Explainers

Not everyone understands the relationship between electricity and water. This page makes it easy.

Also known as "geoengineering," it is the intentional large-scale intervention in the Earth’s climate system to counter climate change.

The EPA’s Tier 3 fuel and vehicle standards drastically reduced air pollution and improved public health.

Improving the energy efficiency of our homes, businesses, and industries can yield quick, significant, and sustained energy savings—and save consumers and businesses billions of dollars in the process.

Energy and water use are closely intertwined. Conventional power plants generate power by boiling water to produce steam that spins huge electricity-generating turbines.

Improving energy efficiency (that is, getting more use out of the electricity we already generate) is an important strategy for reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

Information and resources on solar water heating for the home and pool.

Learn how the sun affects our climate in this primer from the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Climate change is primarily a problem of too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Information about the ozone hole and global warming. The ozone hole is not a mechanism of global warming, but both the ozone hole and global warming are caused by human activities.

Who makes the decisions that affect nuclear safety? The NRC, Congress, state and local governments, and the nuclear industry...

When carbon emissions cost money, we produce less of them—but there's more to the story.