The White Gold Rush
Lithium is so much more than the name of a (very) famous Nirvana song. Lithium is a metal affectionately known as white gold, and it’s having a moment.
On today’s show we are examining the environmental implications associated with our growing lithium needs for batteries in electric vehicles, laptops, cell phones, and more.
Here’s a preview:
[3:00] Everything you need to know about lithium: its benefits, its drawbacks, how it’s extracted
[8:45] The white gold race and the political/economic forces at play
[9:45] Environmental concerns and controversies with Lithium Americas at Thacker Pass, Nevada
[14:00] Answering listener questions about EV battery length, recycling concerns, and more
[23:00] 3 lithium-related action steps for conscious consumers
Additional resources:
- The Lithium Gold Rush: Inside the Race to Power Electric Vehicles (via NY Times)
- Sodium-based Material Yields Stable Alternative to Lithium-ion Batteries (via UTexas)
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