum, 15% of ransomware attacks led to patients being redirected to other facilities, 30% caused appointment cancellations, and some services were disrupted for almost four months. Also according to the study, ransomware attacks on the sector occurred at a rate of four incidents per week in the first half of 2021. With a dizzying lack of public reporting, the article says this is only “the tip of the iceberg”. 

Yikes! Are all our dystopian sci-fi nightmares coming true? Will Siri get revenge for all the times you asked her to beatbox? Alas, I don’t have the answers to this, but I would also say that to think about the future in such binary terms- pun intended- is a mistake. Since when do such big societal shifts ever bring pure good or pure evil? With every drawback is another added benefit to whatever advancement takes place. That said, just to be safe, be nice to Siri and ChatGPT. 

Speaking of being nice, cybersecurity also poses big questions about the essence of human connection, truth, power, and meaning. The work of Emmanuel Levinas, a 20th century philosopher who focused on the ethical dimension of human relationships, is particularly striking to me. According to him, human connection is not only a matter of social convention, but also makes an ethical demand. “The Other is the very idea of transcendence,” he writes in From Totality and Infinity. “Without the Other, I would not be a being, I would not be.” In meditating on these words, I am drawn to the link between Levinas’ idea of the Other as the “very idea of transcendence” and the attitude in Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Confucianism that the ego is a source of suffering- “a veil between humans and God” according to Rumi. To Levinas, however, this transcendence through encountering the Other is ethically profound. “The face is what forbids us to kill,” he states, the “face” encapsulating an overall presence. Still, it is haunting imagery if you only consider how connection on digital spaces masks the literal face of the Other. 

That said, if you find my philosophical musings pretentious, save the eye roll. Connection over digital spaces really is practically important. It even has a name: digital inequality. This is a phrase used to encompass the difficulty of making digital technology beneficial to all, and challenges us to address the social divisions which exist in our online spaces. Some examples are the differences in wifi bandwidth, awareness of how to avoid scams or unsafe websites, different behaviors toward online consumption, and varying degrees of exposure to different news outlets, social media content, and more. Experts divide current digital inequality into three categories: the universal access divide, the social divide, and the gender divide, with each one leading to an overall decrease in educational opportunities, healthcare access, and social support. Addressing these issues and leveling the online playing field could have surprising ramifications for those who experience exclusion online or obstacles in simply accessing digital technologies in the first place. So while digital inequality is tied more to the social side of online interactions, it is still a crucial component of our interactions with technology. 

Don’t just take my word for it! The value of human connection has been depicted all throughout psychology. In fact, a landmark survey in 1988, Social relationships and health by James S. House, Karl R. Landis, and Debra Umberson, provides strong empirical evidence which supports the view that social relationships impact on physical health. The paper consistently shows an increased risk of death for people with low quality or quantity of “social relationships”, reiterating the narrative of human connection’s importance to physical health. Ultimately, we all have a need to belong, even in an increasingly digitized world. 

Nevertheless, binging try-not-to-laugh cat videos on YouTube won’t kill you. In fact, the future of cybersecurity has much to be excited about, including the potential for passwords and cloud storage to be obsolete by 2031, but more importantly, for our digital spaces to promote environmental, social, and economic prosperity worldwide. Imagine a time when we don’t leave older generations behind with every new technological advance, a world where getting a world-class education is only as expensive as connecting to the wifi. Imagine a world where technological innovation mitigates climate change and fights back against the decline in biodiversity. This is a world we can create if we take responsibility for the world we have created thus far. 

Glossary

Thought to Action

1. Use strong privacy settings on online profiles and accounts.
   1. Review the privacy settings for each social media platform or online account and adjust them to your preferences.
   2. Limit the amount of personal information that you share online, such as your full name, date of birth, address, and phone number.
   3. Control who can view your profile, posts, and photos by adjusting your privacy settings accordingly.
   4. Avoid sharing sensitive information, such as your Social Security number, financial information, or passwords, online.
   5. Be selective about who you add as a friend or follower on social media platforms and avoid accepting friend requests from strangers.
   6. Turn off location services or geotagging features that share your location with others.
   7. Use caution when posting photos or videos online, especially ones that reveal personal details or locations.
   8. Enable two-factor authentication or login alerts to receive notifications when someone tries to access your account.
      1. Two-factor authentication= a security feature which requires two different pieces of information to allow you access into an account. 
   9. Regularly review your privacy settings and adjust them as needed to ensure that you are comfortable with the information that you are sharing online.
2. Use anti-virus software and a firewall on all devices.
   1. Some anti-virus software programs:
      1. Norton
      2. McAfee
      3. Avast
   2. To install anti-virus software, just download the software from the provider’s website and double-click the downloaded file to install. Follow the prompts to complete your installation. 
   3. Lots of devices come with built-in firewalls, so yours might already have one installed. That said, to install firewall software, simply go to the provider’s website, download the software, and double-click to install. Once installed, it should automatically start blocking unauthorized access to your device. 
   4. Watch this video on how to prevent cyber attacks. 
3. Take advantage of free digital resources, such as online courses, eBooks, and podcasts. 
   1. Some great ebook resources:
      1. Project Gutenberg: A library of over 70,000 free ebooks
      2. Open Library: “…an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published”
      3. Smashwords: Allows you to “browse nearly one million original ebooks, including approximately 100,000 priced every day at free”
   2. Awesome Podcasts:
      1. TED Talks
      2. Radiolab
      3. Freakonomics Radio
      4. Ologies
      5. Planet Money
   3. Free online educational resources:
      1. Khan Academy
      2. Coursera
      3. edX
4. Seek out diverse perspectives and voices online to broaden understanding and awareness. 
   1. Use inclusive language that respects different identities and experiences. 
   2. Ask open-ended questions to encourage dialogue. 
   3. Avoid stereotypes.
   4. Be open to feedback. 
5. Be open to adapting to and learning about new digital technologies and trends. 

Sources

You know what Edgar Allan Poe once said… “Believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see.”

He had nothing to say about what you read. 

Baumeister, R. F., and M. R. Leary. “The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human Motivation.” Psychological Bulletin, vol. 117, no. 3, 1 May 1995, pp. 497–529, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7777651/. Accessed 4 May 2023.

Bergo, Bettina. “Emmanuel Levinas.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 2019, plato.stanford.edu/entries/levinas/#TimeTranSoci. Accessed 4 May 2023.

“Cybersecurity.” World Economic Forum, www.weforum.org/topics/cyber-security. Accessed 4 May 2023.

Daniel, Michael, and Colin Soutar. Systemic Cybersecurity Risk and Role of the Global Community: Managing the Unmanageable B R I E F I N G P a P E R N O v E M B E R 2 0 2 2. Nov. 2022.

Fleming, Sean. “These Are the World’s Greatest Threats in 2021.” World Economic Forum, 19 Jan. 2021, www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/these-are-the-worlds-greatest-threats-2021/. Accessed 5 May 2023.

Heeks, Richard. “Digital Inequality beyond the Digital Divide: Conceptualizing Adverse Digital Incorporation in the Global South.” Information Technology for Development, 7 July 2022, pp. 1–17, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02681102.2022.2068492, https://doi.org/10.1080/02681102.2022.2068492. Accessed 5 May 2023.

House, James S. , et al. “Social Relationships and Health.” Science, vol. 241, no. 4865, 29 July 1988, www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.3399889?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed. Accessed 4 May 2023.

“How to Prevent Cyber Attacks? Here Are 5 Tips.” World Economic Forum, www.weforum.org/videos/5-tips-to-avoid-cyberattacks. Accessed 4 May 2023.

Ngila, Faustine. “This New Cybersecurity Centre Will Help Protect African Countries from Cybercrime.” World Economic Forum, 24 Aug. 2022, www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/08/togos-new-cybersecurity-africa-nations/. Accessed 4 May 2023.

Office for National Statistics. “Exploring the UK’s Digital Divide – Office for National Statistics.” Ons.gov.uk, 2019, www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/householdcharacteristics/homeinternetandsocialmediausage/articles/exploringtheuksdigitaldivide/2019-03-04#the-scale-of-digital-exclusion-in-the-uk. Accessed 4 May 2023.

