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| Headline |
Author |
Published |
Section |
Directed Buy
On carbon offsets |
Umbra Fisk |
15 Oct 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I've been reading the whole back-and-forth about carbon offsets, and it seems strange to me that most (all?) of the ones I've seen fund projects that, while worthwhile, may or may not result in the promised emissions reduction. It seems that a simple way around this problem would be to buy actual emissions permits from an established carbon market like Europe. Are there any companies or organizations that would allow me to do t ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, carbon offsets, climate, climate change mitigation (all these topics) |
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Into the Wild
On tossing food waste |
Umbra Fisk |
10 Oct 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I am a college student. I eat a lot on the go. Not fast food or boxed meals, but when I leave my dorm I usually grab an apple, banana, or other fruit/veggie to eat as I walk to my destination. I don't compost, instead I just throw the banana peel or apple core into the bushes. I like the thought that maybe one day my apple core will become an apple, or that my banana peel will help nourish that piece of ground/animals in t ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, education, food, green living, waste (all these topics) |
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A Better Mousetrap
On live trapping |
Umbra Fisk |
03 Oct 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, My wife and I live in a small town in Massachusetts, where I recently volunteered to head up an effort to certify our Unitarian Universalist congregation as a Green Sanctuary, an official recognition of our environmental stewardship. In discussing potential remedies for a mouse problem with a fellow congregation member, I recounted how I recently trapped four mice in our home and transported them gingerly to fields and par ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, wildlife (all these topics) |
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You Missed a Spot
On household help and homemade cleansers |
Umbra Fisk |
01 Oct 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I recently moved in with my investment-banker boyfriend. So far, my efforts to teach him to have more fun with less stuff have been largely successful; however, I've hit a roadblock when it comes to his cleaning lady. My first question, Umbra, is this: what are the social and ecological implications of hiring a maid (one who commutes using public transportation and is paid more than double minimum wa ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green cleaning, health, shopping, toxics (all these topics) |
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Simple Gifts
On kids' birthday parties |
Umbra Fisk |
26 Sep 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I have a wonderful daughter who is just about to turn 5. She is currently the only grandchild and niece to our families, and therefore has everything she needs (still less than many kids we know, but plenty). Therein lies my dilemma: I don't want the plastic detritus and clutter that come along with your traditional American birthday party, but the party itself I love. In years past, I have ducked this issue by suggesti ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, consumerism, green living, parenting, shopping (all these topics) |
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Fit to Be Tide
On green laundry detergents |
Umbra Fisk |
24 Sep 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, What are the "green" high-efficiency detergents for washers? Thanks, Marilyn Dearest Marilyn, A perfect question for parenting fortnight. Children have such tiny clothing that you wouldn't think it would add up to an increase in laundry volume. Until you saw the proof. Too bad keeping them naked (cuuuute!) and periodically hosing them off is only feasible in warm weather. Pin your hopes on NPE-free. Photo ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, consumerism, green cleaning, green living (all these topics) |
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You Are What You Buy
On the impact of food purchases |
Umbra Fisk |
19 Sep 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Hi Umbra, I practically live on Lean Cuisine (that brand specifically -- they are frequently on sale for $2 each). In my community, the plastic tray is recyclable, as is the cardboard box. The only thing that goes in the trash is the film that covers the tray. Microwave time averages five minutes per entree. Total dirty dishes: one fork. I have a friend who swears I'm a hypocrite -- that cooking is "better" ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, ecological footprint, food, green living (all these topics) |
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Not So Fast
On meat eating and global warming |
Umbra Fisk |
17 Sep 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I see that PETA's latest campaign says that meat eating is the No. 1 cause of global warming, not SUVs. This statement may be manipulative and political, but -- is it true? J. Helena, Mont. Dearest J., I'll bite. Shallow digging on one People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals site quickly uncovered their excitement at a 2006 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, "Livestoc ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, greenhouse-gas emissions (all these topics) |
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Gilled Complex
On vegetarian remorse |
Umbra Fisk |
