By Charlie Willis – Food security and human health are under threat from microplastics in our oceans. But to what extent? The journal article; ‘Marine microplastic debris: An emerging issue for food security, food safety and human health’ by Gabriel et al. (2018) addresses the scale of the microplastic impact regarding marine-life and subsequently its…
By J. Critchley – Food production causes over a quarter of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions [1]. It’s estimated that by 2050 there will be another 2 billion people on earth which will require 70% more food [2], meaning greenhouse gas emissions are only going to increase [3]. So, it’s becoming ever more important to…
By Rose Huish-Neave – With more deaths than any human war, the meat industry kills 200 million animals per day and 18,000 humans per year [1]. More antibiotics are used on livestock than on our sick populations and are the primary cause of deforestation worldwide [2]. Humans could solve world hunger if crops grown for…
By Luke Josef Misra – Introduction. In recent years microplastics have come to the forefront of media attention. Microplastics, which are defined as plastic pieces less than five millimetres long, are believed to be the most plentiful form of plastic in the oceans [1] at up to 92.4% [2]. A peer reviewed article by Li…
By Alice Lamb – The global impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic have been varied and widespread, creating crises that threaten global food security [1]. According to a UN report, the number of people who don’t have enough food to eat rose steeply during the pandemic to almost a third of the world [2], juxtaposing…
By Luisa Kate Shield – In 2021, Laborde et al published an article in Agricultural Economics [1] that showed the severity the COVID-19 pandemic had on food security and global diets. Changes in global food consumption have been evident since the COVID-19 pandemic began, this is due to three main reasons: changes in household incomes,…
By Chloe Wornell – Electronics play a huge role in all aspects of daily life, from entertainment purposes to food preparation. However, the production of these devices can lead to severe health issues for people who rely on the land around these sites due to the contamination of the soil from heavy metals that are…
By Jasmine Thompson – Food security is increasingly being put under stress due to the rising population set to reach 9.8 billion by 2050 [1], with 2.37 billion people not having adequate access to food in 2020[2] this problem is certainly not going away. This leads to more land being converted into permanent field [3]…
By Lucy Dewhurst – Degraded soils, higher temperatures and reduced water availability. Just a few factors that crop growth could be affected by in years to come as the environment takes on more strain [1]. Potentially reducing agricultural crop productivity in a planet already struggling to feed its population. Currently, over 800 million people go…
by Jaya Patel – Our current agricultural system is unsustainable. Food production releases at least 25% of greenhouse gases1, contributing to climate change – an issue which threatens global food security. Not only do our diets harm the environment, but also human health. An article published in “Trends in Plant Science” explores how to approach…