“Sustainability is no longer about doing less harm. It’s about doing more good.”

— Jochen Zeitz

In a world faced with saddening rates of deforestation, coral reef acidification, and more, it is easy to lose hope that any single individual could meaningfully contribute to conservation efforts. 

This, however, is one of the tragic misconceptions of our time. 

Actually, there are several ways a single individual can leverage their efforts to generate a larger impact.

Why You Think You Can’t “Meaningfully Contribute” to Conservation…And Why You’re Wrong

In 2024, about half the world’s population will see national elections. 

With this global shift in power, there is also a global epidemic of individuals believing their vote doesn’t matter. 

This is, however, a tragic misconception. 

Consider the model used in this 80,000 Hours article, “if the US government discretionary spending is $6.4 trillion over four years, and you have a 1 in 10 million chance of changing the outcome of the national election, then in expectation you have some degree of influence over $640,000 of government spending.”

So, your vote is worth $640,000. Is that enough to justify taking an hour out to vote, and more time to inform yourself about the candidates?

For most, the answer is yes. 

So what?

Most people think about conservation the same way. 

“I cannot change the entire world by myself, so I will not change any part of the world at all.” 

Perhaps the first part of this argument is true- it’s rare that one individual has a deep impact globally, all on their own. 

However, the work of individuals could often be enough to change very large portions of space, maybe even entire cities. 

If you could be the difference between 10 acres of wild, would that be a meaningful enough contribution? Would it matter?

I think so. 

#1: Create Urban Wildlife Corridors.

Urban wildlife corridors are small corridors in cities- such as backyards, abandoned lots, local parks, beaches, etc.- that have been repurposed to connect fragmented habitats with each other. 

So what?

Well, when habitats are continuously broken down into smaller and smaller areas, it becomes increasingly difficult for wildlife to access water, food, and mates. 

The global effect of this (in an increasingly urbanized world) is a staggering decrease in biodiversity. 

Usually though, creating large urban wildlife corridors is a challenge due to the number of property owners and stakeholders involved. 

Nevertheless, even a small wildlife corridor- a backyard, a front garden, or a community park- can make a sizable difference to the biodiversity of your community. 

Furthermore, it will encourage other individuals to do the same, creating a wave of impact on countless species. 

#2: Participate in Citizen Science Projects

According to the British Ecological Society, citizen science can be generally defined as “the involvement of volunteers in research”.  

While this means citizen scientists can help out at any stage in the process, usually they help out with data collection and analysis. 

The work of citizen scientists, ultimately, provides a highly valued resource to the scientific community, giving them the ability to develop much larger datasets than scientists would be able to capture alone. 

The best part?

Getting involved in initiatives like this is super easy!

No matter where you live, there are several citizen science apps you can download on your phone, programs you can join, and scientists you can support to generate eco-friendly innovation. 

Just choose an area you are passionate about, and get started. 

#3: Create & Distribute Seed Bombs

For anyone unacquainted with seed bombs, they likely sound like a classified weapon used by the military. 

In reality, they  are little balls of compost, water, clay, and (you guessed it) seeds. 

They are used by passionate eco warriors and guerrilla gardeners to reintroduce native species into neglected areas, promoting biodiversity and enhancing green space. 

In fact, they have been used since the seventies, the idea originating in New York. 

Originally, the term was “seed grenade”, and it was made of wildflower seeds, water, and fertilizer, all wrapped in a condom. These seed grenades were tossed over fences into empty lots, reintroducing life, beauty, and nature into even the most depressing urban wastelands. 

Fortunately, you can easily carry on this charming tradition without any condoms. 

Just combine 5 parts clay with 1 part compost in a large bowl, gradually adding water and mixing until you have a consistency similar to dough. Then, you add in 1 part seeds of your choice, although preferably seeds that are local to the area. Next, you roll the mixture into balls the size of a marble, and wait for them to dry. This will take one to two days. 

Once they’re dry, distribute them!

Ideally, the seed bombs are best for areas that are hard to reach, neglected, or in need of greenery. This includes empty lots, roadside verges, or bare patches of soil. 

Before you know it, you will have turned the concrete cityscape into a natural oasis. 

#4: Crowdfund for local conservation. 

Crowdfunding is about putting the power in your hands. 

Instead of hoping big funding bodies will deem your area of interest “important” enough to fund, you fund the project yourself. 

Whether it’s a particular species, a habitat in your local community, or a certain organization close to your heart, crowdfunding can be a powerful way to make an impact on conservation efforts you care about. 

Not a billionaire?

Don’t sweat it. 

Crowdfunding for conservation efforts can be as simple as asking for a donation instead of a birthday present, doing a series of social media posts, or putting up a poster in a nearby public space (e.g. cafe or library). 

It’s easy to get started, so why not give it a shot?

#5: Adopt a beach or park. 

Last, but not least, an effective way to make a meaningful contribution to conservation efforts is through adopting a beach or a park. 

This allows you to expand your awareness of your local habitats, facilitate pollution prevention, and enjoy the instant gratification of seeing your beach or park visibly cleaner than before. 

You don’t need to be part of a large group to do this. In fact, all that is required is a single individual, or perhaps even a single household. 

Just pick a site nearby, and usually you will be required to commit three days of the year to cleanup before receiving an adoption certificate. 

It’s easy, and it makes a clear visible difference!

Your meaningful contribution starts today. 

With these unique and actionable tips, you will be equipped to make a meaningful impact in your community. 

So what are the next steps?

Simple! Just pick one of the ideas listed, and try applying it. 

Test it out, then try something else. 

Whether you make a single seed bomb, adopt miles of local greenery, or create urban wildlife corridors all around your city, your impact will make a difference. It will matter. It will be meaningful. 

Most of all, it will show others that change is possible, and inspire them to take action too. 

