Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust. Nowadays, it is almost present in our everyday lives, from the containers of our beverages to the wrapping of our food. How is it mined, extracted, and processed? Does it have a negative impact on our bodies and the environment? Joining Corinna Bellizzi is Dr. Saleem H. Ali, who talks about how aluminum production directly affects the food industry and public health. He explains how to keep the process of extracting and utilizing aluminum safe and secure for everyone, further expanding its potential for better application in the future. Dr. Saleem also discusses how humanity must learn to shift from mitigation to adaptation as the planet continues to deal with climate change and pursue industrial sustainability.

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About Saleem H. Ali:

Saleem H. Ali was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts (USA) but grew up in Lahore, Pakistan until his college years, receiving his Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Tufts University, and his Masters and Ph.D. degrees in environmental policy and planning at Yale and MIT, respectively.

He is Chair of the Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences and the Blue & Gold Distinguished Professor of Energy and the Environment at the University of Delaware (USA). He is also a member of the United Nations International Resource Panel. Before embarking on an academic career, Prof. Ali worked as an environmental health and safety professional at General Electric Corporation.

His laurels include being a National Geographic Explorer, with field experience in more than 160 countries and all continents; being selected as a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum and serving on the boards of notable non-profit charitable organizations including RESOLVE, Adventure Scientists and Mediators Beyond Borders International.

His books include Soil to Foil: Aluminum and the Quest for Industrial Sustainability (Columbia University Press) Earthly Order: How Natural Laws Define Human Life (Oxford Univ. Press) and Treasures of the Earth: Need, Greed and a Sustainable Future (Yale Univ. Press). Dr. Ali is a citizen of the United States of America by birth; Pakistan by parental lineage; and Australian by naturalization.

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saleemhassanali

Guest Website: http://www.saleemali.net

Guest Social: https://www.instagram.com/saleemhali

Show Notes:

00:00 – Introduction

05:57 – Soil to Foil

11:43 – Extracting aluminum

15:47 – Recycling efforts

25:14 – Aluminum coating

32:41 – Aluminum, Alzheimer’s, and cooking

40:02 – Next potential usage of aluminum

43:34 – Avoiding the many perils of aluminum

47:43 – Red mud and deep sea mining

51:48 – Saving the environment from degradation

01:01:49 – UN SDGs

01:06:45 – Closing Words

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