Food waste is a big problem – about one-third of the world’s annual food production goes uneaten, accounting for 8% of global greenhouse emissions. For Americans, that amounts to about $660 of wasted food per person. There are a lot of old-fashioned tricks to reduce food waste – from meal planning to purchasing imperfect produce. But technology can play a […]
Technological advances have transformed the solar energy industry in recent years. Solar panels are significantly more efficient, producing more power in the same amount of space. Meanwhile, prices continue to fall, reducing the cost of solar electricity. But with the introduction of new technologies comes uncertainty. Which solar panels are the most reliable and durable? What technology creates the least […]
Molly Laverty, Senior Manager of Environmental, Social, and Governance at Del Monte Foods Inc., joins us to discuss the company’s climate response goals, which include using 25% recycled plastics in packaging. Del Monte Foods is one of the largest food packaging companies in the U.S. and is working to become a sustainable provider of fruits and vegetables through investments in […]
Dr. Anja Malawi Brandon, an advisor to the Plastics Pact and U.S. Policy Analyst for The Ocean Conservancy, joins Mitch Ratcliffe to discuss three areas for potential progress in reducing our dependence on plastic and improving recycling rates. She explains how the Plastics Pact, a consortium of 100 companies, NGOs and governments, that has a plan for transforming the plastic […]
There is a growing global e-waste issue as more and more people own an increasingly large array of devices. To help put the scale of the problem in perspective, consider that there are an estimated 6.4 billion smartphones in the world. Then, think about how frequently people in more affluent countries upgrade their phones. From a waste management standpoint, the […]
Released annually by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), the GreenerCars ratings for 2022 are now available. While it might surprise you to learn that the highest-ranking (“greenest”) vehicle this year is a plug-in hybrid instead of an all-electric car, it’s probably no surprise that the lowest-ranking (“meanest”) vehicle is a full-size, gas-powered SUV. ACEEE evaluated more than […]
Wake Smith, author of Pandora’s Toolbox: The Hopes and Hazards of Climate Intervention, shares his assessment of the climate response and the strategies and technologies that can be used to end CO2 emissions and restore the planet to pre-industrial climate conditions. He is a lecturer on climate interventions at Yale and a Senior Fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business […]
Wind energy has soared in popularity in the last couple of decades. Today, 8.4% of the total energy consumed in the United States is from wind power. With so many utility-scale wind turbines being installed, it is critical to consider the sustainability of the wind energy industry. That includes what happens to the wind turbines when they are decommissioned. Wind […]
Judi Townsend, founder of Oakland, Calif-based Mannequin Madness, is on a mission to keep mannequins in use to reduce the environmental impact of the retail industry. The shop sells full mannequins, dress forms, torsos and butts, limbs, replacement parts, and even dog and cat mannequins. Mannequin Madness is recycling more than 100,000 pounds of mannequins each year and has grown […]
The sale of battery-powered vehicles has surged across the United States, China, and Europe, while sales of conventional vehicles have stagnated. In 2021, electric car sales represented nearly 9% of global car sales, more than tripling their market share over two years. To assist this market, there are tax credits available in the United States for qualified electric vehicle (EV) […]