Hypatia Winter 2024 by Miss Porter's School

HYPATIA

Fall Issue 23-24

Meet Our Leaders!

Angel Shi ‘24 Co-Editor In Chief

June Liu ‘25 Co-Editor In Chief

Marina Reale ‘24 Designer In Chief

Helen Sharp ‘24 Section Editor

Jessica Sarr ‘24 Section Editor

Helen Shearon ‘25 Editor In Chief

Note From Our Team: HYPATIA was known for spreading her love of science- just like many of our students. We all worked super hard, so we hope you enjoy the Fall 2023 issue! HYPATIA JOURNAL

Meet Our Writers!

Guest Writers:

Eliza beth Zee

Julia Koontz

n o s n e w S n a i l l i L

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Contents What’s Inside The Issue

06-20 Farmington Land Trust 06 - Artificial Coral Reefs 09 - Importance of Carbon Sinks 11 - Women for Bees 13 - Biomass Energy 15 - Biodegradable, Compostable, and Biobased Plastics: Production, Types and Issues 17 - With The Threat of Rising Flood Waters, These Cities Are Going With The Flow 20 - From Code to Conservation: Ar tificial Intelligence’s Impact on Biodiversity and Climate Change 22 - Closing

18 passionate STEM Writers! HYPATIA JOURNAL

7 ARTICLES

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CORAL REEF

Artificial Coral Reefs

By: Evana Jang ‘26 Farmington Land Trust Issue 1.

Coral reefs are diverse ecosystems that support a wide variety of marine life. They are known as the “rainforests of the sea”, as around 25% of fish are found in reefs (1). There are approximately 6,000 species of corals found on Earth (2). Some grow near coastlines where the water is warm and shallow, while others grow on the seafloor where the water is cold and dark (1). Because of their hardened surfaces and plant-like features, corals are often mistaken as rocks or plants. However, in reality, they are actually animals. Corals are made up of thousands of miniature creatures known as polyps. Each of the polyps excretes limestone skeleton which then builds up upon one another giving the coral shape (2). The reason why corals can build such vast reefs on Earth is because of their symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae, which is an algae present in their tissues. The algae takes the coral’s metabolic waste as energy for its photosynthetic processes while helping the coral remove waste, and supplying it with oxygen and organic products (1).

Coral reefs are crucial in marine ecosystems because they provide fish and other organisms with shelter, feeding grounds, reproduction sites, and nursery areas (1). The reefs also aid local coastal communities. They are the first line of defense during storms, protecting land from erosion. Additionally, they support the local economy through the high demand for snorkeling, diving, and fishing trips (1). According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “[o]ver half a billion people depend on reefs for food, income, and protection” (1).

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However, despite their indispensability to life on Earth, coral reefs are severely threatened. Due to climate change, overfishing, and pollution, Earth has lost 50% of its coral reefs since 1950 (3). Coral reefs are ultra-sensitive to water temperature changes and acidity (3). The average global sea temperature has increased by 0.22°F per decade since 2000 and has become 30% more acidic since preindustrial times (4-5). This stresses out the polyps and they expel the zooxanthellae, breaking their symbiotic relationship (1). This process is more well-known as coral bleaching. Once a coral is bleached, its vibrant colors are stripped and it has a brief period to regain the algae before its death becomes permanent. In an attempt to restore the coral reef ecosystems, marine laboratories have crafted artificial corals and specifically placed them in locations where natural reefs are damaged. They are placed in those areas to create new habitats for marine species and revert the area to its original state. The Reef Design Lab is a laboratory that specializes in constructing artificial corals that they call the Modular Artificial Reef Structure (MARS) (6). The designers used ceramic to create a reef structure that is easily moldable to fit within preexisting reefs. The artificial reefs were easily attachable because they imitated the contours and shapes of natural reefs (6). The structures were deployed from small boats and individually placed by trained divers (7). After being underwater for three months, the reefs assisted the damaged ecosystem by providing marine life with habitats to breed and feed in.

