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Seaweed is eaten by humans and animals and used in cosmetics, shampoos, toothpastes and health-related products, as well as biomass for fuels. It is both wild-harvested and farmed across the globe. The annual global seaweed haul is valued at about $6 billion. Global seaweed production is up from 34.7 thousand tons in 1950 to more than 34.7 million tons today. Seaweed farming is the fastest-growing sector of US aquaculture with Alaska producing 440 tons in 2021, up from only eighteen tons in 2017. Seaweed is known for providing iodine to the diet, which benefits thyroid health. But it also has vitamins and minerals like B12 and zinc; disease-fighting carotenoids; antioxidants; and flavonoids that help protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s or dementia. Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) Agricultural Research Service

Much of the world depends on wheat as a food staple. According to a BBC report this month, global wheat supplies are at lows not seen since 2008. Reports from China that flooding has taken a toll on the world’s largest wheat crop, news (BBC) that “millions of tons” of wheat supplies in Ukraine are blockaded by war, and India’s decision not to export wheat this year—due to the toll that severe heat has taken on their wheat crop—has led to volatility in wheat prices and looming shortages, according to BBC. Though India is not a major wheat exporter, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked India to reconsider the ban. States the BBC, lifting “the export ban … could play a significant role in helping alleviate the current wheat supply crisis for those countries most affected by the war in Ukraine.” According to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE), “The outlook for 2022/23 U.S. wheat is for reduced supplies, exports, domestic use stocks, and higher prices. U.S. 2022/23 wheat supplies are projected down 3 percent, as lower beginning stocks more than offset a larger harvest.” Despite a larger US 2021-2022 harvest, WASDE warns that “the first survey-based forecast for 2022/23 winter wheat production is down 8 percent from last year.” In addition to the state of the U.S. market, WASDE reports that “the global wheat outlook for 2022/23 is for lower supplies and consumption, increased trade, and lower ending stocks. Global production is forecast at 774.8 million tons, 4.5 million lower than in 2021/22. Reduced production in Ukraine, Australia, and Morocco is only partly offset by increases in Canada, Russia, and the United States.”

On a beautiful Memorial Day (US) weekend, May 28, 2022, over 120 enthusiastic participants from local environmental and faith groups gathered at a Maryland church with an inspired agenda to learn how to rescue the environment. Working at the church’s environmental education garden site and property, they would engage in hands-on gardening and an outdoor service project. It was the groundwork and vision behind the project, however, that would set it apart. The garden project was the result of a two-year partnership between the Hyo Jeong International Foundation for the Unity of the Sciences (HJIFUS) Environmental Outreach and the Mid Atlantic Community Church (MACC) Garden/Nature Ministry located on MACC’s fifty-acre property near Annapolis, Maryland. A variety of youth groups, including boy scouts and college students, as well as families from MACC and various local faith communities, had helped develop an environmental education garden site on the MACC property. The 10 meter by 40 meter educational garden site also produces many types of vegetables that are donated to a local food bank. The event began with an introductory talk by Gregg Jones, director of the Environmental Outreach department of HJIFUS. He noted that coming closer to nature can bring people closer together as a family—and bring humanity closer to God. There was plenty of work to do to further the MACC garden project and establish it as an environmental education site. Tasks included extending the greenhouse structure, building a double compost bin with repurposed wood, planting flowers in a circular raised bed, moving piles of dirt with wheelbarrows, setting squash seedlings in mounds, harvesting kale, and preparing and painting recycled wood. Following the service activities, a youth rally was held inside the church. Speakers included Taylor Swanson from the Interfaith Partnership for the Chesapeake; Austin Simpson, MACC Garden/Nature Ministry member; Pastor James Stewart of the Baltimore Family Church; Pastors Ernest Patton and Achille Acolaste of the Capital Family Church in Washington, D.C.; Pastor Ijeoma Omoru and Prophet Dapo Sanyaolu from Celestial Church congregations in New Jersey and Maryland, and Rev. Joshua Holmes from the Young Christian Leadership Conference. Kristi Kahler, MACC church member, summed up the day’s experience: “The garden project was such a glorious collaboration of all ages.” “We had tremendous help from so many people to help us complete many things in the garden that could not be done by man alone. God used His people, and everyone worked well together,” said Simpson. Swanson described the event as “fabulous” and praised the “great turnout of people from multiple Christian faiths. It was an overall powerful and very uplifting program.” Jones envisioned the event could serve as a catalyst for future projects that others can do in their local environment. The deeper purpose and heart behind the work should resonate with many people, he added. Editor's Note The Earth & I with contributions from Gregg Jones.

