earthtalk

  • It’s obvious that our cars are getting greener every year, but what about 18 wheelers?

    Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk We all rely on heavy duty trucks to haul as much as 80 percent of the goods we use and consume. But those ubiquitous 18-wheelers are also a big contributor to the overall pollution footprint of the transportation sector, given they get only...
  • How can we keep our kids safe from environmental hazards all around us in our everyday lives?

    Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk Children are affected by the same environmental hazards as adults, only they’re more vulnerable given their smaller size and the fact that their bodies are still developing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), harmful exposures can start as early as in utero....
  • Ready to join the 21st century and commit to putting solar panels on the roof? Here’s Where to Start

    Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk Good things may in fact come to those who wait. There’s never been a better time to go solar, given how much prices for panels have come down while efficiency in converting sunlight to electricity—even in less-than-sunny locales—has risen dramatically. Of course, you...
  • What is so-called green patent sharing and how does it work?

    Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk The idea behind so-called green patent sharing is that researchers, inventors and companies can share the rights to make, use or incorporate certain patented technologies that benefit the environment, theoretically expediting the development of energy efficiency, pollution prevention, recycling, water conservation and other...
  • Evolving Through Global Warming

    Could global warming really already be a factor in the evolution of wildlife species? Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk 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...
  • Does Volvo’s embrace of electric cars signal the beginning of the end of the gas-powered internal combustion engine?

    Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk Volvo has announced that it will only sell hybrid and electric cars beginning in 2019, signaling a shift in the auto industry as a whole toward more fuel-efficient cars that can help reduce drivers’ carbon footprints and fuel costs. “In the next five...
  • Dense World

    Is the increasing urbanization of our world good for reducing our carbon footprint? Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk No doubt, the increased density of big cities leads to less energy use and fewer greenhouse gas emissions per capita. “The biggest factor is transportation, first, simply because trips get...
  • Eco-Friendly Light Bulbs

    Are incandescent bulbs are back in a much more efficient form?  Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk The consumer landscape for light bulbs in the U.S. changed drastically in 2007 when Congress passed the Energy Independence & Security Act mandating, among other things, that household light bulbs in the...
  • What exactly is the “Myth of the Climate Change 97%”

    Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk The so-called “Myth of the Climate Change 97%” refers to the argument made by climate skeptics who dispute the notion that 97% of climate scientists have achieved consensus that global warming is occurring and is caused by human activities. Oklahoma Republican Senator James...
January