HI!

Please click the link below to view my presentation on hydroelectric power in Canada. 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vTte40a0fJhogucTKNArS1Uq9FQZbGZTQmU2QsgirZpbSKpRSNOLhiRhWYhZB-Ti6Q-8l7uWxTl00Ay/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=60000

Grassy Narrows Mercury Poisoning

Hello, please click the link below to view my presentation on the Grassy Narrows Mercury Poisoning.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vRtiAIcCQuJ5edpq5WIFQLrBgRYdWjZwPVBFF6C-loTVyc3I9GQUlg_sBCPDBnBBME7lalOseB0nTso/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=60000

Reduce plastic pollution and the rate of climate change by using biodegradable straws

This is my petition to Starbucks, McDonald’s, Tim Hortons, Wendy’s, all restaurants and outlets and manufacturers using or making plastic straws, all individuals using plastic straws, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Jonathan Wilkinson, Premier Doug Ford, Ontario Environment Minister Rod Phillips, Minute Maid, President’s Choice and Capri Sun.

 https://www.change.org/p/reduce-the-rate-of-climate-change-by-biodegradable-straws?recruiter=850457004&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_message&utm_term=share_petition&recruited_by_id=af80cba0-fb92-11e7-aeda-b789ed8ac1d5&share_bandit_exp=message-19218767-en-CA&share_bandit_var=v2


 I’m writing to urge individuals, including fast food outlets, restaurants and any other location where drink straws are used or sold including food products manufactured such as drink boxes with excess plastic packaging including plastic wrapped plastic straws to please stop using plastic straws. Did you know roughly 500 million plastic straws are used everyday. Plastic straws contain non-renewable ingredients therefore it's made for single use only and admittedly thrown out.

 Straws are one of the most common types of litter around the world and they can't even be recycled so it ends up in landfills, waterways and litter. The quality of plastic used makes them non-recyclable. Even if they were recyclable given the amount of recyclable plastics that are actually recycled versus tossed out still do not make the change to recyclable plastic straws a viable option.

 When the straws end up in the environment it turns into a hazard to wildlife. Animals will mistaken plastic straws for food and end up choking on then or dying because they can't digest plastic. It's also harmful to animals habitats for example the oceans are being taken over by plastic killing off large populations of marine life. There are also recent reports of microplastics ending up in our water as the plastic begins to break down into microparticles. Research is finding evidence of these microplastics found in the tissues of wildlife. A recent article in Scientific Reports stated that “Due to the difficulties of investigating the occurrence and effects of microplastics in the field, many studies are limited to low-trophic level organisms in a laboratory setting. In such cases, ingestion of microplastics has been shown to cause a reduction in feeding and energy reserves as well as impacts on reproductive output and damage to the brain and intestinal function in invertebrates and fish”. Recently there have even been reports of microplastics found in the marine mammals in the Canadian Arctic. Beluga Whales living in the Arctic have been found to have microplastics in their gastrointestinal tracts despite the fact that there is a low human population. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sfu-study-microplastics-arctic-beluga-whales-1.5369423 The microplastics appear to be circulating throughout the oceans penetrating areas with low human population with less apparent direct plastic pollution. This leads to the question are there microplastics in the ocean products including fish we eat if the microplastics are already found in the remote areas?

 There are many solutions to this issue like switching to paper straws or plastic straws but they don't have the benefits of being natural, compostable and able to withstand hot temperatures. There is a solution to this issue and its HAY Straws, they're 100 percent biodegradable, plastic free, doesn't get soggy like paper straws, hot temperatures approved and gluten free. You get all the benefits of a plastic straw without harming the environment. Hay straws are made from natural wheat stems and are much cheaper than paper, bamboo and metal straws.

 Plastic straws are usually used in fast food places, restaurants and bars. Restaurants will put a straw in each cup they serve, which most customers don't end up using them so it becomes waste. With Hay straws they are 100 percent biodegradable therefore it's less harm to the environment when they are thrown away or better still composted. Which also raises another issue. Why are fast food outlets and restaurants are not required to compost to help reduce waste going to landfills.

 Plastic straws are also on the packaging of juice boxes, as an eco friendly school we find that the packaging on juice boxes could be changed. Every Friday our school comes together to do recycling and as much as we advise student that straws go in the garbage they still end up in the recycling box causing contamination. Many individuals probably don't know that straws aren't recyclable. If the packaging was changed so that straws don't have to be used on juice boxes we wouldn't have to worry about contamination or extra plastic ending up in our landfills, waterways and oceans.

