by Gabriella Goodridge – Flooding severely impacts human populations, accounting for an estimated 157,000 deaths and combined loss of 1891 billion US$ worldwide from 1994-2015 [1]. Floods may also indirectly result in other disasters from small-scale landslides to large scale events like nuclear meltdowns. The UK is no exception to these natural hazards. Cockermouth is…
by Molly Martin – Desirable because it’s mainly carbon neutral [1], many look at nuclear power as a way forward, but with nuclear power comes great environmental risks. Though the risk of a nuclear accident maybe unlikely, the consequences of that risk are dire and can have lasting impacts. Even thousands of miles away, in…
We all know we should aim to eat a healthy diet for ourselves, but have you considered the impacts of an unhealthy diet on the environment? Diets high in added sugars and saturated fats, are having a serious effect on the planet as well as human health. The Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable…
by Eleanor Lancaster – Air pollution has become a modern-day environmental issue stemming from the developing world, increasing global population and economic growth of the world. There has been significant increase in air pollution across developing countries (see figure 1) where rapid urbanisation and development has progressed throughout recent years, including China, creating negative, emerging…
by John Jestico – Climate change is defined as a “change in the long-term weather patterns that characterise the regions of the world”[1]. Changes to the Earth’s climate have occurred at various points over its’ 4.7-billion-year lifespan due to natural processes. However, contemporary climate fluctuations are being driven by human processes instead. As such, I believe…
by Tyler Broad Like everybody else, I am still haunted by the mental images that I took from the Blue Planet II series: turtles trapped inside plastic nets, an albatross dying from a plastic toothpick piercing through its insides, and a pilot whale refusing to let go of her dead child. As Attenborough tells us,…
by Oliver King – As the world’s mental and physical health deteriorates, with heart disease[1] and depression[2] affecting millions, could dogs be the key to improving human health? A 2011 study into the relationship between pets, depression, and heart attack patients suggests so[3]. Heart disease is the world’s leading cause of death, killing 18 million…
by Tanavi Kampli – Chernobyl is classed as one of the worst nuclear explosions in history [1]. In 1986, the Chernobyl 4 reactor exploded due to inadequately trained personnel. This has caused catastrophic impacts on people’s health which can still be seen today [2]. A review by Cardis E. et al (2006) focuses on the global…
by Emily Jones – Air pollution is the biggest environmental risk to human health in the UK. It causes 4.2 million deaths globally each year[1], but it isn’t all doom and gloom. There are government plans in place to reduce emissions and small changes we can all make to protect ourselves and tackle the problem…
by Trang Kowalkowska – The Global Nutritional Report found that there are around ‘820 million hungry or undernourished people’ [1] and The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World estimated that about ‘3 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet’ [2]. The figures are expected to rise due to rapidly increasing population growth…