Divers noted that the reefs were populated by shellfish, shrimp, and small fish. The MARS system also helped previously damaged reefs rebuild at a much faster rate of 8-15 years rather than the original rate of 100 years (7). This is because it sets a foundation for coral larvae to develop from. The Mote Marine Laboratory located in Florida used another method to help boost the reproduction of coral reefs. Scientists there have created artificial ocean nurseries to grow corals (6). Small colonies of impaired corals are rescued and brought back to the lab to nurse them back to health. They are hung on fishing lines or placed in baskets where biologists monitor their health and growth, providing them with an optimal environment to flourish (8). Once the corals grow up to the size of a basketball, they are harvested and planted on the seafloor (6). After some time, they fuse with the larger corals, and the reef commences its recovery. Artificial coral reefs have provided considerable benefits to the marine ecosystem by providing bleached corals with a second chance and providing habitats for reef-associated marine animals. However, this solution is not sufficient enough to combat the extensivity of bleach corals present on Earth. In order to see adequate long-term changes, it is up to us humans to significantly drop our carbon emissions. HYPATIA JOURNAL

CHECK OUT THE SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION!

Works Cited 1. Coral Reef Ecosystems. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (n.d.). https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/marine-life/coral-reef-ecosystems(1) 2. US Department of Commerce, N. O. and A. A. (n.d.). NOAA’s Coral Reef Information System (CoRIS) - What are Coral Reefs. Www.coris.noaa.gov. https://www.coris.noaa.gov/about/what_are/#:~:text=Corals%20are%20anthozoans%2C%20the%20largest(2) 3. Wetzel, C. (2021, September 17). The planet has lost half of its coral reefs since 1950. Smithsonian.com. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-planet-has-lost-half-of-coral-reefs-since-1950-180978701/(3) 4. Bradford, N. (n.d.). A warming ocean. The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF).https://www.neefusa.org/story/water/warmingocean#:~:text=The%20average%20global%20sea%20surface,0.13oF%20per%20decade.(4) 5. IAEA. (2022, June 8). What is ocean acidification?. IAEA. https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/what-is-oceanacidification#:~:text=The%20ocean%20is%20slightly%20basic,than%20in%20pre%2Dindustrial%20times.(5) 6. Aloysius, S. L. M. (2020, August 14). Artificial corals: Improving the resilience of coral reefs (part II). Earth.Org. https://earth.org/artificial-corals-improving-the-resilience-of-reefs-part-ii/(6) 7. Goad, A. (2015, November 18). Ceramic reefs help damaged coral reefs rebound. https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/Ceramic-Reefs-Help-Damaged-Coral-Reefs-Rebound124696#:~:text=Now%20it%27s%20helping%20to%20save,they%20would%20on%20their%20own(7) 8. Coral Nurseries. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. (2011, June 16). https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/resource_protection/coralnurseries.html(8) HYPATIA JOURNAL

Importance of Carbon Sinks

By: Suri Jiang ‘25 Farmington Land Trust: Issue 2.

The CO2 at a power plant is captured, dissolved, and later injected into rocks for storage. Around 10,000 tons of CO2 are stored in rocks a year, and this number will start to multiply as forms of carbon capture and storage technologies become vital (3).

The law of conservation states that matter is neither created nor destroyed. This applies to our source of carbon on Earth, too. Carbon is never created or destroyed; it simply goes in a carbon cycle. In the carbon cycle, carbon is interchanged on Earth, where it is reused in the atmosphere and organisms. For example, fossil fuels, volcano eruptions, and deforestation, called carbon sources, cause carbon to be released into the atmosphere (1). Natural environments that absorb and store carbon include oceans, soil, and forests, called carbon sinks (1). But as people burn more and more fossil fuels, the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere is much more than what carbon sinks can absorb, disrupting the carbon cycle. Carbon dioxide traps heat, and as it builds up, this causes climate change to be exacerbated (2). Now, the carbon sinks are more important than ever. Carbon sequestration, the capturing, securing, and storing of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, can be biological or geological (2). A form of geological sequestration is through volcanic rocks or basalts.

The most common natural carbon sinks include oceans, forests, and soil. Oceans absorb CO2 wherever water touches air (and with the help of organisms like phytoplankton), amounting to around ¼ of annual carbon emissions. However, the effectiveness of oceans as carbon sinks is decreasing for multiple reasons. To begin with, while oceans are extremely capable of absorbing CO2, the more CO2 they take in, the more acidic the ocean’s water becomes. In turn, this affects the shells of marine animals within the ocean. Furthermore, as ocean pollution worsens, phytoplankton eat more microplastics and absorb less CO2. But oceans aren’t the only carbon sinks affected by human activities (such as pollution), forests are another example. The tree leaves of forests take in carbon dioxide to go through photosynthesis and create sugars for the tree to grow. Forests take in a large amount of carbon emissions each year (up to 2.6 billion tons a year), yet deforestation and wildfires endanger our forests and their role as carbon sinks. In response to the decreasing number of trees, people have begun “tree-planting” projects. Finally, there is soil carbon sequestration, one of the most viable options. Soil contains a lot of organic matter that takes in carbon dioxide to complete photosynthesis.