 Hay straws come in 2 sizes, tall and cocktail therefore they are bar friendly. They are available for purchase on the Hay Straw website or Amazon. It also comes in a pack of 100 for at home use or a wholesale of 3000 for business. If fast food restaurants, dine in restaurants and bars start using Hay Straws it would reduce the amount of thrown away plastic on our earth and spread awareness of using biodegradable straws. Thank you for reading my letter and I hope it influenced you to stop using plastic straws and finding a better alternative. I look forward to hearing back from you about this issue. Sincerely, Selina Nguyen from Fredrick Banting

Environmental Activities at Banting

Environmental Activities at Banting 

Andrew Cristea  

Nov 22, 2019

Throughout my science course I have helped with various environmental activities.
I’ve helped with planting garlic, recycling, and the garbage, recycling and compost audit. 
Follow the link below to see my activities.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTHhDNyrv9Duup_xbUq5TBtSJKl37XTaGCk5cTWauzw1FxOKJ4jswPhKPeUSS5Q1p8qCwtoeSVx5k5s/pub

Environmental Advocacy at Frederick Banting

Environmental Advocacy at Frederick Banting 
by Selina Nguyen Fredrick 

Banting is one of the few schools in Ottawa Carleton District School Board that has achieved Platinum Ecoschools status for our environmental initiatives. We achieved the certification for being an eco friendly school by demonstrating energy conservation, waste minimization, ecological literacy, school ground greening, leadership and stewardship beyond the school.

 In the front of our school we have an organic garden in the past years students have planted garlic, kale, carrots, many herbs, flowers and space tomatoes. Fredrick Banting is also part of The Mission to Mars Project with the Canadian Space Agency. We participate in a double blind study every year and are provided tomato seeds which we germinate under constant conditions observing and submitting our results to the University of Guelph and the Canadian Space Agency. For the last two years one of our sets of seeds we discovered after being given the results from the double blind study on the origins of the seeds had been collected from tomatoes that had been grown on the International Space Station. Once we completed our study we were able to share our germinated plants as well as plant them in our school organic garden for growth and harvest. So that's where we got out space tomatoes.

 Not only do we do greening outside but we also have gardening indoors. We have a growtree or grow tower that provides us with many greens. We also have plants grown from seeds that we've collected. An example of some are our avocado trees started from the pits and watermelon plant. We also do vegetative reproduction with some of our plants like our succulents, onions and pineapples.

 Fredrick Banting has a comprehensive recycling program that takes place every Friday. Frederick Banting last year had the highest waste diversion rate in the Ottawa Carleton District School Board and we want to keep it that way. Students around the school help out with recycling by collecting the blue/black bin and compost from rooms without a teacher like bathrooms, photocopy room, hallways and kitchens. The washrooms have their own compost bins for used paper towels this way students and staff are encouraged to compost. After the collecting is done students make an announcement for all classrooms to bring down their blue/black bins and compost. While the classrooms bring their bins the helpers rate and sort out the bins that are contaminated. We are working on teaching and role modeling such that the recycling and compost that is brought down for a final sort and rating is not cross-contaminated. While the classrooms bring their bins the helpers rate and sort out the bins that are contaminated. We give feedback and rate each classes Blue, Black, Compost. Students also go class to class and area to area to rate the Garbage to make sure there are no compostables and recyclables in the garbage. The classroom or area with the best Compost, Blue and Black bin with no cross contamination are awarded the weekly Green Frog plushie and the classroom or area with the prefect garbage gets the weekly paper mache Green Turtle award.

 Fredrick Banting also receives newspaper donation from a local Community Bible Church so we can make our own compost liners. These liners keep the small bins clean and make collecting compost easy. Banting Students and Staff were filmed for youtube on how we make compost liners from newspapers so that you don't have to buy them from the stores. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C2I7IUufM8&feature=emb_title

 We also have our own clothing donation that students or teachers bring in called “Trader Fred”. Students and teachers can take the clothes on the rack or bring clothes that they don’t want anymore. The clothes that are unclaimed after a few months are brought to an organization for anyone around the community to take. This way the clothes are always recycled around the community and not ended up in landfills. Hopefully this will reduce fast fashion and reduce the pollution of greenhouse gases that comes with the mass production of clothes.

 In terms of environmental stewardship there has been issues on contamination in our bins. The most common issue is finding straws in our recycling bin. Many individuals don’t know that straws aren’t recyclable and need to be thrown out. The straws are usually found in fast food drinks or juice boxes. There are many solutions to this problem like changing the packaging on certain drinks or even switching to biodegradable straws. Currently I have written on this issue and will be posting a petition to the Change.org website. Make sure to read and sign the petition once posted to support reducing plastic waste. In my research I have found good alternatives for the replacement of plastic straws.

 All these practices helps school communities to develop both ecological literacy and environmental practices to become environmentally responsible citizens and reduce the environmental footprint of schools and our planet. There is no Planet B!

