Earth Wise

The United States now has over 108 gigawatts of total solar generating capacity, which is enough to power about 19 million homes.  There are more than 3 million solar installations across the country, the majority of which are residential systems. The growth in solar power has been enormous over the past 13 years.  In 2008, […]

Agriculture accounts for more carbon dioxide emissions than transportation.  Producing our food is one of the largest contributors to climate change.   Experts agree that the world cannot achieve net zero emission targets without changing our diets.  Be that as it may, we still have to eat.  According to experts from Oxford University, there are things […]

The ongoing severe drought in the western U.S. has led to low water levels in the rivers and reservoirs that feed hydroelectric power systems.  The Energy Information Administration is projecting a 13.9% decrease in hydroelectric generation this year compared to 2020. Water levels in Lake Powell have fallen so low that it may not be […]

There has been a decline in the abundance of insect and other animal pollinators in many ecosystems worldwide that began being observed at the end of the 20th century.  Pollinators and their health have become growing concerns for the public and many states have enacted legislation related to pollinator decline. In many places, the pollinator […]

Global energy storage deployment is increasing at a very rapid pace.  According to recent industry forecasts, there will be 12.4 gigawatts of new energy storage capacity online in 2021 breaking the previous annual record of 4.9 gigawatts set last year. To understand these numbers, the world only reached 1 gigawatt of new capacity in a […]

New research published by the University of Colorado Boulder analyzes the effects of different wavelengths of ultraviolet light on the SARS-CoV-2 virus.   The research found that a specific wavelength of UV light is not only extremely effective at killing the virus that causes COVID-19, but also that this wavelength is safer for use in public […]

The production of steel, cement, and ammonia accounts for about 20% of the carbon dioxide humans pour into the atmosphere.  Modern cities are largely constructed from concrete and steel and most of our food is grown using fertilizer made from ammonia.  The most widely discussed solutions to decarbonizing these industries are green hydrogen and carbon […]

Tiny ticks are a big problem.  Measuring only three to five millimeters in size, ticks are widely distributed around the world.  They are external parasites, feasting on the blood of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals – including humans. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ticks infect an estimated 476,000 people […]

The global marine shipping and aviation industries are each responsible for about 3% of greenhouse gas emissions.  These are relatively small numbers, but as other industries decarbonize, the contributions from shipping and aviation will loom larger and larger. In October, both of these industries made commitments to reach net zero emissions by 2050.  How can […]

Reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions can slow the progress of global warming but only reaching and sustaining net zero global emissions can halt the progress of climate change. The move to renewable power and the use of electric transport are substantial and essential ways to reduce emissions.  But even if these transitions take […]