How much energy is used by cable TV boxes?

Feb. 1   1 Comment  

Set-top boxes in the U.S. consume 27 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, equivalent to the annual output of six coal-fired power plants. Part of the reason is that they typically operate at nearly full power even during the two-thirds of the time when they are not in use. (Thinkstock)

Short answer: A lot

Analysis: Cutting down forests for biomass fuel

Jan. 24   Leave a Comment  

In theory, burning any kind of plant material for energy is a carbon-neutral endeavor, but chopping down forests for ethanol is unwise because they cannot be regrown quickly. And tree plantations don't provide the clean water, storm buffers, wildlife habitat and other ecosystem services that natural forests do. Pictured: A wood biomass plant. (Thinkstock)

This will trouble you…

About home energy audits

Dec. 30, 2011   Leave a Comment  

EarthTalkEnergyAudits

Do-it-yourself or hire out?

What are effects of energy used from social networking sites and web surfing?

Oct. 8, 2011   Leave a Comment  

The environmental impact of so much online time really boils down to energy usage, which in turn affects the amount of greenhouse gases we pump into our atmosphere. Google, which has been carbon neutral since 2007, has been a real leader in the building of green data centers, even powering them with renewable energy. (Media credit/Jurgen Plasser via Flickr)

Is tweating a green activity?

Improving light bulb energy efficiency

Sept. 5, 2011   1 Comment  

New efficiency requirements for light bulbs may sound the death knell for incandescents, which have not changed significantly since Thomas Edison invented them in 1879. Newer, more efficient styles cost more but could save consumers some $6 billion in annual energy costs by 2015 -- while also eliminating the equivalent of 30 large power plants' electrical output and 14 million cars worth of carbon emissions. (Media credit/Hemera Collection)

Even conservatives are against unnecessarily inefficient lighting

How do we reduce energy use — globally

May 14, 2011   Leave a Comment  

Earth Hour 2011 saw the participation of millions of individuals in 135 countries who turned their lights off for one hour to make a statement about the need to conserve energy to fight climate change. Organizers expect the 2012 event (March 31 at 8:30 p.m., wherever you live) to be even bigger. (Media credit/Reway2007 via Flickr)

Scaling back would go a long way

Will there really be 1 million electric vehicles on American roads by 2015?

Feb. 12, 2011   1 Comment  

Will Barack Obama's call for one million electric vehicles on American roads by 2015 be realized? Some predict there could be as many as 14 million on the road by 2020. Either way we should soon be seeing many more signs like this one. (Quinn Dombrowski via Flickr)

Obama’s prediction analyzed

EarthTalk: Volcanic energy? Plant extinction?

Sept. 4, 2010   1 Comment  

EarthTalkVolcanoPower

Can we harness the power of the volcano?

Another oil rig explodes off Gulf coast, no evidence of oil sheen

Sept. 2, 2010   4 Comments  

vermilion bay

Another oil rig has exploded in the Gulf of Mexico.

New bulb promises comfortable efficiency

June 2, 2010   Leave a Comment  

EnduraLED_off

Looks matter

Energy savings makes ‘cents’ for Mass. residents

May 3, 2010   Leave a Comment  

mass_power

Governor’s energy efficiency plan in action in Lynn

EarthTalk: Sunspots? Oil shale?

June 22, 2009   Leave a Comment  

EarthTalkOilShalesm

EarthTalk answers: What really has the biggest impact on climate change? And is oil shale a potential source of energy?

EarthTalk: Gorillas? Solar power?

June 15, 2009   Leave a Comment  

gorillasmall

Our weekly environmental column focuses on the population of gorillas and the spread of solar power.

EarthTalk: Mattresses? Birth Control?

June 8, 2009   2 Comments  

1244474087et_birthcontrol70x70

EarthTalk discusses two bedroom topics.

Earth Talk: Hybrids? Uranium?

June 1, 2009   1 Comment  

canyon70

Dear EarthTalk: With plug-in hybrid and electric cars due to hit the roads sometime soon, will there be places to plug them in besides at home? And if so, how much will it cost to re-charge? – Nicole Koslowsky, Pompano Beach, FL Gasoline-electric hybrids, like the Toyota Prius, are all the rage due to their [...]

EarthTalk: Sonar? Microwaves?

May 27, 2009   1 Comment  

earthtalknavysonar

Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that military sonar exercises actually kill marine wildlife?‚ ‚ – John Slocum, Newport, RI‚  Unfortunately for many whales, dolphins and other marine life, the use of underwater sonar (short for sound navigation and ranging) can lead to injury and even death. Sonar systems-first developed by the U.S. Navy to detect enemy submarines-generate [...]

Greening baseball

May 22, 2009   Leave a Comment  

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Across most of Major League Baseball (MLB), teams are turning greener than the outfield grass, reports the June 2009 issue of E – The Environmental Magazine (now posted at www.emagazine.com/view/?4664). They’re reducing energy consumption, extending recycling efforts, and taking the first steps into renewable energy. So far, four parks, including Fenway Park in Boston, the [...]

2/6: Nukes

Feb. 6, 2009   Leave a Comment  

Obama abruptly changes his tone in his selling of the stimulus. Watch him lay the smack down. Obama seeks biggest nuclear weapons cut with Russia in a generation. WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (UPI) — U.S. President Barack Obama is seeking to slash the nuclear stockpiles of the United States and Russia by as much as 80 [...]

EarthTalk: Reducing home energy use? Green diapers?

Jan. 12, 2009   Leave a Comment  

Dear EarthTalk: This winter is shaping up to be one of the coldest in recent memory where I live. What can I do to reduce my home heating bill now and in the future? — Eric Lenz, Seattle, WA Whether global warming is somehow to blame or not, much of the United States is getting [...]

Gov. Patrick challenges businesses on emissions

Nov. 22, 2008   Leave a Comment  

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has issued a challenge to businesses: reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent over the next three years.‚  And a prominent group of Massachusetts businesses said they will accept his challenge. The Governor’s Clean Energy Challenge, developed by the New England Clean Energy Council and the Massachusetts High Technology Council [...]