Article Analysis 

 #1 Title: E-cigarettes: Good news, bad news 
Source:https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/electronic-cigarettes-good-news-bad-news-2016072510010 https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/11/vitamin-e-acetate-found-in-all-lung-fluid-samples-tested-from-injured-vapers/
Summary: Nicotine is a chemical stimulant found in tobacco plants used in Cigarettes, Dip, Cigars, and Vape. E-cigarettes also known as vape are battery operated devices to deliver nicotine with flavouring and other chemicals to users in vapour instead of smoke. The reason people have a hard time quitting smoking is because of nicotine. Nicotine disrupts the relationship between the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and the receptors acetylcholine binds to. Acetylcholine carries messages related to respiration, heart rate, memory and muscle movement. Nicotine is similarly shaped to acetylcholine and act like it. The changes in the brain cause the nicotine user to feel abnormal when not using nicotine. When someone intakes nicotine by smoking it releases dopamine in the brain. Drugs and alcohol can resemble the dopamine hormone by latching and activating the neuron releasing more neurotransmitters giving the pleasure sensation. This is why dopamine is also known as the “feel good hormone”. This is why E cigarettes can be highly addictive to users. E-cigarettes are usually only effective if trying to quit cigarettes not starting from vaping. Recently an article was released on Daily Mail about the dangers of E-cigarettes. The article included that the E-cigarettes are having the same effect as normal cigarettes, causing similar negative changes in health. Scientists are unsure of this reason knowing that E-cigarettes contain fewer harmful chemicals. Scientists are advising users to quit using E-cigarettes due to the “lack of information on long term safety and a growing data on their negative effects”. An article on Ars Technica states that “Vitamin E acetate, or alpha-tocopherol acetate is a cause of illnesses linked to vaping”.

 #2 Title: China’s two-child policy is having unintended consequences Source:https://www.economist.com/china/2018/07/26/chinas-two-child-policy-is-having-unintended-consequences Summary: In 2016 China established a two child policy which consists of a limit of two children allowed per family. If a family plans on having another child they would have to pay a fine of ¥2000 which is about $540 in Canada. The two children policy was enacted to address the growth rate of China’s population. The population of China is over 1 billion, with the policy being in act it prevented 400 million births. Without the policy the growth rate in China would be overpopulated. The drastic growth rate in China lead to urbanization, this is when people migrate to towns and cities in the hope of getting a better standard of living. Since there are so many citizens they have to create more apartments and buildings because there’s not enough surface area if China only builds houses. When urban populations interact with the population they change their environment through consumption of food, energy, water, and land overuse . The result creates a polluted environment. When the policy was created a decrease of population growth rate occurred which meant urbanization was less and less waste was generated compared if those 400 million people were to be born. In the early 2000‘s China was in the top 10 most polluted countries and now it’s in the top 12 in the world.

 #3 Title: Where Canada's emissions come from and what are we doing to reduce them Source:https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/reduce-emissions.html Summary: In Canada the government has been taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The greenhouse gases produced from fossil fuels and land use is far more than our ecosystem can handle . The CO2 gases are responsible for the climate change we’re already experiencing. Climate change increases natural disasters, mass extinctions, and changes in our ecosystem/natural resources. The government has been reducing the use of coal and diesel in the Northwest Territories, Edmonton and some locations in Quebec buy using natural powered gas. This will reduce climate change, improve our health and save money. Instead the government has been using alternatives for electricity like wind and solar on buildings in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. Nuclear power has been a main energy source and an efficient supplier for energy in Ontario. Nuclear energy is not however without consequences. For energy-efficient buildings the Canadian government has been focussing on the design and construction of the buildings. Some of the new installations include passive solar heating and cooling. Even if solar energy panels aren’t as efficient for big buildings it helps bring down the consumption of how much energy is being used. The Canadian government has also made improvements to our transport systems funding public transport infrastructure like the OC Transpo buses, the LRT and the O-train in Ottawa. Recently in Ottawa the federal government is purchasing electric motorized vehicles when needed compared to internal combustion engine models. . The combination of these methods in the works of are eliminating greenhouse gases. The funding is from sources like sales taxes, general revenues, development fees and additional funds from the federal government.

 #4 Title:Ford government files appeal to Supreme Court over carbon pricing ruling 
Source: https://globalnews.ca/tag/federal-carbon-tax/ Summary: The federal government acted on it goal to reduce pollution by having a carbon tax which is making people and organizations pay the cost of pollution. A Nobel Prize was in fact awarded to the economists who had done work on the Carbon Tax. They discovered that using the Carbon Tax was an effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Businesses and consumers will try to reduce their emissions by switching fuels and adopting other techniques to reduce or eliminate paying their carbon tax. Another incentive the government does to reduce pollution is putting up the “no littering” signs in public places. The fine for littering can be as much as $1000. The better solution is having carbon tax. It’s the most effective because they have to agree to run their business and pay their carbon tax and if they don’t they will be paying an increased carbon tax while if there’s no evidence you littered you wouldn’t get fined for it so it’s easier to get away with littering then not paying your carbon tax. Luckily there are people that voluntarily or workers that pick up garbage on the streets.

