HARRISON CHU

"Biochar is a charcoal-like substance that's made by burning organic material from agricultural and forestry wastes in a controlled process called pyrolysis." Materials like wood chips and dead plants are burned with little oxygen so that they release only small amounts of contaminating fumes. This creates a form of carbon which doesn't easily release into the atmosphere. The energy created during this process can also be utilized as renewable energy. Biochar is much better at converting carbon into a stable form and is also much cleaner than other charcoal forms. Some ways that biochar can help improve soil quality are enhancing structure, increasing water retention and aggregation, decreasing acidity, reducing nitrous oxide emissions, improving porosity, regulating nitrogen leaching, improving electrical conductivity, and improving microbial properties. It also is helpful in composting because it reduces emissions and prevents the loss of nutrients in the material being composted. Biochar's process can help sequester a billion tons of carbon annually and keep it in the soil for centuries.  Some other benefits of this process are decreased ground water pollution, lower cost of water filtration, reduced amounts of waste, and higher profitability for farmers. It also reduces the need for chemical fertilizers which helps to improve soil fertility and stimulate plant growth. This process can be used alongside regenerative agriculture to benefit agriculture and the environment. 

One part of my diet which greatly contributes to deforestation is palm oil. The production of palm oil causes deforestation in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Africa. In one year, Indonesia lost around 8,000 square miles of rainforest to palm production and this seems to be a normal trend which does not look like it will slow down anytime soon. The production of this food also destroys the orangutan habitat, which kills much of the population. One way to increase my positive impact would be to avoid consuming palm oil whenever possible. Since it is included in many processed foods, I can avoid eating processed foods and focus on eating more fresh alternatives. Another food that I consume daily is coffee. However, I realized this contributes heavily to deforestation. Drinking 3 cups of coffee a day needs at least 18 coffee trees to sustain the habit. This means many native forest trees and plants need to be removed in order to plant 18 coffee trees to supply the coffee you drink. A few ways to decrease my negative impact through coffee drinking would be to pay more attention to the labels on the coffee. For example, shade grown means it was grown within the forest and it was likely less destructive to native plants. Rainforest alliance certifications also mean that coffee farms were educated on environmentally friendly ways to grow coffee. Lastly, meat, dairy, and eggs are very detrimental to the environment as well. A lot of land is needed to grow crops that will be feed to livestock, which greatly contributes to deforestation. About 80% of deforestation in Brazil is due to cattle ranching and 29% of deforestation in the Amazon can be tied to agriculture as well. In order to make a more positive impact on the environment, I can eat more plant based options instead of these. This will not only be much more eco-friendly, but also much healthier for myself as well.

It was very intriguing learning about regenerative agriculture and all of its benefits. Regenerative agricultural practices include no tillage, diverse cover crops, in farm fertility (no external nutrients), no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, and multiple crop rotations. All of these practices contribute to increasing carbon-rich soil organic matter. This leads to deeper roots, better nutrient uptake, increased water retention, pest resistant plants, and compounding soil fertility. Farms which utilize these methods have seen a 4-6% increase in soil carbon levels which adds up to around 25-60 tons of carbon per acre of land. As much as 50% of the carbon in earth's soils has been released over time and regenerative agriculture is one way to reverse that trend. It not only contributes to cleaner air/water and healthy food, but also improved financial states for farmers. These methods also help improve ecosystems by improving biodiversity. In California, some researchers are using insects and biodegradable chemicals instead of pesticides to improve soil health. Regenerative agriculture impacts myself and my community by providing healthy food, sustainable farming methods, and cleaner air and water.

