Innovate~Educate~Collaborate

Tag: fratelli Tutti

  • Green Junction: Are Plastic Waste Bags Our Best Choice? by Julie Peller, Ph.D.

    A walk around a typical neighborhood on garbage collection day (especially after Christmas) confirms our entrenched throwaway culture and the acceptance of plastic bags for garbage disposal.  A convincing yet erroneous message on waste disposal is that plastic garbage bags are the best choice. However, the reality is that the widespread use of plastic garbage…

  • Green Junction: Have you ever thought about trees? by Julie Peller Ph.D.

    The glorious colors of the trees in the fall are a reminder of nature’s beauty. Trees provide so much more than stunning foliage. Trees clean the air, filter water, control water drainage, sustain biodiversity, provide a home for animals, take in carbon dioxide, store carbon, and are a significant source of oxygen; and the list…

  • Green Junction: Thinking about Fashion. By Julie Peller Ph.D.

    When goods and energy are subsidized, the price is not the real cost but a reduced and often harmfully artificial one. For example, synthetic fabrics known as nylon and polyester are made from subsidized fossil fuels. The artificially low price of these clothing and textile items leads to higher sales and shorter use times. The…

  • Green Junction: “monsoons on steroids” by Julie Peller, Ph.D.

    Over the past months, intensive and extensive flooding in Pakistan has been described as “monsoons on steroids” and “unprecedented.” The human toll at this point is near 1600 deaths, 11 million people driven further below poverty, and 33 million displaced. The country’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, described the connection to climate change. “Pakistan has never seen…

  • It is time for Catholics “belly up to the bar.” Think Social Teachings!

    The Catholic Church, which includes all the Rites East and West, must reinstll the heart of the gospel messages in Catholic Social Teachings. Have we become so comfortable with our wealth that we forget the Gospel message? Joseph Cardinal Cardijn’s thinking and message go back decades before Vatican II. Cardijn’s methods of See-Judge-Act are vital…

  • Green Junction: Nanoplastics in the human body, by Julie Peller Ph.D.

    A few weeks ago, I summarized information from a study about the alarming amount of microplastics created when water is shaken in plastic baby bottles. Consumers have understood that plastics used for food and drink containers and many other items are resilient and unchanging. However, studies continue to show that some microplastics are released from…

  • Green Junction: “It is our collective and individual responsibility: By Julie Peller Ph.D.

    Younger generations tend to express greater concern about the state of the earth. Their futures are challenged by the rising human population that generates greenhouse gases, pollution, and extorts natural resources, among other stressors. Societal messaging continues to promote materialism, which distresses nature. Unprecedented weather events are among the earth’s messages. Young people who recognize…

  • 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…

  • The Autonomous Economy is coming

    As you think about autonomous technology, think about autonomous economies. Our current economy is biased/geared toward inflation. Autonomous economies are geared for deflation. We are in the early stages of the autonomous revolution. Think non-monetizable productivity. When you look at the role of the leaders of society in the last two revolutions, the Agra and…

  • Green Junction: Greenwashing by Julie Peller Ph.D.

    The term greenwashing refers to communications by companies meant to convince consumers their products or services are environmentally sound when this is not the case. Greenwashing is a deceitful or embellishing marketing gimmick directed at sustainably-minded consumers who want to buy goods and services that are not harmful to the environment. One poll found that 75% of…