Thought to Action

1. Create Urban Wildlife Corridors: Work with local residents, schools, and businesses to plant native plants in strategic locations, such as backyards, road medians, or unused public land. Native plants are crucial as they provide food and shelter for local wildlife. Encourage residents to create habitats that support wildlife, including native plants, bird feeders, and water features, effectively turning backyards into a network of wildlife corridors.
2. Participate in Citizen Science: Look for citizen science projects in your area or online platforms like iNaturalist, eBird, or Zooniverse, where you can contribute data on local wildlife, plants, or environmental conditions.
3. Create & Distribute Seed Bombs: Mix clay, compost, and native wildflower seeds into small balls. The clay helps protect the seeds until they’re ready to germinate, and the compost provides nutrients. These can be made in bulk at community events or workshops.
4. Adopt a Beach or a Park: Select a local beach, park, or other natural area that could benefit from regular maintenance and conservation efforts. Contact local authorities or conservation organizations to formally adopt the area.Plan monthly or quarterly clean-ups with volunteers to remove trash, invasive species, and other debris. Provide participants with gloves, bags, and tools, and arrange for proper disposal of collected waste. Beyond clean-ups, work on projects like planting native vegetation, installing bird boxes, or creating educational signage about local wildlife and conservation efforts.
5. Crowdfund For Local Conservation: Find a specific conservation project that requires funding, such as purchasing land for a nature reserve, restoring a habitat, or funding research on local wildlife.

Sources

Check your sources!

“2024: The Year of Global Elections – Ash Center.” Ash Center, 5 June 2024, ash.harvard.edu/resources/2024-the-year-of-global-elections/. Accessed 3 Sept. 2024.

Agar, Chloe. “10 Ways to Get Involved with Citizen Science.” Grow Wild, 11 Mar. 2024, growwild.kew.org/blog/10-ways-get-involved-citizen-science. Accessed 3 Sept. 2024.

Blue Ocean Society For Marine Conservation. Adopt-a-Beach Handbook. Blue Ocean Society For Marine Conservation.

Borrell, James. “Crowdfunding Conservation: 10 Inspiring Projects.” Dr. James Borrell, 2016, www.jamesborrell.com/crowdfunding-conservation-10-inspiring-projects/. Accessed 3 Sept. 2024.

Cave, Lydia. “Wildlife Corridors in Urban Habitats – Wild Ideas.” Wild Ideas, 24 Oct. 2020, www.wild-ideas.org.uk/2020/10/24/wildlife-corridors-in-urban-habitats/.

Darrah, Petrina. “Here’s Why Citizen Science Is Important, and How You Can Contribute – GVI | GVI.” Www.gvi.co.uk, 5 Oct. 2022, www.gvi.co.uk/blog/heres-why-citizen-science-is-important-and-how-you-can-contribute/.

Eliades, Angelo. “How to Make and Use Seed Bombs: A Complete Guide for Green Guerrillas.” Deep Green Permaculture, 30 Aug. 2024, deepgreenpermaculture.com/2024/08/31/how-to-make-and-use-seed-bombs-a-complete-guide-for-green-guerrillas/. Accessed 3 Sept. 2024.

Fenwick, Cody. “Does Your Vote Matter? What the Research Says.” 80,000 Hours, 21 June 2024, 80000hours.org/2024/06/does-your-vote-matter-what-the-research-says/. Accessed 3 Sept. 2024.

Global Forest Watch. “Global Deforestation Rates & Statistics by Country | GFW.” Www.globalforestwatch.org, 2022, www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/global/.

Goodey, Jan. “How and Why to Make Seedbombs.” The Ecologist, 24 Mar. 2023, theecologist.org/2010/may/18/how-and-why-make-seedbombs. Accessed 3 Sept. 2024.

“How to Make a Seed Bomb | the Wildlife Trusts.” Wildlifetrusts.org, 2019, www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-make-seed-bomb. Accessed 3 Sept. 2024.

Land-Zandstra, Anne, et al. “Participants in Citizen Science.” The Science of Citizen Science, 2021, pp. 243–259, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58278-4_13. Accessed 21 Oct. 2021.

Padfield, Amy. “Citizen Science Hub.” British Ecological Society, www.britishecologicalsociety.org/learning-and-resources/engaging-the-public/citizen-science-hub/. Accessed 3 Sept. 2024.

“Urban Wildlife Corridors: Building Bridges for Wildlife and People | Urban Agenda Platform.” Urbanagendaplatform.org, 2022, www.urbanagendaplatform.org/resources/urban-wildlife-corridors-building-bridges-wildlife-and-people. Accessed 3 Sept. 2024.

World Economic Forum. “This Is How Crowdfunding Is Helping to Protect Our Planet.” World Economic Forum, 31 May 2018, www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/05/crowdfunded-campaigns-are-conserving-the-earth-s-environment/. Accessed 3 Sept. 2024.

Your Family or Household Can Be a Solution to Ocean Learn about Pollution Pick a Site… Any Site** Join the Community Science Movement.

Pexels, www.pexels.com/photo/green-leafed-tree-38136/. Accessed 3 Sept. 2024.

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“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.

– “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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After defending the bad press snakes get in Western culture and highlighting the potential their venom offers the field of medicine, I was struck by a dagger of guilt. More than 220,000 species- or approximately 15% of all animal diversity on earth – are venomous. What about their potential in medicine? I decided I couldn’t possibly move on from the topic of venom without giving a shoutout to the fascinating array of cone snails, spiders, scorpions, and other species that seldom get the spotlight they deserve. This guilt weighed me down heavily as I wondered with great futility how to resolve this moral conundrum. That’s when I came across Adam Roy’s article for the magazine Outside, Keep Your Bird-Watching- I’m a Spider Man. It was clear after reading it that my next venomous protagonists would be scorpions and spiders, both arachnids, which are members of the arthropod group and Arachnida class. 

