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By Kate Pugnoli* As millions of people throughout the world become aware that the Earth’s resources are not unlimited, many are seeking ways, however modest, to do their part as conscientious consumers. There are many areas of environmental activism to join, but one that may be overlooked is also one of the simplest: thrifting. Thrifting, or “buying used,” means consumers can find anything—from furniture and electronics to a “new” pair of jeans, a prom dress, or a brand name sweater—at reasonable prices. Reselling unwanted consumer goods also benefits the environment as it doesn’t contribute to a depletion of natural resources as well as minimizes energy consumption for shipping. Although there will always be people seeking out brand-new goods for the latest fashion trend or hot technology, there are many reasons to consider buying used. The old axiom that beauty (or usefulness) is in the eye of the beholder applies to thrifting. Shoppers who have done a little research and have a good eye for a bargain will find many opportunities to bring home items at reduced cost simply because someone discarded an item they thought was outdated. The Case for Buying Secondhand Clothing Clothing shoppers can stay on budget and help the environment by buying second hand. For example, purchasing used clothing from thrift stores or online websites like Poshmark, ThredUp, or eBay is a good way to find gently used designer clothing at bargain prices. Famous brand names can be found with prices 50% to 85% below their original retail price. Buying clothes second hand keeps them out of incinerators, reduces carbon and chemical pollution caused by clothing production, and lowers the water consumption needed to process both natural and synthetic fibers. Many thrift shops also support local communities, school or sport team fundraising drives, and other environmental causes. The statistics may vary somewhat, but the fashion industry is responsible for between 8% and 10% of greenhouse gas emissions every year. Millions of tons of clothing and textile waste ends up in landfills. Although natural fibers like cotton or wool often get a bad rap due to the amount of land and water needed to produce these fabrics, polyester blends—a staple of cheap, trendy clothing (fast fashion)—have a downside, too. Petroleum is used to create polyester textiles, and though they may wear well and keep the owner cool—or warm, depending on the fabric used—the fibers are not easily recyclable. Moreover, the plastic pellets involved in clothing production contribute to microplastic pollution, which is known to have a damaging impact on marine life. According to an article recently published on Bloomberg.com, “modern textiles rely heavily on petrochemical products that come from many of the same oil and gas companies driving greenhouse gas emissions. Today, the fashion industry may account for up to 10% of global carbon dioxide output—more than international flights and shipping combined, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.” A big culprit in the clothing world is “fast fashion.” This is loosely defined as the clothing industry's business model of identifying hot trends and high-fashion designs, mass-producing them cheaply, and getting those outfits into retail stores quickly while there is a demand. Fast fashion garments typically don’t have staying power. Although millions of consumers buy them, these items are likely to be discarded once they are deemed no longer in style. Ways to Level Up One’s Wardrobe Before making new clothing purchases, it is good to evaluate one’s current wardrobe. Prior to discarding an item, the owner can ask, “Can I alter that hem?” Maybe only a button is needed to give a favorite shirt another season of wear. People can avoid becoming a victim of fast fashion by choosing clothing purchases more carefully and viewing them as long-term purchases. Keeping one’s wardrobe organized can make outfits easier to find and discourages impulse buying or needless duplication of items. (How many black tee-shirts does a person really need?) Closets can be organized by grouping like items, color coding, or putting outfits that work next to each other. When preparing clothes to discard or donate, it’s good to consider whether this item was a good bang for the buck, e.g., how many times did this item get worn, and does it need to be replaced? Also, look at the quality of the clothing. Fast fashion tends to be poorly made and looks flimsy or cheap. The clothing tags will reveal what material was used in the garment; a lot of polyester clothing is made through wasteful textile production. Reusable clothes can be donated to thrift stores or sometimes shelters. If the items are in excellent shape and are quality brands, owners can bring them to consignment stores for cash or trade credit. For those willing to take the time, items can also be re-sold on an online site. Other ways to redistribute unwanted clothing include yard sales and clothing exchanges, in which friends gather and swap gently used clothes. In short, there are many ways to say goodbye to old clothes rather than send them to a landfill! More Than Low-Priced Clothing When people do a closet purge or decluttering project, they may be surprised at what has been hiding in the dark recesses of their storage spaces. Happily, resale stores are ready to receive an enormous variety of donations for their shelves. For instance, thrift store shoppers can find both old and newly published books at rates possibly cheaper than Amazon or eBay. There are also CDs, DVDs, crafting supplies, wall art, furniture, sports equipment, refurbished electronics, and housewares. Most good thrift stores also have a section with formal wear, including prom and wedding dresses, that can save a shopper hundreds of dollars. Children’s clothing is usually available at great bargains at resale stores. Since children can quickly outgrow their clothes, many of their donated items are or look new. Also, many toys donated to thrift stores are intact, operable, and in decent condition. Thrift stores thrive on repeat customers, and many offer deals on their deals. For instance, the thrift store, Savers, has half-price Mondays, discounts days for regulars, a senior day, and color-coded discount tags weekly. While some people may view thrift stores as venues for mostly low-income shoppers, budget-conscious consumers of all incomes and ages know deals are waiting inside. It is common to find millennials wandering thrift store aisles searching for unique outfits or furniture for an apartment. Well-dressed working women are also there, seeking stylish clothing on the cheap, while senior citizens, young families, and couples of all ages search for bargains. One warning: Always be ready to seize the unusual or unexpected item that pops up on a shelf or rack. It is unlikely to still be there on the next visit. *Kate Pugnoli is an Arizona based freelance journalist and former educator who works with nonprofit organizations. Her area of interest is in addressing environmental issues impacting marine biodiversity and conservation.

