While certain foods, and in some cases, certain drugs, may be the primary continuing triggers for microscopic colitis (MC), most of us have found that stress can be just as troublesome, and in some cases, an even bigger problem than maintaining a safe diet, when attempting to maintain long-term remission. Sooner or later, virtually all of us have chronic stress episodes in our lives, and our relapse of MC symptoms usually catches us by surprise. We get distracted by the source of stress, and the symptom relapse blindsides us. Stress causes inflammation. As most of us are well aware, stress is a well known cause of inflammation (Sun, et al., 2019; Liu, Wang, and Jiang, 2017).1, 2 Additional research has shown that chronic stress triggers an immune system response by disturbing the gut microbiota (Gao, Cao, Cheng, and Yang, 2018).3 And as we all know, stress is a major trigger for IBDs. The data show that psychological stress uses the gut brain axis, (by way of the enteric nervous system), to regulate not only the activity status of IBDs, but also to regulates disease progression.4 And it appears to be likely that an often overlooked, yet much more common than realized, cause of chronic inflammation in a surprising number of cases, may be posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Which, of course, implies that PTSD may be a common trigger for IBDs. PTSD can cause major immune system problems. Based on an analysis of the results of 65 published studies, researchers determined that PTSD not only increases inflammatory agents, but it also reduces anti-inflammatory factors (Sun, Qu, and Zhu, 2021).5 The study also revealed that PTSD and immune system disorders share common genetics. Childhood trauma is associated with inflammation during adulthood. A meta analysis that looked at C-reactive protein (CRP) levels of 16,870 individuals from 18 studies, interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels of 3,751 individuals from 15 studies, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels of 881 individuals from 10 studies, showed that individuals who experienced childhood trauma, had significantly elevated levels of CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α, as adults (Baumeister, Akhtar, Ciufolini, Pariante, and Mondelli, 2016).6 Interestingly, the analysis also showed that different types of trauma, whether it be sexual, physical, or emotional abuse, resulted in the elevation of different inflammatory markers. In other words, each type of childhood abuse resulted in the elevation of a specific inflammatory agent in adulthood. Veterans show high rates of PTSD causing subsequent AI disease. An analysis of data from the Millennium Cohort Study, which studied records of the Military Health System Data Repository (MDR), based on following participants for a mean of 5.2 years, showed that of 120,572 participants, those who had a history of PTSD had a 58% higher risk of developing one or more autoimmune (AI) diseases, compared with those who did not have PTSD (Bookwalter, et al., (2020).7 PTSD even increases the health risks associated with viruses. Analyzing data in the UK Biobank, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, recently investigated a possible link between childhood trauma and adverse outcomes due to Covid 19 (Hanson, O’Connor, Adkins, and Kahhale, (2023).8 They considered data from 151,200 participants who had completed the Childhood Trauma Screen, and were alive at the start of the Covid 19 pandemic in January 2020. The researchers looked at hospitalization and mortality data between January 2020 and November 2021, and they found that the odds ratio associated with childhood trauma was 1.227 for hospitalization (due to Covid 19), and 1.25 for death (due to Covid 19). It appears that major surgery is also associated with PTSD. A study that summarized the current medical literature regarding postoperative traumatic stress symptoms, found that approximately 20% of surgery patients showed symptoms of PTSD, with certain types of surgery resulting in higher rates (El-Gabalawy, et al., 2019).9 And, of course, surgery is performed in many cases of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. PTSD is a major cause of gastrointestinal issues. As might be expected, PTSD can have major adverse effects on the performance of the gastrointestinal system. An Australian study, based on the medical records of veterans, showed that veterans who had PTSD were 77 to 81% more likely to undergo upper GI endoscopy and abdominal ultrasound procedures, than those who did not have PTSD (Crawford, Mellor, Duenow, and Connelly, 2023).10 And conversely, IBD can cause PTSD. In a study of 797 IBD patients (452 who had Crohn's disease, and 345 who had ulcerative colitis — as usual, MC patients were not included), researchers found that approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of IBD patients reported significant posttraumatic stress symptoms (Taft, et al., 2022).11 The study also revealed that patients who had higher posttraumatic stress symptoms were less likely to be in remission, and were more likely to seek more help from outpatient gastrointestinal services. So how can we minimize stress in our own lives? Several previous newsletters have dealt with stress issues, and the resolution of stress. One of them, which can be read or downloaded at the link below, offered some personal insights into the evolution of stress during our lifetimes, and dealing with increased stress. https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundation.org/uploads/5/8/3/2/58327395/2717c3cdf4c6623384733__1_.pdf All the major healthcare institutions offer online advice for controlling stress. The Cleveland Clinic,for example, recommends these methods (Wellness, 2022, May 26):12
