Guest Commentary

Dear EarthTalk: What’s the latest on hydrogen powered fuel cells? Not long ago they were touted as the energy source of the future, but news has been scant of late.

— J. Gorman,
Columbia, S.C.

Dear EarthTalk: Is there scientific basis to the assertion that global warming is affecting our ability to make decisions and lowering our collective intelligence?     — P.D., Sacramento, Calif.

When government fails, it’s the rare public official who says, “Oops. My fault.”

That’s human nature, particularly for officials in the public eye who may have to run for office again. No one wants to be held directly responsible for letting the public down.

Should I try and get an mRNA vaccine? They are better than the others, aren’t they? If I show up at the clinic can I choose?

 These are some of the questions that we didn’t even know we would be so lucky to ask just three months ago. 

The speed at which multiple vaccines to choose from has come about is unprecedented. 

Dear EarthTalk: What’s the latest on efforts to reintroduce Grizzly bears back to the Lower 48?

— J. Whitaker, Silver Spring, Md.

Amenia residents: Don’t miss next week’s Town Board meeting on Thursday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. for an Information Session presented by the town’s  Wastewater Committee. To understand why it’s so vital, please continue reading.

Dear EarthTalk: Given the economic slowdown around the world due to the coronavirus in 2020, was there a positive impact on climate change? 

— M. Stiles, Meriden, Conn.

For the first time in this 10-month-old pandemic, our quiet corner of the world feels unsafe. As of Dec. 18, 13 cases of COVID-19 are active in North East, seven of them in the Village of Millerton.