Category: Smart surfaces

Not a drop in the ocean, households’ potential to reduce carbon emissions

Travelling by public transport, recycling our home waste, using re-fillable water bottles or taking a tote bag to the supermarket. We have all heard about the little changes we can do to reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment. However, the action with the biggest impact is related to food!

Project Drawdown has identified a series of practices and technologies with direct effect on emissions that are scientifically validated and economically viable.

A drop in the ocean?

Their analysis revealed that household activities could contribute to avoid dangerous climate change, defined as an increase in global temperature larger than 1.5°C. Individual actions have the potential to reduce the total emissions needed to avoid that temperature increase by 25-30%. Definitely not just a drop in the ocean! While large businesses and governments are responsible for most emissions (70-75%), our choices also play an important part.

How can we help?

Among the 20-high impact actions we find better home insulation, public transport and recycling. But above all, adopting a plant-rich diet and reducing food waste make up 12.4% of the 25-30% household potential for reductions. Adapting our diet and reducing the food we buy but don’t eat could really make a difference.

Top 20 high impact climate actions for households and individuals.
Top 20 high impact climate actions for households and individuals. Image credit: Project Drawdown.

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Insect wings – tackling antimicrobial resistance

Last April, Arabella Heath, a Biochemistry undergraduate student, and Mia Hughes, a Chemistry undergraduate, joined IMSE for a day to experience the work environment in an Operations team. Together, they explored the topic of antimicrobial resistance and how we can keep antibiotics working by combining molecular science and engineering research. Coincidentally, a couple of weeks ago, the U.K. government updated its strategy to tackle antimicrobial resistance for the next 5 years. In this blog, Arabella and Mia explore how the surface of insect wings is inspiring innovation on antimicrobial ‘smart’ surfaces to reduce bacterial infections in hospitals.

The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance

Summer is approaching, and we are all dreading the familiar sound of insects buzzing that accompanies the season. But who knew that studying some insects like cicadas and dragonflies might hold the key to tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR)? AMR occurs when antimicrobial treatment is no longer effective at treating bacteria, viruses, fungi and other parasites. It leads to increased infections rates and severe illnesses. AMR is a major threat for the development of global public health. AMR caused an estimated 1.27 million deaths in 2019 worldwide and this is set to rise to 10 million by 2050. This issue requires new and innovative solutions because evolving bacteria are outsmarting our current available antibiotics.

Steps on how antibiotic resistance happens. 1. Lots of germs, some are drug resistant. 2. Antibiotics kill the bacteria causing the illness, as well as good bacteria protecting the body from infection. 3. The drug-resistant bacteria are now allowed to grow and take over. 4. Some bacteria give their drug-resistance to other bacteria, causing more problems.
How Antibiotic Resistance happens. Image credit: Lumen learning.

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