EarthTalk® From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: You see a lot of people putting solar panels on their homes these days, but windmills not so much. Is there any future for small residential wind turbines as we transition to more renewable forms of energy? — M. Simon, Portland, ME Wind […]
What is XPRIZE?
Dear EarthTalk: I’ve heard of XPRIZE, which funds innovations in space exploration technology. Is XPRIZE used to address climate change or other environmental problems? – J.D. via e-mail XPRIZE was launched in 1996 to spur innovation in the commercial aerospace sector. Back then, entrepreneur Peter Diamandis offered $10 million to the first privately financed team […]
What is a Pollinator Lawn?
EarthTalk® From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: What is a “pollinator lawn” and how can I make one in my backyard?— Jane W., Westbrook, CT Bees and other pollinators are essential for growing a great deal of nature’s finest foods. These include coffee, chocolate, beans, many fruits including apples, avocados, […]
GPS Apps and the Environment
Dear EarthTalk: What are the environmental pros and cons of so many of us relying on GPS apps (Waze, Google Maps, etc.) to get around these days? — B. Rogers, Newark, NJ It’s hard to measure whether having GPS apps on our smartphones is positive or negative for the planet, but some environmentalists are skeptical. […]
Plants that Cause Pollution
Dear EarthTalk: Besides generating seasonal allergens, do any plants actually reduce air quality or cause air pollution? — Mike T., San Juan, PR While many of us thought Ronald Reagan sounded crazy back in 1981 when he told America that “trees cause more pollution than automobiles do,” the then-President may have been on to something. […]
Frozen Wind Turbines
Dear EarthTalk: Were frozen wind turbines the reason for Texas’ historic power outages recently? If so, how can we make renewables more reliable moving forward? — G. S., Hartford, CT As Winter Storm Uri wreaked havoc on the American Midwest this past February with bitter cold snow, entire power grids shut down and states like […]
Do Plants Reduce Air Quality?
Dear EarthTalk: Besides generating seasonal allergens, do any plants actually reduce air quality or cause air pollution? — Mike T., San Juan, PR While many of us thought Ronald Reagan sounded crazy back in 1981 when he told America that “trees cause more pollution than automobiles do,” the then-President may have been on to something. […]
What About The Bee Populations?
Dear EarthTalk: How are bee population numbers doing these days? – B. Turner, via e-mail Whether you’ve noticed it or not, there are far fewer bees around nowadays. One-quarter of the world’s 20,000 bee species are in precipitous decline or have already gone extinct since 1990. A range of causes are to blame, including indiscriminate […]
Passive Solar Homes
Dear EarthTalk: What is a so-called “passive solar” house and can I retrofit my existing house accordingly? — Bill C., Raleigh, NC A passive solar house is typically designed from scratch factoring in several considerations to boost the structure’s ability to naturally keep the interior living spaces a comfortable air temperature without using conventional emissions-spewing […]
Does Global Warming Make Dumb?
Dear EarthTalk: Is there scientific basis to the assertion that global warming is affecting our ability to make decisions and lowering our collective intelligence? — P.D., Sacramento, CA As we continue to pump carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the climate warms around the world, it’s not only our health […]