Paduret, Dan Cristian. Pexels, www.pexels.com/photo/blue-and-yellow-phone-modules-1476321/. Accessed 4 May 2023.

Pixabay. Pexels, www.pexels.com/photo/abstract-beads-blur-bright-276218/. Accessed 4 May 2023.

“The Importance of Human Connection.” Worldcouncilforhealth.org, 2 Feb. 2022, worldcouncilforhealth.org/resources/human-connection/. Accessed 4 May 2023.

Wei, Shang-Jin. “How Can Digital Technology Tackle Inequality?” World Economic Forum, 12 Nov. 2019, www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/11/how-can-digital-technology-tackle-inequality/. Accessed 4 May 2023.

“What Makes Us Human? | Roy Baumeister | TEDxUQ.” Www.youtube.com, 26 Sept. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwlDLe6O7NE. Accessed 4 May 2023.

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. “Strengthening the Cyber Resilience of the Power Grid.” World Economic Forum, 15 Mar. 2023, www.weforum.org/impact/cybersecurity-in-electricity/. Accessed 4 May 2023.

World Economic Forum’s Centre for Cybersecurity. “Quantum Security.” World Economic Forum, www.weforum.org/projects/quantum-security. Accessed 4 May 2023.

The post Cyber Rebels Unite: Hacking Inequality To Spark A Digital Revolution appeared first on Green Also Green.

It’s that time of the month when Auntie Flo comes around and you ride the crimson wave. It’s shark week… but also strawberry week…and also lingonberry week if you’re Swedish. It’s code red! Granny’s stuck in traffic! Les Anglais ont débarqué! If you think I’m describing a doomsday scenario with a side of red fruit and your grandma, I understand. In reality, I was describing something much more common via a hefty helping of obscure albeit artful euphemisms. 

You probably know this: There are certain words you just don’t say. This includes the p-word: “Shark week” (Australia) or “strawberry week” (Austria, Hungary, Latvia, Norway, Switzerland, and Germany); the m-word: “reverse puberty”, “second spring”, “the change”; or the v-word: papa (Used in Spain, slang for a double-chin), ke manju (Japanese for “hairy bean paste bun”). If you know what the p-word, m-word, and v-word are but cannot say them out loud, this is your turn to try. Say it with me: Period. Menopause. Vagina. These are natural and normal parts of life, but many cannot even say these words out loud, let alone hear someone else saying them without cringing. 

After indulging myself in a fascinating deep dive into why period poverty is such a pressing issue, how dance can be used to dismantle the shame surrounding menopause, how art can tackle the stigma surrounding menstruation, and the centuries-old marriage between material science and menstrual technologies, I was left with another question that called for more than just a brief web surf: Why can’t we talk about it? And more questions: When did our societal silence start? What makes menstruation and menopause different from other taboo topics like politics and religion? Why do these natural, normal, perfectly-healthy, and near-universal experiences evoke shame? 

Despite what I’d initially thought, a dig into the origin of menstrual and menopausal stigma suggested that even among the experts, it is unclear where it comes from. It was, however, clear that the stigma pre-dates the dawn of language in almost every culture, with a few exceptions. This article from Clue draws heavily on the theory proposed by Christ Knight, a social anthropologist at London University who has researched the “deep historical roots of menstrual taboo”. 

Knight’s view is that the original taboos were born of “female-led” and “female-advantaging” behaviors in early humans, which allowed them to assert menstruation as a time when their bodies were untouchable. While this originally reinforced female autonomy, it became a negative taboo when big animals became more scarce and the traditional hunter-gatherer rhythms were altered. This disrupted female solidarity as it became necessary to gather food more frequently, meaning that the menstrual cycle was no longer synchronized with the process of hunting large game. 

Knight then goes on to suggest that the response to this was men beginning to ritualize their own version of menstruation by cutting their penises and sometimes other parts of the body. The menstrual huts that females used to gather in to menstruate together were reassigned for the “new, better synced, male bleeding ritual” in which they would bleed together.  According to Knight, this is at the heart of all the world’s patriarchal religions, in which temples and churches reflect this male-controlled and dominated atmosphere. “At the base of all the world’s religions, we find one fundamental idea. Some things are sacred. And if the body isn’t sacred, nothing is,” he says. “Blood was a mark of the sacredness of the body. So the paradox is, that the very thing that benefited women throughout evolution is now made to be, and experienced as, the most disempowering.”

Regardless of whether you believe Knight’s theory is accurate, he acknowledges the paradox of power and struggle that is a hallmark of the shame surrounding menstruation and menopause. If the body isn’t sacred, nothing is, he says, and yet there is some nagging sensation that for a large chunk of history, the body is the farthest thing from sacred that there is. To speak of menopause and menstruation specifically, you need only consider the over 5000 slang terms used to describe these natural and healthy processes to bear witness to this attitude. Not only is the body not spoken of as sacred, but it is spoken of as repugnant, dirty, and worst yet, shameful. 

Shame. It’s an unassuming five-lettered word with big implications on the individual and societal level. It thrives on silence and feasts on your inner doubts, leading to symptoms such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and more. Here you might be thinking that this is making a mountain out of a molehill- or a crimson wave out of a puddle- but the excessive use of hurtful euphemisms and slang actually serves to reinforce the much more ominous force of shame. 

Brené Brown highlights this in her breathtaking TED talk on vulnerability. As she explains throughout her research, shame is something we all experience. It is part of what it means to be human and impacts who we are and how we behave. Despite how universal it is, most of us don’t want to talk about shame, as it makes us uncomfortable. Unfortunately, this is exactly what perpetuates it. “Shame derives its power from being unspeakable,” Brown writes. It feeds on silence, judgment, and secrecy. The solution? Vulnerability. 

But what about the slang, euphemisms, and centuries of casual misogyny surrounding menopause and menstruation? How do they evoke shame? According to this article by the Independent, an international survey with over 90,000 responses from 190 countries and ranging across ten different languages found over 5,000 slang words and euphemisms for the word “period”. 78% of the participants believed slang words were used when talking about periods, and in France and China, periods were spoken about in 91% slang terms, followed by Denmark at 86%. Nevertheless, many other countries were on the bandwagon as well. English-speaking participants often cited euphemisms such as Aunt Flo, code red, bloody mary, shark week, the crimson wave, code red, and “the blob”. In Finland, the expression hullum lechman tauti was used, which translates to “mad cow disease”.  In Brazil, participants used eusou com chico, which means “I’m with Chico”, referring to the socialist Chico Mendes. In France, it was Les Anglais ont débarqué, or “The English have landed”. In Denmark they said Der Er Kommunister i Lythuset– “There are communists in the funhouse”- while in South Africa they said “Granny’s stuck in traffic.” As much as  this range of morbid and obscure language might have made you roll your eyes, it still highlights a widespread discomfort surrounding the topic.   

The question that follows, of course, is what to do about it. After all, in maintaining a culture that masks the natural and healthy processes experienced by the female body, the shame surrounding these processes is only left to fester. To develop resilience toward shame, Brené Brown and her colleagues did research into Shame Resilience Theory, in which they identified that those who were able to move through shame and toward empathy all shared the following four elements of shame resilience: (1) recognizing shame and understanding its triggers, (2) practicing critical awareness, (3) reaching out, and (4) speaking shame (i.e. asking for what you need). 

In Brown’s research, she suggests using researcher Kristin Neff’s three elements to improve self compassion: practicing self-kindness over self-judgment, common humanity over isolation, and mindfulness instead of over-identification. 

For now, let’s just start with the linguistic part of self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness as it pertains to menstruation and menopause. Fortunately, there are some straightforward changes that you can make to the language you use. 

Step one is to just say the bloody word. Say “period” instead of “the blob” and “menopause” instead of “reverse puberty”. Use the clearest words possible when describing the female- or male- anatomy, and make an effort to know how your body works. 

