Eat Your Spoon Before Dessert

I remember when Facebook was the hottest form of social media out there. All the way back in the 7th grade, I begged my mom to let me make a Facebook profile, and once I got one I, along with all of my 12 year-old friends, thought the website was all the rage. Unfortunately, sometime in the past few years the organization was overrun by parents and even grandparents. The whole website lost that "cool" effect it once had on prepubescent me. Regardless, I find myself occasionally steering back to my Facebook days, and sometimes I actually find some really interesting videos on my feed.

One of the videos I recently saw described a new form of cutlery that not only has the potential to end world hunger, but can also solve some of the world's worst pollution problems. That's right, somebody actually invented edible spoons and sporks. 

So for my last blog post, I thought I would explain this tasty solution to plastic pollution instead of giving the usual spiel about recycling we hear almost everyday. These spoons can completely replace plastic cutlery- and they're much cheaper than plastic, too. 

But before we dive into the spoons, let me clarify exactly how harmful plastic is to our environment. 

For starters, plastic easily finds its way into landfills, where it takes hundreds of years to biodegrade and uses valuable space that could be filled by non-recyclable wastes. According to Livestrong, these landfills often opt to incinerate the plastic they receive, which releases copious irritants into the air and soil. The chemicals in those irritants can harm human health, crops, and animals that feed off affected plants. Livestrong also describes how plastic requires large amounts of crude oil to be manufactured, which is a nonrenewable resource that is quickly depleting. The less plastic being produced, the less natural oil being consumed, which helps our environment overall.

Also hurting the environment is the pollution emitted from the plastic factories. As I've mentioned in previous posts, greenhouse gas secretion from power plants is a substantial contributor to global climate change and the decaying of the ozone layer. The EPA explains in a Stanford magazine that for every ounce of PET plastic produced by these power plants, an ounce of carbon dioxide is released to the air we breathe. That statistic tells us that we are emitting 500 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere worldwide every year, just from plastic production. 

Lastly, plastic is a main cause for marine animal death. One Green Planet says that sea turtles, sea lions, seabirds, fish, and even dolphins are all dying as a result of plastic waste in their oceans. Whether the animals are ingesting the material or getting strangled by it, plastic waste kills over 100 million sea animals each year we ignore the problem. By eliminating the need for plastic, these animals will be safe to roam their natural habitat (not to mention the added benefit of having clean and non-polluted oceans). 

Therefore, one way to solve the problem of plastic pollution is to eradicate the need for plastic cutlery. Narayana Peesapaty, an Indian man who was desperate to save his country from becoming a plastic waste land, created edible spoons out of millet, rice, and flour, eliminating the use of plastic in utensils. Mashable says the spoons can withstand over 20 minutes of exposure to hot liquids, and they even come in a variety of fun flavors. The spoons run cheaper than normal utensils and have a shelf life of up to 3 whole years. 

a picture of the tasty spoon creations

*photo courtesy of Smart Cooky*

Adding to the spoon's convenience is their biodegradability. If the spoons are not consumed after use, they decay in as little as four days- a seemingly minuscule amount of time when compared to their plastic counterparts. No carbon is emitted from the spoon's manufacturing station, and no crude oil is wasted when creating them. Peesapaty says he plans to create forks, knives, plates, and cups in the future, as well.

While these delicious eating utensils have not made their way to the supermarkets yet, I would highly suggest implementing them in your dinner plans when the time does come. Plastic's immensely toxic effects on our environment dictate an urgent need for change. Edible spoons are just the beginning, but its a great start to ending plastic pollution. Plus, who wouldn't want the ability to eat their spoon for dessert? It's the ultimate way to save the environment... in style. 

Painting a Healthier Future

Every time I visit home, whether it be for break or just a quick weekend trip, my family finds a way to weave questions about my college experience into our conversation. They ask me how much fun I'm having, how hard I'm studying, and even how often I eat at Chick-Fil-A. My point is, the ends of these conversations always revolve around the same two sentences: "Ahh, enjoy your college years. They're the best years of your life!"

And yes, I've made some of my favorite memories here; however, I find myself constantly imagining what my future will be like. What will my job be? Where will I live? Will I have enough money to shop online without my mom's credit card?

So if you're like me, you understand that you don't have to be an interior designer to imagine what the inside of you're future house will look like. Therefore, today's post will feature a fun and creative object that can reduce your electric bill and your local power plant emissions: light-colored paint.

