-
Green Junction: Do we understand PFAS? By Julie Peller Ph.D.
The acronym PFAS is now common to those who pay attention to chemical pollutants. PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These are manufactured chemical compounds that contain a lot of fluorine. It is important to note that natural fluorine-containing compounds are scarce. PFAS are very stable in the natural environment and are often labeled…
-
Green Junction: Pandemic and Plastic By Julie Peller Ph.D.
Health protection measures throughout the pandemic have involved an enormous amount of one-use plastics. These include personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, gowns), take-home food packaging, test kits, syringes, wipes, and more, which have intensified the global plastic waste problem. Billions of disposable masks, most of which are made of a plastic called polypropylene, have been…
-
The reason for book clubs and discussion groups
“If you are reading in order to become a better reader, you cannot read just any book or article. You will not improve as a reader if all you read are books that are well within your capacity. You must tackle books that are beyond you or, as we have said, books that are over…
-
Green Junction: Invasive Species by Julie Peller Ph.D.
Green Junction According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an invasive species is defined as “an organism that causes ecological or economic harm in a new environment where it is not native.” Some invasive species successfully breed and proliferate; many can out-compete native species, destroying or reducing native plants and animals and even…
-
Green Junction: Amazon~not the rain forrest. By Julie Peller Ph.D.
Amazon, the giant, US-based, e-commerce company recently had its annual shareholders’ meeting. One discussion point was a proposal to report the company’s plastic use and determine the benefits of reducing plastic. With only 48% of shareholders voting in favor of evaluating the company’s plastic usage/waste, the proposal fell short of the majority and was rejected.…