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When the organic matter decomposes, carbon is stored underneath the soil for stability. Soil contains around 2500 gigatons of carbon (4). But soil is easily degraded by humans, mainly from intensive farming practices. Activities such as tilling the land or applying pesticides and fertilizers release the carbon stored in the soil. Because there is a lot of carbon stored in the first layer of soil, the carbon there is very prone to being released (2). In the past hundred years, soil has released over 110 billion tons of carbon; adjusting our agricultural practices could sequester up to an additional 1 gigaton of carbon each year, amounting to a quarter of each year’s carbon emissions (3). By protecting natural carbon sinks on Earth, such as solving issues like plastic pollution, deforestation, and harmful agricultural methods (as well as many human activities), we can sequester much more carbon emissions each year. Ultimately, this will contribute to fighting climate change and help the state of our environment. Works Cited 1. ClientEarth Communications. (2020, December 22). What is a Carbon Sink? ClientEarth. https://www.clientearth.org/latest/latest-updates/stories/what-is-a-carbonsink/ 1. CLEAR Center. (2019, September 20). What is Carbon Sequestration and How Does it Work? CLEAR Center. https://clear.ucdavis.edu/explainers/what-carbonsequestration 1. Frangoul, A. (2016, November 17). How carbon dioxide is being stored in rocks. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/17/how-carbon-dioxide-isbeing-stored-in-rocks.html 2. Carbon Sinks Explained, With Examples. (2022, October 20). CoolSet. https://www.coolset.com/academy/carbon-sinks-explained-with-examples

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Women For Bees

“Women for Bees”, an initiative created in 2021, has been spearheaded by the entities UNESCO and Guerlain. These two entities are seemingly opposite to each other, as one is an addition to the United Nations and the other is a beauty company. Though both of these entities have decent publicity, this initiative has received much influence because of the sponsorship by actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian, Angelina Jolie. Many question the reason that such an influential figure would choose this exact program. The explanation is simple, it not only affects the environment in a greater way to repopulate the bees, but it empowers female entrepreneurs and creates a network of women across the worldall characteristics which speak to Angelina. With these powerful forces, the original mission for the initiative was set. This program was set to take place over five years, with fifty participants from across the world to share knowledge about upholding and maintaining bees in the current environment. Throughout time, people have discovered how much bees affect and nurture the earth, but cease to acknowledge the decrease in this species’ populations.

By: Eliza Mikheev ‘27 Farmington Land Trust : Issue 3.

Over 90% of wildflowers depend on pollination (1), in which bees play a big role. As well, 75% of all cultivated plants rely on bees (2), with these statistics combined, it is not surprising that 30% of all of our food can be traced back to these small pollinators. Additionally, to being directly connected to the overall access to food, pollinators affect other industries such as the medical field. Especially in Cambodia, where the problem of bee population is quite relevant, a lot of the medical products include wild honey. Without having this product, not only would people not have access to medicines but it could also lead to an economic failure within this country and throughout the world. Using large amounts of pesticides can greatly affect bees because these chemicals spread over their environment, and start to deteriorate the area. Another factor in the bee's population decline is deforestation. Deforestation can be the removal of entire communities of bees and not allow the ecosystem not to support them as it currently does. “Women For Bees” is tackling this issue by recruiting various women from across the globe, living in different biospheres, and teaching them how to make and care for a sustainable environment for bees.

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The goal set for 2025 included having 2,500 hives installed in 25 different locations across the globe (2). This would allow for 125 million bees to be repopulated and 50 women to be trained (2). So far, there have been two training sessions in France and Cambodia. This training takes a period of six months to complete and there are around twelve people trained at each location. The main instructor of these months-long training is Aggelina Kanellopoulou, who has experience in multiple bee programs and has studied them. Along with Kanellopoulou, Jolie showed up to numerous sites in which there had already been facilities installed or in which the women were being trained. As well, similar programs also work to assist the bees in growing their environment. Allowing them to thrive, people can make an impact themselves on this issue in multiple ways. If there is space, making a garden or just having a lot of plants outside can create safe environments and allow bees to have more pollen. This project will take time and resources, however, there are other ways in which anyone could help the bees, such as creating a bee bath or filling a sink with gravel, so the bees can land and be able to drink. These small actions may seem insignificant, but if bees have the correct resources that they need, then they will be able to do their job better and carry pollen from place to place.