It was very interesting to learn about home insulation and how it affects energy efficiency. In order to maintain a comfortable room temperature, we use 25-60% more energy just to heat or cool a home depending on how well insulated it is. Better insulation can reduce heat exchange, save energy, and avoid emissions. It is best for a building's thermal layer to cover all sides of the building (floor, walls, roof) and be continuous. The more gaps and cracks there are in the thermal layer, the less effective it will be. The EPA estimates that people can save about 15% on heating and cooling costs by sealing their homes and adding continuous insulation throughout the building. Not only does better insulation make your home more energy efficient, but it also reduces external noise levels, keeps out pollen, dust, and pests, controls humidity, and decreases the chance of ice dams forming on the roof in cold climates. Right now, around 90% of homes in the US are under-insulated. Insulating a home and making it more energy efficient not only helps mitigate the effects of climate change, but also makes for a more comfortable living experience. I definitely noticed the difference good insulation makes when I moved to Westwood. Back at home, new windows and thick walls help to insulate the house and maintain comfortable temperatures without exerting much excess energy. In my apartment here, the inside temperature would change much more drastically depending on the climate outside. The windows were not sealed very tightly and the walls were super thin. I had to turn on the heater or air conditioner constantly to keep the temperature comfortable. This led to wasted energy that could have been saved if correct insulation had been installed in the first place. When purchasing or renting future living spaces, I will definitely make sure the insulation is up to par as it will not only save me money but also lead to lower overall emissions and carbon footprint.

Out of the seven main forms of sustainable fashion, I practice three of these in my own life. I thrift secondhand clothing, pass clothes onto others when I cannot use it anymore, and purchased from brands that have fair and ethical supply chains. Thrifting is not only sustainable, but also a very fun and engaging way to acquire more clothing. Searching through racks and racks of used clothes can be tiring and tedious, but only makes it all the more rewarding when you find a piece that fits your size and taste. I sometimes go to thrift stores with friends and we all take time to sift through the clothes that are available. Since it is more taxing than regular shopping, you also end up buying less, which is definitely a good habit to have. Not to mention the price is generally much cheaper than buying new clothes. I have found several pieces throughout the past few years that I really enjoy, including a camera tripod that I've used many times now. I also try to share my clothes with others. Sometimes a friend needs a type of clothing that I have in my closet already. Lending it to them prevents them from purchasing the item new and contributing to the carbon footprint of fashion. Also, if I grow out of anything, I pass it down to my two younger brothers so that they can continue to use the clothes instead of discarding them. Lastly, I try to limit my spending to brands that are more eco and ethically-conscious. Supporting brands that are careless in terms of ethics and sustainability is very irresponsible and only adds to the problem. Patagonia is one example of an eco-conscious brand I purchase clothes from. These three strategies have allowed me to express my personality, creativity, and values in sustainable manners. Below I have a photo of my wearing my Patagonia sweater while hiking at Yosemite. Although it was definitely on the expensive end, I don't mind spending a few extra dollars supporting ethical and sustainable fashion practices.

Ever since I entered college, I have seen my family much less than when I was in high school. In my first 2 years at UCLA, I also did not have a car and most of my friends also did not have cars. Therefore, it was near impossible to visit home without flying. I ended up flying home for every break that we had, which definitely increased my carbon footprint by alot. However, after my sophomore year, I was able to get a car and bring it to UCLA. Ever since then, I have not flown home to the Bay Area. Instead, I carpool with a few friends who also live in the area and make the 6 hour drive through California. Even though it takes a bit more effort on my part and takes an extra hour or two, it is definitely worth it when considering the differences in climate impact the two options have. Taking several friends with me each time also exponentially lowers our combined carbon footprint as they would be flying home if we did not drive. Even when I am not going home, I try to plan my travels so that I can drive to each destination instead of flying there. For example, I have driven to Utah, Arizona, Yosemite, Portland, Seattle, and San Diego over the last couple years. My friends and I could have flown to these destinations to save time and hassle, but driving was definitely the more sustainable choice. Along the way, we were also able to enjoy seeing the different environments that exist in near these places. Learning that air travel accounts for at least 2.5% of annual carbon emissions especially makes me want to avoid airplanes. It was quite interesting to see Peter's breakdown of emissions as air travel dominated his carbon footprint. This shows that even if you try to eat sustainably as often as possible, flying frequently completely defeats the progress you make with food. I also learned that "planes emit mono-nitrogen oxides into the upper troposphere, form contrails, and seed cirrus clouds with aerosols from fuel combustion. These three effects enhance warming in the short term." When Peter stopped flying, his total emissions dropped far below the average individual. This shows how influential lifestyle changes like this can benefit the environment. Until a more sustainable way to fly is invented, I will try to avoid air travel as much as possible in the future. If jet fuel can be sourced sustainably, this would greatly decrease the footprint of air travel. I will also try to utilize telecommunications technology as much as possible to reduce the amount of travel I will do in the future. This photo below is scenery from near Big Sur on PCH. My friends and I stopped here on the way back to the Bay Area to admire the sunset and the ocean view. This is just one great example of the benefits of avoiding air travel. We were able to appreciate the environment up close and personal while on our way home. 

