IAAS Newsletter November 2019 Issue

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International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related SciencesNOVEMBER 2019Environmental issues have been shone by a more intense light in these last years. From climatechange to sustainable practices of human activities, they all connected to the environmentalissues that we currently facing. Not many people know it, but there are more about the relationbetween Microplastics and Sustainable Agriculture that we might need to know further.What Is Microplastics?Microplastics is a term for small plastic pieces sized less thanfive millimeters long. It comes from variety of sources,including larger plastic which degrades into smaller pieces byexternal forces or from easily-passed microbeads, a type ofmicroplastics which can be found added in health and beautyproducts as exfoliants. Microbeads, microfibers shed fromclothing and other textiles or other type of microplasticsdesigned for commercial usage are considered as primarymicroplastics, while the one sourced from breakdown processof larger debris are considered as secondary microplastics.Microplastics can be found in many places, spreading throughmany means, such as waterway and through air.Picture Source: medium.comWhy Should We FocusOn Microplastics?Picture Source: https://horizon-media.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3fspublic/field/image/Food%20waste.jpgPicture Source: mic.comJust as any other type of plastic, microplastics particle arenot easily and readily broken down into harmless molecules.They can take up to hundreds or thousands of years todecompose. Since 1950, humans have producedapproximately 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic, which only9% are recycled and 12% incinerated. The other 79% endedup in landfills and environment, which then disintegratesinto microparticles that pollute water, air and soil, eventuallyharms wildlife and consumed by humans. Based on researchby GESAMP and UNEP stated in UN FAO report, over 220different species in water bodies have been found toconsume microplastics debris in natura, which 58% werecommercially targeted species. Concerns are rising regardingmicroplastics spread because of scientific uncertainty aboutthe hazards of microplastics issues. It could have adversehealth effect towards humans, which are on the top level ofthe food web and can easily be exposed to other sourcedmicroplastics. Microplastics both absorb and give offharmful pollutants and chemicals that may build up overtime and stay in the environment, and eventually in humanbodies. In short, because of how widespread the problem is,how close it is to our life and the scientific uncertaintybehind microplastics effect towards human health, it iscurrently becoming one of the most concernedenvironmental issues in the world.25
International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related SciencesNOVEMBER 2019What Is SustainableAgricultureSustainable agriculture defined as an integrated system of plantand animal production practices having a site-specific applicationwhich over the long term can satisfy human needs while enhancingenvironmental & stakeholders’ life quality as a whole, and make themost efficient use of nonrenewable and on-farm resources. Thegoal of sustainable agriculture is to meet society’s needs, especiallyin agricultural-related matter such as food and textile in the presentwithout compromising the ability of future generations to meettheir own needs. Sustainable agriculture practitioners are trying tointegrate three main objectives, which are a healthy environment,economic profitability, and social & economic equity. There aremany topics that could be discussed and integrated regardingsustainable agriculture, one of them is soil management. As soilhealth and fertility are among two of the focus in sustainableagriculture practices, usage of chemicals and contamination fromvarious pollutants into soil became main factors to be monitored.Picture Source: ncat.orgPicture Source: ncat.orgPicture Source: organicauthority.comPicture Source: justmeans.com26
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IAAS Newsletter November 2019 Issue

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