Anon, (n.d.). [Online Image] Pixabay. Available at: https://www.pexels.com/photo/animal-arachnid-close-up-creepy-219959/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

To paint the picture, I think it’s helpful to get to know the stars of the show. If you aren’t too clear on what constitutes the Arachnida class, according to Britannica, they have segmented bodies, tough exoskeletons, and jointed appendages. Most are predatory and almost all of them lack jaws.This is because instead, they inject digestive fluids into their prey before sucking out the liquefied remains into their mouths. 

(Sidenote: That might send a shiver down your spine, but please don’t go out killing spiders. They are important members of the ecosystem in your home, your garden, and the wild. In fact, they even act as a form of biological pest control for not only flies, but also disease-carrying insects, like cockroaches or mosquitos.)

Scorpions, on the other hand, only use their venom defensively, so as long as you don’t provoke them, you should be safe. They are otherwise fascinating creatures for so many reasons, for example because they glow in the dark for reasons scientists still debate, and have extremely low metabolic rates, allowing them to survive with one tenth the oxygen of other insects. 

G., S. (n.d.). [Online Image] Pexels. Available at: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-brown-insect-with-pincers-1981542/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

But apart from being absolutely mind-boggling little critters, spiders and scorpions have added to their repertoire in recent years. Their venom, as it turns out, could help treat conditions like chronic pain and cancer. The big question is why. Why can venom, which is so painful when you’ve just been stung by a scorpion, snake, or spider, be used to alleviate pain at the same time? This contradiction is what enticed me at first, and perhaps it’s also what entices you. 

The reason venom can accomplish so much biochemically is because it contains such a large variety of peptides, each targeting a unique type of pore on the cell surface. These targets are called ion channels, and they control the flow of ions across cell membranes, shaping the electrical signals which are the stars behind muscle contraction and relaxation, blood pressure, neuronal signaling, neurotransmitter release, hormone secretion, and ensuring electrolyte balance.

Specifically when it comes to chronic pain, Medical News Today suggests that past studies have found that one of the most common pathways involved is Nav1.7, which is a sodium ion channel. By blocking this channel as some venoms do, researchers predict that the pathways controlling pain will basically be turned off. According to Professor Glenn King of the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at The University of Queensland in Australia, a researcher in this study, “Previous research shows indifference to pain among people who lack Nav1.7 channels due to a naturally-occurring genetic mutation – so blocking these channels has the potential to turning off pain in people with normal pain pathways.”

Another application I mentioned was cancer, in which venom can be used as “tumor paint”, first developed by Dr. Jim Olsen. This would involve using the chlorotoxin peptide found in deathstalker scorpion venom to stick to cancer cells in the patient’s bloodstream alongside a dye which is fluorescent under laser light. This chlorotoxin peptide binds to glioma cells, a type of tumor found in the brain and spinal cord, and blocks chloride channels. This would allow a surgeon to clearly identify the type of cancer and which tissue is cancerous versus normal. Amazingly, this isn’t just a nice idea tossed around in the ether. The FDA has already approved this venom-based tumor paint for use in brain tumor clinical trials. 

Mind-boggling, right? And these are only a few examples! Other peptides with therapeutic potential are margatoxin, ω-CVID, α-GID, μ-PIIIA, ShK, χ-MrIB, and GsMTx4, which you can read up more on by using the sources at the bottom of this post. 

That said, one difficulty to synthesizing these medical tools is that such a small proportion of venom has actually been discovered. Dr. Julie Kaae Klint, a member of the Institute for Molecular Bioscience and another author from King’s study on applying venom to chronic pain, estimates that there are roughly 9 million spider-venom peptides and only 0.01% have been explored so far. Let’s just stop to think about this. Imagine you drew a line half the length of the Grand Canyon or about two times as wide as the English Channel. For every inch of this line, there is a unique spider-venom peptide out there. Now imagine a line only the length of two and a half London buses. For every inch of this line, there is one spider-venom peptide that has been discovered. That still leaves almost 9 million spider-venom peptides that have not been explored. What will we find when we do?

Willinger, M. (n.d.). [Online Image] Pexels. Available at: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-spider-3482977/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

On that note, there’s another challenge to synthesizing venom-based drugs- and that is how to actually identify the peptides that we can put to use. In a paper published online on February 11 2014 in Current Biology, a team of researchers led by Michael Nitabach, Yale Medical School, New Haven, US, described a “new approach to identifying novel peptide toxins, a method that could bolster the design of new drugs targeting ion channels”. This method has a name that I love, mostly because you can’t find it in the dictionary. It’s toxineering. 

This is essentially a method of screening all the different molecules in venom to find the ones that do the job you want. You can think of it as LinkedIn for venom, scrolling through the properties of each molecule until you find just the right candidate who will (1) bind and who will (2) bind to the receptor you want it to. In the Nitabach’s Yale study, researchers were specifically looking for a molecule to bind to the TRPA1 receptor and as a result of combing through their t-toxin library using toxineering, found the ProTx-I peptide which is now used for several clinical applications. 

This is very promising, but as always, there remains vast uncharted territory in the field of venomics and toxineering, and arachnid and snake venoms are not the only types to hold promise. There are also fascinating developments in the venoms of animals like komodo dragons, which have applications in treating strokes, heart attacks and pulmonary embolisms, and northern short-tailed shrews, whose venom is being used to explore cancer treatment. All in all, it is a field overflowing with questions, innovation, and potential. What will we find in the daunting ocean of undiscovered peptides? How will the medical industry work with nature to benefit human health? Who will brave the unknown in order to finally answer these questions for the world?

