E/The Envrionmental Magazine

Untitled Document Honda produces a natural-gas-powered Civic. What exactly comes out of the vehicle’s tailpipe, and how harmful to the environment is the extraction and refinement of natural gas? Which is greener, a hybrid or a car powered by natural gas? Honda’s natural-gas Civic GX, which debuted in 2006 in California but is now becoming […]

Untitled Document Are there environmentally friendly alternatives to tampons and sanitary pads? Women of ancient cultures couldn’t buy feminine hygiene products at the supermarket or drugstore chain, so they improvised, fashioning them instead of various natural and biodegradable materials — from papyrus and wool to grasses and vegetable fibers. Modern women, however, have relied on […]

Untitled Document How much pollution do motorcycles generate? Are there efforts to make them more eco-friendly? Motorcycles typically get about double the gas mileage of even the most fuel-efficient cars, but that doesn’t mean that they’re green. Despite getting 60 to 70 miles per gallon, motorcycles are not subject to the same rigorous emissions standards […]

Untitled Document Is there any proof linking human breast cancer to exposure to chemicals in the environment, or do researchers think most cases of breast cancer are genetically inherited? A groundbreaking research study coordinated by the nonprofit Silent Spring Institute and recently published by the American Cancer Society found that synthetic chemicals have likely played a large […]

Untitled Document What is the “terminator seed” proposed for use in agriculture, and why is it so controversial? Since the dawn of civilization farmers have saved the seeds spawned by their crops and replanted them to grow more crops. Such is the natural science of agriculture that has provided food for thousands of years. But […]

Untitled Document Are children breathing in dangerous exhaust fumes by riding the school bus? More than 24 million children ride the bus to school every day and as a result are regularly exposed to harmful diesel-exhaust emissions. Major components of diesel exhaust include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde, and tiny soot particles that carry substances […]

Untitled Document Where can one find nonpolluting alternatives to foam “packaging peanuts” used for shipping fragile merchandise? Those little white polystyrene-foam packaging peanuts are nearly ubiquitous in our pack-and-ship culture, but they are no good for the environment, let alone human health. The basic building block of polystyrene is the nonrecyclable chemical compound styrene. Long-term […]

Untitled Document Why are some groups pressing to ban rBGH, the hormone given to cows that makes them produce more milk? Cows naturally produce bovine somatotropin in their pituitary glands, and traces are secreted by the animals when they are milked. More popularly known as BGH, or bovine growth hormone, BST interacts with other hormones […]

Untitled Document Wind power turbines, some people say, pose a threat to birds, including migrating flocks. If this is true, what is being done about this? It is ironic that nonpolluting, renewable wind energy, long touted as a potential savior in the fight to stop global warming, is getting a bad rap for killing wildlife. […]