Q: In my business courses in college, we were taught that ecological degradation was an “externality”something outside the purview of economic analyses. Now that the environment is of such concern, are economists beginning to rethink this? A: By definition, economic externalities are the indirect negative (or positive) side effects, considered unquantifiable in dollar terms, of […]
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Which electronics are greener?
Q: Where can I find information on which electronics and their manufacturers are greener than others, with regard to components, manufacturing processes and end use efficiency? A: Now that many consumers are beginning to care about their own environmental footprints, manufacturers are responding with loads of greener offerings. One good place to find them is […]
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Global dimming—it’s not light pollution
Q: I’ve heard of global warming, of course, but what on Earth is global dimming? A: Global dimming is a less well-known but real phenomenon resulting from atmospheric pollution. The burning of fossil fuels by industry and internal combustion engines, in addition to releasing the carbon dioxide that collects and traps the sun’s heat within […]
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Are your Mondays meatless?
Q: I know that some people abstain from meat on Fridays for religious reasons, but what’s the story behind “Meatless Monday”? A: Meatless Mondaythe modern version of it, at leastwas born in 2003 with the goal of reducing meat consumption by 15 percent in the U.S. and beyond. The rationale? Livestock production accounts for one-fifth […]
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The Merino underwear revolution
Q: Merino wool undergarments tout themselves as being kinder to the environment than other wools or synthetics. How is this so? A: Since the 1970s, professional athletes and weekend warriors alike have sworn by base layers made out of synthetic “fibers” that would let sweat-based moisture escape, dry fast and be easy to care for. […]
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Greening the U.S. military
Q: What is the U.S. military doing to reduce its carbon footprint and generally green its operations? A: As the world’s largest polluter, the U.S. military has its work cut out for it when it comes to greening its operations. According to the nonprofit watchdog group Project Censored, American forces generate some 750,000 tons of […]
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The benefits of hydroponics
Q: What are the environmental benefits of the hydroponic growing of lettuce and other crops? A: While organic agriculture is all the rage, growing by leaps and bounds to meet increased consumer demand for healthier food, another option that’s less well known but just as healthy is hydroponics, whereby plants are grown in nutrient-fortified water-based […]
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Sources of land subsidence
Q: What, if anything, fills the empty space underground created by the extraction of billions of gallons of oil? Could oil drilling be one of the causes of increasing amounts of land settling and sinkholes in oil rich areas? Can it cause earthquakes? A: The crude oil (and natural gas) we drill for the world […]
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Do plastic bags ever decompose?
Q: I’ve heard conflicting reports regarding how long it really takes for a plastic grocery bag to decompose. Can you set the record straight? A: Researchers fear that such ubiquitous bags may never fully decompose; instead, they gradually just turn into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic. The most common type of plastic shopping bag […]
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BP’s spilled oil didn’t disappear; it sank
Q: A friend of mine working on the Gulf Coast oil cleanup says that at least 50 percent of the loose oil is laying on the sea floor. What’s the long-term prognosis of this? A: It’s true that oil from BP’s Deepwater Horizon fiasco is still sticking to and covering parts of the sea floor […]
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