Thought to Action 

1. For free, switch your search browser to Ecosia, the search engine which uses the profits produced from your searches to plant trees where they are needed most. Ecosia is currently using its profits to plant trees all around the world, a mission which supports biodiversity, helps to fight climate change, and gives you the chance to make a real difference. 
2. Don’t kill the spiders you find in your home. If you must remove them, use a jar to capture and release them outside. Why? In brief, because spiders are natural pest controllers and are important biological control of pests. If you want to read up more, check out the articles below:
   1. Here’s Why You Should Never Kill A Spider
   2. Don’t Kill Spiders
3. Plant native trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetables, and herbs in your garden to promote biodiversity locally. 
4. Did you know that if every single person in France deleted 50 emails, the energy savings would be equivalent to turning the Eiffel tower’s lights off for 42 years or to New York City not consuming any electricity for 4 hours? If you want to contribute to saving energy on this scale:
   1. refuse unnecessary notifications that clog your inbox
   2. unsubscribe to newsletters/subscriptions you no longer find useful
   3. delete emails with large attachments
   4. clear out your junk mail folder regularly
5. Try Tru Earth’s laundry eco-strips to save space, money, and the planet. If not, at least watch their wonderfully amusing ads to put a smile on your face: Things You Should Never Mix with Water or Real Men do Laundry.
6. Replace your arachnophobia with arachnophilia. The Cornell Library’s Arachnophilia online exhibit explains the nuanced way spiders understand the world around them while discussing the diversity of arachnids, amazing properties of spider silk- which has a higher strength to density ratio than steel- and the use of spider venom in medicine. 

Sources

This is your gentle reminder to always fact check…always.

abc2.org. (2021). FDA Approves Scorpion Venom-based Tumor Paint for Brain Cancer Clinical Trial. [online] Available at: https://abc2.org/press-blog/2014/09/fda-approves-scorpion-venom-based-tumor-paint-brain-tumor-clinical-trial/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

Animals and Cartoonists. Http://Twitter. com/Johnrplatt Http://Johnrplatt.com Https://Www.instagram.com/Johnrplatt (2021). We Need to Talk About Spider Conservation • The Revelator. [online] The Revelator. Available at: https://therevelator.org/spider-conservation/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

Arachnophilia – Online exhibitions across Cornell University Library. (2020). Spider Senses. [online] Available at: https://exhibits.library.cornell.edu/arachnophilia/feature/spider-senses [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

britishspiders.org.uk. (n.d.). Arachnids and arachnology | British Arachnological Society. [online] Available at: https://britishspiders.org.uk/arachnids [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

Caba, J. (2013). ‘Tumor Paint’ Made From Scorpion Venom Could Be Viable Brain Cancer Treatment Option [VIDEO]. [online] Medical Daily. Available at: https://www.medicaldaily.com/tumor-paint-made-scorpion-venom-could-be-viable-brain-cancer-treatment-option-video-264133 [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

Culin, J. (2020). arachnid | Definition, Facts, & Examples | Britannica. In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/animal/arachnid.

EcoWatch. (2021). We Need to Talk About Spider Conservation. [online] Available at: https://www.ecowatch.com/spider-conservation-2652937580.html [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

Gui, J., Liu, B., Cao, G., Lipchik, Andrew M., Perez, M., Dekan, Z., Mobli, M., Daly, Norelle L., Alewood, Paul F., Parker, Laurie L., King, Glenn F., Zhou, Y., Jordt, S.-E. and Nitabach, Michael N. (2014). A Tarantula-Venom Peptide Antagonizes the TRPA1 Nociceptor Ion Channel by Binding to the S1–S4 Gating Domain. Current Biology, [online] 24(5), pp.473–483. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2014.01.013.

Hannon, H. and Atchison, W. (2013). Omega-Conotoxins as Experimental Tools and Therapeutics in Pain Management. Marine Drugs, 11(12), pp.680–699. doi:10.3390/md11030680.

https://www.facebook.com/thoughtcodotcom (2019). There Are at Least 10 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Scorpions. [online] ThoughtCo. Available at: https://www.thoughtco.com/scorpion-facts-4135393 [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

jversteegh (2022). Keep Your Bird-Watching—I’m a Spider Man. [online] Outside Online. Available at: https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/essays-culture/spiders-fears-misconceptions/?utm_source [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

Lewis, R.J. and Garcia, M.L. (2003). Therapeutic potential of venom peptides. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2(10), pp.790–802. doi:10.1038/nrd1197.

March 12, C.N., 2017 and Am, 9:22 (2017). On The Horizon: Scorpion venom as cancer treatment. [online] www.cbsnews.com. Available at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/on-the-horizon-scorpion-venom-as-cancer-treatment-tumor-paint/.

Oliveira, A.L., Viegas, M.F., da Silva, S.L., Soares, A.M., Ramos, M.J. and Fernandes, P.A. (2022). The chemistry of snake venom and its medicinal potential. Nature Reviews Chemistry, [online] pp.1–19. doi:10.1038/s41570-022-00393-7.

Peterson, J. (2012). Don’t Kill Spiders. [online] HowStuffWorks. Available at: https://home.howstuffworks.com/green-living/dont-kill-spiders.htm [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

Shaw, A. (n.d.). How venoms are shaping medical advances | BBC Earth. [online] www.bbcearth.com. Available at: https://www.bbcearth.com/news/how-venoms-are-shaping-medical-advances [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

Silva, W. da (2022). Venom: The New Miracle of Medicine. [online] ILLUMINATION-Curated. Available at: https://medium.com/illumination-curated/venom-a-revolution-in-medicine-d163eb065e28 [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

src=”https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6a9e2dae2b328b5cdfa3221e8fa8f071?s=96, img class=”avatar” alt=”Kiersten H., #038;d=mm, Sep. 05, 038;r=g” width=”50″ height=”50″>Kiersten H. and 2022 (2019). Here’s Why You Should Never Kill A Spider. [online] Family Handyman. Available at: https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/heres-why-you-should-never-kill-a-spider/.

