At present solar cells generate about 1.7 percent of the world’s power. Significant improvements have taken place in the materials used and the production processes. However, some environmental challenges persist, which must be overcome before solar energy may be used to represent a source of truly clean energy. Most environmental issues with solar power stem […]

HONOLULU – An East Oahu nursery that mainly grows native plants for conservation projects is hoping for a fresh start in 2019. Extreme flooding last April swamped Aloha Aina O Kamilo Nui and also created a complicated new problem. The nonprofit that runs the nursery spent about seven months cleaning up and removing debris with […]

More Florida cities have banned plastic straws and styrofoam. Last week, the City of St. Petersburg decided to ban the products. In Southwest Florida, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Marco Island have all banned plastic straws. “We take our ocean for granted,” Caroline Rusher said. “We live in a beautiful place.” Plastic garbage is not something […]

NASA satellites are offering new insights into how glaciers in Antarctica and Asia are responding to warmer temperatures. Climate change is affecting the world now, and one of the most obvious ways is by melting glaciers. This month, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Earth Observatory published satellite-based images showing how glaciers in two parts of the world, Antarctica […]

When you place a plastic beverage container in a recycling bin, you are an important part of the product’s life cycle, helping that packaging to be used to make something new, over and over again. An astounding 70 per cent of what people toss in the trash is actually recyclable, but very few people recycle […]

The holidays are a time for generosity and tasty food, but its environmental impact can be a bit more sobering. Want to make your holidays more eco-friendly? You’re not alone. According to data by Stanford, it’s the peak time for rubbish heading to landfills, with Americans producing a full 25 percent more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year […]

Fiona Gomersall on ecological damage caused by Christmas trees, Rachel Kennerley on richer nations bearing the greatest burden, Sandy Irvine on population pressures and John Hobson on a carbon-added tax. Plus letters from Daniel Scharf, and Dr Stephen Brien of the Legatum Institute Your article about which Christmas trees to buy (Fake or real: which ones look best – and won’t cost the Earth?, 8 […]

A very visible impact of climate change on the North Shore of Oahu. Dave Brubeck’s “Unsquare Dance” taps in 7/4 time in the background. Rain schizophrenically falls. The ocean is gray and whitecapped. It’s one of those timeless down days on the North Shore of Oahu. Everyone seems to vanish on days like this. North […]

We’ve all been in this situation before. You’ve finished your coffee and you’re looking for the trash. Just as you’re about to aim for the nearest bin, the dread sets in. Is this cup recyclable? Is the lid? Is the cup too frothy? Will the recycling police find me? Why do bad things happen to […]

The nonprofit also offers thrilling, unique whale-watching tours on Maui. Winter on Maui means it’s time for humpback whales. More than half of the North Pacific humpback whale population, estimated at over 20,000 strong, visit the waters of Maui Nui each year. Once hunted to the brink of extinction, humpback whale populations fell by an […]