Tag Archives: #pollution

Cancel Fast-Fashion, or cancel the Environment?

Posted on November 4, 2019 by | 4 comments

Let’s face it, who doesn’t like a good bargain deal for clothing? No one enjoys going out of their way to pay a whopping sum of money just to keep in trend, and for those with that mentality, fast fashion is the way to go. However, behind all the glorious deals, that allow consumers to snag trending clothes at a reasonable price, comes a major cost to the environment.

Fast-Fashion Giant: Zara

 

The fast-fashion businesses has been booming especially in developed parts of the world, which raises eyebrows in concern for how sustainable practices are. Given the rate and magnitude at which these clothes are produced, it is at the same rate the unsold products are discarded and wasted. For example, these businesses claim their wasted, unsold merchandise is reportedly burned, thus further instigating the negative climate impact. And this does not even dive into the tragic details of production.

Certain synthetic materials such as polyester and nylon, not only have a lasting impact due to the stubborn nature of these materials being unable to biodegrade. These materials end up in marine ecosystems which affect the food chain from the bottom up which in turn have a ripple effect on larger mammals such as humans. There, we see the full circle coming together.

Microplastics in Marine Environment

 

This raises concern whether fast-fashion culture needs to be stopped, and have more sustainable practices replacing it. The answer: it is complicated. Although it is a necessity to have more sustainable sources of clothing, the reality is that big giants such as: Zara, H&M, Uniqlo, these brands are not going to change if the consumer mind-set remains the same.  As a matter of fact, the LA times reports that over 50% of adults under the age of 34 agreed they would make a switch to a more eco-friendly brand. Meanwhile, less the 40% of adults over the age of 50 had the same mindset. This is a tell tale sign that young people are the catalyst for the future. So, how would one go about making sustainable changes to their wardrobe? Check out Sedona’s take on how she made the switch!

Given this insight, thrift shopping is a possibility of creating a new business model that creates sustainable practices within our economy. Although this model is imperfect, and there is still some waste created, it is no where near the waste of fast-fashion businesses. Remember that improvement is better than staying stagnant, and remember that you have a lot more influence than you know.

Written by Molly Fu

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Posted in Issues in Science, Science in the News

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Does eliminating plastic straws actually make a difference?

Posted on October 7, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Google source: Keyt

It has become a common trend for businesses to ban plastic straws in order to “save the oceans’. The real question is, how much do straws affect our planet?

In a recent study, it has been estimated that between 4.8- 12.7 million tons of plastic waste has entered the ocean. With the knowledge of there being great amounts of plastic in the oceans, we can now consider the effects they have on the ocean.

Image source: Ocean Conservancy

According to the Ocean Conservancy organization, there was over 9.3 million kilograms of trash picked up through the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC). Out of the ten most picked up items in the ocean, plastic straws was ranked 6th, with over 600,000 straws being picked up. This is an excessive amount of plastic that isn’t necessary for most people. This effect would  likely have detrimental impacts on the ecosystem.

The video called ‘Why plastic straws suck’, discusses some of the main problems with plastic straws that has the potential to have negative impacts. One problem with plastic straws is their size. They are often missed in modern recycling equipment and therefore end up in the trash.

 

YouTube Preview Image

 

Plastic in the ocean system as discussed in another study, has potential risk to marine animals, from being poisoned due to digestion of the debris and entanglement in the plastic. It’s a known fact that marine animals are essential to our ecosystem, so humans should try to protect them from plastic pollutants.

The ban of plastic straws has the potential to greatly reduce the top 6th plastic pollutant, therefore making a positive impact on the marine ecosystem. Eliminating straws has been shown to make a difference to our planet,  but in order to ensure that we protect our planet, humans should focus on reducing all their wastes. There are many alternative options such as straw less lids, paper and metals straws are now a highly popular alternative to plastic straws. Humans should consider small steps they can take that will positively support the marine ecosystem and overall the planet itself.

 

Written by Jocelyn Benji

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Posted in Biological Sciences

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Can Eels get High on Cocaine?

 

European Eel (Anguilla anguilla) (Source: Flickr)

The European eel (Anguilla Anguilla) is considered a highly endangered species in the wild and new research suggests that this could be largely due to illicit drug residues such as cocaine that is found in surface waters around the world.

Anna Capaldo, a research biologist at the University of Naples Federico II studies the effects of trace concentrations of cocaine on the European eel. She reports that the eels are extremely vulnerable to low concentrations of cocaine, especially during adolescence as the cocaine can cause fluctuations in hormone levels, which can further result in major physiological impacts such as muscle swelling.

How Does Cocaine Enter the Water?

Cocaine (Source: Flickr)

Treated wastewater is the primary source of these cocaine residues in the water. Cocaine does not absorb well in the human body as it continuously cycles through the bloodstream to various organs such as the heart and brain, until it can finally be broken down and excreted by the body. Moreover, cocaine breaks down rather quickly in the body, as it has a half-life of roughly one hour. This means that after one hour, half of the cocaine in the body will be eliminated from the body, primarily through urine and feces. These cocaine-laced excretions end up in wastewater and ultimately makes it way into rivers, oceans and other bodies of water. Millions of individuals illegally abuse cocaine, which is a primary reason why these residues are found in surface waters around the world.

Can Cocaine Get Eels High?

In short, yes.

Small concentrations of cocaine is found to increase dopamine levels, a hormone responsible for providing feelings such as pleasure.

More concerning, however is that the cocaine increases a stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is responsible for inducing fat consumption, which can be detrimental for the European eel as it can significantly delay their timing for migration, as the eels must build up enough fat in order to successfully complete their journey to sea.

Solutions and Future Research

Research shows that cocaine residues in the water is a clear threat to susceptible species in the aquatic environment such as the European eel.

So what can been done to stop this?

Simple.

Stop people from using illegal drugs such as cocaine in the first place!

Easier said than done. The sad reality is that governments around the world have been trying to accomplish this for decades, so maybe there is a better solution.

As of now, little is known about the distribution pattern, occurrence and ecological impacts of cocaine residues in surface waters and even drinking water and wastewater. However, it is clear that these drug residues are a major threat to susceptible species such as the European eel. Thus, more research must be done on the worldwide prevalence of these cocaine residues and their potential effects on the environment, in order to determine whether it is appropriate to spend resources and implement regulations regarding the occurrence of these drugs in wastewater.

(Source: Flickr)

Or, instead of doing all that tedious research, people can start following the law by not consuming illegal drugs and stop excreting their cocaine-laced defecate and urine into the water!

Written by Justin Kim

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Posted on October 1, 2019 by in Science in the News

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