Recent Articles from Environmental Magazine
Poo(ch) power
Dear EarthTalk: Is there a way to utilize the energy in my dogs’ poop? I have three dogs and lots of poop and would like to dispose of it in a “greener” manner. No doubt creating a way to do so is possible, as large systems called anaerobic digesters (or biogas digesters) are often used […]
Taking it to the streets
Dear EarthTalk: Are there efforts to increase bike lanes and paths around the nation? I’d like to be able to bike more instead of drive, but I’m concerned about safety. Around the U.S. new bike lanes and paths are all the rage, helping cash-strapped cities simultaneously green operations and trim budgets-adding bike lanes is far […]
Where will all the flowers go?
Dear EarthTalk: I’ve noticed that wildflower blooms in the mountains have been coming earlier and earlier in recent years. Is this a sign of global warming? And what does this mean for the long term survival of these hardy yet rare plants? As always, it’s hard to pin specific year-to-year weather-variations and related phenomena-including altered […]
Paper or plastic—or cornstarch?
Dear EarthTalk: How effective have plastic bag bans and restrictions been on reducing plastic litter and other problems associated with their proliferation? And is it really better to use paper bags, which will just lead to more deforestation? Plastic bags, first introduced in the 1950s as a convenient way to store food, have since developed […]
Put corn in our tank—or on our table?
Dear EarthTalk: Where does ethanol as an automobile fuel fit into the alternative energy mix? Is it better for the environment than gasoline? Ethanol – a biofuel derived from corn and other feedstocks – is already playing a major role in helping to reduce emissions from many of the traditional gasoline-powered cars on the road […]
Flying green
Dear EarthTalk: Can airplanes be run on cleaner fuels or be electric powered? Are there changes afoot in the airline business to find cleaner fuels? Given air travel’s huge contribution to our collective carbon footprint-flying accounts for about three percent of carbon emissions worldwide by some estimates-and the fact that basic passenger and cargo jet […]
The greening of Walmart
Dear EarthTalk: I heard that Walmart is having a bigger positive impact on the environment than any other U.S. institution. What are they doing along these lines? Walmart has indeed been working to clean up its image in recent years, and many environmentalists are pleased with the company’s commitment to reduce its massive carbon footprint. […]
Just how smart is “smart growth,” anyway?
Dear EarthTalk: What is “smart growth” and how does it benefit the environment? And what are the downsides, if any? Originating in the early 1970s when city planners began renovating crumbling inner cities in the face of widespread suburbanization and sprawl, smart growth is now a top buzzword in both municipal policy and environmental circles. […]
What to do with e-waste?
Dear EarthTalk: I work for an office equipment company selling copiers, fax machines, computers and printers. Each year new models come out making old ones obsolete. As a result, we have loads of trade-ins with nowhere to go. What can we do with this old equipment? Electronic waste, or “e-waste” as it’s called, is a […]
Honked off about traffic
Dear EarthTalk: Short of massive efforts to build a public transportation infrastructure, which doesn’t appear likely anytime soon, what is being done to address traffic congestion, which is reaching absurd levels almost everywhere? Traffic congestion has gotten way out of hand-and not just in developed countries anymore: Traffic jams and smog plague dozens of cities […]
Where to put hazardous waste?
Dear EarthTalk: Some time ago, there were issues with Native American tribes storing nuclear waste on their land, something that was both unhealthy to the communities and caused considerable controversy among tribal leaders. Where is this issue today? Native tribes across the American West have been and continue to be subjected to significant amounts of […]
Got ski boots?
Dear EarthTalk: Where do I recycle old ski boots (hard plastic)? My recycling center does not take hard plastic. Americans recycle more plastic than ever these days, but there are still plenty of items that are not accepted by municipalities, including many hard plastic items like ski boots. If such items are still usable, consider […]