By Yasmin Prabhudas* Students are embarking on incredible ocean voyages, thanks to the long-standing work of the Sea Education Association (SEA). Through the organization, they are building nautical skills and enhancing their knowledge of all things affecting the sea—making them true advocates for the ocean environment. Founded in 1971 by renowned sailor Corwith Cramer Jr., and Edward MacArthur, the SEA aims to educate students through hands-on maritime experiences and rigorous academic programs. It is one of six scientific and oceanographic research institutions in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, and represents disciplines cutting across oceanography, history, anthropology, public policy, and natural science. The Ocean’s Critical Role in the Environment Douglas Karlson, SEA director of communications, explains why sea education is so important: “The ocean is 70% of the planet, and it plays a critical role in the environment and the climate of the planet Earth. Our students are very much aware of that.” Since the SEA’s beginnings, more than 10,000 alumni have explored the ocean on one of its three tall ship research vessels. The organization’s programs are for everyone—from high school pupils and young people on a gap year to undergraduates and adults. Upcoming courses offer students with a background in science, the environment, culture and history a variety of study options. They cover topics such as climate and society, shifting coastlines, food and water security, and environmental justice in the Caribbean. Building Ocean Stewards Karlson says: “We have one program called marine biodiversity and conservation, which is a pretty science-heavy program. And it's followed by a symposium on the Sargasso Sea, where we have experts from all over who are interested in conservation. The students report on their research projects, and they develop mentorships, and they meet people. Not all students are biology or environmental studies majors, some study a variety of other majors. Some programs are more geared toward maritime history.” He adds: “Students learn about the carbon cycle and ocean warming, and they're very concerned about what's happening to coral reefs. They're interested in conserving fish populations. So, they get to delve into those topics.” There is also a focus on personal growth, Karlson says. “It’s also about empowering students, teaching them leadership skills, and helping them to develop as ocean stewards.” Mareike Duffing Romero, an SEA alumnus, believes her experiences are invaluable: “In the little amount that we have been in the program, we have been sponges absorbing incredible amounts of knowledge. The challenges we face, the hard work, the different work hours, the classes, the research projects and the boat life during our SEA semester are all incredible life and educational lessons, which I believe will bring us far as ocean advocates and scientists.” On Board a Tall Ship Undergraduate students spend six weeks on campus learning nautical science or ocean science, depending on which program they opt for. They gain accreditation through Boston University. They also prepare a research project that they'll complete while they're at sea, which can be for up to six weeks. The seafaring element typically takes them to islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. Once on board the vessel, students carry out tasks like adjusting sails, helping in the galley, standing watch, and inspecting the ship. As the ocean passage progresses, “they actually end up taking charge of running the ship,” explains Karlson. Contributing Research But that’s not all. The ships have a lab on board so students can examine specimens taken from the sea or measure the salinity and temperature of the water. In addition to working on their research reports, they also “muster” on the quarterdeck to have discussions with SEA’s faculty of oceanographers, anthropologists, nautical scientists, and historians. Students’ research contributes to a wealth of scientific information. For instance, when the world began to recognize plastics in the ocean as a serious problem, “it turned out that we had the best dataset of ocean plastics,” says Karlson, adding that SEA students “still sample for plastics, so we have these longitudinal studies.” SEA also conducts special plastics cruises—on one such expedition, twenty-one college undergraduates went on a month-long blue water voyage from Honolulu, Hawaii, to San Diego, California, gathering data on marine plastics pollution. Their data was added to information gathered over decades and is now part of a plastics lab website dedicated to this critical problem. When the world began to recognize plastics in the ocean as a serious problem, “it turned out that we had the best dataset of ocean plastics.” Some alumni have contributed to SEA Writer, a journal that highlights different scientific topics. The latest issues cover coral reef and climate change, and plastics and oceanography. Life at Sea Adam Ziegler took part in an SEA undergraduate program. In his blog written while on the vessel, he describes life on board: “Each day, you are on watch for six hours. Depending on the schedule, the six hours you and your assigned group work will vary in the day. During those six hours, you will be plotting the boat course, conducting science deployments, adjusting sails, and steering the boat. After the six-hour shift, you have the rest of the day off. “You can do assignments from your classes such as policy readings, data processing, work on your independent research, or just relax. Once a week, in addition to your daily work shift, you will have a policy class discussing readings on the upper deck and a brief lecture class on different scientific topics.” “Whenever you are anchored next to an island, the schedule differs, but you are guaranteed a day to explore the island and snorkel on the coral reefs—which are the best days.” He adds: “During the time at sea, all of the information you learned on land is applied in your independent research and policy discussions. Actually, being inside of a marine protected area and seeing its ecosystems while discussing how to better protect them provides more depth and gravity to the topic than just a lecture in a classroom.” Kate Hyder, another former student, is equally enthusiastic. “My time at sea was the best educational experience I’ve had since entering college,” she says. “I collected water and the accompanying environmental data, which I would then use to analyze microbial genetic diversity. “SEA is a truly unique experience for undergraduates to cross over major oceanographic features, understanding them in a way that many specialists in related fields do not,” she says. Building Skills for the Future Some 92% of SEA’s alumni have applied their skills in careers such as conservation, environmental policy, medicine, law, sustainable energy, and oceanographic research. Karlson sums up: “We do produce a lot of people who go on to have careers in science, but they're not all scientists. Some of them are humanities majors who may be interested in communicating about the environment, or they may go on to become businessmen. But at least they're interested in the ocean environment. It's a good opportunity for people who want to explore a career in science or in policy.” *Yasmin Prabhudas is a freelance journalist working mainly for nonprofit organizations, labor unions, the education sector, and government agencies. Editorial Note: To enroll in courses at the Sea Education Association contact the admission office at Contact Admissions - Sea Education Association