Within the realm of language surrounding menopause and menstruation, there is also debate surrounding the use of the terms menstrual hygiene versus menstrual health, as the term menstrual hygiene has connotations more with cleaning, whereas menstrual health encompasses all aspects of menstruation, which include overall wellbeing, gender equality, education, equity, empowerment, and human rights. By placing menstruation with health rather than hygiene subsequently encourages the view that it is natural, healthy, and heavily intertwined with all other aspects of a female’s wellbeing. This is an important shift in thinking, as menstruation is about so much more than just cleaning up something “unsanitary”. 

In Liz Kleinrock’s TED Talk How to Teach Kids About Taboo Topics, she says that she believes “the first step towards holding conversations about things like equity is to begin by building a common language.” While she didn’t discuss menstruation or menopause, it is still highly relevant, particularly as her point links with the way we educate future generations. By signaling to others, especially those as malleable as children, that discussing the natural processes of their bodies is disgusting, confusing, and taboo, shame only lives on. As such, it is necessary to be open and curious in order to tackle the stigma that exists. This brings me back to Brené Brown’s words: “Shame derives its power from being unspeakable.”

To speak, and how we speak, is an immensely powerful and underappreciated force. According to this Forbes article, verbal communication through language is one of the qualities that make us unique in the animal kingdom. While scientists are not absolutely sure when humans first spoke, they think that language began two million years ago from the need to communicate while making tools. Today, about 6,500 languages are spoken around the world. That is 6,500 ways to tell a stranger “hello”, 6,500 ways to tell the loves of your life “I love you”, and 6,500 different canvases by which to paint a new attitude toward menstruation and menopause. 

The human voice is one of the most powerful instruments in the human body. The Swedish Musicologist Johan Sundberg once said that “the human voice has been called ‘the mirror to our soul’”, particularly in reference to singing, but also to the speaking voice. This voice is even more than just a tool; It is an instrument for change. Indeed, saying “period” instead of “that time of the month” or “menopause” instead of “the change” might seem small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. In reality though, it’s not. When many people like you and me make these small and barely-perceptible changes over time, we eventually rewrite the centuries-old narrative of how we perceive our complicated, confusing, evolving, beautiful, messy, miraculous, stardust-laden bodies. And that narrative starts with a word. And that word comes from you. 

Thought to Action:

1. Check out the Netflix documentary Period. End of Sentence. Which won an Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject for 2019
2. Education: Teach yourself what a period is and how it works by watching this phenomenal TED Talk, Why Can’t We Talk About Periods?, by Dr. Jen Gunter, a renowned gynecologist and author of The Vagina Bible and The Menopause Manifesto. 
3. Consumption: If you menstruate, you can opt for products that are kind to the environment and kind to your body.
4. Language: How we talk about issues like period poverty affects the way we think about them. Update some of basic linguistic habits to remove the stigma around menstruation by checking out this link. 
5. Support: Support the women in your life going through menopause by using some of these tips:
   1. Encourage open discussions about menopause with everyone, even husbands, sons, brothers, fathers, etc. A supportive community is needed to make women feel more comfortable during this transition. 
   2. If you have already experienced menopause, share your experience with others to demystify the process and alleviate the shame surrounding it.
   3. Be mindful of the “little” things women might experience during menopause, like the discomfort of a hot flash in the middle of the night, the need to keep the room a bit cooler, sudden mood swings, and the difficulty of coping with menopause in the workplace.
   4. Read this article to find out more.
6. Read: Check out Emilia Clarke’s three-issue comic mini-series M.O.M.: Mother of Madness about a single mom, Maya, who uses the secret powers rooted in the various points in her menstrual cycle to take on a group of evil human traffickers.

Sources

Barth, F. Diane. “7 Ways to Fight Debilitating Shame | Psychology Today.” Www.psychologytoday.com, 23 Mar. 2018, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-couch/201803/7-ways-fight-debilitating-shame. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Calderwood, Imogen. “12 of the Weirdest and Worst Euphemisms for the Word “Period.”” Global Citizen, 22 Nov. 2017, www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/weird-period-euphemisms-around-the-world/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Devlin, Hannah. “Breaking the Menopause Taboo: “There Are Vital Stories We Should Continue to Pursue.”” The Guardian, 21 Sept. 2019, www.theguardian.com/membership/2019/sep/21/breaking-the-menopause-taboo-there-are-vital-stories-we-should-continue-to-pursue. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Druet, Anna. “Clue: Period and Ovulation Tracker for IPhone and Android.” Helloclue.com, Clue, 2019, helloclue.com/articles/culture/how-did-menstruation-become-taboo. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Gordon, Ali. “Period Taboo: Why Can’t We Talk about Menstruation?” BBC News, 24 Feb. 2019, www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-47254222.

“HEALTH – Top 10 Weird (and Funny) Names for the Menopause.” Heart London Magazine, 7 Sept. 2021, heartlondonmagazine.com/2021/09/07/health-top-10-weird-and-funny-names-for-the-menopause/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Kleinrock, Liz. “How to Teach Kids to Talk about Taboo Topics.” Ted.com, TED Talks, 2017, www.ted.com/talks/liz_kleinrock_how_to_teach_kids_to_talk_about_taboo_topics. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Morgan, Lindsay. “Talking about Taboos: How to Create an Open Atmosphere for Discussing Difficult Subjects.” THE Campus Learn, Share, Connect, 10 Nov. 2021, www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/talking-about-taboos-how-create-open-atmosphere-discussing-difficult-subjects. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

O’Connor, Roisin. “There Are More than 5,000 Ways to Say “Period” around the World – These Are the Best Ones.” The Independent, 1 Mar. 2016, www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/menstruation-study-finds-over-5-000-slang-terms-for-period-a6905021.html. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Ph.D, Jeremy Sutton. “Shame Resilience Theory: Advice from Brené Brown.” PositivePsychology.com, 14 June 2017, positivepsychology.com/shame-resilience-theory/#overcoming-and-dealing-with-shame. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Prisk, Jenni. “Civic Nation BrandVoice: Mark My Words: There Is Power in Your Voice.” Forbes, 26 Feb. 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/civicnation/2020/02/26/mark-my-words-there-is-power-in-your-voice/?sh=4ae5cd6e3b77. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

read, Dr Sarah Jarvis MBE15-Jan-22 · 5 mins. “How to Alter Your Language around Menstruation to Be More Inclusive.” Patient.info, 15 Jan. 2022, patient.info/news-and-features/how-to-alter-your-language-around-menstruation-to-be-more-inclusive. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Sack, David. “5 Ways to Silence Shame.” Psychology Today, 2015, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/where-science-meets-the-steps/201501/5-ways-silence-shame. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Selva, Joaquin. “Shame Resilience Theory: How to Respond to Feelings of Shame.” PositivePsychology.com, 14 June 2017, positivepsychology.com/shame-resilience-theory/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Sheesley, Maddie. “How to Talk about Menstruation.” Helloclue.com, Clue, 6 Nov. 2017, helloclue.com/articles/culture/how-to-talk-about-menstruation. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

The Sanitation Learning Hub. “Call a Period a Period: Exploring the Language and Knowledge of Menstruation.” Sanitation Learning Hub, 27 May 2021, sanitationlearninghub.org/2021/05/27/call-a-period-a-period-exploring-the-language-and-knowledge-of-menstruation/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Thorpe, J.R. “41 Awesome Euphemisms for Vagina around the World, Because Your Pupusa Speaks All Languages.” Bustle, 26 Feb. 2015, www.bustle.com/articles/66680-41-awesome-euphemisms-for-vagina-around-the-world-because-your-pupusa-speaks-all-languages. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

West, Mary. “Female Reproductive Organ Anatomy, Parts, and Function.” Www.medicalnewstoday.com, 8 Oct. 2021, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/female-reproductive-organ-anatomy#uterus. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

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After writing about menstruation, periods, tampons, pads, menstrual cups, and the stigma surrounding them, I realized that there was still an oft-ignored member of the party that I had to pay homage to: menopause. “Menopause”, the word I only first heard after getting my first period, a word filled with mystery, saturated with finality. I remember thinking it was funny how words surrounding female reproduction sounded both grammatical and masculine, all starting with “men”- menopause, menstruation– and containing words like “period” and “pause”. I thought it was funny how dissimilar grammar and menstruation were- one messy and somewhat unpredictable, the other rigid and abstract- and how peculiar it was that menstruation didn’t belong to men even though it sounded like it did. I also remember wanting to ask people what it was like, how long it lasted, if it hurt, if it was miserable, when it would happen to me, but always feeling held back by the worry that they would get offended by the mere suggestion that they might have the experience required to answer my questions. 