Weller, C. (2014). Tarantula Venom Promises Painkiller Development. [online] Medical Daily. Available at: https://www.medicaldaily.com/tarantula-venom-offers-hope-painkiller-development-thanks-novel-screening-method-269479 [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

Whiteman, H. (2015). Newly identified compounds in spider venom could help treat chronic pain. [online] www.medicalnewstoday.com. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/290338 [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

Yong, E. (2011). Why do scorpions glow in the dark (and could their whole bodies be one big eye)? [online] Science. Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/why-do-scorpions-glow-in-the-dark-and-could-their-whole-bodies-be-one-big-eye [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].

The post A Tale of Toxineering & Tarantulas appeared first on Green Also Green.

Today is the day in which I dispel lies with a righteous sword of truth. Here goes nothing: The institution of Recycling is a Sham. Now before you storm off angrily and tattle on me to Greta Thunberg, first read my article Greta Thunberg’s Got It Wrong…But We Can’t Get It Right Without Her, then if you haven’t double-stormed off, let me unpack this. By “Sham” I do not mean recycling isn’t a worthwhile or noble pursuit. Nor do I mean there isn’t a solid philosophy behind placing it as a priority. Nor do I mean if it actually worked, it wouldn’t be beneficial. What I do mean here by the word “Sham”, a word itself of ironically uncertain origin, is that the way we recycle isn’t working. Once again, let me reiterate, recycling is noble, but the system is broken.

And side note- who came up with the word sham, and if we can’t find out, does the word describe itself?

In any event, to understand why I’ve become a recycling heretic, let’s start somewhere familiar. You’ve just downed the last drop of water from a- I daresay- single-use plastic water bottle, and now must dispose of the ephemerally-used yet eternally-present item. Of course, for the sake of brevity we’ll forgive you for not using a state-of-the-art Klean Kanteen Classic Water Bottle with a loop cap and capacity of 27 fl oz. in turquoise blue. Naturally, you can’t be perfect all the time. However, being the environmentally-conscious citizen that you are, you turn with pride to the green recycling bin beside you. You let out a sigh of relief. Yes, you assure yourself, I forgot my Hydro Flask today, but at least I recycled. 

Webb, D. (2018). [Online Image] Everyday Plastic. Available at: https://www.everydayplastic.org/report [Accessed 22 Aug. 2022].

This story is a tragedy faced by millions, most poignantly so because millions of recyclers worldwide don’t even realize what a tragedy it is. Why is this tragic you ask? Well, a plastic bottle takes 450 years to decompose, some other forms of plastic taking up to 1,000 years. While you might think recycling takes away from this cumbersome tax on the planet, it actually makes a negligible difference, with few items in any given recycling bin ever contributing meaningfully to a circular economy. Instead, the majority of it will end up in a landfill or in nature. According to City to Sea, by 2015, 6 billion tons of plastic waste had been produced, but only 90% has ever been recycled. 79% of that has ended up in a landfill or the natural environment, with the remaining 12% being incinerated. To name just a few examples, when plastic accidentally ends up in the wild, it can disrupt food chains, leaching harmful chemicals into the bodies of those who ingest it, and put animals at risk of entanglement. To add insult to injury, recycled plastic is also more expensive than virgin plastic, leaving businesses with little incentive to actually use it. After researching, I’ve chosen not to include an overwhelming amount of additional statistics due to the range in numbers and the inherent uncertainties of quantifying garbage in a meaningful way. However if you’re interested, please see my sources for more details. 

In any event, now that you have a sense of the issue at hand, how did it actually become an issue? After all, the notion of recycling waste in an endless circular economy sounds wonderful. However the realities of material science make this process much more complicated. Think of all the things you have thrown into the recycling bin. All these things are handled differently when they reach the recycling facility and must be eventually separated accordingly. You might think you’re in the clear if you separate plastics, glass, and metals, but even that is not enough. If you were to just take the plastic category, there are several items which can’t be recycled together. To take just one example, clear plastic bottles can’t be recycled with green ones because the dye prohibits it from being turned back to a clear plastic, lowering its market value- which is already low for recycled plastic. This is why all Sprite bottles are now clear.  

Webb, D. (2018). [Online Image] Everyday Plastic. Available at: https://www.everydayplastic.org/report [Accessed 22 Aug. 2022].

However complicated this might be, few items in any given recycling bin even make it to this point at all, with much of it ending up in oceans or landfills otherwise. In fact, according to the Plastics Europe organization, only 32% of plastic in Europe is recycled. This is just one material in one continent. Why is this the case? In brief, economics. For starters, in 2018, China, the largest buyer of U.S.A. recyclables at the time, stopped importing recyclable items. Yet it’s not all China’s fault, because even in 2016, engineer and author Richard Fulmer could see the faults with this system. “Recycling resources costs resources,” he wrote. “…All this also produces pollution- from the factories that build the trucks and from the fuel borned to power them, and from the factories that produce the components to build and construct the recycling plant and from the fuel burned to power the plant.” 

The importance of economics also applies to the value of recycled materials versus their more pure counterparts. For example, according to Everyday Plastic, plastic packaging has about 2-3 cycles before it can no longer be recycled due to poor quality. Because of this gradual decrease in quality each time it goes through one of these cycles, recycled plastic has a low market value, which means it’s not as attractive as brand new plastic when being sold for usage. 

That said, contributing to a better system of handling garbage might seem like an impossible task. On the one hand some might insist that you simply cut plastic out of your life entirely. In my opinion, this misses the point. Plastic, in smaller and more manageable amounts, is necessary. After all, there are highly valuable ways to use it as well, such as for prosthetics and the use of sterile equipment in the healthcare industry. The issue here is pushing the use of one material to the extreme, which is unfortunately the case in a plastics-driven society. For this reason, a holistic approach is needed. 

