December 2024 C-Change is Here! |
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Welcome back to C Change!
Here are this month’s topics:
1. Your favorite winter traditions are at risk from climate change! Climate change affects winter temperatures and precipitation, which may affect your ability to travel and participate in outdoor markets or activities, and anxiety during the holiday season.
2. With the holiday season approaching it’s time to consider how we can have a more sustainable season ahead of us. Especially with statistics such as 2.6 billion pounds of non-recyclable wrapping paper waste totaling $5 billion.
3. The Recombinant Factor C (rFC) Endotoxin Fluorescence Assay Kit offers highly sensitive, accurate, and quick results for detecting endotoxins found in medicine. More importantly it doesn’t use horseshoe crab blood, as it uses a lab-produced synthetic protein to help alleviate stress from the horseshoe crab population.
4. The past year marked significant milestones in the climate industry, from record-breaking temperatures and devastating climate events to innovative strategies like Massachusetts's ClimateTech initiative and the UN's Breakthrough Agenda Report, setting the stage for successes next year.
5. Examining cultural norms and behavioral drivers behind systemic issues of the holiday season highlights the need for policy reforms and shifts in individual perspectives. From this perspective, the research explores the relationship between tradition and trade that fuels holiday consumerism.
By appreciating both the challenges and potential opportunities to preserve our planet, we will be better prepared to take action and make a difference. Earth is our only home; it’d be best that we do all we can to make sure it stays our home, for ourselves now and for future generations of all life.
Sustainably,
Eric Magers
Executive Director
Autumn Marsh
Climate Action Fellow
Soham Arekar
Climate Action Fellow
Isabella Sollazzo
Newsletter Department Manager
Sources Cited:
1. Winter weather and the climate crisis: Explained. (2022, November 17). The Climate Reality Project. https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/winter-weather-and-climate-crisis-explained
2. Tribelhorn, S. (2023, December 15). Sustainable gift wrapping. SDSU. https://library.sdsu.edu/news/sustainable-giftwrapping
3. ACROBiosystems. (2024). Recombinant Factor C Endotoxin Detection Kit 2024. Retrieved from https://www.acrobiosystems.com/P7954-Recombinant-Factor-C-Endotoxin-Detection-Kit.html?srsltd=AfmBOop-KrMrIQSKKIyqJPYCcU_mUTFeNlePvDv5VhtJ5xHAVAwg3e2
4. International Energy Agency. (2024). Breakthrough agenda report 2024. Retrieved from https://www.iea.org/reports/breakthrough-agenda-report-2024 5.Emissions of Carbon Dioxide in the Transportation Sector. (2022, December 1). Congressional Budget Office. https://www.cbo.gov/publicatio....
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DECEMBER HIGHLIGHTS |
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What We Read (& Learned!) This Month |
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How Rising Temperatures Are Threatening Winter Traditions |
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Abby Frey |
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What would your winter look like if the winter traditions you cherish, like skiing, ice skating and watching a peaceful snowfall, were at risk? Your favorite winter traditions may be under threat from climate change. Climate change affects winter temperatures and precipitation by decreasing the amount of cold days and increasing short periods of intense snowfall or freezing rain. What might be considered a beautiful winter day, with a temperature around 30 degrees Fahrenheit and light snowfall, may no longer be occurring in some parts of the world.
Climate change is causing temperatures to rise around the world due to the reliance of society on fossil fuels. The result of burning fossil fuels is carbon pollution, which warms our planet and does not allow terrestrial radiation to leave the atmosphere. As temperatures continue to rise, each season of the year is affected in different ways, but winters are warming more quickly than any other season. It is important to note that climate change does not eliminate all cold temperatures; there are still cold days, but they are occurring less frequently. In parts of the United States, winter is characterized by colder temperatures and snowfall, but those factors are changing in response to climate change. Many people celebrate the first snowfall that is brought about in the winter season, but this aspect of winter weather is also being affected. Due to warming temperatures, the amount of snowfall from January to March has decreased and this “would-be” snow falls as rain instead. Climate change increases the severity and frequency of extreme precipitation events, which are seen in the winter as intense periods of snowfall or freezing rain. These intense precipitation events may affect your ability to travel, participate in outdoor markets or activities, and anxiety during the holiday season.