The Third International Conference on Science and God (ICSG III), sponsored by the Hyo Jeong International Foundation for the Unity of the Sciences (HJIFUS), brought together scientists, researchers, and academics for two days (April 10 –11 EDT) in a virtual format to discuss their investigations into unexplained (anomalous) phenomena that call for a postmaterialist worldview. Possible applications for new technologies were explored in such areas as healing, energy generation, and restoring the relationship between humans and the natural world. In his welcoming remarks, Dr. Douglas Joo, Chairman of HJIFUS, explained that the ICSG series was launched in 2020, “opening the door to unconventional, ‘frontier science’ approaches to broaden our search for the most promising solutions to environmental problems.” In greeting the participants, Dr. Sun Jin Moon, daughter of HJIFUS founder Rev. Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, conveyed her mother’s hopes for the conference. “Thanks to scientific development, we can now hope to unveil the world that lies beyond matter and even encounter God, the Ultimate Cause of the universe. My expectation is that ICSG will explore what has not been touched on by traditional science and play a meaningful role in diffusing myths about the relationships between the environment and human beings; between mind and body, psychology, and physiology; and spirituality, and so on. By doing so, ICSG will contribute to the opening of a new history of science and enhance the ways by which we can restore the environment.” The umbrella theme of ICSG III was, Environmental Restoration in the Era of Frontier Science. The session topics were arranged under three subthemes: Heralding a New Scientific Revolution; Applications of Frontier Science in Addressing Environmental Challenges; and Frontier Science Perspectives on Our Relationship with the Natural World. The keynote address was given by Dr. Lisa Miller, Professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University Teachers College, who spoke on “Exploring the Unknown: Where Is Science Leading Us?” Prof. Miller, also founder and director of the Spirituality, Mind, Body Institute, explained how humans are out of rhythm with the universe and, as spiritual beings, need “awakened awareness” to align their brain wavelength to that of nature. She suggested that human beings try to develop a “self-sense of being one with nature” in one “sacred field of consciousness.” Dr. Marjorie Woollacott, Emeritus Professor of Human Physiology at the University of Oregon, and President of the Academy for the Advancement of Postmaterialist Sciences, followed by speaking on the topic, “Characteristics of the Postmaterialist Era.” She emphasized the heralding of an era where mind and consciousness are “first-order,” and material reality is secondary. She cautioned that humans are not “hard-wired for unity” due to “brain filters” and that “mindfulness and meditation” are useful tools for increasing compassion and selflessness toward nature and human beings. It is important, she said, that we shift from a materialist to a “postmaterialist” perspective to achieve environmental restoration. In the same session, Dr. Helané Wahbeh, Director of Research at the Institute of Noetic Sciences and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at Oregon Health & Science University, stated that research has led her to the understanding that so-called anomalous—deviating from what is normal—phenomena, such as clairvoyance, ESP, etc., are commonly experienced by people in all walks of life. Her presentation laid out a body of research supporting the occurrence of various types of experiences, from “remote viewing” to modes of healing, such as “distance healing” and “Reiki.” The second session began with Dr. Christina Ross, Biophysicist at the Wake Forest Center for Integrative Medicine, who spoke on the topic, “The Biophysics of Energy Medicine: Effect of Polarity Therapy / Subtle Energy on Cellular and Molecular Function,” in which she elucidated the use of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) on cells for the treatment of pain. She received substantial funding from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). The second presentation was titled, “‘Breakthrough Energy Technologies Derived from New Paradigm Science,” given by Dr. Thomas Valone, President of the Integrity Research Institute, during which he emphasized the need to explore various types of clean energy production technologies to address global warming. In the final session, Dr. Gary Schwartz, Professor of Psychology, Medicine, Neurology, Psychiatry, and Surgery at the University of Arizona, spoke on “A Vision for Earth’s Future Arising from Frontier Science.” He mentioned some unexpected synchronicities, which greatly piqued the interests of the participants and brought about a vibrant discussion. In applications to relationships between humans and the environment, Dr. Schwartz states: “The fact remains that the existence of super-synchronicities implies the active and intelligent participation of some sort of a universal mind in everyday life. The implications of emerging source science for human growth and transformation, and, by extension, our evolved co-stewardship of the Earth, expands our perspective on the process of guidance, organization, and design of all systems at all levels, be they scientific and technological, educational, and clinical, personal, and professional, political, and societal, legal, and spiritual, environmental, and global. The idea that we are part of an integrated, holistic, greater reality, and that we co-create with this greater reality what we experience, regardless of whether we are aware of this fact or not, touches all aspects of life.” Participants appreciated the unique opportunity that the conference provided for discussing new paradigm, interdisciplinary approaches to environmental issues.