Webb, D. (2018). [Online Image] Everyday Plastic. Available at: https://www.everydayplastic.org/report [Accessed 22 Aug. 2022].

To prove this, let’s travel back in time. The earliest account of recycling paper is from 1031 in Japan, where an absence of raw materials and skilled workers led to the creation of several paper mills which used recycled waste paper to produce shukushi paper, which has a gray tint. Ultimately, this recycled paper even replaced traditional paper. Another example is glass recycling in Ancient Rome, where some people would collect broken glass and sell it back to glasshouses. 

Unlike most recycling currently, these practices fit securely into a framework which was financially lucrative and socially beneficial. In Japan, it addressed the lack of raw materials while providing the population with paper. In Ancient Rome, it cleared away broken glass while providing individuals with an income. Nowadays, recycling is not a lucrative endeavor, which is why so many local governments are putting a stop to it. Rather than being controlled by the government, it will only survive if controlled by a free market which provides individuals and businesses an economic incentive to pursue it.  

With that in mind, how are you to live in a world fraught with items that probably will never get recycled? Let’s start with giving a makeover to everyone’s favorite eco-friendly mantra, the three R’s. Most of us were taught Reduce, Reuse, Recycle in school, but I say we go with City to Sea’s four R’s, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse & Refill, and only after applying these should we resort to recycling. This approach leads to less waste and consumption, offering a more economically and socially viable solution as well. Matching environmental initiatives with socio economic incentives is, after all, the only way to ensure their longevity. 

Another important step in reducing waste is shopping in such a way that will make these goals easier. Do research about the companies you shop from or invest in and reduce the friction required to be a socially-responsible consumer. Having said that, what do you do when you’re already in the store and don’t have time to do deep research? One way to filter through items is to go through a checklist. This might involve questions like Will this item add value to my life?How long will this last?Are there any options available that I know are better? Will I actually use this? With just those criteria, you are likely to end up with much fewer purchases in your shopping basket.  Ultimately though, there is no one who is always perfectly socially responsible, so it’s important to be patient with yourself and others. The crucial thing to remember when feeling overwhelmed is to focus on just taking the next step in the right direction. 

The good news is that there are already companies and individuals taking this step. Perhaps you know someone who brings reusable bags to the grocery store or carries around a reusable water bottle. Maybe you know someone who shops at thrift stores or turns down plastic straws. Maybe you know someone who has given up fish, given that fishing gear accounts for approximately 70% of plastics more than 20cm in size that float on the surface of the ocean, and 86% of plastic waste on the seafloor. Those are just a few examples. There also exist large corporations that have implemented effective strategies, such as Bodyshop, who has rolled out refill stations across 400 stores globally throughout 2021 and is launching 400 additional stations in 2022. What makes this initiative so effective is that it’s not just environmentally beneficial, but also saves customers money, as each refill contains an extra 50 ml of product for free. This synergy is absolutely essential in reducing the amount of single-use plastic that ends up in landfills and the environment. 

With that said, perhaps now you have also become a recycling heretic. If not that, at least you might’ve decided on a new catchy mantra for your eco-philosophy: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse & Refill– and if you get overwhelmed, just remember to do the next right thing. 

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Thought to Action

• One suggestion from the organization City to Sea is to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse & Refill, only opting for Recycle after the other options have been attempted. Check out their Essential Guide to Recycling for a direct explanation of how to handle different types of plastics. 
• Check to see what is recyclable in your area using this website & browse its content for more helpful tips. 
• Check out this 45 minute long documentary, Dirty Business: What Really Happens to Your Recycling
• Use reusable bottles & cups.
• Wash & dry plastic items before sending them to be recycled. 
• Avoid using plastic straws.
• Swap out your regular toothbrush for a bamboo toothbrush.
• Bring your own bags when shopping for groceries. 
• Give up gum.
  • It’s made of synthetic rubber, which is a form of plastic. 
• Switch to bar soap & boxed detergent. 
  • For your hair, you can use a shampoo or conditioner bar. This still reduces waste from packaging. 
• Bring reusable cutlery & containers for take-out food. 
  • Instead of using the single-use styrofoam  or plastic containers restaurants offer for takeout, you can request to put your food in your own container. 
  • Keep lightweight bamboo cutlery with you so you can use it instead of plastic utensils.
• Shop at thrift stores.
  • Pre-owned items have already been taken out of their original plastic packaging, so purchasing them contributes to less plastic waste. 
• Purchase non-perishable food items in bulk to avoid extra packaging.
• When shaving, use a razor with replaceable blades rather than a disposable razor.
• See here for a list of 17 ways to reduce your plastic waste. 

Bibliography

City to Sea. (2019a). Recycling Guide – City to Sea – An essential guide to recycling. [online] Available at: https://www.citytosea.org.uk/essential-guide-to-recycling/ [Accessed 16 Aug. 2022].

City to Sea. (2019b). Why plastic recycling doesn’t work | City to Sea | The problem with plastic. [online] Available at: https://www.citytosea.org.uk/plastic-recycling-doesnt-work/.

Dell, J.E., Jan (2022). Plastic Recycling Doesn’t Work and Will Never Work. [online] The Atlantic. Available at: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/05/single-use-plastic-chemical-recycling-disposal/661141/ [Accessed 16 Aug. 2022].

Fisher, J. (2022). The Big Plastic Count: Survey shows ‘recycling doesn’t work’. BBC News. [online] 12 Jul. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-62126757 [Accessed 14 Aug. 2022].

Greeneducationfoundation.org. (2008). Tips to Use Less Plastic – Green Education Foundation | GEF | Sustainability Education. [online] Available at: http://www.greeneducationfoundation.org/nationalgreenweeksub/waste-reduction-tips/tips-to-use-less-plastic.html.

hutchinson (2008). Is Recycling Worth It? PM Investigates its Economic and Environmental Impact. [online] Popular Mechanics. Available at: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a3752/4291566/ [Accessed 16 Aug. 2022].

