John Platt

John R. Platt is a journalist, humorist, activist and publicist specializing in environmental issues, entrepreneurship and new technologies. He founded Extinction Blog, the world’s first news source devoted entirely to endangered species, which is now published by Plenty Magazine. He has written for RiverWired, Kyoto Planet, Today’s Engineer, Experience.com, and numerous other publishers. He can be found online at JohnRPlatt.com.

John's articles:

22 Years Until Clean Energy?

Posted on November 17, 2008 by John Platt .

How long will it take us to get to a truly clean-energy economy? Five years? Ten? Twenty-two?
That number might seem arbitrary, but many organizations and scientists see the year 2030 as a reasonable and do-able goal to achieve total clean, renewable energy.
Quite a few of those scientists are gathered in Atlanta today for the IEEE [...]

A Rock to Absorb Greenhouse Gases?

Posted on November 10, 2008 by John Platt .

What’s the best way to get rid of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? Two scientists from Columbia University say a rock may be the solution we’re looking for.

Scientist Invents Truly Green Battery - Chlorophyll Green, That Is

Posted on November 5, 2008 by John Platt .

The problem with batteries is that they often contain toxic chemicals that can leach out into the environment. But what if the chemicals were completely natural?

These Boots Were Made for Walkin’ (and Generatin’ Power)

Posted on October 28, 2008 by John Platt .

Motion is energy. Capturing that energy is easy if you’re talking about huge turbines. But what about tiny motions, like a footstep?
A number of new projects aim to use the energy of human activity and translate it into ways to power the portable devices we so love. The photo above is an obviously early prototype [...]

CFLs Were Just the Beginning…

Posted on October 21, 2008 by John Platt .

You’re probably already replaced most of your home lighting with energy-efficient CFL bulbs. If so, great. CFLs last longer, use less energy, and help save you money.
But they’re also what you might call a transitional technology. While they are a heck of a lot better than traditional lightbulbs, CFLs pale in comparison with what is [...]

Elephants Gots Text Messages

Posted on October 13, 2008 by John Platt .

Even though they are an endangered species, African elephants are often perceived as pests. With their habitat shrinking and human development getting closer and closer, the number of clashes between humans and elephants grows every year. This makes it harder to solicit local support to protect the elephants, a critical element of protecting the giant [...]

Only Trees Can Prevent Forest Fires

Posted on October 7, 2008 by John Platt .

Forest fires cause terrible devastation every year — not to mention the release of huge amounts of greenhouse gases. Stopping forest fires is hard enough, but what about detecting them before they get to be a problem?

The Buzzzznesss of Bees

Posted on September 29, 2008 by John Platt .

By now, you’ve probably heard about the horror of colony collapse disorder. Bees around the world are disappearing, dying off, dropping like flies, and no one knows 100% why. But what we do know is that where the bees go, so goes most of our food.

Can a Cell Phone Help the World Go Green?

Posted on September 22, 2008 by John Platt .

Mobile devices are getting greener all the time. The best cell phones and smartphones contain fewer toxic materials and are more easily recyclable. But what about while they’re in use — can they do green good in your hand?

Way to Go, Grandma! Older Buyers Now Top Consumers of Green Goods

Posted on September 18, 2008 by John Platt .

Ready for some green guilt? It turns out that older Americans — those age 55 and up — are now the country’s top buyers of green goods.
According to a survey conducted by ICOM Information & Communications, women aged 55-59 are more than twice as likely as the average consumer to use green products. Meanwhile, men [...]

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