In a Sea of Energy Data, Utilities Try to Inspire Conservation
Smart meters are providing California households with their hourly and daily energy use information for the first time. Consumers use less electricity, studies have shown, when they can see that data. But getting them to pay attention to energy in the first place may be the biggest hurdle.
Audio Report on Oct 07, 2011 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Clean Tech Earns Its Stripes
The largest energy user in the United States is the U.S. Military. Its annual energy bill runs about $15 billion dollars a year, which is why the Department of Defense has developed a keen interest in finding other ways to meet its energy needs, including investing in alternative energy.
Audio Report on Sep 30, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
The View from Coal Country in the Age of Green
Coal produces nearly half the electricity in the U.S., but the mercury, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide it emits also makes it one of the most controversial energy sources. For many environmental activists, coal represents an old, dirty source of power, but for coal-mining communities around the country, the story is different.
Audio Report on Sep 23, 2011 by Carolyn Beeler from QUEST Philadelphia
A Difficult Path for Clean Coal
Coal generates half of all the electricity in the U.S. It’s also the biggest source of global-warming emissions and other air pollution. The coal industry says the answer is not to phase out coal, but instead to produce “clean coal.” Anne Glausser of QUEST Ohio reports on the difficult path for clean coal.
Audio Report on Sep 23, 2011 by Anne Glausser from QUEST Ohio
Mercury Rises on Coal Costs
Half of the airborne mercury pollution in the US comes from coal-fired power plants. After years of study and debate, the Environmental Protection Agency is planning to announce new limits on mercury from coal plants in November. Meanwhile, utilities are scrambling to meet other new federal regulations and industry groups are asking the government to slow down.
Audio Report on Sep 23, 2011 by Grant Gerlock from QUEST Nebraska
As Renewables Boom, California Struggles to Quit Coal
California is known for its "green" reputation, so it might be a surprise that residents in Southern California still depend on coal power when they turn on the lights.
Audio Report on Sep 23, 2011 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Climate Change Could Mean Cloudy Future for Lake Tahoe
Over the last 15 years, more than a billion dollars has been spent to protect Lake Tahoe's clear waters from runoff and erosion. Now, new threats to lake's clarity are emerging, just as restoration funding is drying up.
Audio Report on Sep 16, 2011 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
The Lost Lagoon
Oakland Museum curator Christopher Richard and geologist Janet Sowers function as water detectives, looking for clues of the city’s long-lost aquatic past. Recently, they believe, they solved a mystery that had nagged them for years.
Audio Report on Sep 09, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
San Bruno Marks a Somber Anniversary
The San Bruno explosion put a spotlight on something most people rarely think about: the vast network of underground pipes that delivers natural gas to millions of homes across the United States.
Audio Report on Aug 29, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
California Gets New Environmental Chief
California's new environmental chief is in the first month of his new position. With budget cuts, environmental lawsuits and a mandate to cut green house gasses, Matt Rodriquez has a big job in front of him.
Audio Report on Aug 19, 2011 by Andrea Kissack from QUEST Northern California
From Tunnel to Tap: Quake-Proofing Our Water Supply
The Bay Area's vast Hetchy Hetchy system, "a dream in granite, concrete, and steel," is getting an overhaul. The system carries water 167 miles from Yosemite to Bay Area taps; pretty soon that voyage will include the Bay's first true tunnel.
Audio Report on Aug 05, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
Rough Waters for Sea Level Rise Planning
What do Bay Area airports and some big Silicon Valley companies have in common? They sit right on the edge of San Francisco Bay, where sea level rise is expected to have a big impact by the end of the century.
Audio Report on Jul 29, 2011 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Architecture for the Birds
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as many as one billion birds die each year in collisions with man-made structures. Recently, lawmakers have started to do something about this problem.
Audio Report on Jul 25, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
Gulls Threaten South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Work
One of the most ambitious wetland restoration projects in the country is underway in San Francisco Bay. Thousands of acres of those ponds are being restored for shorebirds and wildlife.
Audio Report on Jul 15, 2011 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
E-Waste Programs Reach Milestone
Every year, only 18-percent of all American electronic waste is recycled, according to the EPA. Hoping to cut down on the growing mountain of high-tech trash, two dozen states have passed laws that require the electronics industry to pay to set up recycling programs. But navigating this patchwork of legislation has been a challenge.
Audio Report on Jul 14, 2011 by Todd Witter from QUEST Wisconsin
Bioplastic Boom
Companies like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Heinz ketchup have determined that plastic made from plants — not oil — makes sense both for the environment and for business. The growing demand has meant a boom in the bioplastic industry. Could this mean the end of the plastic bottle as we know it?
Audio Report on Jul 13, 2011 by Grant Gerlock from QUEST Nebraska
Revisiting Mandatory Recycling
Until very recently Philadelphians recycled a dismal five-percent of their trash. But all that began to change a few years ago when the city stepped up its mandatory recycling program and cracked down on violators.
Audio Report on Jul 13, 2011 by Kerry Grens from QUEST Philadelphia
Boom Times For The Recycling Industry
Here's one silver lining to a slow economy: High recycling rates. Americans are wasting far less, and recycling far more. Nowhere is the trend as strong as in California. As Amy Standen reports, this change is sending ripple effects throughout the economy.
Audio Report on Jul 08, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
Chemistry By Smell
The Lighthouse for the Blind recently held its first ever chemistry camp for blind kids. The goal is to engage blind kids in the sciences by teaching chemistry through other senses, like touch and smell.
Audio Report on Jul 05, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
Supercomputers Hit an Energy Wall
Supercomputers are becoming increasingly vital to modeling complex scientific problems. As they get bigger, they're also becoming massive energy hogs, using as much power as small cities. Now, scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab are hoping reduce that energy load through an unusual source: the technology in your cell phone.
Audio Report on Jun 27, 2011 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