The National Institute on Aging defines menopause as the point in time 12 months after a menstruator’s last period. The menopausal transition, or perimenopause, is what you call the year leading up to that point, in which menstruators might experience changes in their monthly cycle, hot flashes, or other symptoms. It often begins between ages 45 and 55, lasting roughly seven years but sometimes stretching to 14. How long it lasts depends on lifestyle factors such as age, smoking, race, and ethnicity. During this period of time, the production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, both produced by the ovaries, can be variable.

Yet menopause is a phenomenon that transcends biology, marking a point in life that many find daunting and challenging on an existential level. Indeed, there is a long history in Western society of menopause being used to antagonize women of a certain age, with pressures all around to make anyone past their time of reproduction feel excluded and underappreciated.  

One striking example of this discrimination toward older women has appeared throughout history through the persecution of those accused of witchcraft. According to Britannica, the European witch-hunt craze peaked in the 1580s and 90s to the 1630s and 40s, with about three quarters of the hunts taking place in western Germany, France, northern Italy, and Switzerland. It is impossible to know exactly when the trials began, but it is generally thought that the number of trials and executions “varied according to time and place”, although generally speaking a total of roughly 110,000 people were tried for witchcraft and between 40,000 to 60,000 were executed.”

Witches were thought to be followers of Satan who “traded their souls for his assistance”. They would then allegedly employ demons to desecrate the crucifix and the consecrated bread and wine of Holy Communion; shapeshift to and from an animal form, riding through the air at night to secret meetings called “sabbats”, where they would partake in orgies and sometimes have sex with Satan himself; and kidnap and murder children for the sake of eating them or using their fat for magical ointments. Naturally though- while there were admittedly some individuals who did worship the devil, try to practice maleficium– malevolent sorcery- and yes, there were even people with moles and warts, no one was actually a witch by the definition of the time. 

Looking back, there is still no reasonable explanation for women making up the overwhelming majority of people accused of witchcraft- about three quarters of those convicted. Older women, single women, and widows were particularly susceptible to accusations. That is to say, menopause and witchcraft have been intimately interwoven for centuries. 

I mention this in order to demonstrate an important point about the depiction of menopausal women throughout history. Namely, that the decrease in fertility that occurs during menopause has, for hundreds of years, been associated with powerful evil. In fact, the deeply embedded understanding of menopausal women as witches still contributes to the pathologization of menopause today. This is why a witch, predominantly considered evil in Western culture, is depicted as old, infertile, and isolated from the rest of society. 

 As a result of this attitude, so deeply embedded within the patriarchal codes of Western society, menopause has been the source of shame and stigma for centuries. This is, however, quite strange given that shame manifests when societal norms have been transgressed. Yet everyone has a body bound by the confines of time. Everyone grows older, everyone goes through puberty, and everyone has a few stray pimples and hairs. Rather than acknowledge this mostly-universal truth, shame is an emotion which causes people to turn their focus inward, cutting deep into their identity. 

According to this medically-reviewed article on PsychCentral, it could manifest through feelings of worthlessness, worrying about what others think of you, being afraid to look stupid, perfectionism, negative self-talk, or anger in response to shame triggers, resulting in side effects such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, sleeping issues, stomach pain, overeating or loss of appetite, eating disorders, substance use disorder, and codependency. While personal experience for some might corroborate this long list of symptoms, there is also evidence to underpin these concerns. Dr. June Tangey and Ronda L. Dearing have evidence to suggest that people with a propensity for feeling shame often have low self-esteem and that shame can increase risks of developing other psychological conditions such as depression. In 2010, a study led by Ulrich Orth of the University of Bern, those in their teen years were particularly sensitive to shame, with this inclination decreasing until it resurged again in older age, in which people felt shame toward their bodily appearance.

 Dr. Brené Brown is yet another well-known shame researcher who advocates for vulnerability. “Shame derives its power from being unspeakable,” she says. How simple, and yet how terrifying, to speak the unspeakable, to strip away the power of silence with just your voice. What if, through asking about menopause, we discovered that the shame surrounding it could be replaced with pride? 

This is where we meet the grandmother hypothesis, an idea that has been put forward by researchers to explain why homo sapiens evolved menopause, the biological mystery that means females stop being able to reproduce about halfway through their life. While it does exist in a small selection of other species, such as Japanese aphids and killer whales, it is extremely uncommon throughout the animal kingdom.

The grandmother hypothesis suggests that instead of disadvantaging homo sapiens, menopause actually allows older females to better support their offspring- and their offspring’s offspring, allowing more offspring to survive into adulthood. So while the individual female can no longer pass down her genetic material, she can more readily ensure the survival of those who are carrying it. 

How does this fit into the way we view menopause today? Sure, like me, you may live an ocean away from your grandmothers, or perhaps not be lucky enough to have them in your life, but this is a phenomenon that goes beyond being a grandmother; It is about being a leader. It is about reinventing yourself. It is about getting clear on what you value. 

“Shame derives its power from being unspeakable,” Dr. Brené Brown says. The shame surrounding menopause is just one example. In reality, fertility or the lack thereof never made menopausal women any more “witch” than the rest of us. In fact, Japanese and Mayan culture view the menopausal transition as a period of growth, renewal, and spiritual rebirth. This highlights not only that it’s possible to rewrite the narrative, but that a positive narrative of menopause already exists. Using our voices to dismantle shame is one tool to get there, but today I want to propose a different kind of expression, one that might terrify you even more. 

Sure, we all know you sing in the shower and bop your head when listening to something groovy. But what if there is something even more powerful to be said for dancing? What if it can dismantle shame? What if it can promote social bonding, increase self-esteem, and fight depression and anxiety? Well, research from 2021, results of which are published in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), suggests that this could all be the case. Results seem to support the claim that dance improves cholesterol levels, physical fitness, self-image and self-esteem for postmenopausal females. 

This is particularly important for this demographic, as postmenopausal females are more likely to experience weight gain, overall/central body adiposity increases, and metabolic disturbances such as increases in triglycerides and bad cholesterol. This leads to a higher cardiovascular risk, but is also complemented with decreased self-esteem and self-image. According to the study, “dance therapy is seen as an attractive option because it is a pleasant activity with low associated costs and low risk of injury for its practitioners.” Dance therapy also offers the added benefits of improved balance, posture, strength, and “overall physical performance”. In fact, dance therapy, first pioneered by Marian Chace back in the 1940s, has been used to help patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other studies by Leste & Rust have highlighted the power of dance classes to reduce anxiety. 

Yet this is, to some extent, old news in the grand scheme of human history. According to the 2015 paper Synchrony and exertion during dance independently raise pain threshold and encourage social bonding, the performance and enjoyment of music and dance in a group setting is somewhat ubiquitous across all human cultures. “Dance is fundamentally cooperative in nature,” it explains. “And may have served the evolutionary function of encouraging social bonds, cooperation and prosocial behaviors between group members.” The authors of this paper- Bronwyn Tarr, Jacques Launay, Emma Cohen and Robin Dunbar- attribute this to the empirically proven link between synchrony, which is performing the same movement at the same time, and bonding. It suggests that synchronization between people influences their positive social feelings toward each other, blurring the perception of ‘self’ and ‘other’. 

By breaking down this barrier between ‘self’ and ‘other’, another thing gets broken down- shame. This is why dance offers such a powerful tool in tackling the physical and emotional toll of menopause. Not only does it provide exercise, but it also acts as a way of bonding and expressing oneself. Shame derives its power from being unspeakable. Yes, this is true. But shame also derives power from being undanceable. 