12 Sep 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I've been a vegetarian for almost 10 years. I started when I was 15, on pretty much a whim just to see if I could do it, but since then I've come to appreciate what I'm doing for my body and the planet. Lately, though, whether from boredom or subconscious protein cravings, I've been thinking about reintroducing fish to my diet. For convenience, variety, and health, I think it could be a good thing. But I don't want to go ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, green living (all these topics) |
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There's the Tub
On reusing bath water |
Umbra Fisk |
10 Sep 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Hi Umbra, My new (to me) house has a somewhat larger than standard bathtub with jets. I rarely have time for a bath, but last night took the opportunity to indulge. I had a nice soak, in water heated by solar energy, but then I had a tubful -- perhaps 50 gallons? -- of relatively clean water that I would like to use on my currently thirsty trees, the only way I can justify an occasional indulgent soak. How can I get the water from m ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, recycling (all these topics) |
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Nothing to Sneeze At
On mini-dilemmas |
Umbra Fisk |
05 Sep 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Unfortunately, my nose runs a lot even when I am not sick. I've always wondered about the disposal of tissues and hope you can help calm my environmental nerves. Is it best to use a standard tissue and throw it in the trashcan, or blow my nose with toilet paper and flush it in the toilet? I know that an extra flush is not reasonable, but what if I am going to the bathroom and need to blow my nose as well? Should I opt fo ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, funnies (all these topics) |
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A Shareable Feast
On singles and CSAs |
Umbra Fisk |
29 Aug 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Hi Umbra! I've held back from joining a CSA because 1) I live alone and am worried about wasting food, and 2) I'm worried I'll get so much oddball stuff, especially in the winter, that I won't know what to do with it. I figure I can overcome No. 1 by seeking out some sufficiently hip neighbors and seeing if they want to share (although someone cautioned me that it gets hard to split the choice stuff -- she mentioned an incident with ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, sustainable ag (all these topics) |
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More Words on Birds
On attracting wildlife |
Umbra Fisk |
27 Aug 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Hi Umbra, I agree with your analysis of bird feeders, and would like to share a win-win solution. I have a huge variety of birds that visit my yard year-round. Instead of bird feeders, I have planted an abundance of native plants, including trees, bushes, and groundcover plants that provide berries, seeds, nesting material, and shelter throughout the year. In addition, I use organic gardening methods, and spread worm castings f ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, wildlife (all these topics) |
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Heat Exchange
On replacing a boiler |
Umbra Fisk |
22 Aug 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, When changing boilers for heating a house for the next 30 to 40 years, should we choose gas or electric? We have gas now and want to go from 80 percent efficient to 95 percent efficient. About 60 percent of our electricity comes from Missouri River hydro and 40 percent from coal. We have wind, but that is not developed, and will only be a small percentage in the future. Chuck Berry Brookings, S.D. Dearest Chuck, Good for ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home (all these topics) |
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Crops and Neighbors
On community-supported agriculture |
Umbra Fisk |
20 Aug 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Umbra, Please illuminate CSAs for us, how they work, and how your readers can join one. Thanks! (And by the way, that photo of a peach in your recent column is an apricot.) Bobbe Santa Fe, N.M. Dearest Bobbe, Alas for stone-fruit misidentification. Hopefully corrected by the time this question hits the screen, but still. A fruit ignorance that community-supported agriculture might solve, if one lived where apricots ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, placemaking, sustainable ag (all these topics) |
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Living Piggy Lives
On organic pork |
Umbra Fisk |
15 Aug 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Commercial pork production is a nasty, polluting operation and inhumane to the animals. What makes organic pork different? Simply what they are fed, or does it involve more humane and less polluting production operations? Related, I have been purchasing free-range, organic chicken for several years now. However, recently the free-range, organic chicken breasts have been humongous, conjuring up images of Dolly Parton chicken ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, industrial ag, organic food, sustainable ag (all these topics) |
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The Weigh of All Flesh
On sustainable meat |
Umbra Fisk |
13 Aug 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, My wife and I recently began changing the way we eat. We located several free-range/pastured farms here in the area, and found that some local restaurants buy meat from these farms. We plan on supporting these establishments. My question is, are there any major food chains that use good meat? Rich Brantner Fair Grove, Mo. Dearest Rich, Vegetarians may wish to skip today's column. Meet your meat. Photo: iStockphoto ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, shopping, sustainable ag (all these topics) |
