Good morning and welcome to the eighth edition of The Leaflet.

Five days ago was Valentine’s Day. A day meant not only meant as a reminder to love those around us, but to love ourselves as well. Today, we call you to love your planet along with it. In this issue, we have written three short articles surrounding the concepts of what it means to love the planet, to (not) love your neighbors, and to love yourself.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

Silent Spring in the Present Day

During my time at St. Pius X/St. Leo School, as a student in the sixth grade, one of my assignments was to read from Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. The book chronicles the effects of DDT, a pesticide used to control insects in neighborhoods and farms, on everything in the ecosystem that it touches. 

One of the book’s most famous chapters narrates the silence of a small town that had been “silenced” from the effects of DDT. No children, birds, crickets or bugs made any noise. DDT had killed everything. 

The book, ironically, produced one of the biggest reverberations Rachel Carson could have hoped to produce. The book shook the world upon its release, sparking incredibly potent reactions both in favor and against the book’s arguments. The book helped spark the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and raised a whole new awareness surrounding the effects of pesticides and herbicides on the environment. Most importantly, it forced millions of Americans to consider their impact on the environment. 

But, Silent Spring came out sixty three years ago. It sparked an incredible flame in the sixties, but where have those embers burned since?

One sector in which these embers still burn is in the health sector. One of the biggest reasons for the use of DDT was that it was intended to protect and even improve human health, and only kill the bad bugs and diseases. Kids would run behind the DDT truck because it was thought to be the safest place to be. DDT was used in the light of improving human health, not the health of anyone/anything else. 

The health industry is changing this mindset. A framework titled “One Health” has begun to take form in the medical community. The prevailing mindset behind the idea is analyzing how various medical treatments and practices impact the lives of other organisms. Human life is not to be thought of separately, but rather in the context of all other living beings. 

Additionally, at the time of the first applications of DDT, virtually no research was done as to the environmental effects of DDT. Now, with the swift rise of Artificial Intelligence, the environmental impact of this technology has been a prevailing concern, and research has been conducted appropriately. There is hope in this regard.

Although pesticides and herbicides continue to be a threat to our ecosystems, and new technologies are launched into our lives with little consideration for their impact on the environment, Silent Spring still continues to burn. There is still much work to be done, but at the very least, the fact that there is a continuous discussion about the environment, a discussion ignited by Rachel Carson, continues to warm the hearts of those who care for the environment. 

~ Seamus Haney

Love Your Neighbors

Disclaimer - This article is about the new environmental policies as they relate to Indigenous communities. Trump has enacted or threatened to enact other policies related to funding for affordable housing, job equity and birthright citizenship; all of which especially impact native communities. For more information on these I have linked this article that goes more in depth on the other potential issues facing tribes.

For many Indigenous communities, the Trump administration's environmental policies are a chilling reminder of the past and a very real threat to the future. Only 21 days into the Trump presidency and the refrain of “drill baby drill” has become a disturbingly loud part of national discourse. So far, Trump has eliminated decades of environmental regulation going so far as to overrule Carter-era policies that required federal agencies to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). He has also issued an executive order called “Unleashing American Energy” that repeals many environmental requirements for the fossil fuel industry and leaves many communities vulnerable to corporate exploitation. 

In the past 15 years, Indigenous communities all over the nation have gained back parts of their ancestral land through the Land Buyback Program for Tribal Nations, an Obama program that came in the wake of Cobell V. Salazar, a Supreme Court case that forced the U.S government to pay back over 300,000 Indian bank accounts that had been held in trust with the federal government. This allowed many tribes to return to parts of their lands at a fractional cost and to have greater control over the industrial usage of their homes. However, while these lands cannot be taken back by the new administration, the wellbeing of those living in both these newly reclaimed lands as well as on established reservations, are deeply at risk.

An extremely practical example of this is the recent Executive Order that would give the federal government the ability to essentially control the Californian water supply under the guise of giving assistance to the victims of the recent LA Fires. However, conflating the need for fire preparedness in cities with the management of water for drinking and farming disproportionately benefits companies that farm crops that require excessive amounts of water like lemons and almonds. This thinly disguised ploy to help big-agra will come at the cost of environmental protection of Indian lands and loss of income for many tribes

 One of the implications of this order is the expansion of the Shasta Dam and the implementation of the Delta Conveyance Project. The Shasta Dam is an already controversial dam that currently lies on sacred Winnemem Wintu ground and, if expanded, will cause even more damage to the local salmon population which is not only integral to Wintu culture, but also provides a consistent source of revenue for the tribe. The Delta Conveyance Project is an older proposed pipeline that would move freshwater from the Sacramento River to be used by the state for agricultural purposes. This would destroy the largest estuary on the west coast and would severely damage the habitat of many already endangered and protected species that have been part of the surrounding indigenous culture for centuries.