The Hyo Jeong International Foundation for the Unity of the Sciences (HJIFUS), the sponsoring organization of The Earth & I, convened the Twenty-Eighth International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences (ICUS XXVIII) in a virtual format on April 12–13 EDT. The conference explored cutting-edge solutions to environmental problems, based on conventional scientific approaches. Attendees from across the globe, representing different scientific disciplines, were greeted with welcoming remarks by HJIFUS Chairman Dr. Douglas Joo and an address by Dr. Sun Jin Moon, representing her mother and HJIFUS Founder Rev. Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon. Both exhorted attendees to freely share their latest findings with a collective sense of responsibility for the Earth’s well-being. Said Dr. Moon, “Life as we know it hangs in the balance of our conscious choices and actions. The interdependent fate of humanity and the Earth is a direct result of not knowing who we are and why and how we are living. We need to have the knowing, enlightenment, the knowledge, and sacred wisdom to know the heart of all life on Earth is the heart of the Divine love of the highest power.” The overall conference theme was, Investigating Pathways to Resolve Environmental Challenges, and the session topics were grouped under three sub-themes: Addressing Climate Change: Strategies to Achieve “Net Zero”; Manufacturing Materials for Eco-Friendly Products; and Engaging the Public in Tackling Environmental Problems. The keynote speaker was Nobel Laureate, Dr. David MacMillan, James S. McDonnell Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Princeton University, who presented novel catalytic methods that can help balance human needs with environmental sustainability. Prof. MacMillan led participants from different fields along his career path in organocatalysis, a journey that eventually led to his receiving the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2021. “Organocatalysis,” he stated, “has found application in the recyclable plastics economy.” He cited the work of Professor Bob Waymouth of Stanford University and Dr. James Hedrick of IBM, who have developed organocatalytic processes that break down polymers to their “component monomeric building blocks.” These monomers, he explained, “can then be transformed back to polymers,” a process with the “potential to render plastics completely recyclable and sustainable.” Regarding the future of organocatalysis, he said it is critical that we “keep developing more and more sustainable catalysis. And in this context, this is going to have to be fueled by things such as organocatalysis and biocatalysis, but also photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and even base metal catalysis, as an area that’s going to be extraordinarily important as we continue to grow as a population.” “The next big idea (based on catalysis),” he said, “can come from anywhere in the world.” In Session 1, Addressing Climate Change: Strategies to Achieve “Net Zero,” there was significant debate on the topic, “Negative Emission Technologies to Reduce Atmospheric Carbon,” which was presented by Dr. Eric Larson, Senior Research Engineer at the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at Princeton University. Dr. Larson spoke on the importance of implementing various technologies, with a focus on carbon capture and storage, toward achieving net-zero by 2050 in the United States. Follow-up discussion on the topic began with Dr. Thomas Valone, President of the Integrity Research Institute, who stated the importance of removing the “excess 830 gigatons [of CO2] in the atmosphere now, which is contributing the most to global warming.” This was in contrast to a comment by Dr. Takahiro Hiroi, Senior Research Associate at Brown University, who stated how the Earth “temperature-wise, is in a small ice age right now” and that we should “be careful in trying to control CO2 levels artificially” and instead focus on more natural pathways to reduce atmospheric CO2. Prof. Larry Baxter, Professor of Chemical Engineering at Brigham Young University, responded by stating that it is “not the level as much as the pace at which the CO2 level is changing” and cited the necessity to be “aggressive in trying to manage it.” The focus of the third and final session moved from promising technological innovations to policy making and educational initiatives that can better engage the public. Speaking on the topic, “Promoting Grassroots Action on Environmental Issues,” Dr. Bruce Johnson, Professor of Environmental Learning & Science Education, and Dean, College of Education, University of Arizona, brought attention to the importance of basic attitudes toward nature that environmental education must address. “Preservation and utilization,” he stressed, “are not necessarily correlated.” In commenting on Dr. Johnson’s presentation, Dr. Dilafruz Williams added that “self-transcendent values rather than self-enhancing values are more effective for environmental action.” Environmental action, she added, “requires expansion of the notion of education beyond the four walls of formal schooling.” In closing the conference, conference chairs presented summaries of presentations and commentaries. Participants commented on the unique forum that the conferences provided for discussing interdisciplinary approaches to environmental issues. The convenience of the virtual global platform, provided by iPeaceTV, allowed them to attend from their homes and offices in India, the UK, Japan, Korea, Africa, Europe, and the US.

