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| Headline |
Author |
Published |
Section |
Shall I Compare Thee to an Activist?
On love |
Umbra Fisk |
01 Mar 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I long to have a partner join in (or be excited and supportive) when I participate in an environmental event, or write a well-researched and poignant letter about a pressing environmental issue. I have broken off three serious relationships in the past few years because I decided the men were not environmentally sensitive enough. Where does a nice, smart chick like me meet a nice, smart, environmentally sensitive ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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Give a Little Bit
On wedding registries |
Umbra Fisk |
27 Feb 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am getting married and would like to register for some socially and environmentally responsible household and kitchen items: pots, pans, etc. I found plenty of resources on organic cotton and hemp, but other than that I have come up with nothing! Paige Doughty Cambridge, Mass. Dearest Paige, This is a potential stumper. First we would have to figure out every possible thing that might be wrong with the pots and pan ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, green products (all these topics) |
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Greece Lightening
On vacations |
Umbra Fisk |
22 Feb 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, My wife and I want to celebrate our 25th anniversary by taking a significant trip. We are thinking of a 10-day European vacation, possibly the Greek islands. I am conflicted by my dedication to celebrating this milestone and my dedication to living eco-friendly. What advice would you have for those wanting to travel while limiting their impact on the environment? Realistically, if I hope to enjoy another 25 years of marriage, I ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, Greece, travel (all these topics) |
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Carpet Diem
On carpeting |
Umbra Fisk |
15 Feb 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Our home is mostly wood floors, but we would like to have a carpeted den. My gut instinct is that the carpet pad (looks like the foam from the inside of a car seat all smooshed together with other pieces) is full of chemicals that will constantly offgas. Am I right? If so, is there an alternative, or something to do so we can have a safe carpeted area? Yosh Schulman Millerton, N.Y. Dearest Yosh, Almost all the articles I just read ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, toxics (all these topics) |
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Love Factually
On Valentine's Day |
Umbra Fisk |
13 Feb 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Do you have any advice on how to have a guilt-free, pleasurable Valentine's Day? I would like to give my husband gifts that are good for him and the environment. Krista Ashley Gadsden, Ala. Dearest Krista, Love, love, love. Does greeting him at the door dressed in strategically placed hemp napkins count as a Valentine's Day present? Your birthday suit: the most ecological clothing. Good for you, pleasurable, and guilt-free ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, holiday (all these topics) |
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Bamboozled
On bamboo flooring |
Umbra Fisk |
08 Feb 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, We will be putting in new flooring in the very near future. My first choice was hardwood, but I have recently read a lot about bamboo. Because it is renewable, it seems to be a better option. But how is it grown? Who is harvesting it? Are the people in the industry fair to their employees? Is it truly a better option for the environmentally conscious, or just a marketing tactic? Kathleen DiBacco Darien, Ill. Dearest Kathleen, ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green building, green living (all these topics) |
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I'm Floored
On flooring options |
Umbra Fisk |
06 Feb 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, If I have to replace my old carpet, what are the environmental pros and cons of the different choices? (Ceramic tile, carpet, or the laminate flooring sold at Home Depot seem to be the most common.) And can I recycle my old carpet? Claudia Bloom Mesa, Ariz. Dearest Claudia, I'm going to lay out all the flooring choices of which I'm aware, and I'll talk about some of them in depth in upcoming columns. In terms of your carpet, ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green building, green living (all these topics) |
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Rock the Coat
On eco-friendly paint |
Umbra Fisk |
01 Feb 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I just bought a home that needs lots of TLC, and would like to do it in a way that is best for the environment and my health. Do you have any advice about the best choice of interior paint? Every room in the house desperately needs new paint, but I'd like to avoid inhaling all the toxic who-knows-what in your basic everyday latex paint. Carrie Wadman Phoenixville, Pa. Dearest Carrie, My advice is to go with yellow, always ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, toxics (all these topics) |
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Cutting the Cord
On cell phones vs. land lines |
Umbra Fisk |
30 Jan 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, In this day and age, when many people seem to be getting rid of their "land lines" in favor of cell phones, I find myself wondering how these two options stack up against one another from an environmental-impact perspective. Doug Quirk Eugene, Ore. Dearest Doug, I have a fairly strong anti-cell-phone bias. I am a cranky lady who believes they are eroding public manners and encouraging various irrespon ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, e-waste, green living (all these topics) |
