Can Fungi Replace Plastic?

Ask anyone and they will tell you how much a nuisance plastic has become in the home, the environment, and everywhere you look. It was created in 1907 by chemist Leo Baekeland for convenience and to be used as a cheaper alternative. It became a success and was quickly incorporated into everything, kitchenware, storage, and so much more. In 1907, Leo could have never predicted that his creation could have such a nightmarish effect on our world. In the world, we are looking at 350 million tons of plastic waste every year. No one one-hundred years ago could have seen this coming. This is a very serious problem, we are now seeing microplastics in everything from our food, our clean water, even to the stomachs of animals in the ocean and on land. It has become a huge problem that requires a huge solution. Some people have come up with some ideas, they may be a little out there but it is worth a shot!

microplastic found on the beach

       F. fomentarius has three layers which makes it a great candidate for an alternative to plastic. The outside layers are tough and hardened, which would be well suited for packaging and storage. The inner layer has a softer feel which could be used in place of leather. And the innermost layer has a texture that feels similar to wood. A team has already begun the process of testing this fungus to see what the best next steps of action are. I think it is so important for people to have ideas that may be out there and not inside the box. We are headed into a period of time where what we have done in the past is no longer an option. We need new and creative ideas to make this environment healthier.

Fungi used to create different materials

              Another team proposes that fungi can be grown to make differentshapes using a mold. If you have ever got something that came with a ton of foam you know that that stuff is getting thrown away and not recycled. But if your package or toy came inside a fungi-shaped mold that protected your item you could throw that out into the yard and it would decompose completely. Humans love convenience and the less recycling required the better. A company in New York, Evocative, is already replacing their packaging materials with fungal mycelia. It is even proposed that someday we will have less e-waste due to it being replaced by fungal material. This is still in its first phase but it is slowly gaining traction and I am hoping that in five to ten years we may even see large companies adapting this process in order to better fight plastic pollution.

             

              In the video below, (optional watch but fascinating) they are 3D printing fungi in certain molds to create furniture and more. It creates a cork-like material, sturdy and practical.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnMXH5TqqG8&t=27s

        I think with so much going wrong we must find some hope in different ways otherwise we will be too exhausted to lift our head. Look for the good, there is some out there and there are still some people working fervently to create a better world. 

Building Climate Solutions... No Building Walls

     The recent inauguration of Donald Trump in 2025 leaves us questioning if our current government elects even ponder the current state of climate change on our planet. Often times I surround myself with friends and family who see the current natural disasters such as the fires in California and the cold fronts in Michigan. For everyday people just in my small bubble to regard the current state of weather and still question will climate change affect me? Or even ponder on if climate change is actually tangible. According 

to NASA "Global temperatures in 2024 were 2.30 degrees Fahrenheit (1.28 degrees Celsius) above the agency’s 20th-century baseline (1951-1980), which tops the record set in 2023. The new record comes after 15 consecutive months (June 2023 through August 2024) of monthly temperature records — an unprecedented heat streak." With this continual data of record temperature's as well as natural disasters, awareness needs to be brought to this matter.

    Donald Trump is one of the most important figures on the planet currently. Climate change being one of the other most important matters on the planet, we would yearn the two would align. Trump and his team cogitate on their project 2025 plan in ways such as working to stop the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Their plan to support gas, oil, and coal instead of partaking in action to use solar or wind energy can cause extreme damage to the state of our planet. Efforts to draw back on programs such as EV hummer production in the U.S.. 

    Trumps approach and lack of attention to the current climate solution highlights using fossil fuels instead of attempting a more clean aspect of using renewable energy. Trumps plan to remove from the Paris climate accords and expand liquefied natural gas exports would heavily support the oil and gas industry while undercutting the shift to renewables in places like Asia. This careless approach of drilling instead of yearning for clean energy approaches will cause set backs in the state of our planet as well as slowing down any current efforts being made. 

    It is frustrating that our country would choose someone to be in charge that will ultimately set us back in the process of  protecting our planet from this climate process. Seeing projects such as building walls or lack of human decency being put forward over saving the only plant we have is extremely concerning. Ask yourself and others what is more important to you saving our planet or building a wall to keep others out of our country? How can we build a wall if we don't have a planet to live on? Focus and awareness needs to be brought to this topic. The current lack of attention to our climate state leads us to worry what will be left of our planet in the future? 