Water and energy waste most motivate me to change my behavior regarding food waste. After seeing California go through a long drought and witnessing all of the dried up fields in the middle of California made me realize how important water is to humans. Through some research, I also learned that certain areas of the world suffer from excessive water use. Many companies are now making sustainable water management a main priority in their sustainable endeavors. Energy waste also alarms me because of how large the climate footprint of the energy industry has. Most of our energy comes from non-renewable resources and is therefore not sustainable. I also learned that if organic or biodegradable waste ends up in the landfill, a lack of oxygen causes it to produce methane, a greenhouse gas much more potent than carbon dioxide. Composting that type of waste instead allows the material to convert into stable soil carbon and retain the original water and nutrients of the waste matter. This process can actually be used to grow gardens and fields instead of poisoning the atmosphere. At home, my parents composted all of our organic waste, so I grew up with this practice as a kid. However, my apartments in Los Angeles do not have composting bins to use so I stopped composting in college. But after learning more about the consequences of throwing organic waste into the landfill, I have decided to start composting again. I set up a compost bin in my apartment and have encouraged my apartment-mates to throw their organic waste in this separate bin instead. This allows them to also be more aware of their waste management and in turn create less organic waste. Once the bin is full, I will compost the waste in the small garden outside of my apartment. This way, all of our organic waste can be used to benefit the environment instead of contributing to the climate crisis. 

I learned that the carbon footprint of my household is around 5.69 tons of CO2e every month, which is much higher than the average household.  It was interesting to see how different factors such as household size, ground transportation methods, air transportation, electricity sources, and types of food affected the overall carbon footprint of my household. In order to reduce the number of short car trips taken within a few mile radius of my house, my family has started to walk and bike more regularly instead of taking a car. This has not only contributed to decreasing our overall carbon footprint but also allows for an appreciation of the natural environment around us. We also only fly to travel destinations around once or twice a year as a family. Besides those trips, we usually drive if the destination is within around 10 hours of our home. Since we know that traveling by plane is very damaging to the environment, we try to plan most of our trips to be traveled by car instead. In terms of food that we eat, my mom has taken a huge initiative to buy and cook less meat and instead increase the amount of vegetables, fish, and fruit that we consume. The production of beef and pork definitely contributes heavily to our carbon footprint so cutting down on foods like those has been a great start to living more sustainably. One area I would like to learn more about is sourcing renewable electricity. I believe that over time, this strategy would not only be much better for the environment, but also probably save us money down the line. I want to research whether or not installing solar panels would be feasible and what would need to be done in order to accomplish this. I would want to know how much of an initial investment it is and how much it would decrease our collective carbon footprint. In my future home, I would like to have a circular energy system where I have a renewable energy source that powers my use so that I do not have to pay power companies for non-renewable energy sources. 

I have gone on a walk/run 5 days per week for the last 3 weeks. Usually, I go through campus or general westwood area. I learned that "walking as part of everyday travel is as effective asstructured workouts for improving health." During quarantine, my exercise decreased significantly, so by going on all these walks and runs my goal is to take better care of my muscles and cardio. Getting into better cardiovascular shape has also allowed me to start doing more structured workouts with weights as well. These walks and workouts have greatly increased my general productivity and heightened my average mood through the days. I feel much healthier and more energized after these exercise routines. I noticed that the UCLA campus is really nice for walks and runs because it has wide, paved walkways that alternate between flat and hilly ground. This allows for a harder workout and works out a variety of muscles. There is also alot of grass area which is softer to walk on and nice to hangout at during my walk. The buildings and trees also provide shade at times when it is very hot. In Westwood, the walkways are smaller and many times are not paved as nicely. I think extending sidewalks to be slightly larger and making sure they are paved would definitely make my walks more enjoyable. Also, some streets are very loud and the air is congested because so many cars pass through at any given moment. If more people made an effort to walk to their close destinations this would greatly decrease the number of cars driving around in Westwood. One question I have is how does daily exercise affect mental health.