Environomics

Climate Change Takes Toll on Herbal Medicine

By Kristen Schepker, Assistant Editor

As global temperatures continue to rise, scientists predict that environmental shifts will impact the ability of medicinal plants to grow and thrive in affected regions. Botanists across the world are shining light on the ways that climate change could fundamentally alter the practice of holistic medicine.

A Safe Future: Is That Too Much to Ask?

By Erik Goldman

“We deserve a safe future. And we demand a safe future. Is that really too much to ask?”

Greta Thunberg posed this blunt question to the world during her brief but forceful speech at the New York City climate strike on September 20.

To thunderous applause and fervent chanting of her name, the celebrated–and vilified –Swedish eco activist voiced the fears, rage, and hopes of her generation.

The troubling truth is, Greta’s demand really might be too much to ask.

Climate & Public Health: Medicine Faces a Planet in Critical Condition

By Kristen Schepker, Assistant Editor

While there have always been medical voices calling attention to the perils of unchecked environmental degradation, for the most part the healthcare mainstream has kept quiet. It is only recently that major medical organizations have begun to publicly acknowledge the health risks posed by climate change.

Supplement Makers Take Action To Reduce Environmental Impact

By Kristen Schepker, Assistant Editor

Healthcare—with its reliance on single-use disposables—is one of the world’s biggest polluters. And the natural products and dietary supplements industries—despite their “clean, green, and healthy” values—do contribute to the deluge of trash and pollution. Fortunately, eco-conscious companies in the natural products sector are responding to the crisis, and leading the charge toward ecological sustainability.

How Do Medical Practitioners Feel About SynBio?

By Erik Goldman

Holistic Primary Care’s 2018 Practitioner Survey included a question about the rapidly emerging methods of Synthetic Biology (SynBio) and the entry of SynBio ingredients into the food and dietary supplement supply chains.