Do Vaccines Cause Autism?
Researchers are debating whether some vaccines may have played a role in the increase in autism, although most agree there’s no risk with today’s vaccines.
EarthTalk Q&A Archive: Expert Environmental Answers
Why do people consider the Endangered Species Act to be the country’s
According to the latest tally by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), 745 plant and 523 animal species are listed as threatened or endangered in the United States. While these flora and fauna have benefited from Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections
What have been the environmental consequences of the Iraq War?
According to a report by the international environmental organization Greenpeace, the ecological damage from the 1990s Gulf War was “unprecedented.” More than two-dozen chemical, biological and possibly nuclear facilities were destroyed or badly damaged
Is it bad for the environment to dump clog removers like Drano down the drain?
The active ingredient in Drano and other conventional drain cleaners is sodium hydroxide, otherwise known as caustic soda or lye. It is a man-made chemical used for its corrosive properties. According to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the substance is not considered a pollutant per se, as it separates into relatively harmless component elements once released into water or moist soil.
Is it true that converting crops like corn into ethanol actually
Recent revelations by Berkeley researcher Tad Patzek have fueled vigorous debate about the wisdom of using fuels such as ethanol to reduce our reliance on oil and our contribution to global warming. Patzek’s research
Is it true that converting crops like corn into ethanol actually uses more energy than is produced?
Recent revelations by Berkeley researcher Tad Patzek have fueled vigorous debate about the wisdom of using fuels such as ethanol to reduce our reliance on oil and our contribution to global warming. Patzek’s research concluded that producing ethanol actually uses more energy than the resulting fuel can generate.
Is the chlorine bleach used for whitening clothes bad for the environment?
More than 80 percent of American households use chlorine bleach to whiten their clothes and clean inside their homes, but most consumers don’t realize that the use of this seemingly innocuous cleaning additive could be polluting their home as well as the great outdoors.
Where can I recycle my plastic CD jewel cases?
Environmentalists have been worried about CD jewel case disposal ever since compact discs first became popular in the 1980s. Jewel cases are made out of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), a petrochemical-based plastic that is notoriously difficult to recycle and has been linked to elevated
Did global warming cause Hurricane Katrina or make its impact worse?
No single storm or its intensity can be attributed to climate change alone, but scientists do believe that warmer ocean temperatures as a result of global warming may be intensifying the strength of hurricanes—and therefore could have contributed to Katrina’s fury.
Where Can I Find Nice Carpeting Without the Noxious Chemicals?
Where can I find carpeting without the strong odors and health concerns of conventional synthetic materials?