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Listify Me
On prioritizing organic purchases |
Umbra Fisk |
08 Aug 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Hi Umbra! I just recently became a stay-at-home mom. Life is bliss, except for the one-income household we now have (my husband brings home the tofu-bacon). Now that we have very limited funds I cannot afford to buy all organic food. Sometimes organic food is nearly double the price of conventional food ... yikes! I looked around and could not find a great website for foods you need to buy organic. I know that some convention ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, organic food, shopping (all these topics) |
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Salt of the Earth
On salt |
Umbra Fisk |
06 Aug 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, What's up with salt, environmentally speaking? Is it good for the Dead Sea if I buy Dead Sea salt (but then it travels halfway around the world)? Am I getting trace amounts of Bad Stuff in any sea salt these days? Is a big box of Morton iodized salt going to overload the bath-soaker with iodine? And how much of my bath salt is going to mess with the Great Lakes -- not nearly as much as the salted winter roads, I suspect. Mo Ram Lak ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, oceans (all these topics) |
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Getting Sloshed
On wave power |
Umbra Fisk |
01 Aug 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Hello Umbra, I just read a little bit about wave power and was wondering what you think the future potential is for this clean and never-ending energy source? Peter Blomquist Orlando, Fla. Dearest Peter, Wow. I'm a sucker for anything with a good name, like "LIMPET." There are fun technologies under development to harness the might of the sea as it swells up from the briny deep. Crest easy. Photo: iStockphoto Wind hits the surfac ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, renewable energy, wave and tidal power (all these topics) |
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Take Me To Your Seeder
On feeding birds |
Umbra Fisk |
30 Jul 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dearest Umbra, Every winter I take pleasure in putting out birdseed to feed the backyard wildlife. I purchase the easily available, run-of-the-mill, found-at-my-local-hardware-store type of seed. My question is, in the big picture ... am I doing more harm than good? If the feed I am using is grown conventionally, am I doing a greater harm to the ecosystem as a whole? Or, on balance, is it better to provide free nosh to the locals? ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, industrial ag, wildlife (all these topics) |
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Tide Died
On tidal power |
Umbra Fisk |
25 Jul 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Much is made of wind, solar, geothermal, and even wave power, but why doesn't anyone talk about tidal power? It has more power than wind for the same turbine, without the eyesore of turbines, is totally renewable, and is predictable hundreds of years in advance. Yet nobody talks about it. What's wrong with tidal? Chris Morrison London, England Dearest Chris, The tides appear fruitful, but we disturb the ocean at our peril. Do oceans ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, renewable energy, wave and tidal power (all these topics) |
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Frigi-Dare
On refrigerator downsizing |
Umbra Fisk |
23 Jul 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, Two of our favorite Brit-coms are Keeping Up Appearances and As Time Goes By. It is hard for an American not to remark that in both households, which seem quite affluent, the refrigerator is short, and fits beneath the kitchen counter: nothing so grand as what passes for normal in American kitchens. Do most Brits and Europeans in fact have in their kitchens only counter-height refrigerators? And if so, are they therefore ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy efficiency, food, green living, health, shopping (all these topics) |
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You Look Radiant
On radiant heating |
Umbra Fisk |
18 Jul 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, We're trying to build a really small house and be really economical as we do it. Radiant floor heating sounds practical for the first floor, although it's expensive. What do you think about radiant floor heating, pluses, minuses, efficiency? Radiantly yours, Kerry Florence, Mass. Dearest Kerry, Thank you for helping me to write about radiant floor heat basics by sending in your question as requested. How I have coveted a ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy at home, energy efficiency, green building, green living (all these topics) |
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Still Worth It
On mercury in CFLs |
Umbra Fisk |
16 Jul 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dearest Umbra, For the past 10 years or so I have been patiently and methodically replacing the incandescent light bulbs in my house with the more efficient compact fluorescent ones. Even though they cost more than incandescents, I have been confident that their lower energy requirements and longer life span more than made up for the increased cost. Thus I was greatly dismayed the other day when I went to our local transfer station and ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green living, green products, toxics (all these topics) |
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