E Magazine EarthTalk Feed

Disease Clusters

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:17 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: There are many areas around the U.S. where “disease clusters” have occurred, whereby unusually large numbers of people have gotten sick, usually because of proximity to a polluter. What if anything is being done to remedy the situation?   —Michael Sorenson, Natick,…

New Fuel Economy Standards for Car Makers

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:14 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: I read that car makers had agreed to up fuel economy standards to an average of about 55 miles per gallon by the year 2025, and that specifics were due to be hammered out by the end of 2011. Did this happen and where do things stand now? —Scott Ellis, Norwalk, CA After years…

BPA and Cash Register Receipts

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:25 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that Bisphenol A (BPA)—which is harmful to human health—was found to be present in retail cash register receipts and that, since those receipts get recycled, the chemical may also be present in toilet paper and other paper products? —Jocelyn Mitchell, via…

How Green is the State of our Union?

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:16 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: What are the environmental implications of the road ahead as laid out by President Obama in his recent State of the Union? —Marilyn Pike, Bethesda, MD The economy dominated President Obama’s recent State of the Union address, but his discussion about energy and the…

Latino Communities Hard Hit by Air Pollution

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:58 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: How is it that Latino communities are among those hardest hit by air pollution? —Miguel Aragones, Los Angeles, CA Latinos are indeed among the U.S. ethnic groups hardest hit by air pollution. A recent report from the National Latino Coalition on Climate Change (NLCCC),…

Unsafe Personal Care Products

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:49 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: I know that there are many issues with personal care products being unsafe for our health, but where do I look to find out what’s safe and what’s not? —Mary Pulaski, Trenton, NJ The average American uses about 10 personal care products each day, resulting in exposure to…

Ocean Acidification

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:56 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: I was horrified to read recently that our oceans are actually becoming acidic, that the continued burning of fossil fuels is changing the chemistry of our seas. What’s going on? —Kim Richardson, San Diego, CA It’s a known fact that our oceans are becoming more acidic as…

Energy Drain From TV Cable Boxes

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:08 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that cable and other pay TV boxes that sit atop television sets consume massive amounts of energy, in part because they are always on, even when the TV is off? —Sam Winston, Metarie, LA We hear a lot about how much energy modern day flat screen TV sets consume,…

Home Bathroom Water Use

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:14 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that the bathroom is where over half of our household water usage takes place? What are some ways to take a bite out of that? —Shelby McIntyre, Chico, CA Yes indeed, some 60 percent of our household indoor water usage happens in the bathroom. As such, updating old…

Destroying Forests For Biomass

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:08 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: I understand that some companies are now looking to cut down forests and burn them as “biomass” for generating electricity. Is nothing sacred? —Audrey Barklay, Newark, NJ In theory, burning biomass (any kind of plant material) to derive energy is a carbon-neutral…

What is the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative?

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:59 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: I understand that some Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic U.S. states have banded together to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions. Can you enlighten? —Bo Clifford, Cary, NC Given the lack of federal action to curb greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., several East Coast…

Harmful Ingredients in Mouthwash

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:52 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: Are there healthy, green-friendly mouthwashes? I’ve heard that some contain formaldehyde and other nasty substances. —Marina Sandberg, Albany, NY Many mainstream mouthwashes contain ingredients that you definitely don’t want to swallow, or even put down the drain.…

Global Warming’s Big Impact on Water Supplies

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 22:07 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: How is it that global warming could negatively impact water supplies in the U.S.? —Penny Wilcox, Austin, TX Climate change promises to have a very big impact on water supplies in the United States as well as around the world. A recent study commissioned by the Natural…

Are Food Dyes Harmful?

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:15 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: Ever since the red dye #2 scare in the 1970s I’ve been wary of using food colorings or buying food that appears to contain them. Are there natural and healthy food colorings? —Nancy McFarlane, Methuen, MA Many of us are still wary of food dyes because of reports about…

Does Echinacea Really Have Medicinal Value?

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 16:01 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: What’s the story with Echinacea? Many herb teas contain it, and many people swear by it as a cold remedy. But I’ve also seen headlines saying that the herb has no medicinal value whatsoever. Can you set the record straight? —Arlene Hixson, Portland, ME Echinacea, also…

What Are Energy Audits?

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 15:54 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: There are a number of companies out there now doing “energy audits” for the home, after which they try to sell you attic insulation and other products and services. Is this just a scam or would it be wise for me to look into this? —Bill Richards, New York, NY For the…

Earth-Friendly Hair Products

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:17 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: I always hear about hair products and sprays that claim to be natural and organic based. What are some hair products that can be purchased that are legit and cause no harm to the environment? —Penny Siegel, Milwaukee, WI Many common hair care products, including shampoos,…

Incandescent Lightbulb Phase-Out

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:02 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: What do I need to know about the new U.S. energy efficiency standards for light bulbs that take effect in January 2012? Will certain bulbs be unavailable? And am I supposed to switch out my older inefficient bulbs with newer efficient ones? —Melissa McCarthy, Aptos,…

Asthma on the Rise

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:41 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that asthma rates in the U.S. have doubled in the last three decades? What’s behind this troubling trend and what can we do to reverse it? —Patrick, via e-mail Asthma is on the rise across the U.S., doubling since the 1980s. According to the Environmental…

Why Should I Recycle?

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:35 GMT

by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk: Recycling can be a somewhat time-consuming task; so can you please provide some benefits of taking the time to separate my trash? —Joseph Jiminez, Houston, TX Recycling, which turns materials that would otherwise be incinerated or become landfill-clogging waste into valuable…