The United Nations has recently adopted a landmark treaty focused on safeguarding our oceans, which are increasingly threatened by climate change. This historic agreement emphasizes the sustainable use of marine resources and presents significant opportunities to advance climate action. The treaty underscores the need to protect marine ecosystems and biodiversity, recognizing their role as natural... Continue Reading →
Artificial Intelligence: will it cause mass unemployment?
There have been significant developments in artificial intelligence tools such as Chat GTP, which is an effective tool for finding and processing information. Some individuals fear that artificial intelligence (AI) tools like Chat GTP will replace human workers, eliminating current jobs. Especially since UN DESA data shows that our population is expected to reach 9.8... Continue Reading →
Avans Job & Career Event
On the 8th of June from 14:00 to 17:00, the Avans International Community will host its first Job & Career Event for current Avans students and alumni. During the event, participants can connect with various internationally operating companies and organisations in the Netherlands and Belgium, or join some of the workshop and information sessions. Here's... Continue Reading →
Do you know what you wear?
The world has been taken over by fast fashion. Companies are following a trend of producing and distributing items as quickly and cheaply as possible. This business model has significant environmental effects that cannot be overlooked, however handy it may seem. The chemicals used in clothing during production are an aspect of fast fashion that is not... Continue Reading →
Nuclear power: a killer or a saviour?
Nuclear power plants have always been a subject of controversy, with arguments on both sides of the debate. Some people view nuclear power as a viable solution to the world's energy crisis, while others fear the dangers that nuclear plants pose to both human life and the environment. One of the most notable nuclear accidents... Continue Reading →
Are fungi able to control humans?
You are probably already familiar with the existence of fungi. There are millions of fungal species in the world, but what most people do not know is that some of these species can form a threat to humans. Lucky for us, evolution has given us the chance to develop an immune system that can protect us against... Continue Reading →
50.000 year old viruses revived
Pop culture takes over our minds when we hear the term "zombie virus," the first image that comes to mind is infected individuals who have turned into zombies. That is not the situation. I can offer you something even bigger. Russia's permafrost has been found to contain zombie viruses. After two years of lockdowns, this... Continue Reading →
Plastic-free island, is that possible?
Written by Widya, Karin, and Claudia In December, Widya got a chance to visit two ESSET students working on their internship regarding plastic pollution in Indonesia. This internship was made possible by collaborating with a non-profit organisation Clear Rivers and the University of Pattimura. The students, Karin and Claudia, spent approximately 4 months on the... Continue Reading →
New waste containers @Avans
Earlier I wrote about the new organic waste containers being implemented at Avans. Apparently that is not the only improvement currently being made. In our faculty we now also have new containers which provide visual images to help students and staff separate the waste in the correct waste bin. This kind of visual aid is... Continue Reading →
Sustainability within Avans
Sustainability is not only a relevant theme within our environmental science programme, but also for Avans University of Applied Sciences as a whole. One of the main ingredients of Avans's sustainability efforts is the Mission Zero strategy. With the Mission Zero Avans aims for a fully circular business - this covers topics from catering services... Continue Reading →
Down to Earth: Down Under
One of my favourite 2000's actors has found his life's purpose in highlighting the importance of environmental sustainability through film, and I am here for it. For the last week and a half, I have watched the second season of Zac Efron's down to earth experience. This time, instead of country hopping, the executive producer... Continue Reading →
Creating a problem to fix the problem
Nano plastics have become a recent topic of concern within society. However, there is a knowledge gap on nano plastics related to their concentration in the environment and the harmful effects they pose to ecosystems and living organisms. In addition, there is currently no way of detecting or removing nano plastics from the environment. During... Continue Reading →