What could a healthier planet look like? Cleaner water. Stronger crops. Less plastic waste. Flourishing ecosystems.

At Michigan State University, researchers are turning those possibilities into real-world solutions today as they find new ways to protect the planet and all of us who depend on it.

Here are five projects helping lead the way.

Building climate-resilient crops

As global temperatures rise, droughts and extreme weather are becoming more common. That makes it harder for farmers to grow staple foods like wheat, rice, corn and soybeans.

MSU researchers have spent decades working to build climate-resilient crops before global food systems reach a breaking point. Hundreds of scientists study plants from multiple angles: improving photosynthesis, creating natural fungicides to protect plants and examining how to make crops resistant to heat, drought and pathogens.

The work is leading to more climate-resilient crops that will feed our world for generations.

Read more on MSUToday.

Advancing new ways to keep drinking water safe

As a global leader in water research, MSU is taking action to improve water safety as risks become harder to detect. Researchers across the university are developing new ways to monitor water systems more effectively, tracking harmful pathogens like Legionella and the byproducts of disinfection processes in drinking water systems.

Water can be unsafe to drink in other ways, too. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a large class of human-made chemicals used in products like nonstick cookware and stain-resistant fabrics. These “forever chemicals” do not easily break down in the environment and can accumulate in the human body over time. Recent MSU research showed that PFAS exposure can lead to weaker immune response.

These projects underscore the growing need for smarter monitoring from water source to tap, and MSU is leading the way.

Read more on MSUToday.

Rethinking packaging to tackle plastic waste

Packaging is everywhere in daily life, but much of it isn’t designed to be recycled. MSU researchers have developed a new kind of plastic film that could change packaging for the better.

Multilayer packaging is used widely in food packaging, but it’s made up of many different materials that makes separating them for recycling extremely difficult. The team at MSU is designing packaging with multiple layers that all come from the same plastic used in water bottles.

This approach could be a game-changing switch making it far easier to reuse materials that currently end up in landfills. And with about 100 million tons of multilayer plastic packaging produced each year, this sustainable packaging solution could have worldwide impact.

Read more on MSUToday.

Harnessing solar power to help farmers

Solar power can do much more than generate power. MSU research shows solar arrays on farmland can help farmers diversify income while reducing their water use.

More than 117,000 U.S. farms have some type of solar device, according to a 2022 survey from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. MSU researchers report that the solar arrays on farms produced enough renewable electricity to power nearly half a million homes each year. Not only do the panels produce energy, they’re also an economic benefit to farmers: Farmland with solar arrays earned about 25 times per acre the amount that would have been earned only by planting that acre.

Another benefit of reducing irrigation: farmers using solar arrays in California saved enough water to supply an estimated 27 million people with drinking water. Not all land can be used for solar panels, but MSU research is showing that for many it can save water — and money.

Read more on MSUToday.

Protecting the pollinators that power our food systems

Pollinators play a critical role in growing the food we eat, and they’re under increasing threat.

That’s why researchers at the MSU Pollinator Performance Center are working to keep bees and other pollinators safe from diseases like American foulbrood, a highly contagious bacteria that can devastate hives.

Their work focuses on improving disease management and supporting the health of pollinator populations that farms rely on for crop production. Strong pollinator systems are also essential for maintaining biodiversity in the environment more broadly.

Researchers at the center are committed to protecting the tiny species that help sustain our food systems and ecosystems in a big way.

Read more on MSUToday.

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