Using Self-Healing” Concrete to Combat Climate Change in Construction

Many are in awe of the beauty and historical value of ancient Roman architecture; however, what is most impressive about these structures is their resilience. Despite centuries of climate change, concrete structures like the Parthenon and the Colosseum were able to endure more than the majority of modern structures today, which civil engineers and architects anticipate to remain in good condition for approximately 50 years. Research led by scientists at Harvard and MIT found, after analyzing the makeup of this concrete, that it contained lime clasts. Lime clasts are small chunks of white mineral deposits that contain calcium oxide and gave this ancient concrete “self-healing” capabilities.

Despite how it sounds, this idea of structures being self-healing is not magic but a simple scientific chemical process. When concrete begins to crack due to weathering over time or various freeze-thaw cycles (especially due to climate change), the quicklime in these lime clasts begins to create a chemical reaction with water and causes a recrystallization of calcium carbonate that seals the cracks that appear in the concrete.

Not only could this prove beneficial for roadways and bridges to prevent minor cracks and create buildings that are more structurally sound, but it could also help reduce emissions that are worsening climate change. Cement production accounts for about 8% of greenhouse gas emissions. Modern-day concrete is created with a variety of aggregates and cement, which is the ‘glue’ that holds the aggregate together and gives concrete its strength. The downside to this process is this mixture needs to be heated at 2,642 degrees Fahrenheit (1,450 degrees Celsius), causing an abundance of carbon to be released into the atmosphere from burning fuel. The ancient Romans, however, used heated lime in even lesser quantities to create clumps of lime clasts to mix into their concrete, which only needed to be baked at 1,652 degrees Fahrenheit (900 degrees Celsius), producing a substantially lower amount of carbon emissions due to the lack of fuel needed. Not only does the process of creating this concrete produce less emissions, but its healing properties would prevent the reconstruction of previously built infrastructure, saving time and additional emissions.

There are startup concrete companies in the process of utilizing this method of construction, claiming that this method is not only less carbon-costly but less expensive than the current self-healing concrete that has been produced. Approximately 19 billion tons of concrete are being used around the world annually. Creating concrete that is not only more sustainable but creates a smaller carbon footprint would be a huge step in the right direction to combat climate change and carbon emissions.

Even Youth are working and caring for our crumbling world

In order to invite actual change in our future every person must do their part and accept that change needs to start now. The most powerful and important people to insight this change are the youth of today. They are the ones that will be most impacted by climate change and its nasty effects on the planet. UNICEF outlines a great number of youth advocates that are working to create change in each of their countries. One of the most popular and well known is Greta Thunberg, but several others should be mentioned as well. 

María is a young girl in Mexico. In her 19 years she has seen so much change and negative effects of climate change in her view, one such instance is the water crisis in many parts of Mexico. With this water crisis comes droughts and fires to fly across the country. One quote from María is “To preserve water, we have to preserve the forests.” She is so right about this and the crisis that she talks about is real, even if we here in the midwest might not see the effects in this way. 

 This image comes from NASA depicting the water situation in 2021. The image is a little outdated, but it shows the extremity of the situation that María is talking about. The severity of this situation is not something that we can ignore and it is terrifying to think about. 

Another young activist comes from the Caribbean nation of Dominica.  Russell Raymond is a 17 year old man and a reporter on climate related issues. After the terrifying effects of Hurricane Maria in 2017, he has used his camera to document the issues and impacts of the hurricane. He is an advocate for alternative energy sources saying that “alternative forms of energy like solar energy and wind…can stop climate change or at least put a dent in it.” The strength of Maria was a category 5 with winds up to 75 mph. This is such a crazy storm and they are getting more and more common. If we think about the past year here in the US, there were multiple hurricanes that demolished southern cities and forced many people from their homes. This is the kind of danger and thing that did not happen, or at least with this much intensity before climate change began to become a major issue.  

Another activist that is up and coming  is from the Philippines. Her name is Mitzi Jonelle Tan. She has been fighting for climate justice since COVID-19 and the hurricanes that hit her country. Her approach focuses more on the people that are affected. For instance, she would help feed the hungry and just be there to support them. One quote from her that is quite inspiring is, “This isn’t just about weather and the environment, It’s about justice.” Mitzi is right about this. With climate justice there is such a big focus on the globe that the people are forgotten. In reality we need to be thinking about everyone and everything involved. 