 #5 Title: Reactor turns greenhouse gas into pure liquid fuel 
Source: Rice University (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190903084035.htm) Summary: An electrocatalysis reactor is a catalyst that participates in electrochemical reactions. Catalyst materials modify and increase the rate of chemical reactions without being consumed in the process. This machine was built at Rice University it recycles carbon dioxide to produce pure liquid fuel solutions using electricity. The scientists behind the invention hope it will become an efficient and profitable way to reuse greenhouse gases and keep it them out of the atmosphere. This will have a great impact on reducing the rate of increase in climate change.

 #6 Title: Major environmental challenge as microplastics are harming our drinking water 
Source: University of Surrey (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190909081800.htm) Summary: Research from the University of Surrey and Deakin's Institute for Frontier Materials found that Plastics in our waste streams are breaking down into tiny particles, causing potentially catastrophic consequences for human health and our aquatic systems. Approximately 300 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year and up to 13 million tons of that is released into rivers and oceans, contributing to approximately 250 million tons of plastic by 2025. Since plastic materials usually don't decompose by itself, this accumulation of plastic pollution in the aquatic environment creates a major concern. Due to their small size, nano and microplastics can easily be ingested by living organisms and travel along water and wastewater treatment processes. In large amounts they impact the performance of water treatment processes by clogging up filtration units and increasing wear and tear on materials used in the design of water treatment units.

 #7 Title:Breakdown in coral spawning places species at risk of extinction 
Source:American Friends of Tel Aviv University (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190905145336.htm) Summary: Coral reefs are among the most diverse and productive ecosystems on our planet. Due to climate change and other human stressors, reef-building corals that reproduce by means of broadcast-spawning are being destroyed or negatively impacted. Once a year, thousands of corals along hundreds of kilometers of a coral reef release their eggs and sperm simultaneously into the open water, where fertilization will later take place. Since both the eggs and the sperm of corals can persist for only a few hours in the water, the timing of this event is important. Signs of such reproductive mismatches will contribute to directing a future in research and the efforts towards the species that are at potential risk of decline.

 #8 Title: These gut bacteria prevent mice from becoming obese what could that mean for us? 
Source: University of Utah Health (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190725150401.htm) Summary: Researchers at University of Utah Health have identified a specific class of bacteria from the gut that prevents mice from becoming obese, suggesting these same microbes may similarly control weight in people. The beneficial bacteria is called Clostridia, are part of the microbiome collectively trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that inhabit the intestine. Petersen and colleagues found that Clostridia prevents weight gain by blocking the intestine's ability to absorb fat. Mice experimentally treated so that Clostridia were the only bacteria living in their gut were leaner with less fat than mice that had no microbiome at all. They also had lower levels of a gene, CD36, that regulates the body's uptake of fatty acids.

 #9 Title: Bacteria made to mimic cells, form communities 
Source: Rice University (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190812140351.htm) Summary: Scientists have found a way to make single-celled bacteria behave like stem cells, differentiating into genetically unique individuals as they divide. Scientists from Rice University have created a genetic circuit able to produce genetically distinguished cells of Escherichia coli as the bacterium divides. By controlling this process, it is possible to create diverse communities of microbes that exhibit complex, non-native behaviors.

 #10 Title: Scientists can now manipulate brain cells using smartphone 
Source:University of Washington Health Sciences/UW Medicine (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190805143525.htm)
Summary: A team of scientists in Korea and the United States have invented a device that can control neural circuits using a tiny brain implant controlled by a smartphone. The device could speed up efforts to uncover brain diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, addiction, depression, and pain. Qazi said this technology significantly overshadows conventional methods used by neuroscientists, which usually involve rigid metal tubes and optical fibers to deliver drugs and light. Apart from limiting the subject's movement due to the physical connections with bulky equipment, their relatively rigid structure causes lesion in soft brain tissue over time, therefore making them not suitable for long-term implantation. Though some efforts have been put to partly mitigate adverse tissue response by incorporating soft probes and wireless platforms, the previous solutions were limited by their inability to deliver drugs for long periods of time as well as their bulky and complex control setups.

 #11 Title: 80% cut in antibiotics entering the Thames is needed to avoid surge in superbugs Source:Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190905103010.htm)
Summary: Research has shown that 80 percent of antibiotics entering the River Thames need to be cut to avoid the development and spread of superbugs. About three quarters of antibiotics is present in the River Thames due to effluent discharge. Because of this it's more likely for us to develop a superbug bacteria.