Study Cites Beneficial Coffee Components Coffee drinkers, rejoice. Moderate consumption—two or three cups of coffee a day—is associated with increased longevity and lower risk of cardiovascular disease when compared with abstinence from coffee drinking. These are some of the findings of a recently published study by Kistler et al. in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. The study’s findings apply to the most common types of coffee consumed today. “In this large, observational study, ground, instant and decaffeinated coffee were associated with equivalent reductions in the incidence of cardiovascular disease and death from cardiovascular disease or any cause," said study author Professor Peter Kistler of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia, according to a Science Daily news brief. "The results suggest that mild to moderate intake of ground, instant and decaffeinated coffee should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle," Kistler added. Using data from UK Biobank, the researchers examined links between types of coffee and arrhythmias, cardiovascular disease, and death for people between 40 and 69 years of age. The median age of participants was 58 years and 55.3% were women. Cardiovascular disease consisted of coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, and ischemic stroke. Coffee drinkers were compared to non-drinkers after adjusting for “age, sex, ethnicity, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, smoking status, and tea and alcohol consumption,” according to the Science Daily report. Reduction in death from any cause was associated with all types of coffee consumed. Drinking between two and three cups per day showed the greatest reduction. Compared to non-drinking of coffee, it was linked to a “14%, 27% and 11% lower likelihood of death for decaffeinated, ground, and instant preparations, respectively,” said Science Daily. When it comes to promoting health, coffee has a lot going for it, according to Prof. Kistler, as quoted in the Science Daily report. “Caffeine is the most well-known constituent in coffee, but the beverage contains more than 100 biologically active components. It is likely that the non-caffeinated compounds were responsible for the positive relationships observed between coffee drinking, cardiovascular disease and survival. Our findings indicate that drinking modest amounts of coffee of all types should not be discouraged but can be enjoyed as a heart healthy behavior.” Sources: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/09/220926200838.htm https://academic.oup.com/eurjpc/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurjpc/zwac189/6704995

Global data from WHO and UNICEF finds household access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene remains a challenge in parts of the world. In 2020, 90% of the world’s population had access to at least “basic” drinking water services, such as pipes and wells. This was up from 88% in 2015. However, 2 billion people lack access to “safely managed” domestic drinking water, or water that is clean, uncontaminated, and accessible at home. About 80% of people who lack drinking water services live in rural areas. Some 2.3 billion people lack soap and water at home, including 670 million people with no handwashing facilities. Some 3.6 billion people, or almost half the world population, lack safe sanitation at home. Almost 500 million people still practice open defecation. Millions suffer worldwide from neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), many of which are water-related or hygiene-related. One such disease is Trachoma, the world’s leading cause of preventable blindness. Forty-one million people are estimated to suffer from active trachoma, with about 10 million visually impaired or irreversibly blind as a result. Global access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene could reduce the burden of global disease by 10%. Improved sanitation between 2000 and 2016 contributed to a 10% decrease in diarrheal deaths globally, and a 15% decrease in diarrheal deaths in Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/wash_statistics.html

It’s Time to Fall in Love with Fungi By Julie Peterson* Neither vegetable nor animal, fungi are in a class of their own, and their global popularity just won’t stop sprouting. The world over, scientists, chefs, and foragers have found the fun in fungus and are seeking out wild varieties or learning to cultivate them for their benefits as food, supplements, and income. Foraging clubs, guides, and rules can get a novice started. What exactly are mushrooms? The thousands of species in the fungal kingdom feed on other plants and start out as a network of fine filaments that cling together in a mass (mycelium). Eventually, under the right circumstances, it produces a fruiting body known as a mushroom. The mushroom produces spores that will drift away to germinate into new mycelia, thus starting the life cycle again. History of Mushroom Consumption Humanity has enjoyed the flavors, textures, and healing properties of mushrooms for millennia. The first evidence of eating mushrooms was found in the excavation of an 18,700-year-old Paleolithic burial site in Northern Spain. The female remains had signs of mushroom consumption in her teeth. In the Alps of Northern Italy, the frozen body of a hunter from 3300 BCE was found to have been carrying three types of fungi; one was likely used to start fires and another as a source of medicine. Many other sites, along with ancient figurines and drawings, have shown that edible mushrooms played a large role in ancient civilizations and ancient peoples in central America, Mexico, Siberia, Eurasia, and Algeria used hallucinogenic mushrooms in religious ceremonies. In fact, the Mayan culture described psychedelic fungi as “body and food of gods.” Zoom forward to several hundred years ago. Little was known about mushrooms. The Eastern half of the world readily consumed them, while the West remained reluctant. The French introduced mushrooms into their haute cuisine in the 19th