Sources:

(meno)PAUSE TO CHECK YOUR SOURCES

Archives, The National. “The National Archives – Homepage.” The National Archives, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/early-modern-witch-trials/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Devereaux, Christina. “Are You Afraid to Dance? | Psychology Today.” Www.psychologytoday.com, 10 Aug. 2013, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/meaning-in-motion/201308/are-you-afraid-dance. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

—. “Why Should We Dance?” Psychology Today, 2013, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/meaning-in-motion/201305/why-should-we-dance. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

EPOCH. “Wicked or Wise? Menopausal Women in Popular History.” Epochmagazine, 31 Aug. 2021, www.epoch-magazine.com/post/wicked-or-wise-menopausal-women-in-popular-history. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Jackson, Melissa. “Dance Therapy for Mental Patients.” News.bbc.co.uk, 3 Apr. 2004, news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3551063.stm. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Johnson, Jacquelyn. “Toxic Shame: Causes, Consequences, and How to Cope.” Psych Central, 13 May 2022, psychcentral.com/lib/what-is-toxic-shame#recap. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Jone Johnson Lewis. “Witch Hunts in Europe: Timeline.” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 23 Jan. 2013, www.thoughtco.com/european-witch-hunts-timeline-3530786. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Kämmerer, Annette. “The Scientific Underpinnings and Impacts of Shame.” Scientific American, 19 Aug. 2019, www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-scientific-underpinnings-and-impacts-of-shame/#. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Lambert, Jonathan. “Living near Your Grandmother Has Evolutionary Benefits.” NPR.org, 7 Feb. 2019, www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/02/07/692088371/living-near-your-grandmother-has-evolutionary-benefits. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Lamia, Mary. “Shame: A Concealed, Contagious, and Dangerous Emotion.” Psychology Today, 2011, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/intense-emotions-and-strong-feelings/201104/shame-concealed-contagious-and-dangerous-emotion. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Lesté, A., and J. Rust. “Effects of Dance on Anxiety.” Perceptual and Motor Skills, vol. 58, no. 3, 1 June 1984, pp. 767–772, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6473025, https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1984.58.3.767. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Lewis, Ioan M., and Jeffrey Burton Russell. “Witchcraft | Definition, History, Varieties, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Oct. 2022, www.britannica.com/topic/witchcraft#ref214880.

McKie, Robin. “Killer Whales Explain the Mystery of the Menopause.” The Guardian, 15 Jan. 2017, www.theguardian.com/science/2017/jan/15/killer-whales-explain-meaning-of-the-menopause. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

National Institute on Aging. “What Is Menopause?” National Institute on Aging, 2017, www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-menopause. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

North American Menopause Society. “Postmenopausal Women Can Dance Their Way to Better Health.” ScienceDaily, 28 July 2021, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/07/210728105640.htm. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Selva, Joaquin. “Shame Resilience Theory: How to Respond to Feelings of Shame.” PositivePsychology.com, 14 June 2017, positivepsychology.com/shame-resilience-theory/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Tarr, Bronwyn, et al. “Synchrony and Exertion during Dance Independently Raise Pain Threshold and Encourage Social Bonding.” Biology Letters, vol. 11, no. 10, Oct. 2015, p. 20150767, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0767.

Teixeira, Giovana Rampazzo, et al. “October 2021 – Volume 28 – Issue 10 : Menopause.” Journals.lww.com, Oct. 2021, journals.lww.com/menopausejournal/Citation/2021/10000/Dance_practice_modifies_functional_fitness. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Vogel, Kaitlin. “Whether You’re 25 or 65, Here Are 50 Quotes about Menopause That Will Resonate with Every Woman.” Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays, 26 July 2021, parade.com/1239990/kaitlin-vogel/menopause-quotes/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Wallenfeldt, Jeff. “Salem Witch Trials | History & Causes.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 30 Nov. 2018, www.britannica.com/event/Salem-witch-trials#ref332153.

Women’s Health Network. “Menopause in Different Cultures.” Women’s Health Network, 18 Nov. 2013, www.womenshealthnetwork.com/menopause-and-perimenopause/menopause-in-different-cultures/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Thought to Action:

1. Dance: Take some time to dance to your favorite music or even consider joining a class. Just focus on enjoying yourself. There is no such thing as “too old”, “too weird” or “too uncoordinated”.
2. Educate: Teach yourself what a period is and how it works by watching this phenomenal TED Talk, Why Can’t We Talk About Periods?, by Dr. Jen Gunter, a renowned gynecologist and author of The Vagina Bible and The Menopause Manifesto. 
3. Support: Support the women in your life going through menopause by using some of these tips:
   1. Encourage open discussions about menopause with everyone, even husbands, sons, brothers, fathers, etc. A supportive community is needed to make women feel more comfortable during this transition. 
   2. If you have already experienced menopause, share your experience with others to demystify the process and alleviate the shame surrounding it.
   3. Be mindful of the “little” things women might experience during menopause, like the discomfort of a hot flash in the middle of the night, the need to keep the room a bit cooler, sudden mood swings, and the difficulty of coping with menopause in the workplace.
   4. Read this article to find out more.
4. Petition: Consider signing:
   1. this petition to call ministers of health in New Zealand to make menopause training mandatory for all GPs and medical students, create menopause awareness and support in every workplace, and to include menopause in school curriculums. 
   2. this petition to end period poverty in the U.S.
5. Language: How we talk about issues like period poverty affects the way we think about them. Update some of basic linguistic habits to remove the stigma around menstruation by checking out this link. 
6. Read: Check out Emilia Clarke’s three-issue comic mini-series M.O.M.: Mother of Madness about a single mom, Maya, who uses the secret powers rooted in the various points in her menstrual cycle to take on a group of evil human traffickers.
7. Inspire: Consider incorporating some of these witty feminist comebacks into your lexicon:
   1. “Menopause. A pause while you reconsider men.” (Margaret Atwood)
   2. “A man told me that for a woman, I was very opinionated. I said, ‘For a man, you’re kind of ignorant’.” (Anne Hathaway)
   3. “My coach said I run like a girl. And I said if he ran a little faster he could too.” (Mia Hamm)
   4. “I’m tough, ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay.” (Madonna)
   5. “Of course, I am not worried about intimidating men. The type of man who will be intimidated by me is exactly the type of man I have no interest in.” (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)

The post Not a Witch, Bitch Or Hag: The Art of Dance & Menopause appeared first on Green Also Green.

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If you’re one of the lucky ones among us who menstruate- or ever has or will- you should know a decent chunk of the humans that have ever existed would think you had a magical ability. Pliny the Elder, a Roman author and natural philosopher, believed a nude menstruating woman could prevent hail storms and lightning, even scaring insects away from farm crops. In some cases in Mayan mythology, menstrual blood is believed to have the potential to turn into medicinal plants too. In some cultures, this blood was used as a kind of charm based on the idea that it could purify, protect, or cast spells. In ancient Egypt, the Ebers Papyrus (1550 BC) suggested it could be used as an ingredient in certain medicines. 

There is also a flipside to this wonderful ability though. In biblical times, ancient Hebrew laws of Niddah meant that menstruating women went into seclusion and had to be isolated from the rest of society for seven “clean” days. Pliny the Elder, who certainly believed in the mystical power of periods, thought their power was for the destruction of crops, turning “new wine sour”, making entire hives of bees die, and turning crops barren. Mayan mythology taught that, despite its medicinal potential, menstruation first began as a punishment for the Moon Goddess after sleeping with the Sun god. Her blood was then stored in thirteen jars, where it turned into snakes, insects, poisons and diseases. And thus began the long history of stigma that persists even today. There was blood, lots of it, coming out of women regularly, even when nothing was wrong, and it appeared to be synced with the moon and the tide. Yikes! The female body must be magical. 

That said, while deriving superhuman abilities from your period sounds cool enough to be the modus operandi of the next Marvel superhero, menstruation has lived largely in the shadows for centuries…and when it wasn’t in the shadows, it was allegedly sabotaging harvests and being taken as medicine. Historians assume the ancient menstruators- the ones living among good old Pliny the Elder- used rag cloths which were constantly rewashed, or tampons made of papyrus, wooden sticks wrapped in lint, or loincloths if you were in Egypt. In medieval times, similar methods were used, but researchers believe that many women also simply bled their clothes. This method was used for most of history throughout the world. 