And, of course, by clicking on the reference link, a detailed explanation of each item on the list can be reviewed on the Cleveland Clinic website. Because we all tend to have different needs, most of us only need to concentrate on two or three of these issues (the ones that are the most relevant for us), in order to bring our stress levels way down. A few of us may need to consider more of the items on this list, or even some items that are not on the list, in special cases. Summary Obviously, it shouldn't be surprising that so many of us have serious problems caused by stress triggering MC symptoms. And stress (particularly PTSD) is surely a primary factor in the original onset of the disease, for many of us, possibly most of us. All this provides further evidence that the gut brain axis, and psychological issues in general, may be much more important in the etiology (and treatment) of MC , and other IBDs, than most gastroenterologists realize. As most of us have found, controlling stress is not easy. Unfortunately, for many of us, stress may be the most difficult aspect of our lives to manage. But although we may have no control over many of the sources of stress, fortunately, we do have ways to mitigate the potential damage that stress can cause, so that we can choose not to let stress dominate our mood, and wreck our recovery, or our remission. There are many online sources that can provide help, and professional help is always available, if needed Clinicians desperately need to adopt a multidisciplinary approach. If the medical community hopes to ever be able to understand and successfully treat MC, they will almost surely have to abandon the outdated practice of studying each system of the body as if it operates independently of the others , and adopt a multidisciplinary approach, so that they can consider the interaction of multiple systems in the body, and how they are associated with disease. A multidisciplinary approach is not just important, but it's probably essential to the understanding and proper treatment of virtually every known AI disease, not just IBD. References 1. Sun, Y., Li, L., Xie, R., Wang, B., Jiang, K,, and Cao, H. (2019). Stress Triggers Flare of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children and Adults. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 7, 432. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6821654/ 2. Liu, Y. Z., Wang, Y. X., and Jiang, C. L. (2017). Inflammation: The Common Pathway of Stress-Related Diseases. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 11, 316. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5476783/ 3. Gao, X., Cao, Q., Cheng, Y., and Yang, Y. (2018). Chronic stress promotes colitis by disturbing the gut microbiota and triggering immune system response. PNAS, Retrieved from https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1720696115 4. Ge, L., Liu, S., Li, S., Yang, J., Hu, G., Xu, C., and Song, W. (2022). Psychological stress in inflammatory bowel disease: Psychoneuroimmunological insights into bidirectional gut-brain communications. Frontiers in Immunology, 13, 1016578. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9583867/ 5. Sun, Y., Qu, Y., and Zhu, J. (2021). The Relationship Between Inflammation and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12(1). Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.707543/full 6. Baumeister, D., Akhtar, R., Ciufolini, S., Pariante, C. M., and Mondelli, V. (2016). Childhood trauma and adulthood inflammation: a meta-analysis of peripheral C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α. Molecular Psychiatry, 21(5), pp 642–649. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26033244/ 7. Bookwalter, D. B., Roenfeldt, K. A., LeardMann, C., A., Kong, S. Y., Riddle, M. S., and Rull, R. P. (2020). Posttraumatic stress disorder and risk of selected autoimmune diseases among US military personnel. BMC Psychiatry, 20(1), 23. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6964079/ 8. Hanson, J. L., O’Connor, K., Adkins, D. J., and Kahhale, I. (2023).Childhood adversity and COVID-19 outcomes in the UK Biobank. Journal of Epidemiological & Community Health, Published Online First, Retrieved from https://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2023/11/01/jech-2023-221147 9. El-Gabalawy, R., Sommer, J. L., Pietrzak. R., Edmondson, D., Sareen, J., Avidan, M. S., . . . Jacobsohn, E. (2019). Post-traumatic stress in the postoperative period: current status and future directions. Canadian Journal of anesthesia, 66(11), pp 1385–1395. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31190143/ 10. Crawford, D. H. G., Mellor, R., Duenow, P., and Connelly, L. B. (2023). The impact of posttraumatic stress disorder on upper gastrointestinal investigations in Australian Defence Force veterans: a retrospective review. Internal Medicine Journal, 53(5), pp 841–844. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37145886/ 11. Taft, T. H., Quinton, S., Jedel, S., Simons, M., Mutlu, E. A., and Hanauer, S. B. (2022). Posttraumatic Stress in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Prevalence and Relationships to Patient-Reported Outcomes. Inflammatory Bowel Disease, 28(5), pp 710–719. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8344426/ 12. Wellness, (2022, May 26). 10 Ways You Can Relieve Stress Right Now. Cleveland Clinic, Retrieved from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-relieve-stress/
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Anyone who has searched for safe recipes in the “Dee's Kitchen” category of our discussion and support forum is well aware of the dedicated efforts contributed by Dee Kandel, as she shared MC safe recipes with other members for years and years. Her recipes are not only safe, but they're also tasty — which, as most of us have learned, is difficult to accomplish when dealing with the severely restricted diets that many of us are on. Dee is a professional chef, and like most of us, she was devastated after she developed MC and had to undertake the distressing chore of discarding all the unsafe ingredients from the cabinets, shelves, and countertops in her kitchen. But fortunately, once she decided to come to grips with the disease, her valuable experience greatly simplified the process of substituting ingredients. And after she noticed that the rest of us were having problems keeping our diet clean, she started sharing recipes and ingredient substitutions. Unfortunately, family obligations eventually preempted so much of her time, that she had to stop posting, and take care of her personal responsibilities at home — but not before she had shared hundreds of safe, tasty recipes, that anyone can use. The forum has been in continuous use for over 25 years. Discussion and support forums rarely last for very many years. Our discussion and support forum is by far the longest surviving MC discussion and support forum on the Internet. It doesn't see near as much use these days, since most people prefer to air their health problems on social media. And hackers and various security issues are frequent problems, raising the question of whether it's worth all the trouble required to keep it going, with such limited use. AI seems to be everywhere these days. Anticipating the day when it may become necessary to close the discussion and support forum, the Microscopic Colitis Foundation recently published an app for smartphones that used AI to capture the over 210,000 posts that had been entered in the database, and allow users to use an AI Search Assistant to search the vast database for answers to their questions. Dee considered publishing an MC cookbook for years. But, of course, with all the demands on her time, she was never able to do that. Since there's a risk that her recipes might be lost forever if the wensite disappears from the Internet, early this summer, I offered to format all the recipes she had posted into a book, if she would check them all for accuracy. To cut to the chase, she agreed, and the book was published in September. The Microscopic Colitis & IBD Cook Book is available on Amazon as a hardback, paperback, ebook, and audiobook, so now her recipes will be available for present and future MC (and other IBD) patients, for a long, long time. In addition to over 260 recipes, the book contains many ingredient substitutions that should allow most of us to convert some of our previous favorite recipes into safe recipes by making the appropriate ingredient substitutions. And Dee also notes that when she has served most of these recipes to her guests who are not on restricted diets, they often complement her on the outstanding flavor, never realizing that they were eating food formulated for a restricted diet. Here's a link to the book on the US Amazon site:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FWBLGJRG
Medicare Advantage (MA) plans often advertise dental, vision, and hearing benefits as significant advantages over traditional Medicare (TM). However, a recent study published in JAMA Network Open by researchers from Mass General Brigham reveals that the reality does not match the promise (Cai, et al., 2025).1 Despite offering these supplemental benefits, MA beneficiaries do not typically receive more of these services than their TM counterparts, and out-of-pocket (OOP) spending remains comparable for most services. Researchers analyzed data from 76,557 Medicare beneficiaries between 2017 and 2021, sourced from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) and the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS). The study’s goal was to evaluate whether MA plans deliver on their advertised advantages. How well were the supplemental services utilized? The study revealed that only 54.2% of MA beneficiaries were aware of their dental coverage, and only 54.3% knew about vision coverage. And the study found that MA enrollees were no more likely to receive eye examinations, hearing aids, or eyeglasses than TM enrollees. Cost-sharing structures and lack of awareness about benefits probably contribute to underutilization. How did out-of-pocket costs compare? While out-of-pocket (OOP) costs were slightly lower for MA beneficiaries, the differences were modest:
