SAGE Archives

2011

• Are the significantly higher prices for organic groceries justifiable? What makes them cost more (sometimes much more) than regular groceries? Some people canÕt afford the difference.

  Asked by Joan O'Henley

• There is a great deal of movement toward electric cars. There are also efforts to create cars that burn natural gas (or use it to power fuel cells). Is it better from a GHG or energy efficiency standpoint to use gas to make electricity to power a car? Or is it best to just burn the gas in the car directly?

  Asked by Roy Johnson

• What is a good way to measure one's daily water use? Is there a gadget to attach to one's faucets to measure how much water is being used?

  Asked by Cris Cutierrez

• When disposing of food waste, I often compost. But some food wastes are not supposed to go in the compost pile. Is it more environmentally sound to scrape your plate into the trash or send it down the kitchen disposal? And on a related note, if I blow my nose into a tissue, is it better to throw it in the trash or the toilet (without any extra flushing)?

  Asked by Lauren Woodard

• I love the bouquets that my husband buys for me from specialty shops in our city, but I'm wondering what the resource implications are for cut flowers bought at the store, and what are the most locally grown or sustainable options?

  Asked by Erika Check

• If I want to get rid of old VHS tapes in my house without trashing them, what can I do? Is it really that bad to throw them away in the first place?

  Asked by Shilpa Sarkar

• Does daylight savings time actually result in substantial energy savings? Other countries have done away with it because, as I understand it, the evidence is tenuous. What do you think?

  Asked by Stella Aslibekyan

• I can't live without my morning coffee, and though I want to do the right thing for the environment, the eco-friendly coffees cost significantly more than regular old Joe. Is there any real benefit to buying eco-friendly coffee? Which is the best: organic, shade grown, fair trade or bird friendly? And is there a budget-friendly source for eco-friendly coffee?

  Asked by William Check

• Is there a certain soil type best for composting? The soil near my home is mainly sand/clay (Arizona's high desert, Four Corners region). How can I best help the composting process taking into account the amount of sun, wind and water received in my region? What is the most sustainable way to do so?

  Asked by Dianne Nakai

• I'm wondering if the food left on plates in restaurants is recycled. If not, why not? I'm imagining a pick-up service like regular waste disposal that takes uneaten food to a place where it's composted and/or distributed to farms, zoos or animal shelters (for feed). Is this already happening in San Francisco, for example?

  Asked by Beatrice Q. Rector

• Should I eat farmed or wild salmon? I know that farmed salmon may not be as healthy, and fish farms tend to be environmentally damaging. However, many wild runs of salmon are on the brink and I do not want to contribute to their demise.

  Asked by Amy Fowler

• High-speed trains have been in the news recently. I love modern trains, and those who share this view cite financial savings and pollution prevention. Others wonder if it is financially or ecologically sensible to run a line that distance. When, if ever, would a financial break-even point come? What would be the carbon debt to construct such a train line?

  Asked by Denny Brown

• How much of an environmental problem will the batteries in alternative fuel cars create? Are they really a sound environmental alternative?

  Asked by Lynnae Thandiwe

• There are lots of options out there for eco-friendly clothing, but it's hard to decide on good products, both at the mall and online. Do you have suggestions for product lines or stores that provide eco-friendly options?

  Asked by Lisa Dore

• I read years ago that ethanol plants needed to be subsidized in order to make "ends meet." Since then, how much has the efficiency of ethanol-producing technology improved? Is the industry now getting more energy out of the ethanol produced than put in? How dependent is this efficiency on the type of biofuel used (corn, grass, sugar cane)?

  Asked by Hector Raynal

• Regarding small, rechargeable appliances—such as cell phones, toothbrushes, cameras, etc: How much energy is consumed when the unit remains plugged into its charger after it has completed charging to 100-percent capacity? Also, does the charger (with no unit attached) consume energy if it remains plugged into the wall outlet?

  Asked by Cecilia Lam

• I have often heard questions about assessing the environmental impact of A versus B answered with a common metric in order to compare apples to apples. The metrics are usually in quantity of carbon released or in dollars. Is there a more sophisticated environmental impact index out there that encompasses multiple metrics at once?

  Asked by Jana Watson-Capps

• Could you suggest an eco-friendly way to dispose of old laptops?

  Asked by Aditi Telang

• Which uses less water, a shower or a bath? This has been an ongoing debate in my home.

  Asked by Anonymous

• I often host dinner parties for groups of six to 10 people, and I have always wondered: Should I purchase disposable plasticware or paperware, or is it better to use my flatware and run one or two dishwasher loads? Which uses fewer resources? Which has a less negative impact on the environment?

  Asked by Alison Herson

• What is the carbon footprint of all the wretched, canned pop music played incessantly in the retail stores and malls of the world?

  Asked by Gregory Wright