Sustainable Living
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
Recycling in the forest
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/EW-09-09-13-Nutrient-Reabsorption.mp3|titles=EW 09-09-13 Nutrient Reabsorption]
As the long days of summer wane, and we feel a chill in the air, we know that autumn is on the way. In the past, we’ve discussed why the leaves of forest trees turn brilliant colors in the fall. Some pigments degrade, allowing us to see others that have been hidden behind the scenes. [Read more…] about Recycling in the forest
Sharing is caring
One of the best and least expensive ways to reduce the amount of energy we use is by using it more efficiently. Efficiency measures can have as big an overall impact as the use of newer energy technologies such as wind and solar power. [Read more…] about Sharing is caring
The unfortunate state of the world’s conifers
Some of the world’s longest-lived organism may be facing extinction. A recent report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature – also known as IUCN – revealed that a third of conifers are now endangered. [Read more…] about The unfortunate state of the world’s conifers
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
Warming the tundra
A lot of dead plant material is stored in the tundra soils of the far north. Most of it is frozen in permafrost, and inaccessible to the microbes that normally decompose organic matter in soils. [Read more…] about Warming the tundra
The fate of rain
Have you ever wondered what happens to rainwater? Some of it, particularly when it rains hard, runs off to rivers and streams, potentially causing floods. But, the fate of the rest is subtle—some evaporates from the surface and some soaks into the ground, feeding plants and replenishing groundwater. [Read more…] about The fate of rain
What do we mean by peak oil?
Peak oil is the date when the world’s production of oil will hit its maximum, or “Peak.” A peak in production is mathematically inevitable for any finite resource. [Read more…] about What do we mean by peak oil?
Thousands of little weathers
This summer, as parts of the country have faced extremely hot and rainy weather, it is easy to attribute these conditions to climate change. After all, these are exactly the conditions that scientists warn us to expect on a future, warmer planet. [Read more…] about Thousands of little weathers
It’s all done with mirrors
The world’s largest solar energy plant is going on line this summer in the Mojave Desert in California. The Ivanpah plant is a 377-megawatt power station that doesn’t use photovoltaic technology. Instead, it is a solar thermal energy plant that uses sunlight to heat water in boilers to make steam, which then turns turbines to generate electricity. [Read more…] about It’s all done with mirrors
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
Monarch butterflies
Monarch butterflies are perhaps the most well-known butterflies in all of North America – but their future has become uncertain. [Read more…] about Monarch butterflies
Oil on the water
Canada’s oil sands deposits are found in northeastern Alberta, where few people ever travel. It would be easy to overlook them, except for the controversy surrounding the Keystone XL pipeline that would deliver crude oil from these deposits to Gulf Coast refineries. [Read more…] about Oil on the water
Keeping your beach trip healthy
As Labor Day and the end of summer approach, many of us probably hope to squeeze in a few more trips to the beach. But we may want to be cautious about where we swim.
[Read more…] about Keeping your beach trip healthy
Heavenly experiments
The Curiosity Lander is now roaming the surface of Mars, looking for evidence of life—past or present—on the red planet. Curiosity is a marvel of NASA’s engineering capabilities. It cost a lot of taxpayer dollars, but it embodies the human spirit to explore unknown lands. [Read more…] about Heavenly experiments
The cost of driving with electricity
With more and more electric cars and plug-in hybrids on the road, there is a growing interest in knowing the cost of driving using electricity. Most of us keep tabs on the price of gasoline and how it impacts our bottom line. But for people with cars that plug in, what is the relevant price? [Read more…] about The cost of driving with electricity
Heat waves and climate change
This summer has seen some particularly debilitating heat waves in many parts of the country. Some places have seen temperatures in the 120’s and the Northeast has boiled in hot, steamy weather for days and even weeks on end. [Read more…] about Heat waves and climate change
Invisible power plants
The mushrooming growth of rooftop solar systems is a good thing for the environment and for the overworked electric grid. However, in places like California, where there are now an estimated 150,000 such systems, utilities face a new kind of problem. [Read more…] about Invisible power plants
Have we polluted the last vast place on earth?
