Washington Post reports Grand Junction Area is in Climate Change Hot Spot!

Today, the Washington Post reported that the Western Slope area of Colorado and Utah is warming at twice the world’s average due to climate change!

“This cluster of counties on Colorado's Western Slope — along with three counties just across the border in eastern Utah — has warmed more than 2 degrees Celsius, double the global average. Spanning more than 30,000 square miles, it is the largest 2C hot spot in the Lower 48, a Washington Post analysis found.”

“Dry areas warm faster for lack of moisture to cool things down, said Chris Milly, a senior resource scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey. Land use, irrigation and natural variability could also help explain part of the disparity. Milly and another colleague recently found that much of the Colorado River’s climate-induced decline — amounting to 1.5 billion tons of missing water — comes from the fact that the region’s snowpack is shrinking and melting earlier. That’s as much water as 14 million Americans use in a year.”

“The city of Grand Junction recently analyzed whether it has enough water to supply its 30,000 customers even if the drought persists. In the near term, according to its utilities director Randi Kim, the city is fine. But it also looked over the next 50 years — and came up as much as 3,300 acre feet short, which would force it to tap water directly from the Colorado and Gunnison rivers. And that was without calculating the full impacts of climate change.”

To read more about this work from Chris Milly at USGS and predictions for the future of the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB), see this website and quote: “Continued warming in the UCRB will drive further loss of river flow. Another factor, which might add or subtract available water, will be changes in precipitation, which could either increase or decrease. Considering the effect of warming alone, and using estimates of the rate of warming from global climate models, it is estimated that by 2050 the flow will have decreased by 14 to 31%, relative to the historical average. When the possible changes in precipitation are included, the range of this estimate widens, with losses as great as 40% and, at the other extreme, a flow gain of 3%.”

When we moved to Grand Junction 8 years ago from Las Vegas, Nevada we were shocked at how people wasted precious water resources. In Las Vegas, water conservation is enforced with water recycling systems and expensive utility bills. In Grand Junction, many people plant grass landscapes using irrigation from the Colorado River that is not metered, low cost, and over watered running down the curbs. We’ve discussed water conservation for many years and many people just think if they don’t use it they will lose their water rights which is not true.

Due to the oil and gas industry dominating the area’s economy for many years, climate change has not been a subject many people wanted to discuss. In fact, the local university invited climate deniers to speak on campus a few years ago.

We purposely moved to a subdivision of Grand Junction that is not on the City water supply and obtain water from Grand Mesa lakes providing drinking water and drip irrigation. We planted native plants may of which do not need much water including lavender and trumpet vines. Water conservation is critical more then ever and it is time for public officials to mandate water restrictions as is being done in many other locations.

Land and Water Conservation Fund Gets Boost

On August 4th, the President signed the Great American Outdoors Act to add consistent funding into the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Royalties obtained primarily from oil and gas leasing in the outer continental shelf provides funding for federal lands and water. The Congressional Research Service reports that the LWCF began in 1965 as an act of Congress but an estimated $21B was taken out of the fund so National Parks and other federal lands could not keep up with the backlog of maintenance projects. Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado sponsored the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020 along with 59 other co-sponsors (42 Democrats, 15 Republicans and 2 Independents) in a rare moment of bipartisan cooperation. Nothing like an upcoming election to get the politicians motivated!

Several hundred environmental groups endorsed the legislation as described in this letter. Here is the text from the bill:

“This bill establishes the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to support deferred maintenance projects on federal lands.

For FY2021-FY2025, there shall be deposited into the fund an amount equal to 50% of all federal revenues from the development of oil, gas, coal, or alternative or renewable energy on federal lands and waters. Deposited amounts must not exceed $1.9 billion for any fiscal year.

The fund must be used for priority deferred maintenance projects in specified systems that are administered by

• the National Park Service,

• the Forest Service,

• the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

• the Bureau of Land Management, and

• the Bureau of Indian Education.

The Government Accountability Office must report on the effect of the fund in reducing the backlog of priority deferred maintenance projects for the specified agencies.

Additionally, the bill makes funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) permanent. The President shall annually report to Congress specified details regarding the allocation of funds to the LWCF. Congress may provide for alternate allocations using specified procedures.”

