Go Back: Home > Earth Island Journal > Reader Services
+/- : Reader Opinion
With the world’s nations unwilling to reduce their emissions, a growing number of scientists say we need to begin researching “geoengineering” – ways to artificially reduce sunlight or manipulate plants or the oceans to absorb huge amounts of CO2. Should we start researching ways to counteract global warming?
-
NO. Geoengineering is yet another example of technological hubris – we shouldn’t even think of playing Zeus. — 75 votes
(75%)
-
YES. With political action at a standstill we might need a Plan B to avoid catastrophic and deadly global temperature rise. — 25 votes
(25%)
Total Votes: 100
+/- : Reader Opinion
What do you think: Veggie oil or plug-in electric?
-
Plant-based fuels, like biodiesel or ethanol — 169 votes
(90.37%)
-
Plug-in hybrid power — 18 votes
(9.63%)
Total Votes: 187
+/- : Reader Opinion
Should we stop flying in order to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
-
YES, flying is a significant contributor to climate change and is only enjoyed by the relatively wealthiest people on the planet. — 22 votes
(81.48%)
-
NO, international travel is crucial to building cross-cultural understanding. — 5 votes
(18.52%)
Total Votes: 27
+/- : Reader Opinion
Should the O’Shaughnessy Dam in Yosemite National Park be demolished so that Hetch Hetchy Valley can be restored?
-
YES. John Muir’s prized valley deserves to be returned to the natural wonder it once was. — 39 votes
(81.25%)
-
NO. This is a valuable source of renewable energy, and decommissioning the dam would likely require more fossil-fuel use. — 9 votes
(18.75%)
Total Votes: 48
+/- : Reader Opinion
Can you be a “good environmentalist” and still have children?
-
No, there are already too many people on the planet and each of us, especially in the industrialized world, consume too much. — 100 votes
(74.07%)
-
Yes, having children is a life-affirming act and we need to pass on the values of love for nature and environmental stewardship. — 35 votes
(25.93%)
Total Votes: 135
+/- : Reader Opinion
Do you think that buying organic, fair trade, re-used, and other ‘green’ products can help protect the planet?
-
No, consumption can never deliver the political change we need to create a more sustainable society. — 66 votes
(64.71%)
-
Yes, we all need some stuff and it’s better to buy products that are produced more sustainably. — 36 votes
(35.29%)
Total Votes: 102
+/- : Reader Opinion
Natural Gas: a bridge or a dead end?
-
Gas Attack: Natural gas extraction is an environmental burden — 23 votes
(67.65%)
-
Friendly Fire: Natural gas is a necessary bridge to renewables — 11 votes
(32.35%)
Total Votes: 34
| a publication of