|
| Headline |
Author |
Published |
Section |
Rack and Forth
On hauling goods by bike |
Umbra Fisk |
28 Apr 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Hi Umbra, Love your column. I'm a daily bicycle commuter and coffee achiever. Here's a cool mug and handlebar mount [for the reader who asked about transporting coffee]. Cheers, John Denver, Colo. Dearest John, Thank you. Take a look at the Soma coffee mount John suggests, everyone -- it got rave reviews from beaucoup readers. Another fun beverage-toting suggestion was a whiskey-flask holder from Ahearne Cycles in Portland (than ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, bikes, cars, green living (all these topics) |
|
|
Blades of Glory
On planning a lawn |
Umbra Fisk |
23 Apr 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Umbra, I'm not a big fan of lawns, but I do want some nice grass cover on at least part of my yard, especially the steep slope on the side of the house. I was looking into native grass species, but from what I've found so far the warm weather grasses native to the Northeast are more like hay than the stuff on a typical lawn. Should I just suck it up and buy some grass seed, or do you have a better idea? Dennis Hopatcong, N.J. Dearest ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
|
|
Sharing is Glaring
On energy-hog roommates |
Umbra Fisk |
21 Apr 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, My roommate takes 45-minute showers, does 10 loads of laundry a day, and spends her days watching show after show on TV. What is a nice or subtle way to get her to "cool down" (she didn't like us secretly turning down the water heater)? Thanks, Tested Tom Belmont, Calif. Dearest Tom, Obviously the nice way is to courteously ask. We'll assume this was attempted and failed. Did you read my recent effort to ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, education, energy, energy at home, green living (all these topics) |
|
|
Sup on a Roof
On rooftop gardening |
Umbra Fisk |
16 Apr 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Growing your own vegetables is supposed to be healthy and good for the environment, but I live on a heavily trafficked avenue in Manhattan and my plants stay on my roof. Should I be worried that dirt from car and truck exhaust is contaminating my buckets of soil? Could I be poisoning myself? Should I get my soil (a mix of bagged potting soil, bagged peat moss, compost I got from the city, and perlite) tested, and if so, whe ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, gardening, green living (all these topics) |
|
|
Cake and Iceberg
On Earth Day office parties |
Umbra Fisk |
14 Apr 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Earth Day seems like a good opportunity to raise environmental awareness in the office. Do you have any ideas for an Earth Day office party? The best I can come up with is vegan cupcakes in the park and an inter-department "use less paper" competition. I work for a publishing company that is relatively eco-apathetic ... sometimes we toss paper into the regular trash, and sometimes we toss non-recyclable ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, ecological footprint, green living (all these topics) |
|
|
Guitar Heroes?
On video games saving the world |
Umbra Fisk |
09 Apr 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Does the increasing use of video games as a form of recreation bode well for the environment? Fewer people using real resources means less of an impact on the world. Tadeusz Rockville, Md. Dear Tadeusz, Now that is an interesting spin on things. No one knows the complete answer, and we won't know until we fully assess the footprint of our electronic age. Make that 51 simple things you can do. Photo: ansik Playi ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, video games (all these topics) |
|
|
Stacks of Advice
On library furniture |
Umbra Fisk |
07 Apr 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I work in an academic library that has just received funding to purchase new furniture for the first time in over 20 years. As such, the committee examining this is very interested in purchasing stuff that will last a long time and be attractive and comfortable well into the future. We are purchasing a combination of comfy couches and chairs along with more austere study tables and chairs. Other libraries in the area tha ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, green products, shopping (all these topics) |
|
|
Don't Spray It
On long, hot showers |
Umbra Fisk |
02 Apr 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, The biggest waster of energy in our house right now is our 15-year-old daughter, whose never-ending daily showers must surely be responsible for warming the planet another half-degree. No matter how loudly we bang on the bathroom door and scream for her to stop, she showers on -- 20, 30 minutes at a time. And yes, we have a low-flow showerhead and our water heater is set to 120 degrees. Is there any kind of device -- one t ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living, parenting, water conflicts (all these topics) |
|
|
Different Beasts
On organic vs. natural foods |
Umbra Fisk |
