Sustainable Development Goals & Deadlines
Caleigh Montoya, Staff Writer
There are 17 sustainable development goals made by the United Nations. They are a blueprint for peace and success for all the people around the globe. The goals include; no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice and strong institutions, and partnership for the goals.
Caleigh Montoya, Staff Writer
There are 17 sustainable development goals made by the United Nations. They are a blueprint for peace and success for all the people around the globe. The goals include; no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice and strong institutions, and partnership for the goals.
Being aware of these goals and environmental awareness is a priority as humans are the ones causing a lot of harm to the earth. We need to know and understand these goals so we can minimize our effect on our living world. Recycling, saving energy, eating locally, and reducing waste are just a few ways that we can start to protect and repair our Earth.
Start today and show the next generation how to be environmentally aware by growing what you can, connecting with your community and nature, and thinking in the long run by thinking sustainably. The goal is to meet the sustainable development goals by 2030, and with that approaching rather quickly, we need to educate ourselves and take action together to ensure these goals are met by that deadline.
Waterless Beauty
By: Vivian Pham, Staff Writer
Water undeniably plays an important role in every producing stage of a product: from collecting and processing raw material to packaging, shipping and even customers’ consumption. If a makeup product contains little or no water at all, what is it like? The answer is waterless beauty/cosmetics. It’s beyond a beauty trend, it’s the key to environmental issues and global concerns.
What are waterless cosmetics?
Linda Treska, the founder of Pinch of Colour, stated that water serves as a popular filler ingredient, and it makes up 70% – 80% of the total component. Water also serves as a solvent which dissolves raw and active ingredients and blends them together. Besides, water-based products create a soothing texture which makes it easier for customers to apply on their skin.
However, is water a necessity in beauty products? According to Susanne Langmuir – CEO of AN/HYDRA – water is an ideal environment for bacteria growth, and manufacturers have to include a preservative to suppress the growth of bacteria in the product.
Duy Khanh – co-founder of Skinlosophy – shared that contrary to the common perception that the more water a product contains, the more hydrated the skin. In fact, water evaporates, leaving the active ingredients and the remaining elements which are the main ingredients that keeps the skin hydrated. Additionally, consumers use a greater quantity of water-based cosmetics, leading to an increase in packaging and containers. Duy Khanh claimed that the efficiency and sustainability of water is not as much as it seems to be, and so the beauty industry is gradually shifting to waterless products. This leads to two types of formula:
1. Formula for cake or bar form: soap bars, salt baths, bar-form cleansers, etc. These products need to be used with water.
2. Formula for extractions, natural extracts replacing water. These products are denser than water-based products like cream or toner, more expensive, but more efficient using a smaller quantity.
The benefit of waterless cosmetics
According to the Autoimmune Association, preservatives in water-based products such as parabens are likely causing the immune system to weaken and reproductive disorders. Furthermore, Dr. Heather L. Brannon believes that water evaporation will take away your natural oil layer on your skin, hence making your skin drier.
Dr. Dennis Gross stated that over the past decades, manufacturers use saturated water with more calcium, metals, and minerals. This blocks collagen production and causes skin irritations. Hard water – water that has high mineral content – also causes clogged pores which makes your skin more susceptible to acne. Therefore, alternative ingredients such as coconut oil, argan oil, etc. will be excellent remedies. A study from Dr. Susan Hewlings showed that pure coconut oil is antibacterial and antifungal. Dermatologist Corey L. Hartma claimed that argan oil is rich in omega-3 and omega-9, thus providing moisture for the skin and the hair. Dr. Stacy Chimento also added that argan oil can prevent wrinkles on the skin, promote collagen-production as well as preserving melanin pigment to prevent hair damage.
How to recognize waterless products
To recognize waterless products, the simplest way is to look at the ingredients. Water-based products have words like “water” or “aqua”. It could also be “agua” in Spanish, or “l’eau” in French.
Waterless products will replace water with natural extractions or vegetable oil (argan, aloe vera, jojoba, etc.). Because water is removed, the product will be denser, so that every time you use it, a small quantity would be enough.
