Sustainable Living
The Clean Water Act’s 40th birthday
Just four decades ago Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River was known for its flammability. It, and countless other rivers, streams, and lakes were used as dumping grounds for sewage and commercial waste. [Read more…] about The Clean Water Act’s 40th birthday
Invasive species: good, bad, or neither?
When we hear about the devastation caused by invasive species like emerald ash borers and hemlock wooly adelgids, it is easy to believe that all invasives should be killed. But in fact many well established invasives have neutral or even positive qualities: witness the popular sport fish rainbow trout and large-mouth bass. [Read more…] about Invasive species: good, bad, or neither?
Fall color in New England – is it endangered?
This time of year, the Northeast comes alive with fall color: hillsides full of scarlet, orange, plum, and amber leaves set off against the lush dark evergreens. [Read more…] about Fall color in New England – is it endangered?
Autumn leaves – not just a colorful display
We’re all familiar with the dramatic changes in our deciduous trees during the fall. First, the leaves turn a bright red, orange, or yellow. Then they brown and fall to the ground. [Read more…] about Autumn leaves – not just a colorful display
Pollution doesn’t recognize state lines
The Cross State Air Pollution Rule was initiated to encourage states to be better neighbors. If pollution from a coal-fired power plant in Ohio was poisoning air downwind in Connecticut, the Environmental Protection Agency would have a mechanism to reduce offending emissions. [Read more…] about Pollution doesn’t recognize state lines
The environment used to be a bipartisan issue
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/EW-10-10-12-Richard-Nixon.mp3|titles=EW 10-10-12 Richard Nixon]
“Shall we surrender to our surroundings, or shall we make our peace with nature and begin to make reparations for the damage we have done to our air, to our land, and to our water?”
That’s from the State of the Union Address of 1970, during wartime, by a Republican president.
Restoring nature to its natural state is a cause beyond party and beyond factions. Clean air, clean water, open spaces-these should once again be the birthright of every American. If we act now, they can be.”
Richard Nixon, an unlikely environmental trail blazer, went on to call for the most comprehensive environmental program in America’s history. Under his leadership, the Environmental Protection Agency was formed.
Finally, the U.S. had a central authority overseeing environmental protection. And that was just the beginning. Nixon empowered the EPA to let us all breath a little easier by signing the Clean Air Act Extension of 1970. Under it, we saw reductions in harmful emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, and lead.
Water got cleaner too. Nixon proposed the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, which allowed the EPA to set and enforce federal drinking water standards.
It wasn’t all rosy. Nixon subjected environmental regulations to rigorous cost-benefit analyses and vetoed the Clean Water Act. But his legacy stands as a reminder that environmental progress doesn’t have to follow party lines.
Photo courtesy of Iberia Airlines via Flickr.
Exporting our carbon emissions
On the face of things, it sounds like excellent news. The Department of Energy recently reported that in 2011, the amount of carbon dioxide our nation emitted from energy production declined. This was the third time in four years that such a trend was noted. [Read more…] about Exporting our carbon emissions
Trying to clean up dirty oil sands
Our neighbors in Canada are sitting on an enormous energy reserve. The Canadian oil sands, located in Alberta, cover a swath of land the size of England. It is estimated they contain 170 billion barrels of recoverable oil, second only to Saudi Arabia. [Read more…] about Trying to clean up dirty oil sands
Rising seas threaten coastal regions around the world
Recent scientific research from Climate Central suggests that global sea levels will rise by an average of three feet by the year 2100, and anywhere from 18 to 29 feet over the next several centuries. Low-lying countries and coastal communities face an unprecedented challenge, and we have climate change to thank. [Read more…] about Rising seas threaten coastal regions around the world
Old wine, new insights
Scientists are always looking for reliable records of past environmental conditions, so they can see if current observations are at all unusual. Good records are frequently obtained from lake sediments, which faithfully record yearly inputs of materials washed in from their watersheds. Increasingly, records taken from the ice packs on Greenland and Antarctica are used to show global changes in our atmosphere. [Read more…] about Old wine, new insights
Recycling – it’s the nature of nature
The Earth is a giant recycling machine. Every year, a portion of the seafloor merges into the Earth’s crust. As these materials travel downward, they cause earthquakes. The land surface does not wear down because in other areas, mountains are uplifted, roughly balancing the volume of materials lost from the sea floor. The Earth is thus a recycling machine on a grand scale. [Read more…] about Recycling – it’s the nature of nature
A tale of Rachel Carson, malaria, and misinformation
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Fifty years ago Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, her landmark book exploring how pesticides compromise the health of humans and wildlife. It challenged us to envision a spring without birds and is credited for igniting the modern environmental movement. [Read more…] about A tale of Rachel Carson, malaria, and misinformation
Green washing the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
I recently read an article praising Method, a cleaning product brand, for creating a line of liquid soap that is packaged using recycled plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. [Read more…] about Green washing the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Offshore wind power for the future
Wind power is catching on, and in many places it is price-competitive with electricity generated from coal-fired power plants. So far, nearly all of the wind-power capacity has been installed on land. Coastal oceans represent a vast untapped resource of wind energy worldwide. [Read more…] about Offshore wind power for the future
Time to green ‘urban street canyons’
Urban living can be green. City dwellers typically have smaller living spaces and rely more on walking and public transportation. They are also apt to have less lawn to mow and shorter commutes. But one thing that remains in short supply in urban centers: fresh air. [Read more…] about Time to green ‘urban street canyons’
Let’s have a carbon tax
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As the fall’s elections plays out, we are unlikely to hear much about raising taxes. But, for the moment, let me use the bad word—taxes—to catch your attention. [Read more…] about Let’s have a carbon tax
Getting clean just got a little safer
For some time now, scientists have warned about the harmful effects of ingredients used in personal care products. In our quest to get clean, many of us overlook the fact that shampoos and lotions can contain a suite of potential carcinogens. These toxins are harmful to us, and they pollute the environment when they are washed down our drains. [Read more…] about Getting clean just got a little safer
Oxygen in our atmosphere: what is the source?
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/EW-09-18-12-Air-We-Breathe-.mp3|titles=EW 09-18-12 Air We Breathe]
We often hear the phrase “Have you thanked a green plant today?” That’s because plants provide nearly all of our food, fuel, and fiber. And during photosynthesis, plants give off oxygen to the atmosphere. Sometimes, we hear that the Amazon rainforests are the lungs of the Earth—taking up carbon dioxide and giving off oxygen to our atmosphere. [Read more…] about Oxygen in our atmosphere: what is the source?
The importance of the rare earth elements