Though you may not realize it, energy use has a direct impact on the environment. SaveOnEnergy states that increasing energy use in homes results in increasing toxic waste emission from power plants. These power plants are huge burners of coal, oils, and various other fossil fuels, meaning they are some of the main contributors to the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides are just three examples of the wastes produced by each power plant. 

In addition to this, oil spills from power plants can harm marine life and destroy biodiversity in and near our oceans. The NOAA says the chemicals in that oil are extremely dangerous to animals; the toxins can cause feather/fur depletion, eye irritation, and skin damage. Eventually, the sea birds and otters that are mostly affected will lose the ability to maintain a constant body temperature, resulting in their death.

Therefore, reducing energy use in our homes can help to lower the emissions from power plants and reduce fatal oil spills. According again to SaveOnEnergy, something as simple as trading in one regular, incandescent light bulb for one compact fluorescent or LED bulb could be the equivalent of taking 1.3 million cars off the road. That's an enormous reduction in emitted pollution from just one light bulb, and the results would also benefit marine life.

I am suggesting that we take that idea one step further. Not only should we be making the switch from incandescent lights to LED lights, but we should also turn off all of our lights as often as possible- perhaps even all day long. Mixing low electric usage with energy-efficient light bulbs will maximize pollution reduction from power plants. A primary action that will allow us to go the whole day without turning on a single light is painting the rooms in our houses a lighter color.

Often times during the day, I will walk into my dorm, pull open the curtain to let the rarity of sunshine enter the room, and then turn on the lights, as well. I am sure that I am not the only person in the world who turns on the lights even when its daytime and the sun can suffice as an illuminant. Therefore, by painting each room a bright, light color, the sun can reflect off that pigment and illuminance is intensified. This eliminates the need to use electric lights for half of the day. Basically, the darker the room, the more artificial light you need to brighten it. 

an example of a light-colored room with natural lighting- notice the lamp does not need to be turned on

*photo courtesy of Winwall Design Corners*

On top of this, J. Stevens Painting Company says, in an article about saving energy in homes, that light-colored paint not only accentuates natural light, but also reflects less heat in the summer, lowering your AC energy bills. The company advises the use of gloss paint, as this will increase further the reflectance of the walls. Any color from light blue to pastel pink will do the job just fine.

Of course, we still may need to turn on the lights at nighttime, but most of the night is filled by sleeping anyway (and sleeping is always more fun when the lights are off).

So the next time you decide to redecorate your room, go for a light-colored paint. You'll use less energy and save our wonderful planet. And who knows, maybe the brighter color will brighten up your everyday mood, as well. 

Hybrids: The Carbon Cure

I believe I can speak for all the freshman car-owners here when I say that college makes me miss my car more and more every day. There is no better feeling than strapping yourself into your car and smelling the aura of freedom- the freedom to drive anywhere outside of the Penn State bubble that is. While I do love this school, being stuck without a car can make me feel trapped, and I do miss how time-saving driving is. I can never wait to go home and reunite with my vehicle.

So you can imagine my disappointment when I went home this weekend and found out my sister totaled my precious little car. (My sister's fine, don't worry.)

For this week's blog, I thought I'd pay tribute to my dying Volkswagen by examining how cars can save the environment. But not just any type of car... hybrid cars.

One of the main contributors to the greenhouse effect is the gasoline-powered car. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, carbon dioxide emission from cars, trucks, freight trains, and airplanes account for about one/fifth of the total global climate change pollution in the United States. To put that into perspective, just one gallon of gasoline produces almost 20 pounds of carbon dioxide when burned! After filling up tank after tank, the EIA says that the United States total carbon emission from gasoline combustion grew to be 1.2 million metric tons in 2015. That's a pretty unfortunate amount. Plus, greenhouse gases are only some of the many pollutants that exit our exhaust pipes every day. Add in the hydrocarbons, particulate matters, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxides, sulfur dioxides, and other hazardous air pollutants I can't even pronounce, and gasoline cars become a recipe for environmental disaster. 

Not to mention that gasoline is toxic in and of itself. Some gasolines are still lead-based, meaning the chemicals from emissions can have a direct effect on public health.

Hybrid cars were, therefore, designed to lower the intake of gasoline and decrease the gaseous emissions of regular vehicles. While EIA reports say Americans use over 385 million gallons of gasoline every year to fuel their gas-powered vehicles, the hybrid car uses an electric motor in combination with a greatly reduced gasoline tank. AUTO describes how this combination allows for a massive reduction in carbon emission and gas usage. The electric motor doubles as a generator, meaning it alternates when the battery is being used and when the gasoline is being burned. From this alternation, less gas is combusted and fewer carbon is emitted; without reliance on a gasoline fuel, the engine can sometimes completely shut off. In fact, some car models are created so that the engine only turns on once you hit a certain speed. Plus, a smaller gas tank also allows the car's efficiency to increase- smaller engines are light and don't require as much energy to function.

