2010 Archives

• I have an aversion to creating garbage, and as such, I find disposable coffee cups abhorrent. When I mentioned this to a friend once, his retort was, "Think of all the water you waste washing your ceramic mug, and the energy necessary to produce the mug in the first place." What are the real equations at play here? How many times would I have to reuse my mug to make it the ecologically "better" alternative?

  Asked by Erik Uzureau

• I'm a fan of the new LED bulbs because they seem to be more energy efficient than compact fluorescents (CFLs). However, I'm perplexed by terminology, confusing packaging and lack of labeling—how can I compare the efficiency of one light bulb to another? How do I know what size LED bulb should replace a 60W incandescent or 15W CFL? Also, are there any lifecycle analyses on the overall environmental footprint of each kind of bulb?

  Asked by Michael McCrystal

• What is the best way to boil water in a modern home? Is it better to use the microwave, an electric kettle, a gas stove or an electric stove? Also, Is there any truth to the notion that once water has been boiled it shouldn't be boiled again—thereby wasting it?

  Asked by Erin Craig

• I wonder whether the water pulled out of the air by dehumidifiers is pure and drinkable. How does it compare to distilled water?

  Asked by Bill Wachob

• We are a small manufacturer of sports apparel (Stanford rowers wear our garments!) and I am looking for a way to repurpose or recycle fabric scraps. Content varies... polyester/lycra, polypropylene/lycra, and already recycled poly/lycra. Thanks!

  Asked by Joline Esparza

• What would be the best minimal cost, implementable sanitary sewer system for animal agriculture (cows, pigs, sheep, horses, poultry) that would achieve a significant reduction in the spread of agricultural pollutants, particularly animal fecal pollutants and runoff, onto food crops and into waterways, which significantly raise the microbial pollution of our oceans as measured near to shore?

  Asked by Laurie Girand

• Is it possible to recycle used paper towels? If so, why aren't there recycling containers for them in public restrooms (like at airports or business offices)? If there is some barrier to recycling them, what would it take to overcome it—be it a process to make them recyclable, or a viable system to collect and recycle them?

  Asked by Andy Grubb

• In public toilets, I'm always torn about the most environmentally friendly way to dry my hands, when there is a choice.

  Asked by Helen Kist

• When I stay at a hotel there is always a note that a towel hung up will not be replaced, thereby saving on water. However, I come back to my room and it always appears that the towel has been replaced. Do hotels actually do this or is the note there just to appear environmentally conscious? Also, is there a website that ranks which hotels recycle newspapers, plastic bottles, reduce heating and air conditioning, etc.?

  Asked by Cathy Clonts

• Fluorescent light bulbs in my house burn out quick. Maybe my house has old wiring? Should I keep using them or go back to the old kind?

  Asked by Kim Walsh Stone

• What are the most effective tools for encouraging individuals to live in more environmentally conscious ways, by translating changes in attitudes and beliefs into concrete behaviors?

  Asked by Richard Katzev

• Can wind energy by stored? How much wind or solar power does it take to produce the equivalent of a gallon of gas? How does that compare to five-10 years ago and to projections two or three years out? Is there a way to compare efficiencies of carbon-based fuels to solar and wind?

  Asked by Mark Kalkus

• How much, if any, energy savings could be realized from eating locally (or at least partly locally)?

  Asked by Jeff Churchill

• Dishwasher or hand washing?

  Asked by Kim Stone

• Is it possible and practical to consider using existing automotive hybrid technology as a means of propulsion for a boat?

  Asked by Cornell Dawson

• Now that we are facing drought and climate change, I am wondering about the sustainability of our green lawns we love so much in Sacramento Valley. Which is more efficient, keeping your lawn green or replacing it with a swimming pool? I seem to remember reading once that a swimming pool actually wastes less water per square foot than a lawn. Is that true?

  Asked by Bill Tournay

• I'd like to grow my own food. I live in Scottsdale, Ariz., on a 2.4-acre lot. I'm fascinated by urban farming. 1) What are the most nutritious foods I can grow, appropriate to the climate here in the Phoenix area, maximizing use of space, ease of farming (I am free weekends and evenings, but I'd prefer not to spend the whole time in my garden), and I'd like to have a variety of food year round. 2) Could you design a modular raised "parking lot" garden for the Southwest, where covered parking is coveted and weather accommodates year-round farming?

  Asked by Tom Nelson

• In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, is it better for a family of four to drive a 20-mpg car from San Francisco to Los Angeles, or to fly? At what mpg rating (for the car driven) are the emissions equal?

  Asked by Steve Schmidt

• Would a large SUV that is 50 percent electric, 50 percent gas powered use more resources (both from electricity if it's generated by a non-renewable resource, and from the gas itself) than a small station wagon (such as a Volvo)?

  Asked by Amanda Schlott Lietman

• My apartment is rented. It has very poor insulation—the walls, the windows, the space around the door are all terribly energy inefficient. What simple steps can I take as a renter to reduce my energy consumption without renovating? How much energy can I save using these steps?

  Asked by Jim Salvia

• I'd like to know the differences in environmental impact between mined diamonds and those that are lab-created. Besides the obvious social upsides (avoiding war-torn producer countries, child labor in mines, etc.), what are the environmental benefits?

  Asked by Gordon Haupt

• Is it really more economical to use electric space heaters where the people are than to heat the whole house?

  Asked by Mary Fahnestock

• The average global temperature has dropped two degrees in the past two years. Crop yields are projected to decline 10 percent in 2009 due to cooler growing conditions. Approximately 85 percent of CO2 is not from man-made sources. Countries outside the United States produce the majority of CO2 and their growth rate is accelerating. If global warming is actually due to man, rather than sunspots or other natural causes, how can the current efforts to minimize CO2 emissions before we have replacement technology be cost justified?

  Asked by Daniel Wildermuth

• What is the impact of a person becoming a vegetarian on global warming?

  Asked by Virginia Troyer

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