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Good Nintentions
On video games |
Umbra Fisk |
25 Jan 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, After reading some heart-rending, gut-wrenching articles on global warming, I've decided that I want to do something about it. I've started by vowing never to buy a car, or get a driver's license. But I happen to love video games. Nothing is going to make me stop playing my video games. As I am painfully aware, a consumer lifestyle is what contributes to global warming and the ecocide of our planet, so how can I be an environm ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, e-waste, green living, toxics, video games (all these topics) |
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Matters of the Hearth
On fireplaces |
Umbra Fisk |
23 Jan 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, We pile on socks and sweaters, but there are just times you need more warmth. Should we use the fireplace or our central (gas-powered) heater? Also, can you let us know which is better, natural firewood or those chemically infused logs that claim lower particulate matter is released? Kas Sut Davis, Calif. Dearest Kas, Although we've contemplated this heating dilemma before, I find I have more to say about fire. Don't use ... |
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| Topics: advice, air pollution, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living (all these topics) |
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Laptop Dance
On choosing a laptop |
Umbra Fisk |
18 Jan 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am buying a new laptop, and I was wondering if all computers are the same energy-wise, or if some brands are better for the environment? Aviva Horrow Philadelphia, Pa. Dearest Aviva, You're already off to a good start, as laptops consume far less energy than desktop machines -- we're talking over 50 percent less. Thin is in. Photo: iStockPhoto. Computer manufacturers have three opportunities to earn their environmental s ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, e-waste, green living, recycling, toxics (all these topics) |
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Comic Relief
On amusing questions |
Umbra Fisk |
11 Jan 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, When I was a kid we were allowed to lick our plates at the dinner table, except when guests were present. We were told that starving children in other countries would never leave a scrap on their plates, and my mother also took it as a compliment to her cooking. I still lick my plate in the privacy of my home, but today there are environmental reasons: licking prevents a small amount of waste from being transported and dumpe ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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When the Rubber Hits the Road
On recycling condoms |
Umbra Fisk |
09 Jan 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| For the sake of argument, how does one recycle condoms? Unused they are plastic of some sort? I know it's a bit silly, but don't you just hate to have to flush them and all the water that goes with? Flavia S. Milan, Italy Dearest Flavia, In brief: condoms are generally made of latex and are not recyclable. (Though the actual recyclability of Milan condoms may be a question for the Milan Recycling Bureau, not yours trul ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, recycling, sex (all these topics) |
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Alarming Prate
On hyped-up verbiage |
Umbra Fisk |
04 Jan 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Surely you must have noticed that ubiquitous cliché of environmental reportage: the alarming rate. Forests are disappearing at an alarming rate, coral reefs are being destroyed at an alarming rate, global warming is increasing at an a.r., and so forth. Clearly, the use of "alarming rate" is itself growing at an alarming rate. Do you have any idea where this particular phrase originated? How can we express our dis ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra (all these topics) |
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All Washed Up
On replacing appliances |
Umbra Fisk |
02 Jan 2006 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I've done the research, and I'm ready to buy my first front-loading washing machine. And then a pesky friend starts asking the tough questions. "Does your existing machine work?" Yes. "Are you going to sell it to someone else who will keep using it?" Yes. "So, two machines where there used to be one ... how is that better for the environment?" Can you help me answer this one? I'm facing the ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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Prints Charming
On ecological footprints, again |
Umbra Fisk |
14 Dec 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I have a couple of questions that relate to how I live and ask others to live. First, my guess is that many of your readers are above average in terms of income and education; who is the average American that we need ultimately to create a sustainable life for? Second, as we try to make our personal lives more sustainable, what is the ecological footprint we need to seek (i.e., square acres or miles or whatever ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, ecological footprint, green living (all these topics) |
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Won't You Be My Neighbor?
