 Stories About: Ask Umbra
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Author |
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Little Bundle of Consumption
On having kids |
Umbra Fisk |
12 Mar 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Wonderful Umbra, I truly love your column. You should give humor lessons to the rest of the Grist staff. My question concerns the environmental consequences of the decision to reproduce or not to reproduce. Your answer to Genevieve pointed out that the two biggest actions we can take to support a healthy environment relate to transportation and housing. Why do you not consider reproduction the biggest action we take that ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, parenting, population (all these topics) |
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Menstruation Innovation
On that time of the month |
Umbra Fisk |
12 Mar 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Hey there, Umbra! I have a kind of gross-yet-pressing question for you: Are sanitary products (pads, etc.) environmentally friendly? I would think no, but what do you say? And what can I do about it? Thanks, Jessica Telford, Tenn. Hey there, dearest Jessica, How is it possible that we live in a country where diapers are table conversation and menstruation is considered gross? But no worries, there are many nice flowe ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, health, toxics, waste (all these topics) |
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Bamboo Ado
On wood floors and solid waste |
Umbra Fisk |
27 Feb 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Oh Wise Umbra, We'll be replacing our carpeting with wood flooring, probably from one of the major home stores (Home Depot or Lowe's). Are wood floors a really bad environmental choice if they are made from unsustainably harvested wood? Would I be better off going with a (probably petroleum-based) fake wood floor? Also, is there any environmentally responsible way to dispose of my old carpet? If the nice garbage collectors pick ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green building, green living, green products, placemaking, recycling, waste (all these topics) |
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Burden of Roof
On eco-friendly roofs |
Umbra Fisk |
27 Feb 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Our roof is getting pretty old and starting to fall apart. It's one of those asphalt-shingle roofs that most houses have these days. Before we call the roofing company, I'd like to know what's the greenest kind of roofing material to use. Metal? Cedar? More asphalt? I'm sure lots of other readers would like to know, too! Thanks, Wally Bubelis Seattle, Wash. Dearest Wally, Like other readers, you may need a drink or t ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green building, green living, placemaking (all these topics) |
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Paint Cans, Paint Can'ts
On dealing with lead paint |
Umbra Fisk |
27 Feb 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Wise One, We have a conundrum. Our house is covered with cedar shingles, which some dope painted, presumably with toxic or lead-laden paint. The paint is flaking, and we need to either get rid of it completely or treat the flakes and paint over them. What is the least toxic (to our family and home environment), affordable way to either strip or repaint? Thanks, John Missoula, Mont. P.S. Bonus: Is there any reason no ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, toxics (all these topics) |
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Housecapades
On homegrown activism |
Umbra Fisk |
12 Feb 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I have been changing my way of living in the past year or so to become more environmentally friendly. I have been recycling (my city recycles almost everything) and I started composting. I have been cutting meat out of my life, and I have been surrounding my home with plants and herbs. I buy biodegradable, organic products that haven't been tested on animals. I've also signed online petitions and became a member of Greenpea ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, grassroots activism, green building, green living, placemaking (all these topics) |
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Mosquito Veto
On mosquitoes |
Umbra Fisk |
12 Feb 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Our 50-gallon hot water tank has been converted to a rainwater catchment. Due to the open space around the gutter that feeds rainwater into the tank, it is difficult to seal off the catchment to prevent entry and exit of mosquitoes, and they just love to use the catchment to breed. Can I use something natural to discourage them? Rebecca Dearest Rebecca, The eager Culicidae family, like their fellow insects and some of the rest of ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, wildlife (all these topics) |
