CITY HALL — A proposal by city officials to streamline the permit application process to install photovoltaic panels has drawn concerns from solar advocates who believe that a new provision could deter interested property owners in the future.
Dear EarthTalk Do insulating paints actually insulate and save energy? If they do, are they environmentally friendly to use? Bob Dibrindisi Easthampton, MA Paint additives that claim insulating qualities have been marketed since the late 1990s, but energy research organizations have not confirmed th
CITY HALL — A new truck is joining the Santa Monica fleet, a zero-emissions truck that will serve the Water Division. The first of its kind purchased in the United States, the ZeroTruck is the only all-electric truck on sale in the U.
CITY HALL — A challenging past several months trying to balance a budget hit by state funding cuts and drops in sales tax revenue reached a relatively satisfactory conclusion on Tuesday night when the City Council adopted a roughly half billion dollar package for fiscal 2009-10.
CITY HALL — Massage businesses in Santa Monica will now be required to keep their doors unlocked during operating hours after the City Council on Tuesday voted to impose more stringent regulations on the parlors.
Dear EarthTalk: Don’t some scientists point to sunspots and solar wind as having more impact on climate change than human industrial activity? — David Noss, California, MD Sunspots are storms on the sun’s surface that are marked by intense magnetic activity and play host to solar flares and hot gass
CITY HALL — When city officials in January began taking a hard look at the harsh economic realities facing local government, a decision was made to freeze 18 vacant positions they deemed would have the least impact on the general public.
Dear EarthTalk: Has the recent violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo threatened the populations of lowland gorillas? How many are left? — Glenn Hammond, San Francisco, Calif.
Dear EarthTalk Is there any truth to the rumor about high levels of birth control chemicals being found in some cities’ drinking water? If so can these be filtered out? Elizabeth Yerkes Via email It is true that trace amounts of birth control and other medications — as well as household and industri
CITY HALL — While times might be tough financially — as reflected in a city budget that’s 8 percent smaller than last year — a handful of neighborhood improvement projects that residents have demanded for years could survive the cut.
Dear EarthTalk: Are plans to mine uranium near the Grand Canyon, as proposed by the Bush administration in 2008, still underway? — Denton Chase, Half Moon Bay, Calif.
Dear EarthTalk How does the microwave compare in energy use, say, to using a gas or electric stove burner to heat water for a cup of tea? Tempie Dexter, MI The short answer is that it depends upon several variables, including the price of electricity versus gas, and the relative efficiency of the ap