Because around 30% of bees live in hollowed-out tree holes or stems, avoiding deforestation and cutting down trees unnecessarily is a step that is necessary to preserve the population of the bee species. Even if it may not look like much, an entire environment of organisms that fuel our ecosystem could live there. Overall, this program has helped spread awareness about the importance of bees worldwide and brings together women from all over the globe. This is important because in some places social injustice and repression do not allow women to do jobs they feel passionate about, such as beekeeping, and instead compel them to do something else. Creating employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for women will change the world in an entirely different way, but is so important and vital to many different areas. Building more programs like “Women For Bees” that impact the world in so many ways is part of the solution to different climate and social issues. Works Cited 1. Suhrawardi, Rebecca. “One Year Later, Angelina Jolie and Guerlain Continue to Fight for Global Bee Preservation.” Forbes, www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccasuhrawardi/2022/05/20/one-year-later-angelina-jolieand-guerlain-continue-to-fight-for-global-bee-preservation/. Accessed 18 Oct. 2023. 2. Nast, Condé. “Angelina Jolie on Bringing the Guerlain X UNESCO Women for Bees Programme to Cambodia.” Vanity Fair, 19 May 2022, www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/05/angelina-jolie-interview-guerlain-unesco-womenfor-bees-programme. Accessed 18 Oct. 2023. 3. “Guerlain X UNESCO Women for Bees Launches Second Training Program in Cambodia.” LVMH, 23 May 2022, www.lvmh.com/news-documents/news/guerlain-xunesco-women-for-bees-launches-second-training-program-in-cambodia/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2023. 4. The Bee Conservancy. “10 Ways to Save the Bees.” The Bee Conservancy, 2009, thebeeconservancy.org/10-ways-to-save-the-bees/. 5. Suhrawardi, Rebecca. “One Year Later, Angelina Jolie and Guerlain Continue to Fight for Global Bee Preservation.” Forbes, 20 May 2022, www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccasuhrawardi/2022/05/20/one-year-later-angelina-jolieand-guerlain-continue-to-fight-for-global-bee-preservation/.

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Biomass Energy

iomass is a type of renewable energy generated from the combustion of organic matter. This matter is from animals, plants, and other waste that originates from different processes that occur on a daily basis. Some examples of these sources include forest thinning, agricultural crops & and residue, wood & wood waste, animal waste, landfill methane gas, sewage, and solid waste (1).

Biomass was the largest source of total annual U.S. energy consumption until the mid-1800s, and it continues to be an important fuel in many countries, especially for cooking and heating in developing countries. The use of biomass fuels for transportation and for electricity generation is increasing in many developed countries to avoid carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use. In 2022, biomass provided nearly 5% of total primary energy use in the United States (2). The process of creating biomass energy begins with the sun's energy transferring to plants and animals in the form of chemical energy (3). When the organisms die, the matter is sent to a biomass plant. Then, the plants transform the matter and generate steam.

By: Sara Babigian ‘24 Farmington Land Trust: Issue 4.

The steam energy goes to pipes that run turbines. Finally, the steam rises in these turbines that eventually produce electricity or generate heat for homes and companies.

There are two methods for generating steam at biomass plants: thermochemical and biochemical. Thermal conversion involves heating the matter in order to burn, dehydrate, or stabilize it (3). The most common type is combustion. Additionally, pyrolysis, gasification, and co-firing are other thermochemical methods (3). The biochemical method includes different microorganisms that degrade the molecules of the matter. Alcoholic fermentation and methane fermentation are examples of when organic matter decomposes and biomass is created. HYPATIA JOURNAL

Currently, there is only one biomass plant in Connecticut. Plainfield Renewable Energy (PRE) is a renewable energy plant located in Plainfield. The plant is a certified renewable energy source that has been operating since 2013 to supply energy and capacity to New England wholesale and capacity markets (4). PRE generates reliable, renewable power that repurposes wood that would otherwise be landfilled or would be left to decay and produce methane. The plant delivers various economic and environmental benefits as it powers the Plainfield area, eliminates methane, creates jobs both at the plant and in the surrounding region, and is an industry leader in using advanced technology. This plant uses gasification, a type of thermochemical conversion.

