Election day happened nearly a month ago. 

Since then, the Republican Party has secured a trifecta. The Republican Party will regain control of the Senate and the Executive Branch, under President-elect Donald Trump, in January. They will remain in control of the House.

Previously, I detailed what a second Trump Administration could mean for the environment. Among Mr. Trump’s Day 1 Policies are his commitments to “Drill, Baby, Drill”, in reference to oil, and to roll back environmental protections & government regulations for companies to become more environmentally friendly. He’s also vowed to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord, undo parts of the Inflation Reduction Act and to dismantle the EPA. (Full article and sources cited linked here.)

In recent events, the nomination of Matt Gaetz to the position of Attorney General by Mr. Trump looked to be a loyalty test of the Republican members of the Senate. After his withdrawal from the nomination amidst allegations of sexual assault, the loyalty of many Republican senators of the 118th Congress to Mr. Trump (that Mr. Trump needs in order to pursue his policies) remains untested. It is unclear exactly what policies from Mr. Trump’s agenda will be accomplished. What is clear, however, is that Mr. Trump intends to pursue these policies, and he never accepts “no” for an answer.

The future of environmental progress will be left in the hands of the red—the Republican Party. Donald Trump may leave the world bleeding, he may open wounds barely taped shut by the Biden Administration, or he could use his red, Republican, trifecta to advance progress towards environmental justice &  stability. 

Mr. Trump, the power is in your hands (as you very well know).

We, as citizens, still must do our part to preserve the health of our planet.

~ Seamus Haney

Understanding the Plant-Based Meat Argument: a Three Part Analysis

Over the course of the next couple of weeks, The Leaflet will be examining three impacts of the choice to switch to plant-based meat. The issue of whether to switch to a plant-based meat diet is a contemporary one. The correct decision is not always clear, often offering a different conclusion depending on who you are. Over the course of the next couple of issues, The Leaflet will examine three major impacts of the choice to switch to plant-based meat—the impact on the planet’s health, animal health, and your health. We will ultimately discuss drawbacks to the switch as well. We want to inform you of the impacts of switching to a plant-based meat diet, so that you can make the best decision for who you are. 

The Planet: Land, Air, and Sea

Land

The land-efficiency of plant-based protein cannot go unmentioned. A shift entirely to plant-based proteins could free up as much as two times as much land as India and China combined (Our World in Data). Yes, you heard that correctly. This land could go towards efforts of increasing biodiversity or mitigating the effects of deforestation in other parts of the world. The possibilities with all this land are truly endless.

Air

At the forefront of arguments for plant-based meat is its ability to lower greenhouse gases (GHG). This argument holds absolute validity. Meat and dairy production currently accounts for 14.5% of global GHG emissions (CarbonBrief). To put this figure into perspective, cutting just 11% of this 14.5% by 2035 (Meat and dairy production now representing 12.9% of global GHG emissions), is the equivalent of decarbonizing the entire aviation industry (BCG).

Switching to plant-based meat helps lower this figure substantially. If the world were to substitute half of the global protein market with alternative proteins (plant-based meat), “agriculture and land-use GHG emissions would decline by 31 percent by 2050” (Nature). 

What’s more, shifting to plant-based meat could prevent up to 12,000 deaths related to air pollution in the United States alone (The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). 

Sea

Roughly two billion people live in countries with inadequate water supply (UNICEF). Simply put, an individual switching to a plant-based diet can cut his/her water consumption by 50% (Clean Water). Plant protein requires far less water than animal protein to cultivate, leading to this drastic decrease in water consumption (Kibo Foods).

A shift to plant-based proteins can also significantly reduce high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in our waterways that ultimately impairs water quality by stimulating the growth of algae (FAO).

These are some of the impacts to the health of the planet of the switch to plant-based meat. As seen, there are no negatives to the health of the planet with the switch, compared to the production of animal-based meat. Of course, the farming of the plants used for plant-based meat still requires resources (water, energy, land, etc.), but compared with methods used to procure its animal equivalent, the resources that plant-based meat requires are significantly less.