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Deplored of the Rings
On wedding rings |
Umbra Fisk |
12 Feb 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Help! I am getting married soon and I need to know what I should do about rings. I know that mining for metals and gems is very destructive, and I am also concerned about supporting civil war in Africa through a diamond purchase. Is my only environmentally friendly option to forgo the engagement and wedding rings? Thanks, Kathleen, Oakland, Calif. Dearest Kathleen, Good for you for caring, and congratulations on you ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, mining, toxics (all these topics) |
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Leavin' on a Jet Stream
On jet streams |
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06 Feb 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Why does the jet stream move from west to east? Joe Pittsburgh, Penn. Dearest Joe, To get a decent bagel? Image: NASA. There are actually two main global jet streams, the "polar" in the Northern Hemisphere and the "subtropical" in the Southern Hemisphere. The ridiculously simple answer to your question is that jet streams move west to east because the Earth rotates west to east in its orbit. (It also matters t ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, climate, climate science, education (all these topics) |
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'Til Cruise Do Us Part
On cruises |
Umbra Fisk |
06 Feb 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, My husband, though a very warmhearted man, does not follow the environmental tides quite as much as I do. He would desperately like to take a cruise for our second honeymoon. I know cruise ships dump waste in the oceans and are not good for the ecosystem in general, but could you tell me which cruise lines are the most environmentally conscious? In the spirit of compromise, I have agreed to go, but would like to make the ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, oceans, travel, waste, water pollution (all these topics) |
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Styro-Tome
On Styrofoam |
Umbra Fisk |
06 Feb 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I continue to avoid buying Styrofoam, but I don't really know why. In middle school, I remember being told not to chew on Styrofoam cups because the action of breaking the Styrofoam would deplete the ozone and ingesting it would make me ill. This information, given to me by the lunchroom woman, is all I seem to have on the material. What is it with Styrofoam? Why should we avoid it? Sincerely, Sundee Chicago, Ill. Dearest ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, greenhouse-gas emissions, ozone, waste (all these topics) |
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Green U.
On student activism |
Umbra Fisk |
16 Jan 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I may be asking the wrong person, but I hope you can help out. I am a student at the University of North Carolina and my group, the Student Environmental Action Coalition, is undertaking an ambitious campaign to raise student fees by $4 per semester in order to bring renewable energy to our campus. While $4 doesn't sound like a lot, in the end it would amount to nearly $300,000 per year, which we hope to increase by corporate ma ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, campus activism, education, green living, renewable energy (all these topics) |
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The Illumin-Naughty
On mercury in compact fluorescent lights |
Umbra Fisk |
16 Jan 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Here in Texas, where it is very hot in the summer (granted, we deserve to be in hell for having produced George Bush), some of us have been enthusiastically switching our light bulbs to cooler compact fluorescents. Is this a bad thing due to the mercury they contain? Lisa Smithville, Texas Dearest Lisa, Thanks for your question, as it will allow me to keep shedding light on the compact fluoresc ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living, mercury, toxics (all these topics) |
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Always a Big Turn-off
On turning off fluorescent lights |
Umbra Fisk |
16 Jan 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, You'd be so proud of us! We just had an hour-long meeting about conservation and environmentalism here in our office. In the course of our discussion, the topic of leaving the lights on came up. I am a religious light-switcher, meaning I turn lights off in the bathroom or wherever they're left on. One of my colleagues was under the impression that it takes more energy to turn fluorescent lights on a ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy efficiency, green living (all these topics) |
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To Ski or Not to Ski...
