Earth Wise

One of the most exciting possibilities for future solar energy technology is that of solar cells that can be sprayed or printed on to surfaces like the windows of skyscrapers, the roofs of sports utility vehicles, or the walls of houses.  And the expectation is that such technology would be far cheaper than today’s silicon-based […]

There has been much news recently about the growing bleaching events going on in the world’s coral reefs associated with ocean warming and acidification.  The massive damage to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is an ongoing tragedy. Ocean warming and acidification are global threats that can only be addressed with large-scale solutions to climate change.   However, […]

Solar panels on the roofs of houses have become a familiar sight in recent years, but utility-scale solar – installations of 10 megawatts and greater – are really booming these days.   Throughout the United States, more than 10.5 gigawatts of utility-scale solar were added to the electric grid in 2016 – enough to power more […]

Graphene is often called the wonder material.   First isolated by scientists in 2004, it is a form of carbon that is just one atom thick, extremely light, two hundred times stronger than steel, highly flexible, and an excellent conductor of heat and electricity.   Scientists are finding numerous applications for it. Graphene-oxide membranes have demonstrated potential […]

The world’s smallest porpoise is in real trouble. According to scientists, there could be as few as 30 vaquitas remaining on the planet.   We highlighted the plight facing this species in detail last month.  According to the International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (or CIRVA), the vaquita population has plummeted 90% since 2011, […]

For more than a century, a wide stretch of land north of Kimberley, British Columbia, was used for intensive industrial hard-rock mining.   The site of Teck’s Sullivan Mine hosted a steel mill, a fertilizer plant and tailings ponds and was rendered treeless. In 2008, Ecosmart, a Vancouver-based nonprofit, had the idea that the cleared land […]

There’s ample evidence over the past decade or so that Americans are gradually changing their diets, driven by health concerns among other factors.  But there’s one change that really stands out.  According to a study by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Americans have sliced their beef consumption by 19% between 2005 and 2014.  The NRDC […]

Most of the planet’s freshwater stores are found in the northern hemisphere, a region that is changing rapidly in response to human activity and shifting climate trends. A recent study analyzed 147 northern lakes and found that many rely on nutrients from tree leaves, pine needles, and other land-grown plants to feed aquatic life. To […]

Poor air quality is a major problem worldwide.  Exposure to air pollution is linked to the premature deaths of an estimated 6.5 million people every year.  This makes air pollution the fourth largest threat to human health, trailing only high blood pressure, dietary risks, and smoking.  At a fraction of the width of a human […]

The North-Rhine Westphalia region of Germany was the crucible of that country’s industrial revolution and it still generates a third of Germany’s power, much of it using aging coal plants.   However, Germany’s national energy transition program is pushing the country away from coal and other fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources. Falling prices for […]