From Zimbabwe, there is  Nkosi who is another activist who at 17 years old has witnessed climate change first hand. He wants to make more people aware of what is really going on and how climate change can impact the world. He says that “there’s no other time for acting than now.” This is such a powerful and true narrative that we all need to be thinking about in our activism and thoughts about climate change and justice. Waiting to do something is not going to help with the problem, it might actually invite the problem to get worse.    

Climate Solutions: The Paris Climate Agreement

Climate change has been a growing global issue that has worsened over recent decades due to extreme human interventions. Detrimental climate impacts due to accumulative human activity are currently in effect, including frequent droughts, wildfires, heatwaves, rainfall, and hurricanes all of heightened severity. These causes are predicted to intensify without a global initiative to lower greenhouse gas emissions, and soon. However, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) adopted the Paris Climate Agreement in December 2015; a treaty that legally binds participating international countries in cooperative efforts to meet climate goals. 

The Paris Climate Agreement evaluates international greenhouse gas emissions to develop necessary climate implementations. The continual rise of unsustainable industrialization has contributed to massive amounts of greenhouse gases, requiring a 43% decline in emissions by 2030 and limiting global warming to 2.7°F (1.5°C) above pre-industrial levels. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that crossing the 2.7°F temperature threshold risks increasing detrimental environmental impacts. 

The Paris Climate Agreement relies on science to transform economic and social sectors and develop plans to tackle the climate crisis. It works on a five-year cycle, with each country expected to submit a national climate action plan, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), every five years. These climate actions include solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or efforts to build resilience to adapt to rising temperatures. This cycle enables the participating countries to take responsibility for their individual emissions and encourage international communications, ultimately contributing to global climate restoration. Developments contain sustainable alternatives that impact all areas of mitigation, adaptation, and finance – an example being a call on governments to make a quicker transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. The Paris Agreement also invites countries to submit non-mandatory formulations of long-term strategies. 

Cooperation between the involved countries is crucial to enact substantial impact. A provided framework by the Paris Climate Agreement offers financial, technological, and capacity-building support to those who need it. Additionally, the established Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), starting in 2024, requires countries to report climate action transparency of their progress in climate change mitigation, adaptation measures, and incoming and outgoing support. The ETF tracks the overall progress and provides international procedures upon a review of submitted reports. This information feeds into the Global Stocktake which will assess the collective progress across all countries and their contributions toward long-term climate goals; leading to recommendations for more ambitious future projects. 

The Paris Climate Agreement has shown achievements since its entry to reach the main goal of mitigating and reducing climate change impacts. Additional low-carbon solutions and new markets have been created to encourage essential climate action and developmental projects. A growing number of countries, cities, and regions worldwide are establishing goals to obtain climate neutrality, with zero-carbon solutions becoming more competitive across economic sectors representing 25% of emissions. This statistic is mostly influenced by power and transportation efforts and has formed new business opportunities. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) predicts this trend could be competitive in sectors representing 70% of global emissions through zero-carbon emissions by 2030. 

The Paris Climate Agreement offers hope for tackling climate change by encouraging global cooperation. It brings countries together with a shared goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the challenges of a warming planet. By promoting innovation, policy changes, and sustainable practices, the agreement shows that meaningful progress is possible through collective action. It emphasizes both the urgency of the issue and the power of unity in building a sustainable future.

Climate Change Impacts Extinction

Destruction of Wildlife from Climate Change:

If someone asked you to list ten species on the verge of extinction, would you get all ten? Would you get five? When talking about climate change, the conversation surrounds the possible effects and consequences for our future. Most don't realize that the damage is happening. Since 1970, wildlife populations have declined on average by 73%. This isn't exclusive to just animals. All kinds of species are endangered because of the increasing temperatures. According to Martha Gill, 46,000 species face extinction including more than a third of the planet's trees. 

In late 1980s early 1990s, people stopped talking about saving whales and rainforests and began talking about the increase in the earth's temperature. Global warming/Climate change became the headlines over the Save the Whales campaign. 

Not a lot has been done about climate change. Very small moves have been made and every new crisis campaign that comes out, lasts a short amount of time before something else occupies the headlines. There is 8 times more coverage on the climate crisis than biodiversity loss. Where does this issue lie? 