On skiing |
Umbra Fisk |
10 Dec 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, With winter fast approaching, I was thinking of learning to ski. I was wondering how skiing ranks among recreational activities in terms of its environmental impact. What are all the effects of clearing ski trails, making snow, and operating ski lifts? Not to mention all the resorts and roads that sprout up to service the skiers. Should I hit the slopes or stay inside sipping hot cocoa (organic, shade-grown, and fairly trade ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, habitat loss, sports (all these topics) |
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Quid Pro Snow
On snowy sidewalks |
Umbra Fisk |
10 Dec 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Being a new homeowner, I've realized the responsibility of keeping the sidewalk slip-proof during the winter months. Of course, shoveling will be the first line of defense, but that never seems to do the trick, often leaving that thin layer of slippery snow. And then there is the ice. I know that salt and sand can be fairly nasty to local rivers and streams (not to mention the white stains on my floors). So what are the best ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, water pollution (all these topics) |
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Wrapture
On wrapping paper |
Umbra Fisk |
10 Dec 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Any suggestions on where to find recycled wrapping paper? I know the real environmental choice is to reuse stuff I have around the house, but sometimes newspaper, etc., just doesn't have the right look. Any ideas where I can find recycled/tree-free wrapping paper for the holiday season? I've been looking around (both online and off) but all I can find is rolls of brown packing paper. I want something a little more festive. Thanks, ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, holiday, recycling (all these topics) |
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The Organic Verses
On organic food and farming |
Umbra Fisk |
26 Nov 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I try to buy organic food where possible, but I notice that there is often a tradeoff with other factors. For example, organic food has often been shipped further and/or is more heavily packaged. How do I assess those tradeoffs? Ellen Watertown, Mass. Dearest Ellen, As I've mentioned before, the USDA national organic standards came into effect last month, an event that has caused both rejoicing and concern in t ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, CSAs, farmers markets, food, food and agriculture, green living, local food, organic food, sustainable ag (all these topics) |
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Just Spray No
On fruit sprays and organic food |
Umbra Fisk |
26 Nov 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, The tangerines I bought recently had this on the label: "Thiabendazole and/or orthopenylphenol and/or imazalil used as fungicides, and coated with food-grade shellac based wax or resin to maintain freshness." Presumably the shellac stays on the skin and does not affect the fruit, but what about the other products? What are these products and do we know what the impact of spraying or putting them on the ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, food and agriculture, green living, industrial ag, organic food, toxics (all these topics) |
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Teeth Chatter
On vegetarianism |
Umbra Fisk |
26 Nov 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I have been a vegetarian for a pretty long time, but my uncle told me that if the human is not supposed to eat meat then why do we have teeth. He left me a little confused. Is the human being naturally vegetarian? Laida Somerville, Mass. Dearest Laida, Your uncle is unkindly denigrating your ideas, and using his authority to confuse you. His comment reminds me of a long-ago MAD Magazine spoof -- to paraphrase, "If the Lor ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, food and agriculture, vegetarianism and veganism (all these topics) |
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Bunk Rock
On sustainable bunk beds |
Umbra Fisk |
14 Nov 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I've been looking for a sustainably harvested bunk bed for my five-year-old son for quite some time now. I have found only one company, Pacific Rim, that makes such an item. It seems like a great company, but it doesn't have exactly what I'm looking for. When I search online, all I read about are "super low, unbeatable prices," rather than the really important details, like whether it's any good for our planet. Do ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, logging (all these topics) |
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Mulch It Over
On making mulch from paper |
Umbra Fisk |
14 Nov 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I know this is a silly question, probably the strangest you've ever gotten, but I'm curious. Where I live, there isn't a place nearby to recycle paper. I reuse most of my paper as scratch paper and have attempted to make my own paper using a blender and a screen. The problem is, making my own paper isn't worthwhile, and I can't possibly use that much scratch paper. Besides, what do I do with the paper after I have use ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, gardening, green living (all these topics) |
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Cushion the Grow
On cushion planters |
Umbra Fisk |
14 Nov 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I have been cutting out old cushions, filling them with dirt, and planting them for some years now. I found the first two floating in the river (while canoeing). Since then, I've gotten them from the trash; I don't pay anything for them. I use them to grow everything from herbs to prairie plants to succulents to water plants. I have even used cut-up, leftover cushions in bog gardens (in the bottom part along with newspape ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, gardening, toxics (all these topics) |
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Keep Soap Alive
On used soap |
Umbra Fisk |
14 Nov 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, At a gym I go to, lots of guys pick up bars of soap, use them for two minutes, and then leave them (even though there is a liquid soap dispenser in the showers). Is there any good use for several pounds of partially used soap per day? Dennis Seattle, Wash. Dearest Dennis, I have some harebrained schemes for you, but there are some natural limitations on the success of used-soap projects. First, there is the cost/benefit limitati ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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Murders on the Rise
On crows |
Umbra Fisk |
31 Oct 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Is there a national increase in the crow population, or am I just noticing them more as I age? Jim La Jolla, Calif. Dearest Jim, Probably both. I'll wager that you have become more observant as the years pass, but it's also the case that, according to various bird counts and surveys, the American crow population is indeed expanding -- although not in all parts of the country. Industrial agriculture provides little friendly habit ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, wildlife (all these topics) |
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