Common winter traditions and activities that depend on outdoor conditions include skiing or snowboarding, ice skating, snowball fights, and sledding. A study projected that there will be a 50% reduction in winter recreation season length by 2050, which is concerning for those who rely on the winter recreation industry for personal, financial, or social well-being and health. In 2023, skiers and snowboarders in Utah were faced with a delayed ski season because of unnaturally warm weather. Several resorts throughout the state had to wait for temperatures to drop to prepare the human-made snow that is necessary to start off the season. Similar to skiing and snowboarding, ice skating is affected by climate change through increasing temperatures that melt ice at a faster rate but also by changing the quality of ice. Warmer winters promote the growth of thin, black ice that is less reliable for recreation and more dangerous for drivers and truckers.
All in all, climate change is changing the way we experience the winter season and the traditions and activities we associate with it. To keep our traditions, it is important to spread awareness of how climate change affects different aspects of winter and investigate how our personal choices can lead to a demand for change in the fossil fuel industry.
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Sources:
1. Di Liberto, T. (2024, October 24). Revisiting La Nina and winter snowfall. NOAA Climate.gov. https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/revisiting-laninaandwintersnowfall#:~:text=Human%2Dcaused%20climate%20change%20is,necessarily%20mean%20less%20precipitation%2C%20though
2. Jag, J. (2023, November 7). Start of Utah’s ski season will be pushed back. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/sports/2023/11/07/start-utahs-ski-season-will-be/
3. Rao, D., & The Week US. (2024, October 8). It's not just ice quantity that climate change affects. It's also quality. theweek. https://theweek.com/environment/lake-ice-quality-decreasing
4. Winter weather and the climate crisis: Explained. (2022, November 17). The Climate Reality Project. https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/winter-weather-and-climate-crisis-explained
5. Zook, D. (2019, December 4). Climate study suggests grim scenario for ski resorts. Protect Our Winters. https://protectourwinters.org/climate-study
-suggests-grim-scenario-for-ski-resorts/
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Sustainable Holidays |
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Autumn Marsh and Soham Arekar |
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With the holiday season quickly approaching it’s the perfect time to explore ways to make our celebrations more sustainable. From the gifts purchased to the way you present them, there’s a multitude of steps that can be taken to reduce your environmental impact this time of the year.
According to San Diego State University (SDSU), approximately 2.6 billion pounds of wrapping paper is thrown away within the U.S. each year. These wrapping papers are often incapable of being recycled due to the dyes and other additional materials added to them. SDSU continues with Americans as a whole spending around $5 billion on wrapping paper annually. This means that we can drastically reduce the amount of waste produced per year just by making sustainable wrapping swaps this holiday season.
Instead of using wrapping paper this holiday season, consider reusing or recycling things you already have in your home. A reusable swap that can be used for years is fabrics, like sari gift wraps. Whether you have them already in the form of shawls or beach wraps or you need to make an initial investment; it’ll save the planet and your wallet in future celebrations. A wonderful alternative that I use every holiday season is newspaper or paper stuffing used to protect items I’ve ordered online throughout the year.
Speaking of online orders, let’s try to stop buying token and impersonal gifts that contribute to waste. NPR's Living Rooms to Landfills found that in 2021 it was estimated that a total of $4.4 trillion was spent on consumer goods. Yet, a survey done with the Center for Biological Diversity found that 90% of Americans wish that the holidays were less materialistic and 88% want the holidays to be more about family and caring for others. This means that it’s a waste of money and bad for the environment to simply buy a gift for the sake of it. Buying fewer but more personalized gifts will not only help the planet but also help us establish more personal and thoughtful connections with the people we care about. The gift of a memorable experience together will last a lifetime.
If you can’t think of what to get someone this holiday season but truly want to give them something physical, consider second-hand gift-giving. It’s cost-effective and allows you to give something a second chance. If that won’t work, help convert the people in your life to a more sustainable lifestyle for the holidays. Purchasing gifts like reusable water bottles or clean and green swaps for daily routine items like shaving, oral hygiene, makeup, and even deodorant.
Albatross Designs discusses how research done by the EPA found that within the U.S., 2 billion razors are disposed of per year. Albatross Designs, like many other sustainable lifestyle companies, offers zero-waste safety razors that eliminate plastic in your shaving routine. Brushing Away Plastic discusses how the one billion toothbrushes thrown away within the U.S. annually amount to a total of 50 million pounds of waste. Paired with toothpaste tubes, deodorant packing, and makeup containers. So, consider giving the people you care about a sustainable alternative instead of something that will sit on a shelf or contribute to what NPR's Living Rooms to Landfills cites as being almost 6 billion pounds of landfill waste from U.S. returns. Not even holiday purchases as a whole, just the items that were returned after the holidays.