century, and the delicacies quickly spread over the world like melted butter. Soon after, Americans were cooking and feasting on mushrooms with fervid devotion. Groups dedicated to foraging, identifying, growing, and cooking fungi emerged and continue to this day. Locally foraged mushrooms are now prized fare that can add joy to meals or provide cash when sold. There are festivals around the world such as the Muscoda, Wisconsin, Morel Mushroom Festival in the US; the Annual National Mushroom Festival in Islamabad, Pakistan; the Porcini Festival in Oriolo Romano, Italy; and Family Fungus Day in Lancashire, UK. Attendees to such events can typically sample cooked mushrooms and other foods made with mushrooms and learn about foraging for or growing mushrooms. Foraging Correct identification of wild mushrooms cannot be learned overnight. It is recommended that novice mushroom foragers obtain at least one guidebook or app that includes detailed photos and descriptions to be certain a particular mushroom is edible. Better yet, join a local foraging club and head out with experts. There are thousands of species of fungi and many are quite similar. A good guide will classify them with details on properties that are unique to each species (shape, color, odor, habitat). Positive identification typically requires verification of multiple characteristics. There is a Croatian proverb: “All mushrooms are edible; but some only once.” That is why one should never taste or eat raw or cooked mushrooms that cannot be 100% identified. The consequences of making a wrong guess can be severe or even fatal. Several types of Amanita mushrooms are responsible for more than 90% of fatal wild-mushroom poisonings because they are similar to many edible mushrooms and grow in the same areas. They are common in the US and Eastern Europe. Before foraging for mushrooms, be sure that local regulations allow it. Some areas are protected and removing too many (or any) mushrooms could result in a fine. If mushrooms can be accurately identified and properly prepared (some are toxic when raw but edible when cooked), foraging and consuming can be a healthful family activity. Whether or not the hunt produces a bounty of mushrooms, the benefits of traipsing through the woods and exploring nature are well worth the effort. Popular Mushrooms to Eat Chanterelles Chanterelles are highly regarded wild mushrooms and their bright yellow and orange colors and distinctive trumpet shape make them easy to recognize. Chanterelles grow in mature forests and are commonly found in moist areas around maple, beech, poplar, birch, pine, fir, and oak trees in large clusters. In the kitchen, they can be used in a multitude of ways or simply sauteed with shallots or garlic for a tasty side dish. Morels Morels grow in deciduous woods in the spring and are easy to identify. There is one species that could cause potential confusion, but once true morels are identified, the deadly false morel is easy to spot. Morels are poisonous when raw, but have a rich, earthy flavor when cooked. They are delicious sliced and sauteed in butter to appreciate the tender flesh and nutty flavor. Fresh morels sell for $40 per pound or more and usually come from the US, Europe, or Turkey. Dried morels can be purchased year-round for about $20 per ounce. Puffball Puffball mushrooms may be the easiest to identify, and they grow on the ground from spring to fall. The mushroom is almost round and may look like a white baseball or as big as a volleyball. The flesh is totally solid from one end to the other with no cap, stem, or hollow area. They can be used as most mushrooms, added to pizza or egg dishes, but, because of their size, they can be sliced and used like a pizza crust or sliced and fried like a steak. Some people bread and fry them like mozzarella sticks or chicken nuggets, and many compare them to tofu, as they take on the flavors of the food they are with. Chicken of the woods Chicken of the woods mushrooms are great for novice foragers as there really isn’t a look-alike. The bright yellow-orange clusters grow on freshly dead trees. As the name implies, they are a substitute for chicken in noodle soup or a stir fry and can be breaded and grilled like a chicken breast. Cordyceps Cordyceps is not your typical mushroom; it is a parasitic fungus that grows on and consumes caterpillars. It has been used for hundreds of years in traditional Chinese medicine to treat ailments such as tuberculosis, jaundice, and erectile dysfunction. It has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. The fungus is believed to enhance oxygen utilization and increase blood flow, which may improve athletic performance. In 2003, during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, cordyceps was touted as a cure. Sales, and the price, exploded. Today, they can cost as much as $10,000 per pound. Truffles Truffles can exceed more than $2,000 per pound because they are rare and difficult to harvest. Varieties of truffles grow underground in Italy, France, and the US Pacific Northwest. They take a long time to grow, and hunters typically use trained dogs or pigs to sniff them out. Matsutake Matsutake has been eaten in Japan for more than 1,000 years. Because of declining habitat, the mushrooms are considered endangered, and they have proven impossible to cultivate. This rarity has driven the price to $1,000 per pound or more. Because of their unique flavor profile, the mushroom is usually cooked simply. They might be skewered with oil and salt and broiled, thinly sliced into hot soups or steamed rice, or even eaten raw. Conclusion According to Medical News Today, all varieties of mushrooms contain about the same nutrients, and many mushroom varieties that are easy to cultivate are available at grocery stores and markets for reasonable prices. It’s simple to incorporate mushrooms into the diet by adding them to stir fries, omelets, and pizzas. Larger mushrooms, such as portobellos, can be grilled or stuffed and baked. Shiitake is another that has a meaty texture and is delicious simply sauteed in olive oil, butter, or broth and eaten as a side dish or blended in with other ingredients. Finding mushrooms in the wild is a humbling experience as one begins to grasp the extraordinary diversity of the natural world. Whether hunting for fungi to supplement the diet, to make a little money on the side, or just to get some great photos, wild mushrooms are some of the most fascinating and beautiful natural specimens to learn about. As scientists continue to study new varieties for which there is little information, they may discover many more nutritional and medicinal benefits from fascinating fungi. *Julie Peterson is a freelance journalist based in the Midwest region of the US who has written hundreds of articles on natural approaches to health, environmental issues, and sustainable living.

