Dear EarthTalk A friend with many minor health problems recently switched to a diet of only raw plant foods and reports feeling much better. She also insists her new eating habits are better for the environment.
Dear EarthTalk My husband and I want to start a garden this year. I really want to make compost from leftover food scraps and yard materials. He says it will attract unwanted animals, and refuses to agree to it.
CITY HALL — Following a two-month delay, the City Council is again set to approve a “deal in principle” to bring billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad’s proposed art museum to Santa Monica’s Civic Center.
Dear EarthTalk: Isn’t the interest in electric cars and plug-in hybrids going to spur increased reliance on coal as a power source? And is that really any better than gasoline/oil in terms of environmental impact? Graham Rankin, via e-mail It’s true that the advent of electric cars is not necessaril
CITY HALL — Federal prosecutors Wednesday filed criminal charges against a chef and the owners of The Hump, a highly-regarded sushi restaurant at the Santa Monica Airport, for allegedly selling banned whale meat.
CITY HALL — Santa Monica’s most influential political party, Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights, has weighed in on City Hall’s long-term planning blueprint, knocking the proposed Land Use and Circulation Element for allegedly favoring job creation over housing.
Dear EarthTalk: I see a lot of “healthy snacks” being marketed for kids that list “natural flavors” but don’t identify them. Should I use these products? John Stein, Methuen, MA Beloved food writer Michael Pollan recommends steering clear of foods that advertise their green attributes on their label
Dear EarthTalk: When the plug-in Prius is released, how much electricity will it use? Will my electric bill double if my Prius is plugged in each night? Or will the increase be minimal? Also, will all this recharging put a strain on the existing electricity grid? — G.
CITY HALL — Environmentalist Terry O’Day, a former chairman of the Planning Commission, was selected by the City Council Tuesday night to fill the seat vacated by the death of Mayor Ken Genser last month.
Dear EarthTalk What is the potential for carbon “nanotubes” in battery technology? I heard them referred to as the biggest battery breakthrough to come along in years.
Dear EarthTalk If the ice caps are melting, what is happening to the salt content of the oceans? And might this contribute to weather patterns or cause other environmental problems? George Boyer via e-mail It’s true that the melting of the polar ice caps as a result of global warming is sending larg
CITY HALL — With the City Council scheduled to select a new member on Feb. 23, potential appointees are taking different approaches in their behind-the-scenes campaigns to fill the vacancy.
