Max Kozlov

Welcome to Possibly, where we take on huge problems like the future of our planet and break them down into small questions with unexpected answers. In this episode, we’re cooling down a bit and talking about refrigeration.

Today, we have a question from listener Todd Penoyer. He does maintenance for retail shopping centers in southeastern Massachusetts and he uses a lot of power tools to do his job. About half of his tools are electric, and the other half are gas-powered. He wonders whether it’s worth replacing the gas ones with electric versions.

Many of us have seen litter on the beach. And of course, there are those sad pictures of sea critters tangled up in plastic! Which made us wonder: how does it get there and what will it take to prevent all of this plastic pollution?

Today, we have a question from Keith Munslow, a musician from Providence. He and his wife drink a lot of seltzer. They recently switched to making his own seltzer at home with a soda maker — a machine that makes sparkling water. He wants to know if using it is more energy-efficient than buying seltzer by the can.

Wind turbines have been popping up across the world as a more sustainable way to create electricity. But these turbines can’t last forever, and not all of their parts can be recycled. In this episode, we look into what happens to wind turbines when they wear out.

Tree nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pistachios have taken off as a nutrient-dense snack. But all that snacking comes at a price — tree nuts are notorious for requiring a lot of water to grow. In this episode, we’ll unpack whether all that water usage makes a difference.