Daca, A. (n.d.). Plastic waste from the fishing industry. [online] CP3. Available at: https://www.cp3montreal.com/articles/plastic-waste-fishing-industry [Accessed 19 Aug. 2022].

Masterclass (2020). 5 reasons why… Recycling is not the answer. [online] Everyday Plastic. Available at: https://www.everydayplastic.org/blog/5-reasons-why-recycling-is-not-the-answer [Accessed 16 Aug. 2022].

Miltimore, J. (2019). America Finally Admits Recycling Doesn’t Work | Jon Miltimore. [online] Fee.org. Available at: https://fee.org/articles/america-finally-admits-recycling-doesn-t-work/ [Accessed 16 Aug. 2022].

Peters, A. (2021). Why Sprite is ditching green bottles. [online] Fast Company. Available at: https://www.fastcompany.com/90602485/why-sprite-is-ditching-green-bottles.

Plastics Europe (n.d.). Recycling • Plastics Europe. [online] Plastics Europe. Available at: https://plasticseurope.org/sustainability/circularity/recycling/ [Accessed 17 Aug. 2022].

Recyclenow.com. (2019). Recycle Now | Where and How to Recycle. [online] Available at: https://www.recyclenow.com/ [Accessed 16 Aug. 2022].

Shift, T.P. (2020). The Issue with Low-Value Plastics. [online] Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/@theplasticshift/the-issue-with-low-value-plastics-5fedb4dcd49a [Accessed 17 Aug. 2022].

Sky News (2018). Dirty Business: what really happens to your recycling. [online] www.youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRQLilXLAIU&t=1193s [Accessed 16 Aug. 2022].

Wearth Editorial Team (2021). How To Dispose Of Single Use Plastic Safely & Responsibly | Wearth. [online] Wearth London. Available at: https://www.wearthlondon.com/blog/how-to-dispose-of-plastic-waste-safely/ [Accessed 16 Aug. 2022].

www.penn.museum. (n.d.). Penn Museum | Amarna: Ancient Egypt’s Place in the Sun. [online] Available at: https://www.penn.museum/sites/amarna/funfacts.shtml [Accessed 16 Aug. 2022].

Hintons Skips UK Ltd. (2018). Hinton’s Waste. [online] Available at: https://www.hintonswaste.co.uk/news/history-of-recycling-timeline/.

www.texasrecycling.com. (2022). The History of Recycling: A Timeline | Texas Recycling Center. [online] Available at: https://www.texasrecycling.com/articles/history-of-recycling-to-modern-recycling/.

Shirley, S. and CMO (n.d.). What Is The Plastic Pollution Impact on Wildlife | Factory Direct Promos. [online] FactoryDirect. Available at: https://www.factorydirectpromos.com/blog/what-is-the-plastic-pollution-impact-on-wildlife/.

The post  Recycling Plastic: A Shameful Sham appeared first on Green Also Green.

Featuring Ancient Rome

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of cleanliness, it was the epoch of dirtiness, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of family, it was the winter of climate change. 

Before I say anything further, I must first thank my mother for raising me to be the kind of upstanding young woman who reads care instructions; separates whites, darks, and reds; and uses vinegar instead of fabric softener. She has shaped me into who I am today in a way that no one else could have. In fact, it is only because of the way she raised me that I have developed an appreciation for the whole process of cleaning. Yet like all the innocent joys of youth, doing my laundry just became a lot more complicated…

It all began the day human beings decided (1) to wear clothing and (2) to wash that clothing, which the Bible dates back to fig leaves in Genesis but I simply date back to “a long time ago”. Ever since clothes and hygiene mattered to society, there have been innovations related to clothes-washing. In Ancient Rome, there was already a sophisticated system in place to ensure everyone’s clothing was cleaned. However back then they didn’t use lye soap nor did they even use a metal washboard. So what did they do? They did what anyone without a washing machine does even today- they took to the laundromat! 

In the ancient world they called what we would consider today a laundromat or dry cleaners a fullonica. Fullers, or fullones, were people who worked in these special places, scrubbing off all the olive oil stains and grime. Now there is a thought still nagging you. But they didn’t have soap!  you insist. Must’ve been gross. Ah, but you haven’t considered everything. The solution to this conundrum will surprise you. Yes, with no soap to assist, the standard fullonica of Rome used human urine. 

As a side note, urine can also be used in the modern day as a source of electric power, urine-eating bacteria even creating a strong enough current to power a cell phone! Stem cells harvested from urine have also been reprogrammed into neurons and used to grow human teeth. But I digress…

In Ancient Rome, urine was like liquid gold, particularly in the case of laundry services, in which it was used to concoct a sort of ancient detergent consisting of a mixture of water, creta fullonia (i.e. fuller’s earth), a few alkali elements, and urine. Now, apart from being a fun topic to discuss at a formal dinner party, what’s the point of mentioning this? In essence, it is to highlight the resourcefulness of our ancestors in regard to cleanliness. They used what they had, even their own waste. 

Fast forward to today. The year is 2022, washing machines and dryers are widespread in more developed nations, we no longer use urine as a key component to our detergent, and we frequently use soap. Our clothes are sufficiently clean. It sounds wonderful. That is, until you consider the other side of the story. 

Andersen, A. (n.d.). [Online Image] Pexels. Available at: https://www.pexels.com/photo/grayscale-photo-of-washing-machine-2254065/ [Accessed 14 Aug. 2022].

Firstly, there are the carbon emissions released. After all, the clothing and fashion industry has one of the largest carbon footprints of any industry. Just washing and drying a 5kg load of laundry every two days creates nearly 440kg of carbon dioxide emissions in a year, which is about the same mass as a manatee or small walrus. Most of that originates from the dryer. Heating water in a washing machine also adds to this, with an impact that only worsens as the machine gets older. The cumulative impact is daunting when you start to consider in on a larger scale. If you were to just take 1000 households, this would be 440,000kg of carbon emissions in a year, which is equivalent to 1.4 times the weight of the Statue of Liberty.

