Green Science
Green Science is the application of eco-friendly thinking to scientific disciplines. Learn about global warming, pollution and other impacts on nature and the planet, plus what we can do to combat them.
The Euphrates River, at the 'Cradle of Civilization,' Is Drying Up
Study Says 2035 Is Climate Change Point of No Return
5 Ideas for Doubling the World's Food Supply
Andes Mountains: Home to Rainforests, Volcanoes and Alpacas
What Are Geodes and Where Can You Find Them?
River-bottom Bones: The Strange World of Underwater Fossil Hunting
How to Sell Electricity Back to the Grid
Are there any risks associated with the production of wind energy?
How much energy in a hurricane, a volcano, and an earthquake?
Top 5 Green Robots
5 Things to Consider When Building a Solar-powered Home
What Uses the Most Electricity in a Home?
Learn More / Page 3
It's not really green. It's "green." Unlike asphalt, green pavement is permeable, which means it lets rain soak through to the ground rather than roll off. How does this help our environment?
By Debra Ronca
No one likes paying bills. But you wouldn't have quite so many if you lived off the grid. How do you create enough energy to ditch public utilities?
Thousands of women around the world choose to combat ecological problems -- they're known as ecofeminists. But what would you do if you found out your house sat atop a toxic waste dump?
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Polar bears are facing a grim future as global warming melts their Arctic home. What problems are they up against and what's being done to save them?
By Julia Layton
The word "ozone" gets tossed around conversation as casually as a softball, but how many of us could really describe what the ozone layer is? The "hole" in it isn't exactly a hole.
By Jane McGrath
If you've ever walked the New York City streets in July, you've experienced the misery of this phenomenon. Why do cities heat up like furnaces while surrounding rural areas remain cooler?
By Jane McGrath
Scientists say that as of May 2007,. more people now live in urban than in rural areas. So how do planners make cities work for all those people?
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Why waste drinkable water on your yard when your old bathwater will suffice? That's the idea behind gray water reclamation -- getting the most out of your water through reuse.
By Robert Lamb
You might think of solar panels as large racks of rigid panels on someone's roof, but newer solar cells are more flexible and efficient.
Scientists are stockpiling the world's seeds, organizing them in giant libraries of planting possibilities. Is every type of plant included? Or, are the seeds of pesky plants shunned?
By Debra Ronca
Protecting the Earth is serious business for a radical group of environmental and animal activists dubbed eco-terrorists. Who are they? Why does the FBI consider them a top priority?
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You’ve probably seen some plastic labeled “BPA free,” but does that make it safer?
We know that humans are largely responsible for fueling global warming with our carbon emissions. So what if we could seize all that carbon and squirrel it away in a safe place? Well, we can. It's just hard and really expensive.
By Debra Ronca & Mark Mancini
In this mass graveyard, workers dismantle 52,000-ton ships using simple hand tools. Why would anyone want to work at Alang? Is this place doing the world a service by recycling obsolete ships?
Oil is a nonrenewable resource. Have we found all the oil there is to find, or is there more out there somewhere? What's the best way to wean ourselves from our oil dependency?
By Josh Clark
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With the global food crisis, some people feel that using food to make biofuel just doesn't make sense. Could algae be a solution? How could algae possibly fuel cars and even airplanes?
Wetlands may look murky and even creepy, but their value is clear. They soak up floodwaters and filter runoff before it enters our lakes and streams. How can we protect these spongy areas?
By Debra Ronca
Rising sea levels, increased flood and extreme heat are all signs of climate change. Cities are trying some innovate strategies to cope with and mitigate these events.
By Dave Roos
Scientists are hoping two enzymes are the key to breaking down huge amounts of plastic.
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Getting your home to zero waste doesn't have to mean re-structuring your entire life. Sure, you'll have to make changes, but most of them are surprisingly easy.
By John Donovan
Organic food promises freedom from synthetic ingredients. Find out what organic food is, how organic farming works, what the pros and cons are, and why you should care.
By Robin Brett Parnes
How do plants compare to solar cells when it comes to collecting solar energy? Would you get more power from an acre of ground by putting solar cells on it or by raising plants?
We want the ozone layer, but we don't want ozone pollution... Good in the atmosphere but bad on the ground? Find out about ozone pollution, how it affects you and what you can do about it.
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What happens to all of that trash you put on the curb every week? It doesn't just disappear into a parallel universe. Much of it probably goes to the local landfill, and how it gets handled there is a very involved system.
When the wind blows, particles in the gust of air are moving quickly. And that motion carries kinetic energy, which can be captured and harnessed to create electricity. The principle behind a wind-electric turbine isn't too different from an ordinary dam -- only it's capturing wind instead of water.
By Julia Layton