Nationally, MA plans spent $3.9 billion annually on vision, dental, and durable medical equipment. Beneficiaries themselves paid $9.2 billion OOP, while other private insurers covered an additional $2.8 billion. The study highlights a troubling inequality. MA plans receive $37.2 billion more annually from taxpayers than TM plans would have cost for the same beneficiaries. This funding is partly intended to enhance access to supplemental benefits. However, the findings suggest that these additional funds do not translate into significantly greater service utilization or reduced costs for beneficiaries. Dr. Christopher Cai, the study's lead author, points out that this raises questions about whether the increased taxpayer investment in MA is justified. "Our findings add to the evidence that this increased cost is not justified," Cai said. The findings challenge one of MA’s key selling points: better access to supplemental services. Senior author Dr. Lisa Simon emphasized that older adults and individuals with disabilities deserve more from Medicare, especially when choosing a MA plan based on advertised benefits. So the question is, "Why are MA benefits so poorly utilized?" That question was clearly answered by researchers from Mass General Brigham after they investigated and found significant deficiencies in dental coverage provided by Medicare advantage plans (Simon, Vugicic, and Nasseh, 2024, December 26).2 Despite Medicare Advantage being a privatized alternative to traditional Medicare, offering additional benefits like dental coverage, only a small fraction of plans meet quality standards. The findings, published in JAMA, raise concerns about the accessibility and adequacy of dental care for millions of beneficiaries (Simon, Vujicic, and Nasseh, 2024).3 The researchers found that only 8.4% of Medicare Advantage plans offered a dental benefit that met quality standards comparable to employer-sponsored plans, such as:
Many plans feature complex benefit structures, such as high co-pays, coverage caps, or limited inclusion of services like fillings and crowns. These complexities can make it difficult for consumers to evaluate plans during open enrollment. Regulatory oversight is obviously lacking. The researchers point out the need for stricter regulations to ensure that low-quality dental plans are not offered, thereby protecting consumers. Regulations could also mandate greater transparency, making it easier for beneficiaries to understand the scope and quality of dental benefits. With the current lack of adequate regulation, MA plans are reminiscent of bygone times when manufacturers could write ads for snake oil that promised the moon, but only delivered disappointment. References 1. Cai, C. L., Iyengar, S., Woolhandler, S., Himmelstein, D. U., Kannan, K., and Simon, L. (2025). Use and Costs of Supplemental Benefits in Medicare Advantage, 2017-2021. JAMA Network Open, 8(1):e2454699. Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2829183 2. Simon, L., Vugicic, M., and Nasseh, K. (2024, December 26). Investigation Uncovers Poor Quality of Dental Coverage under Medicare Advantage. Mass General Brigham, Retrieved from https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/press-releases/investigation-uncovers-poor-quality-of-dental-coverage-under-medicare-advantage 3. Simon, L, Vujicic, M, and Nasseh, K. (2024). Availability of Dental Benefits Within Medicare Advantage Plans by Enrollment and County. JAMA, Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39724145/
What, exactly, is the definition of pollution? Pollution is defined as the introduction of substances, energy, or agents into the environment in quantities or forms that cause harm or discomfort to living organisms, degrade natural ecosystems, or disrupt natural processes. To put things into perspective, note that humans are not the only species that are polluting this planet. But interestingly, we give all other species a free pass. By definition, we consider pollution generated by other species as "natural, and part of normal ecological cycles". Presumably, because the impact of other species' "pollution" is relatively insignificant, compared with the levels of pollution attributed to humans. By contrast, we don't cut humans any slack. We consider any effects on the environment that can be attributed to humans, as unnatural. This biased attitude is presumably further supported by the fact that we don't consider other species capable of even recognizing pollution, anyway, let alone capable of restricting it. Despite this bias, there are many examples of pollution by other species.
