Animals are key to our restoration of the planet, explain Kate Wall and Mark Hofberg of the International Fund for Animal Welfare in a report titled Thriving Together: The Critical Role of Animals in Achieving the SDGs. The world’s progress toward a sustainable society has been charted by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of 17 goals […]
Today’s inspiration is another quote from Helen Keller’s 1933 article, “Nature’s Storehouse of Health.” She wrote, “I have always the feeling that nature has the power to renew and refresh our minds, our bodies, and our spirits.” Take some time to appreciate nature and enjoy the benefits of spending time outdoors this week. Even if you can’t leave the city, […]
A standard cup of tea requires one-eighth as much water as a cup of coffee, but tea is no eco-beverage. In fact, the carbon footprints of tea and coffee production are almost identical. But producing tea contributes less to its footprint than how you drink it. Brewing a truly sustainable cuppa might be impossible, but a little education about your […]
Nothing destroys my resolve to live a natural, chemical-free life like a giant angry pimple. When I have clear skin, it’s all flowers and rainbows, paraben-free this, phthalate-free that. But when acne strikes, I’ve been known to go totally nuclear. Kill it with fire! Get the acid! The longer the ingredient list, the better! If it burns when you put […]
Although it’s important to change your habits to cut your carbon dioxide footprint, you can also use your money to reduce CO2. This Earth911 quiz asks you about two financial instruments that let you pay for the sequestration of CO2 directly or buy clean energy: carbon offsets and renewable energy certificates (RECs). Test your knowledge of how these financial tools […]
Duke Energy recently announced that it wants to use EV batteries from Ford F-150 Lightning pickup trucks (F-150s) to help power the grid by utilizing “vehicle-to-grid” technology. This pilot program in North Carolina will partner with people leasing F-150s. It will gather data for possibly creating a permanent program. Tapping in to EV Bidirectional Charging Capabilities Some electric vehicles are […]
Computing opens the door to a more efficient, circular economy but the energy required will generate more greenhouse gas emissions. We talk with Kirat Singh, CEO and co-founder of Beacon Platform Inc., a developer of cloud computing infrastructure for Wall Street and financial institutions. Beacon’s system is built in part to reduce the environmental impact of processing large amounts of […]
Volunteers will gather rakes, shovels, and trash bags to help improve U.S. public lands for the annual National Public Lands Day (NPLD) on Saturday, September 24. You can join in and help maintain trails, clean up parks and rivers, plant trees, remove invasive species, and participate in hikes and other fun activities at parks throughout the country. Sponsored by the […]
Vegetable gardeners spend a lot of time thinking about conditions that affect the successful growth of plants, such as rainfall, sun, and temperature. But they often neglect the soil, which is where plants get the nutrients they need to grow. The pH of the soil determines the availability of these nutrients; so, for plants to flourish, you need soil with […]
Many of the personal care products we use include harmful, non-biodegradable ingredients that damage the environment. Pick up your shampoo or soap and look at the label. You’ll likely see parabens, phthalates, triclosan, and other synthetic ingredients that harm the environment and also aren’t great for you. The good news is that it is getting easier to find soap, shampoo, […]