 #12 Title:AI learns the language of chemistry to predict how to make medicines 
Source: University of Cambridge (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190903111250.htm) Summary: Researchers have designed a machine learning algorithm that predicts the outcome of chemical reactions with much higher accuracy than trained chemists and suggests ways to make complex molecules, removing a significant hurdle in drug discovery. Machine learning algorithms can have a better understanding of chemistry because they distil patterns of reactivity from millions of published chemical reaction. Using this machine our studies achieves 90% accuracy in predicting the correct product of unseen chemical reactions, whereas the accuracy of trained human chemists is around 80%. The model and human chemists working together would become extremely powerful in designing experiments.

 #13 Title: Most-comprehensive analysis of fentanyl crisis urges innovative action 
Source: RAND Corporation (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190829081407.htm) Summary: The sudden appearance of the drug fentanyl in the US has driven up overdose deaths dramatically, even as the abuse of heroin and other opioids has shown signs of stabilizing. In the most-comprehensive analysis yet of the crisis, researchers urge that innovative new strategies be pursued because the epidemic is unlike others that have struck the nation. Evidence from abroad suggests synthetic opioids may be here to stay. The study found no instance where fentanyl lost ground to another opioid after attaining a dominant position in drug markets.

 #14 Title: High-tech gel aids delivery of drugs
 Source: University of Illinois at Chicago (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190828145504.htm)
 Summary: There are drugs that help prevent the formation of unwanted or harmful proteins that are currently being developed to treat a number of diseases, including cancer. The drugs are based on small interfering RNA, or siRNA, which are pieces of nucleic acids that work by interfering with the production of proteins. But getting these drugs to the right target, such as a tumor, remains challenging because siRNAs can degrade rapidly in the body -- making systemic delivery inefficient. They also can have some difficulty entering cells where they do their work.

 #15 Title: Liquid biopsies reveal genetic alterations linked to cancer drug resistance 
Source: Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190909143333.htm)
Summary: Liquid biopsies taken from blood provide a more complete picture than traditional biopsy of both the genetic diversity of a patient's cancer and how tumors evolve drug resistance at the molecular level. Many patients use medication methods that shrink their tumors but only to have them come back worse trying to be resistant to the medication. Oncologists want to learn how to detect cancer drug resistance as it emerges in their patients and identify another drug the tumors will still respond to. The results could explain why cancer is so hard to defeat even when using medication. The study also suggests possible molecular mechanisms underlying drug resistance, which could point the way to new and more personalized therapeutics.

 #16 Title: Gold nanoparticles shown to be safe and effective treatment for prostate cancer 
Source: The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190827123513.htm) Summary: Biocompatible gold nanoparticles designed to convert near-infrared light to heat have been shown to safely and effectively ablate to intermediate-grade tumors within the prostate, according to a study conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine and published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This treatment could offer patients a targeted therapy option that would preserve critical structures within the prostate, thus avoiding side effects associated with whole-gland treatment such as prostatectomies.

 #17 Title: Key enzyme found in plants could guide development of medicines and other products Source: https://phys.org/news/2019-09-key-enzyme-medicines-products.html
Summary: Researchers from the Salk Institute studying how plants evolved the ability to make these natural chemicals have uncovered how an enzyme called chalcone isomerase evolved to enable plants to make products vital to their own survival. The researchers hope that this knowledge will inform the manufacture of products that are beneficial to humans, including medications and improved crops

 #18 Title:Making sustainable polymers from fragrant molecules 
Source: https://phys.org/news/2019-09-sustainable-polymers-fragrant-molecules.html
Summary: The technique, developed for 3-D printing applications, could lead to a new generation of sustainable materials for use in biomedical applications or prototyping. Called terpenes, the molecules are found in the essential oils of a wide variety of plants and are often used in fragrances, cosmetics and other household products. Because they are tricky to extract and process, synthetic versions are often substituted. Different terpenes produce different material properties and the next step for the team is to investigate those properties more fully to better control them.

 #19 Title: Stretchy plastic electrolytes could enable new lithium-ion battery design 
Source: https://phys.org/news/2019-09-stretchy-plastic-electrolytes-enable-lithium-ion.html
Summary: Researchers are trying to find alternative designs for lithium-based batteries with reliance. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a new cathode and electrolyte system that replaces expensive metals and traditional liquid electrolytes with lower cost transition metal fluorides and a solid polymer electrolyte. In the future, the researchers aim to develop new and improved solid electrolytes that are fast charging and also to combine solid and liquid electrolytes in new designs that are fully compatible with conventional cell manufacturing technologies introduced in large battery factories.

 #20 Title: India becomes world's largest emitter of sulfur dioxide Source:https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/india-becomes-worlds-largest-emitter-of-sulfur-dioxide/3010917.article
Summary: India is now one of the countries in the world to create the most sulfur dioxide, overtaking Russia and China. India now accounts for more than 15% of global anthropogenic emissions. The Greenpeace study shows that the thermal power plants in India are the main resource in producing SO2 emissions. Results also show that two-thirds of all anthropogenic SO2 emissions come from power plants and oil refineries.

