Photo caption: Will the culture of communities like Little Haiti on the slightly elevated outskirts of Miami change for the worse as a result of “climate gentrification”? Credit: Knight Foundation, FlickrCC Dear EarthTalk: What is climate gentrification and where is it happening? – Jamie B., Boston, MA Climate gentrification is a relatively new term describing […]
Photo caption: Activists who want us to scale back our economic consumption come together at locations all around the world at the Picnic 4 Degrowth that takes place every year in early June. Credit: System Change Not Climate Change, FlickrCC Dear EarthTalk: What is the Degrowth movement all about and how can I get involved? […]
The forests of Indonesia are still falling to feed the world’s demand for paper products. Credit: Tom Fisk, Pexels Dear EarthTalk: You don’t hear much anymore about the cutting of our forests to make paper. Has this destructive practice just moved overseas where we don’t have to confront it, or have increases in recycling in […]
Photo caption: Maybe you shouldn’t let your dog run free at the park — or in your neighbor’s yard — if carcinogenic chemicals are used on the lawn. Credit: Brett Sayles, Pexels. Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that lawn chemicals can cause canine cancer, and if so, how can I protect my dog?— Bill W., […]
Photo caption: Environmentalists would like to see the 5,400 acres of desert wildlands surrounding iconic Factory Butte in central Utah permanently protected from off-road vehicles and mechanized transport of any kind. Credit: David Kingham, FlickrCC Dear EarthTalk: What is the controversy over the Factory Butte landmark in Utah that has environmental groups filing lawsuits?— M. […]
Photo caption: It looks like we might have to wait some two decades for electric vehicles (EVs) to displace internal combustion cars as the kings of the American road. Credit: Mike, Pexels. Dear EarthTalk: I see more and more EVs out of the road. When will they start to outnumber internal combustion cars on American […]
Photo caption: American recyclers have been forced to do more of the processing of plastics themselves now that it’s not so easy to outsource it to foreign markets in China, Malaysia and elsewhere. Credit: Mali Maeder, Pexels. Dear EarthTalk: Since China stopped accepting American recyclables for processing in 2017, is it still worthwhile for us […]
Travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport wearing facemasks in early March 2020 as the Coronavirus spreads throughout the United States. Credit: Chad Davis, FlickrCC. Dear EarthTalk: I feel weird asking, but is there an environmental bright side to the spread of the Coronavirus? And is there an environmental cause of the pandemic? — Jane K., […]
It may not be a coincidence that money is that same color as green energy. Focusing on profit could be the answer to both saving our environment and saving cold, hard cash. Why We Should Focus on Profit In a capitalist economy, the bottom line always has to be considered. Focusing on profit in green […]
Research shows that replacing or retrofitting dirty old diesel school buses can reduce the pollution inhaled by students significantly and can even lead to better health and higher standardized test scores. Credit: madame.furie, FlickrCC. Dear EarthTalk: I’ve heard that school buses cause a lot of pollution, especially for the kids riding inside. Is anyone making […]