In contrast to most human sources of pollution, the pollution events that can be attributed to other species do not involve the addition of synthetic materials or chemicals that persist for hundreds of years. The effects of their pollution typically degrade rather rapidly. Ecosystems tend to recover or adapt over time without long-term degradation. Human pollution has developed in phases. Human pollution is closely tied to the development of human societies, from early hunter gatherer lifestyles to the rise of agriculture, industrialization, and modern consumption patterns. During early human evolution (2 million to 10,000 BCE), Hunter gatherer societies had minimal impact on the environment. Small nomadic populations left behind localized waste such as bones and fire residues. Campfires released smoke and soot, marking the earliest form of air pollution, and stone tool production generated small amounts of localized debris. As the old saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure. Interestingly, early evidence of trash left behind by our evolving ancestors is treasured by archaeologists, and considered to be valuable artifacts. By contrast, it's rather unlikely that the mountains of trash we're generating today will be viewed by future generations as "valuable artifacts". As agriculture began to be developed (about 10,000 BCE), deforestation began in order to accommodate farming and settlements. Livestock farming added to methane emissions from animals. Overuse of land eventually led to soil degradation, and early irrigation systems introduced water pollution as waste and sediment flowed into existing bodies of water. Early civilizations (10,000 BCE to about 500 CE), brought the development of early cities such as those in Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and ancient Egypt, resulting in the concentrated production of waste. The use of metals such as copper, bronze, and iron increased as tools and weapons were produced. Water pollution increased due to poor sanitation and untreated sewage. Air pollution increased from metal smelting and open fires. And soil pollution increased from waste accumulation and mining activities. During the tenure of the Roman and Greek empires (800 BCE to 500CE), the expansion of mining and metalworking, and increased trade spread pollution across regions. Lead contamination from mining and smelting was so extensive that evidence can still be found in ice cores and soil samples. Research suggests that exposure to lead from mining in the Roman Empire probably lowered I.Q. levels. In the cities, urban waste led to disease outbreaks that contributed to population decreases in some regions During the medieval period (500 to 1500 CE), deforestation intensified as land was cleared for farming and fuel, and the growth of towns and trade routes lead to increases in waste production. Air pollution increased from widespread use of wood and coal for heating and industrial production. Water pollution increased from tanning, dyeing, and similar early industries. Increased land degradation and soil erosion resulted from farming. As mining for silver, gold, and other metals increased in Europe and Asia, toxic runoff into rivers and lakes increased. Localized deforestation and habitat destruction occurred in the vicinity of mines. During the early modern period (1500 to 1750), global exploration and colonization introduced intensive agriculture and resource extraction to new areas. New colonies added to soil degradation and deforestation. And the introduction of invasive species disrupted ecosystems. The use of coal expanded for early industries, particularly in Europe, and air pollution from coal smoke became a significant problem in urban centers. Water pollution from early mills and factories increased. The Industrial Revolution (1750 to 1900), was fueled by the widespread use of fossil fuels such as coal, as the invention of the steam engine brought a big boost to the construction of factories. Severe air pollution from coal combustion brought urban smog. Waterways became heavily polluted with industrial waste and chemicals. The increased need for raw materials brought increased deforestation and habitat destruction. As cities grew rapidly, so did waste production and sanitation problems. Sewage and waste dumped into rivers caused public health crises such as cholera outbreaks. The 20th century brought the modern industrial and technological Era. With the post-World War II boom, advances were made in technology, transportation, and agriculture. Plastics and synthetic chemicals were developed. Air pollution and industrial emissions increased significantly. Plastic waste became widespread, accumulating in oceans, and soil chemical pollution from pesticides