It lies in our minds. The idea of climate change is a slow moving, long process. There is no sense of urgency. If the conversation focused on the deaths of those affected and the current impacts, it's more likely that people will listen. 

Endangered Animals: 

Some species who have been lost since 2015, are the golden toad, the Pinta giant tortoise, the mountain mist frog, and several bats and birds. 

The list for critically endangered animals in 2025 only gets longer. According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are 17 animal species critically endangered and 29 listed as endangered. The list they offer is multiple pages of animals endangered, vulnerable, and near threatened. Each animal listed has facts about them, their habitats and around how many are left. 

Critically Endangered:

Amur Leopard (84), Black Rhino (6,500), Bornean Orangutang (104,700), Cross River Gorilla (200-300), Javan Rhino (76), Sumatran Elephant (2,400-2,800), Vaquita Dolphin (10), and Yangtze Finless Porpoise (1,000-1,800).

Endangered:

African Wild Dog (1,409), Black-footed ferret (370), Galapagos Penguin (2,000), Ganges River Dolphin (3,500-5,000), Red Panda (10,000), Tiger (5,574), and North Atlantic Whales (400).

What can we do?

The heat of our planet is rising, species all over the world are going extinct, and death is around every corner. So how do we help? What comes first? The animals or the temperature of the planet? 

Even slightest temperature changes can wipe out entire ecosystems. We can't save species without dealing with the temperature of the planet, but we can't control the temperature without the help from nature. 

As small it may seem, the most we can do is plant trees, increase the growth of species that survive on CO2 to help decrease the temperatures needed for others to survive. Only then will we be able to save the animals in need. 

A Change In Range: Michigan Residents

 How often do you think about the action being taken to provide justice to the animals that are continuously being displaced due to climate change?

The Nature Conservancy in Michigan speaks about plant and animal species that are being affected by climate change and the action being taken to support them here in our very own state. The animal that intrigued me the most was the red fox. Fox are known for their adaptability and cleverness. What does that mean for migration? As the Earth warms and water rises, flooding increases, and red fox dens are frequently flooded leaving them to find new homes. It is said that some species of plants and animals are traveling 11 miles north and 36 feet higher in elevation each decade in response to the shifts in climate. 

Over the past 10 years The Nature Conservancy has mapped landscapes throughout the United States to help withstand climate impacts which includes Michigan's Michigamme Highlands. However, despite continuing efforts, the red fox makes its pursuits north. 

An article in the Chicago Tribune states that many fox species have been seen in urban areas due to pressure in the forests and woodlands. Fox living in hotter cities tend to have less access to vegetation which makes the struggle for survival even more apparent. Still, the red fox, and other fox species, press on to find more sustainable climates. 

The Climate Change Exhibition in the Museum of Natural History predicts the impact the very adaptable red fox may have on the arctic fox. As the arctic warms, it provides more sources of food, which is appealing to the red fox. In past years the tundra would have been too hostile for the red fox to survive as their longer limbs cause them to lose heat much faster. With the temperature in the arctic rising it is more hospitable to the red fox. No one knows if the red fox and arctic fox can coexist but in some areas the number of arctic fox decreases as the number of red fox increases. It seems as though the only place the arctic fox would be unthreatened is Greenland where red fox are rare. 

Michigan places great significance on protecting biodiversity and preserving endangered and threatened species. There is a constantly growing demand for sustaining landscapes that provide ample food and shelter for these constantly acclimating animals.

Unfortunately, the red fox isn't the only animal moving north. As the arctic melts and water and temperatures rise, animals are displaced. The red fox happens to be my favorite North American wild animal and as selfish as it sounds, it would be great to keep them where I can enjoy them. As long as they're benefitted by the environment and the environment benefits from them. 

Trump's Newest Office Job

 With Trump officially taking office, the time for change and activism has run out. Many people upset with him taking office have started protests and riots against the newly sworn-in President. 

Within hours of Trump taking office, he immediately pulled out of several essential groups. Firstly he withdrew from the World Health Organization, secondly pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement which the United States has worked tirelessly to remain in. This agreement is a swear-in policy of countries working to lower emissions, and to help reduce climate change. Only a few countries worldwide are not in this agreement including Iran and Liberia. 

