Chemistry

Taking care of industrial food waste

In the US, approximately 30-40% of all food is wasted according to the USDA. Generally, on this topic the discussion focuses on how to reduce this number with strategies for every stage of the chain from farm and manufacturing to the consumer. But Saba and colleagues (2023) have taken a different approach. Focusing specifically on … Continue reading →

Reducing plastic is going to take more than recycling but that’s the extent of most corporate commitments

I think many people have been left with the feeling that not only is recycling enough but it’s also the responsibility of the end user to do the recycling. But corporations have a huge responsibility to reduce plastic waste in all areas of the supply chain. And a large number of companies globally indicate that … Continue reading →

Bacteria based whipping cream anyone?

Okay, I get that a lot of people have a yuck factor for bacteria but we already rely on all sorts of bacteria living inside of us and used in food, yoghurt anyone? So the yuck factor is really based more in how we’re socialized to accept certain things and not others and we can … Continue reading →

Forests, water quality, and climate change

I know that nature provides great water filtration. I’ve read studies and reports about how restoring wetlands improves water quality and can cost less than building a water filtration plant to produce the same results. I haven’t considered how much filtration forests do before. It makes perfect sense though. Any time you have water moving … Continue reading →

Turns out my anaesthesia sensitivity makes me better for climate change

I don’t deal well with general anaesthetic. And unfortunately, I’ve had enough opportunity to experience it that I know what alternatives work best for me. It turns out, at least in the hospitals where I’ve had surgery, that they put you to sleep with intravenous anaesthesia but then switch you onto gas. I know this … Continue reading →

What does the label actually mean?

Anyone else confused by the stamps on different types of plastics? You know the ones that look like a recycling symbol with a number inside? What about the idea that a plastic is biodegradable but only under certain conditions? Or perhaps which ones are going to breakdown into microplastics? I work into sustainability and about … Continue reading →

Trees store air pollutants

I’ve written before about the role of urban trees. They contribute to a number of positive outcomes. A newer area of research is whether the trees actually absorb air pollutants. Klingborn et al (2022) examined the levels of a specific type of pollutant in both deciduous (leafy) trees and coniferous (cone bearing) trees. They found … Continue reading →

Curiosity didn’t kill the cat

Saving the Metals From Batteries

Batteries are incredibly useful technologies and key to many sustainable technologies. Unfortunately, the chemicals in batteries pose a huge environmental problem themselves. But a new study by Xiao et al (2021) may have a solution or at least an improvement over the current situation. Ultrasound is a relatively common imaging technology. It uses sound waves … Continue reading →

Nanoparticles for nano-potholes?

I live in a winter city. Potholes are a reality on our roads, splits on our sidewalks, and cracks in our foundations. The number of construction stories here that include some version of “they had to replace the materials because they warped or broke in the extreme cold” is plentiful. But the thing is, these … Continue reading →