MEALWORMS

By Seojin David Lee

The Environmental Science & Technology journal published a revolutionary study: macro-organisms such as mealworms are not only capable of plastic decomposition but also safe for other animals to consume as protein-rich food.

Before the discovery made by a group of researchers at Stanford University, these particular mealworms were known to be able to digest polyethylene, the most commonly used chemical in producing plastic. The researchers brought more to the table: according to Anja Malawi Brandon, the same mealworms are also capable of decomposing another chemical called polystyrene. Such discovery is groundbreaking, as the two chemicals are quite dissimilar; hence, the mealworms are potentially capable of decomposing multiple types of plastic.

The subsequent revolutionary discovery emerged from the researchers' attempt to carry out their first breakthrough in plastic degeneration. The most obvious use case is the utilization of these mealworms to facilitate or manage natural plastic decomposition. In the process of their study, the researchers discovered that these mealworms could become safe, protein-rich food for other organisms. In fact, when the mealworms that fed on polyethylene, which could contain a bioaccumulative, toxic chemical called hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), were provided as food to Pacific white shrimp, researchers found that the shrimp had no trace of toxicity or bioaccumulation. The mealworms were able to completely digest the chemicals found in the plastic, which allowed them to be a safe source of food for the shrimp. The result is hopeful: such mealworms could be introduced into the ecosystems to not only aid in natural plastic decomposition but also become a protein source for other organisms.

Although the study of safety and whether there is no toxicity at all is ongoing, the two discoveries are certainly promising. These mealworms could lead to a new, plastic-free world.

Source:
https://bioplasticsnews.com/2020/02/27/mealworms-plastic-waste/

Plastic Waste

Plastic Pollution

Written by Caleb Paik

Plastic has become a global problem since the late 20th century. Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues. The overproduction of plastic products makes it difficult for humans to deal with them. However, there are still ways we can decrease the amount of plastic waste in environments. 

First, let's find out what plastic waste/pollution is. Plastic waste/pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects that negatively affect biodiversity, including humans. However, oceans are the place where plastic waste has the most effect on. At least 18 million tons of plastic is dumped in the ocean and 80% of debris in oceans are plastic. This has a huge effect on marine life because marine species can ingest or get entangled in plastic, drastically harming their health. 

Although there are these huge problems, there are ways we can decrease the amount of plastic pollution in the world. Some of these solutions include:

- Stop buying water: Billions of plastic water bottles are wasted every year. Minimizing the use of plastic water bottles can help reduce plastic pollution.

- Recycle: Recycling is an obvious solution, but we are not doing a good job of it. However, recycling is one of the best options we have. 

- Wean yourself off disposable plastics: Converting from one-time plastic products to reusable ones can drastically help this problem. 

All in all, plastic waste is a drastic issue that is harming the world. Let's spread awareness of this problem so that we can reduce the amount of pollution in our world.

Soil Pollution

Human Effect on Soil

Written by Caleb Paik

Soil is essential in our lives. It acts as a water filter, provides habitat, contributes to biodiversity, and supplies many of the antibiotics used to fight diseases. So, why are we polluting it?

First, we need to know what soil pollution is. The Environmental Pollution Centers states that soil pollution is the presence of toxic chemicals in high concentrations that are enough to pose a threat to humans. Causes of soil pollution include:

• Biological Agents, such as bacteria and fungi, work inside of soil to introduce manures from organisms. 

• Agricultural Practices cause the soil to pollute to a great extent. For example, fertilizers add an abundant amount of nitrogen in soil, harming its nutrients.

• Radioactive Pollutants, such as radium and uranium, infiltrates soil and adds toxic chemicals. 

• Urban Waste consists of garbage and rubbish materials, overall harming the environment.

• Industrial Waste includes steel, pesticides, glass, and cement, which are all noxious to the environment.

All of these pollutants have a major effect. Soil pollution is detrimental to anyone that is susceptible, including animals, humans and plants. However, factors such as age and general health status come into play. For example, children are more vulnerable to contaminants compared to adults because they come in more contact with soil. However, old adults are more susceptible to disease due to having a weaker immune system. Overall, the effects of soil pollution has its differences depending on certain factors. 