Gender gaps in agricultural productivity arise not because female farmers are less efficient but because they lack access to agricultural resources such as male family laborers, high-yield crops, pesticides, and fertilizer. United Nations research in sub-Saharan Africa provides perspective on the region’s agricultural gender productivity gap. UN research in five sub-Saharan countries—Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania—shows that closing the agricultural gender gap could raise crop production nearly 20% and lift many thousands out of poverty. Gender gaps in agricultural productivity in the five countries range from nearly 11% in Ethiopia to 28% in Malawi, based on data from the World Bank’s Living Standards Measurement Study-Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA). Similar studies find gender gaps in agricultural productivity that range from 8% in Kenya to over 30% in Nigeria. In Malawi, the gender gap in the use of farm equipment accounts for 18% of the productivity gap. The gender gap also accounts for a 28% difference in the planting of high-value crops in Malawi, 13% in Uganda, and 3% in Tanzania. In Tanzania, a lack of male farmers accounts for nearly the entire gap in agricultural productivity, whereas in Ethiopia and Malawi it accounts for nearly 45% of the agricultural productivity gap. – Source: UN Women

In these COVID times, great attention is being paid to our lungs—and how to keep them healthy. Since we spend much of our time indoors, maybe we should take a look at what we’re breathing in at home. Some of these substances are likely to be on the list: Tobacco/cigarette smoke Mold/Mildew/Odor Radon CO2 & Particulate Matter from unvented cooking/heating Dust/Dust mites Pet and human dander/hair VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) from cleaning products, insecticides, a/c Pathogens from toilet water Lead and formaldehyde from paint, varnish Pollution coming from outdoors Disease percentages tied to unsafe indoor air quality: 8% of lung cancer 27% of acute lower respiratory disease 20% of COPD 27% of Ischemic Heart Disease Source: The Government of India’s Department of EFCC

Plastic has been found in more than 60% of all seabirds and in 100% of sea turtles species. Every year, 8 million metric tons (8.8 million tons) of plastics enter our ocean on top of the estimated 150 million metric tons (165 million tons) that currently circulate our marine environments. 2.5 billion tons of solid waste was produced in 2010; 275 million metric tons (303 million tons) of it was plastic waste. 2 billion people within 30 miles of the coast create 100 million metric tons (110 million tons) of coastal plastic waste. At the current rate, we could be facing 250 million metric tons (275 million tons) in the ocean in less than 10 years. Source: Ocean Conservancy

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines. Misuse and overuse of antimicrobials (antibiotics) are the main drivers in the development of drug-resistant pathogens. The rate of resistance to ciprofloxacin, for example, an antibiotic commonly used to treat urinary tract infections, varied from 8.4% to 92.9% in reporting countries. Poor sanitation and unclean drinking water are factors in the spread of microbes that are resistant to antimicrobials. The WHO declared AMR to be one of the top ten health threats to humanity. According to the WHO, the clinical pipeline has no new effective antimicrobials at this time. The emergence of resistance to new ‘last resort’ TB drugs to treat drug-resistant TB poses a major threat. Source: WHO

In 2019, consumers tossed away nearly 1 billion tons of food or 17% of all food they bought. In 2019, 690 million people were undernourished. 8 to 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from producing food that is ultimately thrown away. In 2019, 61% of food waste was generated by households, 26% from food service and 13% from retail. An estimated one-third of the food we produce is lost or wasted, and with it an estimated 38% of energy consumed in food systems. Food systems currently consume 30% of the world’s available energy. Source: United Nations Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

In 1993 to 1994, investigators in India seized 1470 lbs of tiger bones from the black market. A person can have a tiger killed for as little as $1 to $9, depending on whether they use poison or a steel trap. Far eastern traditional medicine manufacturing has been a destination for tiger bones. A general offense under India’s Wildlife Protection Act carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison. Over 1300 wild animals died of electrocution, accidental or deliberate, in the last decade in India. India recorded over 100 tiger deaths last year. Source: Wildlife Protection Service of India

At 1.5°C, over 70% of coral reefs will die, but at 2°C, all reefs over 99% will be lost. Insects, vital for pollination of crops and plants, are likely to lose half their habitat at 1.5°C but this becomes almost twice as likely at 2°C. The Arctic Ocean being completely bare of sea ice in summer would be a once per century likelihood at 1.5°C but this leaps to a once a decade likelihood at 2°C. Over 6 million people currently live in coastal areas vulnerable to sea-level rise at 1.5°C degrees, and at 2°C, this would affect 10 million more people by the end of this century. Sea-level rise will be 100 cm higher at 2°C than at 1.5°C. The frequency and intensity of droughts, storms and extreme weather events are increasingly likely above 1.5°C. Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change