By Allis Emmet, C2ST Intern, DePaul University

In the past decade or so, plant-based diets have shifted from niche to mainstream. Oat milk, cauliflower wings, Green Goddess salads, Beyond Beef— and the list goes on. But what is motivating this trend? In the U.S., our food production takes up a massive amount of our natural resources—50% of our land, 80% of our fresh water, and 17% of our fossil energy. While this includes all forms of agriculture, the meat and dairy industries use the most resources by far. The majority of cropland in the U.S. is used to grow food for livestock, not people. Any clue how many livestock are bred in the U.S. each year? The yearly livestock population is around 9 billion, which weighs 5 times as much as the U.S. human population! In effect, animal agriculture requires an abundance of energy yet yields less in comparison to plants.

Continue reading “Fork in the Road: Exploring the Impacts of Plant-Based and Animal-Based Diets”

By Rowan Dunbar, C2ST Intern, University of Illinois Chicago

With reports projecting a shortage of over eighty-seven thousand full-time primary care physicians (PCPs) by 2037, there has never been a better time to highlight the importance of primary care. Research has shown that patients with better access to primary care live longer, healthier lives. To learn more about the critical roles PCPs play in people’s health, specifically adolescents, I spoke with Dr. Felicia Scott-Wellington, a proud Chicagoan, adolescent medicine physician, and advocate for her patients. We discussed her path to adolescent medicine, why this field is unique, and how marginalization impacts her patients. 

By Zyara Morton, C2ST Intern, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

We share the earth with a wide array of diverse animals, insects, and plants. Within our day-to-day life, however, we might only come across a few of the many species residing on this planet. One type of small and abundant creature we see a lot of is the ant! Ants are incredibly diverse, and with such a wide variety in behavior, I began to wonder more about these little critters. Luckily, I had the incredible opportunity to interview Dr. Andrew Suarez, an Assistant Professor of Entomology, or the study of insects, at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Suarez specializes in ant ecology and behavior. So put your worker hat on, and follow me into the ant hill, as we learn more about Dr. Suarez, and these tiny creatures.

Continue reading “Into the Ant Hill: An Interview with Entomologist Dr. Suarez”

By Rowan Dunbar, C2ST Intern, University of Illinois Chicago

When I first moved to Chicago for college, I quickly realized the city’s love for outdoor recreation. Water plays a key part in how many Chicagoans spend their free time, from the Chicago Riverwalk to the beaches of Lake Michigan. However, I struggled to understand why my friends would want to walk the shoreline – much less swim in an unchlorinated body of water. I knew that Chicago’s drinking water comes from Lake Michigan and that Chicago has ‘good water,’ which means it is generally clean or safe, so why did this free body of water intimidate me so much? That is when I realized that the river I grew up by – its bank covered in broken glass, bottle caps, and cigarette butts – is home to one of America’s most polluted waterways – and is the only endangered river in Illinois: the Ohio River.   

Continue reading “From The Ohio River To The Great Lakes: Exploring The Health of Waterways”

By Zyara Morton, C2ST Intern, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

After a long winter full of sharp winds and freezing temperatures, the first warm and sunny day is often welcomed with open arms. Perhaps you feel more optimistic about the future, or perhaps more productive than you were in winter. Animals also become more active in spring – whether that be bears waking up from hibernation or birds migrating from one region to another. For many people, it may seem as if spring is the season to ‘get things done’, as opposed to winter or fall. However, why might many people feel less productive in winter or fall? Why do we as humans experience such mood fluctuations depending on the season?

Continue reading “Why the Changing Seasons Might Make You ‘SAD’”

By Elizabeth Carroll, C2ST Intern, Loyola University

Upon the long-awaited onset of spring, a thawing Midwest greets millions of migratory birds as they return for the northern hemisphere’s warm season. The soft calls of songbirds and the less pleasant honks of Canada Geese replace our alarm clocks as a reminder of the warm weather to come. But a bird’s migration is no small task, even for the toughest and most resilient species. Traveling from wintering grounds to breeding grounds can be a several thousand mile journey teeming with a wide variety of predators, perilous weather, and unpredictable resource availability. Threats of climate change throughout their migration routes amplify birds’ vulnerability to these dangers.

Continue reading “Migratory Birds Feel the Heat”