water – Sitopian Pollution

It All Comes Back To Us

Jialing Zhong after nom November 8, 2020November 10, 2020dematerialisation, plastic, water 0 Comment

plastic cutlery arranged to send an important message to humans — A message from humans who care about the planet, by Volodymyr Hryshchenko, 2020, Unsplash.

It is no secret that our food system churns out tons of plastic waste, most of which is associated with packaging. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) (2019) estimates that approximately 14.5 million tons of plastic containers and packaging were generated in 2017, and this makes up 5.3 percent of the country’s municipal solid waste generated for the year. Meanwhile, this data also excludes disposable tableware such as plastic cutlery, bowls, and plates, so this problem is in fact much greater than what the data suggests. Plastic pollution is pervasive on our planet, and it will only get worse if we do not make changes to our habits of consumption and waste disposal.

Guess They Didn’t Die A Hero Then…

Jialing Zhong after nom November 1, 2020November 4, 2020air, foodwaste, ghg, methane, soil, water 0 Comment

fruits and vegetables — Two-thirds in this photo, another third wasted, by Diego Passadori, 2019, Unsplash.

Here’s a recap from our previous post: the environmental impacts of food waste can be classified into two parts – the direct pollution of air, water, and soil, as well as the exacerbation of negative environmental impacts of food production and consumption. This blog entry will zoom in on the environmental pollution which occurs as a direct consequence of food wastage.

When Food Pollutes Our Earth

Jialing Zhong after nom November 1, 2020November 1, 2020agriculture, air, fertiliser, foodwaste, ghg, soil, water 0 Comment

monkey eating watermelon on street — A monkey gobbling up pieces of smashed watermelon on a street in Ubud, Indonesia, by Radoslaw Prekurat, 2017, Unsplash.

Remember how I mentioned that food can be both a victim and perpetrator of environmental pollution in my very first post? Today, we will explore the links between food waste and environmental pollution, to give you a better idea of why we should avoid wasting food if we want to save our planet.

Discussion: Keeping the Cows at Bay

Jialing Zhong Uncategorised October 2, 2020October 2, 2020agriculture, animals, erosion, farmers, grazing, livestock, nitrogen, phosphorus, sedimentation, water 0 Comment

cows grazing in field — A herd of cows grazing freely in a field, by Priscilla Du Preez, 2017, Unsplash.

When I was taking a massive open online course hosted by Esri in end-August, one of the activities required us to monitor the impact of livestock grazing on water quality in Oregon, United States of America. Personally, I think we may need to give more attention to the nonpoint-source water pollution caused by livestock grazing. And the problem is not just limited to cattle – even chicken, which is often touted as a more environmentally-friendly option, can facilitate freshwater pollution.

Discussion: A Perennial Plan

Jialing Zhong Uncategorised September 25, 2020September 25, 2020agriculture, erosion, farmers, foodsecurity, fruits, perennialcrops, sedimentation, water 0 Comment

Apple – an example of a perennial crop, by Priscilla Du Preez, 2019, Unsplash.

In our last four posts, we explored the consequences agricultural pollution can have on the environment. But the ultimate goal of educating people on the harmful impacts of pollutants is to inspire them to take action to prevent and mitigate these issues with consistent efforts. Today, I present some agriculture-related tips provided by government agencies from various countries, to guide farm owners on how to reduce the negative impacts of farming.

Did They Forget The Coffee Filter?

Jialing Zhong Uncategorised September 20, 2020September 25, 2020agriculture, erosion, eutrophication, fertiliser, flood, foodsecurity, hydrology, phosphorus, sedimentation, water 0 Comment

(Spoiler: no, they didn’t. In all honesty, I don’t think anyone has ever considered the use of filters to resolve sedimentation issues caused by agriculture, so that’s probably the wrong question to ask.)

(Also, I would like to apologise for not being able to update this blog for the past two weeks. I have been struggling with some mental health issues, but hopefully, things will continue to improve in the future.)

Chemical Fertilisers – Vitamins or Steroids?

Jialing Zhong Uncategorised August 27, 2020November 1, 2020agriculture, air, eutrophication, farmers, fertiliser, health, nitrogen, phosphorus, water 0 Comment

Fields of wheat in Ukraine, by Polina Rytova, 2018, Unsplash.

Farming is a career filled with uncertainties – imagine having your annual income (and even food source) being threatened by natural hazards, pests, weeds, and many more dangers that could leave you and your family without sufficient resources to improve your standard of living. Other than having to live with a poor harvest, you may also find yourself negotiating with wholesalers and customers to reach a compromise regarding the lack of supply.