Dear EarthTalk: I thought Japan’s 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown would have sealed nuclear power’s fate, but I keep hearing otherwise. Can you enlighten?  — Jacob Allen, New York, NY The 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster did cause many nations to reconsider their nuclear committments, though many European countries—Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden—had ⇒

EarthTalk® Dear EarthTalk: Does the fact that we’ve had such a cold and snowy winter mean that global warming might not be such a big problem after all?– Lacey L., Lynchburg, VA It’s tempting to think that the cold air and snow outside augur the end of global warming, but don’t rejoice yet. According to ⇒

EarthTalk® Dear EarthTalk: I recently heard the term “ocean sprawl,” which was a new one on me. We all know “sprawl” as it manifests itself above sea level. But in the oceans? Can you enlighten?– Bill Chadwick, Nantucket, MA We are all familiar by now with “urban sprawl”—the uncontrolled spread of urban development into areas ⇒

EarthTalk® Dear EarthTalk: How can it be that carbon dioxide emissions are the lowest they have been in the United States in 20 years despite the fact that we have no binding federal legislation limiting them?- Jason Johnson, Port Chester, NY Carbon dioxide emissions are indeed lower than at any time since 1994, according to ⇒

Dear EarthTalk: What are “dark factories” and are they good for the environment?–Mitchell Pearson, Erie, PA So-called dark factories—otherwise known as “lights out” or “automatic” factories—are manufacturing facilities that do not depend on human labor to get work done. While they may have some benefits for the environment they are certainly not beneficial overall considering ⇒

Dear EarthTalk: Do you have any tips for explaining global warming and other complex environmental problems to my kids?–Peter Buckley, Pittsburgh, PA Kids today may be more eco-savvy than we were at their age, but complex topics like global warming may still mystify them. Luckily there are many resources available to help parents teach their ⇒

EarthTalk® Dear EarthTalk: What are some ideas for being greener this holiday season?– Beth Livingston, Camden, NJ While the holidays are festive and fun, they can take a toll on the environment. All that shopping, decoration, food preparation and travel adds up to more carbon emissions and more waste. But there are ways to minimize ⇒

Dear EarthTalk: I hear there’s a greener form of fracking for natural gas and oil that uses carbon dioxide instead of water to access underground reserves. Is this really better for the environment? — Jason Burroughs, Erie, PA Hydraulic fracturing (known as “fracking”) is a method of causing fissures in underground shale rock formations to ⇒

EarthTalk® Dear EarthTalk: Can you discuss pollutants in car interior materials, and also pollution inside cars originating from gasoline and diesel exhausts outside the car? — Mervyn Kline, Philadelphia, PA The interior of your car may seem like a safe haven from air pollution, but it may actually be quite the opposite. Chemicals emanating from ⇒

Dear EarthTalk: What are the environmental risks associated with beach resorts?– Shine Shoukkathali, via e-mail While they may put up with a lot of stress from wind, waves and weather, beaches and the coastal environments surrounding them are surprisingly fragile. The ecosystems which make up coastal areas have evolved over eons to their current natural ⇒