Water Use in Mining

I’ve seen the tremendous use and misuse of water associated with mining during my career and life. We all know how precious and increasingly expensive drinking water is for our survival. This is especially true in arid desert regions of the world like much of the western United States. Here in Grand Junction along the Colorado River, gravel pit mining creates large lakes. Water is lost to evaporation and the remaining water becomes more concentrated with minerals. Additional sand and gravel mines are needed to build new homes creating demand on water resources. Mining for minerals, like lithium or vanadium used for batteries and steel, can waste tremendous amounts of water. I calculate about 12 gallons per day per person in the U.S. is used just in the mining industry based on information provided below.

Looking at the U.S. map shows the largest states for water use in mining include Texas, California, Nevada, and Utah. The U.S. Geological Survey reports that:

“Mining water use is water used for the extraction of minerals that may be in the form of solids, such as coal, iron, sand, and gravel; liquids, such as crude petroleum; and gases, such as natural gas. The category includes quarrying, milling of mined materials, injection of water for secondary oil recovery or for unconventional oil and gas recovery (such as hydraulic fracturing), and other operations associated with mining activities. Dewatering is not reported as a mining withdrawal unless the water was used beneficially, such as dampening roads for dust control.”

In a 2018 USGS report, “During 2015, an estimated 4,000 Mgal/d (that’s 4 billion gallons per day) were withdrawn for mining, about 1 percent of total withdrawals. Groundwater was the source for 72 percent of total withdrawals for mining, and 65 percent of the groundwater withdrawn was saline. Of the surface-water withdrawn, 77 percent was freshwater.”

While most industrial water supply is used for generating thermo-electric power and irrigation for agriculture, before approving new mining applications it is important to determine how much water will be extracted creating new environmental impacts.

July 28: World Nature Conservation Day!

According to the Hindustan Times:

“World Nature Conservation Day is celebrated to create and increase awareness about the importance of natural resources and how one can live sustainably. The day encourages people to save and protect Earth’s natural resources that are fast-depleting owing to over-exploitation and even misuse.

Observed every year on July 28, World Nature Conservation Day came into practice as the day to educate people about the best practices to protect our natural resources as our planet Earth has only a limited amount of resources left that we hugely rely on each day like water, air, soil and trees.

World Nature Conservation Day also recognises that a healthy environment is the core reason for a stable and productive society. The sustainable practices are such that the well-being of the present and future generations can be secured. As responsible citizens, we must all practice sustainable living and bring about small changes in our everyday living, the way we shop, eat, travel and more so that we don’t damage our natural gifts any more.

The Ministry of Culture, via their official Twitter handle, posted a video and captioned it: “Nature worship is indeed an integral part of the Indian Culture. On the occasion of #WorldNatureConservationDay let’s all take pledge to protect, conserve, and sustainably manage our natural resources and make this world a better and healthier place for our future generations.

How to live sustainably?

Ensure water conservation: It all starts at home. Take a pledge to use the shower lesser and use a bucket for a bath instead as the former ends up wasting more water, in the long run, a bane for the society as certain studies have found that we might run out of natural resources of water by the year 2050.

Encourage planting of trees to avoid soil erosion and promote greenery. Practice home-gardening, when possible. Not everyone has a green thumb, but spending time amid nature promotes mental well-being too.

Waste management: Reduce, reuse and recycle waste. Practice rainwater harvesting and setup wastewater treatment plants. Use an organic compost if possible.

Sustainable commuting: Carpool with fellow office-goers who work in and around your office complex. It is good for the environment as fewer cars means lesser pollution and is also easier on the pocket.

Reduce your electricity consumption; switch off electrical appliances when not in use, or everytime you walk out of a room.

Reduce paper use: Save paper, save trees. In the digital age, the devices we use help us take notes so it saves the need for a print-out. With the new normal, many of us have also begun to understand that a meeting can be held on a virtual medium and additional resources can always be saved.

Avoid the use single-use of plastics: The plastics eventually flowing into the oceans are causing damage to marine life, ecology and so much more. According to a Reuters report, “single-use plastic consumption has increased during the coronavirus pandemic. Face masks and latex gloves are washing up daily on Asia’s remote beaches. Landfills worldwide are piled high with record amounts of takeaway food containers and online delivery packaging.”

The main objective is to be live and promote conscious, mindful living. From fast fashion, to overexploitation of all our resources, to reducing non-essential travel, we can all play a role in building a sustainable future.”