such as DDT and fertilizer became a long-term problem. Nuclear weapons testing and energy production led to long-lasting radioactive contamination in ecosystems, which was compounded from accidents like the 1986 Chernobyl incident. The 21st century Anthropocene brought globalization and mass consumption, which intensified industrial activities and global trade. The proliferation of single-use plastics led to microplastics in oceans, drinking water and human bodies. Air pollution remains a major health crisis with hot spots in India and China, and discarded electronics contributes to heavy metals in the environment. Greenhouse gases and climate change become a major problem due primarily to the burning of fossil fuels, and methane emissions from livestock and landfills add to the greenhouse effect. Rising CO2 levels have disrupted global climate patterns, and ocean acidification is negatively affecting marine ecosystems. The cumulative impacts of human pollution are worrisome. Air and water pollution contribute to millions of deaths annually due to respiratory, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases. Pollution has led to the extinction or population declines of many species. Agricultural runoff and industrial chemicals have rendered vast areas unsuitable for farming or drinking water. Human activities have accelerated global warming, causing rising sea levels, extreme weather, and ecosystem collapse. Throughout their evolution, humans have transitioned from minimal environmental impact to becoming the dominant force altering Earth's ecosystems. While early pollution was localized and relatively small-scale, industrialization and modern consumption have led to global challenges that threaten the planet's health and sustainability. And now were polluting space. Apparently we haven't learned much about preventing pollution during our evolution, because now we appear to be well on our way to polluting the universe. As of 2024, humans have left a staggering amount of space debris, commonly known as "space junk," in Earth's orbit. There are approximately 36,000 pieces of debris larger than 10 cm (4 inches) currently being tracked by global space surveillance networks, such as the U.S. Space Surveillance Network. There are an estimated 1 million pieces of debris between 1 cm and 10 cm (0.4–4 inches). Scientists estimate there are more than 100 million pieces smaller than 1 cm, including fragments from collisions, paint flecks, and particles from rocket fuel. Most space junk consists of:
Because objects in orbit tend to travel at speeds of up to 28,000 km/h (17,500 mph), even small particles can cause catastrophic collision damage. A mathematical analysis known as the "Kessler Syndrome" describes a scenario where cascading collisions exponentially increase debris, making space operations impossible. We're rapidly trashing space. Despite the relatively limited amount of time that we've spent exploring space, we've already filled it with so much debris that collisions are becoming an increasing problem. The International Space Station, for example regularly has to perform collision avoidance maneuvers. And although much of this debris in low Earth orbit may eventually burn up upon reentry into our atmosphere, debris in higher orbits can persist for centuries. The United Nations Office for Outerspace Affairs (UNOOSA) has issued guidelines for mitigating space debris. And technologies such as nets, harpoons, and robotic arms are being developed and tested to remove debris. Satellites are increasingly being designed to deorbit themselves at the end of their lifecycle. And space agencies and private organizations are enhancing debris tracking capabilities to prevent collisions. It's worth noting that:
We've even polluted much of the universe within reach of our space travels. On our moon: we've left a significant amount of debris from decades of lunar explorations that began in 1969 with the Apollo mission. We've left behind numerous lunar lander stages, rovers, scientific instruments, and personal items such as tools, flags, and cameras. Unmanned missions have also left debris where probes were deliberately crashed into the surface of the moon for the purpose of gathering scientific information. Mars: is littered with the remains of rovers, landers, and entry, descent, and landing hardware such as parachutes, and heat shields. Several unsuccessful missions left debris from incomplete landings. Venus: has debris such as atmospheric probes left from early Soviet and US exploration missions. Jupiter: contains the remains of the Galileo spacecraft which was deliberately crashed into Jupiter to avoid contaminating Europa (a moon of Jupiter). Saturn: contains the remains of the Cassini spacecraft