by EarthTalk® No one is happy about the havoc the Coronavirus has wreaked, but one bright side has been the reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions that occurred. Global CO2 emissions during April 2020—while the world was largely locked down—were 17 percent lower than the same time a year earlier, according to researchers from…
I always assumed the train was the greenest form of mass transit, but a friend told me I would be better off taking the bus. Could this be true? — Jane McNeil, New York, NY Most of us assume that train travel—whether for getting around town, commuting to work or for long hauls—is the most…
I’ve been having trouble sleeping and my doctor suggested that indoor air pollution could be a contributing factor. Do you have any tips for how to improve my home’s air quality without breaking the bank? — Jennifer Abromovitch, Putney, VT The key to a healthy indoor environment is clean air, but many of the finishes…
Dear EarthTalk: Is it really true that our dogs and cats are major contributors to climate change, and if so what can we do about it? — Carmen Santiago, Newark, NJ Unfortunately, our beloved dogs and cats do produce shockingly high amounts of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. According to a recent study…
Dear EarthTalk: Was Hurricane Harvey caused by global warming? – Tom Dell, Bern, NC The short answer is no. No single hurricane or weather event can be directly linked to the general phenomena known as climate change. “Climate change does not cause things, because climate change is not a causal agent,” writes David Roberts on…
Dear EarthTalk: Could global warming really already be a factor in the evolution of wildlife species? — Vince Dominick, Camden, NJ No doubt the quickly changing climate is already triggering various evolutionary shifts in a wide range of species. And while we can’t be sure just how different wildlife species will adapt (or not),…
EarthTalk® From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Does Volvo’s embrace of electric cars signal the beginning of the end of the gas-powered internal combustion engine? ¬– Macy Vigneault, New Orleans, LA Volvo has announced that it will only sell hybrid and electric cars beginning in 2019, signaling a shift in…
Dear EarthTalk: What’s the latest in greener booze? Are there any good organic beers, wines or liquors out there? — Mike Richardson, Norwalk, OH Perhaps no other industry has responded to the greening of consumer preferences quite like beverage producers. From wine to beer to spirits, greener choices made from local and organic ingredients and…
EarthTalk® From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that fuel cell cars are finally available for mainstream drivers in the U.S.? — Jack Mixson, Wilmington, DE For years, green car enthusiasts have been heralding the dawn of a new era of pollution-free driving powered by fuel cells, which…
EarthTalk® From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Is the extraction of lithium for lithium ion batteries really worse for the environment than fracking? — Mitch Newhouse, Oak Park, IL In a world of modern technology, lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are hard to escape; they’re in cell phones, laptops, and basically anything…