One of the controversies surrounding biomass energy concerns its sources. If biomass matter is not replenished as quickly as it is used, it can become nonrenewable. A forest, for instance, can take hundreds of years to re-establish itself (3). If the trees are being cut down at a faster rate than they are growing, the total number decreases and the biomass energy does more harm than good. However, biomass plants like Plainfield Renewable Energy only use wood that would otherwise be discarded.

Biomass is a clean, renewable energy source that should be utilized more frequently. Unlike other renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar, biomass energy is stored within organisms and can be harvested when it is needed. In order to prevent the increase of global warming, biomass plants can be used to replace the largest contributor to climate change — fossil fuels.

Works Cited 1. What is Biomass? (2020, January). Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. Retrieved October 18, 2023, from https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/P2/Energ y/Biomass 1. Biomass. (n.d.). U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved October 18, 2023, from https://www.eia.gov/kids/energy-sources/biomass/#:~:text=Biomass%E2%80%94 renewable%20energy%20from%20plants%20and%20animals&text=The%20use%20of %20biomass%20fuels,emissions%20from%20fossil%20fuel%20use 2. Turgeon, A., & Morse, E. (2023, June 7). Biomass Energy. National Geographic. Retrieved October 18, 2023, from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/bio mass-energy/ 3. Plainfield Renewable Energy. (2023). Greenleaf Power. Retrieved October 18, 2023, from https://greenleaf-power.com/facilities/plainfield/

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Biodegradable, Compostable, and Bio-based Plastics: Production, Types and Issues

With 430 million tons of plastic produced annually and only 9% recycled, biodegradable and bio-based plastics seem to offer a more sustainable solution (1-2). However, the terminology of biodegradable, compostable, and bio-based plastics is often used interchangeably, leading to misunderstandings and greenwashing. In fact, not all biodegradable plastics are compostable, and not all bio-based plastics are biodegradable.

By: Angel Shi’24 Farmington Land Trust Issue 5.

Bio-based plastic includes the common biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) which is made from fermented biowaste, biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) produced by bacteria, and nonbiodegradable polyethylene (PE) made from sugarcane (4). It’s important to note that bio-based plastic doesn’t imply biodegradability or compostability.

Bio-based plastics, made from biological resources, have a smaller carbon footprint than conventional plastic made from fossil fuels. Some bioplastics are made from firstgeneration biomass, which is made from crops that are sugar-based such as sugarcane, starch-based such as corn, or oilbased such as rapeseed (3). Problems with first-generation biomass production include competition with food production, deforestation, and water depletion. Secondgeneration biomass is more sustainable due to being made from biowaste, such as food agricultural waste like sugarcane bagasse (4). Bio-based plastic could also be produced from bacteria and algae.

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Biodegradable plastics break down into environmentally friendly components under specific conditions. Compostable plastics are a subset of biodegradable plastic that include industrial compostable plastics that need to be degraded in a facility with high temperatures, oxygen, and microorganisms, as well as home compostable plastics, which require similar conditions as industrial compostable plastic but can degrade in ambient conditions (5). However, labels are often misleading, and 60% of home compostable actually cannot fully degrade in home composting conditions (6). Noncompostable biodegradable plastic, such as PLA, can take 1000 years to degrade in landfills and is more prone to microplastic production compared to its conventional plastic counterparts (7-8). Additionally, some biodegradable plastics can still be made from fossil fuels, such as Polybutylene succinate (PBS) (9). To make matters worse, biodegrading plastic releases greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane (10,11). Even if plastic is recycled, it will still end up in landfills as plastic quality degrades each time it’s recycled. While avoiding plastic usage may be the best solution, it’s challenging due to societal reliance on this versatile material. Hopefully, a clearer understanding of the types of plastic and the associated issues would encourage future solutions for plastic pollution.