Truth be told, little is known about how menstruation was handled in the distant past, because most of the scribes were men. Nevertheless, there is a wonderfully amusing story about Hypatia, one of the first female mathematicians, throwing a used menstrual cloth at a man in an effort to get him to go away. This provides a glimmer of insight into what it was like to be a menstruator in the 4th century. I, for one, don’t envy Hypatia.

Fast forward a few centuries and it was only in the late 19th century that products for “feminine hygiene” were even advertised somewhat publicly, and only in 1985 that the word “period” was first spoken on television. It was by Courtney Cox as part of a Tampax commercial, in case you were wondering. 

So what happened to period technology in the course of two and a half centuries to go from rags and papyrus to tampons, maxi pads, menstrual cups, and period underwear? A lot, my friend. It involves a world war, lots and lots of blood, a spoonful of sexism, some cotton, silicone, and plastic, and of course a hint of sketchy advertising.  

What finally got the ball rolling in the 19th century was a growing concern in the medical community around whether bleeding into the same clothes over the course of many days was healthy and sanitary. For reference, it was in the mid to late 1800s that Louis Pasteur demonstrated that microorganisms can cause disease, so you can imagine how the fear of bacterial infection served as a call to action in terms of menstrual health. This is when advertisements for the first commercial pads and tampons started to surface, albeit filled with euphemisms and awkwardness.  

Between 1854 and 1915, 20 patents were filed for menstrual products, including rubber underwear, Lister’s towels, elastic belts you could attach to a pad and antiseptic pad- which would be the main option for menstruators until the 1970s- and the first menstrual cups, which were made of aluminum or hard rubber. These were first made available through catalogs in the 1890s, which was quite a contrast to the occasional door-to-door marketing that occurred by the 1870s. 

When World War I struck, the menstrual product industry was forever changed. Nurses observed that cellulose, the most abundant organic polymer, was better at absorbing blood than cloth bandages. This inspired the Kotex sanitary napkin, which was made from surplus high-absorption war bandages and became the first commercial success for sanitary napkins. Not only did this revolutionize what pads were made of, but it revolutionized the career paths of women. As they started to work in factories as a result of the second world war, advertisements for menstrual products encouraged them to “toughen up”, working longer hours without having to weigh up their menstrual health. This newfound autonomy only grew with the new menstrual product industry. Menstruators were able to participate in activities that had previously been restricted and to pursue career paths that were initially reserved for men. 

This was, however, only the beginning. The first tampon wasn’t invented until 1929 by Dr. Earle Haas, who got the idea for the tampon after learning his friend in California used a sponge tucked into the vagina to absorb blood. Don’t ask me who he tested this on, but when Dr. Haas decided to take strips of cotton fiber and connect it to a cord extending out of the vagina, the tampon we all know and love was well on its way. Kind of… At this point in time, the stigma surrounding menstruation still meant that to purchase “feminine” products, women had to discreetly place money into a box specifically for these items rather than paying directly to a salesperson. The clip below sums it up nicely… 

With the 1930s there came several more innovations, including modern disposable tampons patented under the name “Tampax”, and the first patent of a menstrual cup by Leona Chalmers in 1937. In 1956 Mary Kenner, an African-American inventor, invented the first sanitary belt which included an adhesive to secure the pad in place. In 1956, Leona Chalmers then improved the design of the menstrual cup, using softer materials more akin to the silicone cups used today. 

1972 saw the introduction to the first beltless pads, finally leading to the demarcation between heavy flow, light flow, and mini-pads. Feminist and environmental movements throughout the 70s led to reusable menstrual cups, period sponges, and biodegradable options becoming more popular. The 1980s brought us modern maxi pads, pads with wings. By this point the belted sanitary napkin was totally fazed out and pads with adhesive strips could be attached to underwear, with the ergonomics being constantly improved to make pads more absorbent and less leaky. Between 1979 and 1996, over 5,000 cases of Toxic Shock Syndrome were documented. This was related back to a particular brand whose products are no longer available, but Toxic Shock Syndrome is still a reason many give for not wearing tampons. 

Phew! Deep breath. That was a lot of dates, names, and inventions. Now we’re up to today, in which the global menstrual market is expected to grow to $27.7 billion by 2025. Compared to our ancestors, we are overflowing(no pun intended) with period products. As of 2000, over 80% of women used tampons, with pads and panty liners coming in just under. More and more reusable options are also gaining traction, including menstrual cups and reusable pads.

All in all, this blast through the history of period products highlights to me not only the important place of scientific innovation in empowering women, but the importance of asking the right questions. Period poverty is still a pressing concern for millions around the world, which means that the zero to hero story of how menstrual products have developed still has a long way to go. And its future lies with us. 

This begs the question: What’s next? There are several factors to consider. Firstly is the environment. According to Health Line, the average nonorganic pad takes 500-800 years to decompose. In comparison, a cotton tampon takes six months. Non organic tampon brands, however, aren’t biodegradable as they are likely wrapped in plastic or used with a plastic applicator. To top all this off, an estimated 45 billion menstrual products end up in the trash every year, which is equivalent to more than five times the number of people on this planet. Considering that a disgraceful 91% of all plastic doesn’t get recycled and a large portion of it doesn’t biodegrade, we’ve got a huge problem on our hands- especially considering the amount of plastic found in menstrual products. 

Nonetheless, there are some fascinating innovations taking place including hemp pads and tampons, recycled nylon from ocean waste, reusable medical-grade silicone, and more. One company innovating in this arena is Rif, which uses “regenerative, plant based” inputs to make period products out of hemp fiber, a breathable, durable material made using fiber from the Cannabis sativa plant that has been used for millennia. With more innovations like this, the menstrual product industry is gradually becoming less wasteful and more environmentally-friendly. 

The other big factor: access. Read over my article Closing the Comma on Period Poverty to look into this on a deeper level, but to summarize, period poverty is a global health crisis which prevents about 500 million menstruators worldwide from fully partaking in their careers, education, and day-to-day lives. It results from a lack of access to period products, a lack of education and safe health and waste management facilities, the stigmatization of menstruation and menopause, or any combination of these. In this sense, ‘access’ not only refers to having access to the right products, but also having access to the right education, facilities, and emotional support. This also includes addressing the issue of stigma toward menstruation. I delved into this in my article Menstrual Menstralas: Why Art is the Path Out of Stigma, but must reiterate its message, so beautifully summed up by Dr. Jen Gunter: “It shouldn’t be an act of feminism to know how your body works.” It seems radical to suggest out loud, in a room full of people, that menstruators should be empowered to know their basic physiology, but it is truly a reasonable request. 

Ultimately, while we’ve certainly come a long way from Pliny the Elder’s day, menstruation and menopause are still highly stigmatized throughout the world due to cultural pressures, religious beliefs about menstrual blood, stereotypes about how menstruators behave on their period, and overall gender discrimination. Chances are that even you, as enlightened as you might be, would still cringe if someone brought up the topic in normal conversation. This is why the first step to breaking the vicious chain of period poverty is so difficult- because no one wants to bring it up first.  

This is how we start: by asking the right questions. Whether you are the upcoming Leona Chalmers, patenting the next evolution of the menstrual cup, or are finally building up the courage to ask that-question-you alway-wanted-to-ask about that-part-of-your-body-you-never-talk-about, you are taking an important step. There is no need to cure diseases or turn new wine sour; menstruation can be magical all on its own. 

