Recycling and repurposing are methods for processing materials that keep valuable resources in use. These are mostly opposite to the standard linear system of goods, where materials are used and then discarded. To pivot to systems that keep resources in circulation, governments are turning to extended producer responsibility (EPR). It is an effective means to... Continue Reading →
A significant question is whether the world’s wealthiest firms will share their prosperity or continue with “superficial” commitments? By Julie Peller, Ph.D.
Green Junction In 2015, all 193 members of the United Nations adopted the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) titled Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These included 17 measurable goals, 169 targets, and more that apply to all countries, regardless of wealth. Examples of the 17 goals include Zero Hunger, Clean... Continue Reading →
“Let’s turn hope into action” By Julie Peller, Ph.D.
Green Junction Pope Leo’s message on the YouTube video “Let’s turn hope into action” begins with “God will ask us if we have cultivated and cared for the world that He created and if we have taken care of our brothers and sisters. What will be our answer?” (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QxEJovcQsZU) In response, the Laudato Si... Continue Reading →
Growing corn is a major agricultural enterprise but not necessarily for eating: By Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction Growing corn is a major agricultural enterprise in parts of the United States. According to the USDA, nearly a billion bushels (1 bushel = 1.24 cubic feet) of grain corn were harvested in Indiana, accounting for 6.7% of the 14.9 billion bushels collected in 2024 in the entire United States. In 2023, about... Continue Reading →
“Throwaway plastic has corrupted us.” by Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction A recent article in the New York Times (NYT) was titled “Throwaway plastic has corrupted us.” Cheap plastic materials are the basis of our throwaway society. Plastics are made from gas and oil, and since they are highly subsidized by taxpayers, plastic materials are cheaper than other materials. The recent federal One... Continue Reading →
The High Seas Treaty is a powerful testament to multilateralism. By Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction After several decades of negotiations, the United Nations adopted an international treaty in 2023 to protect the oceans. Last month, the High Seas Treaty cleared its final step toward becoming international law, with the required 60 countries signing on. The law will ensure the protection of huge areas of the ocean that... Continue Reading →
When it comes to Climate: See-Judge-Act. By Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction Do many people pay attention to the latest information on climate change? I regularly ask my students how often they discuss climate change issues with their friends and family, and it usually comes across to them as a silly question. I am not sure what this suggests about human interests and modern-day responsibilities.... Continue Reading →
Does everything we take from earth, return to earth? By Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction The materials that we require in our lives are sourced from the earth. One example is lithium, an element used extensively in batteries and medications, which was discussed in the last Green Junction column. When nature’s resources are recovered from used products (waste) and reformulated for new products, they are part of a... Continue Reading →
Do you ever think of Lithium? By Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction Lithium is one of nature’s smallest elements and the 33rd most abundant element in the Earth’s crust. In 1970, the United States joined other countries in approving lithium compounds (mostly as lithium carbonate) in the treatment of depression and bipolar disorder. Lithium is now a necessary part of our advanced technology world. Lithium... Continue Reading →
Your Environment(your health) is at Risk! By Julie Peller PhD.
Green Junction In 2007, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Clean Air Act required the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address greenhouse-gas emissions, since they constitute a grave threat to the public. Richard J. Lazarus, a Harvard Law School professor, called it “the most important environmental law case ever decided by the Court.”... Continue Reading →
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