Ultimately, the holiday season brings out a lot of normalized behavior that’s dangerous for our planet. Impulse purchasing, obligatory gift giving, and even the very existence of tinsel are having a destructive impact on our planet. Hopefully, after this article, you’ll consider giving the gift of helping the planet this year.
Additional Reading!
EPA's Environmentally Friendly Holiday Tips
23 Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas
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Sources:
1. America’s Plastic Makers. (2022, September 16). Brushing away plastic waste. America’s Plastic Makers. https://plasticmakers.org/brushing-away-plastic-waste/
2. Designs, A. (2022, January 31). Environmental implications of Plastic Razors. https://albatrossdesigns.it/blogs/sustainability-shaving-sailing-and-more/environmental-implications-of-plastic-razors?srsltid=AfmBOopisIAJDdMi5wlyG0fbBLIua57MfJeH_TFxfm_79YdjHEgxkup1
3. Selyukh, A. (2022, January 12). From living rooms to landfills, some holiday shopping returns take a “very sad path.” NPR. https://www.npr.org/2022/01/12/1072066943/from-living-rooms-to-landfills-some-holiday-shopping-returns-take-a-very-sad-pat
4. Tribelhorn, S. (2023, December 15). Sustainable gift wrapping. SDSU. https://library.sdsu.edu/news/sustainable-giftwrapping
5. Unwrapped: Perceptions of winter holiday consumerism, gift giving and waste - U.S. survey results. Unwrapped: Perceptions of Winter Holiday Consumerism, Gift Giving, and Waste - U.S. Survey Results. (n.d.). https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/sustainability/unwrapped
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Revolutionary Step in Endotoxin Detection: One Step Towards Saving the Crabs |
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James Lam |
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For years, horseshoe crabs have played a silent but vital role in medical safety. Their special blue blood has been an essential ingredient in detecting bacterial endotoxins, toxic molecules that can contaminate drugs, medical devices, and many other important products. But now, with the Recombinant Factor C (rFC) Endotoxin Fluorescence Assay Kit, the crabs are now receiving a much-deserved break.
But What is the Recombinant Factor C Assay?
The rFC Endotoxin Assay Kit is a modern, animal-free test designed to detect endotoxins with high accuracy and precision. Endotoxins are substances found in the outer layer membrane of certain bacteria and can wreak havoc on the human body through injections, infusions, or implants. The rFC assay functions by mimicking the natural process of endotoxin detection using a synthetic version of Factor C, the protein that is usually taken from horseshoe crab blood.
Instead of collecting and harvesting thousands of crabs, science can now utilize recombinant technology to produce this specific type of Factor C protein in a lab. When toxins are present, the recombinant Factor C activates a reaction with a fluorogenic substrate, producing a fluorescence signal that indicates contaminants. A simple, effective, and crab-free solution!
What Makes This Assay So Special?
It is highly sensitive. The rFC assay can detect endotoxins as low as 0.005 EU/mL, making sure that even the smallest traces of contamination are found. That’s like spotting a single grain of sugar in swimming pools. Thanks to the high-quality lab production, results are consistent every time.
It avoids false positives. Unlike older methods like the LAL test,which could produce false positives by reacting to harmless sugars from plants and fungi, the rFC kit avoids this problem by focusing purely on harmful toxins.
It’s fast and easy.Results are available in just one hour. Just mix a sample with the kit’s ingredients, wait a bit, and check the type of glow using a special plate reader.
It saves the horseshoe crabs significantly. Traditionally, tests relied on harvesting horseshoe crabs for their blood, but now, with the rFC kit, no crabs are needed. This helps protect these ancient creatures and their ecosystems, ensuring they can thrive for generations.
It is qualified and validated. The rFC assay adheres to strict global standards such as traceability to the United States Pharmacopeia and validation under protocols from the European Pharmacopoeia.
How Does It Work?
SET UP: The test carries a white 96-well plate, where a small volume (100 µL) of the sample is added to each well. You then must add the recombinant Factor C protein and the fluorogenic substrate.
REACTION: If endotoxins are indeed present, the protein will activate, cleaving the substrate and releasing a fluorescent glowing signal.
MEASUREMENT: Let the test sit for one hour, incubating at 37 degrees Celsius, then measure the fluorescence light’s intensity. The stronger the fluorescence, the higher the endotoxin concentration present.