Parental Decisions for Vaccines

This week taking our son to the doctor for his annual check-up renewed my putting faith in medical science by giving my permission to administer him with three vaccines. I agreed without hesitation but past memories of our child, like all kids and some adults, freaking out to get shots did cross my mind. Giving him my cell phone to play a game worked as a distraction. It’s been a parental decision that we’ve made since he was born over a decade ago when I did much more research about the safety of vaccines. Many of us have heard the reports linking vaccines to autism. Myths about vaccines are discussed on PublicHealth.org.

For many years I did not take a flu vaccine due to my severe egg allergy. I started taking the flu shot about five years ago after new vaccines became available made without eggs as described by the Mayo Clinic.

I just heard a news report from a doctor saying about 50% of the people might not want to take a future vaccine for Covid-19. However, according to InfectionControlToday.org quoting Dr. Paul Ehrmann, “Some diseases, like measles, require as much as 95 percent of the population to be vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity.”

Apparently, vaccines have worked so well to eradicate diseases that now people especially in developed countries wonder if they are still necessary. According to OurWorldInData.org, “what percentage of the public think vaccines are safe? What share thinks they are ineffective? And what share denies their importance? In this post we present the global data on attitudes to vaccination. Here is a summary of the results:

 92% of people in the world think vaccines are important for children to have;

• 7% of people globally disagree that vaccines are safe. But this differs considerably between different countries: France topped the list with 33% disagreeing;

• Globally, 5% of people disagree that vaccines are effective. But skepticism is high in some countries, ranging from 28% in Liberia to less than 1% in Bangladesh and Egypt;

• In many countries few people disagree that vaccines are safe and effective, but the share of people who “neither agree nor disagree” can be more than 50%.”

Providing vaccines is a primary mission of CDC and WHO as well as groups like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Let’s hope and pray that new, low cost vaccines become available to fight viruses and other diseases and then we need to trust the medical professionals to accurately tell us the risks and the benefits.

Colorado U.S. Senate Contest Climate Debate

Colorado mail in ballots have arrived for the June 30th election! Contestants for U.S. Senator are incumbent Republican Cory Gardner and Democrats Andrew Romanoff and John Hickenlooper.

If you register as an Independent you can vote for either party and the winner of the Democratic primary will face Mr. Gardner in November. Colorado is considered a “Purple State” with a mix of urban Democrats and rural Republicans in general. Democratic Senator Michael Bennet became U.S. Senator in 2010 and was reelected in 2016 for six more years. Here’s a short blog on our meeting in February 2020. So the November election could determine the balance of party power!

Former Colorado Governor Hickenlooper is considered center left and Mr. Romanoff served in the Colorado State Senate including as House Speaker representing the progressive wing.

According to News9, Cory Gardner declined a debate while the two Democrats traded jabs last week. The debate was anchored by Kyle Clark of News9.

Regarding Climate Change and the Green New Deal, Colorado Public Radio reports from the debate:

“Hickenlooper laid out a broad, optimistic statement: “We’ve got to go as quickly as we can and recognize that these innovations are going to create jobs.” Romanoff has aired apocalyptically themed ads about climate change and has called for much tighter restrictions on fossil fuels, including a ban on fracking. In the debate, he referred to “runway oil and gas development that John Hickenlooper presided over” as governor, and accused Hickenlooper of siding with Gardner against Green New Deal. In 2019, Hickenlooper wrote in an op-ed that he supported the “concept,” but said the government needed to work with private industry and cushion the financial impact.”

It would be great to see another debate focusing on Sustainability issues. From comparing the two candidate websites, Mr. Romanoff has more ambitious plans to deal with the Climate Crisis as compared to the general mainstream Democratic views offered by Mr. Hickenlooper.

Please Vote!!!

From the Colorado Secretary of State:

Important dates

• Week of June 8th - County clerks will begin mailing ballots for the Primary Election. If you haven't received your ballot by June 17th contact your county clerk's office for a replacement ballot.

• June 22nd - Last day to have a replacement ballot mailed to you.

• June 22nd to June 30th - Voter Service and Polling Center locations and drop boxes open around the state. Where do I drop off my ballot or vote?

• June 30th at 7:00 PM - Your county clerk must receive your ballot by 7:00 PM on Election Day - postmarks do not count. We recommend using a 24-hour drop box within your county to ensure your ballot is received on time.