Works Cited 1. Department of Global Communications . (2023, August 25). Fast facts - what is plastic pollution? United Nations Sustainable Development. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2023/08/explainer-what-is-plasticpollution/ 2. OECD. (2022, February 22). Plastic pollution is growing relentlessly as waste management and recycling fall short, says OECD. Www.oecd.org. https://www.oecd.org/environment/plastic-pollution-is-growing-relentlessly-as-wastemanagement-and-recycling-fallshort.htm#:~:text=Only%209%25%20of%20plastic%20waste%20is%20recycled%20 3. Moodley, P. (2021). Sustainable biofuels: opportunities and challenges. Sustainable Biofuels, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-820297-5.00003-7 4. Rosenboom, J. G., Langer, R., & Traverso, G. (2022). Bioplastics for a circular economy. Nature Reviews Materials, 7(2), 117-137. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-021-00407-8 5. Royal Society of Chemistry. (n.d.). Compostable and biodegradable plastics. Royal Society of Chemistry. https://www.rsc.org/globalassets/22-newperspectives/sustainability/progressive-plastics/explainers/rsc-explainer-2--compostable-and-biodegradable-plastics.pdf 6. Purkiss D, Allison AL, Lorencatto F, Michie S and Miodownik M (2022) The Big Compost Experiment: Using citizen science to assess the impact and effectiveness of biodegradable and compostable plastics in UK home composting. Front. Sustain. 3:942724. doi: 10.3389/frsus.2022.94272 7. Scientific American. (2008, July). The Environmental Impact of Corn-Based Plastics. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/environmentalimpact-of-corn-based-plastics/ 8. Niaounakis, M. (2014). Biopolymers: processing and products. William Andrew. 9. Liu, R., Liang, J., Yang, Y., Jiang, H., & Tian, X. (2023). Effect of polylactic acid microplastics on soil properties, soil microbials and plant growth. Chemosphere, 329, 138504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138504 10. Atiwesh, G., Mikhael, A., Parrish, C. C., Banoub, J., & Le, T. A. T. (2021). Environmental impact of bioplastic use: A review. Heliyon, 7(9). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07918 11. Moshood, T. D., Nawanir, G., Mahmud, F., Mohamad, F., Ahmad, M. H., & AbdulGhani, A. (2022). Sustainability of biodegradable plastics: New problem or solution to solve the global plastic pollution?. Current Research in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 5, 100273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crgsc.2022.100273

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With The Threat of Rising Flood Waters, These Cities Are Going With The Flow

By: Giorgi Moore 26’ Farmington Land Trust Issue 6.

World Economic Forum, Climate Change

With natural disasters rising throughout much of the world- from massive hurricanes off the coast of North America to a catastrophic earthquake in Morocco, to the wildfires burning in Canada- many communities are at risk. In particular, recent rising flood waters, as a result of climate change, have resulted in massive destruction of numerous cities and immeasurable loss of life. Many news sources around the world are reporting that Venice is in threat of sinking. But Venice is only one of many cities around the world at risk of becoming completely submerged due to rising waters. Studies show that rising waters coupled with specific geographic location and low-lying city levels, is a contributing factor in potential flood damage (1). In a statement released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, sea levels will continue to rise between 0.6 and 1.1 meters by 2100 (2). If something is not done to remedy the situation, the potential devastation could lead to numerous loss of life, property, and infrastructure. The financial impact of this damage would be in the billions and take years to recover from, if ever. According to Zurich, there are about 570 cities, with a cumulative population of 800 million, in severe danger of being submerged by flood waters (2). Among these cities are Miami, Virginia Beach, and New Orleans in the US, as well as Dhaka, Bangladesh, Bangkok, Thailand, and dozens more. In fact, according to the World Economic Forum, the following cities could disappear by 2100:

1. Jakarta, Indonesia 2. Lagos, Nigeria 3. Houston, Texas 4. Dhaka, Bangladesh 5. Venice, Italy 6. Virginia Beach, Virginia 7. Bangkok, Thailand 8. New Orleans, Louisiana 9. Rotterdam, Netherlands 10. Alexandria, Egypt 11. Miami, Florida (3)

Historically, engineers and urban planners have designed and built infrastructure, such as dams, walls, levees, and other concrete structures to protect low-lying cities from flood damage. However, these measures don’t stand a chance against the fifty or one-hundred-year storm surges, and continuous melting of snow and glaciers becoming so common around the world due to global warming. With some of the world’s most beloved cities at risk of disappearing forever, the need for innovative solutions is crucial now more than ever. There are, however, several examples of cities that have come up with innovative ways to solve the problem, working with the rising waters rather than against them. HYPATIA JOURNAL

One of the cities facing a severe threat is Copenhagen, Denmark. Following a rainstorm that left large parts of the city submerged in over a meter of water, with an estimated $1 billion dollars in damages, Copenhagen began to enact new strategies to preserve the city. They created the Enghaveparken, a climate park, which is situated on a slope to allow water to sink into the middle where underground water chambers are designed and built to hold up to 6 million gallons of water (6). The architecture of the park is designed to allow for the management of excessive water in one location without spreading to other areas of the city, thus protecting the lives of its inhabitants and avoiding damage or loss of property, which would amount to billions of dollars in repairs.