On co-housing |
Umbra Fisk |
12 Dec 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, How does one begin to gather a group of people to live in a modern city commune? My dream is to own in common an energy-efficient and sustainable house or apartment building inhabited by 10 or so people who are neighbors but also share the duties of the house (cooking, laundry, gardening), much like an extended family. I think this setup would be far superior to the current situation, where my spouse and I live in a la ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, placemaking (all these topics) |
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Moving Light Along
On LED holiday lights |
Umbra Fisk |
07 Dec 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Suppose I replace all my many old, tangled, not-so-efficient holiday lights with the newer LED lights. These are supposed to be better for the environment. What is the best way to dispose of my old lights? R-M Ottawa, Canada Dearest R-M, The LED lights are indeed better for the environment, and, since I'm frankly running out of winter holiday-related questions (see my previous work on Christmas trees, gift wrap, cand ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy efficiency, green living, holiday (all these topics) |
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Gardener on the Roof
On green roofs |
Umbra Fisk |
05 Dec 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Our garage is in need of a new roof. We would like to build a "living roof" and are wondering where to start. Our long-term plan is to convert the space into an art studio, complete with insulation, electricity, and finished walls and floor. Do you have any pithy suggestions for us to consider while planning our roof, considering it will cover a finished room eventually? Lesley Victoria, B.C. Dearest Lesley, Not ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green building, green living (all these topics) |
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Pad Influence
On composting feminine products |
Umbra Fisk |
30 Nov 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, OK, the kitty-litter thing pushed me over the edge. I know you are sick of writing about gross, yucky things, but I had to ask: if kitty litter is compostable, what about biodegradable maxipads and tampons? One of the leading natural feminine-care brands touts their stuff as being biodegradable and compostable. Can this actually be possible? Liz Schlegel Waterbury, Vt. Dearest Liz, I'm not sick of writing about ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, health, waste (all these topics) |
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Low With the Flow
On low-flow flushing |
Umbra Fisk |
28 Nov 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I live in an apartment. What can I do to reduce the amount of water that is flushed in the toilet? The landlord will not fix it. Audrey Brookline, Mass. Dearest Audrey, Ooh, more toilet talk. I quote USA Landlord, which supplies landlords and tenants with water-saving devices: "This really is a landlord no-brainer!" And I append, "Especially if he is paying the water bill." But even if your landlord ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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You're Only Humanure
On composting toilets, again |
Umbra Fisk |
21 Nov 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I'm attempting to "green" my home, room by room. I've heard of low-flow toilets, but someone just told me about composting toilets. Do they smell bad? Will my grandmother use it or ask for an outhouse? Thanks for your wisdom! Moira Providence, R.I. Dearest Moira, Excellent, manageable room-by-room plan. What in tarnation?! Composting toilets are basically the technology we should have adopted inst ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, solid waste treatment and disposal, waste (all these topics) |
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Do the Bath
On heating with bathwater |
Umbra Fisk |
16 Nov 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, After a hot bath, I leave the water in the tub so the heat will go into the room. My husband says the heat saved is inconsequential. How would one calculate the BTUs saved this way? J. Reiman Helena, Mont. Dearest J., I do that too. I'm trying to heat the entire office building with my baths, and I've been making my editor bring me my encyclopedias in the tub. Ay, there's the tub. Roughly speaking (and cut me a little s ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living (all these topics) |
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Ozoning Out
On climate confusion |
Umbra Fisk |
14 Nov 2005 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Any chance that the most extreme of the peak-oil folks are correct, and that in spite of our thoughtlessness, we just won't have enough oil to totally destroy the ozone layer? Dan Wasson Pittsburgh, Penn. Dearest Dan, Oil has very little to do with the ozone layer, but it does have to do with global warming. Global warming and ozone depletion are, for our daily purposes, two separate issues. They both involve gaseous, human- ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate, climate science, ozone (all these topics) |
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