31 Mar 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I'm trying to convince my sister that there is a difference between all-natural and organic products, and she doesn't think there is. I'm pretty sure there is a difference, I just don't know what it is. I look at the ingredients of some of the food she buys that she says are "natural" and I wonder how these products are able to claim that! What are the qualifications for something to be labeled all-natu ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, consumerism, food, green living, green products, organic food, shopping (all these topics) |
|
|
Garbage, Man
On trash bags |
Umbra Fisk |
26 Mar 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am attempting to wean myself off plastic bags. I am also aware of the environmental impact of brown paper bags. So we are OK with cloth grocery bags, but can you suggest an alternative that can be used as a trash can liner (that's economical)? Lisa Columbus, Ga. Dearest Lisa, Plastic trash bags ... a Frequently Asked Question that I have never answered. Have I been saving this succulent trash bag question for a special day? No, ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, recycling, waste (all these topics) |
|
|
Nasty Namaste
On toxic yoga mats |
Umbra Fisk |
24 Mar 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I own a yoga studio and our mats are wearing out and in need of replacement. What's the best alternative for buying new mats? And if I do get new mats, what's the best option for disposing of the old ones: donate to one of the many organizations that provide yoga for people that can't afford the usual yoga studio rates? Or spare them the toxins and send the mats to the landfill, or my gosh are they possibly recyclable? Help! ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, green products, recycling, sports, toxics (all these topics) |
|
|
Ash Ask
On burning paper |
Umbra Fisk |
19 Mar 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, We heat our house primarily by wood, in an efficient, EPA-rated woodstove. My question is this: We recycle all of our paper, paperboard, cardboard, etc., but would it be better to burn it? As it is, we drive it to the recycle center, they ship it off somewhere, it is then processed, then shipped back out as a product. If we burn it, we get some heat, and ashes to spread on our garden. Which is better for paper -- recycling or burning ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, health, recycling, toxics (all these topics) |
|
|
Espresso Express
On transporting coffee by bike |
Umbra Fisk |
17 Mar 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Now that there are promises that the snow will melt someday, I'm dreaming about biking again -- to work, to the farmers' market, to church, etc. However, my sweet husband loves to make me coffee and send it with me when I leave the house. I have wonderful reusable coffee cups for the car, but how do I transport coffee on a bicycle without ruining it or me? Any bright ideas? Caffeine Appreciator Duluth, Minn. D ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, shopping (all these topics) |
|
|
I Sink, Therefore I Am
On tap water |
Umbra Fisk |
12 Mar 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Umbra, I was wondering where the H2O from the tap comes from, and where it goes to. Beth Swarthmore, Pa. Dearest Beth, It comes from and goes back to the water cycle, which I've been reading a lot about in Richard Scarry's classic work What Do People Do All Day? The book answers the "where it comes from" question, but Scarry doesn't have so much to say about sewage. Lowly Worm does not get to travel through the toilet. Let ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, health, US EPA, water pollution (all these topics) |
|
|
Cash and Carroty
On joining a CSA |
Umbra Fisk |
10 Mar 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Umbra, I have heard mention of community-supported agriculture programs but don't really know what they are. The name sounds very cool, but can you let me in on the specifics? Bryties Redding, Calif. Dearest Bryties, The springtime alarm is sounding, and your question is perfectly timed. Some of you might be experiencing hints of spring right now, some not (like me! I'm in a secret location where the all-time snowfall record is under t ... |
|
| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, green living (all these topics) |
|
|
The Bees' Needs
On organic honey |
Umbra Fisk |
05 Mar 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I was looking for a nice, local, organic honey to use in reworking some recipes so that they didn't use sugar. So I headed to Whole Foods, and was stuck looking at a honey in a plastic container labeled organic from Brazil, and a local product in a glass container but not labeled organic. And I started wondering -- what makes honey organic? I mean, bees fly. How do you know what plants they ate or pollinated unless you've cag ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, green living, organic food, shopping (all these topics) |
|
|
Pearly Writes
On pearl production |
Umbra Fisk |
03 Mar 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I'm nearly drowning in jewelry ideas for my valentine, but wary of mined gemstones. Do you know anything about the ecological impact of cultured pearls, or the faux "shell pearls"? Swimming to the Surface Slowly Portland, Ore. Dearest SSS, I apologize for missing your Valentine's window, but you may have seen my wee notie regarding my inability to find pearls of wisdom on this topic. You would think I would just ... |
