Some cities have tried to curb the proliferation of what some call "the urban tumbleweed" by charging consumers for plastic bags at the checkout aisle. Commentator Susan Lee says that's not the way to go.
Canada has some of the most oil in the world, and about half of it comes from the "oil sands." Oil companies use some of the most expensive, energy intensive technology to extract the oil from the sand — which leaves an impact on the environment too.
Host Tess Vigeland and Marketplace Sustainability reporter Adriene Hill discuss methods you can use today to help reduce energy use and those hefty electric bills.
Economic growth is often coupled with an increase in pollution. But those two factors may not be mutually inclusive, at least not the way they once were.
Oil spills around the world may be the fault of individual companies, but Americans — with their bus-less suburbs, saran wraps and highways — are also perpetuating the country's reliance on oil.
The Dutch have some of the best oil spill clean-up technology in the world, and they've offered it to the U.S. to help with the BP oil spill — only to be told that their help is not necessary.
Kai Ryssdal talks to photographer Brian Frank about his travels along the Colorado River, where he photographed the impact of overpopulation, pollution, damming, global warming and apathy on the river and the communities that relied on it.
