Green insights

Tag: Science

  • Where are Microplastics From? How can we Reduce Their Prevalence?

    Microplastics are found all over the world. In modern times, almost every single house will contain multiple sources of microplastics. Even the clothes you are wearing right now could be contributing microplastics to the environment. If you are wearing polyester, each time you move or brush something off your shirt, hundreds of microplastics would float off into the air. However, there are still plenty of clothes that are plastic-free; 100% organic fiber clothing, such as cotton, does not contribute any plastics.

    Clothing is one of the main sources of microplastics, with the other being tire wear. As you drive your car or ride a bike, the friction between the tires and the road will release microplastics into the air. While most believe bicycling is an environmentally-friendly activity, look into the tires you use because there is a chance they could be contributing to pollution. Transportation’s contribution to environmental damage is not just limited to energy sources and gas pollution. We must also look towards plastic pollution.

    But the question we should be asking is: “How can we reduce these microplastics?” The best way to start is inside your own home. Switching towels and clothing to 100% natural fibers will play a large role in eliminating your contribution of microplastics. When purchasing items from the grocery store, always be mindful of items with microbeads. While some countries have banned the usage of microplastics in rinse-off cosmetics as a direct effort to limit their introduction into water systems, they are still found in other items and countries.

    If you are interested in participating in a community-level activity, look for local environmental cleanups. These could be in creeks, on hikes, at local parks, or wherever else the environment needs help! By picking up plastic litter and abandoned pieces of clothings in these natural environments, you will be helping reduce microplastic pollution one step at a time.

  • Nuclear Energy and the Environmental Destruction that it Causes

    You have probably heard of nuclear energy before. Ask yourself, was it painted as an amazing new innovation in the field of energy, or as a source of extremely harmful environmental contaminants, or both? Well, if you haven’t heard of its dangers, I am here to tell you about them. If you have, then maybe there is something in this post that you haven’t heard about yet.

    To start, what is nuclear energy? It is a low-carbon energy source generated through nuclear fission. This fission is attained by splitting uranium atoms. During operation there are low greenhouse-gas emissions and a very high every density. However, the funding and energy needed to achieve this is extremely costly. Additionally, after being spent, nuclear fuel remains as a hazardous toxic waste for thousands of years.

    Now you may be thinking: low greenhouse-gas emissions is good for the environment right? If you did think this, you are correct. However, the dangers come in the form of toxic waste. Notice how the fission is achieved by splitting uranium atoms, which is a naturally radioactive substance. This is the first of the concerns. If there happens to be a scenario where the uranium mining is not properly contained, this radioactive substance can enter our waterways and contaminate the wildlife along with any human life sourcing from that waterway. After coming into contact with this toxic waste, it can bioaccumulate in organisms, damaging DNA and increasing the risk of cancer.

    Long-term containment for this toxic waste is facing many obstacles. Metals and concrete break down over time, and some compounds of toxic waste could last more than 10,000 years. If the container were to be compromised, then the waste can leak into the surrounding environment, leading to the same worries we have about uranium mining mishaps.

    These are the two main worries that we have about nuclear energy production and use. I hope this post has encouraged you to look into any nuclear energy plants in your area, and if they are operating safely.