 #21 Title: Military-grade jet fuel made cheaply from plant waste instead of coal Source:https://www.newscientist.com/article/2213081-military-grade-jet-fuel-made-cheaply-from-plant-waste-instead-of-coal/
Summary: Researchers at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics in China have come up with a way of producing the superfuel known as JP-10 from a chemical called furfuryl alcohol. Furfuryl alcohol is extracted from plant waste like sugar cane residue, cotton stalks, and forestry off-cuts. Using plants to extract fuel can save the government lots of money and reduce our carbon footprint.

 #22 Title: A New Method for Making Brilliant, Organic Dyes Source:http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2018/08/15/sustainable-dye-coloring-organic/#.XXjz Pj bYrnE
Summary: Researchers at the Technische Universität Wien in Vienna, Austria, have replaced toxic solvents to make dye with plain water. The dye is unfortunately hydrophobic which is water repelling but the group of scientists discovered a novel way of changing the usual properties of water by using special pressure vessels that heat the water to extremely high temperatures while still leaving it in liquid form. By ionizing the water, the dyes dissolve and crystallize without any additional chemicals. This way we can use non hazardous dyes and make them as well. A better alternative way to create dyes for the future.

#23 Title: Phosphorus is Vital for life, and Were Running Low.
Source: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/2017/03/15/phosphorus-supply-low/
Summary: All life needs phosphorus and agricultural yields are improved when phosphorus is added to growing plants and the diet of livestock. Phosphorus is used globally as a fertilizer that we use to grow our food. The fact that more than 70 percent of the global supply comes from this single location in Morocco is problematic. Scientists have announced that we are approaching “peak phosphorus”. Peak phosphorus does not mean that phosphorus will disappear, rather that the reserves with mineable high concentrations are depleting. In the worst case scenario, mineable reserves could be exhausted within as little as 35 years. Because of the decrease in phosphorus we may no longer be able to feed the world at an affordable price. One of the solutions to this issue is to promote composting. This way we can reduce the use of phosphorus as our fertilizer and reduce the amount of garbage ends up in our landfills.
#24 Title: New, Healthier ‘Butter’ Spread Made Mostly of Water 
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/new-healthier-butter-spread-made-mostly-of-water/
Summary: Cornell University food scientists have created a new low-calorie ‘butter’ spread that consists mostly of water. A tablespoon of this low-calorie spread has 2.8 grams of fat and 25.2 calories. Butter, on the other hand, which is 84% fat and about 16% water, has about 11 grams of fat and nearly 100 calories. The scientists have figured out a new process to emulsify a large amount of water with minuscule drops of vegetable oil and milk fat to mimic butter, at approximately one-fourth the calories of real butter and without artificial stabilizers. This could be beneficial for a healthy alternative used by people wanting to consume less calories but getting the same taste of butter.

 #25 Title: Scientists Synthesize New Compound Effective Against Drug-Resistant Pathogens Source:https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-synthesize-new-compound-effective-against-drug-resistant-pathogens/ Summary: Researchers from North Carolina State University have studied Lipoxazolidinone. This is a small molecule that is effective against drug-resistant bacteria such as MRSA. This molecule, a new synthetic compound inspired by a natural product, could be a useful chemical tool for studying other Gram-positive infections and may have implications for future drug creation. While more work is needed, Pierce hopes that JJM-35 and similar compounds can be used as tools to study other Gram-positive bacteria and provide a platform for the development of a novel class of anti-infective agents.

Haley Hummerston B1.2 & B2.6

 E-cigarettes and the possible health effects E-cigarettes (vaping) are smokable, refillable or replaceable cartridges or containers that hold liquid that contains nicotine, solvents, and chemicals. The vapour made from e-cigarettes are not made of water. The vapor contains harmful chemicals and very fine particles. Among youth, e-cigarettes are more popular than any traditional tobacco product. The U.S surgeon general reported that e-cigarette use among high school students had increased by 900 percent, and 40 percent of young e-cigarettes users had never smoked regular tobacco and the same issue is happening across Canada too.
 There are many unknowns about vaping, including what chemicals make up the vapour and how they affect physical health over the long term. Some known side effects of Vaping are; dry mouth, dizziness, a cough, dry skin, itchiness, dry eyes and of course nicotine addiction. Federal and state officials have reported hundreds of possible total cases of pulmonary disease attributed to vaping. More than 450 people across 33 states have affected by serious lung illness associated with vaping and six people have died.
The illness is defined by severe pneumonia symptom, shortness of breath, coughing, fever, fatigue, and respiratory failure and has so far affected mostly young people. In a recent case, an 18 year old who had been vaping for more than a year was hospitalized with nausea and problems breathing. His doctors have told him that his lungs are now similar to those of a 70 year old.

