Thursday, 9 February, 2012

The ozone layer protects Earth from UV rays: Twenty-two years after a treaty to protect ozone, how is the layer doing? What has happened to the ozone hole above Antarctica?

As Earth warms, should we try huge geoengineering projects to cool the climate? Would adding iron to fertilize ocean plants withdraw enough carbon dioxide to slow warming — or backfire?

Three giant new reserves, extend 50 miles out from shore, will protect coral reefs, fish, clams, and other life forms. But how effective are marine protected areas?

Carbon tax never even got considered, but it may produce more carbon control at a lower price. Comparing carbon tax with cap and trade…

Decay is part of life, and death. When garbage decays in a landfill, or manure decays in a tank, the result is methane. Is this natural gas a problem — or an opportunity?

When too much fertilizer reaches the Gulf of Mexico through the Mississippi River, a vast area gets robbed of oxygen. What can be done to reduce the dead zone that appears each summer?

Hybrid cars and plug-in hybrids boost auto efficiency and reduce pollution, but it’s a long struggle from the idea to the reality.

Could a walk in the park be good for you? Could looking out a window at a park be good for you? Can nature lower stress and promote healing? For centuries, philosophers, mystics and tree-huggers have talked up the benefits of nature.

Woman is rescued in wilderness after 5-week ordeal. What is so great about wilderness, and why do so many people think they need it to soothe their souls?

20 years ago, ecotourism was promoted as a way to save natural systems, and the people who lived in them. We ask: Is ecotourism a force for good, or just another form of “greenwashing”?