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The cost of convenience in trash collection
Trash and recycling truck In most places in the US, trash collection means putting our trash out to the curb in two containers. We call one of them recycling. Some municipalities don’t offer curbside...
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Littering: why do we do it and how can we stop?
Littering is a huge problem—and a crime. Litter refers to small amounts of trash thrown where it doesn’t belong. Americans as a whole seem to consider it too inconvenient to carry a bottle, candy...
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George Washington Carver as environmentalist
Statue of George Washington Carver at Missouri Botanical Garden / John W. Schulze via Flickr George Washington Carver was once one of the most famous men in the US. Now, we remember him mostly as the...
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“The Tragedy of the Commons” by Garrett Hardin: a tragedy of errors
James Cridland via Flickr Earth Day first took place in 1970. Two 1968 publications greatly influenced the rhetoric: The Population Bomb by Paul Ehrlich and “The Tragedy of the Commons” by Garrett...
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The Arctic Ocean: its icy past and current meltdown crisis
Arctic Ocean location map / Wikimedia Commons The Arctic Ocean is the northernmost body of water in the world. It surrounds the North Pole. It is also the smallest ocean in the world and the...
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The history of sustainability is longer than you think
Most of us probably think the idea of sustainability began around the 1970s. In fact, its basic outlines can be traced back to the beginnings of sustainable forestry in the 1660s. Deforestation had...
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Municipal and commercial composting: when you can’t compost at home
Industrial composting, turned aerated pile method / Green Mountain Technologies Composting is a great way to keep organic wastes out of the landfill and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. But not...
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The rise of coal in America: creating jobs and saving trees?
Wildrose Charcoal Kilns in Death Valley, California. The ten kilns (25 feet, or 7.6 m, high) were used to make charcoal from wood to smelt lead and silver from nearby mines. Built in 1877, they were...
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Understanding temperature and how we measure it
Ambernectar 13 via Flickr Understanding weather and what’s happening to the climate requires an understanding of temperature. In turn, understanding temperature requires a definition, a device to...
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Vegan ideology: is it really sustainable and ethical?
Vegan rally in Melbourne, Australia. December 12, 2009, with Frieda the cow / John Englart via Flickr I have joined quite a few Facebook groups dedicated to environmental causes. Very often, I see...
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