Technology
Get to know I-522
Three months ago, California voters struck down Proposition 37. The proposition, which was defeated 53-47%, would have required food and beverage manufacturers to clearly label products that contain genetically modified organisms—commonly known as GMOs. Opponents of the legislation led a $46 million dollar campaign to help ensure its defeat. [Read more…] about Get to know I-522
Methane: The other greenhouse gas
Most of us are familiar with the idea that we need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to prevent global warming. Methane is also a problem, and we hear about it much less frequently. But compared to carbon dioxide, methane’s impact on climate change is some twenty times more powerful. [Read more…] about Methane: The other greenhouse gas
It’s radiant in Virginia
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Most of us who worry about the safety of nuclear power plants think immediately of the reactors. The last thing we want is a Fukushima-style meltdown that results in many square miles of uninhabitable land. Imagine whole neighborhoods, schools, and shopping districts left as abandoned ghost towns. [Read more…] about It’s radiant in Virginia
Making sense out of flame retardants
Flame retardants are making news again. Many of these chemicals, used to inhibit or resist the spread of fire, have been found to be toxic. Studies have linked flame retardants to cancers, altered hormones, and neurological problems. Children are especially vulnerable. [Read more…] about Making sense out of flame retardants
The KeyStone XL pipeline
Soon, the Obama administration will likely make a decision on the KeyStone XL pipeline, proposed to carry crude oil extracted from the oil sands in Alberta, Canada to refineries in the United States. There is huge pressure from oil companies to build the pipeline and increase the production of oil in North America. [Read more…] about The KeyStone XL pipeline
Should we get a real or an artificial Christmas tree this year?
Last year, Americans bought nearly 38 million Christmas trees, spending $1.8 billion dollars. Nearly a quarter of these were artificial trees, which now include a number of pre-lit and decorated options. [Read more…] about Should we get a real or an artificial Christmas tree this year?
Clouding our ability to forecast severe weather
Hurricane Sandy battered the New York metropolitan region. Floods, blackouts, fires, and gas shortages left many feeling vulnerable. A number of areas are still recovering, and damages are expected to top $50 billion. [Read more…] about Clouding our ability to forecast severe weather
Genetically engineered food and consumer choice
Last month, California had the chance to be the first state in the union to require the mandatory labeling of genetically engineered food. Dubbed the ‘Right to Know Act,’ Proposition 37 would have required producers to clearly label raw or processed foods that contained modified ingredients. [Read more…] about Genetically engineered food and consumer choice
Let’s keep electronics out of our landfills
Our cell phones, computers, and game consoles make our lives more productive or at least more interesting. But in our efforts to keep up with the latest technology, we are creating an enormous problem of electronic waste. [Read more…] about Let’s keep electronics out of our landfills
The military as a climate change ally
By now, most listeners are familiar with the consequences of climate change. Warming has been linked to a rise in the frequency and intensity of droughts, severe storms, floods, and infectious disease. These events damage infrastructure, sicken citizens, and alter the availability of crops and natural resources. [Read more…] about The military as a climate change ally
Energy’s return on investment
When it comes to stock or retirement accounts, most of us are familiar with ‘return on investment.’ It’s a measure that expresses the rate of return per dollar invested, and helps us decide which investments are performing well. [Read more…] about Energy’s return on investment
Coal ash – waste piles we don’t often consider
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Coal is a rock, albeit a soft rock that is mostly made of carbon. When we burn coal, this carbon is released to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. A portion of the remaining materials, composing about 1% of coal, is left behind as ash. [Read more…] about Coal ash – waste piles we don’t often consider
The carbon footprint of your household trash
Americans dispose of an average of 7.1 pounds of trash per day, or well more than a ton yearly. That’s per person, and it doesn’t include what we put in the recycling bin. Our non-recycled trash goes largely to landfills, some of them a long distance away. Trash is transported by truck, train, or even ship—all of which use fossil fuels. [Read more…] about The carbon footprint of your household trash
Economic growth vs. quality of life
I recently attended a breakfast of business executives, hosted by the local chamber of commerce. All lamented the lack of economic growth in the community, particularly the lack of growth in tax revenues to support public services. Similar conversations play out across upstate New York and the Midwest, where cities have lost their industrial base and the best talent has moved away.
The articulated solution—bring in more people. Now as a plumber, the Chair of this meeting probably sees this as reasonable. More people means more houses to build, more toilets to fix, and a higher income. But, is that real growth?
In the long term, I would argue that economic growth based solely on population growth is hollow. What we need to pursue is growth in quality of life—not more people, but people living better. A focus on quality of life is a focus on education, innovation, research, and development.
A vibrant, sustainable steady-state economy doesn’t divide up a limited resource base among increasing numbers—instead it affords each productive citizen a higher quality of life while extracting less from the natural environment. And a basic tenet for quality of life is clean air and clean water. Nurture a healthy environment and business will come.
This fall, when candidates are debating how to stimulate our sluggish economy, pay attention to what they are really promoting. And choose growth in quality, not growth simply based on more people in your community and the nation.
Photo, taken on July 17, 2012, courtesy of University of the Fraser Valley via Flickr.
Tough times for corn
This year, drought dealt a heavy blow to U.S. corn production, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture listing half the crops in poor or very poor shape. Yields are down and corn prices are rising–bad news for food processors, dairy operations, and livestock farms. Further complicating things, low inland water levels are causing shipping headaches for the barges that haul the grain. [Read more…] about Tough times for corn
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
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
Nanoparticles—tiny particles that pack a punch
