Caption: While climate change might benefit the economy overall, we would rather not have to deal with it at all. Credit: Pexels.com Dear EarthTalk: Is climate change actually good for the economy, given all the clean-up/restoration jobs severe weather is creating and the employment surges in green energy?– P.B., New Haven, CT Strangely enough, climate […]
Technology
Electric drive planes on the horizon
Classic Caption: Eviation’s all-electric Alice airplane Israel’s Eviation can fly for an hour on a battery charge with zero emissions. Dear EarthTalk: You hear a lot about electric cars and trucks these days, but has there been any carbon-saving innovation lately in trains and even planes?— Michael C., Summit, NJ Many environmentalists consider travel an […]
Put rainfall to use with rain barrels
Classic Caption: Elevate your rain barrel for easier access to the spigot for filling containers and to speed water flow with the help of gravity. Photo credit: photo courtesy MelindaMyers.com by Melinda Myers Put rainwater to use in your landscape with the help of rain barrels. This centuries old technique allows you to capture rainfall to […]
China is taking ‘green strides’
Classic Caption: China is giving the world mixed signals about its commitment to reducing carbon emissions and meeting its Paris accord promises. Credit: Sam Lim, Pexels.com. Dear EarthTalk: I’m confused: Is China’s government committed to fighting climate change or just making the problem worse? — Paul J., Austin, TX In the wake of the global […]
Is methane capture from livestock good or bad?
Caption: Newer technology that has farmers and ranchers capturing methane from their livestock waste is better for the planet than not having it. Credit: Mark Stebnicki, Pexels. Dear EarthTalk: Is encouraging dairy farmers and cattle ranchers to capture methane gas from their livestock’s manure good or bad for the planet?— Phil Onorato, Pittsburgh, PA Methane […]
Chemical ban is big win for environment
Caption: This visualization shows the hole in the ozone layer over the South Pole is getting smaller each year thanks to efforts by international negotiators back in the late 1980s. Credit: Stuart Rankin, FlickrCC. Dear EarthTalk: Has anyone calculated the positive health and/or economic impacts of international efforts to protect the stratospheric ozone layer beginning […]
Blimps make a comeback
Caption: Believe it or not, blimps are making a comeback as a green short hop commuter travel option. Dear EarthTalk: Is blimp travel really making a comeback? Is it eco-friendly? – J. Roe, Islip. NY The blimp, forever besmirched due to the Hindenburg explosion in 1937—when one of the first commercial blimps caught on fire—never […]
Solar farms spark controversy
Caption: Solar farms may be the next battleground for environmentalists. Credit: Pexels. Dear EarthTalk: Has there been any backlash against the installation of rooftop solar panels or the development of big solar farms across the U.S.?— B. Jackson, Longmeadow, MA Incentives like the Solar Investment Tax Credit and increased affordability in the cost of solar […]
Utility-scale platform to help build clean energy
ESS Tech, Inc. (“ESS,” “ESS Inc.”) (NYSE: GWH), a Wilsonville, Oregon manufacturer of long-duration batteries for utility-scale and commercial energy storage applications, announced recentlythat it has entered into an agreement with Portland General Electric (PGE) in Oregon to test and demonstrate the ESS Energy CenterTM platform. The 3 MWh Energy Center is expected to come […]
Bezos envisions moving polluters to outer space
Bezos envisions moving polluters to outer space Caption: Artist concept of 3D printing with cementitious materials on the Moon. Credit: Greg Trent, Surface Construction. Dear EarthTalk: Is so-called “Off-Earth Manufacturing” really the environmental panacea that Jeff Bezos and other proponents say it is? — M. Traney, Smithfield, RI In July 2021, Richard Branson rocketed into suborbital […]