Update 6/17/2020

Last night as reported by Colorado Public Radio, “Democratic U.S. Senate candidates John Hickenlooper and Andrew Romanoff squared off Tuesday night in a 90-minute debate sponsored by CPR News, Denver 7 and The Denver Post.”

Update 6/20/20

The Colorado Sun reports the debate results on various issues:

On climate change … 

The Green New Deal is a dividing line in the primary. Romanoff supports the plan to address climate change and economic inequality, calling it the heart of his campaign, but Hickenlooper finds it too ambitious for Congress and too difficult to implement. 

Romanoff made climate change a major focus in his campaign and his first video painted a bleak portrait about the impacts of climate change. “In many communities, the threat is here, real and now,” he said in a recent debate.

Hickenlooper has wavered on the Green New Deal, first suggesting he would embrace 99% of the proposal and then coming out against it. He called it socialistic. 

When it comes to the climate, he supports a 100% renewable energy economy and a future of net-zero emissions, but on a slower timeline than Romanoff has proposed. And he’s trying to convince voters that he has “the same fierce urgency that Andrew has” even though he has supported oil and gas development in the past.

The two candidates differ on whether to ban fracking but both oppose the extraction of oil and gas on public lands. While Romanoff supports prohibiting new fossil fuel extraction on public lands and offshore, Hickenlooper supports the curbing of future leases. He believes that pre-existing leases shouldn’t be broken, but says there shouldn’t be additional leases created for the cause.”

American Opulence Causing Crises?

This motorcade scene in D.C. is posted on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director’s blog showing a GM Cadillac. The informal definition of cadillac is, “something that is the most luxurious or highest quality of its kind.” The luxury automobile, a symbol of American opulence, is rated to get below 20 mpg in the city and fits the definition of a “gas guzzler,” a term which originally came into use in the US when Congress established Gas Guzzler Tax provisions in the Energy Tax Act of 1978 to discourage the production and purchase of fuel-inefficient vehicles according to Wikipedia.

However, the Gas Guzzler tax got removed in 2016 as can be seen on the EPA website. The current American President is the symbol of opulence who branded his name on many buildings shining in gold. Do you agree that many of his supporters thought (and some still seem to think that) he would make them rich too by cutting taxes, creating manufacturing jobs, kicking out immigrants, and boosting the stock market?

Cadillac Desert: The American West and its Disappearing Water describes how cities built in the desert have grown by converting rivers into hydroelectric dams causing economic and environmental crises. The most cost effective way we can reduce our demand on water resources and lower our utility bills is through conservation.

I lived in the D.C. area working for the federal government during the 9/11 attack on America. Everyone old enough probably remembers where they were on that tragic day. About 3,000 people died in planes crashing into two World Trade Center towers in New York city, at the Pentagon, and in a field in Pennsylvania that was bound for D.C. Why would anyone be willing to plan out a suicide attack to hurt innocent people? According to The Ohio State University history professor Peter Hahn, “after contesting the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, the Saudi nationalist Osama bin Laden organized a network of unconventional combatants known as Al-Qaida. Bin Laden believed that the stationing of U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War of 1990-91 violated the sacred spaces around Mecca and Medina, and in 1996, he essentially declared war on the United States.”

So the U.S. protecting oil interests in Saudi Arabia as well as our opulent lifestyle, such as needing oil to drive gas guzzlers, were major factors into the 9/11 attacks. I found other reports stating the terrorists spent about a half a million dollars while it cost the U.S. trillions of dollars fighting two wars and over 800,000 people have died in the region according to Brown University.

The climate change crisis is directly related to carbon emissions from fossil fuels and the U.S. emits the largest amount of CO2 per capita according to World Bank data posted on economicshelp.org. We only have a few short years left to avoid cascading tipping points, as described by Yale University, where we cannot reverse the damage caused by global warming. We need radical changes to our opulent lifestyle through boycotts, cutting costs, and conserving more. Climate change is costing lives and property damage despite misinformation from opulent oil companies and politicians.

There are many causes of the Covid-19 pandemic as have been discussed in previous blogs. It’s becoming clear that the U.S. reopened too soon in an attempt to revive the economy and is now tragically leading the world in cases and deaths. Compare this CNN graph of Covid-19 cases US vs EU to see why there is now a travel ban! This is the time to change our ways! Bike sales are booming! People are eating more at home. Working from home is more possible for many people. Wearing a mask in public should become the new normal.