What I'm trying to get at here is that hybrid cars are the perfect balance between gas-fueled and electric cars. Gas-fueled engines emit pollution, but electric cars can only run for about 50 miles per charge. Hybrids are an excellent environmental choice that offer little sacrifice from the consumer. Almost no carbon is emitted, but electric power is nearly as strong as that of a gas-fueled car.

Plus, the hybrid is very cost-effective. Depending on the model of the car, hybrids can save almost $5,000 in gas money. Granted, the cars may be more expensive to purchase, but they ultimately pay for themselves. According to Chicago Tribune, the more you drive and the longer you own the car, the more money you will eventually save. So for all you soon-to-be car owners, hybrids are the move if you're balling on a budget.

With the increasing implementation of hybrid cars in society, the amount of greenhouse gases (as well as other toxic chemicals) being emitted into the air will decrease dramatically, ultimately undermining the effects of global climate change. Less gas combustion through transportation means a healthier society and a happier environment.

Now I know what you're thinking: hybrid cars aren't as cool as a fun Lamborghini or a slick Ferrari. (I remember making fun of my drama director after he traded in his Volkswagen for a hybrid Toyota Prius). But there are actually some sweet options on the market that let you save the environment in style. Here are just a few of the many cool models that implement a hybrid design (courtesy of autobytel):

the 2014 Cadillac ELR

the 2014 BMW 3

the 2015 BMW i8

Just choose your style and get cruisin'! You'll save money and help revert global climate change. What better way to lower carbon emission in fashion?

Beat Your Face, Save the Environment

Saving the environment is more than just reducing waste and limiting energy use- though applying those two things to your daily life wouldn't be the end of the world. A great way to give our environment a little helping hand can simply be using all-natural products, whether those products be food, shampoo, or even perfume. So for this week's blog, I thought I'd cater to the female readers (or male, I don't judge) and talk about the many eco-friendly and natural makeup options that are out there on the market. Trying out new makeup brands is not only exciting, but also simple; its a small change that comes at no cost to the consumer.

1) Mineral Fusion
This brand makes everything from eye shadow, to lip pencils, to nail polish and beyond. Not only are these products cheap, but they're also a really good quality! Plus, for all you animal rights activists out there, Mineral Fusion is 100% vegan and opposes animal testing. But aside from all these advantages, the company is also putting forth a strong effort to save the environment. According to One Green Planet, Mineral Fusion products are made completely from natural minerals (as the name would suggest), like zinc and copper, which reduce your exposure to the toxins in artificial colors. These toxins are then also less likely to show up in landfills and other soil. In addition to this perk, Mineral Fusion factories are also powered mostly through wind turbines, which limit the burning of fossil fuels and promote cleaner, less-polluted air. All ink on the packaging is made from soybeans, reducing the company's use of petroleum and making all boxes extremely easy to recycle. And last but not least, the packaging itself is made from 100% recycled paper. Supporting this brand will encourage more makeup companies to follow some of these same guidelines.

an eye shadow palette by Mineral Fusion

*photo courtesy of beautyinfo*

2) Alima Pure

Much like Mineral Fusion, this company strongly opposes carbon emission. But what's unique about Alima Pure products is their partnership with carbonfund.org. This website promotes education on climate change and highlights the preventative steps we all can take to fight it. By collaborating with carbonfund.org, Alima Pure designates their products as carbon neutral, which tells consumers the company is attempting to reduce their carbon footprint. The makeup brand is also considered a B Corporation, which means, according to One Green Planet, the company is actively working to help the environment. 1% of Alima Pure's gross annual revenue is donated to various grassroots organizations and environmental groups, which demonstrates the company's advocacy for a clean planet. Not to mention the products themselves are super high quality- if you're ever having trouble finding a good skin-color match in foundation, Alima Pure is definitely your solution.

