Ski scenic groomed trails on Mt. Bachelor
Nordic Sports Director Bob Mathews founded the Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center in 1975 by overseeing construction of a modest pair of looping trails with all of 7 kilometers of snowmobile-groomed trails. The then diminutive Nordic program was rounded out by a 150-square-foot rental and lesson department squeezed into a corner of the main lodge. Through […]
Pacific NW
Exploring the Island Life
A brilliant sunset at the San Juan Island in Friday Harbor. Photo by Jason Hummel. The historic San Juan Island port towns of Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor in Washington are favorite destinations for boaters far and wide. Both locations offer a full range of activities, including the best whale watching in the state. Friday […]
My favorite Pacific Northwest RV camping spots
Caption: Deception Pass – Courtesy of DeceptionPassFoundation.org Written by Steve Froese It’s great to live in our neck of the woods! We have some of the most scenic highways and byways on the continent. For instance, here in the lower mainland of British Columbia, we can go snow skiing and water skiing on the same […]
‘Slow fashion’ gaining ground
Caption: Ireland's Avoca Handweavers have been making fashionable clothing items with the care and attention to detail nowadays associated with "slow fashion" since 1723. Credit: William Murphy, FlickrCC. Dear EarthTalk: What is “slow fashion?” Does it relate to sustainability? – K. Lam, Taos, NM In the U.S., millions of shoppers pack clothing stores, excited to key into the newest trends while paying low prices. On the other side of the world, low-wage workers—many of them young girls— are crushed under the hammer of “fast fashion” (the mass production of cheap, poor quality, disposable clothing), laboring without safety protections or adequate rights. FastBald eagle population growing rapidly
Caption: Bald eagles have come back from the brink of extinction in the Lower 48, but some wonder if there are too many of them around nowadays. Credit: Anthony, Pexels.com. Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that we’ve done such a good job bringing back bald eagles that they’ve become pests now?-- D. Maguire, Winston-Salem, NC It’s hard to believe the bald eagle was on the brink of extinction in the Lower 48 United States just a half century ago, given how common the majestic birds are all over the country nowadays. While their population rebound is indeed a great source of pride
New wave of supersonic flight on horizon
Caption: United Airlines has committed to purchasing 15 of Boom Supersonic’s first commercial supersonic (SST) jet, the Overture. Dear EarthTalk: Are the new SST jets friendlier to the environment than the SSTs of the 1970s?-- P. Barnes, Midlothian, TX Nearly 20 years have passed since the last flight of the Concorde, the first supersonic passenger-carrying commercial airplane (or supersonic transport, SST). The aircraft cruised the Queen of England and the ultra-wealthy across the seas at Mach 2 speed, or 1,350 mph, while soaring at an altitude of 60,000 feet. In 1996, the Concorde achieved its fastest flight from New York to London
Environmentalists turning to Artificial Intelligence to help save nature
Caption: Environmentalists are increasingly turning to Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help collect & analyze data that would otherwise overwhelm us. Credit: Sarah Winstead, Pexels.com. Dear EarthTalk: How is Artificial Intelligence being used for conservation?-- Katy P., Chevy Chase, MD You would never think that computers and Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help humans save nature, but in fact these tools may be key to whether or not we can halt global warming in time let alone solve many other vexing environmental problems. For many underfunded conservation groups, hiring enough staff can become too costly. Humans are also prone to making more sloppy errorsClimate change is harming America’s national parks
Caption: Yellowstone National Park, home of the Old Faithful geyser pictured here at sunset, is one of the nation’s hardest hit when it comes to negative impacts from climate change. Credit: Roddy Scheer Dear EarthTalk: I’ve heard that U.S. national parks are disproportionately affected by climate change. Is this true, and if so, why?-- Joseph Pearl, Longmont, CO The effects of climate change can be felt all over the globe in various ways, but America’s national parks seem to be suffering more than U.S. overall land mass. A 2020 study by researchers from UC Berkeley and the University of Wisconsin found that
Americans cut driving in half during pandemic
Caption: Mean Daily Number of Trips Made by U.S. Residents Aged 16+, by Month, July 2019–December 2020. Editors note: The following article supplied by AAA Washington. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s new American Driving Survey (2020) provides compelling month-by-month data detailing the drastic drop in U.S. road travel during COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, such as stay-at-home orders. The survey examines the types of trips taken and reveals the characteristics of people who altered their driving habits. According to the research, the average number of all daily personal car trips plunged 45% in April 2020 and 40% for trips by all
Backyard wind turbines seen as part of energy future
Caption:Backyard wind turbines could help us make the transition away from fossil fuels. Credit: Cowrin, FlickrCC. Dear EarthTalk: You see a lot of people putting solar panels on their homes these days, but windmills not so much. Is there any future for small residential wind turbines as we transition to more renewable forms of energy?— […]
XPRIZE launches $100 million climate change competition
Caption: XPRIZE founder Peter Diamandis has steered several competitions toward solving pressing environmental problems. Credit: XDRIVE Foundation. Dear EarthTalk: I’ve heard of XPRIZE, which funds innovations in space exploration technology. Is XPRIZE used to address climate change or other environmental problems?— J.D. via e-mail XPRIZE was launched in 1996 to spur innovation in the commercial […]
Are hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars still viable?
Caption: Consider yourself lucky to see a Toyota Mirai or any other “FCV” (fuel cell vehicle) out in the wild — there are only about 300 on the road in the U.S., with the vast majority of those in California. Credit: Aaron Smart, FlickrCC. Dear EarthTalk: What’s the latest on hydrogen powered fuel cells? Not […]
Intel meets digital challenges with memory, storage products
Editor’s note: Intel is Oregon’s largest private employer with a reported 21,000 employees in the state. Intel recently announced six new memory and storage products to help customers meet the challenges of digital transformation. Key to advancing innovation across memory and storage, Intel announced two new additions to its Intel® Optane™ Solid State Drive (SSD) […]
This Intel barista never gets your order wrong
Editor’s note: Intel is Oregon’s largest private employer with a reported 21,000 employees in the state. At Crown Coffee, a small-yet-homey coffee bar in downtown Singapore, the barista never gets your order wrong. Ella is her name and with uncanny consistency she makes a perfect cup of coffee every time. Ella is not human, but […]