Finally, we can now go back to our main question: Why are humans polluting soil? Although there isn’t a definite answer, humans cause soil pollution mainly because of other work. This includes mining, industry, military activities, and so much more. However, it can also be an accidental or a deliberate cause, such as an improper disposal of waste which fits into both terms. Altogether, it is obvious that pollution overall is noxious to our world, but humans continue to do it. Therefore, I hope this report will spread awareness to decrease the amount of pollution there is in our world. 

References 

• https://www.soils.org/files/science-policy/sssa-marketing-2013.pdf

• https://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/soil/

Cigarette Smoking and its Repercussions

 By Seojin David Lee

I am sure you need no introduction to cigarette smoking; nearly 20% of people in the world were cigarette smokers in 2014. Cigarette smoking is extremely common. Here in South Korea, almost every single convenience store has them for sale. The fact that cigarette smoking is detrimental to one’s health is common knowledge. It has dozens of risks to human health and may cause diseases such as lung cancer, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and heart attack and stroke. Not only will it harm the smoker, but it also has the potential to harm people nearby. This is called second-hand smoke; as stated by Conserve Energy Future, “Those exposed to second-hand smoke are at high risk of suffering from most of the diseases and health complications associated with first-hand smoking.” However, there are further consequences caused by cigarette smoking, and these consequences are not exclusive to one’s health. Importantly, cigarette smoking is also dangerous to the environment.

The most direct way cigarettes are harming the environment is through their production. Because cigarettes are made from tobacco, which is only found in rainforests, trees in rainforests are being cut down. Deforestation is also the worst in rainforests, which may be correlated to cigarette production. As a huge portion of the world smoke cigarettes, there is gonna have to be a large number of trees in rainforests deforested to make up for these cigarettes. Deforestation is obviously destructive to the environment, as the absence of trees and plants may cause harmful effects such as soil erosion, less carbon dioxide being absorbed, and the decrease of biodiversity.

Another blatant way cigarettes are harming the environment is when they are being smoked. Cigarettes release carbon dioxide and methane into the air when smoked; this is something that should not be ignored, as it happens to be that carbon dioxide and methane are the two leading causes of climate change. In fact, cigarette smoking releases approximately 2.6 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide and 5.2 billion kilograms of methane annually. The effect on climate change by cigarettes is also amplified if you consider the production of it causing the deforestation of trees, as there will be fewer trees to absorb the carbon dioxide that will be emitted into the atmosphere. 

Lastly, cigarettes harm the environment even after they are done being used by the smoker. Walking down the streets of Seoul, it is common to see hundreds of cigarette butts scattered across the side of roads. It turns out that these cigarettes littered onto the floor are commonly washed into waterways and end up in bodies of water. According to the Ocean Conservancy, cigarette butts are the most common form of waste found in the ocean. In fact, “the International Coastal Cleanup program managed to clear about 3.2 million cigarette butts from waterways and beaches” in 2008. Waste in the ocean is detrimental to the marine environment, as marine animals will be harmed in various ways and the ocean water will be contaminated.

In conclusion, cigarette smoking is not only harmful to the smoker and people nearby but is also harmful to the environment. The production of cigarettes, the use of cigarettes, and the disposal of cigarettes are all contributing causes to climate change, deforestation, and marine pollution. Although it is up to the individual’s decision whether or not he or she would like to smoke a cigarette, I strongly urge everyone to stay away from the act as not only will it damage your health, it will also cause grave repercussions to the environment. 

Sources: 

1:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_cigarette_consumption_per_capita#:~:text=Cigarettes%20are%20smoked%20by%20over,tobacco%20consumption%20continues%20to%20rise. 

2: https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/serious-effects-cigarette-smoking-environment-and-human-health.php#:~:text=Cigarette%20smoking%20causes%20environmental%20pollution,soil%20and%20water%20pollution%2C%20respectively.

