The Emerald Review
Rachel Carson published the bestselling book Silent Spring in 1962, which alerted the world to the dangers of excessive pesticide use. She called special attention to dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane (DDT) as one of the most environmentally devastating varieties. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), DDT was highly effective at preventing insect-borne diseases like malaria and typhus […]
On July 21, 1997 in Redmond, Oregon, a massive fire broke out at the Cavel West slaughterhouse. That day, five individuals drilled holes in the walls of the slaughterhouse and filled them with flammable liquid, as well as planted other incendiary substances around the buildings. Cavel West was owned and funded by a Belgian company […]
Humans have recognized nature’s health benefits since ancient times. Many of today’s most important medicines were inspired by the natural world. Yet, nature is more than a source of inspiration. The natural processes in nature provide a model for treating some of the world’s most serious diseases. Today, scientists search for new sources of natural […]
The concept of nature is ever-changing alongside advancement in human civilization. It is a subjective experience of the environment shaped by those who came before us. Each generation views nature differently due to the dynamic state of the world. However, gradual urbanization has led to a perception of nature which is detached from reality. It’s […]
Approximately 133 billion pounds of food, valued at $161 billion, is wasted in the United States annually, accounting for up to 40% of the country’s entire food supply. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that this surplus of food calories could feed 154 million people yearly, despite only 35 million Americans being considered food […]
A wet, heavy snow falls. It accumulates on sidewalks and roads, creating perfect conditions for cars to skid out of control and for people to slip and fall. Dump trucks spray salt and sand on roads. Rock salt is dispersed onto sidewalks and walkways. It continues to snow, but the sidewalks and roads stay clear, […]
A hundred years ago, Iceland was one of the poorest countries in Europe. However, one day in 1907, an Icelandic farmer accidentally made a game-changing discovery: steam could be taken from a nearby hot spring and transported to his house through a pipe to heat his home. By 1930, this process, which was used to […]
A highly influential study from 2013 revealed that 97% of scientists agreed that human action was responsible for the climate crisis. This statistic shook the populus, but not enough to rid society of climate denial. A recent study that came out in October 2021 displayed a new and even more dire statistic—99% of scientists acknowledge […]
In the last two decades, technology has transformed the world. While some may argue that technology has increased the efficiency of many processes and improved quality of life, there have also been major drawbacks associated with its uses that have caused nearly irreversible damage to the environment. Technology has dramatically altered many industries and markets, […]
Pecking at crumbs beneath metal tables and chairs, city birds mingle together. They strike the ground with their beaks, mistaking string and candy wrappers for food. A man pulls from his pocket a Ziploc bag. Inside are two stale pieces of white bread. He opens the bag and begins tearing the bread into small pieces, […]