This is a photo of my parents' native plants garden in their front yard.
@ Jingmai O'Connor
Native plant gardens in place of grass lawns are a great way to live more sustainably in places with water shortages. They are also healthier alternatives for local fauna (like milkweed for monarch butterflies in Chicago) and easier to maintain!
Sustainability now more than ever (also, now or never)
Sustainable living isn’t hard but it does require some effort. In fact, it is our laziness that has led to so many unsustainable practices, especially the trend towards using single use plastics (dishwashers are bad but using disposable paper plates and plastic cutlery is even worse—all to avoid the simple chore of doing dishes).
Crazy, right?
Now here are some websites with helpful pointers on how to live sustainably
Sustainable Living: 65 Ways you can start living more sustainably
Bad for you= bad for the environment!
Many products include toxic ingredients that not only poison you when you use them repeatedly over extended periods of time, but also create toxic residues in our environment.
Here is a website where you can check whether or not the products you use are good for you and the environment:
The Environmental Working Group
Did you know many basic foods we eat in the US (like Flaming Hot Cheetos, Wheat Thins and Gatorade) are banned in many European countries because of the cancer causing chemicals in them? Unfortunately our government does not protect us from corporations who care about profit more than the health of their consumers. That is why it is important to be a conscious consumer and check food labels for possible toxic ingredients.
Read more in these articles
Americans eat long list of foods banned in other countries
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Food additives to avoid
7 Food Additives and Preservatives to Avoid
EWG’s Dirty Dozen Guide to Food Chemicals: The Top 12 to Avoid
Many foods we consume have direct negative impacts on the environment
For example, the demand for palm oil is one of the biggest causes of deforestation. Here is a link that shares other foods to avoid for the health of our Planet. Unfortunately, some of my favorite things are on this list, like chocolate and coffee. You don’t have to give them up entirely, but you should consume in moderation and consciously. For example, drink shade-grown, fair trade, organic coffee (and make it at home so you don’t use resources and generate waste with single use coffee cups, lids, stirring sticks, etc). Most big farm practices are very bad for the environment - they use harmful pesticides, pollute groundwater, treat animals inhumanely, and much more. That is why it is important to consume foods produced sustainably and to not waste food.
Check out
10 of the most popular foods are also among the worst for the environment
We are very close to a water crisis
In many parts of the world, including parts of the US, this crisis is already here. We forget that everything needs water to produce. This is the hidden cost of water. Did you know, it takes three liters of water to make one plastic water bottle and 650 gallons of water to refine the cotton for a t-shirt? Energy production requires water as well. Consuming less and using less energy are both important for saving water, in addition to having water efficient toilets installed and taking shorter showers!
Check out
Documentaries
Science is for everyone!
I hope that everyone will learn to think like a scientist because to reverse the environmental damage we’ve done, we need everyone working together and committed to a healthier future for all.
If you are interested in taking a step further and pursuing a career in science, here is some information that will help you get started. I have broken it into three sections depending on what stage you’re at. This information is not exhaustive but it will certainly help you on your way! Happy researching :)
Resources for budding scientists
Hands-on programs and organizations to work with
Resources for students interested in pursuing science
If you are in high school and interested in becoming a scientist, it’s important to take as many general math and science courses as you can. The same applies if you are in college/university and are considering graduate school, but at this level you can tailor your course load more to your specific scientific interests. This may not be the fun part for some people (if you are anything like me!), but it's important leg work that everyone must get through to lay the foundation for the classes you will take in college/university or graduate school, if that is the path you choose.
If you struggle (and everyone does at some point) make sure to reach out for help! There are lots of learning resources online as well as tutors and books (like Statistics for Dummies, my bff) that can also help.
Counselors can help you decide what courses to take and recommend schools that may be a good fit. Make sure to look for a school that has a professor in the speciality you are interested in (not every school has a paleontologist, for example) and reach out before you apply to see if they are interested in helping you do undergraduate research (important if you plan to take the next step to grad school). Internships and volunteer work (I volunteered in paleo dept of the LA Natural History Museum when I was an undergrad) can help you decide if a particular area of study is right for you and they also look great on your resume!
Videos, Programs, and Resources for High School and Up
Paths Through Science: Kei Koizumi
Career Paths in Science Policy
The Heroines STEM: 10 women in science you should know
Information about steps you can take to prepare for college applications and other college considerations
Information about how CPS students can gain real-world internship or job experience while in high school– try to align with your science or engineering interests: CPS Cooperative Education
UIC pre-college summer program for incoming UIC students—check if your local schools or college offer similar programs!
Changing careers
If you are interested in going back to school to become a scientist (like my mom did) it is important to get some experience to be certain that the field you are interested in is a good fit for you before drastically transforming your life. Try volunteering at your local museum (that's how I got my start too). Community colleges are great and affordable places to take prerequisite classes if you need them. Many community colleges also have programs that allow you to easily transfer into excellent four-year schools. Remember, it is never too late to pursue a fulfilling career in science!
College transfer programs
Helpful articles to get you started
wikiHow:How to become a scientist
Resources for Early Career Scientists
Local programs
Give it a try!
Nothing is more important for shaping your future career path than direct experience. If you are unsure if a particular field is right for you, try volunteering or an internship to get experience. You can also reach out to scientists in various roles to request an opportunity to shadow them and see what it really means to have that job.