Things You Can Do for Sustainability Day
By Labina Tasfia, Staff Writer
Sustainability can be defined as the balance between environment, equity and economy. In the context of the 21st century, it means providing for the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generations to survive and meet their needs. Sustainability Day was created to remind the community of the importance of caring for the environment and the steps to do so. This day is celebrated every year on the last Wednesday of October. So, with the current state the world is in right now, I wanted to make a list of some things we could do to make our lives more sustainable and take a small step towards saving our environment. Because, as Robert Swan had said, “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone will save it.”
By Labina Tasfia, Staff Writer
Sustainability can be defined as the balance between environment, equity and economy. In the context of the 21st century, it means providing for the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generations to survive and meet their needs. Sustainability Day was created to remind the community of the importance of caring for the environment and the steps to do so. This day is celebrated every year on the last Wednesday of October. So, with the current state the world is in right now, I wanted to make a list of some things we could do to make our lives more sustainable and take a small step towards saving our environment. Because, as Robert Swan had said, “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone will save it.”
For people living on campus, there are many ways you can be sustainable. Below are some of the ways we can do so:
Eat at the cafeteria. Don’t order to go unless you absolutely need to.
Don’t waste your food. Take only as much as you can eat.
Invest in reusable water bottles.
Take shorter showers. Cutting your showers by just a minute can save up to 800 gallons of water per year.
Don’t keep the water running when you aren’t using it. Always check to see if the water tap is closed properly because 30 drops of water wasted per minute wastes almost 2.4 gallons of water each day.
Don’t waste napkins and paper towels.
Try to go paperless and opt out of junk mail. Paper products use up to at least 35% of the world’s commercial wood harvest.
Utilize the sunlight! Open up the window in your room and let the natural light in instead of turning on the light bulbs.
Turn the lights off every time you leave your room.
If you go grocery shopping, take a reusable shopping bag and refuse plastic bags
Donate items you no longer need or haven’t used in the past few months.
Walk or bike more than you drive. Not only is that good for your health, but for the environment as well.
There are many other ways we can make our lives sustainable. If every one of us decides to pick up at least a few sustainable habits, then all of it together will help our environment immensely. So, let’s set a goal for ourselves to pick up and stick to at least one sustainable habit this upcoming Sustainability Day to make the world a cleaner and more livable place.
Going Vegan
By: Alaina Valdespino, Staff Writer and Photographer
According to Vegan News, over 9 million people identify as vegan or plant-based in the United States and that number is only increasing. In the past year alone, there has been more than a 300% increase in the amount of people that are vegan in America. As astonishing as those numbers are, the reasons why are even more so. From health benefits to environmental reasons, going vegan is trending, and will continue to do so for years to come.
The most common questions asked by non-vegans to vegans is why? Why change my entire lifestyle in order to avoid things I’ve been eating my whole life?
By: Alaina Valdespino, Staff Writer and Photographer
According to Vegan News, over 9 million people identify as vegan or plant-based in the United States and that number is only increasing. In the past year alone, there has been more than a 300% increase in the amount of people that are vegan in America. As astonishing as those numbers are, the reasons why are even more so. From health benefits to environmental reasons, going vegan is trending, and will continue to do so for years to come.
The most common questions asked by non-vegans to vegans is why? Why change my entire lifestyle in order to avoid things I’ve been eating my whole life?
Well, as common as that question is, the answer isn’t all that simple; it depends on the person. Many people chose to go vegan because it is extremely beneficial for your health and wellbeing. That makes sense, considering eating vegan entails eating products that are whole, plant-based, from the earth, and with as little chemicals and preservatives as possible while also straying away from all foods that are or contain animal products including meats, dairy, and eggs.
That said, being vegan encompasses a lot more than just a healthier lifestyle. In fact, going vegan is one of the absolute best things you can do for the environment and to reduce your individual carbon footprint. Eating vegan can (among other things) help to reduce carbon emissions, reduce water pollution, conserve freshwater, reduce other types of air pollution, reduce deforestation, and save wildlife. By eating cleaner, more organic and healthier plant-based foods, anyone can have an impact in helping to reduce all of these major environmental issues while in turn, helping themselves. Between that and the amazing health benefits of this healthier lifestyle, it became a no brainer for me. To be healthy and environmentally friendly simply because of the foods I ate? It was about time I try to give this vegan thing a go.
