Air pollution's mental health link, climate crisis endangering North American whales, Ida suspected of oil spills, best protein sources...

[View in your browser]( [ecowatch]( Top Posts [ ​In Today's Eco Update - Pollution and mental health link. - Whale species decline. - Ida suspected of causing oil spill. And a look at vegan and vegetarian protein sources. – summaries below written by [Angely Mercado]( [post_image]( [Air Pollution Linked to Severe Mental Illness]( [Air pollution]( is connected to a number of serious health consequences. And a recent study linked exposure to air pollution to the increased severity of mental illness. The study was published in the [British Journal of Psychiatry]( and tested 13,000 people in London and used frequency of admission to hospitals or visits to community doctors and nurses as a measure of severity. Findings concluded that relatively small increases in exposure to nitrogen dioxide had negative effects on mental health, including a 32% increase in the risk of needing community-based treatment and an 18% increase in the risk of being admitted to a hospital. A small reduction of just a single pollutant could help reduce illness related to air pollution. This isn't the first time this form of pollution is linked to other illnesses – dirty air is also linked to increased suicides. Unrelated studies have also linked air pollution to [Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and stroke](. The pollutants correlated to a litany of health issues are NO2 and small particle pollution, which are produced by burning fossil fuels. Phasing out of fossil fuels could help decrease instances of physical and mental illness. [Read More Button]( [9630b8e6-45a3-4648-9335-a47935d7d092.png](  [twitter](  [linkedin](  [email](mailto:?subject=Air Pollution Linked to Severe Mental Illness&body= [post_image]( [Climate Crisis Is Driving Decline of Endangered WhalesÂ]( Critically [endangered]( North Atlantic right [whales]( are in the midst of an [Unusual Mortality Event (UME)](. An estimated 50 whales have died in the last four years. Researched published in [Oceanography]( reveals that the [climate crisis]( is the ultimate culprit in their declining numbers as changing conditions have forced them into less protected waters. Researchers said that they moved so quickly, protection policies couldn't move with the whales. The North Atlantic right whales used to feed in the Gulf of Maine, a location that had protections to guard them against vessel strikes and [fishing]( gear entanglements. Then, in 2010, warm water entered the gulf and caused the whales' food source — fatty crustaceans that prefer cold water — to plummet. Birth rates started declining that year and the whales moved to the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada, where protections against vessel strikes and fishing gear were not in place. The whales' population has fallen by around 26 percent since then. [Read More Button]( [9630b8e6-45a3-4648-9335-a47935d7d092.png](  [twitter](  [linkedin](  [email](mailto:?subject=Climate Crisis Is Driving Decline of Endangered Whales &body= [post_image]( [Ida Behind Suspected Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico]( As Louisiana residents began to recover from the wake of Hurricane Ida, environmental campaigners responded Thursday to reporting of a suspected oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Their comments came after seeing the Associated Press [reviewing]( aerial survey imagery from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) showing "what appears to be a miles-long oil slick near an offshore rig." The image showed a black slick near a rig with the name "Enterprise Offshore Drilling" painted on its helipad. Photos also showed flooding around the Phillips 66 Alliance Refinery just south of New Orleans with a rainbow sheen headed towards the Mississippi River. [Read More Button]( [9630b8e6-45a3-4648-9335-a47935d7d092.png](  [twitter](  [linkedin](  [email](mailto:?subject=Ida Behind Suspected Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico&body= [post_image]( [The 11 Best Protein Sources for Vegans and Vegetarians]( A plant-based lifestyle has multiple benefits, but if you are a new vegetarian or vegan, it may be hard to find healthy ways to replace the protein you are used to getting from meat. Even if this diet is old hat for you, there are definitely some foods that pack more of a nutritious punch than others. Protein makes up about [17 percent]( of your body weight, and is required for our muscles, including the heart and brain, and helps to make the antibodies that fight infections. It also [regulates blood sugar and helps with energy function](. Our bodies make some amino acids on their own, but there are nine that have to be taken in through our diets. These [essential amino acids]( help build the protein within us that we need. Meats and eggs have enough of these to be considered full proteins, but plants are usually missing some or have levels that are too low, so they are partial proteins. So, how do you make up the difference? Rather than be a pasta-tarian, check out these protein builders to give you the energy and nutrients you need to make it through the day. [Read More Button]( [9630b8e6-45a3-4648-9335-a47935d7d092.png](  [twitter](  [linkedin](  [email](mailto:?subject=The 11 Best Protein Sources for Vegans and Vegetarians&body= All rights reserved. [facebook](  [twitter](  [instagram]( [Unsubscribe]( {EMAIL} [Update Profile]( [about our service provider]( Sent by contact@ecowatch.com