mode de terre

Environmental Scientist with a passion for sustainable fashion, green living and Eco-heroism. Follow me for current environmental issues and everything earth friendly.

[vibing-vegan]

Global warming is scary.

The earth’s temperature is rising due to things like burning fossil fuels, and deforestation, and with that comes many natural disasters. It’s no coincidence that we are seeing hurricanes happen more frequently. And now they are saying that in only 12 short years the earth will be at “the point of no return”. We are leaving the earth in a terrible state for our children and grandchildren.

We have to act now, and do our part to preserve our Earth, because i’m sure you have heard many times… “we only have one”. 🌎 Cutting down on meat/dairy, and reducing our plastic waste may seem small, but it really does help. One of my favourite quotes I’ve seen circling on the internet is “it’s only one straw, said 8 billion people”. Think about that.

Small steps we can make: * If you can’t cut out meat and dairy completely, then reduce it!

* Use a glass or stainless steal reusable water bottle. Invest in a good one that leaves your water cold for hours (you will fall in love),

* Use reusable grocery bags / produce bags.

* Carry a reusable straw & utensils with you (either in your purse/ backpack or car),

* Try to buy ingredients in bulk, using reusable containers

I could go on and on but those are just some easy steps to make. I know some of these things are not the most convenient, but it will honestly make you feel so good to know you are helping this planet. And I know that it’s not always possible to follow these, but what matters most is that we try. ✌🏻

[keepingitneutral]

“Potato in Potato” Packaging,

After softening and naturally drying potato peels (which are made up of starches and fibers) the organic material can bond and harden into the desired cone shape. 

The resulting material is made entirely of production waste and 100% biodegradable. 

After being used, the peel packaging can be reintroduced to the biological cycle to become animal food or fertilizer for crops – including potatoes!

Designers: Simone Caronni, Pietro Gaeli & Paolo Stefano Gentile

[materialsworld]

Sodium-ion is the future for rechargeable batteries?

Credit: CC0 Public Domain  By Idha Valeur 

Scientists at the University of Birmingham, UK, are developing the possibility of swapping lithium-ion (Li-ion) with sodium in rechargeable batteries, research published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society showed.

Although Li-ion batteries are working at the moment, global resources and accessibility are uneven, also lithium is expensive. Sodium might be the solution as it is inexpensive, found in seawater and – in effect – limitless. The only obstacle is that a sodium ion is larger than a lithium ion and a simple ‘swap’ in current technologies is not possible.

One of the problems being that sodium won’t fit between the carbon layers of the Li-ion anode – graphite – so scientists will have to find different materials for battery components that are still competitive with existing options when it comes to speed of charge, capacity, energy and power density.

The team from the Department of Metallurgy and Materials at the University of Birmingham, led by Dr Andrew Morris, worked in collaboration with Dr Lauren Marbella and Professor Clare Grey’s team at the University of Cambridge, UK. They found that when sodium is inserted into phosphorus, the phosphorus forms helices at the intermediate stages of charging.

As stated in their paper, ‘the final composition of the electrode, which provides a final capacity of charge carriers seven times that of graphite for the same weight. This gives us fresh insights into how to make high-capacity sodium-ion anodes.’

Morris said, ‘This is a huge win for computational materials science. We predicted how phosphorus would behave as an electrode in 2016 and were now able, with Professor Grey’s team to provide insights into experiment and learn how to make our predictions better. It’s amazing how powerful combined theory-experimental approaches are.’

Sustainability and supply chain

With sustainability being at the forefront of public debate and the rise in demand for electric and hybrid cars, rechargeable batteries have rarely been more important. Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used in laptops, mobile phones and electric cars.

This means that with the increasing demand, there is a huge need for a different material for rechargeable batteries that will still need to be reliable, but much cheaper and accessible.

This research shows that there are alternatives available to swap out Li-ion batteries with possibly more sustainable materials.

[earthstory]

New survey of US methane leaks

This image, produced by NASA, shows methane concentrations over the United States between 2003 and 2009. Methane is pulled out of the ground and burned as natural gas, but if it leaks into the upper part of the atmosphere it is also a strong greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.

Keep reading

[ibmblr]

A salty situation.

Zooplankton may be the smallest species in the freshwater food chain, but they play a big role in preserving our lakes, streams and wetlands. That’s one of the reasons why IBM  joined forces with the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and The FUND for Lake George to create the Jefferson Project at Lake George to understand and protect freshwater ecosystems. Recently they studied the effects road salt has on a species of zooplankton. Road salt usage has increased 50-fold since 1940, and bodies of freshwater are increasing in salinity because of it. Using IBM technology, the researchers monitored zooplankton in varying levels of salinity and found that the organisms were capable of evolving a higher tolerance to the salt. This is good news for the ecosystem since the loss of plankton could have cascading effects throughout the food chain. See, small can be mighty too.