 References:
 www.yalemedicine.org
 www.hopkinsmedicine.org www.cnn.com

Electrochemical technologies 

 Electrochemical technologies are used for production and storage of chemical energy. Electrochemical technologies offer a field in water and wastewater treatment that contribute to a cleaner environment. Most environmental pollutants can be completely eliminated or convert non-toxic materials by different processes. For example, electrochemical oxidation, electrochemical reduction, electrocoagulation and electrocoagulation/flotation, electrodialysis, and electrochemical advanced oxidation processes. Specific examples of applications for pollutant removal of wastewater are given for the different processes, along with research needs and improvements for commercial application of these electrochemical processes. Some electrochemical energy technologies developed and commercialized in the past include chemical sensors for human and asset safety, energy efficiency, industrial process/quality control, and pollution control/monitoring. There are various types of fuel cells as clean energy devices for transport, stationary and portable power. Workplace exposure to material hazards of electrochemical capacitors could also occur. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the United States regulates permissible exposure limits for some of the possible materials. As required by OSHA regulations, these hazards would be severe using such workplace practices as ventilation and dust management. The environmental regulations that could apply to electrochemical capacitors were also assessed. Environmental regulations are considered during the development of new energy storage technologies. 

 Citations

 “ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology.” ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology, http://jss.ecsdl.org/. 

 “Electrochemical Technologies.” Electrochemical Technologies | EMS Energy Institute, 2017, http://www.energy.psu.edu/elc/index.html. 

 “Journal of The Electrochemical Society.” Journal of The Electrochemical Society, http://jes.ecsdl.org/.

Equilibrium and Everyday Life

Equilibrium is defined as a state of balance or a stable situation where opposing forces cancel each other out and where no changes are occurring. The equilibrium constant is important because it gives us an idea of where the equilibrium lies. The larger the equilibrium constant, the further the equilibrium lies toward the products. In everyday life there are many examples of chemical equilibrium. One example is a bottle of a carbonated fountain drink. In the bottle there is carbon dioxide (CO2 ) dissolved in the liquid. There is also CO2 gas in the space between the liquid and the cap. There is a constant movement of CO2 from the liquid to the gas phase, and from the gas phase into the liquid. However, if you look at the bottle there does not appear to be any change. The system is in equilibrium. The three types of stressors for the equilibrium system is temperature, pressure and concentration. Another example of the system in everyday life is hemoglobin and oxygen in the body. Hemoglobin is concentrated in red blood cells that transport oxygen to the cells. The equilibrium conditions of the hemoglobin and oxygen interaction can be shown in the equation [Hb+4O2Hb(O2)4] in high elevations the air pressure will decrease making it harder to obtain oxygen. According to Chandeliers principal the system will shift to the left. The stressor in this example would be pressure. One way equilibrium is used in the industry is the production of lime from limestone. The lime and carbon dioxide is created from calcium carbonate [CaCO3CaO+CO2] the reaction shifting right is endothermic therefore 178kJ of released heat energy will be absorbed when CaO is formed. The production of CaO is only possible in the condition of high temperatures. The stressors in this example is temperate and pressure because the less pressure the more C02 which means increasing production of lime. No matter if its only in chemistry class equilibrium is all around you.

 Citations 

Libretexts. “Overview: Significance of Chemical Equilibrium.” Chemistry LibreTexts, Libretexts, 3 June 2019, https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Analytical_Chemistry/Supplemental_Modules_(Analytical_Chemistry)/Analytical_Sciences_Digital_Library/JASDL/Courseware/Chemical_Equilibrium/02_Text/01_Overview:_Significance_of_Chemical_Equilibrium. “Real World Applications.” Real World Applications | Chemistry Discipline Network, http://www.chemnet.edu.au/taxonomy/term/58

Science Technology and Environment - Solar Panels

Nowadays we have great conventional and alternative energy technologies that affect the environment in different ways. In 1839 Alexandre Becquerel discovered how energy can be generated from sunlight but the first solar panel was made in 1954 in the United States by Daryl Chaplin, Calvin Fuller and Gerald Pearson. Solar energy is cheaper than fossil fuels and is the most abundant energy source on earth. Unfortunately, solar energy has some disadvantages, one being weather dependent so if it’s gloomy 3 days straight you will have less energy to operate with. It also uses a lot of space and energy storage is expensive. Solar energy has to be used right away or it can be stored in large batteries. It can be charged during the day so that the energy can be used during the night. But it can be pretty expensive to get that energy stored in the large batteries so it’s smarter to use up the solar energy during the day and use normal electricity during the night. Solar panels require a lot of space and some roofs aren’t big enough to fit all the panels therefore they would have to be installed in your yard to collect sunlight which takes up space. There is a bright side to using solar energy, you will have a renewable energy source and reduce electricity bills. Solar panels also are a benefit to the environment, it uses pure energy from the sun, helps combat greenhouse gas emissions and reduces the dependence of using fossil fuels. Solar panels are most commonly used on homes but can be used in small buildings. Renewable energy also improves public health. By replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources we reduce air and water pollution. Solar power also works during droughts and heat waves so during extreme climate conditions where there’s a power outage in your area you will still have electricity for light, cooking and heating or cooling. There are many companies in our community that install solar panels on homes for low prices. Hopefully the trend of using renewable energy will continue in the future to improve our lifestyle and environment.