Secondly is the dizzying amount of water used in the washing machine. In fact, Energy Star claims that the average top loader washer uses 30-35 gallons of water with every load. To give you a comparison, 30 gallons is about 136.38 liters. Assuming you drink roughly 3 liters of water a day, it would take about a month and a half- 45.5 days- to drink the amount of water used in one load of laundry. If you drink a little less water each day, say 2 liters, it would take about 68 days to drink that amount, which is a little over two months. 

Sadly, that isn’t even the whole story, because we haven’t even gotten started on detergent, which often contains toxic chemicals that get into groundwater and negatively influence plant life. These chemicals might also trigger skin irritation and asthma. Even plastic fibers and toxic dyes in your clothing are part of the story, as they get washed away into the sewage system with each load you complete. On a larger scale, the contamination of sewage and groundwater all lead to negative consequences, messing with the delicate ecological balance present in natural settings. 

Truth be told, this isn’t a system that will work forever, not only because of how it affects polar bears on melting ice caps or some rare tree frog in the Amazon, but also because it contributes to water insecurity, a rapidly changing climate, erratic weather patterns, allergies, poor maintenance of clothing, and ultimately, a large amount of waste. While the prospect of using urine to make something more clean might seem perplexing, perhaps now we can all gain an appreciation for what the Ancient Romans achieved in their fullonicae. Firstly they achieved cleanliness, which is ultimately what laundry is all about. However they also created a circular system which involved little to no waste or pollution. This is becuse they used the resources readily available to them with a minimal impact on the environment or human health. Their motive for doing so is irrelevant. What’s extraordinary here is the economic and social genius of using waste as a resource.  

After taking this into consideration, I think we should start with a very simple question: Why clean? If you think you know right off the bat, think just a little harder and you’ll realize this is- ironically- a messy question to pose. I’m sure you’d agree that the answer lies somewhere roughly between the forces of disgust, social expectations, and hygiene. When it comes to clothes, the exact reasons for cleaning have become blurred over history, and it would benefit us to recognize first of all, that sometimes we clean when we don’t have to. Yes, sometimes we clean when we don’t have to. If this is true, that just leaves us with the matter of hygiene.

As part of this reflective journey that we are embarking upon together, let’s start with the nitty-gritty semantics. Like the scholarly etymology nerd my father raised me to be, I believe the evolution of words holds a surprising amount of wisdom. So if we want to talk about hygiene in any way, I say we start there. 

If we go way way back, before the French coined the word hygiène in the 1670s, this was a Greek word, hygiene techne, which translates to “the healthful art”, from the word hygies, meaning “living well” and personified as the goddess Hygieia. It was a Greek adjective that was used as a noun by Aristotle to mean “health”. Not surprisingly, it was then considered the foundation of all good health within Greek medicine. This belief has persisted. You’d probably even agree that it’s the foundation to all good health today. 

After all that, how do we use an understanding of hygiene to find a path out of the very sticky mess that is laundry? It is by naming hygiene as a priority. This is ultimately what laundry should be about- clean clothes and healthy, hygienic living. If this is so, why would a hot water setting over a cold water setting hold significant importance? Why would scented detergent be superior to unscented? The list goes on. Laundry is about hygiene. Once we identify this as our primary aim, we are able to make progress toward a system which ticks all the boxes- effective at cleaning, economically sensible, and environmentally friendly. 

Fortunately, today isn’t a day when you have to decide between clean clothing and melting ice caps, and that is what I want to highlight. Your crisp clean laundry can coexist with environmental prosperity. Yes, you read that right- you’re actually allowed to have lovely clean clothes! 

There, that’s all I had to say. If you’re one of the patient individuals who have read all that without abandoning me midway, I must thank you personally for allowing me to remove such a burden from my shoulders. Yes, thank you! Now I can finally feel like I made my contribution to the grand history of laundry. Maybe, if I’ve been persuasive enough, I’ve even convinced you to make a little progress of your own…

Find Green Also Green on Instagram @greenalsogreen

Thought to Action

• Try out Tru Earth eco strips to decrease your use of single-use plastic and your water consumption per load of laundry. Watch this highly amusing ad, Real Men Do Laundry, to find out more. 
• Use a cold water setting when doing your laundry. The Cleaning Institute found that switching your washing machine to the coldest setting, “tap cold”, can cause a single household to reduce their carbon emissions by 864lbs a year, which is equivalent to nine-tenths the weight of a horse. This is because heating the water accounts for almost 90% of the energy used by a washing machine. Cold water is also more delicate on your clothing, preventing it from breaking down as much as hot water does. This means fewer microplastics and toxic dyes are released into the water and prolongs the lifetime of each item. 
• When shopping for appliances, try to purchase Energy Star certified machines, which will help save money, prolong the lifetime of your clothes, and improve your efficiency when washing. 
• Fill up the washing machine as much as possible when completing a load to decrease the loads you have to do. If completing a small load, use the correct water-level setting. 
• Use the high speed option to remove as much water from your clothes as possible, which will decrease the amount of time it takes to dry your clothes. 
• Don’t over-dry clothes. 
• Dry heavier items separate from lighter-weight items. 
• Avoid harsh chemicals that might lead to poor health or environmental degradation.
  • One rule of thumb is to opt for unscented products which might contain the carcinogens acetaldehyde or benzene. 
• Read this article to learn more about what you can do. 

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Bibliography

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The Scrubba Wash Bag. (2018). How People Used to Wash: The Fascinating History of Laundry. [online] Available at: https://thescrubba.com/blogs/news/how-people-used-to-wash-the-fascinating-history-of-laundry.

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