We look forward to providing you with a further analysis of the decision to switch to plant-based meat in further issues.

~ Seamus Haney

Donating Blood as a Metaphor for Caring for the Environment

A random act of service I find myself repeatedly drawn to is donating blood. There’s something about the cleanliness, order, and efficiency of the experience that draws me to donating. Much greater is the feeling I get knowing that I helped someone upon completing a donation. Admittedly, receiving a $30 gift card has been a great incentive for me to donate as well. 

Only recently have I begun to compare my passion for caring for the environment with my habit of donating blood. I would like to explore this connection I’ve made in this article.

1. We are all connected. By donating blood, we are recognizing and working to preserve the sanctity of another human life. By caring for the environment, we are working for the good of all people, regardless of any race or religion. Solidarity is a theme underlying this point.

2. Communication & Collaboration. We cannot complete a blood donation alone, and we most certainly cannot save our planet by our own individual efforts. We have to work together to make a difference, once again regardless of race or religion.

3. Life-giving elixir. Blood serves a similar function to our bodies as water does to our planet. Both flow through their respective systems and serve to give life to each individual component working to uphold the stability of its system. 

4. Setting a precedent. Donating blood and working to save our planet both are not easy. They require a level of sacrifice not everyone has the time nor will to make. By doing these hard things, however, we are setting a precedent for others to work in similar ways to uphold the sanctity of life. 

A single blood donation can save up to three lives. Learn more about donating and sign-up here. 

Some ideas behind this article were guided by Earth Charter.

The earth image behind the American Red Cross logo was pulled from Wikipedia.

~ Seamus Haney

The Leaflet’s Simple Steps to Sustainability

Be mindful about what lights you leave on this week.

One of the simplest steps to reduce your environmental impact is to be mindful of the amount of energy you pull from the grid. One of the easiest ways to do this is to turn lights off when they are not in use.

Not only does turning off your lights save the environment some aches and pains, but it may save you from a more daunting electricity bill in the future.

This Week’s Recycling Tip: Wax

A few weeks ago, I received a letter from a friend. Without any name on the front, I still knew immediately which friend had sent it to me by the wax seal placed over the fold of the envelope.

I ripped the wax seal off ready to see what was inside. I enjoyed his note very much, but then I began to wonder what I do with the wax seal. Should I recycle it? Should I compost it?

Upon researching the dilemma, I found that I had two options:

1. I could melt the wax and reuse it for something else.

2. I could find what kind of wax he had used and figure out if it was compostable.

My research concluded that wax isn’t recyclable by throwing it in the bin, but it is reusable (you can melt it down and repurpose it for these 5 projects) . What I had also found is that some types of waxes are compostable, and some are not. The types of wax that are compostable are any type of naturally made wax, such as beeswax, coconut wax, or soy-based wax (Green Match, Greenwashing Index).

Waxes that aren’t compostable are paraffin and microcrystalline waxes, commonly found in items such as Babybel Cheeses (The Roundup).

When in doubt about the type of wax you are dealing with, do as much research as you can. If you still cannot reach a conclusion, throw it away in the trash or reuse it. It is best not to engage in wishful recycling because this could jam machines and slow down the recycling process further down the line. Wishful recycling, however, is a topic to be explored in-depth in another issue.

You May Also Like:

1. The Morning, The New York Times - A Climate Change details Trump’s climate agenda once more, this time analyzing how his nominations to the bureaucracy could further the success of his proposed agenda.

2.  E2 - A nonpartisan group creating solutions that balance success of the economy and the health of the environment.

Helpful Links for Your Own Research

1. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

2. Omaha Recycling Guide

3. Calculate Your Carbon Footprint

Thank you for reading this issue of The Leaflet.

The Leaflet is not affiliated with any organization or school.

Newsletter produced by Seamus Haney