some of the many foundation colors available through Alima Pure

*photo courtesy of Alima Pure*

3) Chantecaille

I'm not gonna lie, even after reading the name of this brand many, many times, I still have no idea how to pronounce it. Regardless, the company does a lot of cool stuff for our wonderful environment and deserves some recognition for that. One of the things I like about Chantecaille is their focus on saving the Coral Reefs. The National Ocean Service says coral bleaching has become a huge, global problem; many coral reefs are intensely diverse ecosystems and are home to thousands of different organisms. As humans continue to disturb the reefs and water temperatures continue to increase, the coral is dying and those organisms are left without a home. According to One Green Planet, Chantecaille is combatting coral bleaching by donating large portions of their revenue to many different coral reef organizations. In fact, for each eye shadow palette that is named after an animal (Le Tigre, Sea Turtle palette, etc), a donation is made to an organization that benefits that featured animal. Who knew saving the turtles and looking fierce at the same time could be so easy? Lastly, Chantecaille has started a new initiative promoting the recycling of eye shadow and blush packaging. To reduce waste production, the company's eye shadow and blush bottles will now be refillable, meaning you only have to buy the shade color each time you run out, not the whole package.

some lovely Chantecaille eye shadow

*photo courtesy of bellashoot*

So the next time you feel like trying some new makeup brands, give one of these bad boys a try. They are top-notch quality, not too expensive, and very environmentally-focused. What more could a girl ask for?

Reusable Bottles are S'well

Who says saving the world has to be boring? As a society, we are confronted all the time with the same obvious and humdrum ways to help our environment, most of which require us to personally sacrifice something to which we are accustomed. Let's be real, not many people are actually going to give up central heating and washing machines just to contribute to a small difference. This blog will aim to change that mentality by highlighting some of the fun and stylish ways to enhance your local environment.

Many of you may agree that President Trump's selection of Scott Pruitt to lead the EPA was a scary and unpromising decision. Of course, whether we like it or not, the unfortunate truth is that there's nothing we can do to terminate his appointment. We can, however, assist the EPA in helping the environment; even the tiniest of contributions matter. And one trivial change that can vastly improve our waste production is the switch from plastic to reusable water bottles.

Yeah yeah, I know. What else is new? But one point I want to make clear is that simply refilling your plastic water bottles once or twice is not the same thing as reusing a metal bottle. This problem actually faces more personal health concerns than it does environmental ones.

The plastic used to make water bottles, such as Aquafina and Deer Park, is known as plastic #1. This type of plastic is created with the intention of one-time use; because this plastic is not as durable as other materials, reusing the bottle can expose some of the chemicals from the lining of the plastic. Not only does this reuse expose the drinker to the cancer-causing chemical Bisphenol A (BPA), but according to Ban the Bottle, it also allows the build up of harmful bacteria in the water. There is no way to safely clean bottles made from plastic #1.

The other problem with plastic water bottles deals with recycling. Even those who do reuse the plastic ones have to throw out the bottles eventually. iSustainable Earth says out of the 50 billion plastic water bottles used by Americans each year, only about 23% of them are recycled. This means that the amount of waste being produced just by water bottle usage could wrap around the Earth 190 times! Buying a true reusable water bottle eliminates health concerns while helping the environment at the same time.

One of my favorite reusable bottles- and one of the most diverse in colors in patterns- is the S'well bottle. These babies are all I see people using around campus (and for good reason). With an ample selection of designs and colors, people can drink their water in style. And one of the main advantages of the bottles' material is that consumers never have to worry about ingesting BPA. They are easy to clean and the perfect size for gym trips, long classes, and more. I 10/10 would recommend buying yourself your very own S'well bottle.

courtesy of Lucy Rose

If S'well is not for you, however, there are many other types of reusable bottles that have the same effect. Camelbak, Klean Kanteen, and Platypus are all excellent choices. None of these brands use material that includes BPA, and all have a variety of designs and styles so you can save the planet in fashion.

Also causing concern is the amount of money spent each year on waste just from water bottles. Over $1 billion of waste is generated every year from these pieces of plastic- this is higher than the cost of 900 million gallons of oil. iSustainable Earth also explains that this cost is so high due to the plastic's low biodegradability. It can take about 1,000 years for the amount of water bottles thrown in a landfill each day to biodegrade. (Just to be clear, that means we would be about 1,019 years old before we see a water bottle thrown out today completely decompose.) The S'well bottle, among others, is cost-effective and eliminates a large amount of the plastic waste that just sits in landfills for years upon years.

In conclusion, making the switch from plastic to reusable water bottles helps both environmental and personal health. S'well bottles are safe to use repeatedly, efficient in eliminating the increasing amount of plastic waste production, and cost-effective on a personal and global scale.

Oh, and you'll look pretty sweet while using them.