Thought to Action:

1. Check out the Netflix documentary Period. End of Sentence. Which won an Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject for 2019
2. Education: Teach yourself what a period is and how it works by watching this phenomenal TED Talk, Why Can’t We Talk About Periods?, by Dr. Jen Gunter, a renowned gynecologist and author of The Vagina Bible and The Menopause Manifesto. 
3. Consumption: If you menstruate, you can opt for products that are kind to the environment and kind to your body.
4. Language: How we talk about issues like period poverty affects the way we think about them. Update some of basic linguistic habits to remove the stigma around menstruation by checking out this link. 
5. Support: Support the women in your life going through menopause by using some of these tips:
   1. Encourage open discussions about menopause with everyone, even husbands, sons, brothers, fathers, etc. A supportive community is needed to make women feel more comfortable during this transition. 
   2. If you have already experienced menopause, share your experience with others to demystify the process and alleviate the shame surrounding it.
   3. Be mindful of the “little” things women might experience during menopause, like the discomfort of a hot flash in the middle of the night, the need to keep the room a bit cooler, sudden mood swings, and the difficulty of coping with menopause in the workplace.
   4. Read this article to find out more.
6. Read: Check out Emilia Clarke’s three-issue comic mini-series M.O.M.: Mother of Madness about a single mom, Maya, who uses the secret powers rooted in the various points in her menstrual cycle to take on a group of evil human traffickers.

Sources

Fact check…period! 

Aduviri, Brooke. “Material Sciences in Menstrual Health and Hygiene.” Events.engineering.oregonstate.edu, 14 May 2022, events.engineering.oregonstate.edu/expo2022/project/material-sciences-menstrual-health-and-hygiene. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.

Ali, Zoia. “The Evolution of Menstrual Products: From the 1800s to Present.” The Girls Company, 12 Mar. 2021, thegirlsco.com/blogs/news/the-evolution-of-menstrual-products-from-the-1800s-to-present. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.

Bell, Jen. “What Advertising Teaches Us about Periods.” Helloclue.com, 12 Sept. 2017, helloclue.com/articles/culture/what-advertising-teaches-us-about-periods. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.

Bushak, Lecia. “A Brief History of the Menstrual Period: How Women Dealt with Their Cycles throughout the Ages.” Medical Daily, 23 May 2016, www.medicaldaily.com/menstrual-period-time-month-history-387252. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.

Davies, Jack. “Primrose, Pearl and Period Pads: Menstrual Products in the Collection.” Science Museum Blog, 15 Apr. 2019, blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/primrose-pearl-and-period-pads-menstrual-products-in-the-collection/. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.

Hennegan, Julie, et al. “Menstrual Health: A Definition for Policy, Practice, and Research.” Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, vol. 29, no. 1, 1 Jan. 2021, p. 1911618, https://doi.org/10.1080/26410397.2021.1911618.

Kotler, Jennifer. “A Short History of Modern Menstrual Products.” Helloclue.com, Clue, 20 Nov. 2018, helloclue.com/articles/culture/a-short-history-of-modern-menstrual-products. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.

Lapidos, Juliet. “Do Plastic Bags Really Take 500 Years to Break down in a Landfill?” Slate Magazine, 27 June 2007, slate.com/news-and-politics/2007/06/do-plastic-bags-really-take-500-years-to-break-down-in-a-landfill.html. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.

“Menstruation and Modern Materials.” Science Museum, 7 May 2020, www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/everyday-wonders/menstruation-and-modern-materials. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.

Parker, Laura. “A Whopping 91% of Plastic Isn’t Recycled.” National Geographic, 20 Dec. 2018, www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/plastic-produced-recycling-waste-ocean-trash-debris-environment. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.

Praderio, Caroline. “Organic Tampons Aren’t Worth Your Money — Here’s Why.” Insider, 2 Aug. 2017, www.insider.com/are-organic-tampons-safer-better-2017-9. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.

Ross, Charley. “Why Is There Plastic in Tampons?” HuffPost UK, 10 Mar. 2018, www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/why-is-there-plastic-in-my-tampon_uk_5a96cc5be4b07dffeb6ec7bb. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.

Spinks, Rosie. “Disposable Tampons Aren’t Sustainable, but Do Women Want to Talk about It?” The Guardian, 27 Apr. 2015, www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/apr/27/disposable-tampons-arent-sustainable-but-do-women-want-to-talk-about-it. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.

Trowbridge, Meg. “What I Learned from Switching to Organic Menstrual Brands.” Healthline, 20 May 2019, www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/organic-tampons-review#L.:-regular-and-super-tampons. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.

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Throughout the world, almost 500 million people are affected by period poverty, which is the term used to describe a lack of access to menstrual products, education, hygiene facilities, waste management, or a combination of these. Anyone who’s ever been in the situation where their period begins without the adequate supplies knows that this is an issue stretching way beyond what they teach you in high school biology. It is also a matter of politics, culture, history, psychology, and social attitudes. I’m talking about the shameful stigma surrounding menstrual health. 

This is what I want to hone in on: the shame. Make no mistake, of course the economics, medical research, and biology lessons all have a vital place. However, there is something else underneath all the well-intentioned interventions to this problem. There lies a very sinister habit of staying rather hushed, as though the topic of how a female body functions is fundamentally unclean and impure. 

In fact, this attitude has been perpetuated all throughout history. According to Painting Blood: Visualizing Menstrual Blood in Art, many societies throughout time- and even in the modern day- have imposed a “strict set of rules about the visualization of menstrual blood in art and visual culture”. Ruth Green-Cole, the author of this work, then goes on to state that the “hegemonic and patriarchal codes controlling discussion, commemoration, or visualization of menstruation” have led countless women now and in the past to view their own bodies as negative and shameful. 

For a minute let’s set aside the rigidity of big scholarly words and academic writing. What Green-Cole describes is deeply personal. After all, there is unfathomable power in how we think, talk, represent, and commemorate the female body. This stretches beyond mere physiology. To attack the value and purity of the womb, the blood, a person’s sex itself is to attack the person whose soul is held within that body. This is no small matter. 

Lewis, Jen. “Is the Grass Always Greener?,” Beauty in Blood, www.beautyinblood.com/gallery.html. Accessed 2 Feb. 2023.

On the other hand though, there is always another side to power. Through channeling this power into the right places, it is possible to flip the script from one of shame to one of empowerment. Now the big question is How?

As always, there are multifarious approaches to tackling stigma, but for now I’d like to discuss one which I find particularly fascinating: visual art. In Aisle article, Menstruation in Art, Ariane Bell Vila states, “Making art about menstruation is one of the ways in which we can normalize it. It allows people to see a reflection of themselves through someone else’s eyes and feel less shame. It also (ideally) allows folks who don’t menstruate to maybe understand it and sympathize a little bit more. Art can help us unpack loaded or taboo subjects; periods are ready for the palette.”

Make no mistake though- art has a complicated history of representing menstruation and menopause. Returning to Green-Cole’s Painting Blood,  the concept of ‘gendered blood’ is heavily embedded in patriarchal traditions. These cultures “suppress images of menstruation” while European and American art “valorize women’s bodies as vehicles for male scopic desire”.This highlights a paradoxical interplay between embracing the female body as a sexual object while thoroughly denying its natural healthy processes. The association in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions between menstrual blood and immorality only furthers this. While Christ’s blood is elevated in the Eucharist as “the blood of heroes lost on the battlefield”, female blood is seen as a punishment for Eve’s temptation of Adam. This arbitrary divide between female and male blood in artwork was a common theme for centuries. 

That is, until the 70s. At this time, feminist art emerged, producing works which were both radically honest and startling. Green-Cole describes them as not “easy to look at or decent and palatable”, as they bluntly contravene the “requirement” that female bodies in art must be timid and chaste. In doing so, they revalue “gendered blood”, transforming it gradually into a positive, defiant, or ambiguous symbol. 

This heavily contrasts with works like Marc Chagall’s 1910 oil on canvas Birth or Paul Gauguin’s 1892 painting Parau na te Varua ino (Words of the Devil), which depicts a young Tahitian woman standing naked amidst lush green foliage, a masked she-devil lingering in the background. The she-devil watches as the embarrassed woman covers her genitals with a white cloth, symbolizing purity. Her posture is “that of a woman fallen from grace” and all around her feet are pink flowers, evoking associations with blood, impurity, and the “passage that has just occurred from virginity into the status of a ‘fallen’ Eve”. 