Explore the study’s results  →

[we-make-haste-blog]

[solitaryfossil]

Republicans Look To 'Modernize' (Read: Weaken) The Endangered Species Act

Those most familiar with the law say it doesn't need fixing -- it needs funding.

Who needs all those pesky critters anyway?

[pbstv]

NOVA Next: Going Vegan Isn’t the Most Sustainable Option for Humanity

The vegan diet uses no perennial cropland, making it a less effective use of land than you might suspect.

Researchers found that the carrying capacity—the size of the population that can be supported indefinitely by the resources of an ecosystem—of the vegan diet is actually less substantial than two of the vegetarian diets and two out of the four omnivorous diets they studied.

Read more

[the-future-now-deactivated20170]

Here’s how hospitals can heal through sustainability

According to a June 2016 study, if the U.S. health care industry were a nation, it would rank 13th in greenhouse gas emissions.

While a previous study found the health care industry caused 8% of the country’s carbon emissions, the new study found these emissions caused 12% of acid rain, 10% of smog formation and 9% of respiratory disease from particulate matter in 2013.

Moreover, hospitals are among the top 10 in their communities for water use and the single largest users of chemical agents. The volume of hospital waste is staggering — more than 2.3 million tons per year.

By taking steps to limit these environmental impacts, the health care industry can promote the long-term health of our communities, particularly the most vulnerable populations. Read more

In collaboration with Dignity Health

[globalwarning]

The Guardian, Tumblr and Univision are working together on a 24-hour digital event on climate change - and we want you to get involved. Submit your posts here.

[flowers-n-rain]

6 things i stopped buying: minimalism journey (+ reduce waste)

1. Makeup Remover Wipes: instead, use a washcloth (preferably black) and apply coconut oil or almond oil to the cloth (or face), then use the cloth to wipe your entire makeup off until satisfied. *(continue with face wash routine or face mask)

benefits: reusable // machine washable // save money // gentle on the skin // effectively removes makeup

2. Plastic Toothbrushes:  instead, buy a pack of bamboo toothbrushes on amazon or a general store. use these brushes as you would any other brush and thoroughly brush to improve oral health.

benefits: organic // reusable // decomposable // cleanses teeth effectively // eco-friendly // BPA free bristles

3. Multi-Step Facial Cleansers & Name Brand Body Washes: instead, use African Black soap for both your body and face with your preferred method of washing (electronic brush, hands, or wash cloth). for more simple face washes, consider using vegan and/or organic facial washes that work for your skin type.

benefits: multipurpose // improves overall skin health // all skin types (especially acne prone or oily) // single-step process // organic // save money

4. Plastic Water Bottles: instead, use a simple stainless steel bottle that you can refill throughout the day and keep up with.

benefits: reusable // washable // aesthetic // easy to monitor and handle // eco-friendly

5. Face Moisturizers: instead, use carrier oils (such as coconut oil, argan oil, almond oil, castor oil) that work with your skin type/skin needs *(you can try combining them with essential oils such as tea tree oil, lavender oil, etc.)

benefits: organic // improves skin health // no harsh chemicals // save money // longer lasting // multipurpose

6. Animal Cruelty Makeup: instead, buy makeup products that you truly need (wear daily) from companies that are Animal-Cruelty FREE and/or vegan. do your research and spend your money wisely. some may seem expensive, but consider how much some high-end brands benefit from not being animal-cruelty free *(invest in vegan and/or organic products too).

benefits: eco-friendly // animal-cruelty free // healthier for skin // long-term benefits // *vegan and/or organic

[thelandbelongstonoone]

🙌🏼

[onceuponawildflower]

A chip company you can believe in. 💫

[thefittutu]

[gospelofthekingdom]

Just finished "What Every Environmentalist Needs to Know About Capitalism” a phenomenal book by Fred Magdoff, Professor Emeritus of Plant and Soil Science at the University of Vermont.

As a student of regenerative agriculture and a soil science enthusiast, it’s great to see folks like Wes Jackson and Fred Magdoff speaking the uncomfortable truth. Read this book. Watch this video. And then let’s get to work.

<3

[usota]

Treehugging

[markruffalo]

Considering that indigenous lands hold 80% of global biodiversity, it is no surprise that extractive industries want their resources. If left to the industries, the Amazon’s Sacred Headwaters would become one big oil field, and the watersheds of the Brazilian Amazon would be destroyed by agribusiness and mega-dams.

The path to preserving the Amazon for future generations is through protecting the rights and lands of its indigenous stewards

Amazon Watch & I are working together to protect indigenous lands and rights across the Amazon Basin. Consider helping out: support.amazonwatch.org/fundraiser/866075 

(via markruffalo)