The small island of the Maldives is another example of ingenious and climate-cognizant infrastructure. Here, scientists and engineers have plans to build a massive structure that mimics the anatomy of an extensive network of coral reefs that dominates the island. Maldives Floating City (MFC) will be a series of housing units built on stilts that will allow the buildings to move with the currents and change height based on the rising and falling of the tides (6).

Another example of creating buildings that move with the rising flood waters is the town of Rotterdam, Amsterdam. In Rotterdam, natural disaster analysts and urban planners are experimenting with floating towns (6). The city is home to a dairy, a park made from recycled materials, and an office building built on top of water. City planners have experimented with different building materials that work with the water. They have used wood and other naturally occurring materials to work with the water instead of against it. (8). The idea is that because the sea-level change is drastic, solutions to fortify against the water are counterproductive. Instead, in Rotterdam, they are finding new ways to build parts of their city that will allow the water to move as sporadically as it needs to, without affecting the lives or wellbeing of the people.

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However, not all cities at risk of submersion have the economy or fortitude of such ingenious solutions to mitigate rising sea levels. In Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, the problem is dire. The entire city is currently sinking at an alarming rate. Although there are other cities around the world currently suffering the same state, Jakarta is sinking at around 25 cm a year meaning almost half of the city is below sea level, as of 2023 (2). As a last resort, Jakarta’s government recently approved a drastic plan to relocate the capital some 100 miles to the island of Java and transfer 10 million residents in the process. The plan is no small feat and is estimated to take nearly 10 years and cost close to $33 billion. With these solutions in mind, scientists, engineers, and government officials in Jakarta are working to create both reactive and preventative measures to eliminate or lower the risk of looming damage and loss of life. Government officials are working to ensure policies are implemented to keep low-lying areas, and other densely populated areas at risk, from being further developed. With awareness, education, and active implementation, areas at risk will protect the well-being of cities and the lives of their people in the short and long term, thus turning the tide on the devastating effect of rising sea levels due to global warming. For now, thanks to innovative solutions like these, there is still a chance for these cities to thrive, overcome looming threats, and serve as a prototype for other regions of the world facing similar dangers of rising flood waters and the devastating effects of climate change.

Works Cited . Lakritz, Talia. "These 11 Sinking Cities Could Disappear by 2100." World Economic Forum, 10 Sept. 2019, www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/09/11-sinking-cities-that-could-soon-be-underwater/. Accessed 16 Oct. 2023. 2. Avoiding Atlantis: Will Rising Seas and Coastal Flooding Wipe out Some Cities? Zurich, 8 June 2022, www.zurich.com/en/knowledge/topics/global-risks/can-coastal-cities-hold-back-the-sea. Accessed 16 Oct. 2023. 3. "Climate Change-induced Sea-Level Rise Direct Threat to Millions around World, Secretary-General Tells Security Council." United Nations, 14 Feb. 2023, https://press.un.org/en/2023/sc15199.doc.htm#:~:text=Further%2C%20he%20added%2C%20mega%2D,York%2C%20Buenos%20Aires%20and%20Santiago. Accessed 16 Oct. 2023. 4. Mala, Alisa. "These 8 American Cities Could Vanish by 2100." World Atlas, 25 Nov. 2022, www.worldatlas.com/cities/these-8-american-cities-could-vanish-by-2100.html. Accessed 16 Oct. 2023. 6. Paddison, Laura. "As Flooding Increases, These Cities Are Designed to Work with - Not against - the Water. Here's How They're Doing It." CNN, 29 Mar. 2023, www.cnn.com/2023/03/26/world/flooding-citieswater-design-climate-intl/index.html. Accessed 16 Oct. 2023. 7. "Where Most People Are Affected by Rising Sea Levels." Statista, 11 Feb. 2020, www.statista.com/chart/19884/number-of-people-affected-by-rising-sea-levels-per-country/. Accessed 16 Oct. 2023. 8. Gonzalez, Miquel. No Title. The New York Times, 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/05/24/arts/design/architecture-floating-houses.html. Accessed 18 Oct. 2023. 9. No Title. World Architecture, 28 June 2022, https://worldarchitecture.org/article-links/enhfv/waterstudio-designs-world-s-first-true-floating-island-city-in-brain-coral-shape-in-maldives.html. Accessed 18 Oct. 2023. 10. "The Park after Rainfall." American Society of Civil Engineers, www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/civil-engineering-magazine/article/2023/02/park-designed-to-flood-duringcloudbursts-in-copenhagen. Accessed 18 Oct. 2023. 11. "Where Most People Are Affected by Rising Sea Levels." Statista, 11 Feb. 2020, www.statista.com/chart/19884/number-of-people-affected-by-rising-sea-levels-per-country/. Accessed 16 Oct. 2023.

