Geothermal energy is the use of underground heat to produce electricity and currently contributes a small, yet growing, portion of U.S. energy generation. The United States is the top geothermal energy producer in the world, and the Trump Administration has announced plans to increase investments in geothermal energy.

Geothermal power plants are considered helpful in the fight against climate change as they are a renewable energy source, have low levels of pollution, and have significant room for growth in the U.S. However, there are concerns over its efficiency, lack of space for new energy plants, and high upfront costs.

Geothermal energy has strong bipartisan support, and has been considered a “middle ground” in the intense energy debate. Recently, President Trump signed an executive order declaring a “National Energy Emergency” which would expedite domestic energy and energy infrastructure production. Although Trump’s tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico will harm the production of wind and solar energy, geothermal energy will likely remain unaffected.

What are your thoughts on geothermal energy? Do the benefits of geothermal energy plants outweigh the costs?

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/41360847

The days of the perfect-looking yard -- often lawns that guzzle copious amounts of water to stay green -- may soon be gone.

Homeowners are increasingly opting to "re-wilding" their homes, incorporating native plants and decreasing the amount of lawn care to make their properties more sustainable and encourage natural ecosystems to recover, according to Plan It Wild, a New York-based native landscape design company. ...

Greedy use of water reservoirs x Climate heating bringing more drought.

Four parties hammer out agreement filled with bad news for scientists

The nationalist, populist Party for Freedom, led by Geert Wilders, won 23% of the vote in the November 2023 House elections, putting Wilders—once a fringe figure who proposed a “head rag tax” on women wearing headscarves—close to the center of power. Since then, Wilders has been in contentious and often chaotic negotiations to form a government with three other parties, including the center-right party led by outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte, which saw its electoral share shrink to 15%. The governing plan endorsed by the four parties, which marks a crucial step in forming a new government, includes a series of harsh anti-immigration measures. Centrist and left-wing parties fiercely criticized the plan during this week’s debate.

Another sharp turn comes in environmental policy. The Netherlands, a major agricultural exporter, has more farm animals per square kilometer than any other country in Europe, and their waste emits high levels of nitrogen compounds that violate EU rules and harm the country’s ecosystems. Past government plans to tackle the issue have triggered massive protests by farmers and the rise of a new party, the Farmer-Citizen Movement, that won 4.7% of the vote and is part of the new coalition.