By Paramita Mandal, Rojina Yasmin and Suvanjana Ghosh* Just a few decades ago, as the dual specters of food insecurity and associated malnutrition continued to haunt war-torn global populations, it was unimaginable that much of the world would soon face an obesity epidemic. That time has now arrived: The World Health Organization (WHO) reports 1.6 billion overweight and obese people in the world, with about 40% or 650 million people in the heavier category. This is a global problem, WHO says, noting that more people are obese than underweight in every region except sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Happily, there is a powerful remedy to unwanted weight gain that is also simple, free, and available to most: the habit of walking. The Rise of Obesity Today, having too much to eat—especially highly processed foods with little nutritional value—is rapidly overtaking food scarcity as a major contributor to malnutrition and poor health. This modern version of malnutrition comes with its own, unique health impacts. Eating too many nutritionally poor foods has given rise to unhealthy weight gains that can lead to obesity and other chronic health conditions. Obesity has even been identified as a risk factor for COVID-19 mortality. Obesity is more than just being overweight. WHO defines obesity as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in the human body that may pose a health risk for many chronic diseases and conditions. How is obesity determined? Health professionals often use Body Mass Index (BMI) to screen for obesity. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters. A person with a BMI of 30 or above is considered to be obese, while 25 to 30 is considered to be overweight. Recent Aggravating Factors The 2020 COVID-19 protocols contributed to the issue, as well. The stay-home and social distancing policies were intended to protect people from disease transmission. But the outcomes—requiring people to work from home, closing schools, restricting exercise outdoors or in gyms—led to an uptick in sedentary lifestyles, a major risk factor for weight gain. When behaviors such as watching TV, indulging in sweet or salty snacks, and consuming sugary beverages—especially when not hungry—were added in, it can’t be a surprise that many people saw their body weights creep up. This is especially true in urban settings, WHO says. Health Impacts of Obesity Carrying extra fat can lead to serious health consequences, mainly heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and some types of cancers. Bone density and muscle mass may also deteriorate, causing osteosarcopenic obesity—marked by bone, muscle, and adipose tissue impairment—with higher risk of fractures and physical disability. Obesity is also associated with serious health conditions like high blood pressure, higher levels of LDL (“the bad cholesterol”) and triglycerides, and lower levels of HDL (“the good cholesterol”). An obese person is also prone to mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety. Eating may become a pathway to coping with stress but, if not controlled, can cause weight gain. Although there is some cultural pushback on “fat-shaming,” obese people can suffer stigmatization by society. Such experiences lower self-esteem and may discourage participation in activities of a positive nature, such as exercise and involvement in club activities. There is, however, something that many can do to help in the treatment of obesity. It’s called walking. Benefits of Walking It may seem simplistic to suggest daily walking as a protocol to address obesity, but as people spend more of their time sitting—at home, studying, working, or driving—it may be helpful to go over the benefits of standing up and moving around. To begin with, walking improves blood pressure and can help lower BMI, thus lowering the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and more. Brisk walking is a popular moderate-intensity, low-impact version of walking for those who want to avoid injuries—such as straining joints—associated with high-impact workouts. With just thirty minutes of brisk walking daily, one can burn about 150 more calories per day. Studies have also shown that walking assists with fat-burning and can reduce waist circumferences of obese women. Walks not only improve the physical health of an individual, but they are also beneficial for mental health. Studies have found that walking was an effective treatment for depression, anxiety, and psychological stress. It has also been shown that walking has a positive effect on self-esteem, and psychological well-being. Walking has also helped in maintaining the social health of individuals. It's also best if walking is done outdoors—if possible and appropriate—especially in more natural settings, such as in a park or forest. Reconnecting with nature reduces stress, calms nerves and lowers blood pressure. It imparts a sense of peace and lifts one’s spirit. Buddhist monks practice walking meditations, i.e., concentrating on the movement of the arms or legs while walking. Walking in the Morning Impacts Health There is something special about an early morning walk—for good reason. Walking in the morning, when the air is much cleaner and free from pollution, facilitates better metabolism and the burning of extra calories. Walking in the first hour of the sun’s rays also provides fresh vitamin D, which builds up bone strength, among other benefits. Starting the day with a morning walk enhances mood for the rest of the day. Getting Started Starting a new walking regimen isn’t always easy, but expect some good things to happen. When one starts walking, the body begins to release hormones, such as dopamine, serotonin, estrogen, and testosterone, that make a person feel better physically, mentally and emotionally. Thus, it can be said that a morning walk is the road to a better overall lifestyle. It is wise for an obese person to start out with short walks with light intensity and gradually build up to longer walks or walks with more vigorous intensity. Extra weight demands extra strength for movement. Walkers should warm up for a few minutes before setting out; this is even true for those who are capable of walking briskly. In addition, if individuals suffer from comorbidities, such as osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease, these conditions need to be factored in. So, before taking up walking, it is important to consult a physician about duration, length, and other factors, and remember to stop and seek help if dizziness, palpitations, or breathing problems occur. As part of a walking regimen, a person should learn to walk consciously, one step at a time. It’s good to set goals, both in exercise and diet. With the right support and professional guidance, stand up and start walking. It is one of the keys to a healthy life. Finally, one way to help loved ones who seek to return to a normal weight is to take up morning walks with them. This will benefit both walkers and provide companionship, assistance, and motivation. Morning walks can help most everyone maintain a healthy lifestyle. *Paramita Mandal is an Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, The University of Burdwan, West Bengal, India, who has worked in the field of biomedical genetics for the last twelve years. Her research interests are complex disease genetics and cancer genomics. She has conducted independent research projects on human genetics and published her research in peer- reviewed journals. Rojina Yasmin is a researcher, Department of Zoology, The University of Burdwan, West Bengal, India. Her research interests are in the area of complex human disease pathogenesis, and she studies how lifestyle factors impact disease. Suvanjana Ghosh is a researcher, Department of Zoology, The University of Burdwan, West Bengal, India. Her research interests are in the area of cancer biology. She is passionate about examining the impacts of environmental factors on the pathogenesis of complex disorders.