Social change is happening through groups like Black Lives Matter fighting police brutality and injustice. This fight includes environmental justice, racism, and economic disparities that must be corrected. What would Robin Hood do - increase taxes for more social welfare programs? If the US cares so much about the economy, why kick out international students who contribute $41B?

According to Wikiquote, 19th century Italian philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Things will never return back to “normal” which has not been great for the environment or for many people. Say No to Opulent lifestyles, separate basic needs from wants, appreciate God’s many blessings, and sign up for the Conserve & Pro$per challenge!

Statement From Former Gov. Scientists & Public Health Officials Calling for Science-based Response to the Serious and Growing COVID-19 Pandemic

I’m honored to join my peers in commending current gov scientists, researchers, and public health officials who are prioritizing the well-being of Americans above politics amid this devastating pandemic. Sign on here. #LetScienceSpeak

We are scientists and public health experts who have dedicated our careers to promoting the health of all Americans. In the past, we have pursued that mission within different components of the federal government, whether in advisory roles to Congress or within the executive branch under both Republican and Democratic administrations. The offices in which we served had different roles but shared a common goal of saving lives and advancing public health through scientific research, public education, and informed policy.

We have gathered with one voice because the clear and present danger of the continued spread of COVID-19 hangs above us. Unless science and expertise guide our preparation and response to the serious and growing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, our nation will again suffer avoidable death and disruption. Together, we commend our fellow scientists and public health experts currently serving in government who are holding steadfast to the principles of scientific integrity and independence. We call on them to continue pursuing their mission to advance public health, regardless of politics.

Having served in these same roles, we understand the immense responsibility of controlling the spread — and potential resurgence — of COVID-19, which has already killed more than 129,000 Americans and 530,000 people worldwide. As our society and economy reopen, the American public, healthcare workers, and state and local officials across the country are looking to the federal government to ensure that we put the worst behind us. The federal government, after all, plays the lead role in pandemic preparedness and response activities, from stockpiling essential medicines and supplies, to coordinating hospital surge capacity, to supporting vaccine development and providing guidelines on mitigating the spread of disease.

For the federal government to fulfill this role, independent and sound science must be the driving force behind its efforts. Research and data must inform production and allocation decisions for vital supplies such as personal protective equipment and ventilators; basic accounting for new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths; and plans to develop vaccines and treatments. Science should steer decision-making and policy, even as our elected leaders weigh competing priorities. Scientists working for the United States government are some of the best in the world, and their work has been vital in combating many of the epidemics in the 20th and 21st centuries, from HIV to SARS, from H1N1 influenza to Ebola. They are working tirelessly right now to save lives in the face of this novel coronavirus.

But at great cost to our country, science and expertise have been marginalized in our government’s response to the pandemic thus far. Far too often, political expediency has won out over scientists’ advice. The federal pandemic response has muzzled key public health experts within the government and pushed them aside in decision-making processes. In short, the independence of our public health institutions has been compromised. If we continue to cast aside the scientific advice of our own experts, the consequences for the nation will be dire. Indeed, sidelining science has already cost lives, imperiled the safety of our loved ones, compromised our ability to safely re-open our businesses, schools, and places of worship, and endangered the health of our democracy itself.

The novel coronavirus has starkly reshaped our global reality. It is highly likely to continue spreading, either through one large, sustained wave, or resurging in multiple waves. To save lives, we must let science guide us and let scientists speak. Congress must more rigorously oversee the pandemic response and any attempts at political inference in scientific decision-making, while federal inspectors general must be allowed to conduct their oversight functions without fear of retaliation. Data from our federal agencies must be more accessible to outside experts, and the processes generating data on the pandemic more transparent. When federal employees speak out about interference in science, the law must better protect them. Finally, this global pandemic demands a global solution. Our scientists must be free to coordinate with their peers around the world to surmount COVID-19.

To the federal employees working on the frontlines of this pandemic, preparing our country for any resurgence of COVID-19, we say: keep speaking out. We support you. You stand as a bulwark against the spread of misinformation and the diversion of public health policies and programs to suit political goals. The health of the American public and the integrity of our august scientific and public health agencies depend on you.

(If you are a former government scientist or public health official and would like to add your name to this statement, please complete this form. Protect Democracy will update this list with new signatories until July 20th.).

Overcoming Obstacles: A Few People I Admire

Do you agree that overcoming personal and social challenges takes courage and persistence? Our challenge might be a learning disorder, a physical issue, or peer pressure resulting in political correctness. Learning challenges affect 1 in 5 children according to the NCLD. One in 4 adults in America live with a disability according to the CDC.

