Earth Wise
A green start to 2013
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issues a quarterly report on the installation of new electrical generating capacity in the US. The report for the first quarter of 2013 is notable in that 82% of new generating capacity came from renewable energy sources. The remainder came from natural gas. [Read more…] about A green start to 2013
Nature: It’s good for your brain
In our technology-rich world, many of us spend far too much time looking at screens – from TVs and tablets to laptops and cell phones. This constant connectivity has led us to place a high value on skills that let us filter the onslaught of information. [Read more…] about Nature: It’s good for your brain
What we can learn from tree rings
All winter long, the tissues that normally carry water up a tree to its leaves alternately freeze and thaw. This causes air bubbles to form that would prevent the tree from transporting water to new leaves in the spring. So in early spring, the trees will begin to produce a new ring of woody tissue, using energy reserves from the previous summer. [Read more…] about What we can learn from tree rings
Concentrating solar power
Photovoltaic panels convert sunlight directly into electricity. But they aren’t the only way to get electricity from the sun. Concentrating solar power, known as CSP technologies, use arrays of mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto receivers that collect the energy and convert it to heat. The heat then produces electricity using a steam turbine or heat engine to run a generator. [Read more…] about Concentrating solar power
When good ideas produce bad outcomes
When rainwater passes over hard surfaces, like roads and parking lots, it accumulates pollutants, which are then washed into nearby waterways. In Baltimore, polluted runoff waters are carried to the Chesapeake Bay, where they have negative impacts on the Bay’s ecosystem. [Read more…] about When good ideas produce bad outcomes
Water poverty
Human life, like all animal and plant life, is dependent upon water. Human societies and individuals cannot survive for more than a few days without fresh water. But despite the fact that 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, less than 3% of it is fresh water and 2/3 of that is frozen away in glaciers, ice, and snow. [Read more…] about Water poverty
Wastewater from hydrofracking
In New York State, no issue is more controversial than using hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formation. Here a well is drilled vertically, then horizontally into the layers of gas-rich shale. High pressure injection of water and fracking fluid fragments the shale, releasing the natural gas, which then flows back to the surface along with some water, known as flowback water. [Read more…] about Wastewater from hydrofracking
Our nation’s streams and rivers are in trouble
The Environmental Protection Agency recently released a somber assessment of the state of our nation’s streams and rivers. A comprehensive survey looking at the health of nearly 2,000 stream and river miles across the country found more than half were in poor condition. A mere twenty percent were deemed healthy. [Read more…] about Our nation’s streams and rivers are in trouble
Is natural gas really a cleaner fuel?
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The discovery of abundant natural gas in shale formations has been hailed as a potential game changer for greenhouse gas mitigation. For the same amount of energy, carbon dioxide emissions from burning natural gas are only half of those produced by coal. [Read more…] about Is natural gas really a cleaner fuel?
Grow vegetable gardens instead of lawns!
For years, I lived in a densely wooded neighborhood in suburban North Carolina. Anyone who wanted to grow vegetables needed to plant them in the front yard, where there was much more sunlight. Fortunately, the neighbors were very tolerant of street-side gardens. [Read more…] about Grow vegetable gardens instead of lawns!
Energy storage: The next big thing
Electricity is a major commodity that is produced on demand, not stockpiled in advance. Generally, there is no choice in the matter. We simply don’t have very many ways to store large amounts of electricity. [Read more…] about Energy storage: The next big thing
Trees are good for human health
Many of us have experienced a restorative walk in the woods. But does associating with trees really make us any healthier? After investigating the loss of some 100 million ash trees in the Eastern and Midwestern United States, Forest Service researcher Geoffrey Donovan and his colleagues suspect that the answer is yes. [Read more…] about Trees are good for human health
An embarrassment of green riches
Most developed countries around the world are seeking ways to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and increase their use of green energy sources. Not so for Iceland. That small, beautiful, and staunchly self-reliant country is already powered 100% by renewable energy. [Read more…] about An embarrassment of green riches
The rise of the superbug
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A lot of our protein—especially chicken and pork—is now grown in Confined Animal Feeding Operations, known as CAFOs. Here a huge number of animals are kept under controlled conditions and fed special diets to fatten them up quickly. To combat the inevitable diseases that spread among animals kept at high density, the animals are often fed antibiotic-rich feed, even if they aren’t sick. [Read more…] about The rise of the superbug
Air travel and our carbon footprint
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The average American’s day-to-day activities generate about 19 tons of carbon dioxide a year—though some of us generate far more than this. This quantity is called our carbon footprint. [Read more…] about Air travel and our carbon footprint
There is an energy alternative
A lot of arguments in favor of hydraulic fracking for natural gas end up with the statement—you can’t be against everything. People will want to be warm with the lights on. [Read more…] about There is an energy alternative
Share your yard with wildlife
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Using satellite images, scientists have determined that the largest irrigated crop in the U.S. is turfgrass. This is astounding, especially when considering the recurring droughts we have suffered. Some cities and states have begun to limit lawn watering during drought periods. And many homeowners have been searching for sustainable alternatives to Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue. [Read more…] about Share your yard with wildlife
Renewable energy aspirations
Getting 100% of our electricity from renewable sources is an aspiration many of us have – but is often thought to be little more than a pipe dream. For years, states and countries around the world have timidly established targets for integrating renewables into their grids. Numbers like 10% and 20% have been the rule. But things are changing. [Read more…] about Renewable energy aspirations
The high cost of congestion
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