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1500 questions
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How environmentally friendly is the production process of vitamin B12 supplements?
A vegan diet recommends the use of fortified foods and supplements (Wikipedia).
How environmentally friendly is the production process of these vitamin B12 pills? Might it maybe even be better for the environment to occasionally eat meat instead of…
orschiro
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5 answers
Most fuel efficient way to run AC in my car?
More of a curiosity question, but I'm trying to figure out the most fuel efficient way to run the AC in my car, assuming I must use AC. I already know when to open windows vs use AC, so I'm looking at what to do if I'm traveling fast enough that AC…
dsollen
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votes
3 answers
Impact on environment: a million horses vs a million cars
Would commuting on a horse be more eco-friendly? What if there were millions of people did that? Would millions of horses be better than millions of cars?
Ascendant
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4 answers
How can we detect if a water melon contains artificial colouring?
Recently I heard at the market that water melons are injected with artificial colouring to make them look fresh and attractive, even though it is very harmful for anyone who consumes them.
Is there a way to check a water melon for artificial…
ram
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4 answers
How to minimise waste when making preserves safely and cheaply?
When reusing preserving jars, the most commonly available metal lids (with a rubber or soft plastic seal) are really just meant for a single use. I did find some reusable plastic lids (BPA and pthalate free) through Google, though whether they'd be…
Highly Irregular
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2 answers
How to account for environmental impact of second hand goods
I've been trying to understand and reduce my impact on the environment, and particularly to understand what a really sustainable lifestyle would look like. I (roughly) get the concepts of ecological footprint and planetary boundaries.
But one of my…
aucuparia
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Transmit solar over multiple time-zones?
I heard that at big voltages (10 000+V) the energy loss along a wire is very small. Unfortunately I've got little electrical knowledge, but this sparked up a question:
Considering that peak consumption is at 5 P.M. and peak solar production is at…
Sustainable Programmer
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3 answers
At what point is it better to use a room heater vs a central heating unit?
I have a house which has a central heating and cooling system which I assume uses a heat pump. This central heating system is not zoned so when I turn it on, I need to heat the entire house.
I live alone so I generally occupy my bedroom or my living…
dizzy
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8
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2 answers
Whole-of-life impact of liquid soap vs solid bars of soap
My wife recently replaced the soap dish in our kitchen (and the soap on it) with a liquid soap dispenser. Within about a week, we've used about half the bottle of liquid soap, whereas solid bars of soap would tend to last a month or two.
Clearly the…
Highly Irregular
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votes
2 answers
How can I minimize packaging and chemicals in personal hygiene products?
What are some common personal care products I can use that minimize toxic chemicals and plastic (or all) packaging?
lemontwist
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8
votes
3 answers
What's the optimal glass separation for secondary glazing?
We've bought a huge Georgian B&B in the UK. It has vast single-glazed windows. The house is not listed however we want to retain as much fabric as possible. Therefore we are looking at secondary glazing rather than double glazing for the…
Cheeseminer
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votes
3 answers
Optimising crop yields without using fossil-fuel-manufactured fertiliser
The green revolution produced a step change in crop yields. Although nitrogen-based fertilisers have been produced without fossil fuels, a very large proportion of global fertiliser production depends on fossil-fuel production: natural gas is burnt…
410 gone
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8
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5 answers
Best options for decarbonising steel production?
At the moment, a very large proportion of steel production relies on coke. So even though electric-arc furnaces are reasonably energy-efficient (Professor Julian Allwood says that the best ones run at about 50% of the theoretical maximum efficiency,…
410 gone
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8
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2 answers
Working in Information Technology at sustainable companies
Which are the companies fighting the good fight when it comes to sustainability, that have a large IT branch?
I know about Tesla Motors, and I know that many NGOs also have IT needs, but I've yet come across a proper list. Is there one…
Sustainable Programmer
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8
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1 answer
Are there any hard numbers on energy spent on recycling?
I have heard arguments that the energy spent recycling some materials eclipses the energy spent gathering and working raw materials into new products. I can see how this is possible but without hard numbers, I am wary of taking it at face value. Are…
Bob Roberts
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