which was deliberately deorbited into Saturn in order to protect its moons from contamination. Titan, Saturn's largest moon: contains the remains of the Huygens probe, left as part of the Cassini mission. Even certain comets and asteroids have been affected. NASA's Deep Impact mission in 2005 left an impactor on comet Tempel. Other spacecraft (such as Hayabusa and OSIRIS-REx) left components or spent materials during sample collection from asteroids. The Outer Space Treaty (UNOOSA, 1967) mentioned above was enacted to prevent harmful contamination. This was intended to be a treaty on principles governing the activities of states in the exploration and use of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies. Unfortunately the treaty has notable shortcomings in several critical areas (Roberds, 2016).1 One such issue is the development of anti-satellite (ASAT) technology, which undermines the principle that all nations have equal rights to explore space without discrimination. The destructive capabilities of ASAT, controlled by a limited number of nations, pose a potential threat to the space programs of countries lacking such technology. In the current geopolitical climate, a nation equipped with ASAT capabilities could significantly impair another nation's ability to conduct space exploration. Another area of concern is the treaty's inability to prevent the weaponization of space. While Section A, Article IV explicitly prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction in outer space, it provides no restrictions on the deployment of conventional or future technological weapons. This oversight creates a situation where only nations with advanced capabilities may dominate space militarization, further hindering the principle of equal access to space exploration. Additionally, the treaty has failed to address the growing problem of space debris. The lack of measures to prevent outer space from becoming cluttered with debris exacerbates challenges for exploration, including the threat of collisions, increased repair costs, and the financial burden of tracking debris. Most cities treat wastewater and place nonrecyclable trash in landfills. Wastewater treatment benefits us by reducing disease potential and obviously benefits the environment by reducing the pollution that would otherwise flow into rivers lakes and oceans. And although landfills are mostly used to concentrate (and hopefully decompose) nonrecyclable items (many of which may last thousands of years before deteriorating), at least it gets the trash out of our immediate environment so that we're not smothered in trash everywhere else. The downside is that some items may never deteriorate. For some items, we're able to reduce landfill accumulations by recycling.
Consider what isn't recycled. This is by no means a complete list, but items that cannot be recycled typically include plastic bags and wraps, styrofoam (polystyrene), mixed plastics, plastic utensils and straws, plastic with food residue, grease, or other contamination, coated or contaminated paper (such as paper cups), shredded paper, pizza boxes, contaminated paper (such as paper towels, tissues, napkins), ceramics, heat resistant glass, mirrors, window glass, paint cans, aerosol cans, metal with nonmetal attachments, electronics, household batteries, synthetic fabrics, mixed fabrics (such as cotton polyester blends), medical waste, chemically treated items, household hazardous wastes, bottle caps, rubber, disposable diapers, wax coated cartons, for example We seem to be inclined to pollute. Is that characteristic part of our DNA? We've managed to pollute not only the planet that supports us, but we're even polluting the universe around us, as far as we can reach. Human exploration has left a legacy of debris across the solar system, from the Moon to distant asteroids. While this debris serves as historical artifacts of exploration, it also raises concerns about planetary protection and space ethics. Will we ever change? Maybe, but the jury is still out on that. Fortunately, it's rather likely that the tendency to pollute everything around us is a negative side effect associated with our rapid rise in technology, rather than being a part of our DNA. So we aren't born to pollute, but on the other hand, we don't seem to be able to to prevent it from happening, either. Reference 1. Roberds, E. H. J. (2016). FAILURE OF THE OUTER SPACE TREATY. Canadian Forces College, Retrieved from https://www.cfc.forces.gc.ca/259/290/301/305/roberds.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjsu8z42NmKAxW1IEQIHYtpGkEQFnoECAYQDQ&usg=AOvVaw3hvsaUtUJpQ7hm5RTl7dl9
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December 2025
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