This patriarchal image of women as the defective, leaky “other” is nonetheless challenged by artists like Paula Modersohn-Becker and Frida Kahlo, who were contemporaries of Gaugin and Chagall. Green-Cole remarks that in actual fact, Kahlo never explicitly worked with menstruation as a theme. Nevertheless, the image of blood is common throughout her work, such as in Henry Ford Hospital and Mi Nacimiento(My Birth), both painted in 1932. Modersohn-Becker contributed similarly through works like Selbstbildnis am 6. Hochzeitstag (Self-Portrait on the Sixth Wedding Day) in 1906 and Mutter mit Kind auf dem Arm, Halbakt II (Mother with Child in Her Arms, Half-Length Nude II) in 1907. 

So even at the dawn of the 20th century there were hints that a shift in perspective was coming. In the 70s this really took off. Now there is a whole wave of feminist art celebrating menstruation. Among these artists are Ellie Kammer, who creates breath-taking paintings depicting the experience of endometriosis; Natalie Byrne, who wrote and illustrated the book Period. on “everything you need to know about periods”; Sarah Naqvi, whose embroidery work depicts menstrual blood in a celebratory way; Vanessa Tiegs, the creator of “menstralas”; and too many others to list. 

Lewis, Jen. “The Crimson Wave,” Beauty in Blood, www.beautyinblood.com/gallery.html. Accessed 2 Feb. 2023.

I particularly enjoyed the Beauty in Blood project, in which photographs of menstrual blood in water are photographed to depict a plethora of mesmerizing shapes and shades of color. It seemed to provide a stark contrast to the attitudes of disgust and vulgarity that have been held toward female blood traditionally. Instead, each image is delicate and detailed. It even takes a moment to remember that it’s a photograph of blood…in a toilet! Each image must go through a four-step process of media collection, pouring/designing the layout, photographic capture, and photograph selection. By using photography to capture this taboo subject matter from an elegant angle, the artist, Jen Lewis, challenges the many taboos surrounding menstruation that paint it as something vulgar and repulsive. 

Another project I found particularly thought-provoking was Vanessa Tiegs’ Menstralas, which consists of 88 paintings, or “menstralas”,  to highlight the importance of menstrual cycles. In this project, Tiegs uses her own blood as a medium, which has evoked mixed reactions among the public. However, other projects, like Sarah Naqvi’s feminist embroidery to depict menstrual blood, are also both aesthetically appealing and provocative. “Most of my art uses the medium to start a dialogue,” she says in an interview with Feminism in India. “As long as it starts a conversation, it has made an impact.”

Tiegs, Vanessa. “Ruby Red,” Menstrala Galaxy Crossing, www.vanessatiegs.com/menstrala/. Accessed 2 Feb. 2023. “Finding one’s voice is a critical step in healing this challenging aspect of womanhood that is too easy to joke about merely because it stays hidden and ignored. When I published “Ruby Red,” girls with endometriosis thanked me for helping them break their conditioned silence. ” -Vanessa Tiegs.

Perhaps this is overall what must guide artists in the realm of menstrual health advocacy: starting a conversation. As I mentioned before, this open discussion is yet another way of crushing the dangerous stigma surrounding menstruation. 

“Art is not what you see,” Georgia O’Keeffe once said. “It’s what you make others see.” It is through this subtle but powerful ability of artwork that social stigmas surrounding menstrual health can be crushed. When stigmas are crushed, normalization occurs. When normalization occurs, menstruators are empowered to take control over their health by asking questions and starting conversations. Still the work so many artists are doing today is only the start. As Belle Vila declares, “Periods are ready for the palette.”

Thought to Action

1. Education: Teach yourself what a period is and how it works by watching this phenomenal TED Talk, Why Can’t We Talk About Periods?, by Dr. Jen Gunter, a renowned gynecologist and author of The Vagina Bible and The Menopause Manifesto. 
2. Sign the petition: Sign this petition to end period poverty in the U.S.
3. Consumption: If you menstruate, you can opt for products that are kind to the environment and kind to your body.
4. Consumption…For a Cause: Check out Accessory Junkie and Period.’s joint project to sell Peri earrings in order to support menstruators worldwide. Proceeds from the sale of 100 pairs of the Peri earrings supports 1,500 menstrual cycles around the world. There is currently a waitlist, so make sure to sign up for an update on when it becomes available!
5. Language: How we talk about issues like period poverty affects the way we think about them. Update some of basic linguistic habits to remove the stigma around menstruation by checking out this link. 
6. Support: Support the women in your life going through menopause by using some of these tips:
   1. Encourage open discussions about menopause with everyone, even husbands, sons, brothers, fathers, etc. A supportive community is needed to make women feel more comfortable during this transition. 
   2. If you have already experienced menopause, share your experience with others to demystify the process and alleviate the shame surrounding it.
   3. Be mindful of the “little” things women might experience during menopause, like the discomfort of a hot flash in the middle of the night, the need to keep the room a bit cooler, sudden mood swings, and the difficulty of coping with menopause in the workplace.
   4. Read this article to find out more.
7. Read: Check out Emilia Clarke’s three-issue comic mini-series M.O.M.: Mother of Madness about a single mom, Maya, who uses the secret powers rooted in the various points in her menstrual cycle to take on a group of evil human traffickers.
8. Advertising: Inform businesses of how their advertising might promote bodily shame. Watch some of these empowering new ad campaigns that challenge toxic beauty standards.
   1. Dove’s #MyBeautyMySay
   2. Always’s #LikeAGirl

Sources

Hlola ukucabanga kwakho! is Zulu for Check your assumptions!

Bell Vila, Ariane. “Menstruation in Art.” Aisle, 22 May 2020, periodaisle.com/blogs/all/menstruation-in-art. Accessed 2 Feb. 2023.

Bloody Good Period. “MENSTRUAL EQUITY RESEARCH.” Bloody Good Period, www.bloodygoodperiod.com/bloody-data. Accessed 2 Feb. 2023.

Cardoso, Lauren F., et al. “Period Poverty and Mental Health Implications among College-Aged Women in the United States.” BMC Women’s Health, vol. 21, no. 14, 6 Jan. 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7788986/, 10.1186/s12905-020-01149-5.

Geng, Caitlin. “What Is Period Poverty?” Www.medicalnewstoday.com, 16 Sept. 2021, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/period-poverty#how-it-affects-people. Accessed 2 Feb. 2023.

Green-Cole, Ruth. “Painting Blood: Visualizing Menstrual Blood in Art.” The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies, 2020, pp. 787–801, 10.1007/978-981-15-0614-7_57.

Gunter, Jen. “Why Can’t We Talk about Periods?” Www.ted.com, 2019, www.ted.com/talks/jen_gunter_why_can_t_we_talk_about_periods. Accessed 2 Feb. 2023.

Marcus, Hannah, and Rose Crabb. Understanding Experiences of Periods. 2022.

Martinčič, Julia. “Let It Bleed – Art’s Revival of Menstrual Blood.” The Guardian, 12 Dec. 2016, www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/dec/12/let-it-bleed-arts-revival-of-menstrual-blood. Accessed 2 Feb. 2023.

read, Dr Sarah Jarvis MBE15-Jan-22 · 5 mins. “How to Alter Your Language around Menstruation to Be More Inclusive.” Patient.info, 15 Jan. 2022, patient.info/news-and-features/how-to-alter-your-language-around-menstruation-to-be-more-inclusive. Accessed 2 Feb. 2023.

Steinem, Gloria. “If Men Could Menstruate.” Women’s Reproductive Health, vol. 6, no. 3, 3 July 2019, pp. 151–152, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23293691.2019.1619050, 10.1080/23293691.2019.1619050.

Vellore, RutuChakra. “Art Depicting Menstruation: A Perspective.” Medium, 12 Oct. 2021, rutuchakra-vellore.medium.com/art-depicting-menstruation-a-perspective-68099b017736. Accessed 2 Feb. 2023.

Water Aid. “In the Red: WaterAid Finds 1 in 4 UK Women and Girls Struggle to Afford Period Products as Cost-of-Living Crisis Takes Its Toll | WaterAid UK.” Www.wateraid.org, 25 May 2022, www.wateraid.org/uk/media/wateraid-survey-uk-women-and-girls-struggle-to-afford-period-products. Accessed 2 Feb. 2023.

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