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…
Category: Environmental protection
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…
Solar Waste
EarthTalk® From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: How are we going to deal with all the waste when the solar panels everyone is putting up now wear out in 20-30 years? — Paul B., Chevy Chase, MD When purchasing green alternatives for home power generation, there are many features that the…
Which of the EV models now available in the U.S. provide the most bang for the buck?
EarthTalk® From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Which of the EV models now available in the U.S. provide the most bang for the buck? Is now a good time to finally make the upgrade from my internal combustion car? — P. Bronson, Tampa, FL With some 43 new battery-powered electric vehicles…
Global Plastics Ban
EarthTalk® From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Why haven’t the governments of the world come together to ban or limit the production of plastics globally like they’ve done to reduce ozone depleting chemicals in the 1980s and greenhouse gasses more recently? — Peter B., Wallingford, CT Plastic, originally hailed for its…
Can Houseplants Improve Indoor Air Quality?
EarthTalk® From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Do houseplants really improve indoor air quality? Which ones are the most effective as such? — Kay Hamm, Los Angeles, CA