    Journey to the best cookie ever for Easter 

        As the festival of April, Easter is a traditional holiday often celebrated by countless people around the world. Ella and I came up with the idea of making cookies for easter. Now, instead of making just a normal cookie, Ella came up with the idea of creating a more healthy and nutritious one by substituting sugar for mealworm powder. Through research, we concluded that mealworm powder also helps the environment in the long run, specifically, climate change. Products that are produced from insects have fewer greenhouse gas emissions and also relatively little ammonia. Greenhouse Gas and Ammonia are major factors of climate change; hence, the bottom line is, that using insect-based food is substantially better in many aspects including health and the environment. 

        The general idea of eating bugs, for instance, mealworms, can be devastating. Even Ella and I were honestly scared. Because we were so scared, we initially decided to add a little bit of powder and a little bit of sugar creating a balanced ratio. However, on the day of our recording, something in our minds gave us a signal that this wasn’t right. If we are making cookies for the environment and setting an example for a group of members to change daily habits, we couldn’t cheat. So instead of balancing the ratio, we substituted mealworm powder with sugar. Our initial thought prior to the baking stage was that the cookie will not be sweet and therefore, a horrible decision. Although the path to the final product of making well-designed easter egg cookies with lovely homemade icing was challenging, the final product was a legitimate cookie that contained sweetness. 

        As an individual who has never baked a cookie before, my praise goes to Ella for being such an amazing teacher. Even though I am very terrible at cooking, I successfully made the mealworm cookie by going step by step. Next Easter, you should join us in the journey of making tasty, nutritious, and environmentally friendly food. 

Video Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbvZWhyDydw

Video Creator: Ella Hong

Writer: Sungjoon Choo 

Earth Hour

Written by Caleb Paik

Landmarks around the world went dark as the lights were switched off on March 26 for the Earth Hour.

Earth Hour is an hour long worldwide event that is organized by the World Wildlife Fund. This event is held annually, encouraging individuals to turn off electric lights for one hour from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on the last Saturday of March. This event aims to raise awareness to the perils of climate change. 

In 2007, the first Earth Hour event was held in Sydney, Australia. Since then, over 190 countries around the globe participated in this event in order to show commitment to the planet. Landmarks such as the London Eye, Colosseum, and the Sydney Opera House all participated in this event by turning off their electric lights. 

Recently, I also participated in this event. On March 26, for an hour, I turned off all the lights and used candles. It was definitely an interesting experience and throughout it all, I was able to learn that climate change really is a drastic issue that many individuals tend to ignore. By writing this report, I hope that we can all spread awareness that climate change should be taken seriously.

Water Pollution

Water Pollution 

Written by Caleb Paik

Did you know that 70% of industrial waste is dumped into water and 80% of water pollution is caused due to domestic sewage? This report will further tell you more about what water pollution is, and how it affects our world.

What is Water Pollution?

Water pollution is simply the contamination of a body of water caused by substances that propose a threat to natural life. These substances can cause the water to be unusable for drinking, swimming, cleaning and other activities. 

Causes and Effects of Water Pollution

As mentioned before, water pollution can be caused by substances that are toxic to the environment. However, the most common cause of poor water condition is human activity. As we all know, degenerating water quality damages the environment. For example, it can cause the destruction of biodiversity, specifically aquatic ecosystems. This can also lead to the contamination of the food chain, resulting in negative effects to other animals who feed in fish. 

What are some ways to reduce water pollution? 

Soon enough, clean water will become a resource that many people might not have access to. In order to prevent this issue, we must take measures like the following:

- Reduce carbon dioxide emissions to prevent global warming, as well as acidification of the oceans.

- Restrict the use of plastic that end up in rivers, lakes, or oceans.

- Dispose of toxic chemicals properly; Chemicals, such as bleach, that are dumped down the drain or the toilet is a serious cause of water pollution. 

- Water conservation; Clean water is a scarce resource, which is why it is important to lessen water usage as much as possible.

- Minimize the disposal of materials down the toilets.

All in all, water pollution is a serious problems that affects the environment negatively. We must take action in order to reduce water pollution for we are the main cause of it. It is important that we spread awareness to this problem. Help make the world a better place!