San Antonio College Library

Journalist Klare describes the impact the coming shortage of natural resources will have on the future of the human race.

When reactors at Fukushima Daiichi went into meltdown following Japan's devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami, the world once again began to question the safety of nuclear power. But is such distrust justified? In this program, physicist Jim Al-Khalili explains why he is convinced, at least theoretically, of nuclear power's value. Al-Khalili travels to Fukushima, Chernobyl, and reactors in Finland to see if nuclear power can work as well in practice...

A solar hot water system is an eco-friendly, cost-efficient alternative to gas or electric heaters, and with a conventional heater as a backup, can provide hot water even on cold, cloudy days. After a brief overview, this program explains the process of installing an active solar hot water system. Viewers learn the specific tools, hardware, plumbing, and electrical components needed, how to test the system, and key points about its operation to discuss...

Portland has become a global model of transit-oriented development (TOD). For more than 40 years, city planners have integrated transport decisions into urban growth and development efforts. The result: Portland is consistently ranked as one of the country's most livable cities, boasting a healthy two percent population growth annually - and the second-lowest per capita transportation spending of the 28 largest U.S. metropolitan areas.

Renewables, biofuels, solar, wind, and other energy sources may be alternatives to fossil fuel-but it is impossible to ignore the ubiquity of coal and the power capabilities of nuclear technology, despite their well-discussed drawbacks. This program presents a 21st-century look at these two controversial resources, which may be major players in a sustainable energy future, thanks to new developments in carbon capture and sequestration and improved...

In this program, Bill Moyers pays tribute to environmental crusader Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring. Grim footage of ecological degradation from the pre-Carson era is combined with generous excerpts from actress Kaiulani Lee's one-woman play about Carson's life called A Sense of Wonder to honor the legacy of an individual who, heedless of personal cost, sounded the alarm that launched the environmental movement. Moyers also talks with photographic...