EarthTalk® From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Any tips for reducing the amount of disposable plastic I use for food storage? —J. Spencer, Gaithersburg, MD Analysts estimate that of the over six billion tons of plastic produced worldwide since the 1950s, we have recycled only nine percent of it and incinerated…
Category: EarthTalk
Making use of kinetic energy
Dear EarthTalk: Can we harness kinetic energy to reduce our carbon footprint? – J.B., via email Harnessing kinetic energy as a means to reduce our carbon footprint is indeed a promising avenue for a sustainable future. Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its motion, and finding innovative ways to capture…
Have a cool, green summer
Dear EarthTalk: With summer bearing down on us, are there any environmentally friendly air conditioners out there? –Fred Johansen, Grand Rapids, MI Air conditioners are essential for keeping us cool and comfortable during hot summer months, but their environmental impact cannot be ignored. Traditional air conditioning units consume significant amounts of energy and rely heavily…
Slow Design
Dear EarthTalk: I recently heard the term “slow design.” Can you enlighten? – J.M., New York, NY Slow design is a design philosophy that emphasizes quality, longevity and sustainability. It seeks to counteract the fast-paced, disposable nature of contemporary culture by prioritizing thoughtful, intentional design over mass-produced, trend-driven products. It is about creating objects that…
No Mow May
Dear EarthTalk: What’s the background on the “No Mow May” movement? – J.D., via email Lawns cover some 40 million acres—or two percent—of land in the United States, making them the single largest irrigated crop we grow. We mow, rake, fertilize, weed, chemically treat and water them—sucking up time, money and other resources. And in…
Worthwhile Watching
Dear EarthTalk: I am looking for more stuff I can binge watch on my TV. Any environmental documentaries you’d recommend? — Couch Potato, via email The power of film is in its capacity to transport viewers to places we might not have been able to go before. Nature documentaries in particular bring us close to…
Refurbished for the Planet
Dear EarthTalk: Is buying refurbished electronics better for the planet than buying brand new ones? — Peter Behr, Chicago, IL According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the world produces some 50 million tons of electronic waste each year, and the figure is increasing. Meanwhile, only 20 percent of this electronic waste is disposed…
Linking Warming & Weather
Dear EarthTalk: Have scientists been able to definitively prove links between global warming and more extreme weather phenomena in recent years, or is this still just a theory? – T.C., Chicago, IL The question of whether science has been able to prove, let alone prove definitively, the connection between climate change and extreme weather is…
Red Tide Our Fault?
Dear EarthTalk: What is “red tide” and is it caused by pollution or human activity? — Tamara G., Los Angeles, CA Red tide is a phenomenon that occurs when algae in the ocean reproduce rapidly and create a large concentration of red pigments in the water, giving it a reddish-brown hue. These algae, also known…
Permaculture
Dear EarthTalk: What exactly is permaculture and how is it good for the environment? — Mary B., New Haven, CT A buzzword in sustainability circles, permaculture—historically combining “permanent” and “agriculture”—describes ecologically-conscious farming to create sustainable ecosystems for future generations, using methods such as conservation tillage, proper drainage, and polyculture (growing more than one crop species…