For me, the transition to going vegan was a lot less difficult than I anticipated. For starters, there are vegan substitutes for just about everything I typically eat including dairy alternatives and meat substitutes. I was able to veganize the things I typically eat in a day and thanks to YouTube and Google, I was able to find some really great vegan recipes that are honestly better than some of the things I used to make pre-vegan.
As I’ve been making the transition to being vegan, I’ve noticed that these dietary changes have actually impacted my mood and my energy levels throughout the day. It used to take me 30 plus minutes to really wake up in the morning, but now I get out of bed ready to go. I also realized that I don’t get tired after eating; in other words, I used to feel fatigued and in need of a nap after meals, but now I actually feel energized after eating. On top of these changes, I feel healthier. I know that sounds cliché, but it feels good to know that I am putting good into my body. I’m taking ownership of my health and my lifestyle. Honestly, that feels really good.
For me, one of the best parts of being vegan thus far have been the conversations I’ve had with my family and friends about it. I get to educate others about the amazing things that going vegan can do for a person's health and for the environment and in the process, I’ve learned a lot. As I continue my journey of going vegan, I now know that knowing what I’m eating has made me feel better. And knowing that I’m actually helping the environment in the process really helped to seal the deal for me.
Here’s some great recipes that I’ve tried so far:
Breakfast recipes:
Dinner recipes
This article was written with no intent to convince readers to become vegan; rather, to share the importance of being mindful of what we put into our bodies and the impact that food can have on our health and the health of the world around us. Eating more organic and plant-based foods is one of many ways a person can reduce their carbon footprint on the planet and feel good in the process.
National Climate Assessment Paints Bleak Future for America
Photo source: Chicago Tribune
By: Paul Hunter, Practicum Reporter
Despite years of scientists’ warnings, the United States has neglected to make combatting climate change a priority. According to the National Climate Assessment, a report released by the government, the United States is headed for economic, health, and environmental disaster by 2100. The report also clarified the role of humans in climate change and highlighted recent events that were exacerbated by the effects of climate change.
For the past 12 years, scientists have measured the effects of climate change to predict the outcomes of current degradation. The report is released every four years. This year, the report, which was commissioned by the Administration, paints a bleak picture. In the first paragraph of the report summary, it states, “Climate change creates new risks and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities in communities across the United States, presenting growing challenges to human health and safety, quality of life, and the rate of economic growth.” The following section highlights the ways climate change disproportionately affects the poor and marginalized around the world.
Released on the popular American holiday called Black Friday, the report has been scrutinized by some as having been buried. Al Gore, former Vice President and creator of the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth,” called out President Donald Trump on Twitter saying, “The President may try to hide the truth, but his own scientists and experts have made it as stark and clear as possible.”
The release of the report follows comments by Trump claiming that forest fires in California are happening more often because the National Forest Service fails to rake its forests.
Just before the release of the climate assessment, Trump posted on twitter, “Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS - Whatever happened to Global Warming?” The tweet has close to 30,000 retweets and 115,000 likes.
The climate assessment describes climate change’s effects on communities, the economy, water, health, indigenous peoples, ecosystem services, agriculture, infrastructure, oceans and coasts, and tourism and recreation. It links them all together in a final section titled “Interconnected Impacts.” In this section, the report shows how all effects are not singular; they are all interconnected and affect one-another.
The report predicts that annual deaths due to climate change will rise to the thousands by 2100. It also calculates the economic impacts of climate change on the United States, claiming that losses due to climate change will increase from the current $280 billion to $500 billion per year if we remain on the current path. On a local level, the report predicts detrimental impacts on the water supply for the West. Lake Meade has already witnessed a 60 percent loss in volume since the turn of the millennium.
The National Climate Assessment ended the report with recommendations on strategies, claiming that local governments will be the primary drivers of the green movement and adaptation. It addresses perceived challenges with potential solutions. From much of the content, it’s clear the biggest challenge for policy-makers will be getting taxpayers to agree to costly, but necessary adaptation policy.