GREEN JUNCTION: “80 million pounds of pesticides ” BY JULIE PELLER PH.D.

American homeowners use over 80 million pounds of pesticides to maintain their lawns, mostly for aesthetic purposes. Lawn service businesses that apply chemicals to kill weeds and feed grass have realized enormous growth just over the past decade. Trugreen reported revenue of 1.4 billion dollars in 2019. This seems to indicate that the American homeowner values a perfect green […]

GREEN JUNCTION: “The word fatberg” BY JULIE PELLER PH.D.

The word fatberg came to my attention a few years ago. The term was coined in the UK to describe the tangled mass of cleaning wipes and cooking fat that forms in sewage systems. The largest fatberg in London was defined as the size of a double-decker bus. Significant sewage blockages (fatbergs) have become more common in […]

Green Junction: Our Physical Surroundings by Julie Peller Ph.D.

Green Junction The physical surroundings of the celebrated events of Christianity – the birth of Jesus and the death and resurrection of Jesus – are profoundly different today than in that time of human history. Our visions and celebrations of Christmas and Easter in the present day are complicated by secular and material influences. In […]

Green Junction by Julie Peller Ph.D. “The wonders of spring are emerging”

“The ultimate test of one’s conscience may be the willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard,”—Gaylord Nelson. The wonders of spring are emerging, but they are now unfortunately accompanied by the season of more visible filth and garbage. The primarily plastic refuse is present and visible along […]

Green Junction: Do you think about Chemical Exposures? By Julie Peller Ph.D.

Most people do not think much about their chemical exposures. We trust that industrial processes, air, and water quality are ensured safe by appropriate regulations. However, society has become more dependent on materials, devices, energy, and transportation, and as a result, we are exposed to more chemicals. What are the typical chemical exposures for people […]

A conference worth attending

The Conference is virtual and the opening keynote is Cardinal Cupich and the closing keynote will be Ilia Delio OSF and knowing Ilia I am sure we will see Teilhard weaved into the conversation. Laudato Si’ is very non denominational. When you look around you see many efforts from the Anglicans and Lutherans involved in […]

Green Junction: Think Disruption for Change. By Julie Peller Ph.D.

The tragedy of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 continues, but the implementation of the vaccinations offers hope for an end to the often deadly infection. Thankfully most people have chosen to care for one another and have modified their lifestyles by following health and safety guidelines; this still needs to continue for a while. Some of the […]

Green Junction: Heavy metal pollution is a problem by Julie Peller Ph.D

Exposure to heavy metal pollution is a problem around the globe. Many heavy metals, such as lead, chromium, arsenic, and mercury, can lead to serious harm upon exposure, often in meager amounts. Heavy metals can be taken in the body through food, water, air, and commercial products, such as old paint, treated lumber, old pipes, […]

Green Junction: We don’t hear much about nitrogen pollution by Julie Peller Ph.D.

We do not hear much about nitrogen pollution, but it poses a serious global problem. While nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere and extremely stable, human activities have converted nitrogen to reactive forms. The natural conversions of nitrogen occur by biological nitrogen fixation, biomass burning and lightning. Over 100 years ago, an […]

Green Junction: Ecosystems and integral ecology. By Julie Peller Ph.D.

Green Junction What comes to your mind when you hear the word ECOSYSTEMS or ECOLOGY? The goal of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies is “advancing ecological knowledge and awareness.” The institute is a nonprofit organization that studies disease ecology, freshwater, forests, and urban ecology. The Cary Institute defines ecology, in part, as “the scientific […]