Why Does This All Matter?
This significant shift to recombinant technology is an ethical and scientific milestone. Each year, an average of 500,000 horseshoe crabs are taken and bled out for their resources, causing 130,000 to die each year when they’re released back into the wild. Switching to the rFC reduces this pressure on the horseshoe crab population and helps maintain an ecological balance. In addition, sustainable science practices like these help reduce the major environmental impact of medical testing by using synthetic options. Finally, recombinant production eliminates variability, which is a common challenge that occurs with natural products.
With the Recombinant Factor C Endotoxin Fluorescent Assay Kit, we’re able to step into a future where cutting-edge advancements are paired with environmental responsibility. It’s faster, much more accurate, and most importantly, kinder to the very planet we live on.
As our friendly horseshoe crab would say, “Thanks for giving me a break!” 🦀 So, let’s join together on the recombinant tech train and embrace this greener, brighter, and more fluorescent approach to endotoxin testing. As a planet, we can ensure safety without scratching the environment.
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A Year in Review: Milestones in the Climate Fight and Where to Go Next |
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Isabella Sollazzo |
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The past year has seen critical developments in the global fight against climate change, marked by severe climate events and record-breaking temperatures. As of 2024, the United States alone endured 24 climate-related disasters, from intense storms to wildfires and winter freezes, totaling $61.3 billion in damages. Globally, record-high temperatures have brought new urgency to climate action, with summer 2024 being the hottest on record—0.2°F warmer than the previous year. Some areas suffered extreme impacts, such as Pakistan, where temperatures reached a scorching 52°C (125.6°F) in May, leading to massive power outages and further instability. While the recent UN Climate Change Conference in Baku emphasized the scale of the global climate challenge, the United States has made strides with its 2024 Climate Action Report, outlining critical areas for sustainable transformation. This year has also seen innovation across sectors to curb emissions and bolster resilience, setting a promising stage for future progress.
One major climate innovation emerged from Massachusetts under Governor Maura Healey’s leadership. The state’s ClimateTech initiative, inspired by Massachusetts’s biotech success, aims to drive economic growth while advancing climate solutions. By fostering innovation, this initiative is expected to generate $164 billion in economic activity through targeted investments in climate technology research and development. ClimateTech’s strategy includes using biotech methodologies to streamline processes in carbon reduction, renewable energy, and green manufacturing, creating a blueprint that other states and regions might replicate. This initiative represents a significant public-private partnership model, uniting government support with private sector ingenuity to make climate tech a high-impact industry that simultaneously supports economic and environmental goals.
The Breakthrough Agenda Report 2024, a collaboration between multiple global organizations, outlines actionable pathways to reduce emissions across high-impact sectors like energy, transportation, and agriculture. The report focuses on accelerating clean energy adoption, enhancing energy efficiency in heavy industries, and promoting low-emission agricultural practices. One significant recommendation is prioritizing the transition to renewable energy sources by expanding renewable energy grids and reducing fossil fuel dependency. The agenda also underscores the need for sustainable practices in food production and waste reduction, emphasizing how sector-specific strategies can collectively reduce emissions and combat climate change.
Building on 2024’s successes requires stricter standards for high-emission sectors, expanded incentives for green practices in industries like energy and agriculture, and enhanced resilience measures for vulnerable regions. Coastal resilience should be an early focus, incorporating sustainable planning and funding for innovations to protect vulnerable areas. Increased funding for renewable energy and energy storage technologies, coupled with local clean energy initiatives, can reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Corporate accountability must also be prioritized through sustainable business models, emissions transparency, and innovative strategies to create new, environmentally friendly markets. Public engagement is equally vital, with climate literacy campaigns and youth programs driving support for large-scale action. By integrating these efforts with ongoing policy and investment advancements, we can turn 2024’s milestones into a foundation for deeper, lasting climate progress.
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Tradition and Trade: How Social Norms Perpetuate Holiday Environmental Harm |
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Erin Figueroa |
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Holiday consumerism on a global scale portrays seasonal increases in consumer spending, waste generation, and energy consumption. While this time of the year should be for celebration, behind the scenes lies a complex network of systemic and behavioral drivers contributing to unsustainable consumption patterns. From marketing tactics to cultural norms, these factors sustain environmental challenges that demand both individual and collective action and drive people to stick to environmentally detrimental practices.
