It’s that time of year. The northwestern soil begins to dry and the near ever-present miasma of inclement weather lifts for the fleeting weeks of summer. And you, trapped inside throughout the spring, trapped and taunted by those tantalizing days of forbidden sunlight, you need to get out. Need to explore and reconnect with the […]
Caption: The worst years on record for primary tropical forest loss across the Amazon and beyond were 2016, 2017 and 2019. Credit: Tom Fisk, Pexels. Dear EarthTalk: How are we doing in the battle to stop or slow deforestation, especially in the tropics where forests store so much of the world’s biodiversity?— M. Lark, Neptune, […]
Caption: Kebony is a sustainably-harvested pine product that is modified at the molecular level to be stronger so it can last 3-5 times as long as other decking materials. Credit: Kebony.com. Dear EarthTalk: I am adding a deck onto my house this summer and wonder which decking materials (wood or otherwise) are the greenest?— Bill […]
Caption: The roads are empty—and CO2 emissions are down accordingly—but can we keep it up as stay-at-home orders are lifted? Credit: lisbokt, FlickrCC. Dear EarthTalk: Do you suppose the drop in carbon emissions that resulted from transportation and industry slowdowns during the Coronavirus pandemic will continue—or will we just go right back to normal once […]
Caption: Environmentalists worry that use of power-hungry gaming consoles could be slowing our transition to renewables. Credit: EVG Photos, Pexels. Dear EarthTalk: A friend’s dad said it was such a shame that video gaming causes so much global warming, but I don’t see the connection.— Jake, Windham, VT The connection between video gaming and global […]
Caption: Some 80 percent of goods for sale around the world make their way from point A to B on a cargo ship, so cleaning up this industry is key to greening the overall economy. Credit: Chuttersnap, Unsplash. Dear EarthTalk: Cargo shipping creates huge amounts of air and marine pollution. What’s being done to change […]
Caption: Although Americans love corn, its ubiquity in our diets and agricultural sector isn’t so good for the planet. Credit: Livier Garcia, Pexels. Dear EarthTalk: How did corn become such a dominant crop in the U.S. and what’s the effect on the environment of growing so much of it?— J.S., Washington, DC It’s true that […]
Photo caption: The vast majority of soybeans grown in the U.S. come from genetically modified seeds. Public health and environmental advocates wonder whether these “frankenfoods” are hurting our health and the environment. Credit: Toshiyuki Imai, FlickrCC. Dear EarthTalk: What’s the current thinking on the safety of genetically engineered or modified products with regard to environmental, […]
Photo caption: A few dogs and cats tested positive for Covid-19 in Hong Kong, but experts don’t think these animals can spread it to humans. Muhannad Alatawi, Pexels. Dear EarthTalk: Can our pets get sick from the coronavirus too, and can they pass it along to people? […]
Photo caption: Researchers at the University of Oxford in the UK are experimenting with perovskites as the semiconductor in these small tin solar cells that could someday be on your rooftop supplying your home with free electricity. Credit: University of Oxford Press Office FlickrCC. Dear EarthTalk: What is perovskite-based solar all about, and how does […]