|
| Topics: advice, aquaculture, Ask Umbra, green living, shopping (all these topics) |
|
|
The Ripe Stuff
On organic bananas |
Umbra Fisk |
27 Feb 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Why are organic bananas always smaller and almost always greener than non-organic? BG Tallahassee, Fla. Dearest BG, Hmm. Fresh organic fruits and vegetables often differ in appearance from their conventionally grown kin. They're the hippies of the produce world: unwaxed, expressing their individualism, coming to the produce stand as they are, lumps and all. Although I notice this has changed some over the past couple decade ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, green living, organic food, shopping (all these topics) |
|
|
Get the Hang Of It
On communal clothes drying |
Umbra Fisk |
25 Feb 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Hello Umbra! I'm a college student working to make my school greener and would like to purchase a few relatively sturdy, high-volume clothes drying racks to place in our laundry rooms so that students have an alternative to using the electric dryers. I know these racks exist because I just got back from studying in Italy for the semester and saw them all over, but I haven't been able to find anything good in 45 minutes of se ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, education, energy at home, green living (all these topics) |
|
|
Sheath All That
On house siding |
Umbra Fisk |
20 Feb 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I have been a homeowner for five years and gradually I am upgrading the 25-year-old house to be more green. I have finished replacing the single-pane windows with Energy Star-rated double-pane windows. Now I am turning my attention to the siding, since the roof is still in good shape. I have wood siding and there is a bit of rot (not to mention my puppy thought the house was a chew toy). I am trying to decide what is best bot ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy at home, green living (all these topics) |
|
|
My Three Sins
On avoiding vinyl |
Umbra Fisk |
13 Feb 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Hi Umbra! I've been in denial about vinyl. Blue Vinyl, the movie, got me thinking, but unfortunately I space out and lie to myself. I even have bought those recently popular adult toys that advertise as being vinyl in large unavoidable proclamations on the front of the box and I still managed somehow to think, "It is probably a different process for toys." After reading your article about the LPs, I realized just how bad I have ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, health, shopping, toxics (all these topics) |
|
|
Chin Up
On staying positive |
Umbra Fisk |
11 Feb 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am a new but faithful reader of your excellent column. I've learned a lot, but one thing I've noticed is that there never seems to be an upside to the answers. Now, this may be just because the reality sucks so much, but it depresses the hell out of me and makes me feel hopeless about ever making a difference. Even your reply to the vinyl record guy left me feeling glum, as you told him to enjoy his records but that their dispos ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
|
|
Sell Abrasions
On green-company buyouts |
Umbra Fisk |
06 Feb 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, So glad you were ransomed. (I happily did my bit.) I'm worried that the gentle-on-the-environment start-ups are taking the money and running. First our favorite toothpaste, Tom's of Maine, sold out to Colgate (I think) and now Burt's Bees has become a product line acquired by a bleach company. Where do we turn for sparkling teeth and rosy cheeks? Irene Eatonville, Wash. Dearest Irene, May I split a few awapuhi-softe ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, business, consumerism, greenish companies, shopping (all these topics) |
|
|
LP, I Need Somebody
On vinyl records |
Umbra Fisk |
04 Feb 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Umbra, I know that PVC is bad, and vinyl records are PVC (right?), but is there any harm in keeping the records I already have, or should I get rid of them? And if so, what's the best way to do so? I've recently been trying to phase out any "bad" plastics, including anything that leaches, and while I understand the danger of plastic leaching chemicals into a water bottle, is there anything all that bad about playing an old ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, health, music, toxics (all these topics) |
|
|
Major Dilemma
On choosing a college |
Umbra Fisk |
30 Jan 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am a high school junior this school year. I am currently researching what college to attend. One major decision in your school choice should be choosing a college that is strong in the field of your study. I am interested in college majors that will translate into green jobs. I know about jobs such as sustainable architecture as well as a few others but I was wondering if you could give a thorough list! Tim Olney, Ill. ... |
|
| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, education, green living (all these topics) |
|
|
|
©2008. Grist Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Gloom and doom with a sense of humor®.