Systemic Drivers
Systems of marketing, global supply chains, and economic structures drive holiday season consumption. Marketing campaigns trigger psychological reactions such as urgency and exclusivity, encouraging excess purchasing during the holiday season. Social media amplifies these efforts by encouraging comparisons and normalizing this overconsumption, reinforcing the expectation of material gift-giving to maintain relationships.
Global supply chains worsen these trends through their energy-intensive processes. For example, air freight, commonly used during the holiday rush, emits 500 times more CO₂ per ton-mile than a 65 mph truck, and road freight emits 100 times more than ocean-going ships. Additionally, the production and disposal of holiday-specific goods such as decorations, toys, and electronics contribute to resource depletion and waste accumulation, intensifying ecological pressures.
Although no specific number exists as a global standard, reducing unnecessary consumption during the holidays can help alleviate supply chain disruptions and reduce associated emissions. As consumers, disrupting the supply and demand chain by consuming less could lead to reduced production.
Scientific studies highlight the environmental impact of holiday-related activities and quantify the environmental costs:
Carbon Emissions: Manufacturing and transporting holiday goods contribute significantly to annual CO₂ emissions. The transportation sector is the largest source of direct greenhouse gas emissions, despite the amount of carbon emissions decreasing since 2005 due to the increase in electricity use, which presents its issues.
Waste Generation: Wrapping paper, packaging, and discarded items generates millions of tons of waste annually. U.S. households discard an estimated 25% more waste during the holidays, equating to 5 million extra tons of trash.
Energy Consumption: Decorative lighting increases electricity demand. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates holiday lights consume 6.6 billion kWh annually, enough power to run 14 million refrigerators.
Behavioral drivers:
Taking a psychological approach to the impact of the holiday season on an individual and the environment at large may be an important approach to inducing change.
Cultural norms and behavioral psychology are central to understanding holiday consumption patterns. Societal expectations frame the holidays as a time of generosity, often regarding material gifts. Studies suggest that the expectation of returning gifts of similar value further drives overconsumption.
Many consumer products, such as gaming systems, laptops, and phones, are designed for short-term use, ensuring they become outdated or inoperative within a few years, which compounds these behaviors. As a result, e-waste is a growing concern, with 53.6 million metric tons generated globally in 2020.
The impacts of holiday consumerism are not isolated but rather interconnected; energy use increases reliance on fossil fuels; resource depletion puts high demands on raw materials which strains ecosystems; waste streams contribute to landfill overflow and pollution.
Systemic and Cultural Solutions
Addressing the environmental consequences of holiday consumerism requires various approaches that reach beyond individual responsibility:
- Corporate Reforms:
Adoption of a circular economic model for production and consumption, with practices that include reusable packaging and sustainable product design.
Transition to renewable energy sources across supply chains.
- Policy Measures:
- Cultural Shifts:
Promoting non-materialistic holiday practices, such as experiences or charitable giving.
Leveraging campaigns to challenge the narrative of equating consumption with happiness.
The environmental challenges posed by holiday consumerism are deeply rooted in systemic and behavioral dynamics. By addressing these drivers through coordinated efforts—corporate and industrial accountability, policy reform, and cultural change—we can ensure a sustainable future and mitigate our impact on the climate while preserving the essence of holiday celebrations.
Sources:
1. Emissions of Carbon Dioxide in the Transportation Sector. (2022, December 1). Congressional Budget Office. https://www.cbo.gov/publicatio....
2. E-Waste Monitor. (2024, April 8). GEM 2020 - E-Waste Monitor. https://ewastemonitor.info/gem-2020/
3. Freight Transportation | MIT Climate Portal. (n.d.). MIT Climate Portal. https://climate.mit.edu/explai....
4. Givi, J., Galak, J., & Olivola, C. Y. (2020). The thought that counts is the one we ignore: How givers overestimate the importance of relative gift value. Journal of Business Research, 123, 502–515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbus...
5. Green Holidays | Students | US EPA. (n.d.). https://archive.epa.gov/students/web/html/holiday.html#:~:text=As%20we%20feast%2C%20give%20gifts,tons%20to%205%20million%20tons.
6. Sheffi, Y. (2018, March). Balancing Green: When to Embrace Sustainability in a Business (and When Not To). Google Books. https://www.google.com/books/e...
7. Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions | US EPA. (2024, October 22). US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissio...
8. US Christmas lights use more energy than entire countries. (2015, December 23). Phys Org. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://phys.org/news/2015-12-christmas-energy-entire-countries.html
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