New research finds that moving food from farms to consumers generates higher-than-expected CO2 carbon emissions. Nature reported in July 2022 that about one-fifth of all carbon emissions linked to the food system came from transportation—“a much bigger slice of the emissions pie than previously thought.” The study from the University of Sydney in Australia collected data from 74 countries and regions. It found that food transportation in 2017 added equivalent CO2 emissions of about 3.0 gigatons. That is 7.5 times previous estimates. Developed nations, which have about 12% of the global population, generated nearly half of international food-transport emissions. Low-income countries, which have about half of the global population, generated about 20% of international food-transport emissions. Transporting fruit and vegetables generated double the amount of CO2 produced by growing them. Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-022-00531-w

Global electricity use surged 6% in 2021, the largest increase in more than a decade, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says in a recent report. Renewable power has been growing substantially, but 2021 electricity generation from coal and gas hit record levels, the IEA said in its Electricity Market Report—January 2022. “As a result, the global electricity sector’s annual carbon dioxide emissions leaped to a new all-time high after having decreased for the previous two years,” the IEA said. The agency predicts that renewables will “meet the vast majority of the increase in global electricity demand,” resulting in a “plateauing of emissions from electricity generation.” However, this will not assist with immediate goals, said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. "Emissions from electricity need to decline by 55% by 2030 to meet our Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario,” he said. Absent major policy action from governments, “emissions are set to remain around the same level for the next three years,” he added. Sources: https://www.iea.org/news/the-clean-energy-economy-is-gaining-ground-but-greater-efforts-are-needed-now-to-get-on-track-for-net-zero-by-2050 https://www.iea.org/reports/electricity-market-report-january-2022 https://www.iea.org/news/surging-electricity-demand-is-putting-power-systems-under-strain-around-the-world

By Richard Kemeny* In many parts of the world, fields are filled with grazing animals—but few trees or crops. Now a different approach—silvopasture or the intentional practice of combining trees, livestock, and forage plants on the same land—is growing in popularity due to its many benefits for people, animals, plants, and the environment. In Brazil, a country battling deforestation in its Amazon basin and other parts of its land, some farmers are exploring ways to increase silvopasturing. Deforestation Imperils Land and Air Forests around the world are under threat from rising deforestation and the local and global effects of climate change. Indeed, agricultural expansion is the cause of 80% of deforestation in the global tropics and sub-tropics. In Brazil, cattle-ranching is one of the leading drivers of deforestation. Ranchers clear away forests, releasing vast amounts of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. If they use unmanaged cattle ranching, in which animals roam free, their herds soon tarnish the land, leaving it less productive, damaging soils and eventually leaving little to no vegetation—meaning less carbon is absorbed by the land. Ranchers move on to new ground, and the cycle continues. Silvopasture could help to alleviate some of these problems. It’s estimated that around 1.36 billion acres of land are currently under silvopasture worldwide, with successful large-scale projects in places spread as far as Japan and Portugal. While the amount of silvopasture land in Brazil has been rising, widespread adoption of this practice still faces several challenges. Silvopasture and Healthy Landscapes Silvopasture is created either by planting trees on existing pasture, or only removing certain areas of woodland when preparing land for grazing or agriculture. When a silvopasture site is brought into balance, there should be a healthy growth of grassland that feeds the animals and helps recycle nutrients into the land for crops. One of the major benefits of the system is improved animal health. By including trees into the landscape, cattle have access to shelter and shade, and more space to graze. This reduces the stress of the animals, and allows them to spend less of their energy on temperature maintenance and more on growth—research suggests it can increase animal weight by up to 10%. This results in improved lifestyle for the animals, and healthier profits for the ranchers. In the United States, many farmers are introducing silvopasturing systems on their land. On Early Boots Farm in Minnesota, farmer Tyler Carlson took up silvopasturing in 2012. He now sees many benefits to the system, notably the expanded grazing area for his livestock. Carlson thinned out several acres of dense forests, where previously no forage grew underneath. Now the silvopasture grasslands compete with open grasslands and are even more productive in times of extreme heat and drought. The introduction of native tree species also adds a range of ecological benefits to an agricultural landscape, boosting local wildlife and biodiversity by offering new habitats and sources of food. Strengthening biodiversity improves a landscape’s resilience to adverse weather events, including those brought on by climate change. The plant life also helps the spread of fungi that are essential to healthy soil function. Financial and Climatic Benefits Silvopasture also brings a range of economic incentives for farmers aside from healthier animals. Economic analyses have shown that these systems can be more profitable than forestry or simple grazing. In traditional silvopasture systems, the trees are productive: Their fruits or nuts can be exported to generate profit; other trees can be sustainably harvested for their timber. Trees also mitigate flood damage by opening up soils with their roots and allowing water to seep in. In the face of increasing weather events over the next century, this could prevent huge losses from flooded agricultural