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From Code to Conservation: Artificial Intelligence’s Impact on Biodiversity and Climate Change

By: Maryam Abdulkarim ‘25 Farmington Land Trust Issue 7.

As climate change continues to have a growing impact, researchers are looking to Artificial Intelligence for assistance. In the upcoming years, AI will likely influence most fields. The utilization of AI is rapidly expanding, affecting multiple technologies, including computer vision, understanding human language, and making recommendations.

In addition to these applications, AI also aids in understanding and combating climate change. "Climate data sets are enormous and take significant time to collect, analyze, and use to make informed decisions and enact actual policy change," says Jim Bellingham, an executive director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Assured Autonomy (2). There are many steps to ensuring environmental researchers gather precise and dependable information. AI can quickly and efficiently model extensive amounts of data, helping researchers and scientists interpret the data. AI can also make accurate predictions of future events by combining advanced predictions based on trends and patterns with large amounts of data. HYPATIA JOURNAL

Previously researchers created models based on events to understand climate change and make predictions. However, this is a timeconsuming process, and it is not easy to test the accuracy of predictions quickly. AI can speed up the process and increase the accuracy and efficiency of these models. To complete complex tasks, AI uses deep learning. Deep learning, a type of machine learning that can extract complex features from input data by using a neural network with three or more layers, is important to understand when applying AI to combat climate change because this process is what allows us to effectively make sense of intricate datasets. Complex environmental systems generate vast amounts of data, from temperature records and satellite imagery to ecosystem behavior and carbon emissions. Deep learning models excel at analyzing and recognizing patterns in the datasets collected over time, helping us better understand climate dynamics and make more accurate predictions about future changes. Another current application of Artificial Intelligence is satellites used to assess Earth's changes. In 2022, the European Space Agency funded projects to see if AI and advanced computing paradigms could be used in satellites to improve our lives on Earth (5). A few examples of this are effectively detecting methane leaks, monitoring forest fires, and managing disasters from space.

AI can also help us measure environmental footprints. “It [AI] can help calculate the footprint of products across their full lifecycles and supply chains and enable businesses and consumers to make the most informed and effective decisions,” says David Jenson, the coordinator of the United Nations Environment Program’s Digital Transformation sub-programmer (3). Artificial Intelligence has proved to be a powerful tool in the fight against climate change. It is great at handling massive amounts of data and making precise predictions about future events. This makes it incredibly valuable for understanding climate patterns and making accurate predictions. The potential of AI in environmental research is vast, offering numerous possibilities to explore complex climate science and improve predictions for the future. Works Cited 1. Voskoglou, M. 2023. Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies in the Future Education. https://doi.org/10.32388/07ve29 2. How AI can help combat climate change | Hub. https://hub.jhu.edu/2023/03/07/artificial-intelligence-combat-climate-change/ 3. UNEP. (2022, November 7). How artificial intelligence is helping tackle environmental challenges. UNEP. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/how-artificialintelligence-helping-tackle-environmental-challenges 4. What is a Neural Network? Definition, Types and How It Works. (n.d.). Enterprise AI. https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/definition/neural-network? Offer=abMeterCharCount_var1 5. ESA. (2022, March 31). Artificial intelligence in space. Www.esa.int. https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Preparing_for_the_Future/Discovery_and_Prep aration/Artificial_intelligence_in_space 6. Climate Data Analysis Tools & Methods | Climate Data Guide. (n.d.). Climatedataguide.ucar.edu. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from https://climatedataguide.ucar.edu/climate-tools#climate-data-processingvisualization 7. Deloitte. (n.d.). Climate Data: How to Overcome Collection and Analysis Challenges. WSJ. https://deloitte.wsj.com/sustainable-business/climate-data-how-to-overcomecollection-and-analysis-challenges-01675458554

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