Recently added articles from EarthTalk: Questions & Answers About Our Environment. A Weekly Column:
Dear EarthTalk: Everyone knows we should recycle metal, glass and plastic cans and bottles, but what about all the lids, tops and caps?
Aug 24, 2008 ... Dear EarthTalk: Everyone knows we should recycle metal, glass and plastic cans and bottles, but what about all the lids, tops and caps? I see people recycling plastic bottles, for example, with their caps on, but I've always been told to thrown them out. Is that wrong? ...
Dear EarthTalk: I am considering solar panels for my roof to provide heat for my hot water and possibly to do more than that.
Aug 24, 2008 ... Dear EarthTalk: I am considering solar panels for my roof to provide heat for my hot water and possibly to do more than that. Are there some kinds of solar panels that are better than others? How do I find a knowledgeable installer? --Elise, Watertown, MA What type ...
Dear EarthTalk: my body doesn't tolerate cheese well. Are there dairy-free cheeses that will be easier on my constitution and better for the environment, too?
Aug 17, 2008; Sullivan, Steve ... With some 30 to 50 million Americans suffering from various degrees of lactose intolerance, and an estimated three million of us now eating animal-free (vegan) diets for humane, environmental and/or health reasons, the production of alternatives to dairy products has started to become big ...
Dear EarthTalk: can those energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs that are popular now cause headaches because of the flickering they do? I converted my whole house over last fall and both my kids were complaining of headaches on and off.
Aug 17, 2008; Sandy, Eugene ... With a switch to energy efficient compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs already in full swing in the U.S. and elsewhere--Australia has banned incandescents, Britain will soon, and the U.S. begins a phase-out of incandescents in 2012--more and more complaints have arisen about the new bulbs ...
Dear EarthTalk: what is "community based tourism" and how does it purport to safeguard pristine places?
Aug 10, 2008; O'Neill, Erin ... Community based tourism refers to situations in which local people--usually those that are poor or economically marginalized in very rural parts of the world--open up their homes and communities to visitors seeking sustainably achieved cultural, educational or recreational travel ...
Dear EarthTalk: how often do I really need to change my car's oil? Conventional wisdom has always put it at every 3,000 miles to prevent engine wear, but isn't changing oil that frequently wasteful and unnecessary? Also, what is the "greenest" and longest-lasting oil I should use?
Aug 10, 2008; Roberts, Vic ... There is much debate in the automotive world over how often drivers of typical passenger cars or light trucks should change their oil. The quick-lube chains usually recommend it be done every three months or 3,000 miles, but many mechanics would tell you that such frequent changes are ...
Dear EarthTalk: how does congestion toll pricing, used in some cities around the world, cut down on vehicle traffic and promote green-friendly public transit?
Aug 03, 2008; Higley, Bill ... Despite increasing green awareness and steadily rising gasoline prices, Americans and other denizens of the developed world--not to mention millions of new Chinese and Indian drivers hitting the road every week--are loath to give up the freedom and privacy of their personal automobiles ....
Dear EarthTalk: I've read that plastic bottles are not always safe to reuse over and over as harmful chemicals can leach out into the contents.
Aug 03, 2008; Dawson, Sylvie ... I'm wondering if the same issues plague Tupperware and other similar plastic food storage containers. The recent hubbub over plastic containers leaching chemicals into food and drinks has cast a pall over all kinds of plastics that come into contact with what we ingest, whether ...