Economy and Policy
Reducing paper waste
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This fall, New York State residents will have the opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment that would save countless trees. [Read more…] about Reducing paper waste
Streams and rivers on rolaids
Our activities are changing the water chemistry of many streams and rivers in the Eastern U.S., with consequences for water supplies and aquatic life. [Read more…] about Streams and rivers on rolaids
A greener way to heat and cool your home
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Heat pumps are a special type of air conditioner that can not only cool your home by expelling heat to the outside, but can also heat your home by bringing heat back in. There are two types: air source and ground source. [Read more…] about A greener way to heat and cool your home
To invest, or divest: that is the question
This fall, as college and university students return to campus, we’ll hear more about divestiture—a demand by student activists that universities cease to invest in companies that produce energy from sources that add climate-warming carbon dioxide to our atmosphere. [Read more…] about To invest, or divest: that is the question
There’s a whole lot of shaking going on
One of the side-effects of the extraction of natural gas by hydraulic fracture, widely known as fracking, is the possibility that the injection of water into gas-bearing rocks will cause earthquakes. There is no doubt that this can happen, but as summarized in a recent paper by William Ellsworth of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Science Center, the earthquakes from these oil and gas wells are too small to pose a significant hazard. Most are below magnitude 2.0, which can barely be sensed by humans. [Read more…] about There’s a whole lot of shaking going on
The U.S. carbon bank account
Carbon dioxide emissions in most nations are dominated by the use of fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas. In the tropics, however, deforestation is also a major source of CO2 to the atmosphere. [Read more…] about The U.S. carbon bank account
Gill nets have a devastating impact on seabirds
According to recent research, gill nets used by fishing vessels are responsible for the deaths of at least 400,000 seabirds each year. [Read more…] about Gill nets have a devastating impact on seabirds
Clean water = Better beer
Craft brewing is a growing industry. As of last year, there were nearly 2,400 brewpubs, microbreweries, and regional craft breweries operating in the United States. [Read more…] about Clean water = Better beer
Have we polluted the last vast place on earth?
Back in the 1950s, when our family visited Cape Cod, my father described the ocean as too big to get polluted. There were only 3 billion or so humans occupying the planet then, and he may have been right. The oceans offered a place of infinite dilution. [Read more…] about Have we polluted the last vast place on earth?
Elephants and their ivory
There’s been a global ban on trading “new” ivory for more than 23 years. Still, the fate of the world’s elephants hangs in the balance, due to escalating demand for black market ivory. [Read more…] about Elephants and their ivory
Trains, planes, and automobiles
When taking to the skies this summer, the environmentally-minded among us might feel a pang of guilt about the carbon footprint of our air travels. And, according to a report just published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, that pang is justified. [Read more…] about Trains, planes, and automobiles
Tilting at windmills
Throughout the Midwest, wind energy has caught on. In that region, ten states produce more than 10% of their electricity from wind, and Iowa and South Dakota top 20%. For the country as a whole, wind energy supplies 3.5% of our electricity, and at the current rate of growth this could reach 20% by 2030. [Read more…] about Tilting at windmills
An electric highway
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A key issue facing the widespread adoption of electric cars is the need for infrastructure to support charging them on the road. On the west coast, the Department of Energy has teamed up with utilities and transportation departments in several states on a project called the West Coast Electric Highway. [Read more…] about An electric highway
Avoiding a goose in the engine
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When we took to the air with our metal machines over a hundred years ago, the skies weren’t empty. They were full of birds. Orville Wright holds the distinction of being the first pilot to record a bird strike in 1905. Such incidents are now commonplace. [Read more…] about Avoiding a goose in the engine
The poison in your toothpaste
Chances are good that you’ve never heard of triclosan, despite the fact that the chemical is in everything from toothpaste to children’s toys. Triclosan is added to products to slow or stop the growth of bacteria, fungi, and mildew. A survey found that some three-quarters of Americans between 6 and 65 have residues of triclosan in their bodies. [Read more…] about The poison in your toothpaste
Effective carbon pricing
Many arguments consider the best way to reduce greenhouse gas or carbon dioxide emissions and to limit the effects of global warming. Some promote a cap-and-trade system, in which limits are set for those that emit CO2. If they do better than their allocation, they can trade excess credits; if they do poorly, they must buy credits on the open market. [Read more…] about Effective carbon pricing
Let’s get aggressive about passive
A philosophy of green building that is gaining traction in the U.S. is the Passive House standard. [Read more…] about Let’s get aggressive about passive
Nitrogen pollution and babies
Nitrogen oxide pollution, created during the combustion of fossil fuels, tends to be elevated in areas with a lot of industrial activity and vehicle traffic. These reactive gases contribute to acid rain, smog, and ground-level ozone. For some time now, the public health community has linked nitrogen oxide exposure to respiratory ailments, like asthma. [Read more…] about Nitrogen pollution and babies
Measuring real progress on carbon