Outside of California, many Great Plains tribes are worried about the possibility of the reopening of the Keystone XL Pipeline (KXL). The Keystone XL Pipeline would replace the already built Keystone Pipeline as the main conduit to move oil from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. However, the Keystone XL would cross over 340 bodies of water that provide drinking water, not just to the Indigenous tribes that rely on them, but to millions of people living in the Midwest and Rockies. Furthermore, the movement of the required materials for the pipeline would encroach on protected prairies. Because of these concerns, Indigenous rights organization NARF (Native American Rights Fund), represented the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and filed a lawsuit against the company that was going to build the pipeline, TransCanada Energy in 2018. In January 2021, after years of legal disputes, the Biden administration revoked the permit that allowed for KXL to be built, effectively ending the chances of the pipeline returning. However, despite having already been scrapped by the company that was going to make it, the new administration has stated that resuscitating the project is “on the list of things they want to do on the first day.” Fortunately, it will be an uphill battle for the new administration if they are seriously wanting to reopen KXL due to the lack of public support and disinterest from investors.

Environmental preservation is integral to the culture of many Native tribes across the continent, Furthermore, it is those very same tribes that are the most vulnerable to climate change and environmental exploitation. That is why Trump’s rollback of so many regulatory policies, as well his fervent love for fossil fuels, are especially worrying.

~ Benjamin Whealy

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

In previous issues, we’ve examined how an individual’s decision to consume plant-based meat impacts the health of the environment and the health of animals. For many of us, however, a more pressing concern is what the decision does to our own health. In this article, we will explore this topic. None of the suggestions included are of any sound medical advice.

Plant-based meat has long been held in high regard for its ability to boost your immune system, increase fiber, reduce inflammation, maintain a healthy body weight, etc. (MD Anderson Cancer Center) But then again, so do exercise and good sleep for the most part. So how healthy are plant-based meats really?

Which system of measurement you use to determine the “healthiness” of a food product will yield different results in the debate between plant and animal-based meat (i.e. giving more weight to the importance of calories vs. fat content). Likewise, which product of plant-based meat you consume will yield different results in the debate between plant and animal-based meat. Similarly, taking into consideration your own health concerns and exercise habits may also lead you to a different conclusion. 

In general, however, plant based meat is healthier than animal-based meat for your body. This is based on the Australian Government’s Health Star Rating (The George Institute). This is because plant-based meat generally has “significantly less saturated fat and sodium, as well as more fibre than meat products.” Plant-based meat also generally has a marginally less calorie count, but generally contains more sugar. It is important to take note of the use of the word “generally” because this is certainly not always the case when comparing products. In many cases, sodium and saturated fat content can be much higher in plant-based meats than in animal-based meats. 

An important aspect of plant-based meats is that they are heavily processed. From an unscientific, ignorant perspective, I can’t imagine it is easy to turn a potato into a filet-mignon, so I’d imagine a lot of processing has to go on to get to this point. In general, processed foods (especially ultra-processed foods like plant-based meats) are less advantageous for your health than non-processed foods. In plant-based meats, the processing generally involves adding sugars, “flavour enhancers like monosodium glutamate, emulsifiers like soy or sunflower lecithin, and other chemical additives to make them look and taste like meat and dairy (World Cancer Research Fund).

It is worth noting, however, that many of the meat products that we eat on a consistent basis (chicken nuggets, McDonald’s, etc.) are highly processed. Therefore, plant-based meat is always going to be highly processed, but animal-based meat can be as well. 

Despite this high level of processing, plant-based meats generally (note use) lack important micronutrients, such as iron, vitamin B12 and zinc (The George Institute). Plant-based meat can also lack certain amino acids (once again depending on the product) (MDPI). It’s important to make sure your daily diet includes all nine essential amino acids.

To paint a picture as to the healthiness of plant-based protein is impossible with any degree of accuracy. As noted previously, there are many factors that play into the healthiness of plant-based meat—the specific product, your health factors, the weight you place onto certain micro and macronutrients in your food, and how plant-based meat fits into your overall diet. Although generally plant-based meat is considered healthier, the decision ultimately rests on its ability to serve your needs and wants. If you are considering switching to a plant-based meat diet, consider these factors listed above and do your own research. 

As in all decisions in life, do what’s right for you. Whether you make the decision to switch to plant-based meat based on its effect on the health of the planet, on animals, or on your own body or you stick with animal-based meat, we encourage you to do your own research and make the best decision for you. Thank you for reading this series. 

~ Seamus Haney

The Leaflet’s Simple Steps to Sustainability

A core tenant to the argument surrounding the idea of sustainability is recycling. This topic has been mentioned countless times in this newsletter and I am sure you are no stranger to the idea of recycling.

One aspect of recycling that is often overlooked is recycling the resources we have in our bodies. Our bodies are an incredible network of organs and cells, which we often take for granted. Our bodies are also a source of an incredible, life-giving elixir, called blood.

Fortunately, most our bodies have the ability to produce more blood when are running low. For some people, at various times in their lives, this is not the case. This is why it is important to donate when we are able. A blood donation only takes thirty minutes, and can save up to three lives. Even saving one life, in my opinion, is worth this time.

So consider donating blood this week. It’s an incredible way to give back to your community and to “recycle” your body.

In a previous issue, we’ve covered why the practice of donating blood can be linked to the practice of sustainability. Consider checking this article out as well.

This Week’s Waste Management Tip: Candy Wrappers

Admittedly, I used to think candy wrappers were recyclable. Candy wrappers are not recyclable.

If you use the Hefty ReNew bags, they are recyclable there. But, in conventional, city-provided, recycling systems, they are not recyclable.

The Leaflet’s 2025 Goal: Status

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 primarily by Seamus Haney

Cover image photoshopped from this source.