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Environment

Why are wetlands so important to preserve?

Dear EarthTalk: Why are wetlands so important to preserve? — Patricia Mancuso, Erie, PA Wetlands include swamps, marshes, bogs, riverbanks, mangroves, floodplains, rice fields—and anywhere else, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), that saturation with water is the dominant factor determining the nature of soil development and the types of plant and animal […]

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Environment

Vision Loss Can Put Seniors at Risk for Other Physical and Psychological Dangers

Adults over age 65 should get eye exams every year; many may qualify for care at no cost While it is commonly known that blindness and vision problems increase rapidly with age – particularly after age 65 – a lesser known fact is that vision loss is associated with a higher prevalence of chronic health […]

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Environment

The Gulf of Mexico three years after BP

Dear EarthTalk: The three-year anniversary of the 2010 BP oil spill just passed. What do green groups think of the progress since in restoring the region? — Mary Johannson, New York, NY When an undersea oil well blew out 50 miles off the Louisiana coast on April 20, 2010 and caused an explosion on the […]

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Environment

Is this the worst drought since 1930s?

Dear EarthTalk: Could it really be true that we are in the midst of the worst drought in the United States since the 1930s? — Deborah Lynn, Needham, MA Indeed we are embroiled in what many consider the worst drought in the U.S. since the “Dust Bowl” days of the 1930s that rendered some 50 […]

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Environment

Enviro-friendly electronic bikes

Jetson Bikes, are electronic bicycles that run up to 20 MPH on a lithium ion battery. Jetson bikes are equipped with the latest and most efficient electric charge.  Advanced lithium ion technology means zero emissions into the environment.  With 1,000 lifetime battery charges, at less than .05 cents and 40 miles per charge, Jetson’s output is […]

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Environment

Greening Package Delivery Fleets

Dear EarthTalk: Now that hot weather is coming, I want to upgrade my home’s A/C. Which are the most energy-saving models and should I go central air or window units?   — Jackie Smith, Cary, NC According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), energy consumption for home air conditioning units accounts […]

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Environment

Five Easy Steps to a Low Maintenance Eco-friendly Landscape

Gardening expert Melinda Myers provides a step-by-step plan to transform your landscape while saving time, money and a natural resource It’s possible to create a beautiful landscape and be kind to the environment even with a busy schedule and while staying within budget.  “All it takes is a bit of planning and a few low […]

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Environment

Colorado River named most endangered river

EarthTalk® E – The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Why was the Colorado River named the most endangered river of 2013? — Missy Perkins, Jenkintown, PA American Rivers, a leading non-profit dedicated to the conservation of rivers and riparian corridors across the U.S., recently unveiled its annual list of the nation’s most endangered rivers. The mighty Colorado […]

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Environment

Tips for getting kids out to appreciate nature more

Getting kids away from computer and TV screens and outside into the fresh air is an increasing challenge for parents everywhere. Researchers have found that U.S. children today spend about half as much time outdoors as their counterparts did 20 years ago. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that kids aged eight to 18 spend on […]

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Environment

How are populations of African elephants faring these days? What conservation efforts are underway and are they working?

A century ago some five millions wild elephants roamed Africa. Today fewer than 500,000 remain, a result of poaching for meat and ivory as well as habitat loss due to expanding human development. A worldwide ban on ivory sales in 1990 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) allowed some populations to […]