Citations

Hoium, T. (2017, November 26). 10 Facts About Solar Energy That Might Surprise You. Retrieved September 30, 2019, from https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/11/26/10-facts-about-solar-energy-that-might-surprise-yo.aspx?Cid=d3Au6J.

Matasci, S. (2019, September 10). 2019 Health & Environmental Benefits of Solar: EnergySage. Retrieved September 30, 2019, from https://news.energysage.com/health-environmental-benefits-of-solar-energy/.

Solar Energy Pros and Cons. (2012, June 29). Retrieved September 30, 2019, from https://energyinformative.org/solar-energy-pros-and-cons/.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging 

 MRI is short for Magnetic Resonance Imaging which is a test that uses powerful magnets, radio waves, and a computer to make detailed images inside your body. Patients that usually get an MRI so their doctors can diagnose a disease or injury, and it can monitor how well they are doing with a treatment. During an MRI scan, the patient will be asked to lie on a movable table that will slide into a tube shaped machine to scan a specific portion of their body. The machine itself will generate a strong magnetic field around the patient and radio waves will be directed at the body. The MRI admits powerful magnets that produce a strong magnetic field that forces protons in the body to align with that field. When a radiofrequency is pulsed through the patient, the protons are stimulated, and spin out of equilibrium, straining against the pull of the magnetic field. When the radiofrequency field is turned off, the MRI sensors are able to detect the energy released as the protons realign with the magnetic field. The faster the protons realign, the more clear the image turns out. With technology comes with many pros and cons. The first con is the patients have to lie still for the images to be recorded clearly or they have to go through the process all over again. The second con is larger patients might not fit into the MRI system and start to feel claustrophobic. The MRI process is a long 15 minutes for patients that can't stay in a tight space and the closed MRI system makes loud noises that might cause the patients in the system to feel anxious. Lucky there are open MRI’s that are quieter, children friendly and less enclosed so that patients don't feel claustrophobic. MRI’s are also better to use then X-rays, C-T scans and ultrasounds because the results are presented more clearly. 

Citations:

 Lam, P. (2018, July 24). MRI Scans: Definition, uses, and procedure. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146309.php 

 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). (0AD). Retrieved from https://www.nibib.nih.gov/science-education/science-topics/magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri 

 X-rays, CT Scans and MRIs - OrthoInfo - AAOS. (2017, June 1). Retrieved from https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/x-rays-ct-scans-and-mris

Health and Safety of Organic Compounds - Popcorn Ceilings 
 In the early 1930’s through the 1990’s popcorn ceilings also known as cottage cheese ceilings were found in homes commonly everywhere in the house but the bathroom and kitchen. The technique was invented by Hamilton Drywall Products to spend less time and money to create smooth ceilings. Instead of taking time to finish the ceilings properly, spraying on styrofoam, cardboard based or vermiculite materials that were often mixed with asbestos was what they did. In the late 1970’s the use of popcorn ceilings were super popular because they were known to hide imperfections and decrease noise traveling. What the contractors didn't know was the popcorn ceiling technique would be very hard to clean, difficult to repair, look outdated and the dangers of asbestos. The popcorn ceiling would also collect dust because of the rough surface, dust will attach itself to the bumps and ridges, which maintaining it was often difficult. The use of asbestos was the real problem that people didn't know. Asbestos is a mixture of silicate minerals composed of microscopic fibrils can be released into the atmosphere becoming airborne. Asbestos could cause serious chronic respiratory disease, cardiac failure, mesothelioma and cancer. Although the Clean Air Act banned spray on asbestos products in 1978 the law allowed businesses to use up the rest of their products so popcorn ceilings were still applied will into the 1980’s. The technique is still present in homes these days putting major health risk for workers removing them and people living in those homes. Not that long ago did contractors start taking their time to apply smooth ceilings this meant it was easy to clean, can be painted yourself, easier to repair, can use in bathrooms and kitchens and most importantly it didn't contain asbestos.

 Sources Popcorn vs Smooth Ceiling - Pros, Cons, Comparisons and Costs. (2017, October 5). Retrieved from https://www.fixr.com/comparisons/popcorn-smooth-ceiling
 Weintraub, E. (2019, July 10). How to Deal With Popcorn Ceilings in Your Home. Retrieved from https://www.thebalance.com/should-you-buy-a-home-with-popcorn-ceilings-1798259