The novel Covid-19 virus affects 100% of us. Wearing a mask is proven to save lives during the pandemic but many people refuse. Not convinced? Check out the county comparison posted on MasksSaveLives.org. Everyone with or without a preexisting personal challenge needs wear a mask - it could save your life and the lives of other people. I posted a blog on April 1 about mask confusion and many people in the U.S. are still not wearing masks.

I admire my wife and son (shown in the photo) for overcoming many personal challenges and being willing to wear the mask!

We admire Greta for acknowledging how her autism fuels her passion to fight carbon pollution and asking people to listen to scientists.

We admire Governor Gavin for sharing how his learning challenges taught him to solve problems and inspire others. He deserves much credit for his environmental and public health actions.

There are so many more famous people that we admire who overcame adversity including Ben Franklin, Albert Einstein, and Oprah Winfrey. Everyone has something and now we must all join together to fight the virus!

Before we judge or blame others, let’s smile with compassionate eyes and feel our shared humanity and goodwill towards all creatures.

Plastics By Air, By Land, By Sea Accumulating In Lungs and Gills

Visiting India in 1994, I found the clash of modern and ancient cultures fascinating. In Mumbai, BMWs swerved around ox cart vendors. I wondered why there was so much plastic litter on the ground and beaches — one vendor selling street food (which I did not dare consume) told me that for thousands of years until recently people used banana leaves or other natural materials for holding food. Street food came wrapped in leaves - even today if you go to an Asian grocery look for the delicious sticky rice desert wrapped in a banana leaf. The Indian street vendor told me that when they changed to use plastic wrappers to sell food people thought the plastic would biodegrade naturally like banana leaves. He said I should not worry because the plastic wrappers are recycled.

But when I visited an area called New Mumbai for recycling, thinking modern machines did the sorting, I could not believe my eyes- children and families were picking out the trash by separating piles of tires, plastics and other trash. They used polluted water to “clean” plastic wrappers to reuse and sell back to street vendors! I felt so bad for these people trying to survive this way.

According to TheStreet article last year, “Humans have produced about 8 billion tons of plastic since 1950, and more than half of it went straight to landfills. Of all of the plastic that's no longer in use, only about 9% was actually recycled.” Major producers of plastic waste according to the article include China, U.S., and European and South American countries.

I wrote about the plight of overconsumption, especially coming from the U.S. and possible solutions. We’ve seen the tragic consequences of plastics all around us ending up in rivers and oceans and killing wildlife. However, I had no idea until last week that microplastics are getting into our lungs!

Dr. Janice Brahney with the Utah State University and her colleagues made a surprising discovery that microplastics are showing up in air samples of remote locations. She was kind enough to send me the Science article (AAAS) and she is spreading the word like in a New York Times opinion that we are likely breathing microplastics around the world.

For the AAAS article, the authors state, “The finding that microplastics are ubiquitous in the atmosphere and are transported to distant locations has widespread ecological implications…As plastics accumulate in pristine wilderness, we may anticipate shifts in community composition, possibly leading to declines in biodiversity on the basis of the different tolerances to the physical and toxicological consequences of consuming microplastics.”

In the NYT opinion piece Dr. Brahney states, “Airborne microplastics don’t care what ZIP code you live in. Preventing a landfill in your community won’t limit your exposure. And there are still many questions. If dust in the Grand Canyon contains microplastics, how many of these tiny plastic particles are in city dust? How high will airborne concentrations of microplastics get? What effect are they having on the environment? Are microplastics more toxic than other, better-understood sources of air pollution such as natural and industrial dusts?”

GlobalCitizen reports, “there are nearly 500 times more pieces of microplastic in the oceans than there are stars in our galaxy. Each minute, one garbage truck’s worth of plastic is dumped into marine ecosystems. The European Union alone releases six times as much plastic into the oceans as is found in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a roiling web of plastic twice the size of Texas”

So life consuming plastic waste is another example of the law of karma that I learned in India- what we put out in the world comes back to us. Airborne microplastics are another reason to wear a face mask not only during the Covid-19 pandemic. We need to totally change our mindset, such as listening to what scientists can tell us and what we still need to learn, for taking positive actions to restore the world’s health and environment! As academia hits the mainstream, it’s now perish or publish.