Amelia+Shaddinger

Agilyx is developing technology to fully recycle polystyrene. While polystyrene is recyclable, it can only be repurposed into lower quality plastics. However, Agilyx is looking to turn polystyrene into a liquid styrene monomer that can then be sold to manufacturing facilities and used again in its original form. media type="youtube" key="7CKJNXnKsXY" width="560" height="315" This is important because 80% of polystyrene is buried and sent to landfills. This is not only pollution, it also is using up our limited fossil fuel supply. As we discussed in class, plastic is made from oil, and our supplies of oil are becoming increasingly scarce, thus it is important to recycle the products that we have already made from oil. This also helps so we no longer need to keep producing these products and drilling for oil, all processes which have a negative impact on our environment. Agribotix, an agriculture data-analysis company in Boulder, Colorado, supplies drones and software that use near-infrared images to map vegetation. Now, they are developing drones that can differentiate between crops and weeds. media type="youtube" key="JGtDLgrot6k" width="560" height="315" The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that 20–40% of global crop yields are lost each year to pests and diseases, despite the application of around two-million tonnes of pesticide. New developments in drones could reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides and precisely apply them. Using RGB or multispectral cameras, drones can detect where in a crop pesticides or herbicides are needed. Drones could also collect data from the electromagnetic spectrum to find a fungal disease before it becomes established. Using targeted pesticides and herbicides would help reduce damage to wildlife, lower resistance, and cut costs. LifeStraw and the LifeSaver bottle are similar products that filter water out using mechanical filtration to allow people to drink any water they have access to. Water is forced through hollow fibers which contain tiny pores that trap dirt, bacteria, and parasites. media type="youtube" key="rXepkIWPhFQ" width="560" height="315" align="center"

They are a short-term solution to the lack of clean water in the developing world, who have to travel very far to get to a water source. It also can be used by people in flooded areas, who may not have access to clean water, but can drink the flood water using the filter. These are only a short-term solution, though, because they are more expensive than people in developing countries can afford and the real problem is the lack of reliable water sources and hygiene in remote areas. However, thanks to generous donations by humanitarian groups, these filters can help people who lack clean water. Week 1:

**Top 5 Sustainability Goals: ** 1. Reduced Inequalities The aim of this goal is to reduce inequality within and among countries. This includes reducing inequalities in income, age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, and economic or other status. Income inequality has increased by an average of 11% in developing countries between 1990 and 2010. Inequality within a country places people in a position where they have a lower sense of self-worth, leading to crime, and discrimination causes fewer opportunities and dangerous situations for these people. In addition, impoverished people cannot afford necessities like health care, which is especially important for children and expectant mothers. To remove boundaries across countries, we need to take greater measures to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, and invest more in health, education, social protection, and decent jobs for vulnerable communities. Within countries, these solutions should be practiced, as well as a removal of any discriminatory laws, policies, and practices. 2. Life Below Water Earth's oceans are very important to all life on Earth. They produce more than half the oxygen in the atmosphere and absorb the most carbon from it. However, pollution, coral bleaching, overfishing, marine habitat degradation, and ocean acidification all threaten to destroy life as we know it, starting under the sea. On a large scale, sustainable fishing practices can be implemented and vulnerable habitats can be protected. On a small scale, people can attempt to only purchase sustainably sourced seafood, reduce their carbon footprint, and stop littering. 3. Affordable and Clean Energy 4. Responsible Consumption and Production 5. Life on Land