land. Estimates suggest a pasture with trees can sequester up to ten times more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than treeless land. Adding more trees into the landscape—or removing fewer—has clear positive effects on both local and global environments. Estimates suggest a pasture with trees can sequester up to ten times more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than treeless land. Through a process known as evapotranspiration, intact forests also soak up water from the ground and emit it as water vapor, which evaporates and cools the surrounding environment. Conversely, removing trees breaks this cycle. One recent study found that deforestation can boost temperatures in local areas, on top of the rising temperatures due to global climate breakdown. On the flip side, another study found that adding trees into pasture could lower local temperatures (by up to 2.4°C = 4.32°F). Researchers in Brazil and around the world are studying silvopasture to understand and quantify the benefits it can bring. In one study, carried out at the University of New Hampshire, scientists compared plots of silvopasture, regular pasture, and forest. They removed 50% to 60% of trees from silvopasture plots, then seeded foraging plants before introducing cows. Then, they set up meteorological stations to measure microclimatic variables in the air and soil. They found silvopasture plots emitted less carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere from the soil, while carbon storage stayed the same. “Our results suggest that silvopasture may offer a biogeochemical ‘middle ground’ between intact secondary forests and managed open fields, retaining the climate benefits of forests while enabling expansion of the agricultural land base,” the researchers write. Silvopasture in Brazil In Brazil, agroforestry has been practiced by indigenous communities for thousands of years. In the Amazon, the combination of forestry and crop-growing has long been used to produce cacao, açai, coffee, and nuts. Silvopasture is growing in popularity in both the Cerrado, a tropical woodland savanna, and the Gran Chaco, a forest region over twice the size of California that spreads over Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina. A recent study reviewed the scientific impacts of silvopasture in the Caatinga, a dryland ecosystem in Brazil’s northeast home to around twenty-five million people. As far back as the 1860s, residents realized the negative impact of livestock on the local biome and started growing trees in pasture to improve livestock productivity. There are now many books and reports describing best practices. As far back as the 1860s, residents realized the negative impact of livestock on the local biome and started growing trees in pasture to improve livestock productivity. Most of the Caatinga dryland is located in a climatic depression, which blocks rainfall from reaching the area. Rainfall varies hugely between years, and every few decades, the region faces a severe drought lasting as long as five years. A team of scientists from the University of Florida found that maintaining 40% tree cover would produce a sustainable silvopastoral system in this region to help alleviate some of the climate issues. The results could benefit similar drylands, 90% of which exists in developing countries. Another two-year study examined cattle growth in legume silvopasture plots compared to grass monoculture. The researchers investigated the impact of the introduction of two tree legumes—gliricidia and mimosa—into a landscape in the sub-tropical state of Pernambuco. They found that the introduction of gliricidia increased animal productivity more than the monoculture or mimosa, indicating that the type of legume introduced is key to success. Silvopasture systems including tree legumes could therefore provide numerous ecosystem services and reduce the carbon footprint in livestock systems in the tropics. In Brazil, this new growth could help to regenerate deserted land, restoring nutrients to the soil. Challenges Of course, there are barriers to the adoption of silvopasturing in Brazil. Ultimately, whether silvopasture or similar agroforestry projects can have any tangible impact depends on the political discourse within the country. The Amazon rainforest will remain under tremendous threat from deforestation and forest fires unless long-term environmental protections are implemented across all administrations. Cost is also an issue. To establish effective silvopasture requires high up-front costs, and long-term maintenance fees. Each element of silvopasture comes with its own associated needs and costs. Another potential hurdle is culture. Owning cattle offers a level of respect within certain parts of Brazilian society, meaning some ranchers could be averse to changing their ways. However, according to the research of Rachael Garrett at Boston University, this could also help to spread the idea. Garret visited a Brazilian silvopasture farm in 2017. The cattle rancher had swapped his cattle from those raised for beef to dairy cows; he had planted rows of eucalyptus trees to shade the cows and provide an additional income source, and regularly rotates his crops to renew the soil. The amount of integrated agroforestry land in the Brazil jumped more than seven-fold between 2010 and 2016, reaching 11.5 million hectares. Her research suggests that if higher-status members of society successfully run silvopasture farms like this, others could follow. “Status counts. Somebody needs to prove that it works,” she said in a statement. And it could be working: data from Embrapa, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, suggests the amount of integrated agroforestry land in the country jumped more than seven-fold between 2010 and 2016, reaching 11.5 million hectares (44,401 square miles). Farmers across Brazil are showing increased interest in silvopasture. In Pará, for example, farmers are experimenting with planting commercially important trees such as eucalyptus and African mahogany. If Brazilians can find the political and financial will to promote silvopasture across the country, it would be a win-win for Brazil and the global climate. *Richard Kemeny writes about archaeology, marine biology, oceanography, ecology, technology, and the environment.