Pulling out of this agreement will have devastating impacts on the global climate, where we are currently. Without politicians and companies focusing on uplifting green acts and renewable energy, we are likely to continue seeing the devastating impacts of climate change and rising global temperatures. These hotter temperatures are accompanied by a thick insulated layer in the atmosphere, which traps heat and greenhouse gasses inside, increasing the temperatures and staying hotter. 

“The Paris Climate Accord is simply the latest example of Washington entering into an agreement that disadvantages the United States to the exclusive benefit of other countries, leaving American workers — who I love — and taxpayers to absorb the cost in terms of lost jobs, lower wages, shuttered factories, and vastly diminished economic production.”

-Donald Trump

With Trump pulling out of this agreement, we are ultimately looking at a much more rapid descent into climate change and global warming. We have seen several storms and climate change patterns accumulating in places we normally don’t have. New Orleans is not only getting snow for the first time in decades but also having a reported 18 inches and more. The Southern States are reporting weather patterns unusual for this time of the year. Snow and ice in places that usually are safe havens for these cold fronts, beaches covered in snow. 

Many of the protests accompanying Trump taking office are activities fighting for climate change and global warming prevention. Many of the non-scientific opposing sides claim that because some places are getting record cold temperatures Trump must be correct about global warming being a hoax. However, part of global warming is that the increased heat temperatures cause the ice caps and glaciers to thaw and disperse their cold weather-causing motions. 

Before President Biden left office, he had been pushing a wide variety of beneficial acts against climate change and global warming like renewable energies, and forcing companies to have caps/limits on their pollution outcomes. Trump however has stated that he sides with the big businesses and will be removing these green acts and positions that the previous Presidents have pushed for.

Tropical Storms + Climate Activism

 Hurricanes, typhoons and monsoons have been an increasingly common natural disasters that plague countries such as the Philippines, China, and Japan. Climate change, especially in recent years has been a contributing factor in the amount and severity of typhoon's, and typhoon adjacent storms these areas. In light of typhoon and monsoon seasons in recent years, climate change activists both within and outside of these impacted regions of the world work to inform and take action against the soon to be irreversible damages that the current climate crisis are drawing us nearer to. 

Tropical Storms and Climate Change's Impact

In an article posted by BBC it is discussed by Mark Poynting a Cambridge academic and BBC Climate Researcher residing in the United Kingdom how tropical cyclones have slowed over time, causing more rainfall to cover small areas quicker as well as warmer temperatures increasing the rate at which the ocean is warming and as a result, later increasing wind speeds.

Activism in Response to Typhoons in the Philippines 

Those who are passionate about climate activism were quick to jump into action after the storm entitled Haiyan. Two activist accounts stuck out, especially one of a survivor of the Typhoon Haiyan. Her name being Joanna Sustento. Sustento was a leader of a protest outside of Shell in the Phillippines, where she calls for the cease of, or at least reduction of fossil fuel use in the modern industry. Sustento also turns to Greenpeace, a collection of non-profit organizations focused on preserving planet earth to give commentary on her beliefs surrounding climate change and fossil fuel companies responsibility in the issue stating "We need to hold companies accountable for fueling climate change and raise the alarm for climate justice" Sustento said.

Similar to the values Sustento displays, a collaboration between Unicef and Fridays for Future a global movement first started in Sweden but has made its way across our planet. A video posted on YouTube showcases Mizi explaining the damages caused by the tropical storms and typhoons in the Philippines as well as the work she completed as a climate activist both learning about climate change impacts and assisting in the recovery on those fending on little in the wake of these storms. Mizi stood alongside fellow communal voices as did Sustento during her protest directed towards Shell. Most notably, responses to tropical storms that I've observed within this region require a lot of communal cooperation and willpower to pull together protests, groups of individuals to repair and cook, and clean for those who underwent severe flooding and structural damage to their homes and businesses. 

In areas where climate change is not accelerating the fire our society attempts to harness, it has begun to accelerate flooding and has already destroyed vast landmasses, structures, and homes. When keeping the progression of climate change in mind, without further action it is likely we will see a steady increase in these tropical events and in less likely places. Hopefully with the right minds and enough cooperation, this climate change driven weather trend can be stopped or at least altered slightly.

The Financial Impact of Climate Change

Climate change causes extreme damages to the world around us. Damages to the environment, human and animal health, and so much more. With these damages comes a cost, higher repair costs for the more damage done. Climate change imposes financial issues globally. Have you ever thought about how much money it takes to bounce back from these extreme damages?

