Green Junction The 2008 Nobel prize-winning economist and professor, Paul Krugman, posted a column titled “The Limits of Sprawl, Is Atlanta’s slowdown telling us something?” He is referring to urban sprawl, suburban housing developments that have required more driving, more highways, and more time on the road (traffic). His column references a Wall Street Journal... Continue Reading →
Space debris as human pollution By Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction Human pollution is far-reaching. Space debris is defined as any piece of machinery or debris left by humans in space (100 km + above the Earth’s surface). Satellites or space debris at high altitudes (~36,000 km) are expected to circle Earth for hundreds or even thousands of years. If satellites collide (a rare... Continue Reading →
Spreading Environmental injustices: By Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction People living near polluting facilities or processes are exposed to obnoxious and toxic contaminants, usually chronically. Slow and long-term exposures to hazardous substances affect the health and well-being of people and other living organisms in these communities, which are designated, by definition, as environmental injustices. The AAMC Center for Health Justice determined that... Continue Reading →
Recycling Water ? We must think about. By Julie Peller PhD.
Green Junction For years, I have been teaching students about the world’s water crisis, and have highlighted a projection by the World Health Organization that by 2025, 1 billion people in the world would lack access to clean water. Now, here we are in the year 2025. A study published in the summer of 2024... Continue Reading →
Lessons from Costa Rica by Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction The world’s rainforests are home to half of all biodiversity. These forests regulate global climate, purify air and water, provide resources for local communities, and contribute to the entire planet's health. According to National Geographic, the earth’s rainforests once covered 14% of the land and are now only 6%. In the 1950’s, Costa... Continue Reading →
There is only one earth that provides for all of our needs ~ By Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction Years ago, I met a scientist from a European country who described the loss of protected public areas in his country – a sign that the government did not respect or value nature. At that time, my thoughts translated to feelings of gratitude that the United States had established agencies, policies, and... Continue Reading →
Do Catholics Understand the Catholic Climate Covenant? By Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction The largest US investments for the development and implementation of cleaner energy sources were initiated under the Biden Administration. A significant part of this effort aimed to reduce carbon emissions, slow climate change and promote economic growth in a changing world. As part of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the US government invested... Continue Reading →
Wildfires and Pollutants by Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction Pollutants are defined as substances that hurt life systems. The recent California wildfires created huge amounts of pollutants in the devastation and destruction. The typical pollutants from fires, particulate matter (small particles), and pollutant gases were augmented by toxic substances from burning man-made materials. UCSD scientist Julie Dinasquet explained, “These fires consumed not... Continue Reading →
Will humanity and its leaders take climate change seriously, work together, and make appropriate sacrifices? By Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction Dealing with climate change involves both mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation of climate change – policies and functions that reverse or at least slow down the earth's warming – have not been imposed quickly and effectively at any level. How many people have chosen to purchase energy that is produced by clean sources... Continue Reading →
2 billion tons and counting as long as coal continues to be used as fuel…Have you wondered what it means to your health? By Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction Damage caused by fossil fuels tends to focus on climate change outcomes, for good reason, and occasionally on massive disasters, such as the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in 2010. Coal waste, mostly known as coal ash, is another untenable outcome of the world’s reliance on fossil fuels. Coal is a massive mixture of... Continue Reading →
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