Lead in Drinking Water Linked to Adverse Health Outcomes in Unborn Children By Mark Smith* The nation’s battle to remove lead from drinking water may have become more urgent: A new study has found that pregnant women who consume water with high levels of lead can pass it to their unborn children. The research, published in July in the Journal of Health Economics, is ground-breaking. Many studies have found a correlation between lead exposure and health problems, but the study authors believe theirs is the first to find an actual link between drinking lead-contaminated water and adverse health effects in fetuses. The Newark Water Crisis In 2016, elevated levels of lead were found in the drinking water of some public schools in Newark, New Jersey—a city that still has century-old pipes. The next year, the city’s tests found that the public water in more than 10% of Newark homes had high levels of lead. Despite corrective efforts, such as a corrosion control process to reduce lead levels in water, the city was eventually forced to offer water filters and bottled water to tens of thousands of Newark homes. In 2021, Newark finished its program to replace lead pipes with copper pipes. But this calamity—coming on the heels of the 2014 lead-in-water crisis in Flint, Michigan—touched off water-pipe concerns nationwide. Tale of Two Water Treatment Plants Newark’s water crisis also caught the interest of two economics professors, Muzhe Yang at Lehigh University and Dhaval Dave at Bentley University, who began researching the situation in 2019. The professors saw there were two different treatment plants helping to supply Newark’s water. They used data on the home addresses of pregnant women living in Newark for their study, together with information on the boundary separating areas serviced by two different water treatment plants. In their study, "Lead in drinking water and birth outcomes: A tale of two water treatment plants,” the professors said they found an external change in water pH levels that caused lead to leach into the drinking water of one plant's service area but not into the water of the other plant’s area. In an exclusive interview, Prof. Yang told The Earth & I: “Residents’ exposure to lead in drinking water can be viewed as almost randomly assigned, since people decide where to live probably not based upon a water treatment plant’s service area.” “This kind of randomization that happens in the real world—a natural experiment—helps us researchers identify a causal effect of lead exposure. It’s an effect that is due to lead exposure alone, not due to other factors.” Their research discovered a range of evidence for negative health impacts from the water, including a 19% increase in the risk of premature birth and an 18% increase in the risk of low birth weight. Why is Lead Dangerous? The health impact of lead happens over time. Lead accumulates in the body through repeated exposure and builds up in the bones alongside calcium. In unborn babies, exposure is a particular problem because lead in the mother’s bones can be released as a calcium substitute to aid bone formation in the fetus. Lead in a mother’s blood can also cross the placenta, exposing the fetus to lead poisoning. Prenatal lead exposure has been associated with impaired neural development, putting children at risk for cognitive impairment later in life. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) agree that there is no known safe level of lead in a child's blood. Lead Sources and Safety Thresholds Aging pipes have long been implicated in high levels of lead in the water supply. The EPA estimates that drinking water may account for more than 20% of total lead exposure for adults and between 40% to 60% for children. “Old houses are more likely to have lead plumbing materials. Corrosion of these lead plumbing materials can happen when the pH level of water drops below a certain threshold.” According to an analysis of EPA data by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), 186 million people in the United States—56% of the population—drank from water systems with lead levels exceeding 1 part per billion (ppb). This is higher than the level recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics to protect children from lead in school water fountains. Prof. Yang said: “I live in the Northeast of the US where there are a lot of old houses. Old houses are more likely to have lead plumbing materials. Corrosion of these lead plumbing materials can happen when the pH level of water drops below a certain threshold, that is, the water becomes more acidic than it should be. This is exactly what happened in Newark, New Jersey.” Replacing Faulty Pipes When it comes to lead in drinking water, the simplest and most straightforward way of dealing with the problem involves the replacement of aging infrastructure—and that’s something which has increasingly been on the agenda both at the local and federal levels in the US. By August 2021, almost all of the lead water pipes in Newark had been replaced with copper ones, solving much of the city’s water crisis problem. In 2019, President Biden signed the Water Infrastructure Funding Transfer Act, allowing the transfer of funds from a federal clean water fund to a state fund for lead-related projects. More recently, in December 2021, the US Congress passed H.R.3684—otherwise known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act— that included $15 billion in funding for nationwide lead pipe replacement. Prof. Yang welcomed these developments, and said he hopes his and others’ research will lead to more public awareness of the urgency of solving the lead pipe problem in the US water system. “I am hopeful,” he said, “but the work needs to be done soon. High lead levels have been found in the tap water in many US cities besides Newark, such as Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, New York, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C.” He warned that if something isn’t done—particularly replacing the pipes—the problems experienced in Newark could be replicated more widely. “What happened in Newark may be the tip of an iceberg,” he said. “There is an urgency of replacing all lead pipes in the US water system, and the work should be done as soon as possible.” *Mark Smith is a journalist and author from the UK. He has written on subjects ranging from business and technology to world affairs, history, and popular culture for the Guardian, BBC, Telegraph, and magazines in the United States, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

North Korea, a mountainous nation of 25.7 million people with a land area of 120,410 sq/km, had 80% tree coverage in 1945. By 2000, tree coverage dropped to 30% or 5.1 million ha (around 20,000 square miles). Tree coverage loss continued for two decades, shrinking by 248,259 ha (958 square miles) by 2022. Recorded tree cover loss was highest in 2019, with 27,492 ha or 106 square miles of loss. Scientific American reported that the North Korean government “acknowledges that forest cover shrank sharply during a famine in the 1990s, going from 8.3 million hectares to 7.6 million hectares in just a few years.” The same report cited a 2014 study showing that North Korean forests were “becoming more fragmented, with less contiguous tree cover.” Sources: https://www.jstor.org/stable/43908904, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/with-widespread-deforestation-north-korea-faces-an-environmental-crisis/ https://rainforests.mongabay.com/deforestation/archive/North_Korea.htm

Life expectancy has dropped for all racial groups, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics said in an August 2022 report. Overall at-birth life expectancy in the US fell by nine months from 2020 to 2021. The decline of 77.0 years to 76.1 years brought US life expectancy to its lowest level since 1996. The 2021 drop, combined with a 1.8 year drop in 2020, is “the biggest two-year decline in life expectancy” since the early 1920s. American Indian-Alaskan Native people (AIAN) saw the biggest drop in life expectancy—nearly two years—to 65.2 years in 2021. This was equal to the life expectancy of the total U.S. population in 1944. Non-Hispanic Whites had the second-largest decline, from 77.4 years in 2020 to 76.4 years in 2021. Non-Hispanic Blacks saw a seven-month drop from 71.5 years in 2020 to 70.8 in 2021. Following a four-year drop in life expectancy from 2019 to 2020, Hispanics saw a slight two-month decline in 2021, to 77.7 years. Life expectancy for Asians saw a one-month drop, to 83.5 years. The life expectancy gap for men and women grew slightly, from 5.7 years in 2020 to 5.9 years in 2021. COVID-19 deaths contributed to 74% of the decline from 2019 to 2020. Sources: Provisional Life Expectancy Estimates for 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2022/20220831.htm