In the United States alone, the total cost of climate disasters between 2018-2022 exceeds $617 billion. 2022 is currently the United States' most costly year on record with a total cost of $176 billion. The event that costed the most was Hurricane Ian that covered around $120 billion of the $176 billion.

Between 1990 and 2019, an average of 6 natural disasters causing more than $1 billion in damages occurred per year. With a total annual loss of just under $50 billion per YEAR. 

One of the most recent natural disasters being the California wildfires has taken quite the toll on residents and neighboring cities. Residents had to pack up and leave their homes, only to come back to no home at all. Homes, businesses, and land were destroyed during these wildfires. Leaving thousands of people without homes, jobs, and so much more. In fact, a couple of days ago Governor Newson signed a relief package for Los Angeles granting $2.5 billion to help with the relief process.

 

These disasters also raise the prices of consumer goods, which increases household strain. Droughts, wildfires, and other natural disasters can affect agriculture and production, increasing costs due to shortages. Because the United Stated imports a heavy amount of consumer goods, citizens are paying both foreign and domestic cost increases. 

Another household financial strain that causes worry is the increase in energy costs. The increased need for heating and air conditioning due to extreme temperature changes can cause utility bills to sky-rocket. 

Business owners are at the brute end of these disasters as they lose out on their overall income and support. The loss of these jobs not only affect employers but also employees. 

 

A major component of these disasters is the financial downfall of the residents and the loss of their jobs. While these disasters destroy not only their homes but the places of which they work they have to find new ways to make money. Some people actually migrate elsewhere to restart their lives and try to gain sustainability in other parts of the country or world. Employers as well are out of money while they wait for their companies or businesses to be rebuilt and operating again. 

Trump’s Environmental Implications

Executive Orders with a Downside
    Trump has started his presidency with an ambitious set of executive orders within his first week. He anticipates putting around 100 into play over his first couple weeks, nearly twenty on his first day alone. Such orders include deportations, border security, gender policies, and vaccine mandates. On the environmental hand, Trump has stated his intention to remove the United States from global climate agreements, increase the use of fossil fuels, cut funds for environmental protection efforts, and change the leadership of those who would make further decisions in this area.



    These executive orders and plans have made many people afraid of what will come next, environmentalists are among those who worry. Trump has openly had an anti-science standpoint and a lot of this is seen through his lack of acknowledgment of the climate crisis. Scientists expect a lot of attacks on their climate change research in upcoming years. His executive orders are already encompassing his dismissal of the importance for environmental action.

Exiting The Paris Agreement
    One of the orders, as mentioned above, was the United States exiting the Paris Agreement. Trump exited the agreement during his first term and Biden re-entered, so this comes as no surprise. The Paris Agreement is a plan to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius in order to control global warming. He wanted to separate the United States from this because he felt it wasted the American taxpayer’s dollar. Saving the country’s money is excellent but what is the true cost of this? The unfortunate cost of this is not a dollar amount.

Plans for Fossil Fuels
    Trump plans to prioritize fossil fuel use and its projects. He is rolling back on many of Biden’s protective, environmental measures and rather replacing them with intentions of increasing oil drilling. His choices are, again, made with money in mind. He wants to lower prices for Americans for such products, gas essentially. He wants to make this nation a rich one and prove that the United States is the leader in oil and gas. These directly undo Biden’s plans and hopes for a cleaner energy source becoming mainstream.



    Much of the fossil fuel work will be seen in Alaska where Trump plans to pass more permits for sites and create more energy products there. Exploring and developing more in Alaska will undoubtedly impact wildlife, like trees, which further brings us backwards in the climate area because these natural places are great carbon sinks which we benefit from.

New Leadership's Repercussions
    Cutting funds for environmental efforts is going hand in hand with some of the new appointees Trump has. Lee Zeldin is the nominee for the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency. Now most people probably don’t think anyone would do harm under such a role, right? Well, Zeldin supports Trump’s plans to increase the use of oil and gas which has no benefit to the climate changes. Zeldin also shares Trump’s ambitious economic goals which are placed above the environmental priority. These gentlemen wish to have America prosper financially. He does state that he will monitor and work towards achieving both a prosperous economy and fossil fuel industry, while maintaining clean air and water. Both would be wonderful, we will continue to see how these plans play out.